First GOP 2016 Debate: August 6th

Via Politico:

The first Republican primary debate will take place on Aug. 6 in Cleveland, the Northeast Ohio Media Group reports. The debate, sponsored by Fox News, will take place at the Quicken Loans Arena (or, "The Q"), home to the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. The Q is also the site of next year's Republican National Convention, which is scheduled for July 2016. Fox News is expected to formally announce the date and venue within the next few days. Spokespeople for both Fox News and the Republican National Committee did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Monday night. The RNC has sanctioned nine primary debates for the 2016 campaign, with the possibility of adding three more. It had previously announced that the first debate would take place in August in Ohio, though the exact day and location were unknown.

It's possible that the above field of six will have doubled by the time of the Cleveland debate. They better have a big stage. The final GOP-sanctioned debate will be held on February 26th, four days before Super Tuesday.

CLEVELAND: 99 Year-Old Runner Ida Keeling Sets Record At Gay Games

Via local television:

"My doctor told me two years straight I'm as healthy as a healthy 20-year-old. Hooray!" Keeling said prior to her race. Her coach and daughter, Shelley Kelling, reminded Ida to stay in her lane and focus on the finish line. When the starter fired his pistol, the crowd immediately began cheering for the senior citizen from New York City and the clapping and whistling didn't stop until she finished, with a time of 59.80 seconds. She came in last place, but that didn't matter to anyone, including Ida. "I feel I'm still a winner," she said. Shelley Kelling said no woman at her mother's age has ever recorded a faster time in an internationally certified 100-meter race. "She does not only inspire people that are young or that are out here. It's a message that you can do this at any age," Shelley added.

(Tipped by JMG reader Rob)

Linda Harvey Slams Ohio Republicans For Welcoming Participants In Gay Games

Linda Harvey wants her followers to send emails to the Ohio GOP because they welcomed participants to the Gay Games in Cleveland. Sort of related: I've just figured out why Harvey's voice has always sounded so familiar - she sounds exactly like the old biddy in A League Of Their Own who goes on the radio to complain about the "masculinization" of women. 

At The Gay Games Opening Ceremony

Via the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

Safe to say, not many sporting events would include a trio of drag singers lip-syncing "Proud Mary" as the opening number. Or an athlete from Mexico decked out in a sombrero -- and knee-high, red, platform boots and skimpy silver shorts. Or the delegation from the Russian Federation earning substantial cheers and a standing ovation from spectators and participants alike at The Q. Gay Games 9 kicked off Saturday evening with a uniquely expressive Opening Ceremonies featuring performers such as Lance Bass and the Pointer Sisters, remarks from U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and his wife, former Plain Dealer columnist and Pulitzer winner Connie Schultz, and even a surprise video message from President Barack Obama. It marked the start of a week-long celebration of the LGBT community through sport and entertainment. About 9,000 participants and 20,000 spectators, in all, are expected to make an economic impact on the Cleveland-Akron region of about $40 million. Before the ceremonies began, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson shared exactly what he told the Gay Games selection committee before event was awarded to Cleveland in 2009. "If you come to Cleveland, you will be the centerpiece, and we will do all we can to make these the most successful games yet," Jackson said.

Obama Welcomes Gay Games Participants

"I know some of you have come from places where it requires courage, even defiance, to come out - some times at great personal risk. You should know that the United States stands with you and for your human rights - just as our athletes stand with you on the field at these Games. After all, the very idea of America is that no matter who you are, what you look like, where you come from, or who you love - you can make it if you try. That's who we are and that's who we should continually strive to be." - President Barack Obama, in a welcoming statement played tonight at the opening ceremonies of the Gay Games in Cleveland.

Gay Games 9 Open In Cleveland

The opening ceremonies are underway at this writing. Follow along at the Twitter hashtag #GayGames.  The Windy City Times is live-tweeting as well.

