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Friday, July 19, 2013

Once-mighty Motor City files for bankruptcy

The Detroit skyline is seen from Grand River on Thursday, July 18, 2013, in Detroit. On Thursday the city became the largest city in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy when State-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr asked a federal judge for municipal bankruptcy protection. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

In this July 17, 2013, aerial photo is the city of Detroit. On Thursday, July 18, 2013, Detroit became the largest city in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy when State-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr asked a federal judge for municipal bankruptcy protection. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

In a Dec. 12, 2008 file photo, a pedestrian walks by graffiti in downtown Detroit. On Thursday, July 18, 2013 Detroit became the largest city in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy when State-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr asked a federal judge for municipal bankruptcy protection. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, FILE)

The Detroit skyline is seen on Thursday, July 18, 2013, in Detroit. On Thursday the city became the largest city in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy when State-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr asked a federal judge for municipal bankruptcy protection. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, left, speaks as state-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr listens during a news conference in Detroit, Thursday, July 18, 2013. Orr asked a federal judge permission to place Detroit into Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection Thursday. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

DETROIT (AP) ? Once the very symbol of American industrial might, Detroit became the biggest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy Thursday, its finances ravaged and its neighborhoods hollowed out by a long, slow decline in population and auto manufacturing.

The filing, which had been feared for months, put the city on an uncertain course that could mean laying off municipal employees, selling off assets, raising fees and scaling back basic services such as trash collection and snow plowing, which have already been slashed.

"Only one feasible path offers a way out," Gov. Rick Snyder said in a letter approving the move.

The filing marked a turning point for city and state leaders, who must now confront the challenge of rebuilding Detroit's broken budget in as little as a year.

Kevyn Orr, a bankruptcy expert hired by the state in March to stop the city's fiscal free-fall, said Detroit would continue paying its bills and employees.

But, said Michael Sweet, a bankruptcy attorney in Fox-Rothschild's San Francisco office, "they don't have to pay anyone they don't want to. And no one can sue them."

The city's woes have piled up for generations. In the 1950s, its population grew to 1.8 million people, many of whom were lured by plentiful, well-paying auto jobs. Later that decade, Detroit began to decline as developers starting building suburbs that lured away workers and businesses.

Then beginning in the late 1960s, auto companies began opening plants in other cities. Property values and tax revenue fell, and police couldn't control crime. In later years, the rise of autos imported from Japan started to cut the size of the U.S. auto industry.

By the time the auto industry melted down in 2009, only a few factories from GM and Chrysler were left. GM is the only one with headquarters in Detroit, though it has huge research and testing centers with thousands of jobs outside the city.

Detroit lost a quarter-million residents between 2000 and 2010. Today, the population struggles to stay above 700,000.

The result is a metropolis where whole neighborhoods are practically deserted and basic services cut off in places. Looming over the crumbling landscape is a budget deficit believed to be more than $380 million and long-term debt that could be as much as $20 billion.

In recent months, the city has relied on state-backed bond money to meet payroll for its 10,000 employees.

"It's an embarrassment, number one, to come to the realization that we're actually in this situation," said Kevin Frederick, an admissions representative for a local career training school. "Not that we didn't see it coming. I guess we have to take a couple of steps backward to move forward."

Orr made the filing in federal bankruptcy court under Chapter 9, the bankruptcy system for cities and counties.

He was unable to persuade a host of creditors, unions and pension boards to take pennies on the dollar to help with the city's massive financial restructuring. If the bankruptcy filing is approved, city assets could be liquidated to satisfy demands for payment.

Orr said Thursday that he "bent over backward" to work with creditors, rejecting criticism that he was too rigid. "Anybody who takes that position just hasn't been listening."

The bankruptcy could last through summer or fall 2014, which coincides with the end of Orr's 18-month appointment, he said.

