Morning Sweep

The New Jersey State Division of Civil Rights has ruled that a lesbian couple can go forward with its discrimination complaint against the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association for refusing to let them use an oceanfront pavilion for their civil union ceremony. The pavilion, although owned by the religious organization, has often been made available to the public for ceremonies such as weddings.

Last week, President Bush signed a bill that makes it mandatory for businesses to roll over retirement benefits to a same-sex partner in the event of an employee’s death.

Time for the year in review: EDGE has its top 10 gay news stories of 2008, and Gay Wired has its political highlights of the year.

The first-ever head of the 13-year-old United Nations AIDS program is retiring, and the New York Times highlights some of his accomplishments, including giving a voice to marginalized groups such as gay men in poor countries.