New From Florida Gov. Rick Scott

Linda Harvey Praises Muslim Cabbies For Refusing To Drive With Gay Games Ads

Linda Harvey has praised the Muslim cab drivers in Cleveland who have refused to drive with Gay Games ads on their vehicles. According to Harvey, gay activists are hypocritical for not denouncing the cabbies because there would be outrage if the drivers were Christians.

RELATED: The Cleveland Plain Dealer editorialized last week:

It's unfortunate that nearly one-third of the 75 cab drivers employed by companies under contract to provide taxi service at city-owned Cleveland Hopkins International Airport walked off the job recently rather than drive vehicles that advertise the upcoming Gay Games in Greater Cleveland. But the incident underscores how critical it is as the Games approach to do more education and outreach about this sporting event, which is open to all athletes, gay and straight, who are over the age of 18. The taxi drivers who quit are Muslim and cited religious reasons for not wanting to drive cabs promoting the Games, airport spokeswoman Jacqueline Mayo said. It's certainly their prerogative to do so. But Cleveland, and Akron, where many of the events will be held, need and want to show a friendly face.

CLEVELAND: Muslim Cab Drivers Refuse To Work With Gay Games Advertising

Cleveland television reported on Friday that some Muslim cab drivers have walked off the job rather than drive taxis with the above advertising for the Gay Games, which take place there in August.

19 Action News reporter Brian Duffy spoke with about 20 cabbies at the airport who are still driving and all of them confirmed there are drivers who have walked off the job on protest. Representatives of AmeriCab, one of the three cab companies on the job at the airport, also confirmed the protest but say only one of their drivers has been reassigned. We're told at least 16-17 drivers who work for Ace Taxi, another company working out of the airport, are no longer driving. We went to Ace but were told they were too busy to talk to us. Yellow Cab, a third cab company at the airport, never returned our calls. Tom Nobbe, the executive director of the games, says he's a bit disappointed. "When you look at what's going on around the world it's not a huge surprise. In some parts of the world LGBT folks are not very welcome," said Tom Nobbe of the Gay Games.

Cleveland International Airport has issued a statement:

Today, two of the three taxi cab companies (Ace and Yellow Taxi Cab) operating from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) were informed by several of their drivers they will no longer participate in the airport's (CLE) dedicated taxi cab program. The drivers informed their respective companies their decision was based on religious reasons. The airport is committed to providing this necessary customer service to our arriving passengers seeking transportation from the airport to their final destination. An agreement has been brokered by the airport between the taxi cab stand operator, Standard Parking, and the affected taxi cab companies that will allow for the replacement of those drivers who no longer wish to participate in CLE's taxi cab program. The affected taxi cab companies will backfill the airport's dedicated fleet with metered taxi cabs until each company can hire permanent drivers for the airport's taxi cab program. It is expected to take approximately two to three weeks to repopulate the airport's Taxi fleet.

(Tipped by JMG reader Dan)

Cleveland Gay Games 2014 Commercial To Air Tonight In Six Television Markets

Via Outlook Columbus:

Organizers of the 2014 Gay Games will give viewers of tonight’s Winter Olympics opening ceremonies a subtle reminder of the anti-LGBT atmosphere in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Thirty-second commercials for the Gay Games are set to air during NBC’s telecast in Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, Buffalo and the host cities of Cleveland and Akron. The Gay Games, an international event that takes place every four years, are scheduled for Aug. 9-16 in Cleveland and Akron. About 10,000 competitors and another 20,000 spectators are expected from around the world. “These are great times we live in – exciting, complicated, extraordinary times,” a narrator says as the commercial begins with scenes of Gay Games medals, athletes, welcoming residents of northeastern Ohio and Cleveland’s annual Pride festival.

(Tipped by JMG reader Brian)

OHIO: Catholic Priest Charged With Soliciting Prostitution While HIV-Positive

Cleveland police have arrested a Catholic priest for soliciting prostitution in a public park. Father James McGonegal later revealed that he is HIV-positive, which brings additional charges.

