Media Contact: DP&A, Inc. / David Perry / news@davidperry.com / (415) 676-7007
LYRIC Issues Statement Following Death of Felicia Elizondo:
“A true icon and fearless advocate for the LGBTQ+ communities”
17 May 2021 – San Francisco: Calling her “a true icon and fearless advocate for the LGBTQ+ communities”, the Board and Staff of LYRIC (www.lyric.org), the San Francisco nonprofit that provides programming and a safe space for LGBTQQ+ youth, remembered Felicia Elizondo following her death this past week.
“The LYRIC family mourns the death of Felicia Elizondo, a true icon and fearless advocate for the LGBTQ+ communities for decades and a courageous activist on behalf of the Transgender community especially. Felicia participated in LYRIC’s very first intergenerational storytelling project in a partnership with GLBT Historical Society, New Leaf and OutLoud Radio. She continued to be an active participant over the years in what now is LYRIC’s collaboration with Openhouse for the annual youth and elder transgender brunch prior to the Trans March. Because of Felicia’s unflinching visibility, many of her Transgender brothers and sisters can feel safer and more celebrated. Felicia’s legacy and love of her community will long be an example.”
LYRIC is a leader in the San Francisco Bay Area offering safe spaces, workforce development, healthcare navigation, individual counseling, and group-based community building to marginalized low-income LGBTQQ+ youth. During the COVID-19 pandemic, LYRIC has continued its vital work for LGBTQQ youth in our community. LYRIC’s mission is to build community and inspire positive social change through education enhancement, career trainings, health promotion, and leadership development with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) youth, their families, and allies of all races, classes, genders, and abilities. For more information and to make a donation, go to www.lyric.org
14 May 2021 – Fresno, CA: First-Time author David Eugene Perry took home a coveted Silver Medal in the LGBT category in ceremonies last night marking the 33rd Annual Benjamin Franklin Awards from the Independent Book Publishers Association for his critically-acclaimed mystery thriller Upon This Rock from Pace Press.
“Ben Franklin was always my favorite patriot so this award thrills me,” said Perry, 59. “In a year when COVID made us all turn even more to books, the IBPA had more submissions than at any time since 2008. I’m greatly honored to have been nominated among so many fine writers and to have won this prize and so grateful to Pace Press.”
The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards, recognizing excellence in book editorial and design, are regarded as one of the highest national honors for independent publishers
“This is a well-deserved honor for an exceptional novel,” said Kent Sorsky, publisher of Pace Press/Linden Publishing. “Upon This Rock is a delightfully intricate thriller that readers have embraced. We have never had this response to a first-time novelist before.”
Upon This Rock is an “elegant twisty thriller” (Armistead Maupin, author ofthe international sensation Tales of the City) and “the gay DaVinci Code, but a lot better” (Fenton Johnson, Guggenheim Fellow, author of The Man Who Loved Birds); Upon This Rock is “for those readers who love Italy and who love crime fiction” (Lucinda Hawksley, great-great-great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens, author of Dickens’s Artistic Daughter, Katey); “Perry’s novel sparkles with campy wit but is written with serious clues that keep you reading. And, oh yes, because it is a mystery, there’s a killer of a surprise at the end. Move over, Sam Spade and Nick and Nora Charles. Welcome the new kids to the neighborhood, Lee and Adriano.” (Will Snyder,Bay Area Reporter); Upon This Rock is “a perfect read for anyone who is into thrillers, mysteries and historical fiction, like John Grisham and Dan Brown for sure.”(Ankita Dasgupta, The Bookworm Resort); “This is a wild read. Perry’s ability to build suspense is impressive and the denouement of this thriller will not just surprise you, but literally stun.”(Erika Atkinson, author of Ode to the Castro).
“You will not find a more exquisite, captivating, well written first novel than David Eugene Perry’s Upon This Rock. I was literally hooked from the first chapter. Set in the Italian city of Orvieto, Perry takes us on a roller-coaster ride that begins with the Sixteenth Century papacy of the de Medici Pope, Clement VII, and then quickly plummets us to the present day. A wonderfully addictive and engrossing story with brilliant characters and an ending that will have you perusing your favorite bookstore looking for Perry’s next novel”(Dennis Koller, author of The Rhythm of Evil). “You will not be able to put his book down. It is a page-turner from the first sentence until the twisted unexpected ending.” (Lynn Ruth Miller, author of Getting the Last Laugh). In short, David Eugene Perry’s Upon This Rock is “A potboiler thriller with nail-biting suspense” (Lew J. Whittington, New York Journal of Books); a “sexy, historical thriller” (Julissa James, Nob Hill Gazette);”a love letter to Orvieto like Tales of the City is a love letter to San Francisco” (Eric Jansen, SF Bay Times & Out In the Bay).
