Weekly Issues Alert

December 8 - 14

"It yet remains a problem to be solved in human affairs, whether any free government can be permanent, where the public worship of God, and the support of religion, constitute no part of the policy or duty of the state in any assignable shape." --Joseph Story (U.S. Supreme Court Justice, 1812-1845)

NC General Assembly

Black Will Not Seek Fifth Term As House Speaker — WRAL

Black Says Decision Not Related To Federal Investigation Read
Rep. Wright: I Can't Be Bought — WWAY News Channel 3

Critics say Hugo Neu executives are trying to buy influence with Rep. Thomas Wright. The Wilmington democrat talked with NewsChannel 3 about taking donations from the folks who want to build a controversial landfill in Brunswick County. He says he can't be bought. Read
Move to Send More Teens to Juvenile Court Finds Critics — Herald Sun

Sixteen and 17-year-olds are barred from serving on North Carolina juries, can't enter civil contracts on their own and can't get married without their parents' permission. That's leading some legislators and a state sentencing commission to argue that they also shouldn't automatically be treated like adults by the judicial system. Read
Saunders Says He's In North Carolina House Speaker's Race — WRAL

Rep. Drew Saunders, an ally of House Speaker Jim Black, said Friday he will run for the top job even though Black is also seeking a record fifth term. Saunders originally said he would support Black, who has faced a series of ethical questions and legal troubles over the past year, and would run only if the speaker did not. Read

NC Courts

Ex-Sheriff's Deputy Pleads to Lesser Charge — News Argus

A former sheriff's deputy who totaled his patrol car and was later found to be under the influence of alcohol five hours after leaving a friend's house in Princeton won't see any jail time, a judge decided... Read
Judge Upholds N.C. Supreme Court Race For Hudson — WRAL

A trial judge upheld Tuesday the Nov. 7 election victory of Robin Hudson for the state Supreme Court, declining to order a new election sought by her opponent because of some television ads late in the campaign. Read
Ballance Asks Judge to Void Sentence — Raleigh News and Observer

Former U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance, sent to prison last year for funneling tax dollars into his nonprofit foundation, is asking a judge to change or void his four-year sentence. Ballance's request claims his case was improperly linked to a criminal charge against his son Garey. Read

North Carolina Politics

Edwards Aide Seen as Pit Bull — Raleigh News and Observer

During his decade as the No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. House, David Bonior earned a reputation as a pit bull — the Democrat most likely to take on Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He will probably soon take on the task of leading former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards to the Democratic nomination for president. Read
N.C. Ends Fight with Republican Governor's Group over 2004 Ad — Fayetteville Observer

The state has ended a two-year legal fight with a national Republican group over a television advertisement that highlighted the party's 2004 gubernatorial candidate. The state Attorney General's Office filed a motion last week with the Court of Appeals to withdraw a complaint involving the Republican Governors Association, which ran an advertisement supporting Patrick Ballantine in 2004. Read
'Hardball' Not so Hard for Edwards — Raleigh News and Observer

Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards fields questions on Iraq, foreign policy and labor. But Edwards does not tip his hand on whether he plans to run for president in 2008. Read

Other North Carolina News

Two North Carolina Soldiers Killed in Iraq — WWAY3 News

The Defense Department and family members say two North Carolina soldiers were killed earlier this week in Iraq. The military says Specialist Nicholas Gibbs of Stokesdale died yesterday after being shot in Ar Ramadi. And the parents of another soldier, Specialist Jason Huffman of Conover, say he died yesterday when a bomb went off while he was in his Humvee in Kirkuk. Read
Funeral Held For N.C.-Based Marine Killed In Iraq — WRAL

A Camp Lejeune Marine killed in Iraq followed his brothers into the military and loved serving his country, a minister said during his funeral Saturday in Wisconsin. Lance Cpl. Jesse Tillery, 19, of Vesper died Dec. 2 while conducting combat operations in Iraq. Read
N.C. School of Science, Math First High School in the State to join IBM's World Community Grid — Carolina Newswire

The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) today is the first high school in the state to help fight cancer and HIV/AIDS by joining IBM's World Community Grid. During a campus-wide assembly today, NCSSM's 630 students will learn firsthand how IBM's World Community Grid is being used in HIV/AIDS research during a live videoconference with noted researcher, Arthur J. Olson, from The Scripps Research Institute, who is leading the FightAIDS@Home project on World Community Grid. Read
Report: State Could Go More Green — Raleigh News and Observer

5 percent of the state's electrical power could be produced from renewable energy, a new study says. Wind and agricultural waste are the richest sources. Here are the state's most abundant resources and their potential power Read
Sex Offenders Could be Banned from City Parks — Citizen Times.com

