Quest New Logo     Volume 14 No. 19   November 29, 2007
Compiled & written by Mike Fitzpatrick
  
Top Stories:
Milwaukee School Board Expected
To Approve Domestic Partner Benefits
Milwaukee - The Milwaukee Public School System (MPS) is expected to become the largest school district in the state of Wisconsin to offer benefits to domestic partners of its employees when the entire school board votes on  a proposal November 29. The vote will follow the 4-1 approval of a limited package by board’s finance committee nine days earlier.
  The resolution asks the school board to support “equal provision of employment benefits regardless of an employee’s sexual orientation or family status” to 113 administrative staff not covered by union contracts. Openly lesbian board member Cheryl Morales sponsored the resolution.
  Just under a hundred people attended the Tuesday meeting where the measure was discussed. Support for the measure among attendees offered during public comment on the proposal was overwhelming, 21-1. 
  Supporters argued that the measure would help retain valuable staff who increasingly can find similar benefits offered in the corporate world. A recently issued national workplace report by the Human Rights Campaign showed a majority of the Fortune 500 companies now offer domestic partner benefits.
  If approved, the resolution will signal the board’s commitment to being open to similar benefits in future union contracts for all school district employees. The Milwaukee Area Technical College recently authorized domestic partner benefits for its employees, following the example set by the City of Milwaukee.
  “By supporting that resolution, we’re committed, and it’s only about how,” MPS Human Resources Director Deborah Ford told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
  Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association president Dennis Oulahan also told reporter Alan J. Borsuk that benefits for partners had attracted far more support among union members than any other proposed contract change. He added that the union did not want to wait until their contract expires in 2009 to add such benefits.
  In Wisconsin, three school districts in the Madison area - Madison, Middelton and Sun Prairie - and the LaCrosse School District also offer employee domestic partner benefits.
 The committee also voted 4-1 on a second resolution criticizing the Journal-Sentinel for an earlier story that included a headline that suggested Morales had offered the benefits proposal for her personal gain. Local right-wing talk show hosts - including several on WTMJ-AM which is also owned by the company that publishes the paper - used the earlier piece in an attempt to stir up opposition among listeners to the proposal.
  Board President Peter Blewett said the earlier story mischaracterized the proposal, adding that he believed Morales had no conflict of interest. Morales married her partner Tina Owen, an instructor at the MPS Alliance charter school, in Canada last April.
  The earlier story also stated that MPS Superintendent William Andrekopoulos and his staff were opposed to Morales’ proposal, reportedly saying the issue should be left to negotiations with unions.

