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Rob McElhenney Gushes to GLAAD About His Gay Moms – NewNowNext

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Rob McElhenney Gushes to GLAAD About His Gay Moms – NewNowNext

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Mother’s Day is always sunny for actor-comedian Rob McElhenney.

With the holiday fast approaching, the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star and vocal LGBTQ ally has teamed up with GLAAD to tell the world about his two moms: Helena McElhenney and her wife Mary Taylor.

In a heartwarming conversation uploaded to GLAAD’s YouTube page, Helena and Mary recall meeting for the first time and falling madly in love. At the time, Helena was an adult with children of her own, including Rob. She and Mary coupled up, but their first few years together weren’t easy. “I was afraid not only for my children but for myself,” Helena confesses.

Helena and Mary shouldered through it, though. They’ve been together ever since and finally got married three years ago — much to the delight of Rob, who described having two moms as “a pretty great gift.”

“By the standards of 1984 South Philadelphia, our upbringing was unconventional, but my brother, sister and I were able to recognize early on that not every family looked exactly the same or like what we saw on television,” the actor said in a statement. “Yet we had nothing but love and support and compassion and empathy. And I think that that allowed us to flourish.”

We’re not crying, you’re crying! Maybe if Mac, Rob’s very gay Always Sunny alter ego, were raised by such loving and supportive parents, he would have come out of the closet much sooner.

Learn more about Helena and Mary’s love story in the video below.
 

Brooklyn-based writer and editor. Probably drinking iced coffee or getting tattooed.

@_sammanzella

Baltimore Vaccine Plant’s Troubles Ripple Across Africa, Europe and Canada – The New York Times

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Baltimore Vaccine Plant’s Troubles Ripple Across Africa, Europe and Canada – The New York Times

WASHINGTON — Quality-control problems at a Baltimore plant manufacturing Covid-19 vaccines have led health officials on three continents to pause the distribution of millions of Johnson & Johnson doses, as the troubles of a politically connected U.S. contractor ripple across the world.

Doses made at the plant owned by Emergent BioSolutions have not been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States, and the Biden administration has repeatedly assured Americans that none of the Johnson & Johnson shots administered domestically were made there.

But millions of doses have been shipped abroad, including to Canada, the European Union and South Africa. Regulators in various countries are now working to ensure that those doses are safe after the disclosure in March that workers at the Baltimore plant accidentally contaminated a batch of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine with the harmless virus used to manufacture AstraZeneca’s. Both vaccines were produced at the same site. The mistake forced Emergent to throw out up to 15 million Johnson & Johnson doses after tests showed that the batch failed to meet purity requirements.

E.U. officials, as well as those in Canada and South Africa, said there was no evidence that any of the doses they had received were tainted. But the problems identified in Baltimore have slowed their vaccination efforts while they perform additional quality assessments as a precaution.

Some doses from a single batch of the vaccine produced at Emergent are being administered in Europe, without problem, officials said. In addition, about six million to nine million more doses are now on hold there and in the other countries because they came from batches that were produced in the same manufacturing suite and over the same two-day period in late February when the contamination occurred, according to health officials familiar with the situation.

The F.D.A. has now called into question the equivalent of about 70 million doses from the plant, most of it intended for domestic use, and may decide that none of that vaccine can be released in the United States, those officials said.

One likely cause of the contamination is the failure of some employees to shower and change clothes as required when they moved between the factory zones dedicated to AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, inspectors found. Safety tests identified traces of AstraZeneca’s virus in one batch of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine before it ever left the factory, but the F.D.A. is concerned that similar checks might have missed some lower-level contamination of the other batches that were produced simultaneously, according to a federal official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to describe internal discussions.

In a statement to The New York Times, an F.D.A. spokeswoman said the agency was “in close communication with our foreign regulatory counterparts regarding this ongoing matter to ensure they’re aware of the situation.”

There is now a discussion among regulators about balancing the need to save lives with the risk of using the questioned doses, even as it remains unclear what, if any, health consequences there would be.

Regulators in the United States have latitude to be cautious: The nation is awash in doses from two other federally authorized manufacturers, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The European Union has also secured ample supplies of Pfizer’s and Moderna’s shots and, like the United States, expects that about 70 percent of its adults will have received at least one dose of vaccine by July.

But the situation is different in countries like South Africa where the percentage of vaccinated residents is much lower and vaccine supplies are significantly tighter. In Canada, most provinces have opted to delay second doses of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca for four months, except for unusually vulnerable people, to maximize the number who are at least partly protected.

After F.D.A. inspectors documented serious quality problems at Emergent’s Bayview facility in Baltimore last month, the Maryland-based company paused new production there and top officials at the agency said they would “not allow the release of any product until we feel confident that it meets our expectations for quality.” The plant is still finishing batches of vaccine that were already in process.

Neither the F.D.A. nor its parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, would say what role, if any, the federal government played in the shipment of Johnson & Johnson doses abroad, or when and where they were shipped. White House officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

In its statement to The Times, the F.D.A. spokeswoman said, “In general, individual importing countries determine if a product meets that country’s standards for importation.”

Emergent referred questions to Johnson & Johnson and the F.D.A. “They control where the product goes after we manufacture it,” Matt Hartwig, a spokesman for the company, said in an email. In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said it was working with U.S. and other regulators and emphasized that “quality and safety” were paramount.

The Biden administration previously acknowledged that it had allowed doses of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine made at the same Emergent plant to be sent to Canada and Mexico but said it had not attested to their quality, instead leaving that assessment to the company and authorities in both countries. Unlike the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine is not approved for use in the United States.

The Times reported last month that Emergent had discarded five lots of AstraZeneca vaccine — each the equivalent of two million to three million doses — between October and January because of contamination or suspected contamination at the same Bayview plant in Baltimore.

The European Union’s drug regulator, the European Medicines Agency, said in a statement to The Times that one batch of vaccine manufactured at the Emergent facility “is being used” after “a thorough testing of the batch and a review of the controls in place at the manufacturing site.” There is no indication of any problems with those doses.

That batch was distributed for use in the European Union only after meeting “the rigorous quality standards of our company and the European Medicines Agency,” Johnson & Johnson said in a statement.

Two more batches, amounting to about 2.5 million doses, are on hold as regulators in Europe and the United States investigate the cause of the contamination at the Emergent plant and ensure that problems have been fixed, the E.M.A. said.

