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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2011)
nwnews OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE a OCTOBER 21, 2011 ► l j i ; BY RYAN J. PRADO Lincoln City Officials Respond to Iris Pride Opposition...Sort of An uproar by some Lincoln City residents over the city sponsorship of the annual Iris Pride festival has been quieted, or at least set aside for now. Following a media email from Iris Pride organizers Franci M iller and Rebecca Barn- hardt sent October 13, in which they urged recipients to inform the Lincoln City Visitor &. Convention Bureau of the critical need for the yearly event, the bureau replied with a cursory statement in response. Sandy Pfaff, director of VCB, said that due to the newness of the reports, there had been “no time or appropriate opportunity for dis cussion by the C ity” to comment further. “The Lincoln City Visitor &. Convention Bureau ... has been the primary organizer and financial supporter of the Iris Pride Festival for the past four years,” said Pfaff. “Its efforts to execute the festival have been supported by a variety of individuals, businesses and orga nizations, both local and outside the immedi ate Lincoln City area, who contribute and participate in equally varied ways, including entertainment, educational material, and re tail vending. I am in receipt ... of a number of emails expressing support of the festival. The 2012 festival is currently scheduled for Sep tember 15,2012.” Pfaff noted that the bureau always calen- i------------------------------------------------------------ dars special events for the next year immedi ately after the event is completed to maintain organizational and marketing focus, unless they have already decided they will not pursue the event further. M iller and Barnhardt reported that the first rumblings of controversy stemmed from an article dated October 4 in local paper The News Guard , in which community member Jim Hoover said that the VCB’s decision to post a link to a “raunchy” YouTube video fea turing a drag performance by Lily Armani “showed lax oversight at City H all.” But the opposition to the city-sponsored Iris Pride hasn’t ended with complaining to the media. “There are also businesses in town that have received threatening phone calls,” reported M iller and Barnhardt. One of those businesses is BK Mulligan’s, a As BRO’s accomplishments continue to Lincoln City sports bar that hosted the show pile up, the public interest on whether or not in question, Drag-U-Licious. The event was a the organization will move forward with a benefit for the Oregon Safe Schools &. Com gay marriage initiative on the 2012 ballot munities Coalition and other local charities. remains high. Just Out w ill continue to report on this as As was previously reported, an Advisory news becomes available. Group had been tasked to meet in late Octo ber to make a recommendation on whether or not BRO should begin gathering signatures BRO’s Ignite Fundraiser Brings for a freedom to marry ballot initiative for Record Crowd; Town Hall Meet ings to Help Decide Gay Marriage 2012’s general election. Now BRO executive director Jeana Frazzini says that this process Ballot Initiative in 2012 will also include a series of Town Hall meet Basic Rights Oregon’s fundraising gala “Ig ings across the state throughout the first week nite” far exceeded its organizers’ expectations of November. October 7 at the Kridel Grand Ballroom at “No state has ever put a proactive measure the Portland Art Museum. to win marriage equality at the ballot before,” BRO development director Juan Martinez says Frazzini. “It’s a herculean task, and not a reports that a record crowd of more than 900 decision we take lightly. M aking this decision people attended the annual benefit. W ith the must be a shared responsibility of Basic record influx of attendees came an inflated Rights Oregon and the community.” fundraising total, as over $265,000 was gener Frazzini says that BRO will review results of ated to benefit BRO. an online survey of supporters, professional “We keep hearing from those who attended public opinion research and input from the that the energy level in the room was so high, organization’s Advisory Group before making which made for a truly memorable evening,” a final decision on the ballot measure for 2012. Scheduled Town Hall meetings include says Martinez. “Our goal was to make the event accessible to more of our supporters, stops in Eugene on Saturday, November 5 gathering people to celebrate those who ig from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the First Chris nite change and to spark everyone’s passion to tian Church (1166 Oak St.); in Corvallis support LGBT equality. We feel we accom Sunday, November 6 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at plished this in a big way!” Grace Lutheran Church (435 NW 21st St.); -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 HURRY! CALL NOW FOR DETAILS! Dr. Jo n M la m p k in Medical Qi'sctof SEE WHY JOFFE 15 T H E SMART CHOICE FOR LASIK 20/20 ife changing re su ltsw ith o u t spending your life savings Save up to Sffh every day on Custom Wavefront LASIK. k ¡Multiple custom lasers to treat: nearsightedness farsightedness ASTIGMATISM CALL 866*685b6994 OR VI SI T W W W . J O F F E . C O M 16037 5W Upper Boones Ferry Rd. Tigard. 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