Sex offenders can turn public parks into dangerous hunting grounds, a proposed ordinance to ban such registered offenders from city parks says. The ordinance, on City Council's agenda for possible approval Tuesday, would ban registered sex offenders from any city-maintained park. The ban would follow similar recent prohibitions in Woodfin and Fletcher. Read
Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina : New Years Resolutions... Carolina Newswire

For 2007, Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina encourages parents to make resolutions that will benefit their whole family. Read
North Carolina Based Phone Company Launches Its Cable And Internet TV Division Called GSC Cable in South Carolina — PRLEAP.com

The North Carolina-based phone company is launching its cable and internet TV division called; GSC Cable in South Carolina on time for the holidays. Read
Binswanger Successfully Sells Major Property in Fletcher, North Carolina — Business Wire

Representing the seller, Steelcase Inc., Binswanger has disposed of a one-story, 900,000 sq. ft. building on 100 acres in Fletcher, North Carolina — one of the largest modern industrial buildings sold in North Carolina in the past several years. The property is located at 269 Cane Creek Industrial Drive. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steelcase is a leader in the office furniture industry and is a designer and manufacturer of architecture, furniture and technology products. Founded in 1912, they operate manufacturing facilities in 30 countries, employ 13,000 workers worldwide and have 800 dealerships. Read
SAS BI® to Bolster Economic Development — Carolina Newswire

The benefits of locating businesses in lower-income communities aren't always readily apparent. SAS, the leader in business intelligence, and Social Compact, a Washington, DC-based coalition of American business leaders, plan to change that. Using more than $200,000 worth of donated SAS software, including the award-winning SAS BI Server, Social Compact will give potential investors a clear picture of investment opportunities in underserved parts of the US. Read
Mom Says McDonald's Was Right Place To Leave Baby — WRAL

The mother accused of abandoning her baby at a local McDonald's told a Wake County magistrate Saturday that she thought she was doing the right thing....Under the state's Safe Surrender Law, she could have left the child somewhere like a fire station or a hospital with no questions asked. Read
BB&T Enters NASCAR as Sponsor of No. 2 RCR Busch Series Car — Carolina Newswire

BB&T Corporation (NYSE: BBT) today marked its entry into NASCAR by announcing a two-year agreement to be the official bank of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and the primary sponsor of the No. 2 Chevrolet Monte Carlos driven by Clint Bowyer in the Busch Series. Read
Elvis'Favorite Roller Coaster, Zippin Pippin, moving to Carolina Crossroads — Carolina Newswire

After more than 90 years in Memphis, Tennessee, the Zippin Pippin Roller Coaster is moving to North Carolina. Carolina Crossroads purchased the roller coaster in November and has started the process of moving it. "We're excited about moving this piece of American History to Carolina Crossroads. We believe the roller coaster will be a great draw for tourists," said Michael Dunlow, president of Carolina Crossroads. Read
RTI International Scientist Appointed to World Energy Council Committee — Carolina Newswire

David Myers, Ph.D., vice president of RTI International's Engineering and Technology Unit, has been appointed to serve on the Cleaner Fossil Fuels Committee of the World Energy Council. Read
Cherokee Chief Has Veto Power Over Absentee Voting Law — Citizens-time.com

The voting rights of potentially thousands of people depend on a decision expected this month from the top elected leader of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Read
Meredith College Gets Help to Make Geese Dog-Gone — Fayetteville Observer

Wanted: Friendly, obedient volunteer to help with groundskeeping and livestock management. Four legs required. Read
New High School Gets Grant, Will Add Ninth grade in 2007 — Goldsboro News Argus

Wayne County Public Schools has acquired a grant through the New Schools Project that will establish the program in the same location, Mrs. Johnson said. The grant is for $285,000 per year for a five-year period and funds support positions, a coach, staff development, program implementation and evaluation. It also provides for three positions — a guidance counselor, work-based learning coordinator and college liaison/program coordinator. Read The North Carolina New Schools Project (NCNSP) will award grants and provide other support to create up to one hundred new small high schools across the state. New Schools Project
Congressman Request Probe in Duke Rape Investigation Eyewitness News — ABC11TV.com

North Carolina Congressman Walter Jones is asking for a federal probe into the prosecution of the three Duke athletes accused of raping a woman at an off-campus party. Read
Blankets for Afghan Orphans Made at North Carolina Prison — Myrtle Beach Online.com

Inmates at a state prison in North Carolina made 1,000 blankets that have been shipped to help orphans in Kabul, Afghanistan, under a joint effort between the state and the Army. Read
Teen Competent To Stand Trial In High-School Hostage Case — WRAL

