Alliance Defending Freedom is demanding a retraction and apology from ABC News after reporters smeared one of the nations most respected religious liberty law firms as a hate group.

Click here for a free subscription to Todds newsletter: a must-read for Conservatives!

ABC News reporters Pete Madden and Erin Galloway wrote a scathing report on a speech Attorney General Jeff Sessions delivered behind closed doors at the Summit on Religious Liberty at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point, California.

Jeff Sessions addresses anti-LGBT hate group, but DOJ wont release his remarks, read the explosive headline.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions delivered a speech to an alleged hate group at an event closed to reporters on Tuesday night, but the Department of Justice is refusing to reveal what he said, read the lead paragraph of the Madden-Galloway hit piece.

To continue reading at ToddStarnes.com click here.

Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary. His latest book is The Deplorables Guide to Making America Great Again. Follow him on Twitter @ToddStarnes and find him on Facebook.

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ABC News: Christians who defend religious liberty are 'hate group' - Fox News

LIBERTY TWP, Ohio -

Liberty police are questioning an alleged burglary that happened on Euclid Boulevard around 1 a.m. on Friday.

An alleged victim, who called 911, told operators at least three people broke into the home carrying guns and flashlights.

Another caller said the intruders claimed to be police serving a warrant.

The victims allege they were forced to the ground and a child's arms were duct taped.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found bullet holes and spent shell casings.

According to police, the victims did not state there were shots fired until after officers located the evidence.

While police were on scene, a man who identified himself as Kevin Cylar arrived. According to officials, Cylar would not allow the victims to go with policeto be interviewed or issue statements.

An additional officer went to the home but was unable to get consistent witness statements.

The victims were unable to say if the burglars left on foot or in a vehicle.

All of the victims refused medical attention.

Liberty Police Chief Rich Tisone says the circumstances surrounding the case are highly suspicious.

21 News spoke to the only adult who was in the home during the alleged incident. She says each victim gave a statement to police at the scene and they may have varied because each person was in a different part of the home. She says all five victims are upset police aren't taking the matter seriously.

Chief Tisone says the department would still like to speak with the juvenile victims.

See the article here:

Liberty police question claim that child's arms were duct taped - WFMJ

This Fountain of Liberty that I write of has been filled with the fluid of freedom many, many times only to be depleted again and again. This fluid is the blood of our nation that has been called upon over and over in our nations past history. This blood is not of one people but of many people. It is the blood of every nation of this world that we live in. This liberty is not for one people, it is for all people. It is from people that have given everything for but one thing that being freedom.

This beacon of freedom that we call America is a glowing light in a world that over the centuries has seen the light of freedom almost crushed out of existence but not by choice and only at the hands of men gone mad with the quest to push their will upon others.

America was a dream that many have fought for and died for. When America dreams, those dreams are contagious. For it is at those times that the power of freedom and liberty are felt all over the world. Still again, there are those who would wish for Americas dream to change to Americas nightmare, to be nothing more than a nightmare. A nightmare of lost hope and lost freedom. It is only by the hand of God that we have been allowed to flourish and make the world, as a whole, a safer place to live.

That still does not mean that there are not opponents to this thought of freedom for the worlds people, as a whole. Freedom is not just for Americans and those who wish to be called American it is truly a universal need and desire.

The dreams and birth of our nation, along with our independence, came forth out of the nightmare of domination by a government that wished to claim and hold power over a people that could not and would not be dictated to any longer. In our first breath as a nation of freedom-seeking people, we knew that day of true freedom was only to come with the blood ,sweat and tears of a people who were willing to give all and they did.

The cost of that liberty and freedom came at a cost that, at times, the people had to second-guess themselves. At those times the thoughts of What have we done to ourselves? had to have come into the minds of the people, and I know it did. Its only human nature, then and now. With all the soul searching of the people, they knew of only one direction that they could go and that was forward.

The Fountain of Liberty would spill its precious fluid upon our ground, in our cities of old and on the farms of the countryside. It would flow from all, the young and the old. No one would be spared from the pain of freedoms quest. Still, even when all hope was lost, there would be those who would step up to replenish the Blood of Liberty.

Take the time to just think of what type of man that it took to walk away from his farm and family to go and defend the idea of your freedom. Not only your freedom, but that of others who could not defend themselves. I write not about the professional soldier, but of the militiaman. A man with little-to-no true training, but still a man with an idea that was burning as hot as the sun in his heart and the men who stood with and died with him in some cases. But again, they knew with all of their hearts it was the right and only thing that could be done to secure freedom for a new nation of people. Only after years of bloodshed did this freedom come to the people. This blood letting of peaks and valleys would go on from 1763 until 1783. It was in 1775 when it would be called the Revolutionary War. Our colonies and the ground that they sat upon would be soaked in the blood of those who chose freedom over British rule.

This militiaman a man not born of this country, in some cases had beliefs that he was willing to die for, and thousands did so. That is one of the points that I started with. Men from all walks of life and different countries have died for that simple idea of freedom that is universal to all people. Independence was won from those who fought with unbelievable brutality on a civilian population. In less than three decades we would see the Fountain of Liberty called on again, with the request for fresh blood to pay for freedom. Even with the thoughts of 20 years of past war with Great Britain still fresh in the minds of our new nation, the blood would be paid forward.

