General News

Prosecutions of LDS Bishops Make National News The prosecutions of two Salt Lake area LDS Bishops have made national news through an Associated Press story on one Bishop's challenge to the constitutionality of Utah's abuse-reporting statute. The Associated Press reports Bishop Bruce R. Christensen as saying that it is unfair to expect him to act as a police officer.

Second LDS Bishop Fighting Abuse Reporting Law The second of two Salt Lake City area LDS Bishops charged with failing to report child abuse has appeared in court, and his attorney says that he is challenging the constitutionality of the Utah law. On behald of LDS Bishop Bruce Christensen, attorney Bradley Rich claimed that the Utah child abuse reporting statute violates the First Amendment to the US Constitution by forcing clergy to act as agents of the government, violating the amendment's mandate of separation of Church and State.

Local News

Plea Entered in Case That Led to Prosecution of LDS Clergy The man whose child abuse crimes led to the current prosecution of LDS Clergy for failing to report child abuse has plead guilty to four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. The charges filed against Jay Toombs, 43, carry a mandatory prison sentence and a maximum of life in prison for each charge.

Teenagers on Temple Grounds called Out of Control Inappropriate activity by some young people on temple grounds has been reported in one of Utah's biggest newspapers.

Teenager That Drugged Missionaries Ruled Delinquent The teen accused of drugging 17 LDS missionaries and members was found delinquent Thursday of a reduced charge of inducing panic, the equivalent of a first degree misdemeanor. Joseph Cordell, 15, was originally charged with delinquency of corrupting another with drugs, a felony-level charge, but prosecutors added the panix charge at a pre-trial hearing, and he was only ruled delinquent of the lesser charge.

Sports

LaVell Edwards Retiring Today as BYU Football Coach BYU Head Coach LaVell Edwards will announce his retirement today in a news conference set for 1 pm MDT (3 pm EDT). According to BYU NewsNet, Edwards will still play out the 2000 season, completing his 29th season as coach of the Cougars, and ending a stellar career that will probably place him sixth among the coaches with the most career wins in college football.

Edwards Lauded as The Coach That Changed The Game After BYU head football coach LaVell Edwards announced that he will retire at the end of the season, praise has poured in from observers and the press nationwide. Edwards announced his retirement at a press conference yesterday afternoon at Cougar Stadium before a crowd of about 100.

Murphy Inducted in Braves' Hall of Fame Former LDS Mission President Dale Murphy was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame on Monday, thanking the Braves' organization for its support, "To have worn the Braves uniform number three was a special and humbling experience in my life," Murphy said. "It's something I'll always be proud of." Murphy was inducted alongside Braves owner Ted Turner, joining former Braves Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Phil Niekro and Warren Spahn, who were inducted last year.

Politics

Romney Thinking About Run For Massachusetts Office in 2002 In a recent interview in Salt Lake City, Romney, a Belmont Republican, was asked how his time spent in Utah to restore ethical and fiscal accountability to the Olympics might affect a bid for office in Massachusetts. "I think it probably communicates that there is more in my life than making money in business. That certainly is not what I lived for when I was back there but I think I was able to be characterized by my opponent as being a ruthless businessman....I think this at least broadens the perspective of who I am."

People

LDS Apostle Oaks to Marry August 24th The LDS Church's Public Affairs Office confirmed today that Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is getting married for the second time next week. Elder Oaks is scheduled to marry Kristen McMain in the Salt Lake Temple on August 24th. Elder Oaks' previous wife, June, died July 21, 1998.

Arts & Entertainment

Edmonton Sun Changes Tune, Says 'Mormon Sex Manual' Jumps Off Shelves A day after it claimed that sales of an LDS book were "cold" in Edmonton, the Edmonton Sun changed its opinion and said the book "jumps off city shelves." In the more recent story, the Sun quoted the owner of an LDS bookstore in its article about "Between Husband and Wife," an LDS book about marital intimacy. In the previous story the article's reporter talked to a general interest bookstore in Edmonton.

Business

Does LDS Businessman David Huber Have a Success Secret? Normally, people would scoff at the idea that a company with no revenues, but boasting a secret product, would be valued at $37 billion shortly after going public. But David Huber, founder and CEO of Corvis, has has made Wall Street investors rich in the past, and they expect him to do it once again. The LDS businessman has inspired confidence in investors that his company's secret optical networking product will be irresistible.

Letters to the Editor

Re: White Plains New York Controversy Makes Local News Perhaps those concerned about the proposed size of the White Plains Temple should visit the Washington Temple area to see how this wonderful structure can not only fit into a nice residential area, but also enhance the area.

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