Snyder determined earlier this year that Detroit was in a financial emergency and without a plan for improvement. He made it the largest U.S. city to fall under state oversight when a state loan board hired Orr. His letter was attached to Orr's bankruptcy filing.

Creditors and public servants "deserve to know what promises the city can and will keep," Snyder wrote. "The only way to do those things is to radically restructure the city and allow it to reinvent itself without the burden of impossible obligations."

A turnaround specialist, Orr represented automaker Chrysler LLC during its successful restructuring. He issued a warning early on in his tenure in Detroit that bankruptcy was a road he preferred to avoid.

Some city workers and retirement systems filed lawsuits to prevent Snyder from approving Orr's bankruptcy request, said Detroit-area turnaround specialist James McTevia.

They have argued that bankruptcy could change pension and retiree benefits, which are guaranteed under state law.

Others are concerned that a bankrupt Detroit will cause businesses large and small to reconsider their operations in the city. But General Motors does not anticipate any impact to its daily operations, the automaker said Thursday in a statement.

Detroit has more than double the population of the Northern California community of Stockton, Calif., which until Detroit had been the largest U.S. city ever to file for bankruptcy when it did so in June 2012.

Before Detroit, the largest municipal bankruptcy filing had involved Jefferson County, Ala., which was more than $4 billion in debt when it filed in 2011. Another recent city to have filed for bankruptcy was San Bernardino, Calif., which took that route in August 2012 after learning it had a $46 million deficit.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-07-18-Detroit%20Bankruptcy/id-bb2e543554cd4227ad6b22d78b3ef6b9

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Dealers review: German Automotive, Sagitta Automotive, Bromham's ...

WHEN it comes to motoring, it's always good to find what you want at just one location, whether it's servicing, repairs, body and paint repairs or a new, replacement vehicle. It not only saves time, it's simply more convenient, particularly when you can relax safe in the knowledge that you are certain to receive exemplary levels of service.

There are three related but independent businesses, all based in Ascot Drive, Derby (DE24 8GZ), that offer what can truly be described as a one-stop motoring shop. All three deliver exceptional customer care and outstanding value for money. Read on to find out more...

GERMAN AUTOMOTIVE

German Automotive Ltd offers servicing, MoTs and repairs, including specialist diagnostics and four-wheel laser alignment. This independent garage offers everything you would expect at a main dealership, except for the hourly rate. As the company's name suggests, it specialises in German-manufactured vehicles ? Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, MINI, Volkswagen, Skoda and SEAT, the latter two featuring primarily Volkswagen technology.

?100 Worth of Free Accessories With Any Three Piece Suite Order!

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The business offers exactly the same levels of service as the best main dealerships, using genuine manufacturers' parts, Castrol lubricants and dealership-trained technicians while offering a huge saving on labour. Any work performed will not affect a car's warranty. Its technicians have the skills, knowledge and professionalism available at a good main dealer, and their broad skills base also enables them to service and repair vehicles manufactured outside of Germany to the same high standards.

The team delivers value for money and staff pride themselves on their exceptional customer service. The fully equipped service and repair centre enables them to handle all aspects of car maintenance, including work on the most prestigious models. All vehicles given a full service receive a complementary mini valet and car wash.

For further information visit www.germanauto.co.uk or call 01332 369300.

SAGITTA AUTOMOTIVE

Sagitta Automotive Ltd specialises in sourcing prestige vehicles, including import and export models. It is about providing a one-stop service that will source the car of your dreams, release you from your existing car finance and/or find a buyer for your car and help you with associated finance where necessary.

Managing director Gerry Smith has more than 20 years of motor trade experience, having been a dealer principal for a number of prestige brands, as well as acting as consultant to a number of very well-known car supermarkets. His contacts in the industry reach far and wide, giving him a vast network from which to source and dispose of vehicles.

Gerry's close relationships with manufacturers and UK concessionaires enables him to pre-order cars long before they are available in this country, so you can often take delivery on the day of the car's UK launch ? and sometimes before!

