Utah asks Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to block same-sex marriages in the state

BY PAUL FOY

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah took its fight against gay marriage to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, asking the high court to suspend same-sex unions that became legal when a judge struck down the state's voter-approved ban.

The heavily Mormon state wants the marriages to stop while it appeals a judge's decision, which said banning gay couples from marrying violates their right to equal treatment under the law.

In papers filed Tuesday, the state asked Justice Sonia Sotomayor to overturn a decision that has led to more than 900 gay marriages in Utah. Sotomayor handles emergency requests from Utah and other Rocky Mountain states.

Sotomayor responded with a request for legal briefs from same-sex couples by Friday at noon. She can act by herself or get the rest of the court involved.

"Numerous same-sex marriages are now occurring every day in Utah," Utah lawyers complain in the filing. "Each one is an affront not only to the interests of the state and its citizens in being able to define marriage through ordinary democratic channels, but also to this court's unique role as final arbiter."

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Tennessee Equality Project encourages businesses to support state's LGBT community

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Equality Project is starting a new initiative to encourage business to show support for the state's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

Executive director Christopher Sanders says the group is providing business owners with small "Equality Means Business" window stickers to place on their front doors. Sanders said the stickers show that a business agrees to hire employees and serve the public without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity.

The group also is keeping a list of businesses that support the initiative on its Facebook page.

White House: 'We have made tremendous progress in advancing equality for the LGBT community'

Email on Tuesday from the White House and President Barack Obama:

Over the last year, we have made tremendous progress in advancing equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

Important work still remains, but we hope you will take a moment to remember - in photographs and a few videos - some of the most memorable moments of 2013. And please check out the Top @WhiteHouse Tweets of 2013, since several of them describe events below!

Events featured in the email include:

Click here to read the White House blog, President Obama and the LGBT community.

Rose Parade gay wedding going on despite protest

BY JOHN ROGERS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES -- Aubrey Loots and Danny Leclair joke that they're getting married New Year's Day in front of 80 million of their closest friends, and the men say they aren't that concerned that a few thousand others may boycott the first gay marriage at the 125-year-old Rose Parade.

The pair, together for 12 years, plan to tie the knot atop a giant wedding cake on the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float when it stops at the Rose Parade's reviewing stand on Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands of people line the 5 1/2-mile parade route through Pasadena and an estimated 80 million more are expected to watch on TV from around the world.

It's probably safe to assume that among those not watching will be Karen Grube of San Diego, who launched a "Boycott The 2014 Rose Parade" Facebook page after learning of the couple's intentions. As of Monday, it had about 4,000 likes.

Grube, who didn't immediately respond to an interview request, has said that while she has nothing against Loots or Leclair, their wedding is an insult to people in the 32 states where gay marriage is still illegal.

"Why would the Tournament of Roses promote something illegal like that? Pot smoking is legal in some states too, and some even claim it has medical benefits. What's next for the Rose Parade? A float touting the benefits of smoking pot?" said a statement on the "Boycott the 2014 Rose Parade" page.

BuzzFeed reporter loves Rep. Aaron Schock's pants

• Previously: Video | Ripped Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Illinois, on why he doesn't support gay marriage: 'I just haven't.'

BuzzFeed reporter Hunter Schwarz tweets that he loves U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock's new pants:

I love Aaron Schock's new pants. pic.twitter.com/TkxXDVYafl

— Hunter Schwarz (@hunterschwarz) December 30, 2013

Gay in Utah: Hostility, acceptance part of life

BY BRIAN SKOLOFF, MICHELLE PRICE AND PAUL FOY

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah has long been known as a bastion of red-state conservatism with deep roots in the Mormon faith. It's the kind of place that has historically been unwelcoming to gay marriage.

The state is the world headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which championed California's gay marriage ban that was eventually tossed out in court. The church looms over almost every aspect of life in Utah, where an estimated two-thirds of residents are Mormon.

But, like the rest of America, how gays are received depends on where they live. Some gay couples describe feeling hostility in conservative, heavily Mormon cities such as Provo. The suburban areas that surround Salt Lake City are a mish-mash of family-friendly communities across the political spectrum.

And Salt Lake City is more open to gays than many people outside the state realize.

The city is home to gay bars and coffee shops and a pride parade that attracts 25,000 people. There's even a bus that takes gay men and women to Nevada to party. Salt Lake is also the city where hundreds of gay couples rushed to the county clerk's office to obtain marriage licenses and get married in the lobby of a government building, after a judge overturned the state's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage.

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Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts comes out, thanks girlfriend in year-end Facebook post

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES -- Robin Roberts thanked her longtime girlfriend, Amber Laign, in a year-end post published on the ABC News anchor's Facebook page on Sunday, confirmed Heather Riley of ABC. The message comes after Roberts' battle with a life-threatening illness.

This is the first time the "Good Morning America" anchor has publicly acknowledged her 10-year, same-sex relationship with Laign, a massage therapist from the San Francisco Bay Area.

The host reached a 100 day benchmark on Sunday following a bone marrow transplant she underwent in September 2012 to treat the blood and bone marrow disease.

In May, Grand Central Publishing announced Roberts will write a memoir telling the story of her battle with the life-threatening illness and the life lessons she continues to gather following her return to "GMA" in February.

Post by Robin Roberts.

Van Dyke Café: 'There is no official closing date'

Direct message from Van Dyke Café:

@SteveRothaus At this moment, there is no official closing date. We will have more info by the end of January. Thanks for your support.

— Van Dyke Cafe (@VanDykeCafe) December 28, 2013

Van Dyke Café closing on Lincoln Road

BY LESLEY ABRAVANEL AND HANNAH SAMPSON

LANK@AOL.COM

After almost two decades in business, Lincoln Road mainstay Van Dyke Café is closing.

Rumors have persisted for years — and as recently as early December — that the popular people-watching and jazz-listening establishment at 846 Lincoln Rd. was closing to make way for more retail. Though the rumor was shot down a few weeks ago, publicist JennyLee Molina on Friday confirmed the news.

Still unclear: what will open in the restaurant’s place, and whether the Van Dyke Café will reopen elsewhere.

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A&E reverses decision on 'Duck Dynasty' patriarch: Phil Robertson to return after gay controversy

BY LYNN ELBER

AP TELEVISION WRITER

LOS ANGELES -- "Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson will return to work on A&E's reality show despite his comments about gay immorality, the channel said Friday, reversing its decision to suspend him after facing a backlash and threatened boycott.

In a statement Friday, A&E said it was bringing Robertson back after discussions with his Louisiana family featured in the reality series and "numerous advocacy groups."

Last week, the channel had put Robertson on what it called an indefinite "hiatus" because of his comments in a GQ magazine article that the Bible views gays as sinners akin to adulterers, prostitutes and swindlers.

A&E said it decided to drop Robertson from the show about a wealthy family that makes duck calls because it is part of a company whose core values are "centered around creativity, inclusion and mutual respect."

Robertson's remarks were quickly slammed by groups including GLAAD, the gay rights watchdog organization. But A&E's move against Robertson provoked a flood of support from those who share his views and others who defended his freedom of speech.

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