“When the investigations conclude, E.M.A. may decide on actions to prevent future contamination of batches,” the statement said.

Batches of vaccine made at Emergent are not released for bottling until they have passed required safety tests, including one designed to identify “adventitious agents” such as a virus used in the manufacture of another product. People familiar with Emergent’s processes said the tests were much the same whether the vaccine was destined for domestic or foreign use.

The E.U. regulator gave no timetable for its review and said “no other batches” coming from the Emergent facility would be released “until investigations are concluded.”

In South Africa, doses are sitting in a facility awaiting “a protracted safety verification process with international regulatory agencies,” the nation’s health minister said in a statement. “This is a precautionary measure following the adverse findings” at the Emergent plant, said the minister, who also expressed hope that the held-up doses could be cleared “by the middle of May.”

South Africa has one of the lowest vaccination rates of any country, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is particularly important to the nation’s plans. Many developing countries are relying on AstraZeneca’s vaccine, but South Africa stopped using it in February after a trial indicated that it was less effective against the dominant coronavirus variant then circulating in the country.

Under its contract with Johnson & Johnson, Emergent manufactured the active ingredient for the vaccine in bulk, and the substance was then sent to other facilities for final processing and packaging. One of the sites performing these final manufacturing stages is a plant run by the South African company Aspen Pharmacare. Johnson & Johnson announced in March that the site would support the company’s pledge to provide vaccine to countries throughout Africa.

The Canadian regulatory authority, Health Canada, said in a statement that officials were working with Johnson & Johnson and the F.D.A. to perform further assessments of vaccine manufactured at the Emergent facility and that the doses “will only be released for distribution once Health Canada is satisfied that they meet the Department’s high standards for quality, safety and efficacy.”

The newly disclosed delays underscore the global impact of the problems at the Baltimore factory operated by Emergent, a government contractor known for its aggressive lobbying and political connections.

As The Times previously reported, the federal government last year banked on Emergent to be the main domestic manufacturer for both the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines even as evidence of serious quality problems mounted.

Though the government awarded Emergent a $163 million contract in 2012 to ready the Baltimore plant to make vaccines in response to a pandemic, the company had not met a key requirement for demonstrating large-scale manufacturing ability as a June 2020 deadline neared. That month, however, federal officials nonetheless announced a new $628 million deal, most of it to reserve manufacturing capacity at the Baltimore plant for Covid-19 vaccine.

The company’s stock price soared, and its chief executive, Robert Kramer, boasted during a virtual conference for investors in March that profitability in 2020 had been “off-the-chart successful.” In a conference call with Wall Street analysts last week, Emergent’s chief financial officer announced “significant revenue growth and corresponding profitability” for the first quarter of this year and projected record revenues for 2021, driven largely by the company’s Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing deals.

Emergent built a profitable business largely by cornering the market for biodefense products, a Times investigation found. Throughout most of the last decade, sales of the company’s anthrax vaccines accounted for nearly half of the annual budget of the nation’s emergency medical reserve, the Strategic National Stockpile, leaving the federal government with less money to buy supplies needed in a pandemic.

Emergent has repeatedly touted its influence in Washington in presentations to investors. Six of its 10 board members have previously served in government, and since 2010, the company has spent an average of $3 million a year on lobbying — far outspending similarly sized biotech firms, and roughly matching the outlays of some larger pharmaceutical companies.

Matina Stevis-Gridneff contributed reporting from Brussels and Ian Austen from Ottawa.

Becoming Out – San Francisco Bay Times – San Francisco Bay Times

Kim Martel
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Becoming Out – San Francisco Bay Times – San Francisco Bay Times

By Adam Sandel–

Coming out does not happen overnight. In my case, it was more of a long evening.

I guess I was always bisexual. I was attracted to both women and men during my formative years in L.A.—as a theatre kid in high school and then at UCLA. But I always dreamed of marrying a woman and raising children. And then I did.

I married a wonderful young woman and raised three beautiful daughters in Santa Cruz, supporting them by teaching English at several community colleges, and keeping a hand in show biz as an arts writer and film critic for the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

As time went on, certain things came into focus, including the fact that I was gay. After an amicable divorce, I felt the need to return to San Francisco, where my wife and I had attended grad school. This began the toughest transition of my life—from being a full-time dad to a single gay man. I would later capture the experience in my screenplay Dave’s New World.

I came out to my close friends and siblings while explaining our divorce. They all understood. My father had passed, but I’d postponed coming out to my mother, who had been fearful that I was gay throughout my teenage and college years.

Arriving in San Francisco, I was soon writing arts stories and celebrity interviews for The Bay Area Reporter and the San Francisco Examiner—which gave me great access to the local arts and LGBT communities.

One of my interviews for the BAR was with Carol Channing, who was doing a concert with the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. My mother was a fan of hers, so I clipped out the interview (making sure that there were no ads for escorts or bathhouses on the back) and sent it to her. My sister called me and said, “You’d better call Mom. She knows.”

My mother’s reasoning had been, “Why would they choose Adam to write a story about the Gay Men’s Chorus … ?” So, I rang her up and we had the talk. She ultimately understood, and ended by saying, “It’s a hard life.” I was determined to prove that it didn’t need to be. Nevertheless, Carol Channing outed me to my mother.

I also interviewed Ian McKellen, one of the first major actors to come out. He explained to me that there are many young people who are struggling with their sexuality. When someone who is well-known or admired comes out, it can help those who are struggling. I liked that idea.

One day my writing partner Richard Link (with whom I’d written a musical) suggested that we write a song for the Gay Games to be held that year in Sydney, Australia. I wrote the lyrics and he wrote the music to the song “Watch Me Shine,” an anthem of overcoming obstacles to be your true self. We took it to the then San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Director Kathleen McGuire, who chose it for the group to perform at the Gay Games concert at the Sydney Opera House.

Needing to be there, I explained to the three deans at my three colleges why I had to be away for 10 days. This was my coming out to them. They were thrilled. I wasn’t out to my students, but as I was explaining my upcoming absence to my most conservative class in Livermore (where the boys wore John Deere hats), they kept asking about the song and the event. I finally said, “It’s called the Gay Games.” Silence. Then: “Can we hear the song?”

