Weekly Issues Alert

May 4 - 10

NC General Assembly

Bill would target those who help minors get alcohol — News and Observer

Parents of a student who was killed in a car crash successfully lobbied a legislative committee today to approve a bill to revoke the driver's license of anyone who helps minors obtain alcohol. Read
House Moves Forward with Budget Bill — ABC 11

The state House is moving forward with its two-year budget bill today. Read
Borrowing grows without voter approval — News and Observer

As state House members take up a $20.3 billion budget proposal today, they will also consider tacking on another $450 million in debt for several university facilities, expansions at three state prisons and other projects Read
Bill would let DAs sit on some records — News and Observer

North Carolina prosecutors hope to roll back parts of the 2004 law that helped defense lawyers show the innocence of the three men charged in the Duke lacrosse case. Under the proposal, Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong could have withheld notes from an investigator. Read
Bill Calls for Study of School Bus Seat Belts — ABC 11

The North Carolina Senate wants to know if children would be safer on school buses if they wore seat belts. Read
Diocese opposes bill on life's end — News and Observer

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh came out strongly Tuesday against proposed legislation aimed at strengthening patients' control over the care they want at the end of life. Read
State workers rally for raise — News and Observer

About 250 state employees rallied today at the Capitol before marching to the General Assembly to press House lawmakers for a 5 percent annual raise. Read
Monday, May 7, at the GA (Winston-Salem Journal)

TAXING DELAYS: As expected, the House budget would prevent two "temporary" taxes approved in 2001 from going off the books entirely this year. The General Assembly last year began phasing out the two taxes originally approved in 2001 _ an extra halfpenny on the sales tax and a boost in the income tax bracket for the state's highest wage earners. The House plan would stop the phase-out, projected to be completed this year, and keep the taxes on the books another two years. House Finance Committee co-chairman Rep. Paul Luebke, D-Durham, said the $300 million or so generated by the taxes are needed to fund the education and health care needs of the state. The bill also would create a new tax credit for low-income taxpayers and provide various new or expanded credits for businesses and people who adopt children. Democrats who penned the two-year budget want it approved and sent to the Senate by the end of the week.

YOUNG ESCAPEES: House members withheld final approval from a bill that would allow law enforcement to publicize the names, photographs and crimes of juvenile offenders who escape from custody. Sponsors of the bill said it would protect the public from potentially violent, dangerous young criminals. "A 15-year-old with a 9 mm (gun) is just as dangerous as a 21-year-old with a 9 mm, especially if it's pointed at you or me," Rep. Ronnie Sutton, D-Robeson, said. But opponents said the bill was too far-reaching and could punish lesser offenders as well as those who unintentionally return late from permitted trips away from where they are being held. The House voted 92-23 to approve the measure, but a final vote was delayed on an objection by Rep. Rick Glazier, D-Cumberland.

ONE VOTER, ONE VOTE: North Carolina lawmakers have joined a nationwide push to decide presidential elections by popular vote. A Senate committee gave its blessing to a bill in favor of scrapping the electoral college system, as proposed by the California-based National Popular Vote organization. The legislation would only kick in if states representing a majority of the nation's 538 electoral votes decided to make the same change. So far, only Maryland has signed the proposal into law.

WASTE TIME: Landfill companies, environmentalists, state regulators and other interested groups began careful scrutiny of major legislation on dump regulations, including a stricter screening process for applicants, permit fees for solid waste facilities, and a surcharge on solid waste disposal to help pay to clean up abandoned dumps. The stakeholders' working group spent several hours on a line-by-line look at the bill, with members expressing concerns and suggestions for changes on various elements.

Introduced in the House:

_ H1955, to create a special commission to study the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education. Sponsors: Reps. Doug Yongue, D-Scotland; Becky Carney, D-Mecklenburg; Linda Coleman, D-Wake; Linda Johnson, R-Cabarrus.

In committees:

_ S1218, requiring all candidates for public office to disclose any prior felony convictions. Approved, Senate Select Committee on Government and Election Reform. Next: To the full Senate.
Wednesday in the GA — StarNews Online

BUDGET CHAT: The House Appropriations Committee worked for about nine hours before approving its two-year budget proposal, setting up an expected floor vote Thursday. The plan spends $20.3 billion for the fiscal year starting July 1. The committee debated dozens of amendments. Among the first changes approved would remove nearly $20 million in special projects with a local angle or university building projects that weren't preferred by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. Committee members also rejected several amendments that would have earmarked money in larger pots of statewide money for local endeavors.

LAPSE IN SALARIES: The most substantive change in the budget during the appropriations committee debate came when members agreed to raise salaries for most state employees and university workers by 4.25 percent next year, compared to an original increase of 2.5 percent and a $400 bonus. Rep. Dan Blue, D-Wake, which offered the change, finds the extra $103 million to pay for the new raises by eliminating state positions vacant for longer than six months. The State Employees Association of North Carolina praised the increase. "I'm ecstatic," said SEANC President Linda Rouse Sutton of Kinston. "Our folks deserve it." House Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange, said using the vacancies isn't a long-term solution but "it keeps the pay raise issue alive." The bill already calls for 5 percent pay raises for public school teachers, community college faculty and judges.

NEEDLE EXCHANGE: A provision that allows the state health director to fund clean-needle exchange initiatives for three community HIV and Hepatitis C prevention programs will stay in the House budget. The House Appropriations Committee narrowly rejected an amendment that would have removed it. Such programs are touted by supporters as a way to reduce the spread of disease among drug addicts who use dirty syringes, but opponents said those who provide clean needles may run up against the state's drug paraphernalia law. Another change ultimately may be required to the law before such an initiative begins.

DROPOUT AGE: A Senate committee approved a proposal to raise the age at which students are permitted to quit high school, though some members wondered whether the idea would genuinely help improve graduation rates and not just cause problems. The concerns echoed those heard a day earlier as a House committee debated but took no action on a similar bill. The Legislature has made it a priority this session to find ways to improve North Carolina's graduation and dropout rates. Several bills are pending in both the House and Senate to raise the compulsory attendance age, study the dropout rate, or both.

