Weekly Issues Alert

June 22 - 28

"On every question of construction carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed." --Thomas Jefferson (letter to William Johnson, 12 June 1823)

NC General Assembly

Rep. Mary McAllister ordered to forfeit $5,669 — ABC11

The State Board of Elections ordered a veteran House lawmaker to forfeit $5,669 — money she transferred from her campaign account to herself and called loan repayments. Read
Rand calls shots as Senate gets business done — News and Observer

The Senate belongs to the people of North Carolina, but the power to set its pace belongs to Sen. Tony Rand. Read
General Assembly Engaged in Tug-Of-War Over State Budget — WRAL

The General Assembly appears unlikely to agree on a budget by the start of the new fiscal year, which the House acknowledged by rolling out a measure that would give the two chambers another 30 days to negotiate after Sunday's deadline. Read
General Assembly To Keep Gov't Running Temporarily — WPTF

Pay raises may take toll in state jobs — News and Observer

House's budget plan would shave about 2,300 positions; Senate's plan would save some of them. Read
State Representative's Hearing Raises More Questions Than Answers — WRAL

A Fayetteville lawmaker spoke Wednesday before the State Board of Elections about her campaign finances, but the board found her answers confusing. Read
Gerlach fights for Easley's interests — News and Observer

For some at the legislature, a rumpled, quick-witted state bureaucrat named Dan Gerlach might as well be the governor of North Carolina. Gerlach in fact reports to Gov. Mike Easley, and this week, with talks on the budget urgent, he will help shape the numbers as lawmakers try to make a deal. Read
Wright tops list of missed votes — News and Observer

He was there for 78.8 percent of votes. Read
Senate Democrats Agree To Keep "Temporary Taxes" — WPTF

Senate Democrats have agreed to keep a "temporary" sales tax on the books for at least another month Read
Dorothea Dix's value is in the eye of the beholder — News and Observer

Earlier this month, Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker pegged Dorothea Dix's worth as parkland at $10.5 million, a figure that was immediately derided by several state lawmakers who think the 306-acre site is worth much more. Read
State toughens hazardous waste rules — News and Observer

An Apex chemical fire and explosion were catalysts for a new law Gov. Mike Easley signed Tuesday that tightens regulation of hazardous waste storehouses. Read
Senate to tackle mental health bill — News and Observer

A state Senate committee vote puts the legislature closer to improving insurance coverage, but the House's version differs. Read
Tuesday at the General Assembly — Star News

DISPLEASED EASLEY: Gov. Mike Easley says he's frustrated that legislators are unlikely to agree on a budget by the start of a new fiscal year. He also said lawmakers should pass a stopgap spending measure while negotiations continue that extends a quarter-penny on the sales tax on the books through July 31. The tax is supposed to expire this weekend. Easley and House Democrats both want the tax to continue for at least the next two years. The Senate doesn't, but Easley urged them to keep it in place at least for the time being while negotiations continue. The House agreed with Easley's request and tentatively approved a so-called "continuing resolution" to keep state government operating for 30 days past July 1.

PENSIONS PULLED: A bill that would make corrupt officials forfeit their state pensions cleared the Senate and headed to Gov. Mike Easley's desk to be signed into law. The Senate voted unanimously to accept minor House-approved changes in the bill inspired by the scandal surrounding former House Speaker Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg. The new law will provide that an elected official who is convicted of misconduct in his or her official capacity would lose retirement benefits earned for that office. The law won't affect Black because it can't be applied retroactively.

ENERGY ACT: A Senate committee gave the first legislative approval to a bill to require North Carolina utilities to provide 12.5 percent of their retail electricity from renewable energy and power-saving measures. Environmental groups say they will fight a section that allows power companies to recover the cost of building coal and nuclear power plants by charging customers before the plants come on line. Utilities companies say they need to recover those costs because efficiency and renewable power sources won't be enough to meet North Carolina's increasing need for electricity.

TAX CHANGES: The Senate tentatively agreed Tuesday to attempt to eliminate a tax-avoidance strategy used by Wal-Mart and other multistate corporations doing business in North Carolina. The state Revenue Department says companies are using what's called a captive real estate investment trust to help reduce or eliminate their tax payments on profits generated in North Carolina. Sen. Dan Clodfelter, D-Mecklenburg, the bill sponsor, said the measure was crafted so it wouldn't interfere with a legal battle between the Revenue Department and Wal-Mart over a $33 million tax refund the discount retailer wants because it says the agency overstepped its bounds in examining profits that passed through the real estate trust. The department calls the strategy improper.

SAME-DAY REGISTRATION: The House and Senate will work through their differences on a bill that would allow a citizen to register to vote and cast a ballot immediately in the days leading up to an election. The House voted 74-41 to reject the Senate version of its bill, sending the measure to a conference committee to reach a compromise. Rep. Deborah Ross, D-Wake, cited two provisions — including one that would require forms and ballots to be printed only in English — as reasons that the House rejected the Senate version. North Carolina law now ends voter registration 25 days before an election. But the bill would allow residents to go to one-stop voting sites, where they already can vote early, and register and then vote right away in the final 2 1/2 weeks before an election.

HIGH-RISK POOL: The Senate Commerce Committee heard from insurance and small business lobbyists unhappy with how the state would pay for a special health insurance pool for chronically ill people who aren't insured or can't afford coverage. The House already has passed the high-risk pool bill, which would be paid mostly through premiums as well as a fee on insurers of up to $2 — phased in through 2013 — per each traditional customer. Perri Morgan with the business group called "North Carolina 100" said the assessment "is a tax on small employers who are providing insurance for their employees." Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange, the bill's primary sponsor, disagreed with calls to replace the assessment with a straight appropriation from the state's operating fund, saying the fund needs a steady source of revenues to ensure its success. The committee adjourned for the day without a vote.

