Weekly Issues Alert

March 23 - 29

"Statesmen my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand....The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a great Measure, than they have it now, They may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty." --John Adams (letter to Zabdiel Adams, 21 June 1776)

NC General Assembly

Dozens Speak at Hearing Over North Carolina Public School Calendar — WRAL

Dozens of administrators, teachers, parents and former students spoke passionately Wednesday at a legislative public hearing on a bill that would broaden exceptions to North Carolina's rigid public school schedule. Read
Adults Who Supply Minors With Booze Could Lose License For Year — WRAL

It is currently a misdemeanor to give alcohol to someone who is under the age of 21, but a lawmaker wants to turn up the heat on adults who supply booze to minors. Read
Bill Requiring Photo Processors To Report Porn Makes Way To Senate — WRAL

A bill designed to find child sex predators is on its way to the state Senate. The bill, which recently passed the House, requires film and picture processors to tell authorities about any images they find that show minors involved in sexual activity Read
Debate Over School Start Date Renewed in NC House — ABC11News

The legislative debate over how much flexibility to give public schools in setting their calendars is back on, three years after a rancorous battle at the General Assembly. Read
Bill would open ethics hearings — News and Observer

Under the Dome: State Sen. Phil Berger wants state ethics charges and hearings opened to the public. Read
Lobbying just isn't what it used to be — News and Observer

Lobbyists and special interests used to spend money on lawmakers as they tried to shape or scrap laws. It was an often hidden part of the legislative process. But that is changing. Read
Lawmakers, Others Seek Fix for Hog Lagoons — ABC11News

It's been a decade since North Carolina banned pork farmers from building new hog waste lagoons. Read
Lawmakers put energy into limits on light bulbs — News and Observer

House Bill 838, which Harrison and Asheville Democrat Susan Fisher sponsored, would prohibit the sale of incandescent bulbs in North Carolina by 2016, the same year that bulb-maker Philips has pledged to stop making them. Read
Senate adds more bite to police dog protection law — News and Observer

If it passes, a bill would make it easier to punish the attacker. Read
Feds try to link tax break, gifts to co-speakers — News and Observer

A federal grand jury that continues to probe Jim Black's political and campaign activities is looking into political donations made by beer and wine wholesalers who lost a special tax break in 2003 that was partially restored later. Read
Smoking Delay — Herald Sun

A vote on a bill that would impose a broad ban on smoking in public places and businesses will be delayed from Tuesday until at least next week, a primary sponsor said. House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman, D-Davidson, said many House members remain undecided on whether to back the bill. A judiciary committee last week agreed to the measure, which would ban smoking in most restaurants, bars, offices and factories, with some exceptions. Holliman says many undecideds are trying to figure out whether health interests should be favored over the rights of businesses to decide what people can do on their premises.
Tax Attack — Herald Sun

The N.C. Association of Realtors has started an ad campaign against legislation that would give counties the power to tax real estate sales. The association, one of the state's most powerful lobbying groups, says the "home tax" would harm working families. The commercials are meant to counter increased interest among some legislators who are trying to find new revenue sources for infrastructure needs in growing areas of the state.
Employee Retirement — Herald Sun

The State Employees Association of North Carolina has passed a resolution urging the General Assembly to broaden the fiduciary responsibility of the state retirement system from State Treasurer Richard Moore to the system's trustee board. North Carolina is one of only four states with pension system in which only one person — the treasurer — has the sole authority over the system. The association's executive committee approved the resolution late last week. President change would provide checks and balances in the system.
Bills Introduced in the House: Herald Sun

_ H1020, to help with voter registration for former felons whose citizenship rights have been restored. Sponsor: Rep. Garland Pierce, D-Scotland.

_ H1021, to appropriate $12 million over the next two years for operations and maintenance funding assistance to small, rural hospitals. Sponsors: Reps. Bob England, D-Rutherford; Jeff Barnhart, R-Cabarrus.

_ H1032, to appropriate more than $17.5 million over the next two fiscal years to raise the hourly rate paid to attorneys representing indigent clients from $65 to $75. Sponsor: Reps. Alice Bordsen, D-Alamance; Jimmy Love Sr., D-Lee.

_ H1044, to create an income tax credit for companies that hire certain low-income workers. Sponsors: Reps. William Wainwright, D-Craven; Garland Pierce, D-Scotland.

_ H1026, to raise the cigarette tax from 35 cents per pack to 40 cents, with the additional revenues going to build a new cancer hospital at UNC-Chapel Hill. Sponsor: Rep. Hugh Holliman, D-Davidson.
Introduced in the Senate: Herald Sun

_ S1492, to create the Solid Waste Management Act of 2007, which recommends changes to how landfills operate and are licensed in North Carolina. Sponsors: Sens. Dan Clodfelter, D-Mecklenburg; Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin.