An East Chapel Hill High School student has been found competent to stand trial for allegedly holding a teacher and student hostage. Read
North Carolina Grants Farm Preservation Awards — Farm Press

North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler recently announced winners of the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. Read
Man Accused of Multiple Sex Offenses Faces New Charges — NBC 17

A Fayetteville man charged with multiple sex offenses for allegedly kidnapping and torturing two women is going back to court to face additional charges. Read

Congress

Senator Dole Undergoes Hip Surgery — ABC11

North Carolina Senator Elizabeth Dole has undergone hip replacement surgery, and is expected to resume work after the congressional holiday recess. That word from her spokeswoman. Read
Burr to join Senate Intelligence Committee — Raleigh News and Observer

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican, will join the Senate Intelligence Committee when Congress reconvenes in January. The committee is charged with oversight and guidance of the federal government's intelligence gathering. Read
S.D. Sen. Johnson in Critical Condition — Raleigh News and Observer

Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson suffered stroke-like symptoms just weeks before his party, with only a one-vote majority, was to take control of the Senate. Read
What will the Democrats do? — Raleigh News and Observer

Democrats will be running the show when Congress convenes in January. They come into power with many promises — from the seemingly straightforward, such as raising the minimum wage, to the more complex and nuanced, such as addressing U.S. policy in Iraq. Read
Congressman Questions Blackwater Funds — The Sun News

A top congressional Democrat is demanding answers from the military about why a North Carolina-based security firm was paid so much for work in Iraq at taxpayers' expense. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., in a letter to outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, said it's unclear how much taxpayers paid because the Army has not answered questions first raised two years ago. Read
Dems to Wipe Out Pet Projects in Bills — Breitbart.com

Democrats tidying up a cluster of unfinished spending bills dumped on them by departing Republican leaders in Congress will start by removing billions of dollars in lawmakers' pet projects next month. The move, orchestrated by the incoming chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations committees, could prove politically savvy even as it proves unpopular with other members of Congress, who as a group will lose thousands of so-called earmarks. Read
Bill Targets Insurers Reselling Totaled Cars After Hurricane Katrina — AgapePress

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi says he is "steamed" at some U.S. insurance companies for putting automobiles that were totaled in Hurricane Katrina back on the market, even though they are not fit for the road. Read
Medicare Links Doctors' Pay to Practices — NYT

Congress is offering a raise to Medicare doctors who report how often they provide quality care, as defined by the government. Read
Ex-Aides Allege Abuse of Power — LA Times

Rep. Gary Miller of Diamond Bar exercised political muscle for personal gain, they say. Read
Sen. Bill Nelson Defies Bush, Visits Syria — Newsmax

In a direct affront to the Bush administration, a Democratic senator spent an hour Wednesday with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus, asking him to do more to stabilize Iraq. Read

Courts

Judge Says Girl Can Sing 'Awesome God' At Talent Show — The Denver Channel.com

All third-grader Olivia Turton wanted to do was sing "Awesome God" at her New Jersey elementary school's talent show.

When school administrators wouldn't allow it, saying the song's lyrics amounted to preaching, Olivia's parents sued, saying their daughter's constitutional rights were violated. Read
Judge Orders Company to Turn Over School Computers — Citizen-times.com

A company that bought computers from the Greenville school district at surplus auctions must return those computers and confidential data on them, a judge has ordered. Read
Supreme Court refuses to hear Wachovia Appeal — NBC17 News

The Supreme Court refused Monday to consider a bankruptcy dispute between Wachovia Corp. and Eastman Kodak Co., a decision that allows the $30 million case to proceed in lower federal courts. At issue is whether Kodak can press a claim against Charlotte, N.C.-based Wachovia stemming from the bankruptcy of a camera retailer, Wolf Camera Inc., located in Atlanta, Ga. Read
L.A. Judge Sides with "Borat" Against Frat Boys — Reuters

As the esteemed Kazakh television journalist Borat Sagdiyev might say: "High Five. Sexy Time. You Lose." Two college fraternity buddies shown guzzling alcohol and making racist remarks in the "Borat" movie have lost their bid for a court order to cut the scene they claim has tarnished their reputations, court papers revealed on Monday. Read
Justice on Katrina time — LA Times

Hundreds, if not thousands, languish behind bars without their day in court. Read
Victim-Photo Ruling is Reversed — LA Times

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court reversed the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and restored a California man's murder conviction, saying his rights were not violated when the victim's family wore a small photo of the victim during the trial. Read

Christianity/Pro-Family/Religion/Ethics

New Jersey Pastor Banned From Praying in the State Senate — Citizenlink.com

A pastor who prayed at the opening of Monday's New Jersey Senate session will not be invited back, because his prayer condemned same-sex marriage, the Star-Ledger reported. A Senate committee intended to forward a bill designed to give homosexual couples the right to civil unions that day. Read
CBS, Charlie Sheen bash Christ, Christmas and Christians — Charlie Sheen makes Joy to the World into a cheap sex song

