SF PRIDE CONFIRMS MANNING WON'T BE HONORED: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Organizers of San Francisco's annual gay pride celebration have confirmed that the U.S. soldier who has acknowledged providing classified documents to WikiLeaks no longer will not be honored during this month's celebration.
A group of former grand marshals had chosen Army Private Bradley Manning as a grand marshal for the June 30 San Francisco Pride parade. But gay and lesbian veterans and service members objected, prompting directors of the group that sponsors the event to rescind the honor amid protests from activists who consider Manning a hero.
During a community forum on the controversy, Manning's supporters suggested that if SF Pride was unwilling to reinstate him as a grand marshal, it could give him another form of recognition or allow a contingent of his supporters to kick off the parade.
But the Pride board members released a statement late Friday saying they considered those options but could not agree on them.
"The SF Pride Board of Directors recognizes the divergent opinions regarding the matter of Pfc. Manning, but none of the three main options we received from the community forum on May 31 garnered a consensus majority," the statement read.
Manning was never expected to be able to attend the parade. His court-martial is underway in Maryland.
Daniel Ellsberg, the former military analyst who in 1971 leaked the classified information about the Vietnam War that became known as the Pentagon Papers, had agreed to stand in for him.
APTOS HOUSE TRASHED AFTER GRAD PARTY; 4 ARRESTED: APTOS (AP) — Authorities in Northern California say what started as a small house party for high school graduates spiraled out of control after hundreds saw it mentioned on social media.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Sgt. Patrick Dimick said Monday the house was trashed after more than 300 people showed up at the gathering in the Aptos Hills.
When authorities arrived late Saturday night they found partygoers fighting, destroying furniture and looting.
Dimick says several agencies from around the county were called in help break up the party. The California Highway Patrol later arrested four youths for stealing jewelry and weapons.
Dimick said an acquaintance of the 16-year-old girl who hosted the party started inviting people via text, leading eventually to the huge turnout. He says the girl was still given a citation.
RAPPER 2 CHAINZ ROBBED AT GUNPOINT IN SAN FRANCISCO: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Police say platinum-selling rapper 2 Chainz was robbed in San Francisco just hours before he was scheduled to perform at a concert.
Sgt. Dennis Toomer says the hip-hop star, whose real name is Tauheed Epps, was walking with five members of his entourage near downtown on Sunday afternoon. They were approached by three men, one of them holding a handgun.
Toomer says one shot was fired as the rapper had his cellphone and wallet with credit cards and cash inside stolen.
Police say the suspected shooter apparently got away in a gray sedan.
The Atlanta-based rapper was in the Bay Area to perform at KMEL-FM's annual Summer Jam concert Sunday night at the Oracle Arena in Oakland.
LIGHTNING STRIKES LEAD TO SMALL FIRES NORTH OF SF: SANTA ROSA (AP) — A storm moving across Northern and Central California has brought hundreds of lightning strikes, leading to nearly two dozen wildfires.
The National Weather Service counted nearly 500 lightning strikes north of San Francisco Monday.
State fire officials say the lightning had firefighters racing to stop the spread of about 20 wildfires, the majority in Sonoma County.
Most of the fires were quickly contained. The biggest burned about two acres in Colusa County.
Windsor fire Battalion Dhief Mike Elson tells the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat he saw lightning strike four times within 100 yards of his station, twice hitting radio antennas and twice hitting power poles.
Lightning also hit a Healdsburg home and a tree at Sea Ranch Golf Links on Pacific Coast Highway.
There were no reports of major damage.