The cost had been at too high of a price that was paid for freedom for our new nation to roll over and take it. That being Great Britains quest for re-conquest of its former colonies. This sacrifice of life would go on from 1812 until 1815. Yet the blood was given and given freely. Can you not see what it is to be an American? It is not just a name that some of this country think is a disgrace. That name means freedom and liberty from those who would push their will of oppression on our nation.

To be called an American is one of the highest honors that could ever be placed upon an individual. That is not to say that there is no honor in other nationalities, for that would be a false statement. It all comes back to knowing that America is made up of all the world. That is one of the reasons that so many people do want to come to America: so they, too, can be called an American and live in peace and freedom. That, as I see it, is all the reason that you need to come here. To live as a peaceful, freedom-loving American.

I also know that there are those of our own, born Americans, who have no idea of the price that was paid by their ancestors of this great nation for their freedom. This goes for all of our nationalities. Our past must never be forgotten, the good and bad. The past is part of us as a whole. Every nation has had its share of shame, this is a given. If we all know this, then why can we not strive to not let it happen again? Its not that hard to help someone. In some cases, it might cost more in the long run not to help one another. Understanding is at the forefront of being a human being. When understanding is lost, then we are lost as a civilization. We, as civilized people, cannot let the few that wish ill will upon us to flourish.

It still goes back to our past and the high cost of being called America to let anyone or any country let us forget. I can not say it enough: teach our young the past. Teach them to be a proud people. Teach them about the proud people who gave them the dream of freedom. Let not the Blood of Liberty have been lost for nothing but lies told about our past. Let the truth be told, painful or not, for it is what we are based on .

The saying Alls fair in love and war is, at best, confusing and, at worst, untrue. Clearly theres plenty unfair about both states, and just because someone feels a lot of passion about their act of creation or destruction, that does not make it right. For good or bad, the Fountain of Liberty must never be drained of freedoms blood.

Robert Lee is a concerned citizen and U.S. Marine veteran who owns and operates Rockingham Guns and Ammo. His column appears here each Saturday.

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The fountain of liberty - Richmond County Daily Journal

LIBERTY A woman threw items from her curio shelf at intruders who wrapped her teen daughters hands in duct tape and claimed they were police serving a warrant around 1 a.m. Friday when they broke into their home with assault rifles, she said.

Jacquelyn Cylar, 43, said she was sleeping upstairs in her 36 Euclid Blvd. home when she heard a loud bang and sat up to get out of bed.

A man came up with long gun with a flashlight on it, pointing at me and yelling for me to get up, this is police and we have a search warrant, he said. I tussled with him and he hit me with the gun and got me downstairs. That was when I saw my daughter duct taped, lying face down on the floor, Cylar said.

Police found spent shell casings and two bullet holes through a bedroom window after they arrived, according to the report. A side door to the home was busted in, Cylar said.

There were two to four men in the home, Cylar said, and said she believes they thought only she and her daughter were home when they decided to break in. There were three other juveniles related to Cylar in the home at the time.

Cylars son and nephew ran from the house through a window to get help, Cylar said.

She said she doesnt know what the men were looking for or if they took anything.

The men fled when Cylar started throwing vases and other items at them from her curio cabinet.

I just grabbed anything I could. I think they panicked in the chaos. It didnt work like they thought it would when they first came in, Cylar said.

Cylar and her daughter both called 911.

Youre very, very brave. Hang in there, OK? a Trumbull County 911 Center dispatcher told a girl, 14, on the recorded call.

The girl was crying as she answered questions. No one required medical attention after the incident, according to the police report.

Liberty police Chief Richard Tisone said the investigation is at a standstill until the juveniles that were in the home come down to the station to be interviewed.

Although the victims gave officers statements at the scene, there were some inconsistencies, Tisone said.

Of course we all have different things to say to them, we were all in different rooms and saw and heard different things, Cylar said.

When police were at the house, the father of two of the witnesses arrived and became hostile with officers, the Liberty police report states.

Cylar said the man just wanted the kids to get some rest after the incident, and that they gave statements to the first officers to arrive, and gave a written account.

They were traumatized and it was late, we werent being uncooperative, we cooperated, Cylar said. She said she expected police to call her or stop in later Friday, but hadnt heard from them in the early afternoon.

Tisone said it is procedural to remove witnesses from the chaos of a crime scene to be interviewed individually. And until that happens, the investigation is at a standstill, even with allegations men claiming to be police officers broke into a home.

The fact that we werent able to speak more to the victims is concerning. We werent given access to the victims, so we dont know what happened, what to look for, Tisone said. And the evidence at the crime scene didnt coincide to the statements they gave earlier. But we welcome their cooperation at any point. They can set a time to come anytime.

Cylar said she doesnt understand why the police dont think they are cooperating.

We gave them descriptions of the vehicles, we told them what happened. We want to see these guys caught and convicted, Cylar said.

Police collected duct tape from the girls arms, a roll of duct tape in the living room and a black pipe from the backyard.

Tribune Chronicle WARREN More than 400 pounds of marijuana with a street value of more than $1 million was ...

