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SOUTHERN VOICE • DECEMBER 29/1994 Rev. Phelps 8 EDITORIAL PAGES 10-11 Luiiuiiifiki rnmlu »imi > HEALTH KS linked to herpes .. 13 FEATURE Art deco in Miami .. 14 Gay businesses boom ..15 COMMUNITY SECTION. ..19 TIMEOUT women’s place .. 27 At Home ...................... ..27 Events Calendar oo C\1 Nightmoves .. 29 On Screen................... .. 31 Music ><> ..33 On Stage ..35 Eating Out .. 36 Out in Print .. 41 Dish 43 CLASSIFIEDS ,.45 NUMBER 45 ITTnTTTTTTl voice All material in Southern Voice is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of Southern Voice. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, wrHers.and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred or implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person ar persons. Southern Voice accepts unsolicited editorial material but cannot take responsibility for its return. The editor reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. All rights revert to authors upon publication. Guidelines for freelance contributors are available upon request. Southern Voice 1189 Virginia Ave., NE Atlanta, GA 30306 (404)876-1819 Va.-Hi. AIDS memorial park gets city funds Rick Porter expects smooth completion on the John Howell Park Project. by KC WILDMOON Atlanta—Plans for the completion of the John Howell Park Project have gotten an enormous boost—the City Council has approved expendi ture of $150,000 toward renova tions on the Virginia-Highland park, which includes a memo rial to those who have died of AIDS. The city funds—collected from impact fees charged to contractors working on the ad dition to Lenox Square mall— must be matched dollar for dol lar by the project by May 1. "We already have half of it raised," said volunteer project coordinator Rick Porter. "If we can raise $75,000 by May 1, we'll have $300,000 and we can finish the park." The park is named for neighborhood gay activist John Howell, who died of AIDS complications in 1988. Renova tions will include new frontage on Virginia Avenue with park lighting, a children's playscape in the center of the park (where De Leon Street has already been closed) and artwork, as well as completion of the memorial walk, filled with bricks pur chased by community mem bers. "I would like really to get the word out to the gay com munity that we'll be taking brick orders like crazy," Porter said. Skandalakis >- Continued from page 1 seriously gut the budgets for Ryan White and Housing Op portunities for People With AIDS. "We are going to do this," she said. "[Skandalakis] has put it on my agenda." Upshaw said she hopes to convene a meeting of those in terested in serving on the panel early next month, but she added that the lesbian/gay community has shown little in terest. "We've had two people vol unteer to serve," she said, "and The brick walk, a semicircle on the Barnett Street side of the park, has the first 500 bricks al ready in place. City Councilmember Mary Davis, who sponsored the or dinance that gave the project the city money, said that the completion of the park was long overdue. "That land was important to me from the beginning," said Davis, referring to the fight to stop construction of 1-485 through the area in the early to mid-'70s. The proposed con struction left the land between "[The staff] is almost like Noah's Ark," said Karen Webster, Skandalakis' chief of staff, "We have one of everything. I think that's wise for a politician to do." two people have written for more information." As for Kenyon, Upshaw said the conservative, who told Southern Voice that state Chris tian Coalition head Pat Gartland is a "good friend" and Barnett and Arcadia streets va cant, and eventually led to the creation of the park, later named for Howell. "The neighborhood and John Howell Park Project have put together good plans," Davis said. "And I want to see them out there." Porter said he felt "very confident" that the project could raise the remaining $75,000 and added that once the monies are in place and construction begins, he expects the project to be completed by 1996. that he has performed free le gal work for the Coalition, has been "very supportive in get ting the Republicans to pay at tention to us to get this Ryan White money." Larry Pellegrini, lobbyist for GAPAC, took a wait-and- see approach to the news of Kenyon's hiring. "We'll talk with him, just like anybody else, if we have an issue in his official domain," he said. "As usual, we'll welcome the opportunity to have anyone get to know us and what we can offer the community If he's truly interested in doing a good job in government, he'll wel come that opportunity too." One of several demonstrators at 6rady High Queer Planet protests Surgeon Gen/s firing KC WILDMOON Atlanta—Grady High School students on their way out of school for the winter holiday were greeted by five members of the newly formed activist group Queer Planet on Dec. 16. The Planeteers were protesting President Clinton's firing of Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, and handed out flyers proclaim ing that "it's OK to mastur bate." "These kids, especially at the high school level, need to know that there's nothing to be ashamed of about their sexuality," said Joe de Rose. Reaction from the stu dents was mixed—some re fused the flyers, some took them, some were supportive of QP's efforts, and others shouted anti-gay epithets. School authorities arrived on the scene after the 20-minute demonstration was finished and the Planeteers were on their way back to their cars. Queer Planet struck again the following day in Roswell, with assistance from the Les bian Avengers, Refuse & Re sist and Empty the Shelters. A dozen protesters picketed outside the Holiday Inn on Holcombe Bridge Road, where Rep. Newt Gingrich was holding his annual vol unteer holiday party. Protest ers handed out flyers inform ing the designated Speaker of the House and his followers that homosexuality is not a disease. No problems were re ported at the demonstration, although a few protesters who attempted to enter the party were quickly asked to leave.