Local
Ward 2 redistricting plan would split Dupont Circle ‘gayborhood’
Activists call on Council to keep LGBTQ neighborhood intact
D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) has joined a growing contingent of her ward’s LGBTQ residents in calling on the D.C. Council to reject parts of three proposed redistricting plans for Ward 2 that would transfer portions of the North Dupont Circle neighborhood into Ward 1.
The redistricting proposals, which were released to the public on Monday, Nov. 1, were drafted by a three-member D.C. Council Subcommittee on Redistricting appointed by Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large).
The subcommittee members include Council members Elissa Silverman (D-At-Large), who was named as chair; and fellow Council members Anita Bonds (D-At-Large) and Christina Henderson (I-At-Large).
In an eight-page statement released this week, the subcommittee points out that a shifting of the city’s ward boundary lines is needed to bring the city into legal conformance with the 2020 U.S. Census count for D.C., which shows shifts in population within the city.
Gay Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Mike Silverstein is among the activists who say the redistricting proposals would unnecessarily split Dupont Circle’s historic “gayborhood,” which has served as a safe space for LGBTQ D.C. residents for decades.
Silverstein noted that those in opposition to the proposals are members of ANC 2B, which represents the Dupont Circle area.
“Half of ANC 2B’s eight commissioners are openly gay,” Silverstein said in a statement. “2B represents the historic epicenter of D.C.’s LGBT community,” he said. “If any of these three working maps were to be adopted as presented, that would no longer be the case.”
Silverstein was referring to three maps that the Subcommittee on Redistricting released this week showing proposed significant changes in the boundary lines for Wards 6, 7, and 8.
The subcommittee points out that the population of Ward 6 grew by 17,699 residents since the 2010 U.S. Census count, and Wards 7 and 8 lost 5,628 residents and 3,370 residents respectively over the past decade.
In its statement, it says to balance the population of each of the eight wards, some neighborhoods in Ward 6 — most likely the Southwest D.C. waterfront neighborhood — must be moved to Ward 8. Neighborhoods in other wards that border on Wards 7 and 8 must be moved into those two wards to raise the Ward 7 and 8 population counts to “within range” that equalizes the population of each of the wards, according to the statement.
Silverstein points out that the subcommittee itself shows in its statistical findings that Ward 2 is currently “within range” of the census count requirements for equal representation for its residents.
A public hearing by the subcommittee was scheduled to take place on Friday, Nov. 5, to provide a forum for residents from throughout the city to voice their opinions on the proposed redistricting plans.
“Keeping communities together and not arbitrarily drawing lines through neighborhoods is an important consideration,” Councilmember Pinto said in a Nov. 1 statement. “This is one of the reasons why I am troubled to see parts of North Dupont Circle removed from Ward 2 in some of the ‘Maps for Discussion’ released today,” Pinto said.
“Excising this part of Ward 2 would arbitrarily cut off the LGBTQQIA+ community that has such a rich history and pronounced presence in North Dupont,” Pinto said. “I will be working with my colleagues to ensure that this community remains in Ward 2.”
The full D.C. Council was expected to make a final decision on the redistricting proposals sometime in December.
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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