I took a breath and played the song, looking down as they listened. When the song ended, they applauded. It was a rough three minutes, but I figured that Ian McKellen would be proud of me. I’ve been out to my students ever since.

Hearing “Watch Me Shine” performed at the Sydney Opera House inspired us to write a musical revue of the same name, about the history of the LGBT experience. While researching the show, I realized that these are my people, our struggles, our accomplishments. The show premiered as an SF Pride event, and I’ll never forget feeling the audience react as one, as the songs tackled homophobia, AIDS, pride—and coming out.

Since media images are so vital, I spent six years volunteering for GLAAD, including three years as SF Leadership Council Chair and Co-Chair of the SF GLAAD Media Awards. Supporting LGBT immigrants is urgent, life-saving work, so I spent four years as a Founding Board Member and Director of Fundraising and Events for The LGBT Asylum Project. This work has brought me more satisfaction and friendships than I could possibly list here.

I’ve continued my creative projects, including the satirical web series The Gay Husbands of San Francisco (now on YouTube). Everything came full circle when I met my partner Christopher Goodwin, an actor and producer who had also been married to a woman and is raising a son. We’re collaborating on TV projects, and this year we celebrated our 3rd anniversary on Inauguration Day. New beginnings abound.

Becoming out was essential for me. But dedicating my time and talents to those who need it most has given me the greatest satisfaction.

Adam Sandel is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter and playwright who is also a journalist and activist.

Published on May 6, 2021

Tennessee Lawmakers Block Measure to Honor Gay Country Star TJ Osborne – PopCulture.com

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Tennessee Lawmakers Block Measure to Honor Gay Country Star TJ Osborne – PopCulture.com

Tennessee lawmakers have blocked a state measure that would honor Brothers Osborne member TJ Osborne, who came out as gay earlier this year. The bill passed unanimously in the state Senate on Tuesday but Rep. Jeremy Faison used his power as the House Republican Caucus to block the resolution.

“We have some concerns,” he told the floor in footage of the hearing shared by The Tennessee Holler, though he did not specify what those concerns are. “It wasn’t heard in committee, and I feel like it needs to be.” Faison did not cite Osborne’s sexuality, but many people noted that the politician has backed anti-LGBTQ legislation in the past. A total of 63 representatives voted in favor of sending the measure back to a committee, which “has closed for the year,” according to The Tennessee Holler.

Democratic legislator Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis) responded with incredulity, pointing out that “A lot of [Senate Joint Resolutions] are not heard in committees and we vote on ’em. We voted on a couple of them today, as a matter of fact. … The country music artist, TJ Osborne? We’re talking about a country music singer, y’all. C’mon.”

The resolution, seen here, noted that while Osborne “is not the first country music artist to come out as gay, he is the first and currently only openly gay artist signed to a major country music label.” It added that “though it may have merely been a consequence of being true to himself, he has nonetheless become a trailblazer and a symbol of hope for those country music artists and fans alike who may have felt ostracized from a genre they hold dear.”

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Brothers Osborne’s Twitter account pointed out that the state bestowed the honor on right-wing media personality Ben Shapiro, who does not live in Tennessee. The duo also invited Faison to lunch. “We’ve lived in this state for over half of our lives,” their tweet read. “@JeremyFaison4TN honored Ben Shapiro who doesn’t even live here. Jeremy, let’s have lunch one day. On us. Would really like to know more about you as a person.” Faison responded, “I would be honored to break bread with you,” and Brothers Osborne, made up of TJ and his brother John Osborne, replied that they would message the lawmaker directly.

Multiple country artists responded to Faison’s actions, including Kacey Musgraves, who tweeted, “Massively disappointed in TN House Republicans for blocking my friend @TJOsborne for being honored because HE’S GAY!?” Maren Morris, who collaborated with Brothers Osborne on her most recent album, posted a message of support for TJ on her Instagram Story that the musician re-shared, adding, “I wish I could say this didn’t hurt, but it does.”

Projects that ban transgender athletes in women’s sports in the United States – The Manomet Current – The Manomet Current

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Projects that ban transgender athletes in women’s sports in the United States – The Manomet Current – The Manomet Current

Plans to ban transgender athletes in women’s sports are advancing in the United States. Illustrative image | Photo: Vince Fleming / Unsplash

About 30 U.S. states already have or are discussing bills prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports teams and competitions. The intention would be to avoid privileges and maintain fairer competitions. The information comes from the American portal CBNNews.

The governors of Idaho, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and West Virginia have already signed bills that bar transgender students from participating in women’s sports teams in schools public. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem issued a similar executive order. And in Florida, the state Senate passed similar legislation last week.

The measures, while supported by a significant portion of the American population, are in line with what US President Joe Biden has been advocating since the start of his term. On several occasions, the Democrat has shown his support for the agenda of American LGBT activists.

>>> Fight for equality: women unite to ban trans athletes from female sports

The GOOD Outweighs Concerns for COVID-19 Vaccination – Santa Barbara Edhat

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The GOOD Outweighs Concerns for COVID-19 Vaccination – Santa Barbara Edhat

By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health

1) Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 will keep you from getting sick. The available vaccines are very effective in preventing infection and illness from COVID-19. In very rare cases where one does catch the virus, the vaccine will prevent you from becoming seriously ill or needing to be hospitalized.

2) Those who choose to be vaccinated can enjoy more activities. According to the CDPH, can:

  • Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
  • Visit with unvaccinated people (including children) from a single other household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
  • Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel
  • Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States
  • Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
  • Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic
  • Refrain from routine screening testing if asymptomatic and feasible

3) Getting vaccinated helps our entire community. Returning to a more fully opened lifestyle will require herd immunity, which most experts estimate will happen when between 75%-85% of the United States population is vaccinated. We all need to do our part to achieve herd immunity by getting vaccinated.

4) Protecting yourself by getting vaccinated also protects those around you, including those at increased risk of severe illness from the virus, or those who can’t get vaccinated such as infants or people with weakened immune systems from things such as chemotherapy for cancer.

5) COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. The effectiveness of our available vaccines in preventing infection, severe illness and death from COVID-19 is remarkably high. The safety of the vaccines are a top priority and we have procedures in place to ensure the safety of any vaccine that is authorized or approved for use.

For more information about the COVID-19 guidance and the local response, please visit https://publichealthsbc.org. For those that need assistance in making vaccination appointments, please call 2-1-1 option 4 in Santa Barbara County.

