Falls Church News-Press Owner-Editor Named "OUTstanding Virginian" by Equality Virginia

RICHMOND, Va., April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At its annual awards banquet here on April 14, the Equality Virginia statewide organization dedicated to equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons awarded an "OUTstanding Virginian" honor to Nicholas F. Benton, founder, owner and editor of the Falls Church News-Press. Benton founded the News-Press in 1991 as a general interest weekly newspaper serving Northern Virginia. As the newspaper's owner-editor for 21 years, he has been openly gay and the newspaper has been a champion for equal rights for all.

Benton introduced a weekly column in his newspaper in 2003 written by Wayne Besen called "Anything But Straight." It is the only weekly column dedicated to LGBT issues to appear in a general interest newspaper in the U.S. Benton, who has twice been the recipient of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce's "Pillar of the Community" award and has been named Businessman of the Year by the Falls Church City Council, used his editorial influence to persuade his local Chamber to oppose the Marshall-Newman Amendment in 2007 that banned all same-sex relations in Virginia. It became the only Chamber in the state to do so.

Benton's newspaper has twice been named "Business of the Year" in Falls Church and is a full member of the Virginia Press Association. At the Equality Virginia awards banquet April 14, former Virginia Governor and current Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine accepted Benton's invitation to join his tables of supporters for the presentation of the honor.

Press Release -- Contact: Nick Gatz, [email protected], 703-532-3267

SOURCE Falls Church News-Press