APEX FIRE: Gov. Mike Easley said a bill he signed into law requiring new regulations for hazardous waste storage sites will help state residents feel more secure in their neighborhoods. Easley held a formal bill-signing ceremony in his office for the measure, passed by the General Assembly last week as part of efforts to prevent any repeat of industrial accidents such as the Oct. 5 fire at an Apex chemical plant. Following the fire, Easley formed a task force that made several recommendations that were incorporated into the bill, including more frequent inspections and a quicker renewal cycle for the facilities that have their permits renewed.
Other Bills — Star News

In the House:

- H786, to order law enforcement to turn over copies of all crime investigation records to prosecutors so that they can be made available to defense lawyers. Approved concurrence motion 116-0. Next: To Gov. Mike Easley's desk.

- H1354, to create an automobile "chop shop" law that makes it a felony for someone to disassemble a car that was illegally obtained or purchase a motor vehicle with an altered identification number. Approved concurrence motion 117-0. Next: To Gov. Mike Easley's desk.

- H1464, to order the State Board of Education to create rules whereby young people who serve as pages for the governor or the General Assembly will be considered as receiving excused absences from school. Approved concurrence motion 116-0. Next: To Gov. Mike Easley's desk.

- H1492, to order the North Carolina Medical Board to license anesthesiologist assistants in North Carolina. Approved concurrence motion 116-0. Next: To Gov. Mike Easley's desk.

- H1634, to establish custody, visitation and electronic communications procedures when a parent in the military receives deployment or mobilization orders. Approved concurrence motion 116-0. Next: To Gov. Mike Easley's desk.
In the Senate:

- H24, to ban smoking in state government buildings and give local governments the option of setting similar bans in their own buildings. Approved 48-1. Next: Back to the House for concurrence with Senate-approved changes.
Resolution in Both Chambers:

- H1720, a resolution honoring members of the North Carolina National Guard and their families. Approved 116-0 in the House, 49-0 in the Senate.
In committees:

- H27, requiring film processors or computer technicians who discover child pornography to report to law enforcement the name of the customer whose film or equipment contains the image. Favorable report, Senate Judiciary I. Next: To the full Senate.

- H898, to allow for the nonviolent criminal record of youthful offenders in the adult court system to be expunged. Favorable report on 9-4 vote, House Juvenile Justice. Next: House Finance.

NC Courts

Judge to Hear Evidence in Nifong's Removal — WRAL

A Superior Court judge has set a Thursday morning hearing in a civil complaint seeking to remove disbarred prosecutor Mike Nifong from office. Read
Death penalty may be on trial with accused — News and Observer

The Lauren Redman case will be the first capital trial in Wake County and the Triangle since a Wake Superior Court judge in January suspended the executions of several men, setting off a round of legal challenges that led to a halt in executions in the state. Read
Dutch Government Lawyer: Bank of America Can Buy LaSalle — WRAL

...In a written submission to the Supreme Court, which is to rule on an appeal, Advocaat Generaal Levinus Timmerman said the sale of LaSalle Bank Corp. to Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America Corp. was legal under Dutch law, and the Superior Court decision should be overturned. The opinion increases the chances that the bank will ultimately be bought by Barclays. Read
Court rules against schools — News and Observer

Decision means parental consent is needed before putting new students in year-round classes. Read

NC Politics

Miller Votes Against Senate Run in '08 — WRAL

Citing family considerations, 13th District Congressman Brad Miller said Monday he wouldn't challenge incumbent GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole in 2008. Read
Edwards Goes on Air in N.H. As Part of a New Push in The State — WRAL

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards on Tuesday announced a new television ad in New Hampshire, part of his focus on improving his standing in the first primary state. Read

Other North Carolina News

Camp Lejeune Marine Killed in Iraq — ABC11

A North Carolina-based Marine died while conducting combat operations in Iraq this week, the Department of Defense said Tuesday. Read
Planned Parenthood Pushes Education about 'Plan B' — ABC11

...A feeling some women in North Carolina experience too often according to a new study by a pro-choice group. It found that 40% of pharmacies in the Tarheel State don't carry emergency contraception, or Plan B. David Haines with the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte says he supports those pharmacies. "I'd like to applaud those 40% of pharmacists in North Carolina who are refusing to carry this over the counter — contraception or abortion whatever you want to call it — and I wish that all 100% of the pharmacies in North Carolina would follow suit with that." Read
The North Carolina Cancer Hospital — Reed Construction Data

Skanska USA Building Inc. is well under way on construction of the fifth hospital in the UNC Hospitals system — the North Carolina Cancer Hospital...The North Carolina Cancer Hospital, which has a construction value of approximately $145 million, is scheduled for substantial completion by July 2009 and a grand opening by December 2009. Read
Hanesbrands to Cut 5,300 Jobs — ABC11

...The underwear and apparel maker will close plants affecting nearly 5,000 employees in Canada, the United States, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico as it moves production to lower-cost operations in Asia and Central America. Another 350 management and administration positions also will be cut, mostly in the United States. The Winston-Salem-based company said the closings, which will cost about $42 million, are a part of an ongoing restructuring effort to make its business leaner and more profitable. Read
Tighter Financial Aid Guidelines Adopted for UNC System — WRAL

The University of North Carolina system has adopted tighter rules for financial aid officers to help avoid potential conflicts of interest like those recently discovered in New York. The guidelines for the 16-campus system in North Carolina ban gifts from lenders to financial aid officers and require more transparency in the handling of student loans. Read
Malt-O-Meal expanding in North Carolina — KARE11

Minneapolis-based Malt-O-Meal plans to break ground Tuesday for a new facility in Asheboro, North Carolina, that is expected to create 160 jobs by 2012. Read
HondaJet breaks ground at PTI — News 14

Starting from a small research facility back in 2000, seven years later HondaJet broke ground for its world headquarters and production facility at PTI Airport Tuesday morning. Read
Coach, 40, Weds 16-Year-Old Student — ABC

Anguished Parents Sign Consent Forms, Saying They Had No Choice Read
Ex-Principal Indicted on More Child Sex Charges — WRAL

A former Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School assistant principal was indicted Monday on 20 sex-related charges involving a minor.