CBS and actor Charlie Sheen have used the Christmas season to ridicule and mock Christ, Christmas and Christians. CBS approved actor Charlie Sheen's vulgar adaptation of a favorite Christian Christmas carol. On the December 11 program, the network included in their Two and a Half Men an episode featuring Sheen singing about his sexual activity to the tune of the traditional Christmas hymn "Joy to the World." CBS and Sheen knew that the lyrics would greatly offend Christians, but did not hesitate to air them. Click here to see the episode on CBS. Action
Hollywood Recognizes the Value of Family-Friendly Movies — Citizenlink.com

Film studios are anxious to get a copy of the winning entry of the annual John Templeton Foundation Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays. Scripts entered must meet family-friendly criteria; they must be wholesome, uplifting, inspirational and result in a greater love and understanding of the "one true Creator God." Read
Would You Be Willing To Boycott Stores Which Refuse To Allow The Word 'Christmas' To Be Displayed? Take Our Poll — AFA

Gap, Inc., which owns Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Forth & Towne and Piperlime has adamantly refused to allow the word Christmas to be displayed in their stores? Read
Operation Christmas Child Volunteer Receives Presidential Award — Citizenlink.com

Gifts carry the Gospel to children overseas. Read
Weinstein Renews Allegations of Military Religious Discrimination — Citizenlink.com

Air Force Academy grad returns to court months after his first case was dismissed. Read
Gay Divorce Being Used to Challenge Marriage Law — Citizenlink.com

The case has been referred to Rhode Island's highest court. Read
Christmas Trees Back Up in Sea-Tac Airport — Citizenlink.com

Officials correct situation deemed an overreaction and unnecessary. Read
Gay and Evangelical, Seeking Paths of Acceptance — NYT

Gay evangelicals come from a tradition whose leaders have led the fight against greater acceptance of homosexuals. Read
Young Adults Find Community on the Internet — The Christian Post

Every day, tens of thousands of new profiles are added to MySpace.com — a growing phenomenon that seems to parallel with the widespread exodus of young believers from the Church. Read
Iraqis Consider Ways to Reduce Power of Cleric — NYT

Several major political parties are in talks to form a coalition to break the influence of the radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr, Iraqi officials say. Read
Canada Sees Divorce Rate Soar Among Older Couples — Citizenlink.com

Nearly half of Canadian married couples age 55-59 seek to end their marriages, the Edmonton Journal reported. While that nation's overall divorce rate fell more than 11 percent between 1993 and 2003, a closer look at older couples revealed a different trend. Thirty-four percent of those age 50-54 and 48 percent of those 55-59 sought divorce. Read
Kenya: Christians Fast Over Threat to Radio Station — Worthy News

Christians at Nairobi Pentecostal Church (NPC) began a three-day fast yesterday after a letter written to their bishop warned of an imminent attack on Christian radio station Hope FM. The threat comes seven months after a raid on the station, located on church property, left one person dead. Read
Breakaway Church Fights Methodist Takeover — The Christian Post

Members of Lane Boulevard Church say they've been pushed out of their longtime home by the United Methodist Church, which says the denomination and not the congregation owns the building. Lane Boulevard Church members voted this year to removed "Methodist" from their name. Read
Muslim Charity Sues Treasury Dept. and Seeks Dismissal of Charges of Terrorism — NYT

The Treasury Department has designated Holy Land and five other American Muslim charities as terrorist supporters, seizing millions of dollars in assets and halting their activities. Read
Joel Osteen Dubbed 'Most Fascinating' — The Christian Post

The 10 most fascinating people this year include retired tennis great Andre Agassi, rapper Jay-Z and megapastor Joel Osteen, according to Barbara Walters. Read
'Drive by Sermons' on Church Signs Inspire Books, Some Derision — The Christian Post

On the way home after a tough day at his music publishing business, Donald Seitz drove by a church marquee proclaiming, "He who kneels before God, can stand before anyone." This photo of a sign in front of the Nashville West End Church of Christ is part of a collection by Donald Seitz of Nashville. The spiritual message was exactly what he needed to lift his cloudy outlook. Seitz says he was so moved by the experience, he spent the next three years driving 20,000 miles across 40 states to photograph 100 church signs for a new book, which features other catchy lines like "Life is fragile. Handle with prayer" and "Don't Give Up. Moses Was Once A Basket Case." Read
China Province Closes House Church, Christians Jailed — Worthy News