In the incident report released today, an off-duty Cleveland Metroparks ranger said McGonegal offered the ranger $50 to help him “get off,” then exposed himself and masturbated, all while sitting inside his late-model Jeep SUV. The report said McGonegal had three sex devices in his Jeep when he was arrested around 12:45 p.m. The priest, 68, was released on personal bond from Cleveland City Jail this morning other media reports said. He has not been arraigned as the charges were not filed until around noon. McGonegal has been pastor at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church, at Lorain Avenue and West Boulevard, since the mid-1980s. He has been a priest since 1971. At a mass this evening at the church, the only mention of the incident was at the start when a lector greeted the 140 people in attendance and said, "Today we pray for this parish, and our pastor." A priest in residence at St. Ignatius said the mass.

McGonegal was also charged with possessing "abusive harmful intoxicants." Apparently, he had poppers with him.

NOTE: While the police claim that the arresting officer was "off-duty," this sounds like yet another gay sex sting. Read the full story.

Morning View - Cleveland MOCA

Afternoon View - Cleveland Museum Of Art

The buildings on the right and left house the main exhibits. In the middle today local artists were selling prints of their work.

Morning View - Cleveland Gear

The Positively Cleveland folks have had us on the go-go-go since the minute we arrived. Hopefully I'll have time later today to recap some of the Gay Games items that we've learned. Tonight they have us finishing our evening at a club called Bounce. We'll be there by around 10pm, so I hope to see some JMG folks there. Join us!

Morning View - Cleveland Hotel Lobby

I'm In Cleveland

I'm in Cleveland for four days as part of a press junket sponsored by Positively Cleveland, the marketing agency for the local convention and visitors bureau. We're primarily here as part of Cleveland's push for the Gay Games 2014, which runs next year from August 9th -16th and is expected to draw 11,000 athletes from around the world. There's a ton of stuff on our itinerary, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Horseshoe Casino, museums, and lots of interesting looking restaurants. On Saturday night they have us finishing our evening at a club called Bounce, so we might do a JMG readers meet-up there. (More on that tomorrow.) Full disclosure: The agency is footing the bill for our airfare, lodging, meals, excursions, hookers, blow - the whole shebang. Fuller disclosure: I'm completely open to similar offers from the cities of Rio, Barcelona, Puerto Vallarta....

Cleveland Kidnapper Commits Suicide

One month after he was sentenced to more than 1000 years in prison, notorious Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro has hanged himself in his cell.

Castro, 53, was in a cell by himself in protective custody at the Correction Reception Center in Orient, Ohio, wrote JoEllen Smith with the state corrections agency. Castro was found at 9:20 p.m. ET in the cell, where checks are required every 30 minutes, Smith wrote in the email. After prison medical staff attempted lifesaving measures, Castro was transported to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and pronounced dead at 10:52 p.m. ET, Smith wrote.

CLEVELAND: Gay Man Attacked By Mob Of 20, Police Investigate As Hate Crime

Cleveland's WKYC reports:

A man walking to a bar on Cleveland's west side overnight Sunday was attacked in what police are calling a hate crime. Jared Fox says he was walking from his car toward Cocktails bar, a well-known gay bar, on West 93rd Street and Detroit Avenue just before midnight Saturday. Fox says a group of 20 young men surrounded him on the sidewalk, using gay slurs. "They didn't know if I had money. They didn't know anything about me," said Fox. "They saw that there was a gay bar at the corner and they saw me walking to it." Then the group attacked Fox, punching him in the face repeatedly and knocking him to the ground. "They said what's in your pockets and I said, I got no money I'm broke, and they said, 'oh so you're one of those broke faggots?' And then they just started swinging," said Fox. He suffered a black eye, a ruptured right ear drum and some hearing loss, as well as dozens of bruises across his body.

Fox has posted a personal account of the attack on YouTube. Scroll over the image below for the play button from WKYC.

Free Big Macs For Life?

Ramsey was eating McDonald's take-out at home when he heard the screaming from a nearby house.

Headline Of The Day

Whoa.