NC Gambling

Information, Not Help Wanted on Lottery Helpline — ABC 11

It's a lottery helpline set up to counsel those with gambling problems. But most callers have different needs. Like what are the winning Powerball numbers? And can you help me with this scratch-off ticket? Read
41 Cited for Gambling After Warehouse Bust — WRAL

Police cited 41 people with gambling after executing a search warrant at a local warehouse with the help of federal agents and a National Guard unit. Read

NC Politics

Smith Announces He's Running for N.C. Governor — WRAL

State Sen. Fred Smith formally entered the race to become North Carolina's next governor on Friday. Read
Black's boys still ride high — News and Observer

...it is not farfetched to imagine that Black looked out for a couple of his boys once he saw that the jig was up. Think about it. If you were being ridden out of town in handcuffs, but wanted to help a couple of loyal pals, wouldn't you pull a potential successor aside and go, "Yo, dawg, look out for my posse, will ya?" The new speaker, Joe Hackney, denied to a reporter that such a thing occurred, but the result is the same. Former Rep. Michael Wilkins, who was Black's chief of staff, and Allen Rogers, who handled state boards and commissions, both landed or retained cushy jobs. Read

Other North Carolina News

N.C.-based Soldier Killed in Iraq — ABC 11

An 82nd Airborne Division soldier killed in Iraq was reportedly passing out candy to children at the time. Read
N.C. soldiers sit at traditional Afghan councils with Taliban — Star News

The U.S. paratroopers sat down with Afghan elders and police to a shared lunch meant to foster relations. Read
Camp Lejeune to start enforcing restrictions on state highway — Star News

Traffic on a state highway that runs through Camp Lejeune will be restricted starting April 2, Marine Corps officials announced Monday. Base officials said allowing only vehicles with Department of Defense decals to pass through on N.C. 172 will help increase security on the base. The restriction will remain in effect indefinitely. Read
UNC Mascot, Concord Native Dies After Accident Near N.J. Arena — WSOC TV

A 21-year-old University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student who served as a mascot for the school's basketball team died Monday, three days after he was struck by a sport-utility vehicle while walking along a highway. Read
Did doctor monitor executions? — News and Observer

Doctor who attended at least 18 state executions speaks publicly, breaking the anonymity that has surrounded capital punishment. His deposition shows the clash between medical ethics and the law Read
3 Charged With Making Bogus Documents — WRAL

Three illegal immigrants were arrested Wednesday after Hoke County authorities broke up what they called a mill that churned out phony identification documents. Read
NCCU improves on nursing exam — News and Observer

Though N.C. Central University's nursing graduates showed improvement on the state licensure exam in 2006, they still fell just short of a UNC system requirement that 85 percent must pass. Read
Tourism generated $15B in North Carolina in '06 — Triangle Business Journal

More than 45 million visitors flocked to North Carolina in 2006, spending more than $15 billion in the process. Read
Ex-diving coach told to leave U.S. — News and Observer

An immigration judge in Atlanta on Friday ordered the deportation of former N.C. State University diving coach John Candler, who had coached at the school for more than 35 years before resigning in 2003. Candler has twice pleaded guilty to sexual offenses. Read
Economist, author named Bennett College president — Herald Sun

Economist and author Julianne Malveaux was named the new president of Bennett College on Monday, taking over the private women's school amid a $50 million fundraising campaign. Read
Duke athletics panel altered — News and Observer

The reorganization could give faculty more influence over the university's athletics program. Duke President Richard Brodhead reviewed the changes Thursday with the Academic Council. Read
North Carolina 21st for foreclosures — Triangle Business Journal

North Carolina ranks in the middle of the pack nationally in a recent survey of foreclosure rates among the 50 states. The Tar Heel state ranked 21st in the nation for the highest number of foreclosures, according to the February 2007 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, a monthly survey conducted by RealtyTrac. Read
Five N.C. colleges want out of convention — News and Observer

Five colleges and universities in North Carolina are on the path to divorcing the Baptist State Convention. Read
North Carolina pays millions to settle ACS dispute — Triangle Business Journal

The State of North Carolina will pay Texas-based Affiliated Computer Systems, ACS, $6.2 million to settle the dispute over ACS's 2006 firing as the state's Medicaid claims processor. Read
Census: Charlotte Area Grows While Eastern North Carolina Struggles — News and Observer

Nearly 40 percent of newcomers to North Carolina between 2000 and last July settled in the Charlotte area, while 10 of the 12 counties that lost residents were in the eastern part of the state, according to census figures released Thursday. Read
High-school classes practice cheating so they'll know to avoid it in college — Winston-Salem Journal

In September, Laurie Schaeffer told her class to plagiarize a paper. "I told them they would never hear these words from me again, but their challenge was to plagiarize a paper." Read
President Attend Billy Graham Library Dedication — ABC 11

Former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush will speak at the May 31st dedication, said Graham's son, Franklin. In addition, Billy Graham, 88, expects to attend, but his level of participation depends largely on the Parkinson's disease that afflicts him, Franklin Graham told The Charlotte Observer on Monday. Read
Duke spin-off lands $23M in funding — Triangle Business Journal