Perhaps Emmy Award winning journalist, famed Hollywood reporter Jan Wahl put it best: “Upon This Rock is fabulous. This historical thriller is a sexy ‘DaVinci Code.’ I can’t wait for the movie.”
Upon This Rock by David Eugene Perry / 360 pages / $18.95 / Quilldriver Books, Fresno, CA.
media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. / news@davidperry.com / (415) 676-7007
Breanna Sinclairé Sings on W. Kamau Bell’s “United Shades of America” Transgender Soprano Heard May 30 on CNN
12 May 2021 — San Francisco, CA: On Sunday May 30, operatic soprano Breanna Sinclairé (www.breannasinclaire.com) will be featured in an upcoming episode of W. Kamau Bell’s “United Shades of America” on CNN.
“It has been an honor working with Breanna,” said Morgan Fallon and Gillian Brown, the husband-and-wife team behind Zero Point Zero, producers for the show. “Everyone was incredibly moved during the filming as will be our television audience. It’s just beautiful.”
With a backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and a sunrise over San Diego, Sinclairé will be heard performing “The Star Spangled Banner.“ In 2015, Sinclairé became the first transgender singer to perform the National Anthem at a major league sporting event when she did so for the Oakland A’s. Since then, the artist’s career has taken off including coverage in the New York Times, NPR, and NowThis TV among others. Sinclairé has been heard in numerous performances and at major venues such as Disney Hall in Los Angeles and Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. Later this year, Sinclairé will make her operatic debut in the world premiere production “BOUND” being filmed for Toronto’s Against the Grain Theatre. On June 20, Sinclairé will perform a solo classical recital for San Francisco’s esteemed Old First Concerts. The event will mark one of the first live with-audience events in San Francisco since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“It’s a distinct honor to lend my voice to the work of W. Kamau Bell,” said Sinclairé, herself a well-known activist for the Black and Transgender communities. “Perhaps more than any other show now on, ‘United Shades of America’ holds up a mirror to our country’s challenges and inequities but also offers a forum for dialogue and healing.”
Breanna Sinclairé’s appearance on W. Kamau Bell’s “United Shades of America” will air on CNN Sunday, May 30 at 10pm EST / 7pm PDT with additional rebroadcasts scheduled.
19 December 2020 – Dawn at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, San Diego. Breanna Sinclairé. Photo by Alfredo Casuso. Management by David Perry & Associates, Inc / www.davidperry.com
SAN FRANCISCO ANNOUNCES PLAN TO REOPEN CITY HALL TO PUBLIC
Starting June 7, City Hall will be open for in-person services and general public access
San Francisco, CA — Today, Mayor London N. Breed and City Administrator Carmen Chu announced the schedule for reopening City Hall to the public. City Hall was shut down in March 2020, along with the rest of the City, and has not been open for the general public for almost 15 months.
Starting Monday, June 7, City Hall will reopen for in-person services and general public access. This includes in-person services like applying for marriage licenses, obtaining birth and death certificates, recording documents, and registering businesses as well as payment of property and business taxes and fees. Counter services will be open for the Treasurer and Tax Collector’s Office, the Assessor’s Office, County Clerk, Office of Small Business, and other agencies. The County Clerk will begin to accept online appointments for in-person marriage ceremonies today and marriage ceremonies (no more than six guests) will resume after City Hall reopens. In the week prior, starting June 1, some City Hall services will be open for very limited in-person services by appointment only and not open to the general public. For more details on the reopening schedules and plans for each Department, visit sf.gov/location/city-hall.
“Bringing the public back into City Hall is a significant step in our reopening process,” said Mayor London Breed. “City Hall is the heart of our civic life, where people can come to take care of their basic needs or take part in the most important moment of their life. It’s where we gather to mourn, to celebrate, and to share in the most important moments of our City. I’m so excited to see people back in this building, especially on that first day when we see weddings return. San Francisco is opening up again.”
“With our early successes in vaccine distribution and managing COVID-19, we’re now able to implement expanded in-person services across San Francisco,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu. “We’re excited to welcome back the weddings and people into City Hall, but more importantly, we are excited to ensure that those who haven’t been able to connect with us online or by phone have another avenue to access critical services.”
