On the heels of a successful campaign to have the first municipal Domestic Partnership Registry in Arkansas, gay and lesbian business owners in Eureka Springs are now joining forces to create the first gay business association in the state. The goal, advocates say, is to bring more gay tourists to a resort town that has had a long history of being a gay-friendly travel destination.

According to the Associated Press, gay tourism is a $55 billion a year industry, representing about 10 percent of the American tourist market. Each dollar spent by gay travelers generates more than $150 for a local economy. At least 75 cities around the world now have marketing campaigns aimed specifically at gay and lesbian travelers, as do travel companies like Orbitz, Travelocity, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

This week alone, at least nine gay/lesbian businesses expressed interest in joining a new Eureka Springs Gay Business Guild. The first meeting of the group is scheduled for 6 p.m. August 15 at the Harken Building at 50 N. Main St.

The effort to create an umbrella organization to represent gay and lesbian business owners is being spearheaded by Rob Wagner, owner of Eureka Springs Limousine, and Harold Ellis, proprietor of the Texaco Bungalow B&B.

«Other popular gay travel destinations--Key West, Provincetown and Palm Springs just to name a few--have had gay business associations for years,» says Wagner. «With almost fifty gay- and lesbian-owned businesses in Eureka Springs, the time has come for us to band together to support each other and to pool our resources.»

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On the level you're a little devil (but I'll soon make an angel of you.)--Ragtime ditty, 1918

The Hells Angels left Eureka Springs on Sunday morning in a cloud of exhaust and badass attitude. Curtain call. Set change.

Enter stage left: Simmering Summer Diversity revelers and their faithful, helpful saviors-- the Jericho Riders-- who will not be here to protest anything, no not anything at all, you understand. The Jericho Riders simply intend to «storm the gates of Hell» (as they put it), serve the Lord, and game our «sinful» souls, with a full courtier press.

We won't say, «stay tuned,» because we do want you to touch that dial, turn off the TV, and c'mon down, up or over to Eureka Springs for Diversity Weekend and Saturday's party in Basin Park.

Some of us will be kissing, others will be praying, perplexed tourists will be observing the scene with puzzled expressions, furrowed brows and o-shaped mouths--and everyone's predilection will be synchronized to the live pornabillly soundtrack of the Mountain Sprouts.

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Creating art for the most part is a solitary endeavor. An artist spends many hours in a studio working alone except for the company of an invisible muse. Social interaction with other creative beings takes place on rare occasions usually at receptions, art shows, or encounters in coffee shops and bars.

For a change of pace I consented to be involved in a group project working with two of Eureka Springs' finest artists, Valerie Damon and Larry Mansker.

Our greatest challenge was to merge three very different styles of work into a cohesive conclusion.

We spent this past Sunday in a Bella Vista parking lot, paint brushes in hand, embellishing a child's playhouse.

The playhouse was constructed by volunteers and will be up for bid during a silent auction to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

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We knew it was bound to happen.

Choppers in the air, FBI with 12» telephoto lenses cleverly concealed in black sedans and tall grass plus more State Police than flies at a July picnic. They were poised, ready, alert and on-guard en masse.

For weeks they have been working with local law enforcement in surrounding states, going over list after list of known trouble makers: Other gangs. Other gang wannabees. Renegade bad boys.

They were ready...or so they thought.

Then, amid the security, in the hot mid-afternoon sun, a local gang took to the pavement and walked proudly up Hwy 62 to the Hells Angels command post--led, of course, by Ms. Margie, founder of the local chapter of the notorious Red Hat Ladies.

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We found Noah on Highway 62 yesterday hauling beasts off the Ark one by one.

We're not sure if the animals pictured at right were destined for the burnt offering or if they're busily replenishing the world's stock of pink elephants by now. (We didn't want to ask.)

But Noah was last seen headed west and, as we know, when the animals head out, the rainbow isn't far behind.

Next weekend, actually, Summer Diversity August 3-5. Check this post for all the details.

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This sign at Caribe Restaurante y Cantina says it all: The Hells Angels are here with their faithful companions and the town is excited--the vast majority of the town anyway.

Regional TV stations did manage to dig deep enough to find somebody to complain on camera. But, when you actually drive down the highways in Eureka Springs, marquee after marquee welcomes the angelic hellions to town.

