Weekly Issues Alert

NC Vietnam Veterans Memorial

May 11 - 17

"Every child in America should be acquainted with his own country. He should read books that furnish him with ideas that will be useful to him in life and practice. As soon as he opens his lips, he should rehearse the history of his own country." --Noah Webster (http://PatriotPost.US/fqd/)

NC General Assembly

Lawmakers Struggle To Raise School Attendance Age — ABC11

North Carolina lawmakers are trying to figure out if it would do more harm than good to raise the age high school students can drop out. Read
N.C. pushed for mental services — News and Observer

The word 'reform' suggests improvement, but for advocates of the mentally ill in North Carolina who marched on the state legislature Tuesday, there is too little progress. Read
N.C. Senate agrees to vote plan for electing president — Wilson Times

North Carolina would enter a compact that could eliminate the power of the Electoral College system to choose a president in a bill that passed the Senate on Monday night. Read
Hackney Calls on Ethics Panel to Look into Wright Case — ABC11

House Speaker Joe Hackney is calling on a legislative ethics panel to decide whether Representative Thomas Wright broke ethics rules. Read
Anti-bullying bill advances in House — News and Observer

A House committee this morning approved a bill that would make schools adopt policies to combat bullying, after first voting to retain a list of likely targets that includes homosexual students. Read
Smoking ban passes N.C. House — Winston-Salem Journal

Long-term care facilities across state would be affected by bill Read
State House passes budget proposal — News 14

The state House gave its final approval early Friday to a two-year budget proposal that spends hundreds of millions of additional dollars to educate North Carolina schoolchildren and college students and continues a building spree started last year Read
Bill would ban lottery ads at high school events — News and Observer

A state House committee voted today to ban lottery advertising and sponsorships at high school sporting events, but an effort to do the same at colleges across North Carolina has been withdrawn. Read
Five Wilmington-Area Residents to Testify in Rep. Wright Hearing — WRAL

Subpoenas issued to five Wilmington-area residents order them to appear next week at an elections board hearing into the campaign finances of state Rep. Thomas Wright. All five have some ties to Wright and have been ordered to testify at the hearings, which begin Tuesday at a downtown Raleigh hotel. The public meeting will come five months after former Democratic consultant Joe Sinsheimer lodged a formal complaint that accused Wright of breaking elections law by delaying disclosure of $41,000 in campaign donations. Read
Bill would bolster homicide inquiries — News and Observer

Investigators will have to record interrogations of all homicide suspects if a bill that sailed through the state House on Wednesday passes in the state Senate. Read
House OKs bill that takes license from adults who provide alcohol — NBC17

North Carolinians who provide alcohol to people who are too young to drink legally could face a new penalty under a measure that won the initial approval of the House this afternoon. Read
Wright campaign referred to prosecutors for potential violations — Wilson Times

The State Board of Elections on Tuesday referred the campaign of Rep. Thomas Wright to prosecutors for potential violations of campaign finance laws. The board issued the ruling during a public hearing held to examine what it called "potential violations" identified during a probe of Wright's campaign that began five months ago. Wright, a Democrat from New Hanover County, refused to testify at the hearing. Read

Related
Senate splits on hospital secrets — News and Observer

It was a split decision in the state Senate on Monday night as to the public's right to know about the business decisions made by their public hospitals. Read
If passed, legislation would create new seafood park — Outer Banks Sentinel

Hyde County residents are crossing their fingers in hopes that the General Assembly passes proposed legislation that includes a budget request for seafood industrial park. Read
Election board secrecy OK'd — News and Observer

House panel says report, without names, would be disclosed. Read
Counties not sure how much Medicaid relief they will receive next year — Daily Herald

It's too soon to tell how Halifax County will be affected by $100 million in tax relief included in the 2007-2008 budget approved by the state House of Representatives, County Manager Matthew Delk told the Daily Herald Monday. An amendment adopted Thursday afternoon upped the total relief amount to $100 million. Fifty million would be distributed among all counties, $40 million between counties with at least 25 percent of their population Medicaid-eligible, (which includes Halifax and Northampton counties), and $10 million between counties whose eligible population is between 20 and 25 percent. Read
Bill to punish auto-insurance evaders moves ahead — News and Observer

A legislative bill aimed at deterring out-of-state residents from wrongfully obtaining auto insurance in North Carolina has gained some traction in the General Assembly. Read

NC Politics

Graham announces candidacy for 2008 N.C. governor's race — Wilson Times

Bill Graham, an attorney who raised his profile over the past year by railing against high taxes and illegal immigration, announced Thursday he will run for governor in 2008. Read
Past conviction could derail newly elected UNC board member — Daily Advance

A past criminal conviction could derail the election of a former school superintendent to a seat on the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. Purnell Swett, 72, was charged with embezzlement and conspiracy a decade ago and resigned as superintendent of Robeson County schools. Court records show he paid himself an extra $13,000. Read
Giuliani and Edwards Report Earnings — Daily Advance