Wisconsin Events To Mark World AIDS Day
Statewide - A number of events, including open houses, memorial services, displays and other events will mark the observance of World AIDS Day AIDS Ribbonaround the state of Wisconsin. World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1st. The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988. This year marks the 20th observance, with events in the Badger State beginning midweek and running through the first full week of December.
   In Brookfield, three quilt panels from the National AIDS Memorial Quilt will be displayed from 1-6  PM on December 1, at Unitarian Universalist Church West, 13001 W. North Ave. A concert performed by the Wisconsin Cream City Chorus will follow at 7:30 PM at the church, with the theme “”In the Spirit of Peace.”
  Additional viewing of the quilt panels will be offered from Noon - 4 PM on December 2, 3 - 7 PM on December 3 and 1 - 4 PM on December 4.  A panel discussion on the impact of AIDS will be held at 7 PM on December 3.
  The Eau Claire office the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW), 505 S. Dewey St., Suite 107, will present a World AIDS Day program at 5:30 PM on Friday, November 30 followed by a social hour. For more information, contact Cheryl Thiede (Ext. 113) or Suzanne Wulff (Ext. 100) at 715-836-7710.
  In Green Bay, ARCW will mark the grand opening of its new dental clinic with a formal ceremony, open house and tours of the entire facility from 4:30 - 6:30 PM on November 30. Refreshments will be served. For more information and to RSVP for this event, please contact Bill Keeton via email at: Bill.Keeton@arcw.org or by phone at 414-225-1572.
  On December 1, ARCW, Positive Voice and Angels of Hope MCC will host a World AIDS Day Vigil and Awareness Day at the church, 3607 Libal Street from Noon - 7 PM.  Two ecumenical services at Noon and 7 PM will open and close the day-long vigil, that will also include making AIDS  quilt panels, a discussion forum from 3-5 PM and a pizza social at 5:30 PM. Light refreshments will also be available throughout the day. For additional information, contact Bruce Vanis at 920-983-7453.
  LaCrosse will commemorate World AIDS Day with two events. On Wednesday, November 28, there will be World AIDS Day activity beginning at 5 PM at UW- La Crosse Campus Cartwright Center, featuring educational exercises, HIV testing and a presentation by an HIV+ guest speaker at 6 PM.
  A canglelight vigil will be held on December 1 beginning at 6 PM in fronto of the LGBT Resource Center of Seven Rivers Region, 303 Pearl Street. Vigil participants will then walk to the Children’s Museum, 207 5th Street where a reception will begin at 7:15 PM. Prior to the event, volunteers from The 7 Rivers LGBT Resource Center and ARCW will hang red ribbons all over La Crosse in preparation for the vigil.
  An exhibit by the Images Project will be on display at both LaCrosse events. The Images Project is collaboration between the LaCrosse office of ARCW and the Photography Department at the UW-La Crosse campus. Photography students have donated their time to take and process pictures of people living with HIV with in area.
  “This project is to celebrate life, awareness, prevention, and understanding,” according to ARCW Prevention Specialist Melissa Myers.
  Earlier this month in Madison, the winner of the second round of HIVictorious’ “What If It Were You?” poster contest was announced at Memorial 2007 HIV Poster winnerHigh School November 14. The winning entry by Memorial senior Collin Burke poster depicts a light bulb with a red AIDS-awareness ribbon instead of a filament and has the caption “I Would Teach The World To Understand.”
  The poster will be reproduced and distributed throughout Dane County, which its highest rates of new HIV infections since 1992 last year.  One in five of those infections were in the 15-24 age range, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health AIDS/HIV Program. Burke’s uncle was one of the first in Madison to die of AID, before the 18 year old artist was even born.
  According to its mission statement, HIVictorious strives to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Wisconsin and throughout the United states through education, advocacy and community mobilization. The group’s founder, former crystal meth addict Bob Bowers, is a 25-year AIDS survivor who was they keynote speaker at AIDS Walk Wisconsin last September.
  On November 27, AIDS Network will hold a Remembrance and Volunteer Awards Ceremony at the Glenwood Moravian Community Church, 725 Gilmore St, in Madison. The 7 PM memorial service will follow an earlier recognition of the agency’s volunteers following a “meet and greet” in the church’s fellowship hall.
  A week long display of photographs and art entitled “World AIDS Day - Beyond Borders,” will be on exhibit in the Milwaukee City Hall Rotunda, 200 E. Wells St., from November 30 through December 7, sponsored by the Family Treatment Fund and Grandmothers Beyond Borders. For more information, contact Amy Peterson (PetersonA@archmil.org) or Sara Raasch (tototoo@tds.net) by email.
  Two events are scheduled in Milwaukee for World AIDS Day. The Wisconsin AIDS Fund (WAF) will hold a World AIDS Day Commemoration from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, 333 West Kilbourn Ave. The event will also recognize the contributions of Wisconsin individuals, organizations and companies in the fight against AIDS. For more information, contact WAF Director Tamara Martinsek by email at: tmartinsek@greatermkefdn.org or by phone at: 414-272-5805 Ext 140.
  Earlier in the day, the Medical College of Wisconsin will host “World AIDS Day – Remembering the Past, Living in the Present, Celebrating the Future” at the BeSTD Clinic, 1240 East Brady St. From 1:30- 3:30 PM. The event will offer attendees the opportunity to “remember loved ones, live in the present” by getting a rapid HIV test at the clinic and “celebrate the future with food, friends and fellowship.” Snacks and beverages will be served throughout the event. For more information, contact Julie Raaum by email at jraaum@mcw.edu or call the clinic at: 414-272-2144.
  On Tuesday, December 4, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Nursing Silver Spring Community Nursing Center and the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s Z-HOPE Program will offer
 “An Evening with the Nurses – HIV/AIDS in the Community,” running from 6:30 – 8 PM at the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, 5460 N. 64th St. Child care, snacks and a prize drawing will be offered. For more information, contact Bev Zabler by email at: Zabler@uwm.edu or by calling Bev or Patty Taylor at 414-535-0432.
  In Sheboygan, there will be “A Day Without Art” World AIDS Day event on Thursday, November 29 at 6 PM in the Josephine Rocca Room of the Mead Public Library, 710 North 8th St. The event, sponsored by the Sheboygan AIDS Task Force, is open to the public and will feature a guest speaker. Refreshments will also be available.
 World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic. The World Health Organization recently lowered its world estimate to 33.8 million people worldwide living with HIV. However, more than 25 million people having died of AIDS since 1981.
  The United States, like other nations around the world is deeply affected by HIV/AIDS. More than one million people in the U.S. are living with HIV and there are approximately 40,000 new cases of HIV every year.
World & National News:
QNU Quickies: Recent Stories Of Note
By Mike Fitzpatrick
Here in no particular order is Quest’s take on stories of gay interest since the last issue. A friendly reminder that breaking news is updated daily on the QNU: Quest News Update site online. Visit us at: www.quest-online.com.

Bob AllenGOP Toilet Tryster Resigns, Gets AIDS Test: Republicans pressured GOP Florida House Representative Bob Allen to resign following his November 9 conviction for trying to pay for gay sex with an undercover police officer last July. Though Allen faced 60 days in jail, he received six month’s probation and was fined $250 plus $245 costs. Allen also was ordered never to return to the park where the incident happened, be tested for sexually transmitted diseases including HIV and attend a HIV awareness class. The disgraced GOP pol will vacate his seat on February 13.
  In a rare bit of karma, Allen had sponsored a failed bill in the Florida statehouse earlier this year called  the Lewdness and Indecent Exposure Bill, designed to increase the penalties for committing “unnatural and lascivious acts or exposure or exhibition of sexual organs committed within specified distance of certain locations.”
  Since his election in 2000, he has been considered one of the most homophobic politicians in the Florida state senate. He received the title of “Wicked Witch,” which is reserved for “The Worst of the Worst,” from Florida’s Rainbow Democratic Gay & Lesbian organization.