SF AIDS Foundation appoints interim CEO – Bay Area Reporter, America’s highest circulation LGBT newspaper

Kim Martel
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SF AIDS Foundation appoints interim CEO – Bay Area Reporter, America’s highest circulation LGBT newspaper

Capping a week of significant changes for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the city’s largest provider of HIV and other health services to the LGBTQ community has named an interim CEO. It comes just days after the nonprofit quietly laid off 17 staff members.

Kevin Rogers, previously the foundation’s chief financial officer, will serve as its interim CEO beginning May 7. He is succeeding Joe Hollendoner, a gay man who had announced in January that he would resign in May in order to join the staff of the Los Angeles LGBT Center in July.

As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, Hollendoner will ascend to CEO there in July 2022. He is succeeding lesbian longtime CEO Lorri L. Jean, who is retiring.

The appointment Wednesday of Rogers to lead SFAF as it searches for a permanent CEO came a day after the B.A.R. broke the news about the staff layoffs at the agency. In response to the B.A.R.’s queries, Hollendoner had confirmed the downsizing of the nonprofit’s 200+ workforce.

The staff cuts were due to “impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and associated declines in revenue,” according to Chad Ngo, the foundation’s communications manager. Four leadership positions were among those eliminated.

Rogers has been with SFAF since 2019. As his bio states on the nonprofit’s website, he and his partner live with their twin daughter and son in the city’ LGBTQ Castro district, where the agency’s health center Strut is located.

According to a May 5 email to supporters, he was previously CFO and chief operations officer for the California Water Environment Association and president of an early-stage online business developed by the International Association of Business Communicators. Rogers also served as director of technology and chief information officer for GE Capital’s San Francisco-based global container leasing entity.

SFAF has not immediately responded to a request for the B.A.R. to interview Rogers. The agency has yet to release Rogers’ compensation as interim CEO.

“It is an honor to serve as the interim CEO for SFAF as the organization conducts the search for the foundation’s next CEO,” Rogers stated in the email. “In my time here at the organization, I have gained a deep appreciation for the incredible work SFAF does in the community and for clients. I look forward to providing leadership as we continue to advance our mission of health justice.”

In a farewell statement released early Thursday morning, Hollendoner did not specifically reference the layoffs but did state “challenges still exist … but I’m confident in this organization’s ability to weather any storm.”

He did tout other benchmarks.

“Some of the accomplishments I’m proudest of include: Launching new programs to address the urgent needs of people experiencing homelessness and people who inject drugs. Deepening our commitment to long-term survivors so the first generation of AIDS activists can age with dignity, [and] transforming our programs and services so that community members most impacted by HIV today, especially communities of color, are prioritized,” Hollendoner stated.

“It is with sincere and heartfelt gratitude that I say thank you for supporting our work, and the lives of the more than 25,000 clients we serve,” he added. “Leading San Francisco AIDS Foundation with its talented and dedicated employees and volunteers has been an incredible experience that has meant so much to me professionally as well as personally.”

Rogers thanked Hollendoner for his time as CEO; he took over in 2016 after serving as first deputy commissioner at the Chicago Department of Public Health.

“The example provided by Joe in both his commitment to our clients as well as our staff will be a source of inspiration to me as I serve in this interim role,” Rogers said. “I would like to thank Joe for his fearless leadership and confidence in me to serve in this capacity until the Board selects the next CEO.”

The foundation’s board of directors has appointed a search committee of members to oversee the selection of the next CEO. Russell Reynolds and Associates, a global leadership film, will be assisting.

“The board of directors is very pleased to name Kevin as interim CEO,” board co-chairs Douglas Brooks and Maureen Watson stated. “Kevin’s many years of management and leadership experience, his commitment to SFAF, and his passion and enthusiasm for the mission of the organization make him the perfect candidate to shepherd the organization through this time of change.”

According to an annual financial report the foundation published for Fiscal Year 2019-2020, SFAF had a revenue of $52.0 million and expenses of $48.9 million. Hollendoner’s salary and benefits at the time totaled $376,430, according to the document.

Help keep the Bay Area Reporter going in these tough times. To support local, independent, LGBTQ journalism, consider becoming a BAR member.

Mount Gay’s mixed performance over past year – Barbados Today

Kim Martel
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Mount Gay’s mixed performance over past year – Barbados Today

by Marlon Madden

One of Barbados’ leading rum producers is reporting a favourable performance in exports over the past year despite several periods of lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, Managing Director of Mount Gay Rum Distilleries Limited Raphaël Grinosi said he was banking on a better sugarcane crop yield next year due to the recent ashfall from the La Soufrière volcano in St Vincent.

Grisoni told TODAY’S Business that the COVID-19 pandemic proved beneficial to the overall spirits industry to some extent, explaining that despite the closure of hotels, bars and party spots locally, the consumption of alcoholic beverages among individuals remained steady.

“There were effectively a positive trend on the consumption of spirit, people were consuming at home instead of going out. So the sales for supermarkets were going,” he reported.

“For Mount Gay specifically, more in the US and Western Europe, we saw some nice growth in our business in those countries, like also in Australia and New Zealand,” said Grisoni, who opted not to give figures.

Grisoni, who is a board director of the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association, explained that sale of rum in Barbados and the rest of the region was down over the past year due to the closure of some of its highest users – hotels, restaurants, bars and entertainment spots.

“In the Caribbean we are effectively struggling. The business in the Caribbean is struggling but other countries are doing effectively well, contributing to the foreign exchange of Barbados and contributing also to maintaining the jobs in our rum industry in Barbados, which I think is critical for the future of the country,” he added.

Grisoni said he was looking forward to a rebound in local and regional sales as businesses slowly begin to reopen and Barbados welcomes more tourists from its major source markets.

The businessman was speaking recently on the sidelines of a handing over ceremony at his St Lucy Mount Gay Distillery, where he donated a beehive and beekeeping suit to officials of an initiative geared towards educating primary school students in St Philip on the importance of honeybees.

Grisoni, expressed sadness at the impact the ash from the volcano was having on some aspects of the ecosystem including the bee population. “It is a good thing we did not take honey from our beehives.

At the same time, we are making sure that we are nourishing the beehives with sugar from time to time to make sure they are in good health,” said Grisoni, who also pointed out that the distillery and other Mount Gay operations had to pause production for over a week to clear the ash.