UNC SALARIES: A conservative group says its research indicates University of North Carolina faculty are well-compensated when compared to professors at peer universities. The data compiled by the John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy finds that average compensation for professors at UNC campuses is above the median for peers, with full professors at the Chapel Hill campus among the best-paid. The center, a frequent critic of the state's public universities, used a peer set and accounting methods that differ from the university system's own research, which says its professors need a raise. The system wants at least $71.6 million to raise faculty salaries statewide.
Introduced in the House:

- H1997, to require economic impact statements on all legislation proposing regulatory changes. Sponsor: Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake.

- H2000, to increase the "longevity pay," given instead of raises paid to regular state employees, of judges and district attorneys. Sponsor: Rep. Winkie Wilkins, D-Person.

- H2005, to create a legislative study commission on illegal drug use. Sponsor: Rep. Charles Thomas, R-Buncombe.

- H2012, to provide that state funds budgeted for salaries and wages will be spent only for those purposes. Sponsor: Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford.

- H2041, to require a payer to withhold state taxes from compensation paid to an undocumented worker. Sponsors: Reps. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford; Rick Glazier, D-Cumberland.
In the Senate:

- S92, requiring owners of dangerous dogs to have insurance or other proof of financial responsibility. Approved 49-1. Next: To the House.

- S758, allowing people with revoked driving licenses to seek permission to drive for work, medical care or other urgent needs. Approved 49-0. Next: To the House.

- S819, to clarify that craft items made by prison inmates may be sold or donated and are not in competition with private businesses. Approved 49-0. Next: To the House.

- S1218, requiring candidates for any public office to disclose felony convictions.

NC Courts

Judge Charges State Trooper With Contempt — WRAL

A Wake County judge has charged a North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper with criminal contempt of court. Read
Black wants new judge — News and Observer

The federal judge scheduled to sentence former House Speaker Jim Black later this month should recuse himself, Black's attorney said Thursday, citing the judge's history in a legislative redistricting case. Read
North Carolina Debates Use of Koran, Other Non-Christian Texts During Court Hearings — FOX

If North Carolina is going to let people use a religious text when taking an oath in court, the Bible shouldn't be the only book allowed, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union argued in court Tuesday. Read
Geddings gets 4 years in prison for hiding lottery company link — Fayetteville Observer

A former state lottery commissioner appointed by disgraced ex-House Speaker Jim Black was sentenced to four years in prison Monday for failing to disclose his work for a company that wanted to operate North Carolina's new lottery. Read

NC Politics

Easley Appoints Watt, Howell to North Carolina Board of Education — WRAL

Gov. Mike Easley appointed Eulada Watt of Charlotte and Kevin Howell of Raleigh to the State Board of Education on Tuesday. Read
Agriculture Commissioner Troxler to Run for Re-Election — WRAL

State agriculture commissioner Steve Troxler announced Wednesday evening that he will run for re-election in 2008.Read

Other North Carolina News

Slain soldiers identified — News and Observer

The Department of Defense today announced the deaths of soldiers from Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune who died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read
Fallen Paratroopers To Be Honored at Fort Bragg — WRAL

Fort Bragg will honor nine fallen paratroopers recently killed in Iraq with a private memorial service on Tuesday. Read
Benson honors its fallen soldier — News and Observer

The town of Benson turned out in droves Thursday to honor Staff Sgt. William Clint Moore — a gifted pianist with movie-star good looks and a Jerry Lee Lewis flair. The 27-year-old paratrooper died in Iraq on April 23. Read
Cherry Point Marine Drowns While Rescuing Boys — ABC 17

A memorial service is scheduled for today for a Cherry Point Marine who drowned at Atlantic Beach but who managed to save the lives of two boys he swam into the ocean to help. Read
State AG to Call for Tougher Laws to Fight Child Predators — WRAL

State Attorney General Roy Cooper says laws protecting children from sexual predators need to be improved. He will appear before state senators Thursday to discuss his ideas for change. Read
Western North Carolina Hit Hard By Furniture Manufacturing Drop — WSOC

The number of furniture manufacturing jobs in western North Carolina has dropped by nearly two-thirds in this decade as cheap foreign imports flood the market. The number of furniture manufacturing jobs in the western part of the state fell from about 7,400 in 2000 to under 2,500 in the third quarter in 2006, according to state figures. Those numbers are worse than the state as a whole, where the number of workers have fallen by about one-third since the beginning of the decade. Read
North Carolina Among States Competing for Deadly Disease Research Lab — WRAL

A dozen states including North Carolina are competing for a government research lab full of killer germs like anthrax, avian flu and foot-and-mouth disease — a prospect some of their residents want to avoid like the plague. The states are bidding for a proposed 520,000-square-foot National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility that will cost at least $450 million to build. It would replace an aging, smaller lab at Plum Island, New York, where security lapses after the 2001 terrorist attacks drew scrutiny from Congress and government investigators. Read
North Carolina to receive $715,900 in pharma settlement — Triangle Business Journal

Purdue Pharma will pay the state of North Carolina $715,900 as part of a settlement over the marketing of analgesic drug OxyContin, the state Office of the Attorney General said Tuesday. The Stamford, Conn.-based company agreed to pay the money after accusations that it has encouraged doctors to prescribe OxyContin for use every eight hours, circumventing the every-12-hour dosage approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the company said. Read
North Carolina joins multi-state climate registry — Citizen-Times

North Carolina has become the newest member of a multi-state registry aimed at measureing, tracking and verifying emissions of greenhouse gases, the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources said today. Read
Former Sheriff's Deputy Pleads Guilty to Racketeering — ABC 11

A former Robeson County sheriff's deputy has pleaded guilty to racketeering in a case that has led to convictions of 15 former deputies. Read
Doctors Vs. Executions In North Carolina — CBS

Five execution dates for North Carolina death-row inmates have been indefinitely postponed because doctors are rallying against having to administer letal injections. Read
State DHHS Secretary Leaving To Take N.Y. Job — WRAL

Carmen Hooker Odom will become the president of the Milbank Memorial Fund, a foundation that conducts analysis, study and research on health policy. Read
North Carolina Lauded for Compliance With National Voter Registration Act — Earthtimes.org

North Carolina is taking a number of steps to be in full compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, specifically its requirement that states offer voter registration opportunities in public assistance agencies, according to a new report published this week by Demos, a national election reform and voting rights policy center. Read
Cooper Slams Door on Magazine Sales — WRAL

Charlotte-based Trinity Public Relations, which sells magazines door-to-door, can no longer do business in North Carolina, Attorney General Roy Cooper announced Thursday. Read
Atlantic's 1st Named Storm Forms Early — ABC11

The first named storm of the year formed Wednesday off the southeastern U.S. coast, more than three weeks before the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, forecasters said. Read
Questions and answers about North Carolina's sex offender registry — Tryon Daily Bulletin

Editor's note: The following information about the state's sex offender registry is taken from http://ncfindoffender.com/.