BAZETTA Julie Smallsreed lathered Suave Essentials Daily Clarifying Shampoo into the crown of her Holstein ...

VIENNA Police here are investigating the disappearance of several U.S. flags from a bridge on King Graves Road ...

LEAVITTSBURG Improvements are scheduled starting Monday at Canoe Citys parking lot, with the lot to remain ...

NILES Travel between Niles and Weathersfield will be complicated next week with a detour on state Route 46 ...

NILES The mayors fiscal recovery plan received its second reading Friday by Niles City Council, with five ...

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Liberty woman tells of 'terrifying' break-in - Warren Tribune Chronicle

Jul 14, 2017 at 5:53 pm | Print View

NORTH LIBERTY The intercity bus service in North Liberty will end less than a year after it began.

The North Liberty City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to end the service Sept. 1, citing to its expense and a lack of ridership.

The program was averaging about 12 riders per month, assuming they took round trips, and cost about $4,010 per month in the first eight months of the program.

Averaged out, each time a rider got on the bus, it cost the city $215.50, city planner Dean Wheatley said.

Theres not much usage of this service. Thats everybodys concern, said council member Chris Hoffman, adding the council wants to find a different, more cost-effective way to provide a transit service.

Hoffman said that previously a transit advisory committee helped the council by developing recommendations for bus services, such as one that goes from North Liberty to Iowa City. He said the city will rely again on the committee for solutions and ask if there are ways to work with surrounding entities such as Coralville, Iowa City and Johnson County on the issue.

We could all benefit from a more inclusive transit system, Hoffman said.

The council budgeted $50,000 and rented a Johnson County SEATS bus last year when it first approved the program. The bus only ran from about 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and made four trips around its route per day, Wheatley said.

North Liberty residents, however, still can be served by the Johnson County SEATS paratransit program, which helps to transport senior citizens and people with disabilities to locations such as a doctors office or grocery store.

More information about the SEATS program can be found on its website, johnson-county.com.

l Comments: (319) 339-3172; maddy.arnold@thegazette.com

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North Liberty Council votes to end intercity bus service - The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines

President Trump has directed Attorney General Jeff SessionsJeff SessionsFreedom Caucus leader warns McConnell over Senate ad Overnight Tech: New FCC effort to crack down on robocalls | Poll finds Trump voters back idea of net neutrality | DraftKings, FanDuel call off merger Sessions says Trump has directed him to issue guidance on religious liberty protections MORE to issue new guidance to governmentagencies for interpreting federal religious liberty protections.

The attorney general revealed the directive on Tuesday in a speech to the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom. The Federalist on Thursday released Sessions'prepared remarks from the event, which members of the press were barred from attending.

"The president has also directed me to issue guidance on how to apply federal religious liberty protections," Sessions said. "The department is finalizing this guidance, and I will soon issue it."

The fact that Sessions has been directed to issue such guidance fulfills a key provision of Trump's May 4 executive order granting religious organizations and churches greater leeway in their political activities, such asendorsing candidates.

It also offers "regulatory relief" to religious groups that object to the Affordable Care Act's provision mandating that employers offer certain health services to their employees, such as access to contraceptives.

That executive order calls for the attorney general to "issue guidance interpreting religious liberty protections in Federal law."

In the address on Tuesday, Sessions vowed that the Trump administration would stand up for "religious Americans," saying that the "cultural climate has become less hospitable to people of faith and to religious belief."

"Under this administration, religious Americans will be treated neither as an afterthought nor as a problem to be managed," he said. "The federal government will actively find ways to accommodate people of all faiths."

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Sessions says Trump has directed him to issue guidance on religious liberty protections - The Hill

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Memories of bustling black enclave inspire vision for Liberty District's future Columbus Ledger-Enquirer The glory days of the Liberty District remain etched in the minds of people who lived, worked and played there. Tax Commissioner Lula Huff remembers what it was like back in the '50s and '60s when the district was a bustling, black enclave with ...

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Memories of bustling black enclave inspire vision for Liberty District's future - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

The New York Liberty and head coach Bill Laimbeer are probably looking forward to returning home.

Coming off a 1-3 road trip, the Liberty (8-8) open a crucial homestand against the Chicago Fire on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

While closing out the road trip, the Liberty struggled against the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday, shooting only 35.4 percent in a game dominated by Mercury center Brittney Griner (31 points, 13 rebounds and six blocked shots).

Despite trailing by 17 and eventually losing by 12, the Liberty saw a silver lining in the loss.

You want to feel good, especially with the All-Star break approaching, Liberty All-Star Tina Charles said. There was a certain way that we played with energy and great effort. Everybody that stepped on the court contributed and showed what their strength is. We want to keep that rolling.

The Liberty will have that opportunity on Friday at home, where New York is a different team. The Liberty average 82.4 points per game at the Garden where they are 5-3. On the road, New York scores at a 75.3 clip and is 3-5.

The one constant for the Liberty has been Charles. She is second in the league in scoring at 20.8 points per game and contributes 9.1 rebounds per game as well as 2.4 assists.

For her efforts, Charles on Tuesday was selected as a 2017 WNBA All-Star starter for the third time. She will be making her fifth appearance in the All-Star game, scheduled for July 22 in Seattle.

