RALEIGH, N.C - At the age of 86, former Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) passed away at 1:15 a.m. on July 4, according to John Dodd, president of the Jesse Helms Center.
During his three decades of service in the U.S. Senate, Helms quickly attained the moniker of “Senator No,” because of his history of opposing almost [...]

Originally posted: July 1, 2008, 5:22 p.m.
Updated: July 2, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
RALEIGH, N.C. - On Wednesday afternoon, July 2, the N.C. House voted not to concur with the Senate version of the School Violence Prevention Act (HB 1366) by a vote of 60 to 56. The vote upholds the original House version of the anti-bullying [...]

Photo Credit: DSCC

The general consensus among political pundits is that North Carolina is primed for its most competitive elections for local, state and national offices in history. It very well could be that for the first time since arch-conservative television commentator Jesse Helms took his seat in the U.S. Senate, the Tar Heel state is [...]

I was recently angered by a phone conversation I was privy to regarding a certain television star popular with the LGBT community. I won’t go into details, but what upset me — and still upsets me now — was learning about the reaction this bisexual star has to requests to attend Pride festivals.
The star’s agent [...]

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Openly bisexual millionaire Charles Merrill (pictured) might be facing jail time for his decision to protest gay inequalities in the U.S. tax code.
Merrill — who lived in Hendersonville, N.C. for a few years this decade and originally hails from Southern Pines, N.C. — decided in 2004 to withhold his income taxes [...]

One of the most difficult challenges facing the LGBT community is the disconnect that arises from our inability to pass down our history and honor from those who’ve come before us. Because our history is ignored by society, many of our legendary leaders get lost in the mix. Q-Notes is taking the time this Pride [...]

Willie Pilkington and John Dilley have been together for 30 years. Their love for each other has been cemented with their mutual love of their garden, a product of 30 years of traveling and collecting.
On Aug. 14, 2008, 7 a.m., the couple and their “Hobbit Garden” will be featured on HGTV’s “Gardener’s Diary.” In 2005, [...]

IRMO, S.C. — The Gay/Straight Alliance at Irmo High School will be able to stay alive after the Lexington-Richland School District 5 board voted Monday to allow extra-curricular, student-initiated clubs. The clubs, including the GSA and such groups as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, will be considered non-school sponsored and will have new restrictions, including [...]

CHARLOTTE - The Hewitt Associates Pride Alliance employee group will present a cabaret show to benefit the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN), an HIV/AIDS service organization, on June 29.
To be held at Petra’s Piano Bar, the “A Stronger Voice” cabaret show will feature live music, give-aways, door prizes and more.
Admission for Petra’s members is $5 [...]

Millionaire Charles Merrill could face years in prison for his civil protest of what he calls unequal, anti-gay U.S. tax law

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — An openly bisexual millionaire, related to the Merrill Lynch and Johnson & Johnson families, might be facing jail time for his decision to protest gay inequalities in the U.S. tax [...]

GREENSBORO — The Old North State has an enduring, proud legacy of the oral tradition. Whether through the strong voice of the family patriarch or the wise words of an aging matriarch, the oral tradition has long blended fact with fantasy, folklore with ghost tales and legend with timeless honor and values.
In its production “Family [...]

In 1970, two gay students at the University of Minnesota attempted to obtain a marriage license. When they were denied, they took their case to the state’s court system. When the suit reached Minnesota’s Supreme Court, the students lost.
Forty years later, the push for basic marriage rights for same-sex couples has eclipsed employment non-discrimination, hate [...]

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s statewide LGBT advocacy organization is welcoming a new staff member. Rebecca Mann, pictured right, is joining Equality North Carolina as the group’s first full-time Community Organizer. As a part of her duties, Mann will work with communities across the state to build support for progressive legislation that includes protections on [...]

GREENVILLE/CHARLESTON, S.C. — On Tuesday, two openly gay candidates sailed to victory in their respective South Carolina primaries.
Real estate agent James Akers, Jr. won his primary for a seat on the conservative Greenville County Council and Linda Ketner won in her bid to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Henry Brown of the 1st Congressional District.
Akers won [...]

IRMO, S.C. — As originally reported at Q-Notes Online, the principal of Irmo High School, located just minutes to the northwest of Columbia, announced May 21 his intent to resign at the end of the 2008-09 school year. His resignation is a response to an order from the Lexington-Richland School District 5 superintendent to allow [...]

Photo Credit: N.C. Department of Revenue

For 20 years, Alternative Resources of the Triad (ART) has been a fixture in Triad-area LGBT organizing, support and education. Founded in 1988 by a former executive director of Triad Health Project, ART was at one time among the largest and most effective LGBT organizations in an area encompassing three [...]