However, he said he was looking forward to a better yield in sugarcane production as a result of the ash.

“There is a positive aspect of the ash, which is on the agriculture side. It is true that the mineral content from the ash is a good nutrient for the vegetation and of course, we are expecting for next year better crop with better yield,” he said.

“We still need to see how it will translate into tonnes
of cane but we know, and by experience from 1979 ashes that we received we know that the 1980 crop was more generous. So nature was more generous after the ashfall, so that is a good thing,” he said.

The sugarcane yield for 2020 was approximately 90,000 tonnes, and officials are projecting yields of an estimated 107,000 tonnes, which officials say should translate into higher yields of molasses to benefit the rum industry. 

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From Elliot Page Sharing Transition Story on TV to Elton John’s Party Raising $3M for AIDS, This Week in LGBT Entertainment – SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Kim Martel
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From Elliot Page Sharing Transition Story on TV to Elton John’s Party Raising $3M for AIDS, This Week in LGBT Entertainment – SouthFloridaGayNews.com

This week read about Elliot Page sharing their experience of transitioning with Oprah, Elton John and other singers raising money for HIV/AIDS, and actress Hannah Gadsby marrying her producer Jenney Shamash.

Elliot Page Shares Transition Story with Oprah

With an extensive list of movies and TV shows under his belt, Elliot Page gives fans a peek into his life away from the big screen.

Since his decision to publicly come out as transgender, renowned actor and LGBT activist Page sat down with Oprah for the first time to discuss, in a clip shared by Vanity Fair, his experience transitioning.

Page has received lots of challenges since he told the public about his identity. “It was something I needed to sit with for a moment, because the backlash right now is so intense … but the rhetoric coming from anti-trans activists … it’s devastating. These bills are going to be responsible for the death of children. It is that simple,” Page told Oprah.

Despite a large amount of transphobic and anti-trans activists hate, Page still manages to overcome most of the hate and find joy in his decision.

“I am just a lot more fucking comfortable and present, so it’s hard to imagine that that’s not affecting the work, because, really, being present’s ultimately what you’re going for — you’re just ultimately trying to crack open and be present and connect to the truth of a moment,” he said in an over the phone interview with Vanity Fair.

Ever since his decision to make his choice public, Page has been one of the most popular transgender male figures in recent times. With his bravery, Page, like many others in the community, continues to pave the way for the future of the LGBT community.

The Aid for AIDS

John

Elton John. Photo via Facebook.

While AIDS still complicates the lives of many people of all communities, efforts on trying to find a cure for this disease are still on the way.

Lady Gaga, Sir Elton John and Neil Patrick Harris raised three million dollars during their annual Oscars viewing party, according to Out.

John’s parties are infamous in the celebrity world, not only for the celebrity glam and fun, but the fact that it’s for a good cause.

According to Out, John told viewers of the event, “We haven’t missed a year yet and we certainly weren’t going to miss our 29th annual Oscar Party to benefit my Foundation, even if it meant going virtual.”

The lockdown hasn’t slowed the party down either. For the first time ever the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar party (EJAF) invited the public. They announced this on YouTube where they also announced small details of the performances that would be going on during the party.

Hannah Gadsby Ties the Knot!

Marriage

Hannah Gadsby (left) with Jenney Shamash. Photo via Instagram.

The Australian Comedian and actress Hannah Gadsby, notably known for her hit Netflix special “Nanette,” just announced that she got married.

Gadsby announced in her most recent Instagram post that she and her producer Jenney Shamash made it official.

“It is a joy to behold. We got married in January and we are very chuffed about it. For the record: this is me gushing. I am full of very positive feelings. This is a nice story. My heartfelt thanks to everybody who voted for marriage equality,” Gadsby said in her post.

Gadsby, 46, shocked her fans, as their relationship was under the radar to many.

Shamash was one of the seven producers who worked on Gadsby’s newest Netflix special “Douglas.”

If it wasn’t for marriage equality, these two lovebirds could have never shared a nest.

Brad Paisley steps up for COVID-19 vaccines | The Pick – Tennessean

Kim Martel
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Brad Paisley steps up for COVID-19 vaccines | The Pick – Tennessean
"The Pick" is a weekly newsletter keeping you in the know about music and other events happening in Nashville.

For Brad Paisley, getting a COVID-19 vaccination felt like a patriotic act. Now Paisley’s encouraging others to “take the shot” with a national public service announcement produced by Vanderbilt. In a new Tennessean interview, he discussed the campaign, why he doesn’t believe vaccination should be politicized and why it’s important to return to the road. Now, more music headlines out of Music City: 

Marfa Tapes

Texas-raised country artists Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall and Jack Ingram retreated to the scenic Southwest for a series of sessions that resulted in the “Marfa Tapes,” a collection of stripped-down songs that transport listeners to a place where the trio says endless stars fill night skies and photos can’t do the sunrise justice. Read more about the new album here. 

Kacey ‘shaved ice’ Musgraves 

Singing superstar Kacey Musgraves fulfilled a “lifelong dream” of working at — you guessed it — a shaved ice stand in Nashville. The Tennessean made it to the scene; read on for more about Musgraves’ Friday afternoon ice scoopin’ experience. 

Country music artist Kacey Musgraves serves shaved ice to fans from a Blue Monkey Shaved Ice food truck along 12th Ave. South Friday, April 30, 2021 in Nashville, Tenn.

Noise from Nashville 

A creative scene 

Before Paramore’s Hayley Williams was a Grammy-winning, platinum-selling rock singer, she was a homeschooled kid from Franklin searching for other “weird kids” up Interstate 65 in Nashville. Now through her music, Good Dye Young and community activism, Williams is helping build a creative scene far removed from the country music that’s made the city famous.

Hayley Williams during the 5-year anniversary celebration for Good Dye Young, her haircare company, at Diskin Cider in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, April 29, 2021. Williams is also known as the lead singer of Paramore.

Spin this song 

Lukas Nelson and his band Promise of the Real teamed with ace Nashville producer Dave Cobb for a new record called “A Few Stars Apart.” Listen to the first single, “Perennial Boom,” here. 