Visitors to City Hall are required to wear facial coverings and maintain 6 feet of distance from members of other households. There may also be additional instructions regarding maximum occupancy when receiving services at individual offices. Regular security screenings will take place upon entry at the Goodlett/Polk Street Steps and the Grove Street entrances. The Van Ness steps and McAllister Street entrances will remain closed.
“This is an exciting day for our staff, and a hopeful milestone on the road to our City’s recovery,” said Treasurer José Cisneros. “Coming to work at City Hall in service to our taxpayers is always an honor, but it will be truly joyful to return to a building full of city workers, residents and tourists.”
“Our office is delighted to be one of the first departments to safely reopen and welcome people back to City Hall. Throughout this pandemic, we quickly pivoted to working remotely, while making sure our resources were still accessible to the public,” said Assessor Joaquín Torres. “Now, once again, whether you are looking to gain answers to your issues, obtain copies of marriage licenses, record vital documents, or to get access to records for research or review, our knowledgeable staff is here to serve you and answer any of your questions. Together, by reopening our doors for service, we are moving forward to provide access and stability for San Franciscans.”
Throughout the pandemic, City agencies have continued to serve the public by responding to constituents’ needs through phone, mail, and online services. San Franciscans can continue to access City services by calling 3-1-1 or visiting sf.gov.
CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC– MAY 10, 2021
From Bill Miller
May 2021
Wed Apr 28thNorwegian Cruise Line today announced a further restart of operations in Europe from the homeports of Barcelona and Rome with previously scheduled port-intensive itineraries to the Mediterranean and Greek Isles beginning Sep 5th. Currently scheduled to sail from Barcelona, the Norwegian Epic will cruise seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries from Sep 5th through Oct 24th, with the Norwegian Getaway sailing a mix of 10 to 11-day Greek Isles voyages from Rome (Civitavecchia) from Sep 13th to Oct 25th.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises today announced its return to sailing with Seven Seas Splendor cruising from the UK beginning Sep 2021.The voyage will mark the cruise line’s return to service, as well as Seven Seas Splendor’s inaugural season, with the ship having only completed two cruises with guests after being christened in Feb 2020.
Oceania Cruises announced that it will resume cruise operations with the 1,250-guest Marina (below) in Aug, beginning with sailings to Scandinavia and Western Europe. The Marina will resume her originally published voyage schedule, commencing on Aug 29th in Copenhagen.
Thu Apr 29th Holland-America reports it is now planning schedules and itineraries through 2024 and noted: “Certainly of note is our historic 150th Anniversary trans-Atlantic voyage. The original voyage departed on Oct 15th 1872, aboard the Rotterdam I, the first Holland America Line ship. Her maiden voyage sailed from Rotterdam to New York. Exactly 150 years later on Oct. 15th 2022, the Rotterdam VII (set to debut later this year) will depart Rotterdam once again with calls at Plymouth and Le Havre, an overnight in New York and then continuing onto Fort Lauderdale.”
Before that historic crossing, the new Rotterdam debuts in Europe this summer and then repositions to Port Everglades for winter 2021-2022.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be warming to the idea of the cruise industry restarting in July from the United States. The CDC said: We acknowledge that cruising will never be a zero-risk activity and that the goal of the CSO’s (Framework for Conditional Sailing Order) phased approach is to resume passenger operations in a way that mitigates the risk of COVID-19 transmission onboard cruise ships and across port communities.
Sun May 2nd Miami: On Saturday, Miami-Dade County and Nomi Health started to provide cruise crew members with COVID-19 vaccination at PortMiami and will continue throughout the week, according to a statement. Some crew aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas received their COVID-19 vaccinations on Saturday.
“Vaccinating crew members is key to getting passenger cruises safely sailing again, putting hundreds of thousands of Americans back to work – including tens of thousands here in our community,” said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Miami-Dade County is committed to getting shots in arms and to making vaccination as accessible as possible for all, particularly the workers who power our economy.”
Australia: As cruise lines schedule future sailings, Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess is now scheduled to set sail Mar 31st 2023 on a 28 night voyage from Brisbane and it is all Australia. Ports will include: Sydney (Australia), Hobart (Tasmania), Burnie (Australia), Kangaroo Island (Australia), Adelaide (Australia), Albany (Australia), Margaret River (Australia), Fremantle (Australia), Geraldton (Australia), Broome (Australia), Kuri Bay (Australia), Darwin (Australia), Cairns (Australia) and Willis Island (Australia)
This month-long cruise sails around the entirety of Australia, visiting several regions of the country. Based in Brisbane, the Coral Princess visits 14 different ports during the trip, including Hobart in Tasmania. The highlight of the itinerary is the Kimberly region, which is visited twice during the cruise.
