Local
Rehoboth evacuated as Hurricane Sandy arrives
Presidential campaigns put on hold; Md. marriage events cancelled
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image of Hurricane Sandy off the southeastern United States at around 10a.m. this morning. (Public domain NASA image courtesy LANCE MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC)
The resort town of Rehoboth Beach, Del., which has a large gay population, was ordered evacuated Sunday night and the town’s mayor declared a storm emergency as Hurricane Sandy approached the Delaware coast.
Rehoboth Police Chief Keith Banks told the Blade late Monday morning that flooding so far has been limited to two downtown streets closest to the beach, but he said serious wind and flood damage could occur when the brunt of the storm hits the town Monday night and Tuesday.
“The town is closed down,” he said. “We have officers on patrol to make sure everyone is safe and property is protected.”
Camp Rehoboth, an LGBT community center and advocacy organization, and Proud Bookstore, the town’s gay bookstore, are among the businesses and organizations located within the evacuation zone. Both are located less than two blocks from the beach and could potentially be affected by flooding.
“We’re getting steady rain and occasional heavy gusts of wind,” said gay Democratic activist Peter Schott, who lives just outside the Rehoboth town limits and not in the evacuation zone.
“Friends are checking on each other,” he said. “We’re hoping for the best.”
Andy Staton, the gay candidate for a seat in the Delaware Senate in the Rehoboth area, said he has suspended his campaign for the next day or two and arranged for supporters to take down his campaign signs.
“We are concerned that signs and other objects could become projectiles and could cause some harm,” he said.
Staton said that, like Schott, he lives outside the town limits and was not required to evacuate his home.
“We put out a notice from our campaign Sunday night urging people to be safe,” he said.
Delaware Gov. Jack Markell issued a statewide order early Monday closing all of the state’s highways and roads to non-emergency vehicles until the most serious effects of the storm subside.
As Rehoboth residents hunkered down in the midst of the storm, President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney each announced the hurricane prompted them to put their campaigns on hold for Monday and Tuesday.
Obama returned to Washington from campaign appearances in various states, saying he would work with federal emergency officials to ensure that disaster relief programs were put in place in states hit hardest by the storm.
In D.C. and the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs, all federal and local government offices were ordered closed to the public, with only essential workers such as emergency personnel expected to report for work. Public schools and the Metro subway and bus system were also closed on Monday due to the impact of the storm.
Organizers of other election-related events also announced cancellations and postponements.
Among the events cancelled for Monday night was a D.C. fundraiser for Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the group leading the campaign for Maryland’s marriage equality law in a statewide referendum on Nov. 6. The event was scheduled to take place at Busboys and Poets restaurant at 14th and V Streets, N.W.
Outdoor tables and chairs at Trio’s Restaurant in Dupont Circle were secured ahead of Hurricane Sandy. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)
- JR’s facade on 17th Street, N.W., remains covered in Halloween decorations ahead of Hurricane Sandy (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)
New York Avenue in Northwest Washington. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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