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani reported a whopping $16.1 million in earned income over the past 16 months, most of it in speaking fees, according to financial documents filed Wednesday. Democratic hopeful John Edwards reported earned income of $1.25 million, the biggest single source of which was a hedge fund that employed him part time. He and his wife, Elizabeth, reported $29.5 million in assets, including millions invested in the hedge fund — the Fortress Investment Group. Read
Edwards Downplays Time at Hedge Fund — AOL

...Last week, in an interview with the AP, Edwards said he worked for a hedge fund between presidential campaigns to learn about financial markets and their relationship to poverty — and to make money too. Fortress reported assets of about $35.1 billion as of Dec. 31, 2006. Hedge funds, now numbering more than 9,000 in the U.S. with assets estimated to exceed $1 trillion, traditionally cater to the rich, as well as pension funds and university endowments, but are increasingly luring less wealthy investors. Read

Other North Carolina News

Two North Carolina-based Soldiers Killed — ABC 11

Military officials say a Fort Bragg-based Special Forces soldier was killed in Afghanistan, and a North Carolina-based Marine died in Iraq this week. The Defense Department says Sergeant Timothy P. Padgett of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, died Tuesday in Afghanistan when his unit was attacked by enemy forces during combat patrol operations. Padgett was assigned to the First Battalion, Seventh Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg. Lance Corporal Walter K. O'Haire of Lynn, Massachusetts, died Wednesday while conducting combat operations in Anbar province. Officials say he was a member of the Second Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment, Second Marine Division, Second Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Lejeune. Read
Cooper Asks MySpace for Names of Registered Sex Offenders Online — WRAL

Top law enforcement officers from North Carolina and six other states sent a letter to MySpace.com on Monday, asking the social networking site to turn over the names of registered sex offenders. Read
Teacher Charged with Have Sex with Student By Gilbert Baez — ABC11

An assistant middle school teacher faced a judge Thursday for allegedly having sex with a student. Investigators arrested Joel Hurly Wednesday after the student reported the alleged abuse. Read
N.C. speeders often get off easy — News 14

Speed-related crashes kill about 10 people a week in North Carolina, more than are killed in accidents involving alcohol, according to the UNC Highway Safety Research Center. Read
NC State Creates Cost Effective Biofuels — NBC17

With gas prices soaring student researchers have found two new cost effective ways to produce ethanol and methanol, which can be used as biofuels. Read
iSchool helps students earn college credit — Daily Advance

When Shaun Harrell graduates from Perquimans County High School next year, he could already have half a dozen college credits under his belt.Harrell was one of more than a dozen PCHS juniors to fill out applications Monday for the University of North Carolina-Greensboro's iSchool, a virtual learning program that allows students to start earning college credit as high school juniors. Read

State Auditor: N.C. Needs Price Check on Office Supplies — ABC 11

North Carolina needs a price check on office supplies purchased by state government. Read
UNC system discusses campus safety — News 14

In the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, UNC campuses across the state are evaluating their safety practices and want to make sure all the campuses are as safe as possible. Read
Blue Angels fly in N.C. show, first since fatal crash — ABC13

The Blue Angels flew today for the first time since a crash last month killed one of the Navy team's elite pilots in South Carolina. Read
Sen. Dole speaks at Triad graduation — News 14

Sen. Elizabeth Dole stopped by the Triad on Mother's Day Sunday to address the graduates at Greensboro College, offering them advice as they enter the next phase of their lives. Read
Lazy Daze Controversy Over Beer — ABC 11

A summertime favorite is in the spotlight over a beverage. The Town of Cary plans to sell beer for the first time at the Lazy Daze Festival. The town says it will boost revenue which they put back in the community. But hundreds of people are fighting to keep the festival dry. The Town Council approved a plan in March to include a beer garden at Lazy Daze. Since then Marty Jacumin, the pastor at Cary's First Baptist Church has been fighting to stop that from happening. He says some worry it will ruin the family atmosphere and considers safety would be an issue. "If we intentionally had, add alcohol to this mix, is it going to slow people's judgment, is it going to create more dangerous atmosphere for young people," Jacumin said. Read
License plate thefts reported citywide — News 14

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are reminding area residents to make sure their license plates are screwed on tightly following a string of thefts over the weekend. Read
Bunn High Student Gunned Down in Her Front Yard — WRAL

Authorities said a teen's former boyfriend waited for her school bus to arrive, then shot her in the back. Read
Postal employees try to 'Stamp Out Hunger' — News 14

For the past 15 years, the USPS, along with the National Association of Letter Carriers, has been collecting food for the Stamp Out Hunger campaign — collecting more than 1 billion pounds of food. Read
Former ECU aid official sentenced to year for skimming funds — Wilson Daily

A former East Carolina University official who admitted helping skim more than $200,000 in financial aid funds has been sentenced to at least a year in prison. Read
There's foam and then there's foam... — Outer Banks Sentinel