Who maintains the sex offender and public protection registry? North Carolina law requires sex offenders who have been convicted of certain offenses to register with their county sheriff. Information about offenders is then entered into the Registry database by the sheriff's office and transmitted to the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation collects information submitted by sheriffs in all counties in the state and makes it available to the public via the Sex Offender Registry website. Read
Raleigh Chamber Joins North Carolina Chamber Federation — Carolina Newswire

The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce has joined the North Carolina Chamber Federation — an organized grassroots advocacy partnership for local chambers of commerce and their small business members. The purpose of the Chamber Federation is to empower local chambers and small businesses by engaging them in legislative advocacy as a means of increasing their public policy influence. Read

Congress

Thank Lawmakers Who Voted Against the 'Hate-Crimes' Bill — Citizenlink

Let them know you noticed how they voted. Read and See Vote
Hate Crimes Battle Moves to the Senate — Christian Newswire

Faith2Action will unveil plans today at the National Press Club for the continuing battle over expansion of federal hate crime laws. This battle is shifting to the U.S. Senate after passage of the bill H.R. 1592 by the U.S. House yesterday(May 3). Read
Bill could kill Navy's airfield plan — News and Observer

A few sentences tucked inside a massive military bill could prove fatal for the Navy's proposed airstrip in Eastern North Carolina. Read
General Discontent — ABC News

In an act of defiance perhaps not seen since President Truman fired Gen. Douglas MacArthur, today the anti-war veterans group VoteVets.org, which has been influential with Capitol Hill Democrats, is launching a half-million-dollar TV ad campaign featuring Maj Gen John Batiste (Ret.), former commanding general of the first infantry division in Iraq. The ad begins with a clip President George W. Bush saying "I have always said that I will listen to the requests of our commanders on the ground." Batiste then appears, saying, "Mr. President, you did not listen. You continue to pursue a failed strategy that is breaking our great Army and Marine Corps. I left the Army in protest in order to speak out. Mr. President, you have placed our nation in peril. Our only hope is that Congress will act now to protect our fighting men and women." Read
Sen. Graham's Secret Mission In Iraq — CBS News

Never before has a U.S. senator served active duty in Iraq. Graham, R-S.C., wore fatigues and a sidearm and was assigned to the new Rule of Law Task Force....As a lawyer who's served in the Air Force, and in the Guard and Reserves for 25 years, Graham brought his legal expertise to a place where Saddam Hussein and his henchmen played judge, jury and executioner. Graham counseled the Iraqis on how different their courts must be now. "The old legal system was there to serve the dictator," he said. "The new legal system has to be there to serve all the people; not just one group of people" He also learned a much more personal lesson after spending the day with Navy Cmdr. Philip Murphy-Sweet who helped build the brand new Green Zone courthouse. "And he told me the story about how the American military in conjunction with the Iraqi government built this complex in 60 days," Graham said, "how they built the courtroom in five days and it was a courtroom that any state in our nation would be proud of. Ah, this was on a Friday. He was killed the next morning. Three young kids, a beautiful wife from Pennsylvania — killed by an IED. Read
Bush OKs 'integration' with European Union — WorldNetDaily

Congress never asked about new obligation Read

What do you think about U.S. integration with the EU? Poll
Protect Unborn Babies — American Center for Law and Justice

The moment the Supreme Court of the United States issued a partial-birth abortion decision — ruling on the side of LIFE — Senate and House liberals began to cry foul. In a serious attempt to undercut the highest court of our land and thwart the pro-life movement, Rep. Nadler and Sens. Clinton, Schumer, and Boxer introduced legislation, the "Freedom of Choice" Act, that would overturn the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and prohibit any future congressional endeavor to protect the life of the unborn on a federal level. It is a selfish, political play by House and Senate liberals that should be overpowered by the united voice of the American people, raised in protest. Please read the form below carefully and declare your membership with the ACLJ by signing our Petition in Protest.
Anti-'superhighway' bill prompts backlash — WorldNetDaily

The director of North America's SuperCorridor Coalition has gone to war against an Oklahoma state legislator, trying to distance the tri-national group from any identification with a new "NAFTA Superhighway" or any movement to evolve NAFTA into a North American Union. Read
Pelosi threat to sue Bush over Iraq bill — The Hill

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is threatening to take President Bush to court if he issues a signing statement as a way of sidestepping a carefully crafted compromise Iraq war spending bill. Read
President to Reid, Pelosi: Vetoes for Any Pro-Abortion Legislation — Citizenlink

President Bush sent identical letters to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on Thursday making it absolutely clear to the pro-abortion Democrats that he will veto any legislation aimed at weakening pro-life policies or laws. Letter

Action
For Democrats, New Challenge in Age-Old Rift — NYT

Trade policy cuts to the heart of the Democrats' identity and how they view their party's past and envision its future. Read
House Democrats May Seek Short-Term Financing of War — NYT

A new bill would provide money for combat operations through midsummer, with the rest of the funds withheld until commanders provide a report on conditions. Read
New Tape: Al Qaeda No. 2 Wants 200,000-300,000 U.S. Dead in Iraq — ABC News

In a new video posted today on the Internet, al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al Zawahiri, mocks the bill passed by Congress setting a timetable for the pullout of U.S. troops in Iraq. Read
Whistle-Blower on Student Aid Is Vindicated — NYT