Morrisville drug development firm Regado Biosciences Inc. on Tuesday said it has raised $23 million in third-round funding. Read
Plastics Maker to Relocate to Eastern North Carolina, Invest $7 Million — WRAL

CMI Plastics will invest more than $7 million to open a manufacturing plant in eastern North Carolina, Gov. Mike Easley's office announced Tuesday. Read
North Carolina Glaxosmithkline Foundation Awards Grants to Promote Health, Sciences and Education — DBusiness News

The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation today announced 2006 fiscal year grants aimed at creating better lives for people of all ages across the state through programs related to the sciences, health and education. Additionally, the Foundation announced it is launching a new program, Ribbon of Hope, to assist nonprofits across the state, and that its Women in Science Scholars Program has expanded to 29 colleges and universities in 2006. Read

Congress

Senate OKs Iraq Troop Withdrawal Bill — WRAL

Senate Democrats ignored a veto threat and pushed through a bill Thursday requiring President Bush to start withdrawing troops from "the civil war in Iraq," dealing a rare, sharp rebuke to a wartime commander in chief. Read
House Dems Pushing for Largest Tax Increase in History — Yahoo

Pro-family experts say tax hike would devastate families. Tax relief signed by President Bush in 2001 and 2003 is scheduled to expire in 2010, and some Democratic lawmakers want to see it end — effectively raising taxes to the highest level in history. Read
Battle Over Proposed Landing Field Heads To D.C. — News and Observer

Critics of a proposed landing field for the U.S. Navy in Washington County will head to the nation's capital Wednesday to make their pleas to lawmakers. Read
Lawmakers Hear Cruise Ship Horror Stories — Congress Mulls Legislation to Curb Crime on Open Seas — AOL

Members of Congress , hearing horror stories Tuesday about crime aboard cruise ships, said legislation might be needed to guard against lawlessness on the open seas. Read
Foley Back From Rehab; Florida Considering Charges — ABC

Florida law enforcement officials are building a possible criminal case against disgraced former Congressman Mark Foley, R-Fla., based on sexually explicit instant messages that were sent from Pensacola, Fla., to an underage high school student, thereby falling under the state's tough law on Internet sexual predators, ABC News has learned. Read
Congress to Honor Black Aviator Unit — WRAL

Six decades after completing their World War II mission and coming home to a country that discriminated against them because they were black, the Tuskegee Airmen are getting high honors from Congress. Read
Video shows activity that would receive even more protection under new "hate crimes" law — AFA

If you protest the kind of public activity shown on this video, the proposed federal "hate crimes" law may be the first step toward limiting your freedom to speak out against open homosexual activity. A new "hate crimes" bill further protecting homosexual activity has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would increase protection for the kind of activity shown on this video. Read

Action
Government Waste Reduction Act — The Patriot Post Digest 3/23

Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC) introduced the Government Waste Reduction Act (H.R. 1121), which would require that all increases in mandatory spending be offset with reductions in other spending. Rep. Barrett also introduced the Emergency Spending Control Act (H.R. 1122), which would more narrowly define what constitutes "emergency" spending. Rep. Michael Conaway (R-TX) introduced the Federal Programs Offset Resolution (H.Res. 14), which would amend House Rules to require that any bill or joint resolution that creates a new federal program would have to also eliminate one or more existing federal programs of equal or greater cost.
Who Got Bought — Human Events

Only seven of the 43-member Blue Dog Democrats — a group that purports to fight for fiscal responsibility and strong national security — voted against last week's pork-stuffed Iraq withdrawal spending bill. Read
Democrats Bringing Back 'Death Tax,' Republican Warns — CNS News

House Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) says the Democrats' budget plan clears the way for the estate tax to return in 2011. Read
Tillman Family Wants Congressional Probe — WRAL

Pat Tillman's family firmly rejected the Defense Department's findings into the former NFL star's friendly-fire death in Afghanistan, calling for congressional investigations into what they see as broad malfeasance and a cover-up. Read
Senate Prepares for Chemical Plant Security Showdown — US News and World Report

A brewing battle focusing on states' rights and chemical plant security will come to a head later this month when the Senate decides whether to follow the House's lead on controversial chemical plant security legislation. Read
Gonzales losing support of 3 key senators — News and Observer

Republican support for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales eroded Sunday as three key senators sharply questioned his honesty over last fall's firings of eight federal prosecutors. Read
Anti-contraception Group Blasts 'REAL' Sex Ed Bill — Christian Newswire

The No Room for Contraception Campaign released the following statement today regarding the "Responsible Education About Life" Act, introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). "Comprehensive Sexuality Education programs may have an innocuous name, but in reality these programs are not in the best interests of our youth. The programs are comprised of an aggressive agenda designed to influence the values and morals of our culture's children in favor of risky sexual behaviors" said Ruben Obregon, president of the campaign. Read
Democrats win Iraq vote 218-212 — The Hill