Cleanup efforts began last week after packing foam washed ashore from Cape Lookout to the Virginia state line. Read
Duke Settles Failing Grade Lawsuit — ABC11

Duke University has settled a lawsuit brought by a former lacrosse player who accused a professor of giving him a failing grade because he was a member of the controversy-plagued team. Read
North Carolina's KobeWieland announces $71 million expansion, 65 ... WIStv

A company that supplies copper pipe and tubing will expand its manufacturing facility in Stokes County by investing $71 million... Read

Congress

Congress Announces Immigration Deal — ABC11

Key senators in both parties and the White House announced agreement on an immigration overhaul that would grant quick legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. Read
Senate to Vote on Ending War Funding — CBN News

Democrats on Capitol Hill may have fired the first volley in what they see as the fight to get President Bush to withdraw troops from Iraq. However, they are out to prove that their recent vote in trying to legislate the war to a close was not their last political bullet to be fired in the fray. Read
Democrats Agree on a $2.9 Trillion Budget — NYT

The agreement between House and Senate Democratic leaders envisions a return to budget surpluses by 2012 and assumes that some tax cuts will be allowed to expire. Read
SBC Leaders Urge Vigilant Defense Of Religious Liberty — Evangelical News

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of every American to worship without government interference, and Southern Baptist leaders want it to stay that way. Baptist statesmen in the late 18th century led the fight to ensure that religious liberty — often referred to as "the First Freedom" — was secured for all American citizens. However, attacks on this bedrock freedom continue even today. "Thought crimes" legislation is winding its way through the political process of the U.S. Congress, and there is even a court challenge to the internal governance of a local congregation in its handling of a discipline matter within its fellowship. Read
Senators want CIA to release 9/11 report — Seattle Times

A bipartisan group of senators is pushing legislation that would force the CIA to release an inspector general's report on the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Read
House Votes to Restrict Mexican Trucks — ABC

House Overwhelmingly Votes to Put Restrictions on Mexican Trucks on U.S. Highways Read
Fr. Pavone Calls on Pro-Abortion Catholic Democrats to Resign — Christian Newswire

A group of Catholic Democrats in the US Congress recently objected to comments of Pope Benedict XVI about the fact that legislators favoring the legality of abortion should not receive Communion. They said, "Advancing respect for life and for the dignity of every human being is, as our church has taught us, our own life's mission." Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, responded, "Faithful Catholics, as well as those in the pro-life movement from every denomination, have had enough of this double-talk. Read
Senate Dems fail to cut off war funds — Yahoo

Anti-war Democrats in the Senate failed in an attempt to cut off funds for the Iraq war on Wednesday, a lopsided bipartisan vote that masked growing impatience within both political parties over President Bush's handling of the four-year conflict. Read
Unfriendly Views on U.S.-Backed Arabic TV — NYT

Al Hurra has come under criticism from U.S. lawmakers for its broadcasting of views of leaders from militant Islamist groups. Read

Christianity/Pro-Family/Religion/Ethics

Religious Right Leader Rev. Falwell Dies — ABC

The Rev. Jerry Falwell, 73, who founded the Moral Majority and built the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University, a school executive said. Read

Related

Related

Tribute
National Priests Leader Pledges to Continue the Legacy of Rev. Jerry Falwell — Christian Newswire

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, today issued the following statement on the death of Rev. Jerry Falwell:

"We are very sad at the passing of Rev. Falwell and we pledge to continue his legacy by activating Christians in the political arena. Lord, give us more Jerry Falwells." Read
National Priests Leader Issues Statement on Passing of Yolanda King — Christian Newswire

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, of which Dr. Alveda King serves as a Pastoral Associate, commented today on the death of Yolanda King, civil rights activist and the eldest child of the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Read
Before His Death, a Soldier Reflects on War

Darrell Griffin documented his experiences during two tours with the Army's Stryker brigade. He often wrote about God in his E-mails home. He'd been a part-time pastor at a California Baptist church once, giving sermons on Wednesday nights. He'd knocked on the door of a church shortly after he met his wife in 1992. "I'd like to be saved," he'd said. In January, he asked his wife to send him a copy of the Koran, because he wanted to read about the Muslim faith. But in early March of this year, he told me that he'd stopped attending church. "I started studying philosophy and became an atheist," he said. "I'm still trying to contemplate God, but it is kind of hard here." Ten days later, on his birthday, he called home. "He was remarkably calm," recalled his father. "The things he has seen in war and the fact that he read so deeply in philosophical and theological issues led him to be often conflicted internally about God. He said that he reconciled his conflicts and that he was ready anytime God called him. Not the statement of an atheist." Read View Video
Report: Hong Kong Authorities Ponder Labeling Bible 'Indecent' — Fox News

The Good Book isn't clean enough for Hong Kong. Residents of the city are calling for an "indecent" label for the Bible, saying the text contains passages that are too gory for young eyes, Reuters reports. Read
Merkel gives up on God in EU treaty — EU Observer