Michigan Gay Rights Group: Enough With The Police Sex Stings! Michigan’s Triangle Foundation thinks enough is enough. The gay rights group said it’s investigating dozens of entrapment complaints involving police stings at freeway rest stops, including one on I-69 in the township of Clayton. At least one person from the  area has asked the group for help, although it wouldn’t release details.
  “This is profiling,” Triangle policy director Sean Konofsky said. “Heterosexuals are never targeted in public sex stings,” noting an increase in police activity since the Senator Larry Craig episode in a Minneapolis airport restroom “All of a sudden it’s exploded again,” Kosofsky said.
  Clayton Township police admit that they have conducted several stings at the rest area, with the last occurring in July.
  Rather than deter crime, police are “interested in making money, and they are interested in shaming gays,” Kosofsky said. “All these operations prove is that if you entice someone to break the law, they will.”

Jerry FalwellFBI Files Show Gay Death Threats Against Falwell:  Moral Majority founder Jerry Falwell stirred up more than just passions with his attacks on abortion and homosexuality, according to recently-released FBI files. The 112-page released confidential report revealed  that he also stirred up death threats - including one that sent agents scrambling to figure out how many gay bars there were in Cincinnati. The file was almost entirely of details about threats aimed at the televangelist, though there’s no evidence anyone actually tried to harm him.
  Falwell’s FBI file contained a 1983 letter sent to his television ministry that concluded with the words, “Hoping you will die soon.” It was accompanied by a small plastic box containing a live scorpion. There were logs of calls to his Liberty Baptist College warning that a $10,000 reward had been offered for Falwell’s “assassination” and that it was to be carried out by “gays in Cincinnati.”
  One caller advised, “I know this is true, because my brother is one of them.” Said another, “I intend to be the one to collect that money.” The FBI dispatched agents to determine how many gay bars there were in the Ohio city so they could conduct possible surveillance of any homos thought to be harmful.

Florida College “Pets Instead Of People Insurance Plan Angers Gay Groups: A gay rights group is accusing Palm Beach Community College (PBCC) of putting puppies ahead of people when it comes to health care coverage.
The college had sent an e-mail to employees in early November saying they can enroll in pet insurance, a new voluntary benefit that will take effect in January 2008. That decision rankled leaders of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, who have unsuccessfully lobbied PBCC to offer health benefits to domestic partners of gay and unmarried employees.
  “While many pet owners consider their dogs and cats part of their families, there is a basic disconnect when an employer will insure an employee’s pet but not an employee’s partner,” Council vice president Deidre Newton said. Newton is an alumna of the PBCC.
State News:
New State Program Expands HIV+ Health Care Access
Milwaukee - The AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW) has announced a new state program to begin in January 2008 that will provide people living with HIV who are currently enrolled in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) with access to comprehensive health insurance.
  ARCW was the architect of the new program that Governor Jim Doyle included in his budget proposal.  During the drawn-out budget process, ARCW lobbied the legislature extensively on the program and was ultimately successful in garnering strong bi-partisan support from leaders of both the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly. 
  The plan was included in the budget passed by the legislature and signed into law by Doyle in late October.
  “With this new plan, Wisconsin will continue to be a national leader in the fight against HIV and AIDS,” ARCW Public Affairs Manager Bill Keeton told Quest. “The commitment of Governor Doyle as well as Democratic and Republican legislators to ensure access to health care for people living with HIV in our communities is to be applauded.”
  About 200 people with HIV and no health insurance enrolled in ADAP will potentially be eligible for the program.  The new program will take funds now used to purchase medications for this group of people and instead purchase health insurance policies for them when it is cost efficient to do so. 
  “This program is a great way to make sure people with HIV can get health insurance,” Keeton said.  “A lot of people with HIV may not visit their doctor because they do not have insurance and can not afford the costs of a doctor’s appointment.  This program will help eliminate this barrier for many people living with HIV.” 
  Additionally, the program will provide insurance coverage for a broader selection of medications than does ADAP and will cover costs for doctor’s appointments, check-ups, laboratory tests and necessary hospital visits.
  “People with HIV have the opportunity for a long and healthy life if they are able to get medications and regularly visit their doctors.  Unfortunately, many people with HIV lack insurance and therefore do not visit a doctor or clinic until their health is in serious jeopardy,” Keeton continued.  “The new program will be in place to help make sure people living with HIV without the ability to pay for insurance or medical bills still get the health care and medications they need to live a long and healthy life.”
  People living with HIV who are currently enrolled in ADAP can contact their social work case managers or ARCW at 1-800-359-9272 to find out if they are eligible for the new health insurance program.  Additionally, people can contact the Wisconsin AIDS/HIV program staff directly at 1-800-991-5532 to learn more about the program.

