Target Takes No Action To Correct Campaign Donation To Anti-Gay Political Action Committee, Human Rights Campaign Continues Target Boycott, Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach Discharge Temporarily Suspended, Calls For Openly Gay Salt Lake City Councillor To Resign Position At Utah AIDS Foundation, Sam Worthington Casual, Trevor Donovan Formal

Target announced Monday that it had decided not to contribute to political action committees supporting gay rights candidates in Minnesota, and that it ended discussions with the Human Rights Campaign. Target had contributed $150,000 to MN Forward, an anti-gay conservative political action committee that in turn donated funds to campaign to elect Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer. Target said that “given the current political and emotionally charged environment, we have concluded that it is best wait before taking external action regarding our MN Forward contribution. We believe that it is impossible to avoid turning any further actions into a political issue and will use the benefit of time to make thoughtful, careful decisions on how best to move forward. We remain committed to the GLBT community and will continue to seek thoughtful ways to demonstrate the strong support for inclusiveness that we have held throughout our history.” Joe Solmonese, HRC president, said that “if their initial contribution was a slap in the face, their refusal to make it right is a punch in the gut, and that’s not something that we will soon forget,” adding that Minnesota based retailer would remain the focus of a boycott.

Attorneys from the Service Members Legal Defence Network on behalf of Lieutenant Colonial Victor Fehrenbach announced Monday that they have brokered an agreement with the federal government which will allow him to challenge in court a decision by the military to discharge the Air Force officer who was outed by Boise police who investigated allegations that he raped another man. Those allegations were later found false. Under the agreement reached Monday, the Air Force will not make a decision on Fehrenbach’s future before August 27th, and if at that time they opt to discharge him honourably, it will wait at least twenty-one days to take action.

Stan Penfold, the first openly gay individual to be elected to the Salt Lake City Council in November, 2009, is also the executive director of the Utah AIDS Foundation, and some in Utah’s LBGT community are calling for Penfold to resign. A campaign by Richard Matthews, a former UAF volunteer, complains that Penfold eliminated HIV/AIDS prevention programs as well as support groups while newly reported HIV infection rates have tripled from 2000 to 2009. “It has been detrimental, during skyrocketing HIV infections, to have the executive director of the Utah AIDS Foundation now have his attention split with the also very pressing business of the City Council,” said Matthews. In his defence, Penfold said that his part-time position on the City Council “strengthens” his voice for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in Utah.

Sexy Sam Worthington spotted at Los Angeles International Airport Monday.

Trevor Donovan – whose 90210 character Teddy Montgomery will come out this third season – seen arriving at the 2010 Breakthrough of the Year Awards in Los Angeles Sunday evening.