Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 18, 1997)
Just out ▼ July 18. 1807 T 5 briefs CALIFORNIA According to an estimate from the San Fran c isc o -b a s e d a c c o u n tin g firm K PM G P eat Marwick, 13 percent o f all U.S. employers pro vide health benefits to the partners o f lesbian and gay em ployees— and the cost is negligible. The survey o f some 1,500 com panies with more than 200 workers found that technology employers represent the highest percentage offer ing the benefits, at 20 percent, with the govern ment and retail sectors not far behind, at 17 and 16 percent, respectively. “W e found that the cost of coverage for firms offering and not offering the coverage to nontra- ditional partners was equivalent,” Peat M arwick’s Jean Kim told the San Francisco Examiner. FLORIDA Conservative University o f Florida student senators unsuccessfully challenged funding o f the school’s Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Student Union at a June 17 budget session. A package o f amendm ents that would have slashed the organization’s $ 18,973 allocation was overwhelmingly defeated, according to the Inde pendent Florida Alligator. ▼ ▼ ▼ Retired professor Bill Laing received permits June 17 to begin construction o f a housing com plex in northern M anatee County that will cater to lesbian and gay retirees. Known as Palms of M anasota, the complex will include 2 4 single fa m ily h o m e s, 44 apartments and a 22- unit assisted living fa cility, according to the Bradenton Herald. B uyers w ill not purchase property but rather the right to live in homes and apart ments, and later receive care in the assisted-living facility, says Laing. With the first homes expected to be ready in six months, Laing is planning future developments for the site, including a nursing home and a shelter for babies with AIDS who do not have parents. MAINE Tw o anti-gay-rights groups began a campaign on July 4 to gather enough signatures to halt a law prohibiting discrimination against gay men and lesbians. In May, state lawmakers approved a measure that prohibits discrimination based on sexual ori entation in housing, public accommodations, em ployment and credit. Gov. Angus King signed it a few days later. State chapters of the Christian Coalition and the Christian Civic League seek to collect the signatures of more than 51,000 certified voters within 90 days. If the groups succeed, the nondiscrimination measure passed by the Legislature must go to a statewide vote. MONTANA The M ontana Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision July 3 overturning one o f the most stringent state laws criminalizing private sexual activity by gay men and lesbians. The court found that M ontana’s Deviate Sexual Conduct Law, which called for up to 10 years in prison and as much as $50,000 in fines, was in violation o f the state Constitution’s guarantee of privacy. Five states and the District o f Columbia have decrim inalized sodomy and four others have sod omy-repeal measures pending. According to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 20 states continue to outlaw sam e-gender sodomy. ► New purchase ► Refinance/cash out ► 100% equity loans ► Pre-approved loans ► Pre-qualification by phone or fax resolution June 24 in favor of needle-exchange programs as a method o f restricting the spread o f HIV. The resolution urges state and local public health officials to “utilize appropriate federal resources for needle exchange as part of a ► Residential, commercial & investment property ► Appointments at your convenience ** I 'm available when you are! ” Colleen Weed Office Evenings/Weekends 297-9900 780-1561 AAA MORTGAGE dà . Adv oc at e s 9 9 0 0 S. W. W ilshire Street • Portland, Oregon 9 7 2 2 5 com m unity’s com prehensive HIV prevention plan,” and presents information supporting the effectiveness o f such programs. The mayors are calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala to lift the ban on spending federal money on needle exchanges. PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia City Council President John F. Street’s challenge to a mayoral order granting taxpayer-funded benefits to the same-gender part ners of city employees was sent back to the Human Relations Commission by a state appeals court. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer , Street, acting as a private citizen, obtained a temporary restraining order in June blocking the domestic partners policy; he then appealed a lower court’s decision to turn the issue over to the city ’ s Human Relations Commission. Street, who opposes the policy on moral and fiscal grounds, had set out to prove the order is discriminatory under the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance. Unless he takes his case to the state Supreme Court, the matter will remain before the commission, a group o f nine mayoral appointees. You love y o u r p a r e n ts b u t 9 c a n yo u do it a ll? p — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — < You can if you enlist Heritage Senior Management Services. Dedicated professionals with the exper tise and sensitivity to help a little or help a lot. • P rofessional S enior M anagement Keep watch over health, social and personal affairs. • G eriatric A ssessment Schedule an in-home evaluation of medial and social concerns or refer to us for a second opinion. • H ealth C are A dvocacy Negotiate and navigate the complexities of the health care system, including Medicare and Medicaid. I Name_________________________ I Call to receive literature or fill out j and mail thu form at no obligation. ■ Address_______________________ J City___________________________ I State_______________ Zip_______ | Phone( ) ____________________ 24-hou r telephone availability 503 273-2606 - 1630 SW Morrison, Portland,OR 9 7 2 0 5 I------------------------------------------------------1 Specializing in Geriatrics & Gerontology Penelope J. Leimert, Nurse Practitioner MS ANP Starla McCuller, Licensed Clinical Social Worker LCSW MSW HERITAGE Senior Management Servicei. Inc TEXAS A Texas appeals court ruled July 3 that a lesbian is entitled to sue for visitation rights to her ex-lover’s child, providing same-sex partners a legal standing denied in some other states. The ruling by the 3rd Court o f Appeals didn’t turn on the question o f Lisa Ann Fow ler’s sexual orientation nor decide whether she should be allowed to visit the child, who was conceived with the help o f a sperm donor. Rather, the decision was based on a provision in state law that says such a lawsuit may be brought by a person “who has had actual care, control, and possession o f the child for not less than six months preceding the filing of the petition.” Under that standard, Fow ler’s lawsuit should go to trial, a three-judge panel said, overruling a lower-court judge who had dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that Fowler didn’t have legal standing. This is the first such ruling by a Texas appeals court. ▼Buying or Selling...? Let Our Family Help Your Family into th e Home of Your Dreams! " We start b y listening..." ▼ ▼ ..J o yo u r hopes ..J o yo u r wishes ▼ ..J o your dreams" /K ltlunn Oamcs Associais Broker, G R i m ultim illion dollar p ro d u ce r Karen Qorensen, Assistant WISCONSIN On May 27, the Milwaukee Presbytery voted by a 2-1 margin to oppose the national Presbyte rian Church/USA’s ban on ordaining gay men and lesbians, which became church law in March with the help of more conservative regional presbyteries in the South, reports the Wisconsin Light. The regional body, a group of 51 congrega tions with more than 15,000 members, was the first presbytery to inform the denomination it had adopted a “covenant of dissent.” The Rev. Carl Simon, parliamentarian for the Milwaukee Presbytery, referred to the covenant as a matter of civil disobedience. Fred Jenkins, o f the church’s national office in Louisville, Ky., told the Light that dissenting congregations had been warned via letter that such covenants might result in legal action by the national body. NATIONWIDE The U.S. Conference o f M ayors adopted a The Community’s Home Loan Resource Compiled by Christopher D. Cuttone ▼Blue, Karen, Millynn Sr Belle ▼ O U T on Broadway... 2100 NE Broadway.'‘StR l-B Office Sr Voicemail/pager: O UT of the area? Call our 2 4 hour Nationwide Powerline: ▼ 5 0 3 -2 8 7 -8 9 8 9 ext. 122 318-1455 cellular ▼ 1 -8 0 0 -8 2 5 -9 9 4 8 , # 5 5 5 e-mail: millynn@aol.com ▼Proudly CELEBRATING 8 + years serving our Community's real estate needs. Sr Proud 9 P 0 N 8 0 R of the AMAZON DRAGON9! ▼9ee us in the classifieds for the latest listings Sr info!