No player in the WNBA works harder or means more to their team than Tina Charles, said Laimbeer, who will coach the Eastern Conference squad.

Chicago (5-12) has a two-game winning streak after handing Dallas a 90-84 loss on Wednesday.

A pair of ex-DePaul players led the way for the Sky. Allie Quigley scored a game-high 22 points while Keisha Hampton came off the bench to toss in a season-high 12 points.

Keisha has a great work ethic and a great basketball mind, Quigley told the Daily Herald of Hampton. Shes always ready to come in and shoot. Hard work has paid off for her.

Hard work also has paid off for Quigley, a two-time WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Award winner. Chicago is her fifth team and she leads the Sky in scoring at 16.4 points per game.

The Sky and Liberty have yet to play this season but have two more games against each other after Friday.

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Liberty return home to face Chicago (Jul 13, 2017) - FOXSports.com

Jul 13, 2017 at 7:54 pm | Print View

Geicos new North Liberty office would stand two-stories tall and have a mix of brick, glass and painted metal.

The North Liberty City Council reviewed a site plan this week for the office, which was first announced in May.

Geico, a Maryland-based insurance company, plans to construct a more than 50,000-square-foot office building in a North Liberty office park along Landon Road, east of Interstate 380 and west of Kansas Avenue.

As part of the project, Geico would move employees from its current Coralville office. Geico has about 400 employees in that location.

In a memo, city staff said the building would be about as long as one city block.

The office would have room for more than 600 work stations, in addition to management offices and conference rooms, according to building plans. A parking lot would sit just north of the office.

The city expects Geicos new office to be open in April 2018. It will be the third tenant in North Libertys the Villas at Liberty Executive Park.

Council members also reviewed plans for a new storage facility by North Liberty Storage LLC. The facility would be built east of I-380 and west of North Madison Avenue.

The property would have seven storage buildings that range from 1,000 to 15,200 square feet.

l Comments: (319) 398-8366; matthew.patane@thegazette.com

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North Liberty gets a look at new Geico office - The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines

President Trump sat down with Pat Robertson in the Oval Office on Wednesday to give his first non-Fox News interview in more than two months. The Christian Broadcasting Network just posted the full video of its founders conversation with the president, and while no one was expecting the 87-year-old televangelist to ask hard-hitting questions, the sycophantic glad-handing between the two wealthy, elderly white men was hard to stomach.

After Robertson applauded Trumps willingness to work with Russia, and without question accepted Trumps claim that he gets along really fantastically with every countrys top leaders (despite photographic evidence from the recent G20 summit that suggests otherwise), Robertson turned, predictably, to his fellow white evangelicals support for Trump.

The evangelicals of America voted 83 percent in the last election for you, Robertson said, overstating that percentage and neglecting to clarify that it was roughly 80percent of white evangelical Christianswho supported Trump.And I want you to know there are thousands and thousands of people praying for you all the time and holding you up.

(Of course, Trump already knows this, since he welcomed a veritable whos-who of the anti-gay Christian rightto the Oval Office on Monday, where those faith leaders laid hands on the 45th president, and bragged about the open door policy they enjoy at the White House and the Eisenhower Office building.)

The evangelicals were so great to me, Trump responded. He continued:

And they didthey came out in massive numbers, and on top of that I got 83 percent. But they came out in record numbers; they never came out like that. And weve really helped, because Ive gotten rid of the Johnson Amendment, now were going to go try and get rid of it permanently in Congress, but Ive signed an executive order so that now, people like you, that I want to hear from, ministers and preachers and rabbis, and whoever it may be, they can speak. You know, you couldnt speak politically before. Now you can. And I want to hear from you, and others, that we like. Franklin Graham, I had such a, Dr. Jeffress, Robert Jeffress, who is such a great guy, Pastor Jeffress. He used to go on television, I didnt know who he was, Id see him and he was always speaking so well of me, and, you know, you have so many people that I want to hear from. Now theyre going to be able to speak, and thats going to be a great thing for Christianity, believe me. A great, great thing. And its a great thing for religion.

Trump is overstating the impact of that May executive order, which ultimately amounted to a whole lot of nothing, as Ive reported here on RD. Anddespite the presidents proclamation, the Johnson Amendment remains in force, though it has rarely, if ever, actually been used to penalize a clergyperson for speaking out about politics or a particular candidate.

Of course, the bigger news here is that Trump just admitted (again) that his executive and administrative actions are intended to privilege Christians, and specifically advance the conservative, anti-gay, anti-choiceagendaof people the President loves like Pat Robertson. (In case you need a reminder of just how far-right Robertson lies, check outThe Daily Beasts admirable recounting of all the insane things he has said.)

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Trump Admits His Religious Liberty Order Is Just A Great Thing for Christianity - Religion Dispatches

The teen accused of opening fire at West Liberty-Salem High School has been admitted to a mental health hospital because he posed a, substantial risk of physical harm to himself or others, according to court records.

Ely Serna, 17, faces several charges, including attempted murder, in connection with the school shooting on Jan. 20 that left another student seriously injured. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

RELATED:Judge accepts West Liberty suspects insanity plea, orders hearing

Serna was admitted to Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare on July 6 after mental health professionals visited him at the Central Ohio Youth Center and said he was, subject to hospitalization by court order, court records say.