In a major victory for Democrats, the House passed a measure Friday that requires most U.S. troops to leave Iraq by September 2008 or earlier. Read
Democratic Lawmakers to Reintroduce ERA — CNS News

Liberal Democrats in the Senate and House plan to resume "the fight for women's equality" on Tuesday, when they reintroduce the Women's Equality Amendment. Read
Al Gore: The Planet Has a Fever, Needs Doctor — News Max

In an emotional return to Congress Wednesday, Al Gore testified that the Earth has a fever and needs to see a doctor. Gore claimed we face a "true planetary emergency" if Congress fails to act on global warming. Read
Democrats want to give DC a congressman — The Patriot Post Alert 3/23

Perhaps Republicans do have spines. A House bill that would give Washington, DC, a full-fledged representative was foiled by a GOP provision to repeal the DC gun ban (which was just overturned in court anyway). Democrats wanted a seat for the District of Columbia and one for Utah — likely to prevent a northeastern blue state from losing one in the 2010 census. DC already has a "Delegate" with full committee rights who can even vote on floor amendments, so long as the vote does not break a tie. Liberals have clamored to add representation for the overwhelmingly Democrat district for some time, and this plan mirrors their recent move to grant full voting rights to several American territories, also with large Demo constituencies. The White House and several lawmakers are against the move, stating that it is unconstitutional. Indeed, Article I, Section 2 clearly states, "The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States..." Try as it might, DC is not a state, hence the name "District of Columbia." Of course, strictly construing the Constitution has never been the Left's purpose: Just gaining and holding ever more power.
GOP withholds member to protest FL-13 task force — The Hill

House Republicans are refusing to name a member to a three-person task force created to analyze the contested election in Florida's 13th district in protest of the task force's establishment and mission. Read
Union interests trump free market? — The Patriot Post Alert 3/23

Political promises of fiscal responsibility and immunity to special-interest groups aside, the Democrat controlled Congress recently bent its knee at the altar of union interests, and the sacrificial lamb was none other than the hardworking American taxpayer. In a move receiving virtually no coverage from the mainstream media, the House recently passed the 2007 Water Quality Financing Act, which expands the scope of the Davis-Bacon Act to the tune of $14 billion over four years. A darling of organized labor, Davis-Bacon mandates that the government pay workers on federal construction projects a "prevailing wage," a term basically synonymous with "union-determined wages." This allows unions to inflate their own wages well above market value while shutting out competition from non-union firms that simply cannot foot the bill of paying union-level wages. The WQFA expands Davis-Bacon's requirements to include state-funded construction projects and thus further lines the pockets of organized labor by essentially eliminating competition from non-organized workers. Hardest hit among these workers are low-income laborers, primarily minorities, who find themselves artificially ousted from market competition. As is always the case with federal mandates, Congress may place the order, but the bill goes to the American taxpayer, and both individuals and small businesses take the hit to keep union coffers filled.
House GOP starts fundraising for vulnerable members — The Hill

...The Capitol Club fundraiser will be held on April 25 and feature Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) as the special guest, with a minimum contribution of $1,000. Money raised is divided evenly among the participating members. Read
Congress tries to tighten the screws on Tehran — The Hill

The Bush administration will need to engage in a full-scale lobbying campaign if it hopes to prevent Congress from approving a tougher Iran sanctions regimen this year, according to business sources. Read
Shipbuilders want Congress to address Navy non-payments — The Hill

The shipbuilding industry, which has accused the Navy of withholding payments to shipyards on completed contracts, is appealing to Congress to address the issue. Read

Christianity/Pro-Family/Religion/Ethics

Faith Group to Conduct Public Celebration of the Stations of the Cross on Capitol Hill — Christian Newswire

The event will begin at Columbus Fountain in front of Union Station at noon and participants will walk across Capitol Hill, carrying a seven foot wooden cross, as they celebrate the 14 Stations of the Cross. Read
Presidential Election May Hinge on Born-Again Voters — Citizenlink

Hopefuls try to catch the eye of evangelicals. Candidates of all parties are struggling to craft messages that will resonate with evangelical and born-again Christians. Born-again voters will cast about half of all ballots in the next presidential election, according to The Barna Group. It defines a "born-again" believer as someone who has a personal commitment to Christ and who says they will go to Heaven when they die. Read
Has The Church Left Millions Behind? These Questions Answered and Many More — Christian Newswire

Barna Research study indicated that one out of three people in the United States, or nearly 100 million citizens do not go to church. Read
20/20 Hit Piece Against Christian Ministries Misrepresents Facts; Trinity Broadcasting Network Responds With The Truth — Christian Newswire

An ABC News 20/20 segment critiquing the spending practices of major Christian ministries based on unreliable information obtained from a prejudiced source mislead viewers by presenting biased opinion, innuendo and outdated and incomplete information as facts, according to Paul Crouch, Jr., Vice President of Administration for Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). Read
World Premiere of 'The Case for Christ's Resurrection' Airs April 4th on TBN — Christian Newswire

