SGN April 12, 2013 - Section 1

Page 1

Issue 15 Volume 41

Celebrating 40 Years!

FRIDAY April 12, 2013 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & newsstands

brings a touch of the East Coast’s soul to Seattle

Page 25

Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Choosing Seattle’s next police chief Mayoral candidates differ on timing of search

nate gowdy / seattle gay news

Seattle should not be in a rush to choose a successor for retiring Police Chief John Diaz, State Senator Ed Murray said in a statement

the next chief.” He continued, “Given the challenges this department faces, we need to conduct a thorough national search to find the best possible replacement to bring about the cultural change that is needed. But I

file photo

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

“I am … very concerned about the timing of this announcement, coming as it does in the midst of a hotly contested mayor’s race. We must be very careful and deliberate in choosing the next chief.” released April 8. Murray, a candidate for mayor of Seattle, worried that the process of choosing a new chief would become politicized by the mayoral race. “I am … very concerned about the timing of this announcement, coming as it does in the midst of a hotly contested mayor’s race,” Murray said. “We must be very careful and deliberate in choosing

worry that the political uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the mayor’s race will lead many toptier candidates to not apply. And if we do have a new mayor in November, that leader has to be comfortable with the next chief, or the disruption in the department will be even worse.” see chief page 5

Seattle Mayoral candidates City Councilmember Bruce Harrell (l) and State Senator Ed Murray

Immigration reform: Bipartisan Space Needle compromise bill reportedly saga continues omits LGBT protections Management meets with Seattle LGBT fairimmigration.org

migration reform bill that will be presented to the U.S. Senate by the so-called “Gang of Eight,” accordLGBT immigration rights ac- ing to the Washington Blade. tivists expect Gay and Lesbian Immigration Equality Executive families to be left out of the im- Director Rachel Tiven told activ-

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

ists in a conference call on April 8 that binational same-sex couples would not be included in the bill, which was expected to be released April 11. Details of the bill had not been made public as SGN went to press. “We are not expecting LGBT families to be included in the Gang of Eight bill,” Tiven said. “That, in our minds, means that of course the bill is incomplete.” The Gang of Eight are four Democratic senators and four Republicans, who are attempting to put together a bi-partisan compromise on immigration reform. The group includes Dick Durbin (D-IL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Michael Bennett (D-CO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), John by Mike Andrew McCain (R-AZ), and Lindsey Gra- SGN Staff Writer ham (R-SC). The management of Seattle’s UNEQUAL TREATMENT iconic Space Needle met with Washington’s U.S. Senators, members of the Seattle LGBT Democrats Patty Murray and Ma- Commission on April 3, to discuss ria Cantwell, while not part of the the Needle’s long-simmering lagang, have repeatedly advocated bor dispute with its employees and for equal treatment of binational its refusal to fly the Rainbow Flag same-sex couples. Currently, op- during Pride. posite-sex spouses of U.S. citizens At the end of March, the commission and seven LGBT comsee immigration page 17 munity organizations sent letters

Commission about flag, workers’ rights

to Space Needle CEO Ron Sevart, supporting a fair labor agreement for employees at the landmark, who have now been working for almost two years without a contract. Those organizations included PrideFest, Equal Rights Washington, LGBTQ Allyship, Entre Hermanos, Ingersoll Gender Center, SAGE, and Pride at Work AFLCIO. see space needle page 7

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