His attorney submitted a request to have the teen evaluated for competency on July 7. Prosecutors will respond to the request before the judge decides if the evaluation will be allowed, Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi said.

Sernas attorney also filed a motion to suppress statements and other evidence in the case, according to court records. A hearing on the matter had been scheduled for Thursday in Champaign County Common Pleas court.

But the hearing has been cancelled until the motion regarding competency is resolved, Champaign County Common Pleas Court Judge Nick Selvaggio said in court records.

RELATED:West Liberty victim attends court hearing for accused school shooter

Sernas case was recently transferred to adult court from Champaign County Juvenile Court. His attorney, Dennis Lieberman, has also requested the case be returned to juvenile court. He previously told the Springfield News-Sun he has specific reasons why he believes his client was insane at the time of the shooting. However, he declined to give those reasons in an interview.

Investigators allege Serna brought a shotgun to school and opened fire. Logan Cole was shot twice and was left with more than 100 shotgun pellets in his body. Another student was grazed by pellets but not seriously injured.

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West Liberty school shooting suspect ordered to mental health hospital - Springfield News Sun

Published Thursday, Jul. 13, 2017, 3:44 pm

Front Page Sports Liberty basketballs Pacheco-Ortiz wraps up play at FIBA U19 World Cup

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Liberty basketball point guard Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz wrapped up play at the FIBA U19 World Cup as he represented Puerto Rico. Pacheco-Ortiz and Puerto Rico finished the tournament with three straight wins and a ninth place finish in the World Cup.

I am very proud of this team even though being in the top-10 in the world wasnt our goal Im still very proud of my team, Pacheco-Ortiz said. For being a small island with 3.4 million people and being #9 in the world its great and bring happiness to our little island Puerto Rico.

Pacheco-Ortiz and Puerto Rico played in seven games and finished in ninth place with a 3-4 record. For the tournament, Pacheco-Ortiz averaged 10.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and a team-leading 3.6 assists. The native of Ponce, Puerto Rico was very efficient on the floor, committing just 1.4 turnovers per game while playing the most minutes of any player for Puerto Rico and posting the third highest efficiency on the team at 7.4 per contest.

Throughout the course of the nine day event, Pacheco-Ortiz faced some of the top competition in the world, playing a handful of players that play for programs like FC Bayern Munich. In addition, Pacheco-Ortiz faced five players playing Division I basketball from schools like Kentucky, Miami and Gonzaga.

Anytime you represent your country it is a great privilege and an honor. As a program we are so proud of Georgie, Liberty mens basketball head coach Ritchie McKay said. I watched each game and he continued to pick up his level of play as the tournament progressed. He was a catalyst for his teams success, much like how he was for Liberty this past year.

As the floor general for Puerto Rico, Pacheco-Ortiz excelled leading the team in assists in five of the seven games he played. Pacheco-Ortiz ranked 14thin the tournament in assists per game, 30thin scoring and 49thin rebounds.

After starting the tournament with four defeats against three of the top-7 teams including Germany and France, Puerto Rico regrouped and rattled off three straight victories to close out the tournament. Pacheco-Ortiz saved his best scoring performance for the last game of the tournament against Japan, shooting 8-of-17 from the field for a team-high 19 points.

Georgie is a smart player and he has so much passion for the game. He did very well because he is so focused on what he needs to do by performing the right way, head coach of Puerto Rico Omar Gonzalez said. We are always proud when Puerto Ricans can play in the United States and in the NCAA so we are really proud that Georgie can play at one of the highest levels.

To help seal the win, Pacheco-Ortiz shot 50 percent (2-4) from three-point range to go along with four rebounds and an assist. In addition to running the offense, Pacheco-Ortiz proved to be a constant scoring threat having recorded double-digit scoring in four of the seven games in the World Cup.

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Liberty basketball's Pacheco-Ortiz wraps up play at FIBA U19 World Cup - Augusta Free Press

Again, while you were planning your Fourth of July activities, during the last week of June, during the closing session of the Supreme Court, two rulings came down.

First, a partial allowance of Trumps travel ban. A quick take: The ban was for only 90 days. So by the time the Supreme Court takes up the case, it should be a moot point. I believe the court just kicked the can down the road knowing this. It will eventually take up a case on the limits of executive power regarding immigration, even though as late as 2013, they have made their rulings on this quite clear. What probably will be challenged is whatever comes after the ban expires. Just my opinion.

Second, the Supreme Court said it will take up the case of the Colorado baker who refused to make a specialty cake for a gay wedding. In spite of whatever coverage you may have read or heard on this, as the Trump ban took up most of the oxygen, this is NOT about reopening the case for or against same-sex marriage. He did not refuse a gay couple a wedding cake, as the Associated Press reported, nor did he refuse to serve a gay couple, as The New York Times reported.

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The fact is, everything in his shop was available to anyone, whether gay or straight. What the bake shop owner, Jack Phillips, would not do was use his special talents in cake artistry to make a unique cake for David Mullins and Charlie Craigs wedding based on his long-standing and widely known religious reasons. The cake the couple wanted was erotic-themed. This case actually centers on whether unelected civil rights commissions are empowered to decide when your religious rights are appropriate.