The whistle-blower's story opens a window, lawmakers say, onto how the Bush administration resisted calls to improve oversight of the student loan industry. Read

Christianity/Pro-Family/Religion/Ethics

Kan. tornado leaves 22 miles of devastation — Baptist Press

Officials say about 95 percent of Greensburg, Kan., was destroyed and at least 8 people were killed by a tornado with a track spanning 1.7 miles wide and 22 miles long May 4. Terry Henderson, national director for disaster relief with the North American Mission Board, told Baptist Press that the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists had set up a feeding unit at a shelter in nearby Haviland to assist in the disaster relief response. Southern Baptist workers, meanwhile, were assessing other needs. Read
Christians Caught in the Crossfire — CBN News

It's mid July, 2006 and Hezbollah fighters in south Lebanon have set up Katyusha rocket launchers in the Christian town of Ein Ebel. Read
UN attacked for spreading Christianity? — Ynet News

A deadly attack Monday against a United Nations school in the Gaza Strip was carried by an Islamist extremist group, according to a statement faxed to WND which claimed the UN was targeted because the international body was "spreading Christian missionary activity." Read
Anti-'gay' Bible verse angers Florida airport — WorldNetDaily

Authorities in South Florida have identified and fired the person responsible for quoting an anti-homosexual Bible verse over the public address system at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Apparently Jethro Monestime, 23, a skycap for Superior Aircraft Services, used the microphone without permission to quote from Leviticus 20:13, which states: If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. (New International Version) The passage was read more than once in the baggage area of Terminal 3 at 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, prompting complaints from a local homosexual couple. Read
U.S. Soldiers to Receive Free Christian T-Shirts — Christian Newswire

Wear the Message, Inc has launched a new program titled "Sponsor-A-Shirt for a Soldier." US Soldiers will receive free Christian T-shirts through the generous donations from Christian business owners and the Christian community. Boxes of Christian T-shirts will be shipped to military chaplains in Iraq, Afghanistan, as well as to other US Military bases, for distribution to the soldiers. Read
Emotional Church Votes to Permit Registered Sex Offender in Pews — With Conditions — ABC News

Two-Thirds of Community Vote, as Pastor Welcomes the Debate Read
China Rejects U.S. Criticism on Religion — AP

Beijing accused a U.S. advisory panel on Tuesday of taking "potshots" at China in a report that accuses the government of imprisoning and torturing people for practicing their religion. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said in its findings last week that every religious community in China continues to be subject to serious restrictions, state control, and repression." Read
Pesecution for Religious Freedom on the Rise — CBN News

Growing challenges are mounting in the fight for religious freedom. A new report names the countries where it has become dangerous for people to worship. Persecution is on the rise around the world. Read
5,000 Churches Create Their Own Social Network — Christian Newswire

More than 5,000 churches have created online communities to enhance their weekly services on the new social networking site, MyChurch.org. Pastors and parishioners meet online to write blogs, share pictures, and stay connected throughout the week in an effort to extend church between Sundays. Read
New York to Allow Churches to Use Public Buildings — Citizenlink

State officials in New York have filed a new policy to allow religious groups to rent public space after attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) filed suit. Read
Gay Rites Will Help Families, Spitzer Says — New York Sun

Legalizing gay marriage would "only strengthen New York's families," according to Governor Spitzer Read
'Bible Answer Man' Says Mormons Not Christian; Use Same Words But with Different Meanings — Christian Newswire

Mormons are not Christians, according to Hank Hanegraaff, head of the "Christian Research Institute" and host of "The Bible Answer Man" radio show. He says: "They take our language but they pour their meanings into the words...Mormons do not believe that the Bible is the infallible repository for redemptive revelation. They believe that the book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth and it's the keystone to their religion and we therefore have a sharp difference in terms of what our authority is.... Read
Power sharing begins in N. Ireland — CNN

Northern Ireland's major Protestant and Catholic parties joined together Tuesday to form a power-sharing government, marking a "new era of politics" and an end to three decades of sectarian conflict in the province. Read
'America's Chaplain' Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, Calls on Americans to Remember Our Military Moms this Mother's Day — Christian Newswire

With our sons and daughters at war in Iraq, Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, "Dr. SuJay" as she is affectionately known, is calling on Americans to remember "Military Moms" everywhere who are without their most prized possessions — their children. "Mothers who are separated from their children, the young men and women who are at war are left with an uncertainty that can only be remedied through prayer. Read
Churches enlist in battle against Georgia wildfire — Baptist Press

Georgia Baptists have opened their churches as well as stocks of canned goods in the fight against the worst wildfire in the state's history. Read
Anti-God Starbucks cup has customer steaming — WorldNetDaily

Woman says: 'I don't think there needs to be religious dialogue on it. I just want coffee' Read
Move over Mickey: Farfur the Mouse is aiming for world Islamic domination — Israel Insider

The Hamas Television is using a clone of Disney's Mickey Mouse to teach children to hate Israel and America, and aspire to what is claimed as Islam's inevitable and impending world domination. Read
Terrorist-Shooter to Tour the U.S.- Christian Newswire

South African Charl Van Wyk, author of "Shooting Back," published by WND Books, will speak at several locations in the New York and Washington area May 13-20. He is available for media interviews May 23-28. In "Shooting Back" Van Wyk makes a case for individuals arming themselves with guns and does so more persuasively than perhaps any other author, because he found himself in a church attacked by terrorists. "Grenades were exploding in flashes of light. Pews shattered under the blasts, sending splinters flying through the air," Van Wyk recalls of the July 25, 1993, St. James Church Massacre. "An automatic assault rifle was being fired and was fast ripping the pews — and whoever, whatever was in its trajectory — to pieces. We were being attacked!" Read
New Wave of Persecutions for Iraqi Christians — Christian Science Monitor

In a new wave of persecution, Islamic extremists are expelling Iraqi Christians from their homes in parts of Baghdad Read
Washington Post Column Reveals Anti-Christian Animus — Christian Newswire