German chancellor and Christian Democrat Angela Merkel has voiced regret there will be no reference to Christian roots in the revised EU treaty, amid controversial remarks about damage to churches in Turkish Cyprus at a meeting of religious VIPs in Brussels. Read
Bush avoids 'Christianity' at Jamestown celebration — WorldNetDaily

Makes no mention of directions to 'propagate' Gospel of Jesus Read

Poll: What do you think of President Bush's individual representation of Christianity?
Wiccans Keep the Faith With a Religion Under Wraps — NYT

Among the most popular religions to have flowered since the 1960s, Wicca — a form of paganism — still faces a struggle for acceptance. Read
Christian conservatives pledge support for '08 Thompson bid — The Washington Times

Several leading Christian conservatives say they will rally to former Sen. Fred Thompson, who they expect to announce "in a matter of weeks" that he will seek the Republican nomination for president next year. Read
'Christians will be first to leave city' — Jerusalem Post

As the number of Christian residents in the Holy Land continues to drop, an adviser to Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski called on the government on Sunday to ease restrictions on family reunification for Christian Arabs living in the capital. Read
If society does not recognise God, it cannot do what is good for mankind — AsiaNews.it

In the address with which he inaugurated the 5th General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, Benedict XVI drew an outline of the path today's Church must follow. Evangelising every culture and bearing witness to Jesus is a mission for all Christians. Read
Traditional values down, but not out — The Washington Times

The midterm elections that swept congressional Democrats into power sparked fresh obituaries for the religious right.

Are the obituary writers correct? Is the traditional-values movement declining? Has the nation had enough of "moralizing busybodies," as Newsweek's Jonathan Alter put it, influencing policy? Read
Militants Target "Christian missionaries" in Gaza — Worthy News

Christians in the Gaza Strip faced new tensions Sunday, May 13, amid reports that a Palestinian Islamic group's armed wing is targeting "Christian missionary activity" in the Gaza Strip. Read
U.S. Divorce Rate at Lowest Level Since 1970 — AOL

By the numbers, divorce just isn't what it used to be. Despite the common notion that America remains plagued by a divorce epidemic, the national per capita divorce rate has declined steadily since its peak in 1981 and is now at its lowest level since 1970. Read
World Congress speaker says 'natural' morality must undergird family — One News Now

The head of a Utah-based pro-family group says nations involved in the culture war must choose between either natural or constructive morality. Societies that wish to strengthen families, he says, must exhibit and value the former. Read
Christians threatened: convert to Islam or die — Asia News

Convert to Islam within 10 days and shut down all the country's churches: the ultimatum was delivered in a threatening letter that Muslim fundamentalists sent to Christian communities in Charsadda and Mardan, in northern Pakistan. If their orders are not obeyed, "all Christians will be executed." Read
Uzbekistan Protestant sentenced for "teaching religion" — Worthy News

A Pentecostal Christian in Uzbekistan faced a difficult Sunday, May 13, after receiving a two-year suspended prison sentence in Nukus, the capital of the Karakalpakstan autonomous republic in north-western Uzbekistan, on charges of teaching religion illegally, human rights watchers and local Christians confirmed. Read
China "Returns" Confiscated Church Properties After International Pressure "And Prayers" — Worthy News

Amid international pressure Chinese security forces have returned confiscated items to two house churches in the city of Kunshan in China's Jiangsu province, BosNewsLife established Saturday, May 12. Read
Convert or Die? Pakistani Christians Seek Help — AOL

Christians in a Pakistani town beset by pro-Taliban militants sought government protection Wednesday, the eve of a deadline for them to convert to Islam or face violence. Read
Egypt Militants Detained After Attacks On Christian Homes And Shops — Worthy News

Dozens of suspected Muslim militants were said to remain in custody Monday, May 14, after Egyptian security forces arrested them over the weekend on charges of setting fire to Christian homes and shops in clashes over church construction. Read
Vietnam Detains And "Tortures" Four Montagnard Christians, Group Says — Worthy News

Four Degar Montagnard Christians remained imprisoned in Vietnam's Central Highlands Tuesday, May 15, after they were arrested for collecting names for a statement which denies the growing house church movement of Degar Montagnards seeks independence from Vietnam, fellow believers told BosNewsLife. Read

Courts

NY Couples Celebrate Gay Marriage Ruling — Daily Advance

Michael Adams and his partner, Fred Davie, waited three years to find out whether their marriage in Massachusetts was legal. On Wednesday, they got an answer: Their wedding rings can stay on. A judge ruled that marriages of gay couples from New York who wed in Massachusetts before last July are valid because New York had not explicitly banned same-sex marriages until then. Read
Engineer convicted as Chinese secret agent — Chicago Tribune

Jurors on Thursday convicted a Chinese-born engineer of conspiring to export U.S. defense technology to China, including data on an electronic propulsion system that could make submarines virtually undetectable. Read
Gay Couples Ask Conn. Court for Marriage — US News and World Report

