Local
2014 Gay Games could vault to D.C.
Cleveland startup faces Dec. 15 deadline to hold onto sporting event
Set in Germany, the 2010 Gay Games concluded Sunday. The next event in 2014 is tentatively slated to occur in Cleveland. (Photo courtesy of Gay Games)
Leaders of an international LGBT sports group, meeting last weekend in Germany, reaffirmed their earlier decision to keep the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland, according to sources familiar with the deliberations.
But the General Assembly of the Federation of Gay Games kept open the option of moving the event to Washington, D.C., if Cleveland fails to meet a set of conditions by Dec. 15, including the creation of a new gay-run organization to produce the games, sources said.
The General Assembly took that action during a closed “in camera” session of its annual meeting Aug. 8, sources said, following the end of the 2010 Gay Games.
That action came 10 months after the FGG selected Cleveland over D.C. to host the 2014 Gay Games and one month after the FGG revoked the license it awarded last year to the Cleveland Synergy Foundation, a non-profit LGBT group, to produce the quadrennial event.
The FGG’s ouster of Cleveland Synergy was reportedly caused by the foundation’s failure to meet its licensing agreement in a number of areas, including financial accountability.
Officials with the Cleveland Synergy Foundation have not returned repeated calls seeking comment. FGG officials have also declined to disclose details as to why they determined Synergy has failed to meet its licensing obligations.
LGBT activists in Cleveland joined city officials there in expressing a strong desire to keep the games in Cleveland and have taken steps to put together a new proposal for producing the 2014 Gay Games. But so far, only non-gay sports groups in that area have emerged as having the capability to produce an event involving thousands of athletes and spectators.
In announcing last week that they planned to keep the games in Cleveland, FGG officials said through a spokesperson that they disagreed with an interpretation of FGG rules by the D.C. LGBT sports group that lost its bid to hold the games in Washington.
Officials with Metropolitan Washington Gaymes, Inc., which was designated the runner-up bidder for the 2014 games, said they believe FGG rules hold that the games should go to the runner up and its host city if the winning bidder fails to fulfill its licensing obligations and responsibilities.
During the General Assembly meeting in Cologne, Germany, FGG officials reportedly said the rules allow the group to keep the games in Cleveland as long as a new entity selected to produce the games meets all of the requirements established for doing so in the original bidding documents.
But one of the conditions imposed on Cleveland, according to sources, is that it must come up with a new LGBT-run 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that exists for the sole purpose of producing the Gay Games.
Another condition is the new entity must be up and running, meet all of the FGG requirements to operate the games and have a signed license agreement with the FGG in place by Dec. 15, 2010, sources said.
They said the FGG General Assembly agreed that if the new Cleveland organization is unable to enter into such a licensing agreement by the designated deadline, FGG would take steps to move the games to D.C., the runner-up city. The decision reportedly is based on the assumption that the D.C. host organization was still interested and capable of producing the 2014 Gay Games.
Vince Micone, president of Metropolitan Washington Gaymes, and Brent Minor, head of Team D.C., one of the Gay Games-affiliated groups that’s part of Washington Metropolitan Gaymes, said last week that their respective groups would be willing to discuss any offer or proposal brought forward by the FGG.
“We’re reluctant to comment because we haven’t received any official communication from anyone,” said Minor on Tuesday.
But he noted that D.C. officials remain supportive of the Gay Games movement and its leadership. He said he’s “certain” that the apparatus that Metropolitan Washington Gaymes assembled last year in its bid for the 2014 games can be put back together in “short order” should the FGG approach D.C. to host the games.
According to one source, another wrinkle over Cleveland Synergy Foundation surfaced at the FGG General Assembly meeting when word came that Cleveland Synergy might be considering filing a lawsuit against the FGG to reverse the decision to revoke its license. The source said FGG officials have lined up pro bono legal counsel to respond to such a lawsuit and are confident their side would prevail.
The same source said representatives of the General Assembly sympathetic to D.C. chose not to introduce a resolution to move the 2014 games to D.C. before giving Cleveland a chance to form a new LGBT host organization because there was little support for such a resolution.
“It would have failed miserably as many Americans and Europeans are of the current mindset that we need to continue the goodwill that was just established by the Cologne games, and a change while the city of Cleveland so enthusiastically wants these games would incur distrust and ill will in the LGBT sports community,” the source said.
Rehoboth Beach
HISTORIC: Susan Stewart elected Rehoboth’s first out mayor
Thanks LGBTQ supporters and vows to protect city’s small town charm
Residents of Rehoboth Beach elected City Commissioner Susan Stewart with 61% of the vote on Aug. 8, making her the city’s first openly gay mayor.
Stewart beat fellow commissioners Craig Their and Suzanne Goode in the race, as well as newcomer Jake Raak.
The final mayoral vote results were:
- Susan Stewart: 632
- Craig Their: 203
- Suzanne Goode: 177
- William “Jake” Raak: 23
“I’m very grateful because the LGBTQ+ community not only voted for me, but also supported me,” said Stewart.
Stewart said that she is particularly grateful for the support she received on social media from members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“I’ve had incredible support,” said Stewart.
Stewart said that her campaign showed her just how much residents of Rehoboth are engaged and care about the city.
“They really want to see what’s best for the community,” said Stewart.
Stewart spoke about the master planning initiative she has been working on as a commissioner, which she plans to continue as mayor.
