Florida man sentenced in trans shooting
© Broward Sherrif’s Office
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A Florida man has been convicted of shooting a transgender woman he met on Craigslist six times within days of leaving his wife and arriving in North Carolina.
Jason Roy Borkowski, 38, pleaded guilty in Forsyth Superior Court during the first week of May to assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury with intent to kill in connection with the incident on Oct. 12, 2013, reports the Winston-Salem Journal.
Prosecutors said Borkowski had been in Kernersville, N.C., a couple of days and had gone on the website Craigslist looking for someone to hang out with when he met Alevaro Refugio online.
After engaging in sexual activity. Borkowski shot Refugio six times with a .25-caliber pistol, hitting her multiple times in the shoulder, chest and arms.
The injuries were life-threatening, but Refugio, 38, has since recovered.
Borkowski was sentenced to four years and nine months to six years and nine months in prison.
— LGBTQNation
Pageant crowns winner
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Miss Gay North Carolina USofA Pageant was held from April 25-27 at Warehouse 29, 1011 Arnold St.
Ten contestants vied for the crown during the weekend-long event.
Winner was Eden Parque Divine and first alternate went to Reina Parque Divine.
Category winners were: Evening Gown, Eden Parque Divine; Interview, Raven Wood; and Talent (tied) Reina Parque Divine and Raven Wood.
Macaria Rage, the outgoing Miss Gay NC USofA, crowned Divine.
Shae Shae LaReese, current Miss Gay USofA, and LaWanda Jackson, Miss Gay USofA 2013, were on hand to entertain the audience.
The Miss Gay NC USofA Pageant celebrated its 28th Anniversary and had 20 of the 28 former state winners in attendance who performed over the weekend. Some included were: Miss Gay NC USofA 1993 Brittany Shane, celebrating her 21st anniversary; Miss Gay NC USofA 1992 Tiffany Bonet, celebrating her 15th anniversary; and Miss Gay NC USofA 2004 Diamond, celebrating her 10th anniversary. Also on hand to entertain for final night were Miss Gay NC America, Lauren Scott, and Miss Gay NC USofA Newcomer MIchelle Michaels.
Tribute Awards to honor and recognize the memory of fallen pageant contributors went to Taj Mahal, Arabia Knight Addams and Monica Marlo.
The Arabia Knight Adams Entertainer of the Year Award went to Jackson and Kelly Raye.
Contestant Jade la Rouz Sedique walked away with Miss Congeniality. And, another one netted Best Presentation.
The Spirit Award was scooped up by Tanner Shriver for backstage support and pageant preparations.
Shirli Stevenz served as pageant coordinator.
DJ Kimo spun music for the event.
info: facebook.com/ncusofa.
— Lainey Millen
Have news or other information? Send your press releases and updates for inclusion in our News Notes: editor@qnotescarolinas.com.
Share your news with us
Does your organization or special interest group have events or great information to share with our readers? If so, be sure to send in your information to specialassignments@qnotescarolinas.com. In the upcoming months, we’ll feature one of you in our news notes section in each issue. Are you a part of a Meetup, Yahoo or Google group and do you do something that’s really newsworthy? Do you provide a service for the community or hold fundraisers for worthy causes? Do you educate the public about LGBT issues or concerns? Of course, this is only a sampling of things we are interested in. It’s the aim of these pieces to inform, enlighten and educate our readers about what we’re doing here in the Carolinas to champion LGBT rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.