For further details on Saggitta Automotive's car-sourcing service, email sales@sagittaautomotive. com, call 01332 345 866 or visit www.sagittaautomotive.com.

BROMHAM'S BODYWORKS

Car Body Repairs Derby by Bromham's Bodyworks Ltd was established in Derby by John Bromham, who has over 20 years' experience in the repair and maintenance of cars and motorcycles.

His highly trained technicians undertake all manner of repairs, including the appliance of a protecting solution on all paintwork after the fixing of dents, scratches, scuffs and chips, and alloy wheel repair. They also specialise in plastic welding for the repair of major structural components, such as bumpers, radiators, headlamps and motorcycle fairings. Other services include the repair of vehicle interior trim, removal of any tears in vinyl or upholstery, and elimination of cigarette burns.

The business has a wide range of clients, including private car owners, businesses and corporate fleet vehicles. Its technicians have more than 40 years of first class industry experience, so you can be assured your vehicle is in trusted hands.

Visit Bromham's for a free, no-obligation quote. Call 01332 297221/mob 07557 278092 or email john@bromham odyworks.co.uk.

Source: http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Dealers-review-German-Automotive-Sagitta/story-19538696-detail/story.html

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Realtor Ranks Exploding - Business Insider

Here's a sign the housing market is maybe, possibly, overheating: the number of people becoming realtors is surging.

ChicagoGrid.com's Emmy Storms reports the Chicago Association of Realtors added 600 new members this spring, at a rate of 75 to 100 enrolled each month.

Meanwhile, Miami Association of Realtors vice president Lynda Fernandez says there's been a 25% increase in the growth rate for new members, from to 3,800 YOY from June 2012 to this year, compared with 3,000 for June 2011-June 2012. She said only a small percentage were likely to be transfers from other associations.

Chicagoland housing market analyst Gary Lucido, who linked to Storms' post, blogs that this puts us in deja-vu territory:

During the height of the real estate bubble every doorman, bar tender, and tax driver became a real estate agent so they would have a ticket to earn the outrageous commissions from friends, family, and casual acquaintances. ...

Flash forward a few years and we're almost back to those golden days, though the licensing standards are a tad more rigorous (but not much more) and money isn't exactly easy.

Given that inventory remains constrained in most parts of the country, the figures are only likely to increase.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/realtor-ranks-exploding-2013-7

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Tuesday, July 2, 2013

A look at Egypt's political standoff

Graffiti, including a caricature of President Mohammed Morsi, left and ousted President Hosni Munarak, is painted on the wall of a building across from the Ministry of Culture in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, June 30, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of opponents of Egypt's Islamist president poured out onto the streets in Cairo and across much of the nation Sunday, launching an all-out push to force Mohammed Morsi from office on the one-year anniversary of his inauguration. Fears of violence were high, with Morsi's Islamist supporters vowing to defend him. The red Arabic words below the face drawing reads, "Whoever cost it didn't die." The Arabic next to the face drawing reads, "Down with the rule of sheep." The red and white Arabic reads, "The revolution is everywhere against the killer and the traitor." (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Supporters of Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans and dance with sticks during a rally in Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, June 30, 2013. Thousands of opponents and supporters of Egypt's Islamist president began massing in city squares in competing rallies Sunday, gearing up for a day of massive nationwide protests that many fear could turn deadly as the opposition seeks to push out Mohammed Morsi. (AP Photo/Virginie Nguyen Hoang)

CAIRO (AP) ? Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets Sunday, some in support of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and others to call for his ouster. Here is a look at Egypt's current political standoff, what it means and where it could lead:

___

WHO IS LEADING THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST MORSI AND HIS MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD?

