Covington sentenced
The State College man found guilty of bringing illegal drugs to the home where a young man was murdered three years ago was sentenced last week.
Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Judge James F. Nilon sentenced F. Bruce Covington, 59, to eight months to five years in prison for possessing drugs with the intent to deliver, as well as an additional five years of supervised parole. Nilon also sentenced Covington to one additional year of probation for possession of drug paraphernalia.
The charges stem from a September 2006 incident in which Covington brought crystal methamphetamine and gamma hydroxybutrate acid to the Thornbury home of William Smithson. Jason Shepard, 23, was strangled to death that evening in Smithson’s home, and Smithson has since been convicted of the murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Nilon found Covington guilty of the charges in September.
Covington’s attorney said his client has 30 days to appeal the sentence.
Fundraiser for local DJ
Voyeur, 1221 St. James St., will host a benefit from 8 p.m.-midnight Nov. 16 to raise funds to cover the medical expenses of local out DJ Reenie Kane.
Kane, who has been spinning at local LGBT clubs for more than 30 years, suffered a heart attack after she deejayed at the William Way LGBT Community Center’s annual Indigo Ball last month. Kane needs to undergo heart rehabilitation outpatient treatments, which her insurance will not cover.
Admission is $10.
Drexel kicks off LGBT health program
The LGBT Health Program at Drexel University will host its inaugural presentation, “Public Health Perspectives on LGBT Health Issues,” at 4 p.m. Nov. 10 at the university’s Bellet Building, 1505 Race St., on the sixth floor.
Program administrators Drs. Randall Sell, Lisa Bowleg and Seth Welles will discuss health challenges facing the LGBT community.
A cocktail reception, co-hosted by Mazzoni Center, will follow that will pay special recognition to the members of the LGBT Caucus of the American Public Health Association.
For more information, visit http://publichealth.drexel.edu/lgbthealth/.
— Jen Colletta