We're not utterly mannerless savages here at Gay News, s0 we think it's only proper to pause, reflect, and share a moment of silent gratitude for Pastor Phillip Wilson--the best little jingle writer in the gay promotion business.

Sure, we'd like to take credit for gems like, «Eureka Springs is a gay Mecca,» or «Eureka Springs is a sex destination» and today, live from the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch, «Come to Eureka Springs — the most homosexual city in the South.»

Is there any officer in the Gay Recruitment Army who wouldn't be proud to pin those brilliant, strategic campaign ribbons on his custom tailored, 100% natural fiber uniform? No? We thought not.

Do you have any idea how much Coca-Cola pays for the kind of branding the good Reverend has given Eureka Springs ...for free? Yes? We thought so.

Here's to you, Rev. Wilson! May God continue to bless you.

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Eureka Springs has been known as an art enclave since the 1930's and the city's art community in 2007 is more vibrant than ever. With a population of 2100 the city is home to more than 300 artists with many more artisans scattered among the surrounding hillsides.

Listed in the top 25 USA art destinations by American Style magazine, Eureka has more than 20 galleries, hosts a month long festival in May devoted to the arts, and is home to the Eureka Springs School of the Arts.

On the first Saturday of each month several galleries participate in a stroll showcasing works by featured artists. Not to be missed is the Eureka Springs Fall Art Fair the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving held in the Convention Center of the Inn of the Ozarks. During this show patrons will find the largest gathering of the town's artists under one roof than at any other time during the year.

«Art all over the place» is evident from the four by eight foot paintings beautifying a parking lot known as the Artery, to the Artists Colony on North Main Street, to an array of painted benches in downtown's Basin Park. It is not unusual to see painters set up on the streets creating works depicting the town's charm and beauty.

The art community, as might be expected, has many «family» members who add to the richness and vitality of the creative atmosphere. Many gay and lesbian artists create work as painters, sculptors, photographers, jewelers, and potters. The creative drive, whether it be to make a statement, make a living, or just to make something pretty, forges a bond in the enclave of artists that seemingly goes beyond many differences and divisions found in the population at large.

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Those cards, letters and now--computer viruses--keep pouring in from the American Family Association (AFA.) A brief lull was reported on Sunday, while AFA supporters enjoyed fire, brimstone and a hearty dinner of fried chicken and Parker House rolls.

By late afternoon on Monday, Eureka Springs city officials reported that the AFA's messages of Christian love, judgment, retribution and guaranteed involuntary bankruptcy for Eureka Springs now number in the thousands.

Yes, that's right. The same folks who rent their garments and mourned loudly over the homosexuality of SpongeBob SquarePants have targeted Eureka Springs. Why? We can answer that question here at Gay News but the story is a bit counter-intuitive. Try to keep up.

If you glance at the June Archives, you'll see that the Eureka Springs Domestic Partnership Registry (DPR) ordinance survived two attempts to force a referendum. The people who carried the referendum petitions explained, «Stop calling us 'bigots' already! We just think the DPR will kill faith-based tourism.»

(Note: You can see all the arguments, recorded for posterity, at ESTV - News Reports)

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Gay News Bureau's tipster hotline has been sizzling like a hunka hunka burning love this weekend. It seems that every city official with a pulse, and an email address, has been buried with e-bombs from the American Family Association.

Yes, that's right. The folks who seized their most recent 15 minutes of fame by blaming the Virginia Tech tragedy on evolution and a lack of school prayer have taken a few days off from their national campaign against the dreaded homosexual menace to snap and snarl at Eureka's li'l ol' Domestic Partnership Registry.

They've sent 3,500 «you're going to Hell; we'll personally see to it» emails so far. Stay tuned for Condemnation Watch. We'll let you know how many consignments to the fiery pit we get by Monday.

Bring your marshmallows to the bonfire. Domestic partnership registrations in Eureka Springs continue unabated and we'd like to have a few snacks on the buffet table to welcome happy revelers. Suggested menu: S'mores.

Popularity: 5% [?]

The newest star in Eureka's culinary constellation serves a 100% organic vegetarian and vegan menu.

The North Star Cafe & Juice Bar is located in a converted house on mostly-residential Wall Street. You have to know somebody to find the place (or look at the map on North Star's web site.) If the tables on the front porch are full, and they usually are, you'll find soothing colors, hand painted murals and mellow alternative and world music inside--are we getting the vibe?

