Agents fired over gay bar raid
MSNBC. com reports Texas’ liquor board fired two agents and a supervisor in the wake of a raid at a gay bar that left a customer seriously injured and led to protests.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said agent Christopher Aller and agent trainee Jason Chapman, who participated in the June 28 raid at the Rainbow Lounge, were fired Aug. 28. Their supervisor, Sgt. Terry Parsons, also was fired, effective Sept. 2.
Aller and Chapman failed to report that they used force when arresting the customer or that he was seriously injured. They also were accused of participating in the raid without their supervisor’s approval, disrupting the business during the raid and wearing improper attire.
Parsons failed to ensure the agents submitted a report on using force during the arrest and did not take appropriate action after learning they didn’t notify supervisors that multiple arrests had been made that night.
Reno OKs domestic- partner benefits
The Las Vegas Sun reports the city of Reno has extended benefits to the domestic partners of its employees.
The City Council on Aug. 26 unanimously adopted a resolution that will extend healthcare benefits to domestic partners who register with the Nevada secretary of state under a new law.
The state of Nevada will begin offering health benefits to employees’ domestic partners on July 1, 2010.
Antigay bishop resigns
365gay.com reports Pope Benedict XVI on Aug. 31 accepted the early retirement of a U.S. bishop who has denounced nuns for sponsoring lectures by gay-rights advocates and directed priests to deny communion to abortion backers.
The Vatican did not say why the staunchly conservative Monsignor Joseph Martino, 63, bishop of Scranton, had submitted his resignation. He took the post in 2003.
Under canon law, bishops are expected to offer their resignation when they turn 75, but the pope sometimes asks bishops to stay on beyond that age.
The Vatican said the pope had accepted the resignation under a provision of canon law in which a bishop due to illness or “some other grave reason, has become unsuited” to carry out his duties.”
— Larry Nichols