Authorities in China's Anhui province have closed down a house church and force believers to join the government backed Three-Self Church denomination, a religious rights group said Monday, December 11. Read
India: Hindu Extremist Arrested for Assaulting Evangelist — Worthy News

Police in Honavar, a coastal town in Karnataka state on Tuesday (December 5) arrested Chandrashekar Naik, a member of the Hindu extremist group Bajrang Dal, for assaulting a Christian evangelist. Later that day, Bajrang Dal members seized two other Christians in the town, marched them to the police station and accused them of attempted forcible conversion. Read
Thousands Of Burma Christians Hiding In Jungle Amid Military Crackdown — Worthy News

Thousands of people belonging to the predominantly Christian Karen as well as Karenni and Shan ethnic groups were hiding in Burma's jungle areas Saturday, December 9, as government forces continued their largest offensive in a decade, killing at least dozens of people in recent months, several sources told BosNewsLife. Read
Self-Styled Preacher Arrested in LondonSelf-Styled Preacher Who Claimed to Help Couples Conceive Babies Through Prayer Is Arrested — ABC News

A Nairobi magistrate issued an international arrest warrant for Pastor Gilbert Deya, 54, in September 2005 for his alleged role in a suspected international child trafficking ring. Prosecutors in Kenya said the ring involved suspects there as well as in Britain, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Read

Abortion/Pro-Life

Oklahoma Catholic Diocese Buys Land Near Tulsa Abortion Business — Lifenews.com

Pro-life advocates in Tulsa have been gathering outside the Reproductive Services abortion center for years. Read
Pontiff: Respect for Sanctity of Life Promotes Peace — Citizenlink.com

In his World Day of Peace address on Jan. 1, Pope Benedict XVI will tell nations that one of the keys is respecting life from conception to natural death, LifeNews.com reported. Read
Contraceptive Tablet on Shelves is Chewable — INS News

The first chewable birth-control method, a tiny, spearmint- flavored tablet that also can be swallowed without chewing, has hit pharmacy shelves. Read
Pro-Life Advocates Face Difficult Prospects in 2008 Elections — Lifenews.com

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — In each of the last seven presidential elections, pro-life advocates have had a major party candidate to support who took a clear pro-life stance on abortion and other issues. Read
British embryo laws face overhaul — Washington Times

Researchers will be allowed to create test-tube embryos that are part human, part animal under a proposal to be announced by government health officials this week. Read
South Dakota Pro-life Lawmaker Under Fire for Abortion Ban Donation — Lifenews.com

A South Dakota lawmaker is under fire for the donations he made from a business to the campaign of the group that promoted the abortion ban during last November's elections. State Rep. Roger Hunt set up a company through which an anonymous donor gave the organization $750,000. Read
U.N. Approves Disability Treaty Rife with Pitfalls — Citizenlink.com

Pro-family experts say loose language could turn a positive agreement into a big negative. United Nations delegates today approved a world treaty guaranteeing the rights of people with disabilities. But pro-family experts say what is intended for good could wind up being misused for evil. Thomas Jacobson, Focus on the Family Action's representative to the U.N., said the idea behind the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is good — even though it deals with an issue that should probably be left up to individual nations. But the international body has raised to an art the use of phrasing that appears to mean one thing, but is regularly interpreted to allow abortion and euthanasia. Read
Former Kansas AG May Continue Abortion-Clinic Investigation — Citizenlink.com

Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, who lost his bid for re-election, was selected Tuesday to replace Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison — a position that may allow Kline to continue his investigation into possible criminal conduct at two Kansas abortion clinics, LifeNews.com reported. Read

Alcohol/Drugs/Health

Drunk Driver Gets Reduced Sentence Via Plea Deal — KVOA News 4

Julie Ann Lagergren, age 35, cut a plea deal with the state to avoid a longer sentence. She pleaded guilty to negligent homicide, aggravated assault and aggravated DUI....On August 24th of last year, Lagergren reportedly spent about six hours bar hopping. About 5:00 pm that day she crossed the center line on Country Club Road near Broadway, crashing head-on into Zarate's compact car....Lagergren's blood alcohol content was 0.231 percent, three times the legal limit..."My son's life was worth more than three years!" Judith Cook, Zarate's mother, told News 4 after the sentence was announced. Read
UK Doctor is Adviser on Heart Stent Safety: DRUG-COATED DEVICES FOUND TO BE RISK FACTOR FOR BLOOD CL — INS News

A University of Kentucky heart specialist is among those advising the Food and Drug Administration about the safety of drug-coated stents, which have been used to open heart blockages in up to 3 million Americans during the past three years. Read
Hospitalizations in Hamburg Tied to Radiation Trail in London — NYT