A new youth movement called Tamarod, or Rebel, is spearheading the latest campaign aimed at forcing Morsi from office. The group launched a petition drive around three months ago to collect signatures from Egyptians who want the president to step down. Tapping into growing discontent with Morsi over what his critics allege is his failure to effectively tackle the country's pressing problems, Tamarod claims it has collected more than 22 million signatures. The petitions have no legal weight and have not been independently authenticated, but the tally would be ? if verified ? nearly twice the number of votes Morsi received a year ago when he narrowly won the presidency. The main collection of opposition groups, the National Salvation Front, has endorsed Tamarod, and parties under the NSF umbrella helped collect signatures.

CAN THE OPPOSITION REALLY FORCE MORSI TO STEP DOWN?

Morsi, who has three years left in his four-year term, says he has no intention of resigning. The Tamarod organizers and opposition figures say protesters will not leave the streets until he does. If both sides stick to their guns, then the standoff could last for days, maybe even weeks. There are other factors at play, however. If the large numbers in Sunday's mass protests are repeated for days, and are later reinforced by strikes and a civil disobedience campaign, the country would grind to a standstill and significantly ratchet up the pressure on Morsi.

Still, the Muslim Brotherhood, the fundamentalist group that propelled Morsi to power, has shown little sign of backing down. The group points to Morsi's election victory in a vote that is widely recognized to have been free and fair, and says that forcing Morsi from office will set a dangerous precedent for his successors, an argument Morsi cited in an interview with The Guardian published on Sunday. The only way to challenge Morsi, his supporters say, is through the ballot box.

WHAT ABOUT THE ARMY?

The army chief, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, called on Morsi and the opposition a week ago to reach an understanding and warned that the military would intervene if the country plunges into civil strife. The remarks were the strongest from the military on the nation's political turmoil since Morsi appointed el-Sissi last August. Since those comments, the army has dispatched reinforcements to bases outside cities across the nation and deployed troops backed by armored vehicles outside vital facilities.

A secretive institution by nature, the army has not tipped its hand on Egypt's current political standoff. It is considered unlikely that the military will stage a coup to depose Morsi. One possible scenario, however, could see troops coming to the defense of opposition protesters if violence breaks out. Such a move would provide a boost to the anti-Morsi camp and likely embolden many more Egyptians to take to the streets confident they would be protected by the military.

On the other hand, the military may see the wave of mass protests as a golden opportunity to get rid of Morsi and the Brotherhood. El-Sissi has not publicly clashed with Morsi, although there have been signs of tension between the two powerful institutions they represent. Some observers say the army has never been comfortable with the president's close ties with Hamas, the Brotherhood's Palestinian chapter that the military has long seen as a threat to stability in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula that borders Israel and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Intervening would likely leave the military effectively in charge of the country again, much as it was after the 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak. The military has been sharply criticized for its record running the country over that nearly 17-month period. Critics have blamed it for mismanaging the transition, and accuse it of committing large scale human rights violations, including torturing detainees and conducting virginity tests on women protesters.

WHAT IF THE MILITARY DOES NOT INTERVENE, MORSI REFUSES TO LEAVE OFFICE AND PROTESTS CONTINUE?

The hundreds of thousands who have taken to the streets on Sunday chanting "leave!" have dealt a serious blow to Morsi's claim of holding a popular mandate, and it is difficult to see him riding this out without it taking a toll on his authority. The path Morsi chooses, however, may be heavily influenced by his experience as a longtime member of the Muslim Brotherhood, a secretive group that spent much of the more than 80 years since its creation underground to avoid government crackdowns. The Brotherhood waited eight decades to rule Egypt, and the prospect of relinquishing power now that they have it after so many years of persecution ? including the execution of some of its most revered leaders ? clearly isn't something the group relishes. Already, Morsi and his Brotherhood supporters have allowed radical Islamist groups with a violent past to take the lead in the campaign to defend the president. They have publicly spoken about "wiping" the protesters and routinely refer to them as "infidels" or paid Mubarak loyalists. But it would be a very risky gamble to unleash them on the opposition, a course of action that could drive Egypt to the brink of civil war, as many have already warned.

