Ihe Emptu Ooset NEW YORK STATE'S OLDEST GAY NEWSPAPER liocal AIDS cases rise in Monroe Co.; U.R. funded for AIOS study money tightens By Susan Jordan Thc Universiry of Rochester Medical A recent study released by thc Hospital Center has received a five-year, $8.55 million Association of New York State shows that dollar contract to try to develop a vaccine AIDS cases are increasing in upstate New for AIDS. York counties, including Monroe, which will The award is one of five from the National add to thc funding concerns felt by local Institutes of Allergy and Infe<;tious Diseases. AIDS service programs and medical centers. It will fund continuing research by the Paula Silvestrone of AIDS Rochester told , medical center's Infectious Diseases Unit, thc Empty Closet, "Initially I was pleased to under way since October 1988, which has sec a rise in thc funding amount for AIDS already produced two experimental in Gov. Cuomo's budget. Of course, vaccines. realistically, there are always going to be The initial studies suggest that thc vac­ some constraints, but now we leam that the The lead banner in the march. (More photos on ps^e 15) cines stimulate desired immune responses governor is proposing no rise in the budget Photo by T.L. Cvetan with no apparent side effects. According to for community service programs like AIDS Dr. Raphael Dolin, head of the Infectious Rochester. \tfe don't like to hear this, because Diseases Unit and principal investigator for we'll be serving more clients, and will need the AIDS Vaccine Evaluation Unit in to pay more staff. Women take back the night; Rochester, thc experimental vaccines use a "Wc sent staff people to Albany on Feb. part of the human immunodeficienc>' virus 6 to do some lobbying. Also, the communi­ approx. 1000 march on Feb. 4 (HIV) which docs not lead to AIDS, and ty service programs all around the state met which has been purified lo use as a vaccine. together and hired a lobbyist, and I believe By Susan Jordan date/Two, four, six, eight/Porn is woman Thc vaccines have been tested so far on that lobbyist is already at work for us." Between 850 and 1000 women, men and hate." A group of marchers also responded 23 volunteers, who display no evidence of Thc annual incidence of AIDS cases in children marched through the snowy streets to the presence of anti-choice demonstratois HIV infection, and who are not in a perceiv­ Monroe County in 1987, thc latest year in­ of Rochester on Feb. 4 to protest violence outside the church with chants and ed high risk category. Thc goal of thc vac* cluded in thc study, was 6.1 per 100,000, in­ against women. pot-banging cine project is to prevent HIV infection in dicating that 42 people out of Monroe Coun­ Thc*Take Back thc Night march surted at March organizer Susan Cosu said, "It real­ healthy people, although some newer studies ty's estimated population of 700,000 had Genesee Crossroads Park, where Barbara ly went very well. I was very pleased by such focus on immunizing those in early stages AIDS in 1987. By contrast, Monroe County Moore of thc National Organization for a large turnout on a horrible cold winter of HIV infection. reported no AIDS cases at all in 1981. Women (NOW) addressed the crowd. The night. There was lots of enthusiasm, and it -Mary Ellin Arch, Times-Union. Thc study reports that upstate counties marchers proceeded down Sute St. to Lyell was a mixed gathering of different age arc seeing similar increases in AIDS cases, Ave., chanting, carrying candles, flashlights groups, political perspectives, etc., which AIOS Rochester and are following two or three years behind and banners, and banging on pots and pans gives mc hope. It felt very powerful, and it's hires staffers thc growth patterns of metropolitan New to show solidarity with women of Northern good to feel like that." York counties, which have showed sharp in­ Ireland and Central America, who similarly Cosu said that the protest and issues of , AIDS Rochester, Inc. has recently added creases since 1981. go "from thc kitchen to thc streets/' , four professionals to its staff. In addition, violence against women would be iHscuss- fwo current staiff memtyers have been pro- Sue Cowell, Monroe County AIDS coor­ At Plymouth Ave. the marchers turned cd at Imemational Women's Day on MarcV\ / mtncd. Michaei Beatty, formerly of Cortland, dinator, said that the HIV-infected popula­ and -went back down State to Church St., 3, during a workshop entitled "We've TUkcn I New York, is serving as program director. tion is estimated at 8000 in Monroe, Ontario, waUdng past City Hail and down Fitzhugh Back the Night—Now What?" Funher ac­ Michael has served as clinical coordinator Wayne, Livingston, Steuben, Schuyler, Yates St. to