Police Probe Of Greenville Lesbian’s Killing Nets Few Leads
Greenville - More than a month has passed since Lara Plamann was found in a pole barn on her Greenville property dead of a gunshot wound. Outagamie County Sheriff’s deputies found the 30-year old woman dead of a gunshot wound to the head on October 18. Dianna Siveny, who has described herself as Plamann’s domestic partner, had reported her missing the night before.
  Two detectives have worked full time on the case since the discovery. According to Sheriff’s Captain Mike Jobe, the task of gathering and evaluating evidence takes time and patience, and requires waiting for items to be processed by the State Crime Lab.
  Jobe said no one has been identified or eliminated as a suspect. Investigators and crime scene technicians spent five days after Plamann was found searching the couple’s home and property. A hoped for break in the case evaporated after the owner of a Volkswagen Beetle came forward a day after police announced the driver as a possible “person of interest.”
  “We haven’t by any means hit a wall,” Jobe  told the Appleton Post-Crescent recently. “We’re still plugging along and we are still working on it. There’s still a lot of stuff to check. There’s so much to do, people don’t understand.”
  Those close to her still don’t know much more than they did the day she was found six weeks ago. “It’s frustrating in the sense we don’t have exact answers, but they warned us from the start this is a long process,” Bridget Plamann, Lara’s sister-in-law, told reporter John Lee.
    Investigators ask anyone who knew Lara Plamann and may have information about her or her death to call Lt. Christopher Proietti of the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department at 920-832-5629.

ROW Dinner Sets Attendance, Fundraising Records
Nearly $11,000 Raised At Northeast LGBT Foundation’s Signature Event
Kimberly - Over two hundred attended the Rainbow Over Wisconsin annual dinner, auction, entertainment and dance here November 17, a 63% ROW Dinnerincrease in ticket sales over last year. Organizers told Quest that preliminary figures indicate the event raised approximately $10,700 for ROW’s Community Enrichment Fund grant program, the largest in the four-year history of the event.
  Formal presentation of the Guernsey Gala Award was made to Jeff Nelson of the Napalese Lounge. Guernsey coordinator Marilyn Schroeder was named ROW Member Of The Year and The Chuck Hubbard Memorial Service Award was given to ROW secretary Mike Fitzpatrick.
  Retiring President Dean Dayton was given a surprise award for his leadership and vision as ROW’s longest serving Executive Board member. Dayton has served as either President or Vice-President since the organization was founded in 1996.
  The entertainment program that followed was filled with numbers by some of the state’s best known gay performers and pageant titleholders. Josie Lynn, Cass Marie Domino, Venus Love, Mabel Kane, Mr. Lukas,  the legendary Loretta Lamour and current Mr. Wisconsin USA Unlimited Curtis Ryan offered their live vocal and impersonator talents.
 The event was held at the Liberty Hall Banquet and Convention Center in Kimberly, and featured a menu of Smothered Breast Of Chicken, Medallions Of Roasted Tenderloin, Baby Red potatoes, Cajun Jambalaya, Stir-Fried Vegetables, Caesar & Spinach Salads, Tropical Fresh Fruit, homemade bakery roll mix, Southern  Pecan Pie, and Double Chocolate Brownie Pie. The meal will served family style, allowing those wishing to enjoy only vegetarian items the opportunity to do so.
  The annual ROW dinner is the foundation’s signature fund-raising event, according to President Dean Dayton. “It’s an opportunity for old friends to make new friends at a fun event that also advances the northeast Wisconsin community’s ‘gay agenda’ by donating to Rainbow’s Community Enrichment Fund,” Dayton said.

Candlelight Vigil Marking Amendment Passage Draws 60
Green Bay - About sixty northeast Wisconsin area residents attended a candlelight vigil marking the passage of the so-called “Protection of Candlelight vigilMarriage” amendment to the Wisconsin constitution held in front to the Brown County courthouse here November 7. Andrew DeBaker of the Green Bay Action Network, a local LGBT advocacy group, spoke to the attendees, some of whom had traveled from the Fox Cities and Door County to participate. “We’re still here, we’re still going to work, raising our kids, living our lives,” DeBaker said, after noting that while the passage of the amendment may have hurt  the LGBT community, the community has regrouped and is ready to continue its struggle for full equality.
  DeBaker then introduced Fair Wisconsin Executive Director Glen Carlson who pointed out the political successes that wrapped the amendment loss. “The cold and callous forces of  intolerance and injustice found that their fear-mongering and bluster not only did not get them the political gains they were hoping for, it actually cost them real political power,” Carlson said. “In mobilizing the “no” vote last year, particularly by mobilizing younger voters in historic numbers, we ended up ousting intolerant politicians and electing fair-minded legislators across the state.
Vigil poster  Carlson then enumerated the political successes. “We have no more John Gard, no more Mark Green ,” he said. “The party of intolerance no longer has control of the State Senate. The Democrats picked up eight seats in the Assembly, took control of the State Senate, picked up a Congressional seat and retained the governorship.”
  Carlson also noted that intolerance is not limited to one political party. “Political party is not a precise proxy for fir mindedness on LGBT issues,” he said. “Fair Wisconsin and the Green Bay Action Network will mobilize the forces of justice next year to elect even more pro-fairness legislators.”
  The Green Bay Action Network feels the event raised awareness that the negative effects this amendment continues to cause Wisconsin gay and lesbian couples and their families. “We want to remind the Wisconsin lawmakers and voters who put this mean-spirited amendment in effect that we are a part of this community, and that we will continue to fight for the rights we need and deserve,” event coordinator and spokesman Andrew DeBaker had said prior to the vigil.
  The Green Bay Action Network is a group of individuals actively working for the improvement of the lives of the LGBT community in Northeast Wisconsin.  It is dedicated to reminding the general public of the discrimination LGBT people in Wisconsin face every day by lack of access to basic rights and freedoms including the right to get married.