In this case, the lower courts, like in the Trump Travel ban, took it upon themselves to divine the real intentions as opposed to the spoken and written intentions. The lower courts again gave themselves the power to read minds and hearts.

There are a couple of points omitted from the coverage: This incident happened in 2012. This is important. Neither Colorado nor the Supreme Court ruled at the time the legality of same sex marriage. In Colorado, at the time, it was illegal. This is why, for this case, same-sex marriage is a moot point. A little research would have shown this to the reporters. However, where would the template be?

What the lower courts ruled was that religious liberty takes a back seat to free expression when it crosses hairs with political advocacy or opinion. It gave itself the power to decide when religious beliefs matter to you. You see, in 2014, in the same state of Colorado, a man walked into a bakery (not the same one here) and ordered two cakes in the shape of a bible with these two passages written on them. One: God hates sin, Pslam 45:7. Two: Homosexuality is a detestable sin, Leviticus 18:22. The baker refused. The case was thrown out.

So, here we are. Two cases where the courts have decided they can divine your true intentions. Not on the cases before them, but on what was uttered in different circumstances. This is the real question before the Supreme Court: Are courts or other unelected officials allowed to read your minds and hearts? Can they use that power to make people see the world their way?

This is what I say. What say you?

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Religious Liberty vs. Free Expression - TAPinto.net

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Workers at Newark Airport went on strike Tuesday night due to an alleged labor dispute that will also affect the New York airports.

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This week promises to be a bumpy ride with the start of a tough NYC commute, a sports talk radio audition for Governor Chris Christie and a sentencing of one of his former allies. John C. Ensslin

File photo of United Airlines planes at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark on Dec. 22, 2016.(Photo: Mitsu Yasukawa/NorthJersey.com)

Workers at Newark Liberty International Airport went on strike Tuesday night due to an alleged labor dispute that will also affect the major New York airports.

PrimeFlight workers hit the curbside pavements of Newark Airport just after 9 p.m. "Refusal to bargain in good faith" was the common phrase on fliers.

"Airport workers deserve access to their legal rights!" said labor union group 32BJ Service Employees International Union in a tweet.

Organizers have said they will also picket Wednesday at 8 a.m. at Newark, John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia Airports.

The 700 workers consist of baggage claim handlers, cleaners,customer service agents and offer assistance to those who seek wheelchair assistanceat the airport.

PrimeFlight is a subcontractor for several airlines.The strike would continue for at least three days.

It's not known what, if any, disruption may come atthe airport due to those who decided to strike.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Workers at Newark Liberty Airport strike in dispute - NorthJersey.com

By Vanesa Brashier, vbrashier@hcnonline.com

The decomposing remains of a bull shark reportedly were found in a lake near Kenefick in Liberty County Tuesday. Bull sharks are known for swimming many miles into freshwater rivers and streams but authorities aren't certain at this time if this shark was dumped in the lake or became stranded.

The decomposing remains of a bull shark reportedly were found in a lake near Kenefick in Liberty County Tuesday. Bull sharks are known for swimming many miles into freshwater rivers and streams but authorities

The chances of being bitten by a shark are very small particularly if you're just sitting on your couch watching 'Shark Week.' But these victims weren't so lucky.

The chances of being bitten by a shark are very small particularly if you're just sitting on your couch watching 'Shark Week.' But these victims weren't so lucky.

Bellaire teenager Mikaela Amezaga displays bite marks she believes were caused by a shark while she was swimming in Galveston.

Bellaire teenager Mikaela Amezaga displays bite marks she believes were caused by a shark while she was swimming in Galveston.

Aaron Perez, then 11, survived a shark attack that nearly cost him his right arm in 2004 in Freeport. He had been surf fishing with his dad and a family friend.

Aaron Perez, then 11, survived a shark attack that nearly cost him his right arm in 2004 in Freeport. He had been surf fishing with his dad and a family friend.

Surfer Bethany Hamilton competes at the Drug Aware Pro at Margaret River in Australia in 2008. Hamilton is known for surviving a shark attack, losing her left arm and overcoming the injury to return to surfing.

Surfer Bethany Hamilton competes at the Drug Aware Pro at Margaret River in Australia in 2008. Hamilton is known for surviving a shark attack, losing her left arm and overcoming the injury to return to surfing.

A general warning sign is seen Thursday at an empty Bondi Beach, which closed temporarily after a shark attack the previous day.

A general warning sign is seen Thursday at an empty Bondi Beach, which closed temporarily after a shark attack the previous day.

Greg LeNoir checks on his dog Jake, on Sept. 28, 2008, in Isalmorada, Fla. Jake was attacked by a shark while swimming days earlier. LeNoir punched the shark, which then let go of Jake.

Greg LeNoir checks on his dog Jake, on Sept. 28, 2008, in Isalmorada, Fla. Jake was attacked by a shark while swimming days earlier. LeNoir punched the shark, which then let go of Jake.

The brother Gustav Lillienfeld, right, of a shark attack victim David Lillienfeld, is supported by a friend near the coastal town of Gordon's Bay, South Africa, Thursday, April 19, 2012.

The brother Gustav Lillienfeld, right, of a shark attack victim David Lillienfeld, is supported by a friend near the coastal town of Gordon's Bay, South Africa, Thursday, April 19, 2012.