One of the most influential newspapers in America published a column Friday about the National Day of Prayer observance that was an egregious attack on Christianity and an insult to Bible believers across the United States. Dana Milbank, a former White House correspondent for the Washington Post dishonestly distorted quotes and disregarded facts in order to denigrate events that celebrated free speech, religious liberty and the sacred beliefs of 240 million Americans. Read
Evangelicals See an Evolution of Their Own — ABC News

The evangelical movement has long been considered a powerful political entity. An estimated 65 million Americans consider themselves conservative Christians. Their anti-gay, anti-abortion views are well known as is their support for mostly Republican political candidates. Read
Atheists' Mockery at ABC's 'Face Off' on God's Existence — Christian Newswire

A 100-year-old Baptist church in the heart of New York was the venue Saturday for an ABC debate on the existence of God. Actor Kirk Cameron and best-selling author Ray Comfort "faced off" against two atheists from the "Rational Response Squad," in a debate moderated by ABC Nightline's Martin Bashir. Read

ABC Nightline Video
New leader installed for conservative Anglican group in North America — One News Now

The newest group to break away from the Episcopal Church USA has a new leader in North America. On Saturday, Minister Martyn Minns was installed as Missionary Bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), which broke from the Episcopal Church over the consecration of openly homosexual bishop Vickie Gene Robinson. Read
Trinity Broadcasting Network to Lead Faith and Family Based Television into High Definition Era — Christian Newswire

Trinity Broadcasting Network, America's leader in faith and family-based television programming, has announced it will be the first faith-based television network to offer a dedicated High Definition channel beginning in the fourth quarter of 2007. The announcement comes at the National Cable Show in Las Vegas, where cable operators can discuss with TBN executives the plans to take the network into the HD era. Read
Tenn. church uses golf to drive home the Gospel — One News Now

It wasn't a big tent revival, TV evangelist or personal crisis that led Russ Sevedge back to church. It was big drives and fast greens. Sevedge and other serious golfers like him are finding Jesus on the fairways because of the In His Grip Golf Association, a ministry that teaches churches how to use golf as a way to share the Gospel. Read
Six Injured As Hindu Militants Attack Evangelical Church In Karnataka — Worthy News

A tense calm returned to a small town in the southern Indian state of Karnataka after at least six people were injured Sunday, May 6, when suspected Hindu militants demanding the closure of a new church attacked evangelical Christians following a worship service, investigators told BosNewsLife. Read
Screening of New Film on Faith Featuring MLB Players — Christian Newswire

Major League Baseball's Mike Piazza, Jeff Suppan, Jack McKeon, Mike Sweeney, David Eckstein and Rich Donnelly lead the line-up in this All-Star baseball sports special. Discussing how their faith has shaped their Major League careers, these superstars of America's favorite pastime speak frankly about family, faith, sacrifice, leadership, humility and the many virtues and spiritual lessons they have learned from the game. Read

Courts

Court ruling does support incest, polygamy — WorldNetDaily

Time admits critics of 'gay' rights decision were right Read
United States Supreme Court Asked to Review Voucher Case — Christian Newswire

Lawyers for an extremely gifted child filed a petition for review with the United States Supreme Court today. If review is granted, hundreds of thousands of extremely gifted children may be able to receive school vouchers to fund their special learning needs. The petition, filed by the Pro-Family Law Center seeks to overturn decisions by the California courts concluding that a voucher for the education of an extremely gifted child is not permitted by federal law since these children supposedly do not have "special needs." Read
South Carolina School District Must Pay Damages to Christian Club — Citizenlink

School treated the group unfairly. Read
Brewer Ordered to Pay Alcoholic Taster — Newsday.com

A Brazilian court has ordered a brewer to pay $49,000 to an alcoholic beer taster who said he drank more than 3 pints of beer a day. The unidentified employee alleged that the company did not provide the health measures needed to keep him from developing alcoholism, a labor court in the Rio Grande do Sul state said in a statement Friday. Read
Court Rules Wal-Mart Should Accommodate Pharmacists — Within Reason — Citizenlink

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that a Wal-Mart pharmacist who refused to even answer phones for fear the caller would ask for contraceptives was too demanding, LifeNews reported. Read
Man With HIV Gets Life Term for Sex Case — Newsday.com

An HIV-positive man who prosecutors say secretly videotaped sexual encounters with 131 young men was sentenced to life in prison for attempting to entice a 15-year-old boy to engage in sex acts. During his trial, prosecutors alleged Willie Atkins knew of his condition yet endangered dozens of partners by rarely using condoms, and that there was no evidence that he warned anyone that he was HIV-positive. Read
Salt Lake Tribune — Two Utah Cities Appeal Rulings on Religious Monuments — American Center for Law and Justice

In the 121 years since the French gave the United States the Statue of Liberty, nobody has demanded a competing statue supporting tyranny. So nobody should be able to demand that competing structures be erected next to monuments of the Ten Commandments that were gifted to Pleasant Grove and Duchesne, the cities' attorneys say. Read

Abortion/Pro-Life

Maine Christians outraged over ministers' support for abortion-on-demand — One News Now

Christians in Maine are denouncing a group of United Church of Christ ministers who are publicly advocating for taxpayer-funded abortions. Read
China's Nouveau Riche Spur Crisis By Ignoring One-Child Rule — The Daily Telegraph

...According to a recent survey by China's National Population and Family Planning Commission, the number of wealthy people and celebrities deciding to have more than one child has increased rapidly, despite fines that can be as high as $26,000 for each extra child. Read
Bush Vows to Veto Any Abortion Legislation — CBN News

Democratic leaders were warned by President Bush that he would veto any any legislative move geared to dissolve federal policies restricting abortion. Read
Pro-Life Group to Protest Hillary Clinton at Catholic Charity Event — Christian Newswire

"I'm sorry we have to picket this Mercy Home fundraiser," said Joseph M. Scheidler, National Director of the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League. "But Hillary Clinton's appearance at their Graduates' Luncheon is just wrong! This is a well-known and much loved Catholic institution, while Senator Clinton is unabashedly hostile to the Catholic Church's teaching on the value of life." Read
Giuliani Gave Six Times to Planned Parenthood — Newsmax

Presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani's effort to distance himself from his past support of abortion rights has taken a blow with the revelation that he contributed money to Planned Parenthood — the top provider of abortions in the United States. Read

Alcohol/Drugs/Health

Drug Dealers Target Youth — AP

In their quest to lure new, younger clientele, drug dealers are mixing their wares with over-the-counter pain remedies and other familiar products — even candy — and peddling them under non-threatening names. One such concoction, a blend of black tar heroin and Tylenol PM that goes by the name "cheese," has been linked to the deaths of 19 teenagers in Dallas, including two 15-year-olds. Read
Police: Cards Pitcher Hancock Drunk, Carrying Marijuana During Crash — ABC

Cardinals' Pitcher Josh Hancock Was Drunk, on the Phone and Carrying Drugs During Fatal Crash Read
DEA Chief Warns Africa Becoming Drug Hub — AP

Colombian drug barons and criminal gangs are trying to turn Africa into a hub for shipping cocaine to Europe, the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Read
Brazil to break Aids drug patent — BBC

Brazil has offered free Aids drugs since 1997 The president of Brazil has authorised the country to bypass the patent on an Aids drug manufactured by Merck, a US pharmaceutical giant. The country will import a cheaper, generic Indian-made version of the patented Efavirenz drug. The decision came after talks between Brazil and the US company broke down. Read
13 states meet to combat heart disease — USA Today

Doctors, lawmakers and specialists hope to launch a public health network in 13 states to change one of the stark facts of Appalachian life: Residents are 20% more likely to die from heart disease than the rest of the country. Read

Education/Sex Ed/Teens/Children

Homosexuals brainwashing our children in elementary schools — Mass Resistance

Extremely slick propaganda directed at the youngest of children! The videos below are from It's Elementary, a 78-minute feature film produced by homosexual activists. These are actual scenes from elementary schools in Massachusetts and New York. It's Elementary is meant to be a training video for homosexual activist teachers across the country. In addition, the film itself has been shown to schoolchildren in public schools in Massachusetts and elsewhere. View Videos
Parents Outraged After Fifth-Graders Told to Read Gay-Marriage Column — Citizenlink

Moms and dads of some Derby Ridge Elementary School students in Columbia, Mo., were upset to learn their 10-year-olds were assigned to read an editorial in support of same-sex marriage, the News-Leader of Springfield reported. Read
Kansas Nixes Abstinence-Only Education — Citizenlink

The Kansas Board of Education announced today it plans to reverse last year's decision to teach abstinence-only sex education — returning the state to comprehensive sex education without mandatory permission slips, The Kansas City Star reported. Read
Majority of American University Professors have Negative View of Evangelical Christians — LifeSiteNews

According to a two-year study released today by the Institute for Jewish & Community Research (IJCR), 53% of non-Evangelical university faculty say they hold cool or unfavorable views of Evangelical Christians — the only major religious denomination to be viewed negatively by a majority of faculty. Read
9 of 10 parents want their kids abstinent — WorldNetDaily

Majority believe teaching contraception encourages sexual activity Read
German Homeschooler Talks — CBN

...Her case sparked international outrage and led to a massive phone, e-mail and letter-writing campaign to German officials, as well as an outpouring of support for the Busekros family, for which they are very thankful. Her mother Gudrun said, "A lot of letters came from the United States. Most of the letters came from there, even with invitations to come to their house and live with them if we want to escape. This was so nice." Melissa says that when she was away from her family, she learned to cast her cares upon God. "What I learned is you have to trust 'in everything God,' and that He is the first position in your life," Melissa said. Her mother Gudrun is just thankful to have her daughter back. "I know it's written in the Bible that for those who love God, everything will work together for good," Gudrun said, "and I'm sure this verse is true." Read
South Dakota College Violates First Amendment Rights; Pro-Life Youth Arrested in Campus Parking Lot — Christian Newswire

At approximately 11 a.m. yesterday morning, the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology blocked a team of pro-life activists from setting foot on campus for free speech activities; one member was arrested. The Campus Life Tours (CLT), a project of Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, rallies a team of young people ages 18—30, who present the pro-life message to high school and college students across the country using graphic pictures and educational material. Read
Sorority Members Charged in Hazing Case — AP

Three sorority members at Southeast Missouri State University face charges for hazing a student by forcing her to eat garbage, hitting her and spraying something in her face, authorities said. The women, members of Zeta Phi Beta sorority, were charged with third-degree assault and hazing, both misdemeanors. Read
Florida May Start Steroid Tests at School — WRAL

Some Florida high school athletes in three sports would be subject to random testing for anabolic steroids under a one-year pilot program passed Friday by the Legislature. Read
N.Y. legislator censured over intern sleepover — USA Today

A Republican legislator apologized after he was censured and stripped of his committee leadership position for sleeping overnight on the floor of a female intern's apartment. Read

God and Country/National Security/Politics

5 U.S. troops killed in Iraq; raids target weapons — USA Today

American forces broke up a Shiite militant cell believed to be smuggling an armor-piercing Iranian weapon responsible for killing an increasing number of Americans and Iraqis, the military said. Separately, the U.S. announced the deaths of five American soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter. Read
Bombs kill eight Americans in Diyala and Baghdad — Jerusalem Post

Roadside bombs killed eight American soldiers in separate attacks in Diyala province and Baghdad, and a car bomb claimed 30 more lives in a wholesale food market in a part of the Iraqi capital where sectarian tensions are on the rise. Read
Navy helicopter hits power line; 5 killed — CNN

A Navy helicopter struck a power line during a training flight and crashed in a rugged area of the northern Nevada desert, killing all five crew members, the Navy said Tuesday. Read
'Islamic radicals' charged with plot to kill Fort Dix soldiers — CNN

The federal government Monday charged six alleged "Islamic radicals" with plotting to kill U.S. soldiers at Fort Dix in New Jersey.The six were arrested Monday night, the U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey said in a written statement, and are expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Camden on Tuesday afternoon. "Their alleged intention was to conduct an armed assault on the army base and to kill as many soldiers as possible," the office said. Read
Pentagon Tells 35,000: Prepare to Deploy — WRAL

