From Michelle Lancaster. Follow her and tell her your news on Twitter @MichLancaster or email her at [email protected].

LGBT Rights Leader Frank Kameny Passes

Frank Kameny was an inspirational leader and a force for human rights, who we sadly lost on Wednesday, October 12. His initial protest of his firing from the US Army Map Service due to his sexual orientation sparked a lawsuit that made it all the way to the Supreme Court. He became the first openly gay candidate for Congress in 1971 and made history as the first openly gay member of the DC Human Rights Commission.

Kameny also led the protests against the American Psychiatric Association’s classification of homosexuality as a mental illness. For more on his inspirational life, check out this piece in Care2.com or this memorial in the Washington Blade. In June 2010 1700 block of 17th Street NW here in the neighborhood (from Q to R Streets) was co-named Frank Kameny Way.

DC9 to be Sued by Mohammed’s Family

As expected, the family of Ali Mohammed will file a civil suit against nightclub/bar DC9, the site of Mohammed’s death last year. Washington City Paper reports that family and friends will gather outside the venue to announce the multiple claims in the suit. You may recall that while ruled a homicide, the DC Medical Examiner did not determine the cause of death was due to the alleged beating by employees but from ‘excited delirium’. We’ll keep you posted on the suit, the vigil and all other information related to this ongoing story.

Emotionally Charged… Medians?

Apparently, Connecticut Avenue NW and its medians are a hot topic these days. The block between K and L Streets NW is home to the first phase of median beautification, and now TBD has a piece on the most ’emotionally charged median’ on Connecticut Ave. between R and S Streets NW. What makes it so charged? The lack of ability for stores to hang Christmas lights, the magnolia trees, the state of the masonry — the list is seemingly endless. That long median inspires some emotions in this pedestrian, as well, namely that is is a pain to have to go up and over or around. Yep, I’m that lazy, deal with it.

More on the Lincoln Theatre

It’s not news, but Robert Bettmann, chair of DC Advocates for the Arts, took to Huffington Post to make the case for keeping the Lincoln open. Its financial woes have not been helped by city funds drying up, hence Bettmann’s call for additional funding for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The ‘trickle up effect’ he describes comes from less funds given to smaller arts organizations that would rent the theatre, so they lose rental revenue as well as their original funding source. It’s a heated issue, and there is much history at stake. That said, the money has to come from somewhere, and there are not a lot of areas in the city budget that are fat enough to borrow from these days.

How to Handle Lines at Estadio

I guess the prize bit of wisdom in the piece is ‘deal with it.’ That, or ‘get a buzz at the bar while you wait’, which is really just good common sense. At any rate, Eater DC has a long sit down with GM Justin Guthrie, the manager at Estadio, to assess his take on the lines. Don’t offer him money, woo him with George Brett and Royals trivia and don’t ask if Dolly Parton actually ate there are some salient points. Or head out to Two Amy’s or 75 in Arlington, Guthrie’s go-to’s, if you get tired of waiting.

Feminist Ryan Gosling

Damn, this was a depressing SYMHM for a Friday. So here’s the most important thing you may have missed this week — an effing hilarious and delicious looking collection of photos of Ryan Gosling discussing feminist scholars. Why? I have no idea, but I do know it will be an enjoyable expenditure of your 4:30 to 5 pm time at work on a Friday, or hungover morning reading. You are WELCOME.