ChicoMax

Reading’s historic first Pride Celebration was a huge success.  Kudos and congratulations to the pride committee.  They put together one hell of a party.  Historic Centre Park in Reading was a perfect setting for the history making event.  The turn out was impressive.  Plenty of people celebrating and a nice assortment of vendors including Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, The Humane Society, MCCLV, as well as several tables promoting candidates in upcoming elections.  All in all something in which the LGBT community in the Reading and Berks area can take Pride.

The speakers were top quality.  There was newly appointed Court of Common Pleas Judge Dan Anders, Pennsylvania Human Realtions Chairman Stephen Glassman, and Berks Gay Activist and President of ChicoMax, Chico Perez as well as many other notable speakers.  The performers had the party jumping.

It was a great day and we are looking forward to next year. 

The following is a Great step forward for the Pennsylvania LGBT Community.  Dan Anders sent the following to his friends and supporters.  Please join ChicoMax in sending our warmest congratulations to Dan.
From Dan Anders:
 
Last night — after several days of intense negotiations unrelated to the actual merits of my nomination — the Pennsylvania State Senate confirmed my nomination to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.  I am pleased to report that I received the unanimous support of both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the entire State Senate.
 
President Kennedy once quipped, “Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.”  In my case, President Kennedy was not too far off in that my confirmation was the result of the collective efforts of many, many people.
 
I must first acknowledge Governor Ed Rendell, Senator Vince Fumo, Senator Vincent Hughes, Congressman Bob Brady and their respective staffs for shepherding my nomination through the Pennsylvania State Senate.  I also want to thank the LGBT community for supporting my pursuit of becoming a judge; our community is stronger when we work together.  I am grateful for all of the efforts of my campaign supporters who laid the groundwork for my nomination.  Last, I want to recognize my colleagues at my law firm Pepper Hamilton who have mentored me and helped me become a better lawyer.
 
I look forward to starting a life in public service and in assisting in the delivery of justice in our courts.  I expect to take the bench in August; we’ll celebrate in September when a formal robing ceremony will be held in City Hall.
 
All the best,
Daniel J. Anders
 

Judicial nominee Dan Anders was given a hearing by the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee Chaired by Senator Greeleaf (R) of Buck County on Saturday  At 6p..  Following the meeting the committee voted unanimously to confirm.  Dan now has the distinction of being the first openly Gay nominee to become a common pleas  judge in the Gay nominee to become a common pleas  judge in the commonwealth..  It is expected that Anders will take the bench sometime in August.  More in next Friday’s PGN.was given a hearing by the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee Chaired by Senator Greeleaf (R) of Buck 
County on Saturday  At 6p..  Following the meeting the committee voted unanimously to confirm.  Dan now has the distinction of being the first openly Gay nominee to become a common pleas  judge in the commonwealth.  It is expected that Anders will take the bench 
sometime in August.  More in next Friday’s PGN.

By Philadelphia Gay News