Officials for Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), the world's largest religious broadcaster and America's most-watched faith channel, announced that the network will air the world premiere of the inspirational and challenging documentary The Case for Christ's Resurrection April 4th at 5:30 p.m. (PST). Read
Gay Activists Shift Strategy on Marriage — Citizenlink

Civil unions, domestic partnerships seen as stepping stones. Gay-rights advocates call a deluge of civil-union bills a shift in strategy, but marriage defenders say the institution is still under attack. Sen. Edward Murray, an openly gay lawmaker in Washington state, told The Associated Press that for years activists focused solely on redefining marriage — but this year things have changed. Activists now claim same-sex couples simply want rights and benefits. "It's very new," he said. "If I had suggested this strategy a year or two ago, I would have been run out of my district." Read
Pope Warns: "Hell . . . Exists and is Eternal" — LifeSiteNews.com

In a homily delivered Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI stated, "Jesus came to tell us that He wants us all in heaven and that hell — of which so little is said in our time — exists and is eternal for those who close their hearts to His love." Read
Persecution Increases in Uzbekistan — Christian Science Monitor

The religious liberty situation for Protestant Christians in Uzbekistan has deteriorated markedly since May 2005. There are two reasons for this and while one is well understood, the other is not. Read
Russian Orthodox priest stabbed outside church — Reuters

A Russian Orthodox priest was stabbed in the neck outside his church in the city of Voronezh on Sunday, Itar-Tass news agency reported. The attack in the south-western Russian city follows two violent deaths of Russian priests in recent months, which local media ascribed to a decline in moral standards. Read
Andhra Pradesh, Christians ask for protection from persecution — Asia News

...The Christian community of Hyderabad, Capital of Andhra Pradesh (Ap), have asked the local government for a law protection ethnic minorities. Meanwhile the Hindu activists carry out aggressive attacks on Christians and the parties organize public protests calling for all Christian activities to be banned in the Hindu Holy city of Tirupati. Read
Critics Protest 'Anti-Smacking' Bill — AP

Hundreds of protesters marched on New Zealand's Parliament Wednesday, demanding lawmakers throw out a proposed new law that critics say removes parents' right to smack their children. Read
IRS cracks down on charity cheats — CNN Money

The tax man is hoping to rub out the practice of overexaggerating charitable contributions. Does your return reflect that? Read

Courts

Supreme Court Urged to Lift Political Ad Restrictions — CNS News

With an eye on the 2008 elections, a number of groups from across the political spectrum are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ban on organizations airing issue advertisements on TV or radio 30 days before a primary and 60 days before a general election. Read
Man Gets Probation for Sex With Dead Deer — AOL News

...He was found guilty in April 2005 of felony mistreatment of an animal after he killed a horse with the intention of having sex with it. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail.... Read
German Court Places Custody of Yet Another 5 Homeschooling Children with Government's Youth Office — LifeSiteNews

...The Christian Broadcasting Network reports the court ordered the Jugendamt, an organization created by National Socialist chancellor Adolf Hitler in 1939, to retain custody of Rosine, Jotham, Kurt-Simon, Lovis and Ernst, the children of Bert and Kathrin Brause of Zittau, until they are returned to public school. Although the children still remain with their parents, the Jugendamt may seize them forcibly at any time, as was the case with 15 year-old Melissa Busekros in Bavaria. Busekros was snatched by 15 police officers over 6 weeks ago to a psychiatric clinic in Nuremburg for "school phobia," and continues to remain separated from her family in an undisclosed location. Read
Judge Throws Out Lawsuit Against Rumsfeld — Las Vegas Sun

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit Tuesday brought by nine former prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan that names former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for alleged torture at military prisons overseas. Read
Dan Brown cleared of plagiarism — Telegraph.co.uk

Author Dan Brown did not copy large parts of an earlier work to produce his blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code, the Court of Appeal ruled today. Read

Abortion/Pro-Life

Texas Lawmaker Introduces Adoption Incentive — Citizenlink

A Texas lawmaker wants to offer abortion-minded women a $500 incentive to choose adoption over abortion, The Associated Press reported. Read
Vatican to UN: "First Right of Children is that of Being Born" — LifeSiteNews.com

"The first right of children is that of being born and educated in a welcoming and secure family environment where their physical, psychological and spiritual growth is guaranteed, their potential is developed and where the awareness of personal dignity becomes the base for relating to others and for confronting the future." Read
Christian Medical Association: CA Suicide Bill Should Be Labeled 'Covert Abuses Act' — Christian Newswire

The 16,000-member Christian Medical Association today voiced strong opposition to a bill (AB 374), reviewed Tuesday by the Assembly Judiciary Committee, that would legalize assisted suicide in California. Read
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Brings a Fight for Dear Life to Homeschool Families Worldwide — Christian Newswire