How can the traditional definition of marriage be changed to include same-sex couples, Connecticut's Supreme Court justices asked a lawyer Monday as they heard arguments urging them to legalize gay marriage in the state. Read
Student who said 'That's so gay' is out of luck — MSNBC

Judge: Mormon teen who was disciplined, teased doesn't deserve damages Read

Abortion/Pro-Life

Rudy's not the oneJames Dobson — WorldNetDaily

The jig is up. Rudy Giuliani finally admitted in a speech at Houston Baptist College last week that he is an unapologetic supporter of abortion on demand. That revelation came as no great shock to those of us in the pro-life movement. His public pronouncements as mayor of New York, together with his more recent tap dances on the campaign trail, have told a very clear story. Read
Planned Parenthood Threatens to Sue Undercover Activist CSN News

Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles is threatening to sue a student pro-life activist who recorded an abortion clinic employee encouraging her to lie about her age to avoid being reported as a victim of statutory rape. Read
Pediatricians Call for Support for Adult Stem Cell Research — Christian Newswire

The American College of Pediatricians calls for an end to embryonic stem cell research and recommends the exclusive support of already proven effective adult stem cell research. "Not only does embryonic research require taking the life of human embryos, it also prolongs needless suffering by delaying the development of more promising adult stem cell treatments and cures," states Michelle Cretella, MD, Fellow of the American College of Pediatricians. Read
Man-to-Monkey Billboards Used to Challenge Evolution — CNS News

Billboards that show a man turning into a monkey and an online game entitled "Let's See How Evolution Works" are two elements of a new national campaign launched by a Christian group to call attention to the "lack of proof" for the theory of evolution. Billboards at six locations in Oregon and Georgia ask "Are They Making a Monkey Out of You?" and additional signs are planned for Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri, according to Julie Haberle, founder of the Who Is Your Creator non-profit organization. The billboards direct viewers to the group's website, which presents a step-by-step summary of evolution and arguments against the theory. Read
Pick-your-baby test investigated — The Daily Telegraph

A DNA mail order kit that checks the sex of an unborn child at just six weeks is under investigation after concerns it will lead to couples terminating unwanted children. The do-it-yourself home test can be ordered over the internet and shipped to Australia for less than $500. Read

Alcohol/Drugs/Health

Mexico takes a risk using soldiers in drug war — LA Times

Critics say they fear that Calderon's use of the ill-prepared army could corrupt 'the last honest institution. Read
Gas May Have Harmed Troops, Scientists Say — NYT

More than 100,000 American troops in the Persian Gulf war of 1991 were exposed to low levels of sarin nerve gas. Read
Beer Money In Congress — Center for Science in the Public Interest

In the 2005-2006 election cycle, beer-, wine- and liquor-industry interests gave federal candidates a combined total of more than $10 million. Of that amount, beer industry money accounted for more than two-thirds (70%). The two largest sources of beer money in Congress are the political action committee of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and mega-brewer Anheuser-Busch (AB). Those two sources together account for more than two-thirds of all beer money flowing to Congressional campaign coffers and about half of all alcohol-industry money. Read

God will call drug dealers to account, says Pope — AsiaNews.it

At the Fazenda da Esperança drug and substance abuse centre, Benedict XVI urges young people who kicked the habit to carry the torch of hope that faith offers to people of their age and to society. Aparecida (AsiaNews) — God shall call those who deal in drugs to account because "human dignity cannot be trampled upon in this way. The harm done will receive the same reproach that Jesus reserved for those who gave scandal to the 'little ones,' God's favourites (cf Mt 18: 7-10)." Benedict XVI launched in what was almost an anathema against drug dealers, one that highlighted that hope comes with faith, stressing how the centre's young recovering addicts can become hope's standard bearers. In a warning tone, he said: "I urge drug-dealers to reflect on the grave harm they are inflicting on countless young people and adults from every walk of life. God will call you to account for your deeds." Read
Smoking Will Play Role In Movie Ratings — CBS News

MPAA Says Tobacco Use Could Lead To A More Adult Rating Read
Vitamin D 'may help ward off TB' — BBC

A dose of vitamin D may help ward off tuberculosis, research suggests. Read
8-Year-Old Finds Pot In Happy Meal — Hampton Roads 3 News

Keith and Andrea Irelan got quite a surprise on Monday night when they went through a McDonald's drive-thru in suburban Chicago and ordered three Happy Meals for their children. Read

Education/Sex Ed/Teens/Children

Teachers Stage Fake Gun Attack on Kids — AOL

Staff members of an elementary school staged a fictitious gun attack on students during a class trip, telling them it was not a drill as the children cried and hid under tables. The mock attack Thursday night was intended as a learning experience and lasted five minutes during the weeklong trip to a state park, said Scales Elementary School Assistant Principal Don Bartch, who led the trip. "We got together and discussed what we would have done in a real situation," he said. But parents of the sixth-grade students were outraged. Read
ACLU Cannot Force School District to Censor Seniors at Louisiana Graduation — Liberty Counsel