Holiday Punch Hits The Boards
Milwaukee - It's that time of year! Once again Dale Gutzman has concocted a unique mixture of song and comedy at off the Wall Theatre with Holiday PunchHoliday Punch 2007.
  Along with Music Director Chris Wszalek, and technical director David Roper, Gutzman brings one of Milwaukee's oldest Christmas show traditions to life in a brand new edition. And What do the crazy Off the Wall Crew have in store for you this holiday Season?
  Comedy Sketches include a look at Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) appearing naked on stage in Equus, a visit to prison with Paris Hilton, a Bombay Bollywood version of the television game show Deal or No Deal, called appropriately enough Delhi or New Delhi, and a Broadway musical based on the Larry Craig scandal.
  Gutzman also has fun with the TV shows Phenomenon, To Tell the Truth, and High School Musical. There is also a fun filled tribute to the city of Milwaukee. Plus all the usual audience involvement and improvisation that has made Holiday Punch legendary.
  Holiday tunes include The Christmas Waltz, Winter Wonderland, Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells, A Holly Jolly Christmas, and a comedic medley. 
  The Holiday Punch cast this year includes, Sharon Rise, Kristin Pagenkopf, Jeremy Welter, David Roper, David Kaye, Natasha Mortazavi, Mary Rodgers, Joseph Snyder, Annie Mater, Mary Henricksen, Lawrence Lukasavage, Michael Davis, and of course Gutzman himself.  
  Holiday Punch has been entertaining Milwaukee folks for a quarter of a century, and it appears that nothing can stop it!
  Dale Gutzman's Holiday Punch plays at Off the Wall Theatre, 127 E. Wells St. beginning December 14 through the end of the year, with two shows on New Years Eve. For the full schedule of performances and to order ticket, call 414-327-3552 or visit the Off The Wall website online at: www.offthewalltheatre.com.

Broom Street Theater Discovers The “Dork Side of the Moon”
Madison - Beware, evil-doers!  Lightning - protector of the cosmos - is here, and he hasn’t a single clue how to stop you from taking over the world in Broom Street Theaters super-outrageous new comedy “Dork Side of the Moon,” presented “live and in Technicolor!”
  “Dork Side of the Moon”is a fast-paced comedy-fantasy about a man named Scott Anthony who as a child dreamed of becoming a superhero, but now at 30 finds the pressures of reality trapping him in a world of the mundane - a job he hates, a house that’s falling apart, and two cats who relish in their destructive behavior of everything in their path.
  “Dork Side of the Moon” is now running weekends through December 16 at the Broom Street Theater,1119 Williamson St.  Performance on Fridays and Saturdays are at 8 PM and on Sundays at 2 PM. Tickets are $8 and may be purchased at the door.
  For more information, visit the Broom Street website at: www.broomstreet.org, or call the information line at 608-244-8338.

Naughty Is Nice: LGBT Center’s December 7 Mix ‘N Mingle
Milwaukee - During this holiday season, LGBT community members can expect a little sugar and spice - especially if they attend the Milwaukee LGBT Center’s holiday Mix ‘N Mingle event, “Naughty Is Nice III: Sugar & Spice.” The cocktail party and dance will be held Friday, December 7 from 7 PM to closing at the Art Bar, 722 East Burleigh St. Naughty Is Nice will offer dancing to the music of DJ Brian Small, appetizers galore and $5 martinis. Attendees will also have the opportunity to sit on Santa’s lap and find out if he thinks they’ve been naughty or nice!
  Suggested donation for admission is $20, and you do not have to be single to attend, though you’ll need to be over 21. Sugar & Spice is co-sponsored by the LGBT Center, ARCW, the Art Bar, Campazuchi, Riveria Maya and Suzie’s Cream Cheesecakes & Distinctive Desserts.

Positive Voice Sets Annual Holiday Dinner
Green Bay - Positive Voice has announced that its 15th Annual Holiday Dinner will be held Saturday, December 8 at the Eagle’s Nest Supper Club here. A cash bar will be available beginning at at 5:45 PM with a family-style dinner featuring chicken, cod, and pasta primavera to follow at 6:30.
  To add to the festivities, there will be holiday music, silent auction items, a holiday baked goods auction and door prizes. The traditional “white elephant”gift exchange will be held as is the dinner’s tradition.  Attendees are requested to bring two rummage sale quality items wrapped for this hilarious gift exchange.
  Reservations are $17 for Positive Voice members and $19 for non-members. Reservations are required as there will be no registration at the door. Mail reservations with checks made out to: Positive Voice, Inc. Reservations must be received at PO Box 1381, Green Bay, WI. 54305-1381 by December 3.
 
