NEWS BRIEFS

3 COMICS HEADLINE OCT. 12 BLACK TIE DINNER

A trio of comedians-Vickie Shaw, Cory Kahaney, and Monique Marvez-will entertain at the Houston Black Tie Dinner on Saturday, October 12. Shaw, who appeared here in July at the Uncommon Legacy brunch, toured last year with her La-la-pa-Lesbo comedy tour and now barnstorms the nation on her Sick & Wrong Tour. Marvez's latest comedy CD is Built for Speed. One critic dubbed her "a comic Bette Midler." Kaheny, who has hosted NBC's "Later," is fresh off the Hamptons Comedy Festival and GRRL Genius Night at the Toyota Comedy Festival in New York. Reviewing a recent performance, web comic Laurie Kilmartin praised Kaheny for "roaming the stage like a purred out leopard."

This year, the 7 p.m. dinner and silent auction will raise funds for seven organizations: Bering-Omega Community Services, H.A.T.C.H., Lesbian Health Initiative, Montrose Counseling Center, Montrose Clinic, People With AIDS Coalition-Houston, and Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church.

Chairpersons Carlos Reyes Jr. and Chree Boydstun will preside over the evening, which for the first time in years will not take place at the George R. Brown Convention Center in construction-ravaged downtown. The Hotel InterContinental on the West Loop is the new venue. More information is available at www.houstonblacktiedinner.org.

MONTROSE RANKS AS VERY, VERY GAY

Based on records from the 2000 census, Montrose ranks among the 15 U.S. zip codes with the highest percentage of same-sex couples.

Gaydemographics.org compiled the results from the census, which indicate the rank of the historical center of GLBT life in our area.

Provincetown, Massachusetts (02657)

Castro/Noe Valley, San Francisco, California (94114)

West Hollywood, California (90069)

Downtown Washington, D.C. (20036)

Renaissance Park, Atlanta, Georgia (30308)

Clear, Alaska (99704)

Pine Lake, Georgia (30072)

Pennsylvania Corridor/Chinatown, Washington, D.C. (20005)

Boston/Roxbury, Massachusetts (02118)

South Chelsea/North Village, New York (10011)

Guerneville, California (95446)

Montrose, Houston, Texas (77006)

Twin Peaks/Diamond Heights, San Francisco, California (94131)

Dupont/Logan, Washington, D.C. (20009)

Glenhaven, California (95443)

UH STUDENTS SLATE COMING OUT DAY RALLY, PARTY

GLOBAL, the Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Alliance at the University of Houston, will present two events to mark National Coming Out Day on Friday, October 11.

The students have organized an 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. rally at Lynn Eusan Park on the UH main campus. The speakers will be announced for this free, public event, co-sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign. Information on a variety of community organizations will be available.

That evening, the students will host the GLOBAL Gayla, a 9 p.m.-3 a.m. dance at Rich's-Houston. Admission to this 18-and-up event is $5 in advance, $7 at the door. A portion of ticket sales will benefit the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, where GLOBAL meets every Sunday.

More information on GLOBAL and these events are available on the organization website, www.uh.edu/~global/index.html.

Q-PATROL SETS NEW GROUP PARTNER PROGRAM

In August, the Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston (SLAGH) issued a challenge to other organizations to participate in a new Q-Patrol, Inc. initiative to monitor Montrose. The Co-Op COP (Cooperative Community Organizational Partnership) program involves nonprofit groups with Q-Patrol in a Friday or Saturday night neighborhood surveillance watch.

"SLAGH has a standing date with Q-Patrol to walk or ride on patrol one day out of the month," president Jerry Simoneaux said. "It's a great way to meet members of other organizations, do some networking, have fun, and keep the neighborhood safe.

The Stonewall Law Association and the Lesbian/Gay Immigration Rights Task Force joined a patrol on August 17. In March, Community Awareness for Transgender Support was the first organization to participate in the Co-Op COP program.

Members of the new Houston Roughnecks Rugby Football Club will join Q-Patrol for a Co-Op COP walk on October 4.