Ouachita, LA — The graduating seniors at the six high schools in the Ouachita Parish School District voted to have a fellow student give a message during this week's graduation ceremonies. Up in arms over the possibility the students will include religious themes or prayer at graduation, the ACLU issued a letter accusing the district of "trying to do an end-run around the Constitution with the so-called student-led prayers." Read
Students Win Christian Journalism Scholarships — Evangelical News

Four students were honored with scholarships from the Evangelical Press Association during the organization's annual business meeting, held May 4 in Colorado Springs. Read
Planned Parenthood Must Defend Second Suit Alleging Violations of Ohio Law to the Detriment of Young Girls — Christian Newswire

Planned Parenthood (PP), Southwest Ohio Region, and its representatives were without comment on Wednesday, May 9, 2007, when they were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed in Warren County Ohio, alleging that they violated Ohio law by their failure to report the sexual abuse of minors. The suit alleges that on November 15, 2004, 16 year-old Denise Fairbanks, was brought to PP by her father, who had been sexually assaulting her since she was 13. He sought an abortion for his daughter at PP's Auburn Avenue facility in order to cover up the sexual abuse and resulting pregnancy. Read
'Gay' cowboy love scenes 'traumatize' schoolgirl, 12 — WorldNetDaily

Family sues district for $500,000 after 'Brokeback' shown in class Read
College Recruiters Use Student Bloggers — US News and World Report

...Colleges seeking a competitive edge are increasingly enlisting and sometimes paying student bloggers to chronicle their lives online.... Read
Pope: Youths Must Avoid 'Snares of Evil' — ABC News

Pope Benedict XVI addressed sexual morality in a speech to tens of thousands of young Catholics, instructing them to avoid premarital sex, remain faithful once they are married and to promote life from "its beginning to natural end." Read
Virginia Tech graduates to reflect, celebrate — CNN

Virginia Tech students Andrea and Michelle Falletti said they would never forget the day a fellow student gunned down 32 people before killing himself, but that the tragedy wouldn't come to define their college experience. Read
$335 million, UW's "Neptune" system to help scientists study ocean floor — The Seattle Times

A consortium of ocean scientists today will announce that the National Science Foundation (NSF) will invest about $335 million over six years to build a three-phase international ocean-observing system. Central to the project will be the University of Washington's "Neptune" system, measuring changes on the Juan de Fuca Plate. Read
Ivy League Crunch Brings New Cachet to Next Tier — NYT

Second-tier colleges have seen their cachet climb because of the heated competition at the top. Read
Study: Most Profs Hold Unfavorable View Of Evangelicals — Evangelical News

The majority of professors at America's colleges and universities hold an unfavorable view of evangelical Christians that leads to prejudice and intolerance in the classroom, a recent study on educators' religious opinions confirmed. Read

God and Country/National Security/Politics

U.S. Hunts for Soldiers Missing in Iraq — AOL

U.S. and Iraqi forces exchanged fire with suspected Sunni insurgents on Monday, killing two and wounding four of them during a massive search for three missing American soldiers in a volatile area south of Baghdad , the Iraqi army said. Read
U.S. Soldier Shot to Death in Pakistan — US News and World Report

Militants opened fire Monday on a group of U.S., Afghan and Pakistani military officials meeting near the Afghan border, killing one American and a Pakistani soldier, the Pakistani army spokesman said. Read
Report Says Soldiers Were Not Protected -WRAL

Three U.S. soldiers slaughtered in a grisly kidnapping-murder plot south of Baghdad last June had been left alone for up to 36 hours in a poorly planned mission, a military investigation concluded. Two officers have been relieved of their commands. Read
Bail Hearing For Fort Dix Six — CBS

Defense Lawyers Do Not Expect Bomb-Plot Suspects To Be Able To Afford Bail Read

Related
Navy sued over sonar testing off Hawaii — MSNBC

Activists say measures to protect whales don't go far enough Read
Iran Develops, Procures Cruise Missiles — MENL

Iran has been procuring and developing a range of cruise missiles to prepare for war with the United States. Read
'Iran could be year from nuke' — Ynet News

One year from now, Iran could possess the means of producing a nuclear bomb — that was the chilling message delivered by Ambassador Dore Gold during an interview with Ynetnews Tuesday. Read
Lab Aims to Prevent Soldiers' Injuries — Daily Advance

One soldier ran on a treadmill while wearing a mask to measure his breathing. Another tracked his endurance on a stationary bike. Computers displayed their progress on charts. Fort Campbell on Tuesday opened its Injury Prevention and Performance Enhancement Laboratory, a first-of-its-kind military lab designed to help determine how soldiers get hurt and develop programs to prevent injuries. Read
We must attack Iran before it gets the bomb — London Telegraph

Iran should be attacked before it develops nuclear weapons, America's former ambassador to the United Nations said yesterday. Read
Costly flaws found in Navy's top jet — The Boston Globe