“Last Comic Standing” Jokester Balan To Energize New Harvest Dinner
Madison - Comedienne Michelle Balan will be the keynote entertainer for the New Harvest Foundation’s  (NHF) annual dinner dance here February 16. Balan is probably best known as a finalist in the 2006 “Last Comic Standing” competition. Voted one of the “Top 10 Comics” by Backstage magazine in 2004, Michele Balan is a brash, New York stand-up comedian who has performed on LOGO and Comedy Central as well as in top comedy clubs, theatres, festivals and on cruises all over the country.
  The dinner dance is an annual gathering of the Madison area’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered communities and their allies. The gala will be held at Monona Terrace.
  “It’s the perfect way to celebrate the Valentine weekend,”  NHF co-chair Melissa Dittmer told Quest.
  The evening will begin with cocktails at 5 PM, followed by dinner at 6. Following Balan’s stand-up, Madison’s
premier DJ Nick Nice will play music for dancing until midnight.
  Tickets will go on sale December 1, both through NHF board members and the organization’s website listed below. Dinner and entertainment tickets will be $60 per person; $110 per couple or $400 for a table of eight. A dance-only ticket will also be available for $10.
  The New Harvest Foundation is the only foundation in south central Wisconsin that channels charitable contributions exclusively to organizations working to promote LGBT rights, services, culture and community development. Founded in 1984, NHF pools contributions of hundreds of donors each year to provide grant money to LGBT causes. For further information, contact New Harvest Foundation at: www.newharvestfoundation.org

Discount Tickets To Avenue Q, Spamalot Available For LGBT Center Supporters
Milwaukee - Broadway may be dark at the moment but two of its most gay-friendly hits are on their way to Milwaukee. And LGBT Community Center supporters can save up to 15% on advance sale tickets through November 30!
  Avenue Q is the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who comes to New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account. He soon discovers that the only neighborhood in his price range is Avenue Q; still, the neighbors seem nice. There’s Brian the out-of-work comedian and his therapist fianceé Christmas Eve; Nicky the good-hearted slacker and his roommate Rod - a Republican investment banker who seems to have some sort of secret; an Internet addict called Trekkie Monster; and a very cute kindergarten teaching assistant named Kate. And would you believe the building’s superintendent is Gary Coleman? (Yes, that Gary Coleman.) Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.
  Monty Python’s Spamalot is the outrageous new musical comedy lovingly ripped off from the film classic “Monty Python and The Holy Grail.” Directed by Tony Award-winner Mike Nichols, with a book by Eric Idle and music and lyrics by the Grammy Award-winning team of Mr. Idle and John Du Prez, Spamalot tells the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on their quest for the Holy Grail. Flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen and show-stopping musical numbers are just a few of the reasons audiences everywhere are eating up Spamalot.
  The gay-friendly Avenue Q will run February 26 through  March 2, 2008 at the Marcus Center’s Uihlein Hall, 929 N. Water Street in downtown Milwaukee. Discount performances will be the matinees running Wednesday, February 27 and Saturday, March 1.
  Spamalot is set to run April 19 through May 4, also at the Marcus Center venue.  Discount performances will be the evening shows on May 1 and May 4.
  To obtain discounts ranging for 10-15%. visit the Marcus Center ticket website at: http://www.eventusher.com, and type in the password “lgbtmke” (no parentheses) to purchase tickets to either or both shows. Deadline is November 30. For more information, call Kathy Miller at 414-273-7121 Ext. 210.

ARCW Recruiting New Class of Bag Boyz
Milwaukee - The AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin is currently recruiting new volunteers to join the cutting edge Bag Boyz HIV prevention program.  Bag Boyz provide life saving safer-sex and HIV prevention education and materials to gay and bisexual men in bars and clubs throughout Milwaukee.
  “I am excited to be recruiting a new class of young men who are dedicated to leading the fight against HIV/AIDS in local bars and clubs,” ARCW Associate Director of Prevention Kurt Dyer said. “With current trends indicating that HIV infection rates are increasing for gay men under the age 30, now is a perfect time to get involved with this great program.”
  According to Dyer, ARCW is currently looking for young gay and bisexual men ages 21 and over to join the Bag Boyz HIV prevention program. Bag Boyz are trained volunteers who provide education, safer sex materials, and referrals to other gay men in bars and clubs throughout the Milwaukee area.
  “There is no mistaking there is a substantial need for HIV and safer sex education in the LGBT community now,” Dyer said.  “Today is the perfect time for you to make a difference and give back to your community.”
  A training for Bag Boyz is scheduled for Saturday, December 15 from 12:30-3:30 PM. Individuals that are interested should contact Mario Aguirre-Villa, HIV Outreach Specialist, by phone at: 414-225-1535 or by email at: Mario@arcw.org.  Registration is required.

