General News

LDS Bishop Protests Innocence As Conference Examines Abuse Reporting Issue Just days after the 13th annual Mountain West Child abuse and Domestic Violence conference in Ogden, Utah discussed the issue of when clergy can and should report abuse, the second of two LDS Bishops charged with failure to report abuse was arraigned in Salt Lake City. LDS Bishop Bruce Christensen is accused of failing to report the abuse of a 13-month-old girl by her father, as reported to him by her mother.

Is FLDS Church Withdrawing From World? For the past two Sundays Warren Jeffs, First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) has called for church members to leave the public schools and teach their children at home. He has also called for church members employed as teachers in the schools to quit and for church members to sever their ties to non-church members, including relatives. The moves could doom the four public schools in Colorado City and its sister town, Hilldale, Utah and further isolate the polygamous community from the outside world.

LDS Senator's Dilemma Reveals How Science is Making Abortion More Difficult Issue Abortion has not been in the political spotlight in recent weeks, but it remains a divisive issue as science continues to advance. A case in point involves Oregon Senator Gordon Smith. The LDS senator recently was asked by the National Right to Life Committee to speak out against a procedure that extracts stem cells from human embryos. Smith said that he has had several family members die a slow death because of Parkinson's disease, and that "part of my pro-life ethic is to make life better for the living." Smith told the NRLC that researchers expect that stem cells will some day be used in the fight against Parkinson's disease.

Local News

White Plains New York Controversy Makes Local News WNBC-TV 4's local news coverage Monday, July 31st included a news story on the controversy over the LDS Church's proposed White Plains temple. The building, to be constructed on a 24 acre plot in Harrison, New York, next to White Plains, is opposed by a group of neighbors, organized as the group "Homes for Harrison," who feel the building is too large for the neighborhood.

Prosecutors Enter New Charges Against Mormon Church Bomber Uncomfortable with the release of James Carbullido, the man accused of trying to bomb nine LDS chapels in Las Vegas, federal prosecutors have filed a new charge of arson against him, just hours after a federal judge ordered his release on Monday. After arraignment on Tuesday, a judge released Carbullido on his own recognizance, rejecting arguments from Police that he is still dangerous.

Sports

Associated Press Says Young Would Be Strong Candidate, If He Runs LDS Football Star Steve Young's invocation at the Republican National Convention last night led the Associated Press' Theimer to speculate on the possibility that Young will enter politics. And Theimer discovers that the GOP would love to have him. Republicans say that Young would bring name recognition, intelligence, media savvy and morality to public office.

Wally Joyner Hits 200th Career Homer, Other Mormon Athletes Have Off Week The Atlanta Braves' Wally Joyner hit his 199th and 200th career home runs and hit .381 in taking advantage of an injury that put him on first base full-time for the Braves. Joyner is a 15-year veteran player who was traded to the Braves from the San Diego Padres at the end of last year.

People

Marine Who Brought Bahraini Princess to US is Mormon The US Marine who brought a Bahraini princess to the US disguised as a returning Marine is Mormon, according to a report in People magazine. Jason Johnson was assigned to a security force in Manama, Bahrain when he met Meriam Al-Khalifa, then 18, fell in love, and hatched a plan to secret her to the US.

Gordon Gee Becomes Vanderbilt University's Chancellor Today LDS Church member E. Gordon Gee officially becomes chancellor of Vanderbilt University today, and has already formed plans for big changes at the University. Gee, who left Brown University after a short and controversial term, plans to streamline Vanderbilt's administration and push for new construction projects on campus.

Arts & Entertainment

Mormonism and 'Amazing Grace' In the doctrinal divide between Mormons and other Christian churches, lies the hauntingly beautiful hymn "Amazing Grace." Somewhere between the between the bluesy version by Mahalia Jackson and the Celtic cadence of the bag pipe to the solemn chorus of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, "Amazing Grace" has unwittingly fallen into a crevice and has been wedged out of the Mormon music culture.

Business

Huntsman Called Industrial Alchemist This profile of Jon Huntsman begins in Salt Lake City boardroom where he billionaire gathered with his family to bless a grandchild. After the blessing, blond-headed children played in the headquarters of the largest privately owned chemical conglomerate.

First Security Shareholders Vote for Wells Fargo Merger Shareholders of First Security Corporation, the bank founded by the family of LDS pioneer David Eccles, voted July 31st to join California-based Wells Fargo bank, effectively ending the bank's independence. While the transaction still faces some regulatory hurdles, bank officials expect that it will be completed in the last three months of this year.

Letters to the Editor

Re: Stoffer, Parents Criticize BYU Following Suspension So I have read the supporting media articles, including the one from BYU news. Your summary glaringly omitted the apparant fact that the director of BYU's honor code office was willing to travel to personally meet with Julie but that she declined to have him do so.

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