Local service personnel are delighted to have them because MC's, especially 1%ers, are generally good tippers... except the Christian MC's, who tend to leave religious tracts on the table and give their money to the church.

This is the 20th reunion of a Hells Angels gathering in Eureka Springs; Sonny Barger attended the one in 1987 but we haven't heard of any Sonny-spotting on this trip. Eureka Springs, AR is always a favorite destination for motorcycle enthusiasts because the roads around here look like something out of a Harley commercial--lots of open road, winding curves and panoramic views. The town itself is biker friendly and there are several businesses that cater specifically to bikers.

We went to lunch at one of those businesses today, the Roadhouse Bikes Blues & BBQ cafe, but we didn't find any Hells Angels.The waitress said a couple of them came in and said, «We must be lost because what we're looking for sure ain't here.» They reportedly perked up when she suggested they might want to try The Cat House or the Rowdy Beaver. The Cat House hasn't been... a cat house... for quite a while and the Beaver isn't all that rowdy, but the restaurant names seemed to give them hope.

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Now that I am a mother to three almost grown children, when I look back at my childhood I am amazed and thankful for the way that my parents raised me. As a Baptist Minister it would have been really easy for my father to place everyone into two classes: the sinners and the believers.

I believe that he chose not to do this and chose rather to look at every single person he met as an individual. My parents taught me to accept everyone for who they are and to look for each person's individual beauty and talents. I have tried to pass this along to my own children in their upbringing as well as I feel it was one of the greatest gifts my parents could give me.

Last year one of my aunt's, my mothers sister, passed away. Unfortunately I am at that place in my life where it seems I am losing someone every few months. This particular aunt was a very loving aunt to me and was one of my favorites. At her funeral my father had tears slowly dripping down his now wrinkled face. When I asked him if he was ok, he whispered into my ear, «I am sad that your aunt has died without ever being able to accept her daughter.»

You see my aunt's daughter is gay. My aunt never could accept this fact, and never dealt with it for herself or for her relationship with her daughter.

I was so saddened by my father's words. His statement stays deep in my heart to this day. Even though I knew this to be the case of the relationship between my aunt and her daughter I had never taken it to heart until this moment. And even though I was raised not to be judgmental, this one statement now quickly comes to my mind when I am tempted to do so. I think how sad it would be, and what I would be missing, if I chose not to accept my friends and family for whom they are and instead quickly judged them for being something other than what I am.

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Ohio born artist Cynthia Re Robbins journeyed on a long and exciting path before reaching her present destination of Eureka Springs.

As is true of all artists, her experiences are reflected in her work and in Robbin's case they have transcended into mystical and stunning images rendered in oil and pen & ink.

Cynthia has lived and worked in Key West, FL, and in Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, and San Miguel Allende, Mexico.

After living on a sailboat in Saint Croix for 12 years, Robbins moved to Colorado for six years before settling in Eureka Springs in 2001.

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The missionary disciples of the Gay News Independent Mini Cooper Ministry went out to cruise the multitudes today-- where we observed a curious phenomenon: nearly every motel marquee on our official E/W village arterial (US Hwy 62) says, «Welcome Hells Angels.»

That's right. The Hells Angels are coming to town. They're expected to rumble over the enchanted borders of our quaint little Victorian motorcycle village on Wednesday. Clearly, the staunch defenders of righteousness --the ones who keep business hours on Highway 62-- are mighty excited.

Is it just us? Or is there something deliciously ironic about good, Christian, family-values-promoting motels, hosts of our new «tear down the sinful deviant strongholds» friends the Jericho Riders, posting a «Welcome Hells Angels» message on their street-side marquees?

Imagine....

Family Values. Hells Angels. (Would that be translated as, «God says marriage is only intended for one man, one bitch?»)

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NOAH? YOU CAN RETIRE NOW

Sinner: «We don't believe that a Rainbow is a symbol of perversion or an alternative lifestyle. We do believe it is our promise from God that the world will never be flooded again.»--Jericho Riders motorcycle ministry.

WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH KIDS TODAY?

Winner: «The culture shift is becoming more and more apparent and the likelihood of a turnaround is very remote, particularly with young people becoming more gay-friendly . . . «--Bob Higley, retired lobbyist for Positive Christian Agenda, on why gay civil rights issues are winning against the religious right in Washington state.

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