Larry Ray Jewell, 57, of 104 Queensbury Drive in Dunn, was arrested in February on 46 sex charges involving a youth who lived in his home. Read
Solis Women's Health Enters North Carolina Market — Solis Women's Health

Solis Women's Health announced today that it has acquired Bertrand Breast and Osteoporosis Center of Greensboro, North Carolina. The Bertrand Center, founded by Dr. Margaret Bertrand in 1983, is the oldest independent breast center operating in Greensboro and is an acknowledged leader in breast cancer diagnosis in the Southeastern United States. Solis CEO Brad Hummel commented, "The acquisition of Bertrand Breast and Osteoporosis Center paves our way into northern North Carolina and the dynamic regions known as the Piedmont Triad and Piedmont Triangle. Read
Murder Victim's Family Praises 'USA Today' Ad — USA

USA Today published a full-page ad Monday about Jenna Nielsen, its carrier who was found murdered in Raleigh. Read
Man Wanted on Child Abuse Arrested in New York State — WRAL

U.S. Marshals arrested a Durham man in New York state Monday on charges he had abused a 2-year-old boy earlier this year, and Durham police credited information generated by Fox 50's "NC Wanted" program. Read
Tolson to head N.C. Biotechnology Center — News and Observer

Norris Tolson, currently vice chairman of the biotech center's board of directors, takes the helm of an organization credited with helping North Carolina become a top ranked U.S. biotech hot spot. Read
Philip Morris to move North Carolina operations... — Richmond Times Dispatch

The Henrico County-based company announced yesterday that it is closing its cigarette plant in North Carolina in 2010 and moving the operations to its manufacturing center in Richmond. Employee transfers could be in the hundreds. The closing of its only other U.S. plant, which employs 2,500 people in Cabarrus County, N.C., comes as the company moves more cigarette production offshore, continuing a trend in the tobacco industry that has led to a steep decline in cigarette exports from the United States and Virginia in recent years. Read
Study: North Carolina Roads Congested — WSOC TV

The report shows motorists in California, Minnesota, New Jersey and North Carolina has some of the worst traffic in the United States. Read

Congress

Amendments Offered to Protect Free Speech on the Airwaves — Citizenlink

There have been persistent indications that liberals in Congress want to take legislative action to stifle conservative talk radio. Action
Immigration Bill Prompts Some Menacing Responses — NYT

The proposed legislation for changing the immigration system has brought thousands of angry messages for lawmakers. Read

Related
Immigration bill halted in Senate — News and Observer

The Senate drove a stake today through President Bush's plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants, likely postponing major action on immigration until after the 2008 elections.The bill's supporters fell 14 votes short of the 60 needed to limit debate and clear the way for final passage of the legislation, which critics assailed as offering amnesty to illegal immigrants. The vote was 46 to 53 in favor of limiting the debate. Read
Abstinence Education Vital for the Health of America's Youth — Citizenlink

Tell Congress to reauthorize Title V funding. Action
Broadcasters Deny Connection Between Societal Violence, Violent Media — Citizenlink

Elected officials need a little nudging from parents. Read
Private IRS collectors under fire — Sun-Sentinel

The IRS' use of private debt collectors has retrieved millions in delinquent taxes but has raised questions about collection techniques and privacy rights. The House plans a vote this week on restricting the program's funds. Read
The Lobbyists Behind the Curtain — NYT

Are K Street lobbyists staging a last-ditch fight against finally disclosing their fund-raising clout with lawmakers? Read
New Senators Resist Overhaul of Immigration — NYT

Three moderate Democratic freshmen are complicating efforts to pass the proposed immigration overhaul. Read
2 key Republican senators seek withdrawal of troops — Sun-Sentinel

In a sign that Republican congressional support for the White House's Iraq strategy is starting to wane, two senators who have stood with President Bush now are calling on him to plan for a U.S. troop withdrawal. Read
Hate Crimes Bill — Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007

Bill # S.1105 (Introduced by Ted Kennedy) About Bill

Status and Action
Watt Traveled The Most of Any North Carolina Member of Congress — WRAL

North Carolina Rep. Mel Watt says he doesn't like to fly, but he was the top traveler among the state's congressional delegation last year — taking trips with his wife to places like Barbados, Miami and Nantucket. Watt, a Democrat from Charlotte, went on six trips covered by private money. Watt took his wife, Eulada, on five of the trips, according to financial disclosure reports and travel records on file with the House. Read
Oppose Federal Funding of D.C. Domestic Partnerships — Citizenlink

Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va., has introduced an amendment to restore a longstanding restriction that keeps federal funds from being used to implement the District of Columbia's 1992 domestic-partnership law. Action
White House, Cheney's Office, Subpoenaed — ABC News

Senate Subpoenas White House, Cheney's Office, for Documents Related to Eavesdropping Read
G.O.P. Senator Splits With Bush Over Iraq Policy — NYT