StageQ Sets December Auditions For Two Shows
Madison - StageQ will hold auditions for its March production of the musical comedy Pulp by Patricia Kane. Pulp was originally produced by About Face Theater in Chicago. Pulp is an affectionate parody of the lurid lesbian fiction of the 1950s.  Departing from the obligatory tragic endings of ‘50’s lesbian pulp fiction, Kane not only happily pairs off three sets of lovers by the end of Pulp, but also has immense good fun with the punchy style of the genre, and the lure of lesbian bars, drag kings, and the appeal of Barbara Stanwyck.
  The play will be directed by Tara Ayres. Auditions will be held on Monday and Tuesday, December 10 and 11, 2007, with callbacks on Wednesday, December 12. Auditions will begin at 7 PM  at 148 E Wilson Street, first floor, in Madison. Appointments may be arranged for a different date.
  Actors will read from the script, and should also prepare one verse of a show tune (suggested composers: Cole Porter or George Gershwin.) Please bring selected sheet music with you for the accompanist. Wear clothes to move in. Copies of the script are available via e-mail upon request to pulp@stageq.com.  
  Roles are available for 5 or 6 women, ages 30 – 55. All roles involve singing. Performance dates for Pulp are March 7-29, 2008. Rehearsals will begin in late December. For more information about Pulp auditions contact pulp@stageq.com or call 608-661- 9696, Ext 3 to leave contact information.
  StageQ also will hold auditions for its February “dark nights” production of An Evening With Carol and Lydia, shorts by Lynda Suzuki and Carol Mullen. The plays will be directed by Katy Conley. Auditions will be held on Monday and Tuesday, December 17 and 18, 2007, with callbacks on Wednesday, December 19.
  Auditions will begin at 7 PM at 148 E Wilson Street, first floor, in Madison. Appointments may be arranged for a different date. Actors will read from the scripts (6 short plays). Roles are available for 9 – 18 women, ages 20 – 70. The shorts may be double-cast. Performance dates for the shorts are February 11 - 27, 2008. Rehearsals will begin in late December.
  For more information about An Evening With Carol and Lydia auditions contact shorts@stageq.com or call 608.661.9696, ext 3 to leave contact information.

STD Specialties Director Dead Of Heart Attack
Milwaukee - Fred “Casey” Reilly, 49, died suddenly of a massive heart attack here November 15. Casey was the Director and CEO of STD Specialties Clinic for more than eleven years. Reilly joined the clinic following the receipt of an Associate Degree in nursing, specializing in STDs and HIV from WCTC in 1994.
  Survivors include his parents, Joe and Barbara Reilly of Lake Linden, Michigan. Funeral services were held in neighboring Calumet on November 24.
  Other survivors include his brothers Dan (Lorri), Shawn, and “Little” Joe (Thurza), and other cousins and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his brother Lon, his maternal and paternal grandparents.
  Memorials can be sent to The Fred Reilly Scholarship Fund at WCTC, Waukesha or STD Specialties Clinic in Milwaukee  A local remembrance service will be Saturday, December 8 from 1 to 4 PM at O’Donoghue’s Irish Pub, 13225 Watertown Plank Road in Elm Grove.