But there is the potential for violence on the opposition side as well, particularly if the protests drag on and Morsi holds his ground. Some anti-government protests in the past have devolved into clashes. Over just the past week, anti-Morsi protesters have stormed and ransacked several offices of the Muslim Brotherhood and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice party, while clashes in a string of Nile Delta cities and the coastal port city of Alexandria killed at least seven people and wounded hundreds.

IS THERE ROOM FOR COMPROMISE?

So far, neither side appears willing to make concessions. Tamarod and the opposition parties insist that early presidential elections are their bottom line. Morsi has insisted, most recently in an interview published Sunday, that he will not step down.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-06-30-ML-Egypt-QandA/id-492e63fed7944cd79086393da04637b0

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Monday, July 1, 2013

Readers Write: Many heroes behind South Korea's rebirth; Is US gun lobby selling fear to sell guns?

Letters to the Editor for the July 1, 2013 weekly print magazine:

As a Peace Corps volunteer in Chuncheon in the 1960s, I watched my impoverished students work long hours to succeed.?Nearly half a century has made the Korea of my memory unrecognizableMany hearts and hands have supported Korea?s rebirth.

US gun violence has decreased, but most Americans think the opposite. That's because good marketing from the gun lobby (in this case, fear of violence driving desire for protection) leads to a predictable increase in demand.

By Ann Beckman Hymes,?Monitor reader, John Wertymer,?Monitor reader / July 1, 2013

St. Michaels, Md. and Evanston, Ill.

Behind South Korea?s rebirth

The May 20 cover story, ?Seoul power,? is fitting recognition of the enormous progress made by South Korea in recent decades. Its prosperity comes with the challenges of heightened consumerism and fierce academic competition.

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As a Peace Corps volunteer in Chuncheon in the 1960s, I watched my impoverished students work long hours to succeed. There were 60 middle school boys in each class ? a sea of shaved heads. Most were wearing threadbare uniforms. Some were barefoot. A potbellied stove was our only heat in the harsh winter, and broken windows let snow blow right in. We?often did physical exercises to accompany the English lessons, trying to?fight the cold.

For several years the South Korean government has invited former Peace Corps volunteers to return as guests. Nearly half a century has made the Korea of my memory unrecognizable. My former school has heat,?electricity, bathrooms, cafeteria, computer and science labs, and even an?indoor swimming pool.?The boys have crisp uniforms and trendy spiked hair. Classes are small; books and technology are everywhere.?

I missed seeing women in traditional dress and kimchi pots lined up in gardens, but South Korea has developed into a major power with its longstanding commitment to education. I recently attended a dinner in Washington, D.C., with the new president of South Korea, Park Geun-hye. She honored Peace Corps volunteers and veterans of the Korean War, among others. Many hearts and hands have supported Korea?s rebirth.

Ann Beckman Hymes

St. Michaels, Md.

Selling fear to sell guns?

The article ?America?s disconnect on gun violence? in the May 20 issue points out that although gun violence has decreased, polls show Americans think it has increased and that this perception may be ?partly responsible for the growth of gun ownership across the US in the past 20 years.??

This brought to mind the old consumer marketing adage: Create a problem, and then offer a solution that can be met by your product. Good marketing (in this case, fear of violence driving desire for protection) leads to advertising for guns and a predictable increase in demand.

John Wertymer

Evanston, Ill.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/xvHnRJ20YA4/Readers-Write-Many-heroes-behind-South-Korea-s-rebirth-Is-US-gun-lobby-selling-fear-to-sell-guns

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Mired in recession, ex-Yugoslav Croatia joins troubled EU

By Zoran Radosavljevic

ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatia becomes the 28th member of the European Union at midnight on Sunday, a milestone capping the Adriatic republic's recovery from war but tinged with anxiety over its economy and the state of the bloc it joins.