Andy Warhol’s Life Revolved Around Sex, Drugs—and Catholicism? A New Museum Show Says Faith Played a Key Role in His Work – artnet News

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Andy Warhol’s Life Revolved Around Sex, Drugs—and Catholicism? A New Museum Show Says Faith Played a Key Role in His Work – artnet News

Andy Warhol is synonymous with Pop art and celebrity, Campbell’s Soup and Marilyn Monroe—but one driving force in the artist’s work that people may not know about is Warhol’s relationship to Catholicism.

A new exhibition illuminating the ways Catholic themes appear in Warhol’s work will travel to the Brooklyn Museum this fall from Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum.

“It’s not something I knew about Warhol, or that I think that most folks knew,” Brooklyn Museum curator Carmen Hermo, who organized the upcoming presentation, titled “Andy Warhol: Revelation,” told Artnet News. “I think in some ways, the art world likes to remove the influence of spirituality and religion as drivers of art production and art making in artist’s lives.”

When Hermo visited the exhibition, which is curated by José Carlos Diaz, during its Warhol Museum run”it really blew my mind,” she said. “There’s something about seeing a career-long engagement, from age 10 to the very last artworks that Warhol created. Across many different materials and technological experiments and collaborations, this theme finds its way into Warhol’s work.”

Andy Warhol, <em/>Eggs (1982). Courtesy of the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, Contribution the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc., 1998. ©2021 the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.” width=”793″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/4ee06cd2a94f8b75eea94d1ab52696a3-793×1024.jpeg 793w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/4ee06cd2a94f8b75eea94d1ab52696a3-232×300.jpeg 232w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/4ee06cd2a94f8b75eea94d1ab52696a3-39×50.jpeg 39w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/4ee06cd2a94f8b75eea94d1ab52696a3.jpeg 1280w” sizes=”(max-width: 793px) 100vw, 793px”></p> <p class=Andy Warhol, Eggs (1982). Courtesy of the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, Contribution the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc., 1998. ©2021 the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Born Andrew Warhola to Slovakian immigrants and raised in Pittsburgh’s Ruska Dolina neighborhood, the artist’s upbringing in many ways revolved around the church, which was the lifeblood of the Carpatho-Rusyn community.

The earliest artwork in the show, on loan from the Warhola family collection, is a Jesus of the Sacred figurine painted by the artist as a child. The last works are from the late series based on Leonardo da Vinci’s famous mural The Last Supper, a print of which hung in Warhol’s childhood home.

“The series has this ur-Warholian gesture of appropriating a Renaissance masterpiece, but appropriating it through its popular images,” Hermo said. “He’s approaching this iconic, well-known work through the lens of how people experience it every day in their home faith ritual traditions. It’s a Leonardo reference, but there’s also something powerful there elevating private devotion.”

Andy Warhol, <em/>The Last Supper (1986). The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, contribution the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc., 1998. ©2021 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.” width=”800″ height=”202″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/1998-1-355_Andy_Warhol_The_Last_Supper_1986_AWF-800×202.jpeg 800w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/1998-1-355_Andy_Warhol_The_Last_Supper_1986_AWF-800×202-300×76.jpeg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/1998-1-355_Andy_Warhol_The_Last_Supper_1986_AWF-800×202-50×13.jpeg 50w” sizes=”(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px”></p> <p class=Andy Warhol, The Last Supper (1986). The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh; Founding Collection, contribution the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc., 1998. ©2021 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

For a 1984 commission from dealer Alexander Iolas—who gave Warhol his first show, in 1952—the artist made more than 100 “Last Supper Works,” including prints, hand-painted drawings, and large-scale silk screen paintings, two of which will be on view in the exhibition.

That includes the copy from the Baltimore Museum of Art, where controversial plans to auction the work were jettisoned after a widespread outcry. The piece is one of more than 30 works being added to the show for its Brooklyn iteration, including Warhol’s famous 1966 film The Chelsea Girls.

“Half, if not more, of Warhol’s superstar factory gang at that time were lapsed Catholics,” Hermo said. “Seeing Chelsea Girls through the lens of Catholicism—there are references to Saint Sebastian-like forms, and an extended confessional scene—really changes the context of that work.”

Not long after completing the film, Warhol found himself drawn back to the church. “Warhol had this life-changing event in 1968 where he literally died and came back to life after Valerie Solanas’s attempt to assassinate him,” Hermo said. “That was absolutely a turning point where he started going to church with more frequency. He served meals to the homeless on holidays. He paid for his nephew’s priest studies.”

The Roman Catholic Church even funded a Warhol film, a commission for the de Menil family that was meant to be part of a spiritual, non-sectarian pavilion at the 1968 world’s fair in San Antonio. Though the presentation was never realized, Warhol created a 25-hour film, titled **** (Four Star), featuring footage of the setting sun filmed around the country.

Andy Warhol, still from Reel 77, **** (Four Stars), 1967. Courtesy of the Andy Warhol Museum, ©2021, the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, a museum of Carnegie Institute.

Andy Warhol, still from Reel 77, **** (Four Stars), 1967. Courtesy of the Andy Warhol Museum, ©2021, the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, a museum of Carnegie Institute.

“It is a really beautiful interpretation of divinity on the earth in the form of a sunset, and it has Nico reciting poetry referencing life and death and light and darkness,” Hermo said. “There are a lot of homonyms with the sun and the son—the sun is setting, but we’re hearing about the son as somebody who is bringing light to us.”

The exhibition also focuses on Warhol’s relationship with his mother, Julia Warhola, and how their faith remained a touchstone in the family over the years. Despite his hard-partying ways, Warhol lived with his mother in New York, returning home after wild nights out and praying with her each morning before heading to the Factory.

Julie Warhola was also an artist in her own right. Her calligraphy can be seen on many of her son’s early works, and her drawings of cats and angels will be included in the show.

“She had a real renown, even among Warhol’s friends, of being very creative and very witty,” Hermo said. “I think of her drawings as the second ‘revelation’ in the exhibition.”

Andy Warhol, <em/>Orange Disaster #5 (1963). Courtesy of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, gift, Harry N. Abrams Family Collection. ©2021 the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.” width=”792″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/1f8a6b06df0dc7750248890293194ee4-792×1024.jpeg 792w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/1f8a6b06df0dc7750248890293194ee4-232×300.jpeg 232w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/1f8a6b06df0dc7750248890293194ee4-39×50.jpeg 39w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2021/05/1f8a6b06df0dc7750248890293194ee4.jpeg 900w” sizes=”(max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px”></p> <p class=Andy Warhol, Orange Disaster #5 (1963). Courtesy of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, gift, Harry N. Abrams Family Collection. ©2021 the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Warhol’s relationship with his faith, of course, was complicated by his sexuality as an out gay man in the pre-Stonewall era.