Four people who had contact with a business associate of a murdered former Russian spy were hospitalized on Monday. Read
Smoking Ban Likely for Norfolk in Early '07 — The Virginia Pilot

A majority of City Council members say they would support a prohibition against smoking in all Norfolk restaurants. Mayor Paul Fraim said he hopes an ordinance can be approved late next month. Read
Alcohol Ban Eyed on N.Y. Commuter Rails — 680 WPTF

It could soon be last call for commuters who enjoy a couple of beers on their trip to or from New York City if one official gets his way. Read

Education/Sex Ed/Teens/Children

Video-Game Violence Studied — Citizenlink.com

Research confirms what many experts have concluded for years. After brain-scanning kids who frequently play the games, researchers at the Indiana State University School of Medicine have found an increase in emotional arousal, and a decrease of activity in the area of the brain involved in self-control. Read
Seattle Group Discovers Judge's Anti-ID Ruling Partly Plagiarized From ACLU — AgapePress

A new study released by a leading intelligent design think tank based in Washington State charges a federal judge plagiarized his widely hailed ruling banning the teaching of intelligent design theory in a Pennsylvania school system. Nearly one year ago, federal Judge John Jones issued a ruling in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, declaring that intelligent design theory cannot be mentioned in biology classes in the Dover area schools. Now, however, the Seattle-based Discovery Institute has issued a report showing that the central part of Judge Jones's Kitzmiller ruling was copied almost word for word from a document prepared by lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Read
CCF: HPV Vaccine Okay If Accompanied by Parental Consent, Sex Education

The Campaign for Children and Families (CCF), a California-based pro-family organization, recently reported its support of a new vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) — if certain conditions are met regarding the procedures to be followed when the vaccine is administered. A controversial bill now being debated in the California State Legislature will virtually mandate HPV vaccine shots for all girls entering sixth-grade. The issue has raised questions concerning cervical cancer, women's and children's health, risk avoidance, promiscuity, and other factors including government mandates and parental rights. Read
ACLJ's Argument: 'Separationists' Have No Standing in Notre Dame Case — AgapePress

A group that specializes in constitutional law is urging the highest court in the U.S. to deny taxpayer standing in a church-state case.

The federal government had funded a teacher training program through a grant to the University of Notre Dame. However, strict advocates of the "separation of church and state" filed a lawsuit claiming the program violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Read
Grant Plan Would Aid Students at Community Colleges in Va. — The Virginian-Pilot

Two senior state lawmakers proposed anew Monday a scholarship program that would enable eligible students to earn four-year university degrees at community college prices. Read
In Twist on Tuition Game, Popularity Rises With Price — NYT

Several schools have sharply increased tuition to match colleges they consider their rivals, while also providing more financial assistance. Read
Major Breach of UCLA's Computer Files — LA Times

In what appears to be one of the largest computer security breaches ever at an American university, one or more hackers have gained access to a UCLA database containing personal information on about 800,000 of the university's current and former students, faculty and staff members, among others. Read

God and Country/National Security/Politics/Economy

Fax Your "Pardon Border Patrol Agents" Message To The President! — Grassfire.org

U.S. Border Agents Ramos and Compean have been sentenced to jail terms exceeding a decade — for apprehending an illegal alien drug trafficker at the border! Grassfire is calling on citizens to fax messages to the President demanding he pardon these agents immediately! FAX President(charge)

Sign Petition(free)
Mitt Romney: Let Troopers Detain Illegals — Newmax

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is weighing a White House bid, signed an agreement Wednesday that allows Massachusetts State Police troopers to detain illegal aliens they encounter over the course of their normal duties. Under the terms of the agreement, made with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, an initial group of 30 troopers will receive five weeks of specialized training next year, paid by the federal government. Read
Government Sees Links in Identity Theft, Illegal Workers -Yahoo News

A day after federal agents netted 1,300 meat plant workers in the largest immigration sweep in U.S. history, federal officials pledged on Wednesday to continue their crackdown on illegal workers and identity theft. "This is going to be a deterrent to illegal workers ... We're going to try to make it inhospitable to break the law here," Read
Carter Book On Palestine Challenged By Former Colleague — Evangelical News

"Being a former president does not give one a unique privilege to invent information or to unpack it with cuts, deftly slanted to provide a particular outlook," Stein said. "Having little access to Arabic and Hebrew sources, I believe, clearly handicapped his understanding and analyses of how history has unfolded over the last decade." Read
New Ecuador Leader Nixes U.S. Trade Pact — ABC News

Ecuador's President-elect Rafael Correa said Sunday that he will not sign a free trade agreement with the United States but will seek extended trade preferences under an anti-drug agreement. Read
Beirut rally: Death to Israel, US — Ynet News