EU flags fluttered from a stage in Zagreb's central square ahead of the evening's festivities, but there have been few signs of the gushing welcome that marked past expansions to ex-communist Eastern Europe.

Croatia joins the bloc just over two decades after declaring independence from federal Yugoslavia, the trigger for four years of war in which some 20,000 people died.

Facing a fifth year of recession and record unemployment of 21 percent, few Croatians are in the mood to party.

The EU is also deeply troubled by its own economic woes, which have created internal divisions and undermined public support for the union.

"Just look what's happening in Greece and Spain! Is this where we're headed?" asked pensioner Pavao Brkanovic. "You need illusions to be joyful, but the illusions have long gone," he said at a Zagreb market.

President Ivo Josipovic told Croatia's Nova TV on Saturday journalists from EU countries had repeatedly asked him why Zagreb wanted to join the bloc.

"My counter question was: 'You come from the EU. Is your country preparing to leave the bloc?' They would invariably reply: 'Of course not.' Well, there you go, that's why we are joining, because we also believe the EU has a future," he said.

The country of 4.4 million people, blessed with a coastline that attracts 10 million tourists each year, is one of seven that emerged from the ashes of Yugoslavia during a decade of war in the 1990s.

MERKEL NO-SHOW

Slovenia was first to join the EU, in 2004, but Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo are still years away.

To get to this point, Croatia has gone through seven years of tortuous and often unpopular EU-guided reform.

It has handed over more than a dozen Croatian and Bosnian Croat military and political leaders charged with war crimes to the United Nations tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

It has sold shipyards, steeped in history and tradition but deeply indebted, and launched a high-profile fight against corruption that saw former prime minister Ivo Sanader jailed.

Some EU capitals remain concerned at the level of graft and organized crime. Croatia open-border Schengen zone.

The spirit of the occasion took another knock when German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the bloc's most powerful leader, pulled out of the accession ceremony, saying she was too busy.

Croatian media linked the move to a row over a former Croatian secret service operative wanted in Germany, though a spokesman for Merkel denied this.

Instead, Merkel urged Croatia to press on with reforms.

"There are many more steps to take, especially in the area of legal security and fighting corruption," she said in a weekly podcast.

For some Croatians the merits of accession were undeniable, despite the lukewarm mood.

"I know many people in Croatia are very skeptical but I think EU entry is the best thing that could have happened and it's an injustice we should have waited since 1990," said Zeljko Kastelan, a businessman whose hotels employ 70 people.

"What we need to do now is work hard to make up for the lost time," he said.

(Additional reporting by Annika Breidthardt in Berlin; Editing by Matt Robinson and Andrew Heavens)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mired-recession-ex-yugoslav-croatia-joins-troubled-eu-101553095.html

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Court wins draw big crowds to gay pride parades

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Gay rights supporters crowded parade routes in San Francisco, New York and other major U.S. cities Sunday to celebrate what once was unimaginable ? two Supreme Court victories on same-sex marriage.

The high court gave celebrants one more reason to cheer Sunday when Justice Anthony Kennedy rejected a last-ditch effort by opponents to stop gay marriages in California.

Among the thousands at San Francisco's event, now in its 43rd year, were scores of teenage girls, opposite-sex couples and families with children.

"You can feel the smiles," Graham Linn, 42, of Oakland said as he stood on a three-foot-tall building ledge surveying crowds 10-deep on the sidewalks. "All around you there is a release. There is a vindication, and you can feel it."

The biggest applause went up for the two newlywed couples whose legal challenge of Proposition 8 made it possible for Californians to wed.

The couples ? Kris Perry and Sandy Stier of Berkeley, and Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo of Burbank ? waved from convertibles as a group of people carried cartoon-style signs that read, "Prop. 8-Kapow!"

Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, who orchestrated the lawsuit, and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, who won an Academy Award for the movie about the slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk, marched with them.

"It's so historic," Jeff Margolis, 58, said. "So many of us could never imagine this would happen, that people would be able to do what they want for the rest of their lives."