Senator Richard G. Lugar said that the U.S.'s standing in the world could be irreparably eroded if the White House doesn't change strategy soon. Read
Rockefeller: 'Big Media' Pushing TV Violence- NewsMax

Big media companies that include graphic violence in their programs are more concerned about short-term profits than the long-term health of children, and government should intervene, a senator said Tuesday. Read
House Democrats Push for Fuel Economy Boost — NewsMax

A group of House Democrats said Wednesday they would push a boost in gas mileage standards for automobiles later this summer. Read
Bush administration's stem cell stance targeted again — Baptist Press

Senate advocates of stem cell research that destroys human embryos are trying a new tactic in their ongoing effort to gain federal funding for such experimentation. Read
House Considers Reopening Statue of Liberty's Crown — NewsMax

The House on Tuesday prodded parks officials to reopen the crown of the Statue of Liberty to the public — a step the government says is too dangerous. Read

Christianity/Pro-Family/Religion/Ethics

Protesters defend Jesus portrait in La. court — USA Today

Standing in the shadow of the Slidell City Court, a swarm of protesters gathered Tuesday to denounce the American Civil Liberties Union and show unconditional support for a portrait of Jesus hanging on the wall just inside the courthouse. Read
Families Say Media Corrupt Values — Citizenlink

But they keep on watching TV. Read
Remarks by President Bush at Rededication Ceremony of The Islamic Center of Washington — Standard Newswire

The following text is of remarks by President Bush at the rededication ceremony of The Islamic Center of Washington: THE PRESIDENT: Imam, thank you very much. Thank you for inviting me. I bring my personal respect to you, sir. And I appreciate your friendship. I do want to thank the governors of the Islamic Center. I welcome the Ambassadors. Thank you all for coming. I appreciate other distinguished guests who are here. It is an honor to join you at this rededication ceremony. As the Imam mentioned, half a century has passed since one of our great leaders welcomed the Islamic Center into our nation's family of faith. Dedicating this site, President Dwight D. Eisenhower offered America's hand in friendship to Muslims around the world. He asked that together we commit ourselves "to peaceful progress of all men under one God." Read
Giuliani Gets A Standing Ovation At A Christian College — The New York Sun

Mayor Giuliani's battle to win over social conservatives in the Republican Party may not be the impossible task that many political pundits have predicted. Read
Proposed Council of Europe Report Calls Creationism "Dangerous," "Threat to Human Rights" — LifeSiteNews.com

The French socialist politician and mathematics professor, Guy Lengagne, has written in a report for the Council of Europe's Committee on Culture, Science and Education, that says that "creationism" and its biblically rooted Christian worldview represent a threat to human freedom and must be suppressed. Read
Eight House Church Leaders Detained in Shandong and Shaanxi Provinces — Christian Newswire

China Aid Association learned that eight house church leaders have been being detained in Shandong and Shaanxi povinces in June 2007. According to reliable sources from both church leaders and the relatives of the detainees, at 10:30 a.m., June 9, 2007, 12 church leaders were arrested while they were distributing Bibles in a market place in Jiaocheng county, Shaanxi province. Four of them were released the same day while the rest of them were transferred to Jiaocheng Detention Center at 4 a.m. on June 10. Read
"America's Rabbi" Warns: "Enormous, Humanic and Historic Upheaval" Rapidly Approaching — LifeSiteNews

Interview with Rabbi Daniel Lapin on How Today's World Compares to the Days of Noah Read
Youth Ranch Sued over Christian Roots — Citizenlink

Complaint threatens to end a long history of helping kids in North Dakota. Read
Vietnam: Ethnic Christian Dies from Torture Injuries — Worthy News

A young Hroi ethnic minority man who refused to recant his Christian faith died from injuries received while under official interrogation, Compass confirmed as Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet met with U.S. officials. Triet met with President Bush in Washington, D.C. on Friday (June 22) amid some protests over Vietnam's human rights violations. Read
American Teens Find Persecution In Vietnam — Voice of the Martyrs

As Vietnam's president, Nguyen Minh Triet, comes to the United States this week, his focus will be on advancing trade and technology between his country and the U.S. Nguyen will try to avoid discussing human rights and religious freedom in his country. But eight teens — six Americans and two Australians — discovered that persecution in Vietnam is real for Christians. The teens interviewed a pastor whose house church has been repeatedly torn down by the police. They were forced to flee from a Christian youth camp when police suddenly arrived. Read
Christians forced out of Baghdad district — LA Times

The U.S. military is trying to stop further neighborhood purges in the Iraq capital. Read
Indonesian Christians Face Up To 20 Years Imprisonment Amid House Church Attacks — Worthy News

Seventeen Christians charged under Indonesia's controversial anti-terror laws still faced an uncertain future Tuesday, June 26, just days after prosecutors demanded 15-to 20-year prison sentences. Read
Professor Punished for Thanksgiving E-Mail Will Return — Citizenlink

Walter Kehowski, a college professor in Arizona, was placed on leave in March because some of his coworkers were offended by his Thanksgiving e-mail that linked to George Washington's Thanksgiving address on Pat Buchanan's Web site. Read
Iraq: Christians Targeted in Baghdad — Worthy News

For one man, the release of eight kidnapped Christians from his hometown of Qaraqosh on Friday (June 22) was bittersweet. Read

Courts

Supreme Court Shuts Down Challenge by Anti-Faith Group to Bush Administration's Faith-Based Initiatives — LifeSite

Atheists "set out a parade of horribles that they claim could happen...Of course, none of these have happened": Justice Alito Read
Supreme Court strikes down school integration policies — LA Times

The Supreme Court today declared unconstitutional the use of racial guidelines to integrate public schools, saying that neither white nor black children should be turned away from a school in pursuit of a "desired racial balance." Read
Even in Agreement, Scalia Puts Roberts to Lash — NYT

Justice Antonin Scalia has lifted the curtain a bit on the differences within the court's powerful conservative bloc. Read
Ex-Interior official gets prison time — Sun-Sentinel

The Interior Department's former No. 2 official was sentenced to 10 months in prison on Tuesday for lying to senators in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, the highest administration official sentenced in the investigation. Read
State court rules DeLay did not violate election code — Star Telegram

Texas appeals court hands former Congressman Tom DeLay a victory but does not end his legal problems in Austin. Read
New Orleans judge fights poor defense — LA Times

Arthur Hunter has suspended cases and freed suspects in an effort to change the system — upsetting many amid record violent crime.