...Thanks to Gibbs, a homeschooling parent himself, many will hear his first hand account of the brutal cruelty of a euthanasia death. He believes it is time for parents to fight against this crime before their children grow up in a country that murders the handicapped and the unborn under the title of "freedom." Hidden in the euthanasia doctrine is the very old but ever-convincing Darwinian philosophy, "Survival of the fittest." Read
Vermont House Rejects Assisted Suicide — "Incredible Victory" Says Anti-Euthanasia Leader — LifeSiteNews

The Vermont House of Representatives voted against a proposal yesterday that would have made the state the second in the country to permit physician-assisted suicide, following Oregon. Read
UK: Let nurses carry out abortions, say experts — London Telegraph

Abortions could be carried out by nurses under proposals published today which would see the biggest shake up of the law in 40 years Read
British Scientists Propose Human-Animal Hybrid Cloning — Fox News

It was nearly a decade ago that Jose Cibelli plugged his own DNA into a cow's egg in a novel cloning attempt that was condemned as unethical by President Clinton and landed the Michigan State University researcher in a mess of controversy. Read
Missouri Governor Cuts Planned Parenthood Funding — Citizenlink

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt announced last week that state money won't be given to the nation's largest abortion provider, LifeNews reported. "Today, I put an end to taxpayer dollars going to Planned Parenthood," he said. "This ensures women may access important preventative care without contributing to abortion providers' goal of facilitating the destruction of innocent life." Read
Pennsylvania Abortions Drop 3% in 2005, State-Funded Alternatives Reach Over 16,000 — Christian Newswire

Real Alternatives, Inc., statewide program administrator for Pennsylvania's Alternative to Abortion Services Program, reports that in 2005, 16, 344 women where provided comprehensive counseling, mentoring, and support throughout their nine (9) months of pregnancy and twelve (12) months after the birth of their baby. Read

Alcohol/Drugs/Health

Kentucky Bans Conventional CigarettesTobacco-Rich Kentucky Bans Sale of Conventional Cigarettes in Favor of Fire-Safe Versions — ABC News

Traditional cigarettes essentially will be banned from this tobacco-producing state under a new law limiting sales to so-called fire-safe versions. Kentucky is joining seven others that require the special smokes in an effort to prevent fires ignited by cigarettes, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Read
Man Dies After Recording Own Addiction — WRAL

A former trucker whose documentary chronicled an agonizing descent as methamphetamine ravaged his body has died, optimistic to the end that his story would keep others from the highly addictive stimulant. Read

Education/Sex Ed/Teens/Children

Muslim pupils kill teacher in northeast Nigeria — Reuters

..."We have received information that a female teacher has been lynched by her students. We are investigating the report," Gombe state police commissioner Joseph Ibi said. At least five people were killed and several churches burned down in February 2006 in the neighbouring state of Bauchi by Muslims infuriated that a Christian teacher in a secondary school had tried to confiscate a Koran from a student who was reading it during class. Read
Colleges Hiring Lenders to Field Queries on Aid — NYT

Students who call colleges with financial aid questions sometimes end up talking to employees of loan companies. Read
South Carolina Teachers Accused of Sex With Boys — WRAL

The arrest of two women teachers on charges of having sex with their male students has brought cries of lingering racism in one of South Carolina's most conservative counties and evoked some of the South's oldest and deepest-seated racial taboos. Read
More teachers push for civics education — World Magazine

Iain Macpherson cares so deeply about teaching civics that the 61-year-old Scottish immigrant turned himself into a show-and-tell project. He arranged for a federal judge to perform his own citizenship ceremony in front of his fifth-graders, hoping to show what it means to be an American citizen. "I wanted them to know what the experience is like," Macpherson said. Read
UK Regulations Barring Religious Schools from Teaching Against Homosexuality Approved Sexual Orientation Regulations Pass House of Lords — LifeSiteNews

The UK's Sexual Orientation Regulations, that will make it illegal for Christian schools, services and businesses to operate according to their religious principles, passed its last hurdle last night in a vote in the House of Lords. Read
Group Offers Resurrection Lesson Plan for Public Schools — Citizenlink

Gateways to Better Education is encouraging public-school teachers to teach the meaning of the Resurrection. Educators have nothing to fear, the group says — if it's done objectively. Read
Study links child care to problem behavior — World Magazine

The more time that children spent in child care, the more likely their sixth grade teachers were to report problem behavior. Read
Protect your children from online predators — CNN

..."Your child could be physically harmed by someone he or she encounters online and later meets in person," said online security expert Benjamin Halpert on Thursday as he addressed a group of security experts at the 2007 Cyber Crime Summit in Kennesaw. Read
Jewish Seminary to Admit Gays Conservative Jewish Seminary to Allow Gays and Lesbians to Apply — ABC News

The major seminary and flagship institution of Conservative Judaism said Monday it will start accepting openly gay and lesbian students, after scholars who interpret Jewish law for the movement voted to allow it. Read
Fla. school hired felons for campus jobs — World Magazine

The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind allowed felons to work on campus construction jobs during the past two years, according to interviews and documents. Many of the workers were allowed on campus even though they had failed background checks, school employees complained. Read
Creationism growing issue in France — CNN