Engineers have uncovered a flaw in the Navy's top fighter jet that could reduce by half the aircraft's advertised service life and potentially cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs, according to Pentagon documents and military and industry officials. Read
Bush names war czar — GOPUSA

U.S. President George Bush named U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute as the White House's new "war czar" to coordinate U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the new position, Lute will oversee operations by both the military and the U.S. State Department. Read
Poppy Fields Are Now a Front Line in Afghanistan War — NYT

Until recently, U.S. officials admit, fighting drugs was considered a distraction from fighting terrorists. Read
Front-Runners Refuse Release of Tax Returns — ABC

Five of the six presidential front-runners — Sens. Hillary Clinton , D-N.Y., and John McCain , R-Ariz., former Republican Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, former Democratic Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani — are as yet refusing to release their tax returns. Read
Bloomberg poised for third-party campaign — The Washington Times

New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is prepared to spend an unprecedented $1 billion of his own $5.5 billion personal fortune for a third-party presidential campaign, personal friends of the mayor tell The Washington Times. Read
GOP's 2008 top tier goes on attack — Washington Times

Mitt Romney proposed doubling the size of Guantanamo Bay's detention center, John McCain defended his teamwork with Democrats in the Senate, and Rudolph W. Giuliani angrily demanded a retraction from a fellow presidential candidate who said the September 11 bombings were a result of U.S. actions in Iraq. Read
Japan says North Korea developing new long-range missile — Int'l Herald Tribune

North Korea is developing a new long-range ballistic missile that may be capable of hitting the U.S. territory of Guam, a Japanese official said Wednesday. Read
President Intervened in Dispute Over Eavesdropping — NYT

President Bush stepped in after top officials threatened to resign over the N.S.A.'s domestic spying program, according to testimony. Read
Top Taliban Commander Slain in Afghanistan — AOL

The killing of the top Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah, a one-legged fighter who orchestrated suicide attacks, beheadings and an ethnic massacre, marks a major victory for the U.S. campaign at a time of flagging Afghan support over civilian killings. Read
U.S. Border Inspectors Rarely Scan Sophisticated New Face-Matching Visas — Wilson Times

The face- and fingerprint-matching technology that has been touted over the past decade as a sophisticated new way to stop terrorists and illegal immigrants from entering the country through Mexico has one major drawback: U.S. border inspectors almost never use it. Read
Border Patrol conflict widens — The Washington Times

The National Border Patrol Council has filed an unfair labor practices complaint against U.S. Border Patrol Chief David V. Aguilar, saying he sought to "intimidate" field agents in an effort to discredit a "no-confidence" vote by the union's leadership. Read
Rice: No "New Cold War" With Russia — CBS

Russian President Vladimir Putin invites Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for talks in his Novo-Ogaryovo country residence west of Moscow in this Oct. 15, 2005 file photo. The warm partnership hoped for by President Bush six years ago between the old Cold War superpowers has soured with suspicions, misunderstandings and perceived hurts on both sides. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday that it is "not any easy" time in Russia-U.S. relations, but that the tensions do not amount to a new Cold War. "I don't throw around terms like 'new Cold War,"' Rice said on her way to Moscow for a visit amid growing tensions underlined by President Vladimir Putin's increasing criticism of the United States. Read
Chrysler Group to be sold for $7.4 billion — MSNBC

Automaker sells 80% to Cerberus, ending dreams of creating auto giant Read
U.S., Iran to hold talks in Baghdad — MSNBC

The United States and Iran will meet in Baghdad in the next few weeks to discuss Tehran taking a "productive role" in Iraq's security, the White House said on Sunday. Read
Iranian President Holds Anti-U.S. Rally — CBN News

Iran's president led a raucous anti-American rally on Sunday in this tightly controlled U.S. ally in the Persian Gulf, a day after a low-key visit by Vice President Dick Cheney aimed at countering Tehran's influence in the region. Read
Edwards Offers Big Ideas with Price Tags to Match — ABC 11

Presidential candidate John Edwards is offering more policy proposals than any other candidate in the primary and his ideas are winning loud applause from Democratic audiences. The question is whether other voters will cheer when they see the price tag — more than $125 billion a year. Read
Massive Florida-Georgia Wildfire Forces Hundreds of Residents to Evacuate Again — Fox News

Authorities evacuated hundreds of homes after a massive wildfire along the Georgia-Florida border jumped a containment line overnight, authorities said Tuesday. Read

Pornography/Homosexuality/Immorality/Obscenity/Violence

Virtual Child Porn Riles Law Enforcement — ABC 11

Lifelike, Interactive Child Sex Abuse Is on the Rise, and It's Legal

Law enforcement officials are upset that virtual child porn internet sites are not illegal in the U.S. (abc news) They're talking about "virtual child porn," the computer depiction of adults having sex with children. It has found a home at places like the popular Second Life game, which is available online. Read
Saturday's "Youth Pride" day in Boston Common a disturbing and dangerous event. Attempts to keep MassResistance and others away didn't work — full report coming up! — MassResistance