The Pentagon has notified more than 35,000 Army soldiers to be prepared to deploy to Iraq beginning this fall, a move that would allow commanders to maintain the ongoing buildup of troops through the end of the year if needed. Read
Gas station owner told to raise prices — Yahoo News

A service station that offered discounted gas to senior citizens and people supporting youth sports has been ordered by the state to raise its prices. Center City BP owner Raj Bhandari has been offering senior citizens a 2 cent per gallon price break and discount cards that let sports boosters pay 3 cents less per gallon. But the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says those deals violate Wisconsin's Unfair Sales Act, which requires stations to sell gas for about 9.2 percent more than the wholesale price. Read
Goodbye U.S. dollar, hello global currency — WND

The director of international economics at the Council of Foreign Relations has launched a scathing attack on sovereignty and national currencies. Read
Jihadists Exploit Our Hospitality and Open Borders . . . Again — Townhall

Well, here is the thanks we get. Eight years ago, America opened its arms to tens of thousands of ethnic Albanian refugees from Kosovo. The first planeload landed at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Military leaders worked day and night to turn the base into a child-friendly village. They coordinated medical and security checkups, mental health and trauma counseling and ethnic food preparations....In addition to food and shelter, we provided translators, welfare consultants and Muslim chaplains. The base constructed prayer rooms and handed out Muslim "sensitivity" cards to the troops. Said Gen. Zais: "We want to welcome these people to America the way we might wish our grandparents and great-grandparents had been welcomed to Ellis Island."

Fast-forward from 1999 to yesterday's headline news: "Fort Dix Plot Aimed At Soldiers; Authorities Say 6 Islamic Militants Arrested, Were Plotting Attack At N.J. Base." Three of the alleged plotters were illegal alien brothers from the former Yugoslavia. Another was a legal permanent resident from the former Yugoslavia. Another hailed from Jordan, and the sixth was a naturalized American citizen originally from Turkey. Read
D.C. Loosens Rules for Older Drivers — WRAL

...In the more than three decades that Giuseppe Morra has been navigating the streets of Washington, he has had just one minor accident, and it's been years since he has gotten a ticket.... Before the Department of Motor Vehicles would issue the 80-year-old a new license, officials told him he had to pass a road test and a written exam. A year ago, the district began imposing what were among the nation's most stringent requirements on drivers 75 and older. But after drivers — and voters — like Morra protested, the city government backed off. On Wednesday, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty announced the suspension of the tests, and the D.C. Council is poised to pass a bill that would permanently prohibit the Department of Motor Vehicles from requiring the tests simply based on age. Read
Israeli Airport Security Methods Studied — AP

With the heavy summer travel season looming, airport directors from U.S. cities on Tuesday studied Israel's airline passenger screening system, known as one of the world's toughest and most effective. The visitors noted the main difference between the two countries — Israeli security openly employs profiling, singling out passengers for stricter screening based on their appearance or ethnic group, a practice that is banned in the U.S. Read
Cheney in unannounced visit to Baghdad — CNN

Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in Baghdad early Wednesday on an unannounced visit, reporters traveling with the delegation told CNN. Read
Fred Thompson to the rescue? — Townhall

There's a vacuum in the GOP, we keep hearing, and Republicans aren't quite satisfied with their presidential choices. Read
America Looks to Ease Palestinian Arab Movement — NY Sun

America has submitted a document with deadlines for easing Palestinian Arab movement and improving Israeli security, including removing Israeli roadblocks in the West Bank and halting Palestinian rocket fire, the chief Palestinian negotiator said Friday. Read

Related
Deal Is Offered for Chief's Exit at World Bank — NYT

Leading governments of Europe signaled that they were willing to let the United States choose the bank's next chief if Paul D. Wolfowitz stepped down soon, officials said. Read
Bill before MA Legislature would give ALL state-funded benefits to illegal aliens — Would also ban public agencies from investigating their illegal alien status — Mass Resistance

More far-reaching than anything in the country, as far as we know. Unbelievable — bill now before the "Children, Families, and Persons of Disabilities Committee" of the MA Legislature. Read Bill
White House, Kansas governor argue over storm response — CNN

The White House fought back Tuesday against criticism from Kansas' governor that National Guard deployments to Iraq are slowing the response to last week's devastating tornado. Read
Police Are Using Armored Vehicles — AP

...With scores of police agencies large and small, from Lexington, Ky., to Austin, Texas, buying armored vehicles at Homeland Security expense, some criminal justice experts warn that their use in fighting everyday crime could do more harm than good and represents a post-9/11, militaristic turn away from the more cooperative community-policing approach promoted in the 1990s. Read
'Rice visit cancellation unprecedented' — Jerusalem Post

A senior diplomatic official called the cancellation of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's Israel visit unprecedented, Israel Radio reported on Tuesday. Read
U.S. Debates Deterrence for Nuclear Terrorism — NYT

A vigorous debate within the Bush administration focuses on how to refashion nuclear deterrence to counter the threat posed by terrorists. Read
Poll indicates strong US sympathy for plight of Israel — One News Now

A national poll shows that U.S. support for Israel is at a five-year high, with 84% of America's "opinion elite" considering Israel one of America's strongest allies. The same poll shows that 92% of those surveyed consider Iran — more than any other country in the world — the most serious and immediate threat to the United States. Read
Bosnian Serb convicted of lying about military record — News and Observer

A federal jury has convicted a Bosnian Serb of lying about his military service on U.S. immigration forms. Read
The Queen Visits the White House — NYT

It was a day for pomp and circumstance, punctuated by a presidential slip of the tongue that lightened the moment during President Bush's welcoming remarks. Read
Queen Elizabeth Tours Jamestown — WRAL

Queen Elizabeth II strolled Friday through a replica of a fortress built four centuries ago at what would become America's first permanent English settlement, then saw remains of the actual structure. Read
Army Officer Killed by Fugitive Soldiers' in Havana Hijacking Bid; Cuba Blames the U.S. — ABC News

