The most recent Field Poll, conducted in early July, shows that only 42 percent of the state’s likely voters are likely to support the take-away of civil rights from gays and lesbians.

By a slight majority, however, Californians appear to support the No On 8 campaign, which would leave the historic CA Supreme Court decision allowing gays and lesbians the same civil rights as others intact.

According to their findings, 51 percent of Californians would vote no on the measure, which would define marriage as only between a man and woman.

Forty-two percent of voters support the November ballot measure ... [full story]

Yet another bar fight at The Abbey resulted in an injury and an arrest Thursday night, July 17.

According to a LA County Sheriff’s spokes person, the alleged assault occurred at 8:45 pm at the West Hollywood nightclub The Abbey.

A man allegedly hit another over the head with a beer bottle, resulting in that man suffering cuts that required treatment at the hospital ... [full story]

Recently the Russian-speaking population in West Hollywood threw its Annual Russian Style Festival at Plummer Park – a week later than its originally planned date.

Festival organizers, working along with the Russian Advisory Board, switched the date for the event at virtually the last second from June 22 to June 29 because the first date held special meaning to the Veterans of WWII, what the Russians call “The Great Patriotic War.”

June 22, 1941, happens to be the day Hitler invaded Russia ... [full story]

A challenge to the opponents of same-sex marriage that would have removed the constitutional amendment that threatens the historic May ruling failed Wednesday.

The case, Bennett v. Bowen, brought before the California State Supreme Court by gay rights organizations and the ACLU, claimed that the proposition would “destroy fundamental rights that cannot be legally altered by a voter initiative.”

California has an extremely high standard for altering the Constitution through legislative means – a two-thirds majority in both houses and a Constitutional Convention - but when the voters decide the issue through the initiative process, only 50 percent plus one vote is needed ... [full story]

West Hollywood, six months after having been forced by an arbitrator to re-instate a wrongfully demoted Code Compliance manager Tom Benedetti because of his charges of improprieties against senior staff, settles the resulting lawsuit.

The case began with Mr. Benedetti’s charging collusion between the new owners of WeHo’s hot spot, The Abbey, and senior city officials to allow overcrowding in the club and spun out of control when the city countercharged that he had “maliciously spread rumors” and had acted insubordinately.

The result was a dramatic, nearly month-long and publicly held employment arbitration hearing one year ago in which many false rumors were aired... [full story]

A brawl begun at closing time Friday night inside The Abbey resulted in a large deployment of Sherriff’s deputies and a minor panic as patrons escaped the cordon, some claiming that gunshots had rung out.

While no weapons were used or found, said Sheriff’s officials, a bottle had been thrown at an Abbey security guard and a deputy slightly injured in a scuffle with one of the suspects.

Two men were jailed in the incident, one for felony assault and the other for battery to a police officer ... [full story]

By deciding on an architect, the City of West Hollywood swung into action on its parkland overhaul. The city council approved an agreement with Pugh+Scarpa Architects, Inc. for design Phase I of its City\'s 25th Anniversary Capital Improvement Campaign, the Plummer Park Master Implementation Project.

The $2.32 million agreement covers a total renovation of Plummer Park, one that will result in a newly-renovated Fiesta Hall that can be used as a multi-use performance venue, create subterranean parking spaces numbering 179, build a new playground and tiny-tot program building, add a water feature and add one square acre of green/open space ... [full story]

The City of West Hollywood paved the financial way to celebrating its 25th Anniversary by approving its 2008-09 budget in its last City Council meeting.

Inside the budget resided a funding plan for the $140 million 25th Anniversary Capital Campaign, which will began with the hiring of an architect at the same meeting.

The City Manager and his financial team produced a balanced budget in which projections of revenue exceed expenditures by $3.4 million ... [full story]