Read
Rulings show court's shift toward right — News and Observer

The Supreme Court on Monday confirmed the contours that are taking shape under Chief Justice John G. Roberts. While three of the five decisions arrived on a 5-4 majority, they showcased what has become an ideologically conservative and business-friendly majority. Read
Supreme Court Sides with Wisconsin Right to Life, Overturns Key Campaign Finance Restrictions — LifeSiteNews

The Supreme Court loosened the muzzle placed over pro-life groups and other grassroots lobbyists by McCain-Feingold campaign finance laws yesterday, saying such groups had a constitutional right to name federal candidates up for election in broadcast ads. Read
From soldier's wife to accused felon — KARE11

A woman accused of cleaning out her husband's retirement funds while he was serving in Iraq was arraigned today in Ramsey County District Court on felony forgery charges. Read
Supreme Court Sides with School in 'Bong Hits' Case — Join Together

Schools have the right to limit student speech that could be interpreted as advocating use of illicit drugs, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled. Read
Padilla jury shown Bin Laden video — LA Times

Wiretap recordings of his codefendants praising the terrorist leader are also played. Read
Ex-Worker at Dolly Parton Dinner Theater Gets 9 Years in Child Sex Assault Case — FOX

A former employee of Dolly Parton's dinner theater Dixie Stampede was sentenced Wednesday to a nine-year prison term on charges of fondling child performers. Read
Ohio Teachers May Refuse Union Dues in Support of Abortion: Ohio Court — LifeSiteNews

Once Carol Katter, an Ohio teacher, had rejected the suggestion by a union official that she "change religions" in order to be able to claim the right to conscientious objection about the destination of her union dues, she took her case to court. Katter objected to the fact that teachers in Ohio must pay union dues to the Ohio Education Association (OEA), a portion of which dues goes to support abortion.

Read
Ex-Governor Says Conviction Was Political — NYT

As he emerged from court, the convicted former governor of Alabama, Don E. Siegelman, said he had been a victim of political adviser Karl Rove. Read
Jury gets Conrad Black case — Seattle Times

A federal judge sent the racketeering and fraud trial of one-time media mogul Conrad Black and other former Hollinger International executives to a jury Wednesday after 14 weeks of testimony from dozens of witnesses. The deliberations cap a trial that probed both the complex and the sensational. Its focus ranged from a blow-by-blow of Hollinger's newspaper transactions to the high-flying lifestyle of the aristocratic Black and whether he siphoned corporate money to pay for a vacation in Bora Bora, a surprise birthday party for his wife and apartments on Park Avenue in New York. Read
New Zealand High Court Rules that Pregnancy is an "Injury" — LifeSiteNews

The New Zealand High Court recently upheld a District Court ruling that an unwanted pregnancy, occurring after a failed sterilization attempt, is considered an "injury" to the woman's body. Read
High court spares mentally ill killer from execution — LA Times

A split U.S. Supreme Court rules that a Texas death row inmate's illness prevents him from understanding why the state would kill him. Read

Abortion/Pro-Life

Louisiana Bans Partial-Birth Abortion — CBN News

The Louisiana Legislature has approved a ban on partial-birth abortion., the first state to do so. Read
Pope Endorses Adult Stem-Cell Research in Wednesday Audience — LifeSiteNews.com

During the weekly Wednesday audience held earlier today, Pope Benedict expressed his approval for adult stem cell research, distinguishing adult stem-cell research from destructive embryonic stem-cell research, which the Catholic Church strongly condemns.

Read
Pro-Lifers Need to Spread the Word on Embryo Adoption — Citizenlink

Survey suggests 100,000 human embryos could be destroyed for research. Read
Antidepressants' link to birth defects small — Seattle Times

Two new studies suggest that taking antidepressants during the first trimester of pregnancy may slightly increase the risk of some rare birth defects. Read
RCMP Opens Investigation into Nova Scotia Woman's Assisted Suicide — LifeSiteNews

At the request of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, RCMP in Halifax are investigating the death of a Nova Scotia woman at the infamous euthanasia 'clinic' in Switzerland, called "Dignitas." Depending on the outcome of the investigation, charges of aiding or counselling to commit suicide may be laid against the woman's husband, Eric MacDonald, who was with her when she died of an overdose of barbiturates in the Zurich facility. Read
40 Percent of Voters Say Abortion is Important in '08 — Citizenlink

Forty-three percent of Republican voters and 38 percent of Democrats say abortion will be very important to their voting decisions, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. Read
No Evidence of Illegal Activity at Tiller "the Baby Killer's" Abortion Clinic: Kansas Attorney General — LifeSiteNews

Even as Attorney General Paul Morrison has announced that after a lengthy investigation he has found no evidence of criminal conduct at notorious late-term abortionist George Tiller's abortion clinic, the pro-life group Operation Rescue has presented evidence that Tiller is even still performing illegal late-term abortions at his clinic. Read