Hundreds of thousands of protesters thronged central Beirut's two central squares, Riyad al-Solh Square and Martyrs' Square on Sunday to participate in the Hizbullah -led opposition's second rally. Read
Life in Iraq Grates on Soldiers' Morale — Las Vegas Sun

The outpost takes mortar and machine gun fire and rocket attacks every few days, insurgents stash roadside bombs and the recent announcement of a death sentence against Saddam prompted a wave of attacks against American forces here. The battalion has had three Marines killed and 80 wounded since arriving in September, but has also increased the local police force from four officers to nearly 100, while strengthening the Iraqi army. Some Marines said those debating the future of the war don't have any concept of what daily life in Anbar is like. Read
Bush Iraq Update May Be After New Year — Sun-Sentinel.com

President Bush, about to wrap up an intense effort to arrive at a new course for Iraq, now is likely to lay out his plan to the nation early next year instead of before Christmas, a senior White House official said Tuesday. Read
State Dept. Skips CIA, Goes Google — Newsmax

The U.S. State Department recently asked the CIA to identify Iranians who could be sanctioned for their role in their country's nuclear-weapons program. The CIA refused. Read
U.S. Wary of Post-Fidel Castro Cuba — Newsmax

The deterioration of President Fidel Castro's health has been accompanied by the rise of hardline elements to key positions in Cuba, leaving no possibility for democratic reformers to surface, a senior State Department official said Wednesday. Read
North Korea Might Disarm With Incentives — Sun-Sentinel.com

The nuclear talks have been on hold since November 2005, with the North refusing to attend in protest at U.S. financial restrictions imposed over Pyongyang's alleged complicity in money-laundering and counterfeiting of U.S. dollars. Read
Annan Blasts U.S. in Farewell — USA Today

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan makes his farewell address Monday at the Truman Library in Independence, Mo. In a farewell speech on U.S. soil today, retiring United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan plans to deliver a tough critique of President Bush's policies. He will accuse the administration of trying to secure the United States from terrorism in part by dominating other nations through force, committing what he termed human rights abuses and taking military action without broad international support. Read
Baby Abduction Points to Human Smuggling — INS News

Police in Fort Myers, Fla., say they believe a 1-month-old boy who was kidnapped was taken because his parents owed money in a human smuggling ring. Fort Myers Police Chief Hilton Daniels told ABC News authorities believe the parents of Bryan Dos Santos Gomes were brought into the United States illegally from Brazil, but failed to pay the smugglers' entire fee. Read
Tribal District Wants National Guard Banned — KVOA News 4

A district council on the Tohono O'odham Nation wants armed National Guard troops pulled from their mountaintop lookouts after an incident where tribal members on a ceremonial outing were detained. Read
STOLEN LIVES — Protectors, Too, Gather Profits From ID Theft — NYT

Criminals are not the only ones profiting from identity theft; financial institutions are making money, too. Read
Before Visit to China, a Rebuke — NYT

The U.S. formally accused China on Monday of failing to open the nation's economy and crack down on piracy of foreign goods. Read
Saudi Ambassador Abruptly Leaves D.C. — Newsmax

Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, Prince Turki al-Faisal, abruptly resigned his post after 15 months on the job and left the country, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing U.S. officials and foreign envoys. Read

Pornography/Homosexuality/Obscenity/Immorality/Sexual Abuse

Romney Again Says He's Anti-Gay Marriage — NBC17

Republican Gov. Mitt Romney, who is weighing a White House bid, dismissed criticism that he has flip-flopped on the issues of gay marriage and abortion and reaffirmed his opposition to both. Read
Salvation Army Received $1 Million to Combat Child Prostitution — Citizenlink.com

Group is selected for its connections to communities. Read
OAS Treaty Would Grant Human-Rights Protection to Sexual Orientation — Citizenlink.com

Brazil continues to push for the "same-sex revolution." Members of the Organization of American States (OAS) begin work this week on a treaty that would make sexual orientation "an inalienable right" worthy of human-rights protection. Read
Tell CBS Executives to "Pay The Fine!" — Grassfire.org

CBS is ignoring the voice of Americans and Congress by arguing that their actions (as in the case with Janet Jackson, and Nicole Richie's use of the s-word during live performances were not indecent. CBS claims the government's new "zero tolerance" policy for indecent broadcasts is threatening free speech. Executives at CBS are lobbying for the court to reinstate the old enforcement regime which amounted to a slap on the wrist for offensive material. Read
Child Porn Suspect Says Computer Was Hacked — KVOA News 4

A nationwide crackdown on child pornography has netted seven arrests in Pima County. Read
NJ: Senate Panel Approves Civil Unions Bill — NJ Star-Ledger