"If your organization wants to come out as a group, the more the merrier," Q-Patrol chairman Chris Arasin said. "You can wear your organization's colors and represent yourselves while taking the opportunity to show a commitment to prevent hate crimes."

Community activists founded the all-volunteer Q-Patrol over a decade ago in response to the Independence Day murder of Paul Broussard near the corner of Montrose Boulevard and West Drew.

Q-Patrol's voice mail number is 713/528-SAFE. The e-mail addresses are qpatrolinc@aol.com or qp_callouts@hotmail.com.

'AFTER HOURS' TURNS 15

Jim Carper, host and producer of "After Hours," the weekly night-owl program on KPFT-FM, marked the show's 15th anniversary on September 14. "Buddy Johnston, originator of the show, wanted a forum for gay men who came home from the bars alone, thus the name. The original show aired on Sunday mornings, 2-4 a.m. I came along six months later," Carper explained after the milestone broadcast. Every week, the program has a theme segment with its own host on aspects of the community. "'After Hours' and KPFT are the only radio show and station in the United States with permanent bisexual and transgendered show hosts," Carper said. "I'm very proud of that." 

"After Hours" is also a source of news and support for individuals who may have little access to information. "Years ago I learned that many teens would listen to the show with headphones-or even in the closet with their radio-so mom and dad didn't know what they were listening to," Carper said. "I have lived long enough to have a host who did just that-Francisco Sanchez. We've come full circle."

KPFT station management recently moved the start time for the three-hour show from midnight to 1 a.m. Carper said the program director has told him that the midnight slot will soon return.

NEW RUGBY TEAM SEEKS MEMBERS

In October, the new Houston Roughnecks Rugby Football Club is conducting a membership drive. A group of mostly novice players, the club began regular practices in September and will hold an orientation session and skills-training rugby boot camp this month. Club president Steve Brady said the Bingham Cup, the June tournament in San Francisco named for Flight 93 hero Mark Bingham, helped inspire the Roughnecks formation. "We already have up to 30 or so guys in the club and 15 to 20 regular practice people," Brady said. Randy Jones is team captain.

Dates and locations for October Roughnecks events will be listed on the relaunched website, www.roughnecksrugby.org.\

HIKE IN SYPHILIS CASES IN MEN DETECTED

The number of reported syphilis cases among men who have sex with men in the Houston area increased during the first seven months of 2002, officials with the city department of health and human services reported on September 11.

Gay and bisexual men represent 46 percent of the 135 syphilis infections reported to the department from January through July, an increase over the same time period last year when the group comprised 31 percent of the 134 reported diagnoses.

Sixty-seven percent of gay and bisexual men diagnosed with syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease, also tested positive for HIV. The local increase mirrors trends in other urban areas, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Miami, which also report a hike in syphilis cases among gay and bisexual men.

Eric Roland, Montrose Clinic education director, said the local upsurge in syphilis points to an increase in high-risk sexual behavior among gay and bisexual men, both those who are HIV positive and those who are HIV negative.

"We are seeing new syphilis cases among people previously diagnosed with HIV and in those who are newly diagnosed," Roland said. "It could be that some people no longer view HIV as a death threat and some segments of the younger population have never seen a death due to AIDS."

DATEBOOK

Oct. 5, 19.

Rainbow Fishing Club deep-sea fishing trips, departing from Galveston. 6:30 a.m. $90 includes $20 deposit. Info: 713/523-6381.

Oct. 17.

Premiere of Soap Opera, a Kimberly Forman play presented by her new Myoho Productions. 7 p.m. Midtown Art Center, 3412 LaBranch. $12, $10 in advance. Info: 281/821-9550.

Oct. 27.

Concert presented by Foundation For Modern Music, helmed by artistic director Robert Avalon ["The Passion of Music," OutSmart, February 2002], with benefit silent auction. First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 2119 Avalon Place. 5 p.m. $15, $10 in advance. Info: 713/529-3928.

Oct. 30.

Bette v. Joan, an event inspired by What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Prizes awarded for best costumes, including grand prizes to the best Davis and Crawford impersonators. Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803 Hawthorne. $5 donation at the door benefits the center. 713/524-3818.