Alcohol/Drugs/Health

Psychiatrists Top List in Drug Maker Gifts — NYT

Psychiatrists earn more money from drug makers than doctors in any other specialty. The American Medical Association on Wednesday backed off calling excessive video-game playing a formal psychiatric addiction, saying instead that more research is needed. A report prepared for the AMA's annual policy meeting had sought to strongly encourage that video-game addiction be included in a widely used diagnostic manual of psychiatric illnesses. Mr. Moore correctly identifies health care reform as a pivotal issue for this country, but he dives off the liberal deep-end by claiming the Cuban health care system is somehow superior to ours. Read
Tribe hopes road blockade will keep booze out — MSNBC

Ban hasn't curbed alcoholism; teens 'trading alcohol for sex' on reservation Read
Drugs In Chinese Fish Lead To Import Ban — WSOC TV

Illegal antibiotics in fish from China lead to a U.S. government ban. Read
'Sicko' Control of Health Care — Family Research Council

It's easy to discount Mr. Moore as just another half-baked Hollywood activist on a misinformed, politically fashionable tirade. That is, until you tune in to what the Democrat presidential candidates are saying. They, like Mr. Moore, believe a federal government-run health care system is the solution to our health care challenges. Read
Wider Sale Is Seen for Toothpaste Tainted in China — NYT

Roughly 900,000 tubes containing a poison have turned up in hospitals for the mentally ill, prisons, juvenile detention centers and even some hospitals. Read
19th Annual Beer Belly Two mixes exercise with beer — KARE11

Only in Wisconsin do beer and exercise mix. Read
'Beer Pops' Chilled by Alcohol Laws — Join Together

An Alexandria, Va., restaurant wants to cool off summer patrons with ice pops made from beer, but the novelty has run afoul of state liquor laws, the Associated Press reported June 22. Read
Laura Bush delivers AIDS message on visit to Africa — Sun-Sentinel

Dakar, Senegal First lady Laura Bush picked vegetables and handed out mosquito nets Tuesday to emphasize that fighting AIDS in Africa also means tackling some of the continent's more widespread afflictions: malnutrition and malaria. Read
SC Treasurer In 30-Day Rehab Program — CBS

Indicted S.C. Treasurer In 30-Day Rehab Program In Arizona, According To Court Documents Read
Drinking Beer is Wrong According to ChristiaNet Poll — Christian Newswire

ChristiaNet.com, the world's largest Christian portal with twelve million monthly page loads, asked reader's to participate in a survey that asks, "Should Christians drink beer? The majority of 197 out of 339 respondents felt that it isn't appropriate behavior for several reasons. One person said, "Alcohol takes control of a person's body and does not honor God's temple." Respondents seemed to agree overall that drinking beer, wine, liquor, or alcoholic beverages of any kind is wrong. One participant made a good point about excessive drinking contributing to car accidents and domestic violence. Read
Umbilical Cord Blood Helps Kids with Type 1 Diabetes — Citizenlink

A group of children newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes appears to have benefited from receiving a transfusion of their own stored umbilical cord blood. That's according to a study presented Tuesday at the American Diabetes Association's 67th Annual Scientific Sessions. It's another example of the potential of adult stem cells to help heal the body Read

Education/Sex Ed/Teens/Children

Teacher Resigns After Garter-Belt Pose — ABC

An investigation into a teacher's risque prom picture pose has ended with his resignation from a Louisville, Ky., high school. Brett Coogle, 28, quit his job after Western High School administrators saw a photograph in which the English teacher was allegedly taking a bite from a female student's "candy" garter belt at the school's May 11 prom, a school district spokeswoman confirmed to ABC News. Read
Patrons' Sway Leads to Friction in Charter School — NYT

A clash at a charter school in New York has exposed fault lines of wealth and class that are perhaps inevitable as philanthropists increasingly invest in public education. Read
Pro-Life Teachers, Parents and Students to Picket NEA Teacher Convention — Christian Newswire

"Pro-Life teachers, parents, and students are mobilizing to peaceably and prayerfully picket the National Education Association's meeting at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Sunday, July 1 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM," announces Bob Pawson, Coordinator of Pro-Life Educators And Students (PLEAS). Read
Conflict Alleged in Drug Firms' Education Role — Washington Post

Commercial sponsors pick up about half of the $2.25 billion annual cost of the courses doctors must attend to keep their licenses. Drug companies have become the biggest sponsors of continuing medical education courses in recent years, even at the nation's top medical schools, a development that critics say raises health-care costs, skews doctors' treatment decisions and allows the industry to skirt laws against advertising "off-label" uses for its products. Read
Study: Early class Friday? More sober Thursday — USA Today

College students kick their weekends off early by drinking more alcohol on Thursday nights when they don't have Friday classes before 10 a.m., a study shows. The study, published in the July issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that the later their classes started on Friday, the more college students drank on Thursday nights. Students with a 9 a.m. Friday class drank an average of 1.39 drinks on Thursday night, while students who did not have class on Friday drank an average of 2.41 drinks. Read
Study: Abstinence education is undersold — News and Observer

Health and Human Services says schools curricula biased toward condom use Read
District Sorry for Censoring Gay Kiss — ABC

New Jersey School District Apologizes for Blacking Out Gay Kiss in Yearbook Read
Man jailed over threats to little league coach — KARE11

A St. Paul man is in jail, accused of threatening to shoot his son's Little League coach. A police spokesman says it started Friday,

Read
A&M covered up bio-weapon infections, group says — Star Telegram

The university was required by law to report the accidental infections of three Texas A&M researchers promptly to the Centers for Disease Control, but didn't until recently, the Sunshine Project reported. Read

