LGBT-focused career fair returns
The third-annual SAGEWorks Career Fair, designed for LGBTs and allies 40 and over, will return to the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., noon-3 p.m. March 10.
The career fair will include about 20 representatives of LGBT-friendly employers, who will offer information on job openings and offer participants job-search tips and assistance with online applications. The event will also include three workshops: on using LinkedIn for a job search, meditation techniques to assist in interview preparation and a talk with Comcast leadership about tips to get your job application noticed.
The event is free, but registration is required. Participants can register at ow.ly/YW90G.
— Jen Colletta
Supreme Court declines to review sex offender’s case
The U.S. Supreme Court this week declined to review the case of Kenneth Schneider, a convicted sex offender who claims the government missed a deadline to file charges against him.
Schneider, a Philadelphia-area attorney who traveled with a 15-year-old boy to Russia with the intention of sexually abusing him, wanted the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his conviction.
But on Feb. 29, the high court declined to review his case, without explanation.
A federal jury convicted Schneider in 2010, and his conviction was upheld by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals last year.
Schneider claims he was charged outside the five-year statute of limitations, because he was charged in 2010, but his alleged crime occurred in 2001.
Patrick Rodenbush, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice, declined to comment for this update. Howard J. Bashman, an attorney for Schneider, also declined to comment.
Settlement conference set in bullying case
Another settlement conference has been scheduled in the anti-bullying case filed by Thomas Vandergrift.
Vandergrift claims his autistic nephew suffered extensive anti-LGBT bullying while a student at a Pennsauken, N.J., public school.
Vandergrift also contends school officials wrongfully accused him of child molestation after he advocated for a proper education for his nephew.
Vandergrift filed suit in 2012, seeking an unspecified amount in damages and policy changes within the Pennsauken school district.
Mediation in the case has been unavailing. But U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider recently ordered a settlement conference to be attended by Vandergrift and his attorneys. The session will be held noon March 4 at the U.S. Court House in Camden.
Pennsauken school-district officials and their attorneys won’t attend the session, according to Schneider’s order.
In a related matter, Schneider denied a request by Vandergrift’s attorneys to withdraw from the case. The attorneys, Amelia Carolla and Catherine M. Reisman, couldn’t be reached for comment.
Judge refuses to dismiss same-sex harassment case
A federal judge has denied a request by Haddon Township officials to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Jason DeMent, a former township police officer who alleges pervasive sexual harassment from township Police Chief Mark Cavallo.
In a one-page order filed Feb. 29, U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler said the case should move forward. But Kugler also left open the option for township officials to file a similar dismissal request in response to revised allegations recently filed by DeMent.
Attorneys for the township and Cavallo couldn’t be reached for comment. It remains unclear if they’ll continue to seek dismissal of the case or respond to DeMent’s allegations in a formal answer.
DeMent claims the township refused to make reasonable accommodations for his vision impairment, known as Stargardt’s disease, because he “blew the whistle” on Cavallo’s alleged sexual harassment. Instead, the township allegedly retaliated against DeMent by dismissing him in October.
The township has 14 days to respond in some manner to DeMent’s revised allegations.
— Timothy Cwiek
Out journalist Jim Donovan to helm early morning broadcast
CBS3 plans to launch a revamped version of its early-morning newscast with out journalist Jim Donovan in the anchor chair, the television network announced Feb 29.
“Eyewitness News This Morning” will air 4:30-7 a.m. weekdays starting in early April. Donovan will continue producing and appearing in his popular “On Your Side” consumer segments.
“Jim is one of the most versatile broadcasters in the market,” Margaret Cronan, vice president and news director, said in an announcement on CBS3’s website. “We believe that a new morning-show format will give him and the team the ideal runway to provide viewers with a morning newscast that is both smart and entertaining to watch.”
Donovan joined CBS3 in 2004. He takes over the morning broadcast after Ukee Washington, who formerly helmed the timeslot, moved to the evening newscasts over the summer.
Lawyer who defeated DOMA returns to Philly
Roberta Kaplan, who successfully argued the U.S. Supreme Court case that found unconstitutional the Defense of Marriage Act, will speak in Philadelphia next week.
She last visited the city in October to promote her new book, “Then Comes Marriage: United States V. Windsor and the Defeat of DOMA.”
Kaplan’s latest talk takes place from 7-9:30 p.m. March 9 at Temple Beth Zion Beth Israel, 300 S. 18th St. Tickets cost $10 for temple members or $15 for general admission.
Chris Bartlett, executive director of the William Way LGBT Community Center, will moderate the discussion with Kaplan about her book.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.bzbi.org/event/sicha-roberta-kaplan.
Health fair for women affected by HIV/AIDS
Philadelphia FIGHT, a comprehensive AIDS service organization, plans to acknowledge National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day with a free community health fair from noon-3 p.m. March 5.
The event takes place at Gathers Recreation Center, 2501-19 W. Diamond St.
It will provide women, girls and families with resources to help prevent the spread of HIV. There will be free rapid HIV testing and blood-pressure screenings. Pharmacists will also be available to talk with attendees.
People can also enjoy music, free food and healthy activities.
New operating officer for FIGHT’s Community Health Centers
Barbara L. Bungy will join Philadelphia FIGHT as its new chief operating officer for its Community Health Centers, FIGHT announced Feb. 24.
Bungy will start March 7, leading clinical and administrative operations at the AIDS service organization. She has master’s degrees in public health and business administration.
Before FIGHT, Bungy worked in Drexel University’s College of Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. She directed her efforts toward the Dorothy Mann Center for Pediatric and Adolescent HIV, a primary-care provider for HIV-exposed newborns and HIV-positive infants, children and adolescents.
Bungy had served on the FIGHT board of directors since 2012, most recently as secretary.
— Paige Cooperstein