A lifeguard on a jetski inspects the surf for sharks at Bondi Beach on Feb. 13 in Sydney, Australia.

A lifeguard on a jetski inspects the surf for sharks at Bondi Beach on Feb. 13 in Sydney, Australia.

Debbie Salamone's ankle still bears the scars of her August 2004 shark attack.

Debbie Salamone's ankle still bears the scars of her August 2004 shark attack.

A shark swims above a diver during a feeding demonstration at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2006.

A shark swims above a diver during a feeding demonstration at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2006.

A memorial dedicated to Jamie Marie Daigle is set at the spot where she was brought after being attacked by a bull shark near Destin, Fla., in 2005. The 14-year-old Gonzales, La., girl died from the attack.

A memorial dedicated to Jamie Marie Daigle is set at the spot where she was brought after being attacked by a bull shark near Destin, Fla., in 2005. The 14-year-old Gonzales, La., girl died from the attack.

An unidentified woman applies pressure to the ankle of Austrian tourist Armin Trojer, 19, after a shark bit him Friday near Boca Grande, Fla., in 2005.

An unidentified woman applies pressure to the ankle of Austrian tourist Armin Trojer, 19, after a shark bit him Friday near Boca Grande, Fla., in 2005.

Rescuers believe this loggerhead sea turtle, which is suffering from severed limbs, was attacked by a shark near Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, in western Japan this week.

Rescuers believe this loggerhead sea turtle, which is suffering from severed limbs, was attacked by a shark near Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, in western Japan this week.

Bull shark remains reportedly found in lake off Trinity River in Liberty County

A Liberty County man claims he found the decomposing remains of a bull shark in Twin Lakes in Kenefick Tuesday.

Jared Moser, 25, says he came across the nearly 5-foot-long shark while riding his four-wheeler along the riverbank.

"I just rode up on it and couldn't believe what I was seeing," Moser said. "My whole life I've heard that sharks can be found in the Trinity River. I am a true believer now."

Moser suspects the shark swam up the Trinity River and became stranded in Twin Lakes when river levels dropped.

After he found the shark, Moser took a few photos and posted them on Snapchat "for all the people who don't believe me that there are sharks in the water," he said. "That's why I don't swim in the Trinity."

Late Tuesday afternoon, Moser said he returned with a friend to look at the shark again.

"My friend likes to swim in the river. I've been telling him it's not safe and I wanted him to see this for himself," he said.

Texas Game Warden Randy Button, who learned about the shark late Tuesday, said he is skeptical that the shark swam up the river and became stranded in the lake. He believes it is more likely that the shark was dumped by a fisherman.

"The only time the river has been high enough to flood that area was last year. That is a long, long time for a shark to survive in freshwater," Button said. "Bull sharks will go upriver but I personally haven't seen a shark up that far. It's really weird."

Moser had the same suspicions as Button initially but says there is no sign of trauma to the shark and says the area is remote and hard to access by vehicle or boat.

"There were no gunshot wounds and no fins cut off. I couldn't find any tire marks or footprints in the area either," Moser said. "It looks like it just swam up there and died."

In 2006, two fishermen caught a 5-foot-long bull shark below the Lake Livingston Dam, some 40 miles further north up the Trinity River. In that case, game wardens also suspected that the shark was dumped by a fisherman but it was never proven.

Button and Moser plan to go to the site early Wednesday morning for a closer inspection of the shark. The Dayton News will follow up if information warrants an update.

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Bull shark remains reportedly found in lake off Trinity River in Liberty County - Chron.com

What exactly does religious liberty mean from a legal standpoint, and how has it been interpreted by courts? To discuss that we are joined by Josh Blackman, associate professor of law at South Texas College of Law, Reverend Laura Mayo of Covenant Church and Mustafaa Carroll of the Council of American-Islamic Relations.

Religious liberty is one of many rights enumerated in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, though it never seems quite so simple as make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or [prohibit] the free exercise thereof.

What exactly does religious liberty mean from a legal standpoint and how has it been interpreted by courts?

To discuss that, we talk withJosh Blackmanfrom South Texas College of Law Houston. Then, to get some perspectives from religious leaders on what religious liberty means to them, we talk with Rev. Laura Mayo of Covenant Church, and Mustafaa Carroll with theCouncil of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

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Defining Religious Liberty And How Far It Should Stretch - Houston Public Media

AUSTIN, Texas It's stood tall over the Texas State Capitol building for nearly 100 years, and, now, the Goddess of Liberty statue is getting some TLC at its new home in the Bullock Museum.

The Goddess of Liberty was first installed on top of the Capitol building back in 1888, just short of 100 years later (98 years to be exact), it was taken down and replaced with a replica.

Before rising to the dome in 1888.

According to the Bullock, workers repainting the Capitol dome in 1983 noticed significant deterioration along the back of the Goddess's arms and right hand, as well as her sword.

After being perched on the dome for nearly 100 years, pollution, lightning, temperature changes, and wind had taken their toll on the statue's impure original materials.

The State Preservation Board removed the original statue from the dome by helicopter in 1985 and placed it carefully on the south lawn.

She's 16 feet tall, 4.5 feet wide, 3,000 pounds and made mostly of iron and zinc.