“There’s no key passage in Warhol’s diary that says, ‘I’m struggling with my faith as a Catholic and a gay man,’” Hermo said, “but when you see the artwork and you see the gestures of Jesus and his disciples, when there are paintings bringing together a bodybuilder’s form in the loving arms of Christ, you see allusions to the two [opposing forces] existing in one person, one artist.”

“Warhol was really able to carry both things—certain times encoding his faith in the artwork, other times his queerness,” Hermo added. “Sometimes it was very overt, sometimes it was very metaphorical.”

“Andy Warhol: Revelation” will be on view at the Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, November 19, 2021–June 19, 2022. Tickets go on sale June 17, 2021. 

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Who Is Wanda Sykes’s Wife, Alex Sykes? Here’s What We Know – PureWow

Kim Martel
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Who Is Wanda Sykes’s Wife, Alex Sykes? Here’s What We Know – PureWow

2. How did they meet?

The couple first met in 2006, and Wanda revealed to The Guardian that she first spotted Alex on a ferry to Fire Island in New York. The comedian recalled, “Something really said to me, like, audibly, ‘Wow, that’s what you need, Wanda.’”

Just a day later, she got some love advice from a friend, who insisted that she quit telling strangers stories about remodeling her kitchen and opt for some cheesy pick-up lines instead. But Wanda actually ignored her friend’s advice, defiantly sharing details about her remodeling plans with the next woman that she met. Then, in an interesting twist of fate, this woman introduced Wanda to Alex, who sold granite countertops and, to Wanda’s delight, was single at the time. The two ladies instantly hit it off and, as they say, the rest is history.

Mikayla Miller: ‘Precious and promising’ Black LGBT teen found dead – PinkNews

Kim Martel
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Mikayla Miller: ‘Precious and promising’ Black LGBT teen found dead – PinkNews

Mikayla Miller. (Twitter)

Mikayla Miller, a 16-year-old member of the LGBT+ community, was found dead hanging from a tree in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, last month.

In the death of a teenager that has touched off feelings of anger and suspicion against the authorities, Miller was found dead in a woodland area just a stone’s throw away from her home on the morning of 18 April.

Just hours before her death, Miller had been attacked by a group of teens in the common area of her apartment complex, left with a bloodied lip, police said.

State law enforcement initially refused to treat her death as suspicious, but about-turned Tuesday (4 May) and vowed to fully investigate amid a fierce public outcry from advocacy groups and Miller’s mother, Calvina Strothers.

On Facebook, Strothers claimed that Miller was “found bound by the neck with a black belt to a tree”, prompting some local racial justice groups to consider her death as a “lynching“.

“Mikayla Miller was a 16-year-old Black girl from Hopkinton, MA,” said non-profit organisation Black Boston. “She was recently beaten and lynched by racist, violent, community members. We are at a total loss for words. This needs to end.”

She also claimed that police sought to “rule this as a suicide. My daughter was not suicidal”.

Strothers also expressed her frustration towards what she described as an almost indifferent and hostile police force in a reported message shared by Violence in Boston, a group that represents victims of violent crimes.

She alleged her daughter was slain by a “group of kids” who “ambushed” her. Massachusetts State Police did not log either incident, she claimed, and were sluggish to open an investigation.

One police official even “warned” her “not to go to the media” or else they would out her late daughter.

What happened to Mikayla Miller?

As a community mourns the loss of such a young life and struggles with the weeks-long silence from officials, Middlesex district attorney Marian Ryan addressed the high schooler’s death in a news briefing based on the preliminary investigation.

Describing the teen as a “cherished daughter, a gifted student, a talented athlete, and a loyal friend”, Ryan said Miller’s death was an “unspeakable tragedy” as she rebuffed claims of inaction and wrongdoing.

“From the beginning of this investigation, our investigators have been fully committed to determining exactly how Mikayla’s precious and promising life ended,” she said.

“Make no mistake, there is no truth to the allegation that we have reached a final conclusion.”

She added: “Regarding the notion that this office has in some way neglected Mikayla’s case, or worse […] engaged in some sort of cover-up because Mikayla was Black, or because she was a member of the LGBT+ community – that is patently false.”

In cobbling together witnesses accounts, cellular data, surveillance footage and even Miller’s mobile phone pedometer, Ryan said investigators have an understanding of Miller’s whereabouts prior to the discovery of her body.

On the evening of 17 April, Miller was with two friends in a clubhouse area of the apartment complex her family lived in along Revolution Way when the two friends left.

Four white teens, two girls, two boys, then arrived and a scuffle broke out between them at around 5:11pm and 6:41pm, Ryan said. In an earlier interview with the Boston Globe, Strothers alleged that one of the teens was Miller’s girlfriend.

Miller’s mother then called the Hopkinton Police about her daughter being “jumped”.

According to police statements, Miller had suffered a broken lip and told officers she had been pushed and punched in the face. Officers also noted that the clubhouse had been damage.

Tracking her step count on her iPhone’s Health app, investigators found she had begun walking between 9-10pm – Strothers was asleep by 9:30pm, thinking her child was home safe.

Miller had walked about “1,316 steps, roughly the same distance from her home to the location where her body was found” the next morning.

The locations of the group of teenagers Miller had an altercation with was pinned by the authorities using GPS signals, Ryan said. None were at the woods that night.

“As to who else may have been in the woods or that area on Sunday, we do not have any information as to that,” Ryan stressed.

Top Massachusetts officials were left reeling at the death of Miller. Member of congress Ayanna Pressley called for “transparency” in the investigation on Twitter Tuesday evening.

“Mikayla Miller deserved to grow old,” Pressley, who represents the seventh district, said.

“She had so many basketball games, road trips and HBCU homecomings ahead of her. She deserved childhood – uninterrupted.

“There needs to be a full, transparent, independent investigation into her death.”

Maura Healy, the state’s attorney general, tweeted: “My heart breaks for Mikayla Miller’s family.

“Young, LGBT+ girls of colour deserve all our love, support, and protection.