Wed May 5th India: The industry impact on crewing following Royal Caribbean Group’s temporary suspension of hiring Indian crew due to the COVID-19 situation in the country depends on whether other cruise lines follow suit and when India is deemed “safe.” India is an important source country for crew recruitment, and many Indians hold key positions in food and beverage and housekeeping, according to the Norwegian Seafarers Union (NSU).
Royal Caribbean International’s crew vaccination program is in full swing thanks to PortMiami, as COVID-19 vaccinations continued on Tuesday. Crew from the Navigator & Freedom of the Seas received COVID-19 vaccines this morning in a terminal building at the port. This effort follows the pop-up vaccination clinic hosted last week serving PortMiami employees and all members of the community. Approximately 900 crew members will be getting vaccinated this week, according to a port statement.
Thu May 6thDutch News! Working in close coordination with the government of Greece, Holland America Line has received approval to restart cruising from Piraeus (Athens) in August with four departures aboard Eurodam.
Sat May 8th Norwegian Cruise Lines is threatening to keep its ships out of Florida due to a new state law that bans businesses from requiring that customers show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations. The company says the law is at odds with federal guidelines.
Viking Ocean announced yesterday that it will restart operations in the Mediterranean with new ocean voyages for vaccinated guests beginning this summer. The Viking Venus and Viking Sea will homeport in Valletta and sail two different 11-day roundtrip itineraries in the Mediterranean.
AIDA Cruises is set to cruise from Germany later this month, according to a company statement, announcing short voyages from Kiel starting on May 22nd. The AIDAsol is currently positioned in Northern Germany and ready for the restart. TUI Cruises, also German, are gearing up for a restart.
Sun May 9th Norwegian Cruise Lines in reporting a first quarter loss and undershooting Wall Street’s revenue forecast, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said advance bookings are strong, with first half 2022 ‘meaningfully ahead’ of 2019 record levels.
Restart: Rumors are building that trial cruises may begin in Jul & Aug – and general cruising might resume in fall, possibly Oct or Nov. But all just rumors at this point as it is a constantly “moving target” with Covid.
Mon May 10thBuffets & Beyond: For cruise lines wanting to operate from a U.S. port, they will need to adhere to a number of new regulations released on Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for ships to sail under the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO).
While many cruise lines have already confirmed their buffets are on hold for the time being, the CDC has made it official by now requiring them to eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.
The CDC will also require social distancing in all venues onboard and is recommending cruise lines provide alternative meal services options, such as prepackaged grab-and-go meals, for consumption on open decks or in individual cabins to minimize risks associated with congregate indoor dining.
Outdoor lounge seating around the pool will also have a different look, as loungers and chairs will need to be six feet apart, severely limiting outdoor seating space. These items can be grouped together for families and traveling companions, according to the CDC.
The CDC has also said cruise lines must “prohibit self-guided or independent exploration by passengers during port stops. Ensure all shore excursion tour companies facilitate social distancing to allow for at least 6 feet (2 meters) between individuals who are not traveling companions or part of the same family, mask wearing, cleaning and disinfection, and other COVID-19 public health measures throughout the tour.”
This would require passengers to buy organized tours through the cruise line ahead of time.
Mon May 10th Royal Caribbean: Having put a pause on hiring Indian crew due to COVID-19, Royal Caribbean International will start recruiting Indian crew again later this month.
Tue May 11th Burning Cash! The three major cruise companies continue to burn through cash with most ships still out of service. Following their first quarter earnings reports, the combined cash burn rate for Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line holdings is approximately $990 million per month.
Carnival Corporation originally predicted its cash burn rate for the first quarter of 2021 to be $600 million, but reported it was $500 million, beating estimates.
Royal Caribbean Group on the other hand, had predicted a range of $250 million to $290 million per month, but ultimately came in above that, at $300 million, citing fleetwide restart expenses and timing.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings held steady at its estimated $190 million burn rate per month,
Out of the old shoebox: Above: Departure for the Leviathan
Below: The classic Oceanic
Thank you to all our readers, correspondents, those “agents” in faraway places!