Islamist publisher sparks debate with illustrated Muslim creationist book Read

Gambling

Government faces tough casino vote — Telegraph.co.uk

...Her legislation only came under threat when the Conservatives performed a policy U-turn last week, she said: "The reason there is any doubt is because the Conservatives have withdrawn their support." Miss Jowell confirmed that there were no more plans for any super-casinos before 2009 at the earliest. "There are no plans for any more big casinos in this parliament," she said. Read

God and Country/National Security/Politics

5 U.S. Soldiers Die in Iraq Bomb Blasts — ABC News

Roadside Bombs Kill 5 U.S. Soldiers in Iraq — 4 in a Single Strike Northeast of Baghdad Read
U.S. Military Foils Insurgent AttackU.S. Soldiers Kill About 15 Insurgents, Foil Truck Bomb Attacks — ABC

U.S. soldiers foiled two suicide truck bombings against their base in a small town west of Baghdad and killed as many as 15 attackers, the U.S. military reported Tuesday. Read
Army's Newest Recruiting Tool: YouTube — WRAL

The U.S. Army is hoping videos from soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere will help make the case to convince more men and women to be all they can be. Read
U.S. Navy Shows Force in Persian Gulf — ABC News

The U.S. Navy on Tuesday began its largest demonstration of force in the Persian Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, led by a pair of aircraft carriers and backed by warplanes flying simulated attack maneuvers off the coast of Iran. Read

Related
Russian intelligence sees U.S. military buildup on Iran border — Russian News & Information Agency

Russian military intelligence services are reporting a flurry of activity by U.S. Armed Forces near Iran's borders, a high-ranking security source said Tuesday. Read
45.7 Million Customers' Card Data Stolen — AOL Money nd Finance

More than two months after first disclosing that hackers accessed customers' financial data from its computers, discount retailer TJX Cos. has revealed that information from at least 45.7 million credit and debit cards was stolen over an 18-month period. Read
Marines Ban Big, Garish Tattoos — WRAL

The Marines are banning any new, extra-large tattoos below the elbow or the knee, saying such body art is harmful to the Corps' spit-and-polish image. Read
Oil spikes $5 on rumors of Iran attack — CNN Money

U.S. crude futures briefly spiked over $5 a barrel in electronic trading late Tuesday on rumors that Iran fired on U.S. Navy warships. Read
Work 4 months to pay taxes — CNN Money

11:02am: 'Tax freedom day' — the day Americans can stop working for government and start working for themselves — is April 30. But each state's day differs. See how yours ranks. Read
Energy Department Fined $1 Million — AP

The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday fined the federal Energy Department $1.1 million over violations of an agreement to clean up the Hanford nuclear reservation, the nation's most polluted nuclear site. Read
Texas signs new self-defense by gun law By Ed Stoddard — Reuters

Criminals in Texas beware: if you threaten someone in their car or office, the citizens of this state where guns are ubiquitous have the right to shoot you dead. Governor Rick Perry's office said on Tuesday that he had signed a new law that expands Texans' existing right to use deadly force to defend themselves "without retreat" in their homes, cars and workplaces. Read
Christians Reviving America's Values Files Freedom of Information Act Demanding Pictures of Border Patrol Agent's Beating Wants President Bush to See Pictures, Too — Christian Newswire

"The American people deserve to see the truth about how our border patrol agents have been mistreated," the Rev. Don Swarthout filed a Freedom of Information Act request today with the Federal Bureau of Prisons demanding that photographs of the beating of Border Patrol Agent Ignacio Ramos be released to the public. Rev. Swarthout also asked for any and all reports relating to the tragic beating of Ramos that occurred on February 3rd, 2007. Border Patrol Agent Ignacio Ramos was reportedly severely beaten while sleeping at a prison in Yazoo City, Mississippi. While they were beating him several illegal aliens reportedly shouted, "Kill the Border Patrol Agent." Read
Sanctions hit Iran's Revolutionary Guards — Worthy News

The Bush administration is using the nuclear standoff with Iran to target the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, accused by the United States of backing extremists in the Middle East, carrying out terror attacks and arming Iraqi militia groups. Read
Democrats fear Fred Thompson ... and should — The Patriot Post

...Notwithstanding his tip of the hat to the current field of GOP contenders, Thompson made it clear that he would be watching them: "I wanted to see how my colleagues who are on the campaign trail do now — what they say, what they emphasize ... and whether or not they can carry the ball next November." Read
Man who threatened Capitol Police is killed after standoff with FBI — The Hill

A man who threatened the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) earlier this month was killed Thursday following a nine-hour standoff, according to news reports. Read
Al-Qaida Escapee Urges Somali 'Holy War' — ABC News

In a new video posted Sunday on the Internet, an al-Qaida militant who escaped from a U.S. prison in Afghanistan called on militants in Somalia to fight a gangland-style holy war against government troops. Read
Va. Gov. Vetoes 5 Death Penalty Bills — US News and World Report