Feature Stories:
Pride Radio: Clear Channel’s New Gay Talk Show
By Mark Mariucci
For several decades the ability to see that “gay sensibility” in mass media has been evolving.  It started with gay characters in the movies, then movies Za & Ryanwith a gay theme. We all know about the Will and Grace sitcom and Showtime’s Queer as Folk.  Recently two U.S. cable channels devoted to LGBT tastes: LOGO and here! took flight. Now there is Pride Radio with Ryan and Caroline.  Imagine Will and Grace if they did a morning radio talk show.  Yeah, it’s something like that, but its real!
  Pride Radio is America’s first nationally syndicated radio talk show targeted to the LGBT community is an innovative radio talk show formatted for FM stations across America, featuring interviews with celebrities, music artists, fashion gurus, travel experts, authors; gossip from leading Hollywood correspondents; coverage of entertainment and topical news, movie reviews, and lifestyle trends. Listeners can also call in to share their coming out stories.
  I had the opportunity to meet up with Ryan at a Caribou Coffee in Mequon just before Thanksgiving while he was home for the holiday. It’s easy to see how Ryan’s infectious upbeat personality translates so well to a fun radio show format.  It’s not all fluff and nonsense either.  Both co-hosts are well heeled in the media world working in Chicago and New York for several years.
  Real-life best friends, Ryan Jay and Caroline Hand met as producers at the music television channel, VH-1.  Collectively, they have produced for Bravo, MTV, Showtime and The Jerry Springer Show. They also produce the movie review blog, www.WeSeeMovies.com.  The popular blog brought them to the attention of Cohen, who felt the pair’s chemistry and and quirkiness was suitable for the new LGBT radio show he was developing.   Clear Channel announced the deal this past fall.
  “The time feels right to launch a radio program for our community and those who support us,” Ryan told Jimmy Newsum in a recent interview.  He noted being inspired by today’s generation of gay men and women who are coming out earlier than ever before.
  Ryan waited until after college to come out, “because at the time, there was no programming that spoke to me as a gay man.  This was before Bravo’s Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Showtime’s Queer As Folk.  If I had found a radio show that validated my feelings, I would have busted out of that closet a lot sooner!”  Don’t feel too sorry for him though guys, Ryan did most of his coming out in Chicago. ‘Nuff said.
  Not everyone on the show is gay, according to Caroline Hand, the “Grace” sidekick to Ryan Jay’s “Will” on Pride Radio. The pair embraces their sitcom label. They are even introduced on the show as radio’s Will & Grace.
  Caroline claims to be the token straight girl, but Hand’s role is more instrumental than she says.  “Women and gay men often share the same perspective and sharing the co-host responsibilities widens the audience to both gays and straights,” Newsum noted in his interview.
  A recent feature in Red, a Phoenix, AZ-based magazine noted the show has more than just a gay following.  In fact it is embraced by a large part of the mainstream listening audience.  “It just goes to show you entertainment is a two way street,” Ryan said. “Just as the gay community embraces movies and shows with heterosexual themes, our show appeals to everyone who appreciates great entertainment.”
  Listeners can find Clear Channel’s Pride Radio in 20 markets including Madison.  There are at least 5 regular FM stations and the rest are carried on that new digital HD Radio.  By checking www.ryanandcaroline.com I saw the duo are on WXXM in Madison and WKSC in Chicago.  The show is taped in New York City at Premiere Studios, above Radio City Music Hall.
  Unfortunately the show isn’t carried in Ryan’s home town market, Milwaukee.  It may take Quest readers and others calling or emailing WKTI or another station to get that done.  Until then Milwaukee listeners with access to a Windows computer can check the website and even listen to some of the shows archived on the site.  Sorry, Macintosh users (like me): Windows DRM is used by Clear Channel, so we get to wait.
  If you are into movies then you should also check out www.WeSeeMovies.com.  This blog will keep you up to date about what’s good to watch.  Believe me, they seem to know about everything coming out!
     We have promised Ryan and Caroline the cover in January’s Outbound Magazine.  Ryan tells me he may have some new developments to share with us then.

A First Anniversary Chat With Kruz’s Jerry Breiling
Interview by Mike Fitzpatrick
Milwaukee -  November 25 marked the first anniversary of the opening of Kruz for business and life partners Jerry Breiling and Serge Bellitelli. Kruz partners“Basically a man’s bar,” according to longtime bartender, and manager Breiling, Kruz is a “fun, clean, comfortable place for everyone to come.,”   He dispels the notion that “we’re not necessarily a Leather-Levi bar.” “We’re a ‘people bar’ with all types and walks of life coming in here,” Breiling told Quest.
  Breiling has a long history of involvement with the city’s gay bars. “I started working at the Wreck Room  when I was 18 or 19, probably on of the youngest bartenders they ever had,” Breiling said. Breiling has also worked at the Harbor Room, and M & Ms.
  And “probably one of the smallest they ever had” he quipped. The others were “all big and beefy boys,” he said. “They gave me a chance to prove myself to them and I ended up being the manager there for five or six years.”
  Breiling loves running Kruz. “I love the business, which makes a big difference for me,” Breiling said.
  Breiling has seen a lot of changes in the Milwaukee gay bar scene over the years. “From my first being out, it’s a lot different now,” he said. “Partially, I think its because of the Internet. The old-fashioned way was come to the bar and meet somebody. Now you can do that on the Internet.”
  “The younger generation has a different agenda,” Breiling said. “It’s less cruisy. People come (to Kruz) mostly to socialize. We’ve got a lot of things going on - dart leagues, baseball teams, a couple of bowling teams.”
  Decor has changed as well. “Back in the (old days), everything was always dark. There were never any windows in any bars. Now you can actually see the person you’re talking to versus the Braille technique,” Breiling joked. “Back in the day, you went out to cruise, that’s why we call it Kruz!”
  Other factors have impacted the bar scene as well, Breiling feels. “The changes in the drunk driving laws: drunk driving is now a big issue,” he said. “Before we’d say (to someone who had a few too many) ‘Get in your car and get home!’ Not any more.”
  The mainstreaming of the LGBT community has also impacted the gay bar scene. “You don’t necessarily have to go to a gay bar to have a good time any more,” Breiling said. “Everything is gay-friendly now - pretty much.”
  Recent changes in ownership have also impacted the Milwaukee gay bar scene, Breiling feels. “Look at the whole Third Ward: with M & M’s and Wreck Room gone - that was the start of the changing over,” he said. “People expect more from the bars now - with (drink) specials and special events.”
  Breiling’s “silent partner” is also his life partner for eight years. When he’s not doing his day job as a software developer, Serge Bellitelli works behind the scenes. “Far behind,” Bellitelli joked. “I do the bookkeeping and the accounting.”
  On Kruz’s first anniversary, Breiling is thankful for those have supported him “throughout his career” in the bar business. “Everybody seems to know who I am, though I wish I could say I could remember everyone (I’ve met) by name - It’s been a sea of people,” he said. “I love my job: I get paid for entertaining!”

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