Gambling

Women and Problem Gambling — Center for Addiction and Mental Health

Gambling opportunities are everywhere, and continue to expand rapidly. With this, researchers have noted a dramatic increase in the number of gamblers and gambling-related problems. Historically a male-dominated activity, gambling is becoming a mainstream activity for women. Approximately one third of problem gamblers are women, yet there is limited gender-specific research and treatment. Read

God and Country/National Security/Politics

Americans Unite, Help Troops Succeed in Iraq — Standard News

...By connecting America with the troops of the 1-28 Battalion, and other battalions as well, Troops Need You is bypassing the bureaucracies in Washington and Baghdad, and proving that the people of the U.S.A. are ready to continue their historical tradition of directly supporting troops in combat. "Americans want to contribute to victory but do not know how," stated Major Eric Egland, founder of Troops Need You. "Now, Troops Need You provides a clear path to empower every American to support victory in Iraq." Read

Related
U.S. forces turning to 'indirect' war tactics — MSNBC

Almost six years after the worst attack ever on U.S. soil, special operations commanders believe that simply killing terrorists will not win a war against an ideologically motivated enemy. That view is reflected in a series of transitions in special operations leadership posts. New senior officers are expected to give greater weight to an indirect approach to warfare, a slow and disciplined process that calls for supporting groups or nations willing to back U.S. interests. Read
Report: North Korea fires test missile — CNN

North Korea appeared to have test-fired a short-range missile toward waters off the Korean peninsula's east coast, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported Wednesday, citing an unidentified government official. Yonhap said it was believed to be part of a routine training exercise. The U.S. government reacted sharply. Read
Bolton: I'm 'very worried' for Israel — Jerusalem Post

Sanctions and diplomacy have failed and it may be too late for internal opposition to oust the Islamist regime, leaving only military intervention to stop Iran's drive to nuclear weapons, the US's former ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. Read
By Wide Margin, Journalists Support Democrats — Citizenlink

Have limits on political involvement gone by the wayside? Read
Blair appointed Middle East envoy — BBC

Tony Blair is to become a Middle East envoy working on behalf of the US, Russia, the UN and the EU. Read
"Lou Dobbs: Saving a Troubled Nation" — News Max

Lou Dobbs is on a crusade to protect our borders, our jobs, and the American dream. Can he save a troubled nation? NewsMax finds out in a special report — and exclusive interview with America's crusading news anchor. Read
Fla. Sheriff's Illegal Alien Task Force Questioned — NewsMax

The sheriff's department has developed a remarkably effective — and controversial — way of catching illegal immigrants: Deputies in patrol cars pull up to a construction site in force, and watch and see who runs. Those who take off are chased down and arrested on charges such as trespassing, for cutting through someone else's property, or loitering, for hiding out in someone's yard, or reckless driving, for speeding off in a car. U.S. immigration authorities are then given the names of those believed to be in this country illegally.

"It's not wrong for them to run, but it's not wrong for us to chase them either," said Sheriff Frank McKeithen, who created his Illegal Alien Task Force in April to target construction sites in this Florida Panhandle county Read
Files on Illegal Spying Show C.I.A. Skeletons From Cold War — NYT

Long-secret documents released Tuesday provide new details about how the Central Intelligence Agency illegally spied on Americans decades ago. Read
Bloomberg 2008 Run May Hurt Democrats — NewsMax

A common wisdom among political analysts is that if Michael Bloomberg runs for president as an independent in 2008, he will hurt the Republican candidate more than the Democrat. But a new poll suggests otherwise. Read
Bald eagle, national symbol, to be removed from endangered list — LA Times

The North American bald eagle, both revered and reviled for more than two centuries, on Thursday will be officially declared as safe from near-extinction in the Lower 48 states. Read
EU, U.S. Reach Deal On Passenger Data — CBS News

European negotiators reached a provisional deal with the United States on Wednesday, ending a year of wrangling over how to share information about trans-Atlantic air passengers that Washington says is needed to fight terrorism. Read
U.S. to give Mozambique $507 million in aid — Reuters

U.S. first lady Laura Bush announced on Wednesday Mozambique will receive $507 million to build roads and boost its battle with malaria, which kills about 150 Mozambicans each day. "I'm happy to be the one to tell you that, in just a few hours, the boards of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) will meet to approve a $507 million compact with the government of Mozambique," she said in Mozambique's capital Maputo. The MCC was established by U.S. President George W. Bush in 2004 to reward pro-business, democratic and progressive developing nations with aid and other assistance. Read
Al Gore, Fred Thompson Factors in Fla. Poll — NewsMax

Al Gore hasn't said he's in the running for president, but without him the support in Florida for the Democrats goes even more to Hillary Rodham Clinton...Among Republicans, Rudy Giuliani's lead in Florida has narrowed since he held a 17-point-margin over Fred Thompson earlier this month. Read
Longer housing slump is seen — LA Times

New-home sales declined 1.6% in May. Another report shows prices in metropolitan markets weakening. Read
2 Oil Firms Are Defiant in Venezuela — NYT

ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil refused to meet Venezuela's deadline for ceding control of major oil ventures, a move that could mean the loss of billions in investments. Read
Taliban puts Afghan boy in suicide vest — USA Today

The story of a 6-year-old Afghan boy who says he thwarted an effort by Taliban militants to trick him into being a suicide bomber provoked tears and anger at a meeting of tribal leaders. The account from Juma Gul, a dirt-caked child who collects scrap metal for money, left American soldiers dumbfounded that a youngster could be sent on such a mission. Afghan troops crowded around the boy to call him a hero. Though the Taliban dismissed the story as propaganda, at a time when U.S. and NATO forces are under increasing criticism over civilian casualties, both Afghan tribal elders and U.S. military officers said they were convinced by his dramatic account...Juma said that sometime last month Taliban fighters forced him to wear a vest they said would spray out flowers when he touched a button. He said they told him that when he saw American soldiers, "throw your body at them." The militants cornered Juma in a Taliban-controlled district in southern Afghanistan's Ghazni province. Their target was an impoverished youngster being raised by an older sister — but also one who proved too street-smart for their plan. Read
U.S. Prison Population Highest in Six Years — NewsMax