“We’ve undertaken rewriting the commercial zoning code, and that’s foundational to the next step of the initiative,” said Stewart.
She said that she was proud of the results of charette week that was held last month where residents and business owners had the opportunity to speak with hired urban planners to give feedback for a zoning code update.
Stewart said that Rehoboth is at a tipping point as the city must find a way to balance the growth of the commercial district while improving the quality of life for residents.
“I don’t believe there needs to be tension between the business community and the residential experience,” said Stewart.
“I’m excited about a new master plan because we have a couple hotels coming, and we also have Clear Space Theatre looking for a new home, and we’re working with them,” said Stewart. “We want businesses to stay here.”
Stewart also said that she aims to embrace the concept of a ‘15-minute city,’ making the city much more accessible in terms of transportation in the downtown area for residents.
“The goal is to protect the small town charm and natural beauty of Rehoboth,” said Stewart. “I want to keep the momentum going.”
The Blade asked Stewart about any concerns she might have working with Commissioner Goode, whom she has criticized for sending inappropriate and offensive emails to city staff. Goode finished a distant third in the mayoral race and her husband fell short in his bid for a Commissioner’s seat. In that race, Jeffrey Goode received 239 votes; Patrick Gossett, who’s gay, received 813 votes and Mark Saunders 852. Saunders and Gossett will be sworn in next month.
“I’m really eager to move past this issue with Commissioner Goode,” said Stewart.
She said that she’s heard ‘loud and clear’ from the city that they want to move past this situation as best as they can while Goode remains in her seat as commissioner.
“There are no mechanisms for us to remove a sitting commissioner. Our laws don’t allow it,” said Stewart.
Stewart clarified that she has always focused on Goode’s behavior toward city staff.
“One thing I feel really passionate about is that the city employees have to know that they are heard. They are real people with real jobs, real professional reputations, and they’ve been harmed,” said Stewart.
The Blade also asked if Stewart had made a final decision on whom she plans to nominate to fill her Commissioner seat.
“I’m considering who to appoint and I have not made any final decisions,” said Stewart.
She noted that, as mayor, she only has the power to nominate a candidate and that the board of commissioners will have the final vote on whom to appoint to the board.
Stewart shared that she has received interest from a number of people and finds that to be a good sign.
“I think that’s a great sign because people want to serve. I’m eager to have someone in that seat who’s smart and has the best interests of the city,” said Stewart.
Stewart will be sworn in during the Board of Commissioners meeting on Sept. 18.
District of Columbia
D.C.’s Mary’s House For Older Adults names new executive director
Charlene Leach to succeed Imani Woody as leader of LGBTQ-supportive seniors home
The board of directors of Mary’s House for Older Adults, the D.C.-based home dedicated to providing affordable housing for LGBTQ seniors, has announced it has named longtime nonprofit organization leader A. Charlene Leach as its new executive director.
Leach, who is now serving in the executive director’s position, is succeeding Dr. Imani Woody, the Mary’s House founding president and CEO, who announced her retirement from her official leadership role at Mary’s House on July 7.
Woody, who holds a PhD in Human Services, is credited with playing the lead role over many years in arranging both city and private funding needed to construct and operate the Mary’s House three-story building located at 401 Anacostia Road, S.E., in the city’s Fort DuPont neighborhood.
“With over three decades of nonprofit experience and 15 years serving as an executive director, Charlene brings a wealth of knowledge in organizational leadership, program development, and community engagement,” the Mary’s House board says in a statement.
“Her proven track record of building impactful programs and leading mission-driven organizations makes her uniquely suited to guide Mary’s House into its next phase of growth,” the statement continues. “Charlene is deeply aligned with the mission of Mary’s House and is committed to advancing its work to provide safe, inclusive housing and supportive services for LGBTQ+ older adults,” it says. “Under her leadership, the organization will continue to expand its impact while remaining grounded in the values that define our community.”
Leach’s LinkedIn page shows she has most recently served since 2022 as executive director of the African American AIDS Task Force in Minneapolis. Prior to that, it shows she served as executive director of the Fredericksburg Area Health and Support Services organization in Fredericksburg, Va., and before that as director of development for the D.C.-Baltimore area Women’s Collective.
Her LinkedIn page says she has been involved with Mary’s House as a volunteer and grant writer since 2016.
The newly built and enlarged Mary’s House, which opened in March 2025, with a grand opening ceremony held in May 2025 attended by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, includes 15 single-occupancy residential apartments and more than 5,000 square feet of shared communal living space.
An earlier statement released by the Mary’s House board announcing Woody’s retirement said Woody would continue to be involved with the organization as a member of the board. The earlier statement and board’s more recent statement on July 29 announcing Leach’s appointment as executive director did not say whether the board plans to name someone else as president and CEO, the title that Woody held before her retirement. But the latest statement says Leach will be running Mary’s House’s day-to-day operations as Woody did.
Virginia
Doug Ollivant to face Eugene Vindman in Va. 7th Congressional District
Republican defeated challengers in Tuesday’s primary
Republican Doug Ollivant will face off against incumbent U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
Ollivant defeated his Republican opponents in Tuesday’s primary. Vindman ran unopposed.
Vindman in 2024 ran to succeed then-Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger in the U.S. House of Representatives after she ran for governor. Spanberger succeeded Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2025.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Tuesday easily won his primary. All other Democratic incumbent members of Congress from Northern Virginia also won their respective primaries.
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