the rally site at Downtown Presbytenan tions and organizing may result. ; and manager of thc departments of Car­ and Seneca counties. Since AIDS was first Church. Thc original route had included Organizer Luclpda Sangree said, "I was diology and Intensive Care for Cortland identified in the Rochester area in thc early Jones Park, but had had to be changed due glad that we had thc turnout we did. Thc Memorial Hospital. He is also founder and 19805, 199 cases have been diagnosed, and to lack of snow-plowing in the area. continuity expressed in some speakers' . coordinator of thc Cortland County AIDS as of October 1989, 116 of those cases have Outside thc SUte Street Book Mart, a por­ remarks, building on earlier attempts in the Task Force. He has served on thc board of died, making a fatality rate of 58 percent. Ac­ nographic bookstore, marchers paused to Rochester women's community to address chant "TWo, four, six. eight/Pom is out of directors of thc Southern Tier AIDS Program. cording to Cowcli. thc Rochester area con­ 'BUce Back the Night — cont 'd on pg3 , as well as many of its committees. He holds sistently shows up in monthly AIDS statistics a B.S. in Nursing from Wayne Slate as having one of the highest AIDS incidence University. rates in the sute. The increase in AIDS cases Auction raises $13,500 n^t will burden an already-strained county Jeffrey A, Kost is ARI's new volunteer tha Brown, Mike Costelio, Paul Knokc, and coordinator. A graduate of Boston Universi­ health care system. By Susan Jordan Sue Cowell told thc Empty Closet, "The "A Bid from the Heart," thc Gay Alliance Kathy Reilly and Howard Kilbury. ty, Jeff has varied experience in public rela­ The profit of S 13,500 brings the building tions, advertising, and personnel, and has state budget is trying to get new initiatives auction held at GEVA Theater on Feb. 11, was off the ground, for insunce by expanding a successful and lively event which brought fund up to 151,029.50. as of Feb. 19. (The done volunteer work for many Rochester fiind drive has raised S20,529 since October, AIDS organizations and committees. anonymous testing programs and designated in a net profit of SI3,500 for the GAGV building fund. which has been added to tht- «1"^.000 Specifically, he serves as Vice-President of care centers. They are going to be develop­ previously in thc building account.) Helping People with AIDS, Inc.. and has ing a new prison AIDS care system, hiring Organizer Mark Siwiec said, "I thought served on thc Rochester Quilt Committee AIDS educators and health workers. Thc that it was amazing. It look on dimensions and tht AIDS Action Committee. sute is keeping the base funding pre-lcvel for I never thought it would. It was a real step forward for the community." Kimberly A. Henry joins ARI as ad- community service programs, but what wc I ministrative assistant, and Dalma Pacheco as don't know yet is whether this will be just A crowd of over 400 people jammed thc I secretary/receptionist. Kimberly holds a B.S. a one-year thing, or the beginning of a trend. foyer at GEVA, as auctioneer Kate TUite and I from Fredonia State University, where she It's hard to tell right now. assisunt Marcella presided over the bidding I was a research assistant and a computer con- "The AIDS Institute's gross funding has on 1^6 items, ranging from antiques to i suliant. She brings with her experience from leveled off too," Cowell said. "They're try­ jewelry to dinners at fine restaurants lo a Neil Hirsch Enterprises. Dalma attended ing to put money into subsunce abuse agen­ variety of services, donated by over 200 local Manhattan Community College and recent­ cies like RESTART; one initiative is to hire businesses and individuais. ly held a position with the Baden Streei Set­ AIDS educators to oversee training of slaff." Participants also enjoyed a brunch of tlement's AIDS Program. Durtng thc coming year, according to infor­ champagne, egg salad, ham, turkey, breads. mation from the AIDS Institute, the state checses, fruits and pastries, prepared by Georgia King Lerner has been promoted Department of Health will work with thc Kerry McRac. Thc afternoon included from health educator to coordinator of Kate Ihite and Marcella Division of Subsunce Abuse Services (DSAS), musical performances by Shelley Kiener and health education. Annie Rogers Long was Photo by Donna Silverman the Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Mark TUrnbull of Sundard Deviation, Mar­ promoted from volunteer coordinator to Abuse (DAAA) and the gay community to client services coordinator surt a pilot intervention program which would educate gay and bisexual men about ihje connection between drug and alcohol is IWT> ttieme abuse and AIDS.