State lawmakers could vote later this week on a measure to allow gay and lesbian couples to form "civil unions" with the rights and responsibilities of marriage. Read
Florida Youth Protest Smutty Ornaments — Citizenlink.com

A group of teens from Carpenter's Shop Church in Arlington, Fla., wants mall-store Spencer's to remove pornographic ornaments — sold as "pornaments" — from its stores, WFTV.com reported. Read

Other News

Hamas Promises Brighter Bethlehem — Fayetteville Observer

Islamic militants may be in charge, but that doesn't mean there won't be Christmas this year. The cash-strapped Hamas government is promising $50,000 to dress up Jesus' traditional birthplace for the holiday, more than twice the amount spent in previous years. Read
Iran Will Have Nuclear Weapons by 2008 — Newsmax

Iran announced over the weekend that it was launching a bomb-scale uranium enrichment program, despite a U.N. Security Council demand that it freeze its nuclear activities. Read
Haniyeh vows to never recognize Israel — Ynet News

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh vowed on Friday that his Hamas-led government will never recognize Israel and will continue to fight for the liberation of Jerusalem. Read
France Deploys UAVs to Stop IAF Flights — Jerusalem Post

In an effort to put a stop to Israeli overflights in Lebanon, the French Armed Forces has deployed an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) squadron in southern Lebanon to conduct intelligence-gathering missions in place of the IDF. Read
Intelligence Official Warns: Syria Gearing up for Confrontation — Ynet News

Yossi Baidatz, head of the Research Division at the Military Intelligence Branch, told the cabinet Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad was working on two different fronts simultaneously — the diplomatic and the military one. Read
Arab States Announce Joint Efforts for 'Peaceful' Nukes — Fox News

Oil-rich Arab states in the Gulf announced at the end of a summit Sunday that they were considering a shared nuclear program for peaceful purposes. Read
Syrian Guerillas 'to Launch Resistance Within Months' — Ynet News

If Israel does not vacate the Golan Heights within months, a guerilla organization allegedly formed in Syria will soon launch "resistance operations" against Israeli positions and Jewish communities in the Golan, an official from Syrian President Bashar Assad's Baath party told WND in an exclusive interview. Read
Gulf Summit Opens with Warning of Regional Explosion — AFP

Saudi King Abdullah opened the annual summit of Gulf leaders with a warning that the Arab world was on the brink of exploding because of conflicts in the Palestinian territories, Iraq and Lebanon. Read
11 Suspected Militants Arrested in Spain — Las Vegas Sun

Hundreds of police and security officials arrested at least 11 suspected Islamic militants in pre-dawn raids Tuesday in the Spanish African enclave of Ceuta, nabbing them at their homes and while they prayed in local mosques...."It was an Islamic cell in the process of being formed, so they had no specific targets," Rubalcaba said. "But when we saw that they were moving from fanatic discussion to direct action we moved ahead to detain them." Read
Hamas Offers Israel 10 Years Of Peace, At A Price — All Headline News

Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal offered Israel a 10-year comprehensive ceasefire in return for meeting current Palestinian demands of a full withdrawal from the West Bank and the eastern half of Jerusalem in an interview published on Monday. Read
Iranian Students Disrupt Speech by President Ahmadinejad — FOX News

Iranian students staged a rare demonstration against President Mahmamoud Ahmadinejad on Monday, lighting a firecracker and burning his photograph in the audience as he delivered a speech at their university, the state news agency said. Read
Olmert: No signs of coming war — Ynet News

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday afternoon, just before he departed to Europe, "I have not received any intelligence alerts indicating the possibility of war." Read
Iran Holocaust Conference Draws Ire — The Fayetteville Observer

Iran on Monday hosted a conference gathering prominent Holocaust deniers that it said would examine whether the World War II genocide of Jews took place, drawing condemnation from Israel and Germany. Read
EU partially freezes Turkey talks — BBC News

EU foreign ministers have agreed to slow down talks on Turkey's membership because of its failure to open its ports and airports to Cypriot traffic. Read
Eastern Europe Struggles to Purge Security Services — NYT

Soviet-era security services are still sending shudders through the region nearly two decades after the fall of the

Berlin Wall. Read
Germany to renew Mideast peace efforts -Merkel — Reuters

Germany will use its presidency of the European Union next year to launch new efforts aimed at helping secure peace in the Middle East, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a regular video podcast on Saturday. Read
Haniyeh: This Generation Will Liberate Palestine — Ynet News

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh Sunday, and addressed the attempt to ignore the Palestinian issue over the past 60 years. Read

Disclaimer: The Christian Action League of North Carolina does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article posted on this site.

Index of Weekly Issues Alerts

2007

2006