Local
Arlington police arrest journalist, roommate on meth charge
Police called for ‘violent domestic disturbance’
Arlington police confiscated equipment believed to be for the purpose of manufacturing methamphetamine while arresting gay journalist Leonard Fischer (right) and his roommate, William Hudgens. (Photo courtesy of Arlington Police)
A journalist who previously worked as a tech reporter for the Gannett News Service and his roommate were arrested in their Arlington apartment on Aug. 28 on a charge that they allegedly were attempting to manufacture methamphetamine, according to Arlington police.
The journalist, Leonard Fischer, 44, and his roommate, William Hudgens, 31, were charged and released on bail after police obtained a search warrant, searched their apartment, and confiscated chemicals and equipment said to be used for the manufacture of methamphetamine, police said.
“On or about Aug. 27, 2012, law enforcement officers responded to 801 N. Monroe Street, Apt. 305, Arlington, Virginia, in reference to a violent domestic disturbance,” says a police affidavit in support of a search warrant filed in Arlington Circuit Court.
“Once inside the residence, officers observed, in plain view, items consistent with the manufacturing of methamphetamine to include a triangle glass beaker on the kitchen counter along with a possible ‘fuel’ source on the floor below it,” the affidavit says.
A list of items confiscated in the search, which was also filed in court, includes caustic chemicals such as sodium hydroxide, phosphoric acid, “suspected sulfuric acid,” propane cylinders, and assorted Pyrex dishes.
“Residents of three floors in the complex were evacuated for safety concerns,” a police statement says. Police said later that some of the residents had to find lodging in nearby hotels until investigators with the Arlington Fire Department determined it was safe for the residents to return to their apartments.
The police affidavit says that during questioning by police, Fischer and Hudgens accused each other of being responsible for attempting to manufacture methamphetamine in the apartment. The affidavit says Hudgens told police he was attempting to move his belongings out of the apartment at the time police were called.
It says Fischer holds the lease to the apartment and that Hudgens had been staying there for several months. Court records state that Hudgens had no fixed address at the time he first appeared in court. Both men were ordered to undergo alcohol and drug screening and testing before their next scheduled court appearance on Oct. 5.
New York gay blogger Kenneth Walsh reported in his blog Kenneth in the (212) that Fischer is a former tech reporter for Gannett and that his byline frequently appeared in the Gannett-owned newspaper USA Today. Last week, Fischer’s LinkedIn page stated he still worked for Gannett. However, Fischer stated in a court form seeking to determine if he could afford to retain a lawyer that he currently works as a freelance journalist.
Walsh told the Blade that a mutual friend who went to Indiana University with Fischer told him that Fischer is gay.
“Sad to see yet another gay man felled by meth,” Walsh wrote in his blog.
Photos
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The 41st Helen Hayes Awards were held at The Anthem on Monday, May 19. Felicia Curry and Mike Millan served as the hosts.
A performance featuring members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and local drag artists was held at the end of the first act of the program to celebrate WorldPride 2025.
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(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
District of Columbia
Laverne Cox, Reneé Rapp, Deacon Maccubbin named WorldPride grand marshals
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WorldPride organizers announced Thursday that actress and trans activist Laverne Cox, powerhouse performer Reneé Rapp, and LGBTQ trailblazer Deacon Maccubbin will serve as grand marshals for this year’s WorldPride parade.
The Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C., revealed the honorees in a press release, noting that each has made a unique contribution to the fabric of the LGBTQ community.
Cox made history in 2014 as the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category for her role in Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black.” She went on to win a Daytime Emmy in 2015 for her documentary “Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word,” which followed seven young trans people as they navigated coming out.
Rapp, a singer and actress who identifies as a lesbian, rose to prominence as Regina George in the Broadway musical “Mean Girls.” She reprised the role in the 2024 film adaptation and also stars in Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” portraying a character coming to terms with her sexuality. Rapp has released an EP, “Everything to Everyone,” and an album, “Snow Angel.” She announced her sophomore album, “Bite Me,” on May 21 and is slated to perform at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds.
Deacon Maccubbin, widely regarded as a cornerstone of Washington’s LGBTQ+ history, helped organize D.C.’s first Gay Pride Party in 1975. The event took place outside Lambda Rising, one of the first LGBTQ bookstores in the nation, which Maccubbin founded. For his decades of advocacy and activism, he is often referred to as “the patriarch of D.C. Pride.”
“I am so honored to serve as one of the grand marshals for WorldPride this year. This has been one of the most difficult times in recent history for queer and trans people globally,” Cox said. “But in the face of all the rhetorical, legislative and physical attacks, we continue to have the courage to embrace who we truly are, to celebrate our beauty, resilience and bravery as a community. We refuse to allow fear to keep us from ourselves and each other. We remain out loud and proud.”
“Pride is everything. It is protection, it is visibility, it is intersectional. But most importantly, it is a celebration of existence and protest,” Rapp said.
The three will march down 14th Street for the WorldPride Parade in Washington on June 7.
2025 D.C. Trans Pride was held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on Saturday, May 17. The day was filled with panel discussions, art, social events, speakers, a resource fair and the Engendered Spirit Awards. Awardees included Lyra McMillan, Pip Baitinger, Steph Niaupari and Hayden Gise. The keynote address was delivered by athlete and advocate Schuyler Bailar.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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