“Nothing will bring her back, but I hope a thorough investigation into the circumstances of her death can bring some peace to her family and community.”

Road Trip on a Tank of Gas (or One Charge) – San Francisco Bay Times – San Francisco Bay Times

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Road Trip on a Tank of Gas (or One Charge) – San Francisco Bay Times – San Francisco Bay Times

By Liam Mayclem–

Road trips are a thing again with international travel grounded and domestic air travel not something all are comfortable doing. I love a good road trip: a one-day getaway and overnight stay. For almost a decade on CBS 5’s nightly magazine show Eye on the Bay, we took viewers on weekly trips to all corners of the region we love, the Bay Area.

A tank of gas will take you as far south as Los Angeles and as far north as Medford, Oregon, just across the county line. In this new occasional series, I will share some of my fave spots for local road trips for LGBTQ+ travelers and allies.

This first road trip is a coastal journey along Highway 1 to the beach town of Pescadero, just several miles past Half Moon Bay and exactly one hour from the Castro in San Francisco. Pescadero is easy to get to, and once you are there, you will find all of your heart’s desires: coastal charm, good eats & shopping, plus inviting locals. Stage Street is Main Street and you’ll find all you need in just a few short, beautiful blocks. While there are no gay-owned businesses referenced specifically here, all welcomed myself and my partner Rick with open arms.

Liam’s Road Trip Tips

Before you hit the road, consider these tips:

1. Book your hotel and restaurant(s) in advance whenever possible.
2. Call planned destinations on the day of your trip to confirm opening hours.
3. Pack masks & sanitizer.
4. Pack snacks & lots of water.
5. Pack shoes & coats befitting the coast.
6. Pack a tent in case you choose to camp.
7. Gas up or charge up the night before.
8. Print out a hard-copy map(s) as a back-up.
9. Leave early & avoid the weekend crush.
10. Travel mid-week for better deals & less crowds.

Now, grab your boo or your pandemic posse, hop in the car, and let’s get going!

Pescadero Road Trip Stops

Pescadero State Beach
Highway 1, Pescadero
8 am–Sunset

Come for the people watching, but stay for the sunsets. The picnic tables allow for a fun family gathering or place to hang with your quarantine pod. There is a fee for parking in one of three lots. The mile-long beach offers great trails and nature abounds.

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=522

Harley Goat Farm
205 North Street, Pescadero
Daily 11am–4 pm

This is one of my favorite places on Earth. Run by Dee Harley, this bucolic working farm boasts not only a great interactive tour but also tastings of the best goat cheese in America. Yes, stop by and pet the goats, but don’t leave without visiting the store to fill your cooler with goat cheese, olive oil & more. The farm is also available for a limited number of farm dinners & gatherings.

http://www.harleyfarms.com

Duarte’s Tavern
202 Stage Road, Pescadero
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 12 pm–3 pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12 pm–6 pm

Duarte’s is the spot in town for good eats & killer cocktails. The vibe is old school, but inviting and warm. The star here is the artichoke soup served with the warm artichoke bread from Arcangeli Grocery Co. down the road. Order a pie to go—the olallieberry is especially good and best served with ice cream.

http://www.duartestavern.com/

Arcangeli Grocery Co.
287 Stage Road, Pescadero 
11am – 6 pm

This family-run bakery and grocery, open since 1929, is the heart of Pescadero. It is where locals and visitors unite over their passion for the famous Arcangeli artichoke bread. All manner of crafted goodies are up for grabs here too, from fresh produce to jams, sauces, cheese, wine & more.

http://www.normsmarket.com

Downtown Local Coffee Shop
213 Stage Street, Pescadero 
Daily 9 am– 5 pm

Their incredible coffee hits the spot, but it’s the psychedelic Beatles lounge that drew me in. Part coffee shop & part consignment store, this local hangout features lots to feast your eyes on, such as clothes & collectibles, as your coffee kicks in. Enjoy a pastry to go with your brew.

https://m.facebook.com/downtownlocal/

Pescadero Grown Community Farmers’ Market
Seasonal from June 1–November 1

Enjoy the bounty from the region’s purveyors at the farmers’ market from June to November. Beyond artichokes, which are the talk of the town here, there is an ever-evolving array of fruits & vegetables with the farmers behind them to share their stories.

https://mypuente.org/farmers-market-kickoff-june-1/

Pigeon Point Lighthouse
210 Pigeon Point Rd Hwy 1, Pescadero

How cool is this? At the foot of this charming 116-foot-tall lighthouse, the property offers vacation/rental-style accommodations spread out over several buildings for groups of family and friends. It’s located a few miles south of downtown Pescadero. At this time, they are only offering vacation rentals instead of dorm or private rooms, for guests’ maximum privacy and safety. That may change as restrictions lift. It’s a memorable place to crash with bragging rights for life.

https://tinyurl.com/2b37ap62

Enjoy your travels. See you down the trail!

Emmy Award-winning radio and television personality Liam Mayclem is regularly featured on KPIX as well as KCBS, where he is the popular Foodie Chap. Born in London, Mayclem is now at home in the Bay Area, where he lives with his husband, photographer Rick Camargo. For more information: https://www.bookliam.com/

Published on May 6, 2021

Milwaukee LGBT Community Center offers free virtual mental health support groups – 88Nine Radio Milwaukee

Kim Martel
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Milwaukee LGBT Community Center offers free virtual mental health support groups – 88Nine Radio Milwaukee

Our understanding of mental health is an ongoing study. Scientists are always finding new information about how the brain works and how that impacts a person’s overall health.

However, mental health is more than complex than our brain chemistry; there are also cultural considerations that intersect with mental health, as well as sexual and gender identity. That’s on top of a stigma around mental health treatment, one that advocates are actively working to combat.

That’s why May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and one organization actively working to tamp down that stigma in Milwaukee is the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center.

It offers an array of free counseling and support groups to the community, each one with a different focus for LGBTQ+ individuals. One group is specifically geared toward youth mental health and offers professionally facilitated peer support. A trans umbrella group also meets regularly, providing peer support to the gender non-conforming, genderqueer, non-binary and trans community.

The center also offers one-to-one counseling, as well as mental health services for couples and families, both in English and Spanish. All support groups are held virtually right now, and are free to attend.

Sandra Zapata, clinical director at the Milwaukee LGBT community center, joined me to discuss the great need for these services in Milwaukee.

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