The United States, which has the most prisoners of any country in the world, last year recorded the largest increase in the number of people in prisons and jails since 2000, the Justice Department reported on Wednesday. Read
New Poll Finds That Young Americans Are Leaning Left — NYT

Young Americans are more likely to favor an open-door policy on immigration, the legalization of gay marriage and government-run health care, a poll found. Read
Supercomputer steps up the pace — BBC

The world's fastest commercial supercomputer has been launched by computer giant IBM. Blue Gene/P is three times more potent than the current fastest machine, BlueGene/L, also built by IBM. The latest number cruncher is capable of operating at so called "petaflop" speeds — the equivalent of 1,000 trillion calculations per second. Approximately 100,000 times more powerful than a PC, the first machine has been bought by the US government. Read
Comparing Today's Tactics With Those Used in the Past — NYT

A comparison is flawed but irresistible: Do the actions of the intelligence agencies in the era of Al Qaeda eclipse those of the Vietnam War period? Read

Pornography/Homosexuality/Immorality/Obscenity/Violence

Only 1 Canadian same-sex couple "married" in Toronto this year — LifeSiteNews

Same-sex "marriage" among Canadian homosexual couples is getting less popular, and now the majority of homosexual couples that obtain a marriage license in Canada are foreigners, says a recent report by Reuters. The city of Toronto, which hosted the claimed "million-strong" annual Gay Pride March on Sunday, has one of the largest homosexual populations in Canada. Despite this fact, however, the demand for same-sex marriage licenses has drastically declined. Last year, the city issued 107 licenses to Canadian homosexual couples, whereas this year it has so far only issued 1. Read
Angry Mob Assaults Peaceful Christians at Chicago 'Gay Pride' Parade — Americans for Truth About Homosexuality

Do Chicago homosexuals have special rights to go nude in public and bully critics? The following are firsthand accounts from two Christians who passed out Gospel tracts and preached at Chicago's "Gay Pride" parade Sunday in the "Boystown" section of the city. I witnessed plenty of tolerance at the parade for all sorts of debauchery — such as one pink-haired (biologically male) transsexual who bared his (presumably female-hormone-induced) breasts as he rode block after block on atop a float (see photo above) — but little for a Biblical message against sin. Sadly, some churches and synagogues marched in the "pride" parade, effectively blaspheming the Creator they purport to serve. The word for that is 'shame,' not 'pride.' Read
Chicago Welcomes Gays with $20 Million Center — Citizenlink

Chicago is hoping its new $20 million gay community center on the North Side, which officially opened this month, will make it a destination for homosexuals, The Associated Press reported. The 65,000-square-foot, eco-friendly facility has a computer lab, office space for community organizations, a theater, a gym, a Whole Foods supermarket and a rooftop garden named for Mayor Richard M. Daley. Read
Israeli president to quit amid sex scandal — LA Times

Moshe Katsav was expected to step down as Israel's president after agreeing today to plead guilty to sexual harassment rather than face more serious charges that he raped female staffers. Read

Other News

Russia successfully tests new sea-based missile — MSNBC

Ballistic weapon designed to have 6,200-mile range, carry 6 nuclear devices Read
Lieberman wants NATO troops in Gaza — Ynet News

Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman discussed deploying NATO forces in the Gaza Strip in a meeting with NATO Deputy Secretary General Alessandro Minuto Rizzo in Brussels. Read
In West Bank, Hamas Is Silent but Never Ignored — NYT

A new code was born here overnight. No one, it seems, belongs to Hamas in the West Bank anymore. Read
Inspectors set to visit N. Korean reactor site — USA Today

North Korea has told U.N. inspectors they can visit a plutonium-producing reactor that Pyongyang has promised to shut down under an international pact aimed at ensuring it becomes nuclear-free. Read
Iran Cited Over Execution of Minors — Washington Post

In a troubling report on the execution of minors in Iran, Amnesty International said yesterday that at least 71 child offenders are on death row and more than 24 have been executed since 1990, more than in any other country. Read
'Syria arming Palestinian camps' — Jerusalem Post

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora said Wednesday that Syria was sending weapons to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and vowed to bring up the issue before the Arab League. Read
Canada's Policy on Immigrants Brings Backlog — NYT

Canada's merit-based immigration system has created waits of four years or more for immigrants. Read
Iraqi Police Find 20 Beheaded Bodies — AOL News

Twenty beheaded bodies were discovered Thursday on the banks of the Tigris River southeast of Baghdad, while a parked car bomb killed another 20 people in one of the capital's busy outdoor bus stations, police said. Read
Brown Becomes New British Prime Minister — Sun-Sentinel

Former Treasury chief Gordon Brown became British prime minister Wednesday, promising "a new government with new priorities," after Tony Blair left office with a legacy of economic prosperity overshadowed by the deeply divisive Iraq war. Read
China Shuts 180 Food Factories — ABC News

China Shuts 180 Food Factories for Using Formaldehyde, Illegal Dyes Read
Saudi banks to segregate women — MSNBC

New segregation rules threaten to undermine women's careers Read
Protests at Iran fuel rationing — BBC

Iranian motorists have reacted with fury after the government announced fuel rationing for private vehicles. 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