Havana says U.S. immigration policies giving most Cubans almost guaranteed residency encourages them to risk their lives to get to the United States, and says that American officials have long tolerated even encouraged violence against the communist-run country. Read
Can Bankers Rescue N. Korea Talks? — Forbes

Bankers in Hong Kong are running the numbers on the biggest gamble yet in the gaming mecca of Macau. If the deal goes down, millions would go to an unlikely player — the reclusive, nuclear-armed communist regime in North Korea. Read
FBI to Examine L.A. Immigration Rally — WRAL

...The FBI said Thursday it would open an inquiry into whether the officers' conduct violated citizens' civil rights. Read

Pornography/Homosexuality/Immorality/Obscenity/Violence

Syphilis Rates Spike in Gay, Bisexual Men — ABC News

Health officials say the sharp rise in this STD puts victims at higher AIDS risk Read
18,000 in Mexico City Strip for U.S. Artist — AOL

More than 18,000 people stripped down and bared it all in Mexico City's vast main square Sunday for U.S. photographer Spencer Tunick's biggest nude shoot yet. Read
Lawsuit Takes Aim at Iowa Defense of Marriage Act — Citizenlink

Attorney for gay couples claims law is 'mean spirited,' violates constitution. Read
Rick Warren, Purpose-Driven Pornography? — Christian Newswire

Chris Rosebrough, who heads the Christian Accountability Network, and authors the blogs ExtremeTheology.com and ALittleLeaven.com, is calling on Pastor Rick Warren, author of the Purpose-Driven Life to discipline media mogul, Rupert Murdoch for owning and expanding a network of pornographic channels in Europe. Said Rosebrough, "Rupert Murdoch is a born-again Christian and Rick Warren claims to be his pastor. As a Christian, Murdoch is committing an egregious sin by owning, expanding and profiting from pornographic channels and Rick Warren, as his pastor, has a Biblical duty to call Murdoch to repentance and/or put him out of the church." Read
Alaska Same-Sex Benefits Issue Tabled For Now — Citizenlink

The Alaska state House on Monday denied voters the chance to decide whether the state should offer benefits to same-sex partners of state employees, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Read
Rome's Chief Rabbi Accused of "Racism" for Opposing Italy Gay Rights Bill — LifeSiteNews

Italian homosexual leaders are accusing Riccardo Di Segni, Rome's chief rabbi of "racism" for his stand defending the traditional family. Di Segni was speaking against proposed legislation that would create de facto civil unions for homosexual partners and cohabiting persons with equivalent rights to natural marriage. Read

Other News

Earthquake hits near Sheridan, shakes up residents — Missoulian.com

Students at Sheridan Elementary School were under their desks Tuesday morning, in some cases before teachers realized an earthquake was shaking the area, the school secretary said. "It was a hard jar, and really loud," said secretary Jenny Burke. "It was like somebody just shook the heck out of us for two seconds." The magnitude 4.6 quake, reported at 9:46 a.m., was centered about nine miles northeast of Sheridan in the Tobacco Root Mountains. It was felt in the Helena, Butte, Dillon and Hamilton areas and as far away as Idaho, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Web site. Read
Britain's Blair says he is resigning — Yahoo

Tony Blair said Thursday that he will step down as prime minister on June 27, after a decade in office in which he brokered peace in Northern Ireland and followed the United States to war in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Israeli Premier Survives Votes in Parliament — NYT

At least 16 members of Ehud Olmert's governing coalition voted against the Israeli prime minister, abstained or were absent. Read
China, Russia Accused of Arms Violations — AP

A top human rights group accused China and Russia on Tuesday of violating a U.N. arms embargo by supplying Sudan with weapons and equipment that were used to fuel deadly violence against civilians in Darfur and neighboring Chad. Read
Israeli ambassador says Palestinian state will 'create major rift' — One News Now

The Israeli ambassador to the U.S. says the Israeli government is still holding out hope the Palestinians will "give up victimhood for statehood" — and toward that end is "ready to make major compromises" to ensure the establishment of a "Palestinian state." Read
UN: Illegal arms reach Lebanon frequently — Ynet News

Illegal arms traffic into Lebanon across the Syrian border, mainly to Hizbullah fighters, is reported to be taking place on a regular basis, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday. Read
Panel to Find That Wolfowitz Broke Rules, Officials Say — NYT

World Bank officials said the committee investigating misconduct charges against Paul D. Wolfowitz would eventually find that he violated bank rules barring conflicts of interest. Read
Livni to meet Jordan, Egypt FMs in Cairo to discuss Arab peace plan — Ha'aretz

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni confirmed Monday that she will travel to Cairo on Thursday to hold initial talks with her Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts about the recently revived Arab peace initiative. Read
Conservative Elected President of France — AOL

French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy plans to waste no time pushing through a weighty package of pro-market, anti-crime reforms — but the first battle is winning a majority in parliament in new elections next month. Read
Olmert: Israel to respond 'severely' to ongoing Qassam rocket fire — Ha'aretz

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that Israel would "respond severely" to the ongoing Qassam rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, saying the fire "threatens civilian lives in the northern Negev," according to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office. Read
Caribbean murder rates hurting growth: World Bank

Murder rates in the Caribbean now overtake those in Southern and West Africa. Read
Scottish defeat sets problem for Blair successor — ABC Neww

Scottish nationalists committed to independence from Britain became the biggest party in the Scottish parliament on Friday in elections which left a political headache for Prime Minister Tony Blair's successor. Read
King Herod's tomb discovered, Israeli university says — Ynet News

Hebrew University professor says researchers have been searching for Roman king's grave for over 30 years, discovery of tomb near Jerusalem provides solution to one of most intriguing mysteries of Israeli archeology. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced on Monday the discovery of the grave and tomb of Herod the Great, the Roman empire's "King of the Jews" in ancient Judea. Read

Related
World Jewish Congress Leader Resigning — Newsday.com

Businessman Edgar M. Bronfman Sr. is resigning as president of the World Jewish Congress, which led the campaign to win millions of dollars in restitution from Swiss banks holding the assets of Holocaust victims. Read

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Index of Weekly Issues Alerts

2007

2006