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine announced Monday he had vetoed five bills that would have expanded the crimes punishable by death in Virginia, the state second only to Texas in executions. Read
Clinton: 'It's just not fair' — The Hill

Former President Bill Clinton yesterday complained that "it's just not fair" the way his wife, presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), is being depicted for her controversial Iraq war vote. Read
Castro publishes article criticizing U.S. on environment — CNN

..."Condemned to premature death by hunger and thirst more than 3 billion people of the world," read the headline in Castro's article in the Communist Party daily Granma, which asserted that U.S. President Bush's support of using crops to produce ethanol for automobiles in rich nations could deplete food stocks in developing countries. Read

Pornography/Homosexuality/Immorality/Obscenity/Violence

Gay-Rights Activists Arrested After Sit-In at Seminary to Protest Pastor's Remarks on Homosexuality — FOX

...Jarrett Lucas, a co-director of the tour visiting Christian colleges says about a dozen members of the group were arrested and escorted off the campus and charged with criminal trespassing after sitting in front of Mohler's office for about two hours. Read
Quebec Shifts Away from Statist Left and Gay Politics in Monday Election — LifeSiteNews

In Monday's election, Quebecers are sending a message that the province's admiration for leftist government paternalism, as well as the advance of homosexual politics, is nearing its end. Openly gay Andre Boisclair's separatist Parti Quebecois has suffered its most resounding defeat in its recent history while the moderately conservative Action democratique du Quebec, headed by Mario Dumont of Riviere du Loup, surged from five seats to 41 and will replace the PQ as the official opposition. Read
True Knights Expands to Strengthen Families to Battle the Threat of Pornography and Sexual Addictions — Christian Newswire

True Knights Announces its New National Advisory Board and Renews its Commitment to Help Men Become True Men of God by Proclaiming the Splendor of God's Truth for Human Sexuality and Bringing About a Greater Public Awareness of the Serious Threat of Pornography to Marriages and Families. Read
Embattled AG now accused in sex scandal 'cover-up' — World Net Daily

Attorney General Gonzales among officials who allegedly ignored all-night boy parties Read
More Details on the Proposed Brazil Law to Jail Pastors who Preach Homosexual Activity is Sin — LifeSiteNews.com

Legislation under consideration by the Brazilian Senate that would make any public expression of opposition to homosexuality a crime poses a serious threat to religious freedom in the country, a legal expert warned earlier this week. Read
Study: HIV-positive Practicing Homosexual Men 9000% More Likely to Develop Anal Cancer — LifeSiteNews

New research has again shown the grave danger of homosexual sex acts to the human body. The grave health risks associated with such dangerous sexual behaviours is one of the prime reasons why society as a whole should oppose homosexual acts, doctors have told LifeSiteNews.com under condition of anonymity. Read
Lesbian Argues Ga. Gays Can't Adopt Kids — WPTF

...Sara Wheeler made the legal argument that, since nothing in Georgia law specifically allowed gay adoption, the adoption should be tossed out. Read
Man Says Sex Change Should End Alimony — AP

Lawrence Roach agreed to pay alimony to the woman he divorced, not the man she became after a sex change, his lawyers argued in an effort to end the payments. But the ex-wife's attorneys argued Tuesday that the operation doesn't alter the agreement. Read

Other News

Study: Rising Seas Threaten Most of World's Large Cities — Fox News

More than two-thirds of the world's large cities are in areas vulnerable to global warming and rising sea levels, and millions of people are at risk of being swamped by flooding and intense storms, according to a new study released Wednesday. Read
Accept peace plan or face war, Israel told — Telegraph.co.uk

The "lords of war" will decide Israel's future if it rejects a blueprint for peace crafted by the entire Arab world, Saudi Arabia's veteran foreign minister warned yesterday. Read
Britons to be tried, Tehran says — The Washington Times

The Iranian government will charge 15 captured British service members with "illegal entrance into Iranian waters," Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said yesterday, raising the stakes in his country's confrontation with an outraged British government. Read
Blair warns Tehran of next 'phase' in standoff — Washington Times

British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Iran yesterday of a "different phase" in the standoff over 15 detained British sailors and marines, while a former Iranian ambassador with close ties to the regime said Iran wants the release of at least seven of its officials. Read
Merkel seeks treaty giving EU more powers by 2009 — Worthy News

Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has seized the initiative over the European constitution by outlining ambitious plans to clinch an end-of-year deal on a fresh treaty that would include new powers for the EU. Read
Hamas prepares 'rocket war' in ex-Jewish city — World Net Daily

Terrorists use evacuated lands to test weapons targeted at Israel Read
Russia, China Urge Iran to Heed U.N. — ABC News

The presidents of Russia and China on Monday called on Iran to fulfill the U.N. Security Council's resolutions over its disputed nuclear program. Read
Booted Jews 're-invade' to get former homes back — World Net Daily

Israelis marching to community uprooted during Jewish state's 2005 withdrawal — 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