1983 photograph showing the original Goddess's significant deterioration. Image courtesy of Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Her move and restoration is the result of $20,000 grant to Texas State History Museum Foundation from Bank of America Art Conservation Project.

The restoration will be taking place through July 17. Curators are working daytime hours so visitors can check it out, get a sense of what goes into conservation.

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Originally atop the Capitol, Goddess of Liberty undergoing restoration - TWC News

Live music, history and ice cream will mark the official debut on July 20 for a new event space in downtown Branson.

Liberty Plaza Park, phase two of a Downtown Streetscape project, opened as a parking lot for the Liberty Light Up on July 3, and will have an official ribbon-cutting July 20.

Were excited, said Cindy Shook, director of parks and recreation for the city. We think this is a wonderful amenity for the city, a wonderful amenity for the public and downtown.

Liberty Plaza will add 23 parking spaces to downtown Branson, as well as an additional trolley stop. Shook said the plaza will function just like a city park and will be able to host a variety of events.

We definitely see wedding receptions, she said. The stage will be perfect for music, downtown has some ideas of what theyd like to do in here. Really wed like to encourage people to come here and check it out.

Branson Alderwoman Chris Bohinc said the plaza will add another option for hosting events in downtown Branson.

We have the beautiful Branson Landing, but the downtown used to originally have events down at the lakefront, Bohinc said. So now weve got the Landing and the downtown. We still have our historic flavor and our newer fun flavor with the Branson Landing, but this gives an identity back for an event space in the downtown.

In addition, Liberty Plaza will feature a fountain and monument honoring veterans of the United States Armed Forces. City Engineer David Miller said the fountain can be customized depending on the event.

The fountain has some color changing features, Miller said. (It) should make for a nice space for weddings and other events besides the big days downtown.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will feature musical performances from Family Anthem and Prince Ivan. There will be an ice cream and sweet treat social for National Ice Cream Month and Dicks 5&10 will be celebrating the stores 56th anniversary.

Bohinc said the look and feel of Liberty Plaza is trying to evoke the feeling of the history of downtown Branson. The name for the space is inspired by the Liberty Tree, which was a long-time landmark in downtown Branson.

The opening of Liberty Plaza will also mark the end of phase two and portions of phase three of the downtown project. According to Miller, many of the major improvements will be invisible to the visitors downtown, but will have a major impact.

We have new water lines, better fire protection, new storm sewers to eliminate flooding, and the sidewalks have been rebuilt and will last for decades longer, Miller said. A lot of the costs are underground, so nobody will see what weve really accomplished .

To reserve a space at Liberty Plaza Park after the ribbon-cutting on July 20, Shook said to contact the Branson Parks and Recreation Department at 417-335-2368.

Originally posted here:

Launching Liberty Plaza Park; Ribbon cutting set for July 20 - Branson Tri-Lakes news

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Liberty Bridge contractor to pay $5.8 million for fire repair costs Pittsburgh Post-Gazette But the contractor will avoid more than $3 million in penalties for the bridge being closed for 24 days by changing its work schedule to eliminate other traffic restrictions during the project, including a two-week period this summer when traffic would ...

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Liberty Bridge contractor to pay $5.8 million for fire repair costs - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The sale is also an important step towards developing a more sustainable future for the rest of our UK business."

In February, Tata signed a 100 million pound deal to sell its speciality steel business to Liberty House, saving 1,700 jobs, mostly in South Yorkshire, northern England.

Under Tuesday's deal, Tata retained ownership of a tube mill in Hartlepool that is supplied with steel coils from the European steel assets that it wants to retain and merge with Thyssenkrupp.

Tata, whose UK business is centred on the steelworks in Port Talbot, Wales, said it will invest 1 million pounds in the Hartlepool tube mill, which employs 270 people.

Privately-owned Liberty, which plans to list some of its businesses in 2018, has been snapping up distressed steel assets in Britain and around the world, including in the United States and Australia.

"This step will inspire investments not only in Hartlepool but also in our upstream plate mill at Dalzell (Scotland), and potentially ... at Whyalla in Australia in due course, to give us a fully-integrated world class capability to supply pipeline projects," Liberty's Executive Chairman Sanjeev Gupta.

The Hartlepool pipe mills make heavy-duty steel pipe for the oil and gas sector.

Liberty, which operates together with energy and commodities business SIMEC under the $9.4 billion Gupta Family Group (GFG) Alliance, said it is in talks to secure a support package to recruit more staff for the pipe mills business.

Gupta's Liberty House is one of the largest industrial employers in the UK with a workforce of nearly 5,000 people. Following Tuesday's deal, Tata remains the largest UK steelmaker with a workforce of 8,500 people.

The UK steel sector is emerging from a crisis that saw some 5,000 jobs, a fifth of the workforce, axed in 2015/16. It is estimated that for every steel job saved, four jobs are retained in related industries.

Gupta first hit the headlines last year when he offered to rescue all the distressed UK steel plants owned by Tata, but the Indian group eventually decided against selling its entire UK business in favour of a tie-up with Thyssenkrupp.

(Editing by David Evans)

Originally posted here:

Tata Steel Sells UK Pipe Mills to Liberty House - New York Times