Loud cheers went to House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Attorney General Kamala Harris ? straight politicians who have been vocal advocates of same-sex marriage.

San Francisco's parade lineup illustrated how mainstream support for same-sex marriage has become. Companies such as Facebook and supermarket chain Safeway were represented. Police officers and sheriff's deputies marched while holding hands.

There was also a group that called itself "Mormons for Marriage" that drew enthusiastic applause. The Mormon Church was one of the main sponsors of Proposition 8, the 2008 voter initiative that outlawed same-sex marriage in California.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down Proposition 8 and also invalidated part of a 1996 federal law that denied spousal benefits to gay couples. On Sunday morning, Kennedy denied a last-ditch request from the sponsors of Proposition 8, who argued that a lower court on Friday prematurely allowed gay marriages to continue in the nation's most populous state.

The group that maintains marriage should be between a man and woman said the lower court should have waited until the Supreme Court ruling is finalized late in July.

"Everyone on all sides of the marriage debate should agree that the legal process must be followed," attorney Austin R. Nimocks of Alliance Defending Freedom said in a statement Sunday. "The more than 7 million Californians that voted to enact Proposition 8 deserve nothing short of the full respect and due process our judicial system provides."

San Francisco City Hall remained open on Sunday so couples who wanted to marry could obtain their licenses. Every other clerk in California's 58 counties will be required to issue same-sex marriage licenses starting Monday.

Parade organizers planned to hold a VIP reception for the newlyweds following the parade.

The parade in New York City, where the first pride march was held 44 years ago to mark the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots that kicked off the modern gay rights movement, also was a sort of victory lap for Edith Windsor, the 84-year-old widow who challenged the federal Defense of Marriage Act after she was forced to pay $363,053 on the estate of her late wife.

Windsor, who was picked as a grand marshal of New York's parade months before she won her case before the Supreme Court last week, walked up Fifth Avenue during the event and recalled watching it on television in past years with her wife, Thea Spyer, before Spyer died in 2009.

"I love it obviously," she said. "If someone had told me 50 years ago that I would be the marshal of New York City gay pride parade in 2013 at the age of 84, I never would have believed it."

In Seattle, the two women who were the first same-sex couple to be granted a marriage license in Washington state after same-sex marriage became legal there last year, Jane Abbot Lighty and Pete-e Petersen, helped raise a giant marriage equality sign featuring a red equal sign on top of the city's iconic Space Needle for the first time.

In another first, the Seattle Mariners flew a rainbow flag ? the symbol of gay pride first unfurled during San Francisco's parade in 1978 ? during their game Sunday against the Chicago Cubs.

The Supreme Court wins motivated many first-time pride parade spectators, including Michael Pence, 53, and John Moehnke, 46, of North Carolina. The couple, who are engaged and plan to marry in New York in the fall, attended Chicago's annual Pride Parade with a church group, saying they were thrilled about the court decisions and want to see gay marriage extended to Illinois and other states.

"We have such a long way to go but we're ready for the fight," Moehnke said.

Efforts to legalize gay marriage in Illinois have stalled. Advocates started the year with intense momentum and received backing from President Barack Obama and Illinois' top political leaders. The measure cleared the Illinois Senate on Valentine's Day, state Rep. Greg Harris, the bill's sponsor, decided not to call a vote in the House because he didn't have the needed support.

Harris was one of several politicians at the parade Sunday. He said he would bring back the issue in the fall, adding that the Supreme Court's rulings have resonated with his colleagues in the Illinois House.

"Illinois is in a truly second-class status until we pass marriage equality," Harris said.

___

Associated Press writers Sophia Tareen in Chicago, AP Radio Correspondent Julie Walker in New York and AP Photographer Elaine Thompson in Seattle contributed to this story.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/court-wins-draw-big-crowds-gay-pride-parades-002804140.html

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