Southern Oregon Pride 2010 in Ashland, OR
Good news for our queer brethren in the southern half of state when it was announced yesterday that the city of Ashland, Oregon will co-sponsor their Autumn Gay Pride Parade, saving Southern Oregon Pride about $800 in fees. The city council approved the move yesterday, taking over the cost of overtime for Ashland police and public works employees who will control traffic and take on other duties for the event.
City Administrator Martha Bennett says the city also co-sponsors other annual events in town by waiving overtime fees. Those include the Fourth of July, Halloween and winter Festival of Light parades, as well as the town’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.
The group also will be allowed to hang a banner over Main Street for this year’s festival, which is themed “We Are All Family!” – a weekend of Love, Peace, and Education. This year’s Grand Marshall has already been announced to be retired Navy Commander Beth F. Coye, known in Oregon as a public advocate and writer, has fought for the rights of military gays and lesbians over a span of many years. She lobbied on Capitol Hill with the primary Repeal-Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell GLBT interest group, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), as both a Board member and a member of its Military Advisory Council.