The menu includes fresh juices (carrot, cucumber, beet, apple and lemon to name a few); Celestial Smoothies--our favorite is The Black Hole (iced coffee, organic chocolate syrup & whole milk. Add whey protein for an extra dollar if you simply must.) Other favorites include Vegetarian Sushi and Sandwich Wraps rolled in enormous whole wheat tortillas.

We tried the $7 Eureka Platter (organic brown rice and seasoned beans of the day, house salad) and the $8 Mediterranean Plate (handmade organic hummus, kalamata olives, salad, miso-tahini spread, yogurt and pita bread.) Nearby diners were squealing with glee over the $7 Grecian Goddess Wrap (feta cheese, kalamata olives, lettuce, red onions, tomatoes and olive oil, brown rice on the side.)

Ingredients are fresh, seasonings are light and tasty and, best of all, your ass won't look fat in those pants if you make the North Star Cafe a regular stop on your Eureka Noshing Tour.

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Not that we need an excuse to party the heels right off our stilettos but we thought we'd seem more like grownups if we could make up a reason to try out Eureka Springs' fine establishments and gossip about them with you.

Ta da! We're proud to announce Ruthless Reviews, a new feature from the roving pack of bons vivants here at Gay News. Do you want the down-low... er, we mean the lowdown, on any business in Eureka Springs? Email us with your questions and, honey, we'll tell you more than you want to know.

You can also submit a Ruthless Review of your own to ruthless@gaynewsbureau.com.

Ready? Set. Go! Eat, drink, shop, see a show, sleep around Eureka's hundreds of beds, try out a heart shaped lipstick red Jacuzzi or two. Tell us what you think. We promise we won't be shy about expressing our opinion.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Yeah, yeah, I know. Maybe I spend way too much time either online or thumb typing frantically on my phone, but WTF?

In web and phone text land, WTF stands for What The F...k?

And given the last few months and especially the last few weeks of listening to know-it-all Jesus-speaks-and-directs-me throughout-my-honey-selling-days preacher boys, I was fully expecting, as they preached and predicted, for every last person (of the faith-based variety) to come to town screaming WTF? Can't co-mingle the WWJD with the WTF Diva crowd. Too long of sentence? BMA.

Yes, my mind had all the scenes arranged. Enter, tour bus unloading downtown and off comes Ward. He turns, sees a nice boy couple walking down the street and grabs the Misses. Divas! WTF June? And OMG, look June, this homo haven even has a sign on their Auditorium announcing the time. The Aud as some locals refer to it. Odd? Nope.

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If you weren't in Eureka Springs for the first day of the Domestic Partnership Registry, we're sorry, but you missed it--the ceremonial opening of City Hall's official can of worms.

Dedicated Gay News Bureau staffers presented Mayor Dani Wilson with a lovely, recyclable container of genuine, imported Canadian Nightcrawlers--a deeply symbolic gesture since, after all, gay marriage is legal in Canada.

Mayor Wilson accepted this munificent, diplomatic offering with all the pomp we might expect from her high office. (In other words, a couple of worms got loose on the mayor's Oriental carpet and only two or three onlookers shrieked and jumped on chairs.)

While we realize that opening a can of worms at City Hall on the first day of Eureka's Domestic Partnership Registry isn't quite like setting free the doves at a traditional wedding chapel, we were mightily attached to the symbolic little invertebrates here at Gay News.

So we hoped Eureka's famous worms would be rewarded for their historic contribution with a nice, long retirement full of worm-casting in one of our city's stunning flower gardens.

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This just in from the Eureka Springs City Advertising & Promotion Commission (CAPC.)

Actually, we got it yesterday but we so busy celebrating with the first registered domestic partners in the entire State of Arkansas we dropped the ball right into our Martini glass. Fortunately, Ken Rundel at the CAPC was on the job.

And now a word from Ken....

(EUREKA SPRINGS, AR) – The city of Eureka Springs made history Friday by becoming the first government entity in the state to issue certificates of domestic partnership. «It was an historic day for the city of Eureka Springs and the state of Arkansas,» beamed Mayor Dani Wilson, «and I'm proud of what we have accomplished.»

Friday marked the end of the waiting period between the passage of the domestic partnership registry (DPR) ordinance and the date the city could begin issuing certificates. According to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the city joins over seventy governmental units in the country recognizing domestic partnerships.

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Don we now our gay apparel. Put on your best party frocks, boys and girls. It's time to celebrate!

Saturday
June 23rd
7 pm
THE ART COLONY

potluck music fun blessings art drumming comedy games dancing and LOVE!!!

Bring your Sweetie
Everyone Welcome
Celebrate Eureka
and Ordinance 2052

Popularity: 6% [?]