The six male teens arrested in the beating and armed robbery of a gay pastor and his friend in Piedmont Park on July 2 remain in police custody and are slated to have a court hearing Aug. 2. They will all be charged as adults.
This weekend was full of LGBT events and gatherings. The GA Voice was on-hand at several events, including the Fenuxe Launch Party and benefit for The Kid in all of Us, ‘Monsters’ at Kai Lin Art featuring the work of “Best of Atlanta” award winner Jon Arge and a community picnic in Piedmont Park held to discuss public safety in the wake of the bias crime against Rev. Josh Noblitt, social justice minister at St. Mark United Methodist Church.
Rev. Josh Noblitt, social justice minister at St. Mark United Methodist Church, read an "Open Letter to the Beloved Community" during Sunday's services at the church.
Hundreds packed the Piedmont Park pool to raise money for people with HIV
Atlanta Police Department Officer Patricia Powell, the recently appointed LGBT liaison, said she is considering offering a safety course to gay Midtown residents after a gay couple was robbed at gunpoint in Piedmont Park.
“I don’t know if gay people are being targeted,” Powell said Tuesday.
But she noted the July 2 armed robbery of Rev. Joshua Noblitt of Saint Mark United Methodist Church and his partner, as well as reports of anti-gay epithets used during a series of fights and disturbances by young people at the June 3 Screen on the Green in the park.
Hundreds of hot men (and some women) will pack the Piedmont Park pool July 24 for Joining Hearts 23, the annual fundraiser that helps provide housing for people with HIV.
“Joining Hearts has always been one of the highlights of the gay community each summer,” says Kerry Loftis, director of events for Joining Hearts, an all-volunteer, non-profit charity. “We get people who come here from all over the country for this event. They plan their vacations around it. People consider it like a big family reunion.”
DJ Roland Belmares, an Atlanta favorite from Austin, Texas, returns to spin for this year’s event, dubbed “Splash.”
“People like his style of playing really upbeat, fun music,” Loftis says. “He has a big following here because we all love the way that he makes it a really fun, good party. He mixes music that everyone just loves.”
After two months of online balloting and more than 20,000 votes cast, we present the best of the best — our inaugural Best of Atlanta winners.
It all started back at the beginning of May, when we asked you, our readers, to nominate your favorites for dozens of awards in the categories of Community, People, Nightlife, Dining, Retail, Pet Services, Internet, and Outside Atlanta.
The top three finalists — or more, in the case of a tie — in each category made it through to the next round of voting. For the month of June, a multiple-choice ballot asked you to pick among the finalists for who really represents the finest in LGBT Georgia.
Thanks to everyone who voted, and congratulations to all of the worthy winners and runners up.
Atlanta Police Department Officer Patricia Powell, the recently appointed LGBT liaison, said she is considering offering a safety course to gay Midtown residents after a gay couple was robbed at gunpoint in Piedmont Park.
“I don’t know if gay people are being targeted,” Powell said Tuesday.
But she noted the July 2 armed robbery of Rev. Joshua Noblitt of Saint Mark United Methodist Church and his partner, as well as reports of anti-gay epithets used during a series of fights and disturbances by young people at the June 3 Screen on the Green in the park.
Police respond to armed robbery of two gay men in Piedmont Park
Rev. Josh Noblitt of Saint Mark United Methodist Church and his partner say they were robbed at gunpoint Friday in Piedmont Park by a group of young men after being asked if they were gay.
Noblitt said he and his partner, Trent, were having a picnic dinner on the grassy area on 10th Street at about 9:45 p.m. on July 2 when three young men approached them.
“They walked up directly to us and asked, ‘Are y’all gay? Two men laying on a blanket. We ought to beat y’all for that,’” Noblitt said.
Two local gay men report being robbed at gunpoint in Piedmont Park