It's a good thing for him that the Governor wasn't there. Let's put it this way: Under no circumstances should any teenager be left alone with these people, much less go to one of their events. There were lots of very troubled looking and vulnerable kids, and it attracted a lot of very weird and dangerous looking adults. They paraded through the streets of Boston (with a police escort, of course), mingled on the Boston Common, and in the evening held a "transgender prom" for kids and adults in Boston City Hall, compliments of the Mayor of Boston. As one person observed, it was "a candy store for sex offenders." And that's not an exaggeration. In the afternoon, the Master of Ceremonies was a drag queen. A transgender woman ("female-to-male") with a beard held a private "open mic" session for kids. The overall theme of the event was "love." Read
Gay Youths Find Place to Call Home in Specialty Shelters — NYT

New shelters reflect an increasing awareness of the disproportionately high number of gay youths in the homeless population and the special problems they face. Read
Thompson Revises Apology on Gay Comment — AOL

Tommy Thompson cited a dead hearing aid and an urgent need to use the bathroom in explaining on Saturday why he said at a GOP presidential debate that an employer should be allowed to fire a gay worker. Read
Illinois Librarians Fight Porn Filters with Internet Shutdown — Christian Newswire

Taxpayers are footing the bill for a planned protest by Illinois librarians against a proposed internet filtering bill. On May 8th, the Illinois Library Association (ILA) issued an "action request" calling for a coordinated protest against the Internet filtering bill, HB 1727, recommending that all public libraries in the state to obstruct Internet access on Monday, May 14th. Read
Prostitution Bust In Portsmouth — News 13

The first man was from Suffolk. He gave his cell number and used his real name. The second drove from Virginia Beach. He is a Little League coach who gave his real name and sent e-mail from his company account. The third man is also a Little League coach who, even though married, is looking for a long-term affair. They were among dozens who answered an ad on the Hampton Roads version of CraigsList, an online marketplace where users buy and sell homes, housewares, and sex. Your NewsChannel 3, working with the Portsmouth Sheriff's Office, placed the online ad in the "Erotic Services" section as part of an undercover sting. Read
Overcome Pornography Addiction — Special Offer on Catholic Resources — Christian Newswire

Every second, over 28,000 internet users are viewing pornography, and more than $3,000 is being spent on the addictive and destructive images. R.A.G.E. Media, publisher of two of the foremost Catholic books on overcoming pornography addiction, is responding to these dire statistics with a special offer for Catholics who struggle with pornography addiction. Read

Other News

Kids Find Missing S.C. Officer's Badge — Daily Advance

Children unwrapping an abandoned wad of burned rags discovered a missing constable's badge, handcuff case and other items inside, authorities said. Read
More than half of Jews willing to divide Jerusalem — Ynet News

Fifty-eight percent of the Jewish public in Israel is willing to make concessions in Jerusalem in the frame of a peace agreement with the Palestinians, a poll conducted by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies revealed on Sunday. The poll, conducted toward the 40-year anniversary of the capital's unification, showed a 5 percent drop compared to 2006. A drop in the Israeli Jews' faith that real peace could be reached was also revealed in the poll. Only 16 percent of the public believes that peace with the Palestinians can be reached, as opposed to 20 percent in 2006. Read
Israeli helicopters fire at open fields in northern Gaza — Ynet News

Israeli helicopters fired automatic fire at open fields in the northern Gaza Strip used by gunmen to fire rockets towards Israel. Read
US, Europe to shun Jerusalem Day celebrations — Ynet News

European Union countries will not take part in the celebrations marking the 40-year anniversary of Jerusalem's reunification, EU president Germany said Thursday in a diplomatic letter sent to the Foreign Ministry and the Knesset. Read
Evangelicals blast J'lem Day boycott — Jerusalem Post

A prominent Jerusalem-based evangelical organization slammed on Tuesday the decision of much of the international community to boycott celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, calling the move a "perverse and immoral act." Read
Iran, North Korea seek to boost cooperation — Yahoo News

Iran and North Korea have agreed to step up bilateral contacts, an Iranian news agency said on Friday, signaling closer ties between two countries which were part of U.S. President George W. Bush's "axis of evil." Read
Authorities in Germany Detained 2 With al Qaeda Ties — ABC News

Authorities detained two suspects believed to be part of a cell of the Islamic Jihad Union, an al Qaeda-affiliated Uzbek group, intelligence sources have told ABC News. Read
Merkel's pushes for a new EU constitution — Int'l Herald Tribune

Angela Merkel's drive to revive the EU constitution enters a crucial new phase this week as envoys from the bloc's 27 states meet to iron out differences and the newly elected French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, pays a visit. Read
Mubarak: Hamas will never sign a peace agreement with Israel — Ha'aretz

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak expressed great concern over the increasing strength of Hamas in talks with senior diplomatic officials on Wednesday, declaring that the organization will never sign a peace agreement with Israel, Haaretz has learned. 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