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It is designed to transform you.
It gives you a share in the inheritance of Christ and the brotherhood of humanity.
And it gives you empathy, which gives you every excuse for ministry.
Intersecting Faith & Life: Make it your goal to partake, as much as possible, only of the brand of suffering that comes from doing what is right according to God's Word.
Originally Published: April 13, 2018 5:59 a.m.
PHOENIX — Hoping to corral the votes for his school safety plan, Gov. Doug Ducey has agreed to some changes in key provisions that would allow judges to take away someone’s guns, at least on a temporary basis.
The new version of the bill, formally introduced Wednesday, still allows courts to issue Severe Orders of Protection, authorizing police to seize any weapons while people are evaluated to see if they are a threat to themselves or others. And, depending on a mental health evaluation, those affected could be barred from ...
But Ducey’s original proposal would have allowed someone to be held as long as 48 hours after a judge determines that person is not a danger. SB 1519, set for legislative debate, cuts that it half.
Potentially more significant, the bill spells out that any weapons taken must be released within 24 hours after a person is found not to be a danger, not the 72 hours that was in the original draft.
The version of the bill that now will be debated in the Senate, also does not include some things Ducey had sought.
That includes his desire to deny permits to carry a concealed weapon to anyone who has an outstanding arrest warrant. And Ducey sought to eliminate a provision in existing law that says a person automatically regains the right to own a weapon when a judge sets aside a felony conviction.
Ducey’s press aide Daniel Scarpinato said those provisions proved to be nonstarters among some lawmakers.
Still, Ducey may face opposition — and not just from the Democrats who are unhappy the governor won’t require a background check every time a weapon is sold.
Dave Kopp, lobbyist for the Citizens Defense League, said he’s not convinced the measure is crafted narrowly enough to ensure the law and the STOP orders are applied only in appropriate circumstances.
But Scarpinato said the heart of Ducey’s legislation remains intact, including not just the STOP orders but adding new school resource officers and updating the system which provides information to federally licensed firearms dealers on whether someone is legally entitled to purchase a weapon.
What’s behind the STOP orders is the belief that many of the mass shootings, including those at school, were committed by people who were known to have behavioral or mental health issues.
That includes not only Nikolas Cruz, who gunned down 17 at a Florida high school; but also Jared Loughner, who killed six and seriously wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in an incident outside a Tucson grocery store in 2011.
Under this plan, any of a host of people could seek a court order to have someone evaluated. That includes family members, significant others and school administrators — but not teachers who were included in the original proposal.
The initial evaluation requires evidence of things like “a pattern of threats to cause death or serious physical injury,’’ a recent credible threat to kill or injure someone, cruel mistreatment of animals, and a conviction of a violent crime.
Based on that, a judge can order police to pick up the person for an evaluation and take any weapons in plain sight.
Kopp also is reviewing the provisions for how long someone can be held — and how quickly someone who a court determines is not a danger gets back his or her weapons.
Under SB 1519, he said, once a STOP order is quashed, then the individual can go to the police agency that seized the weapons and ask for them back.
“Well, why is it now on you?’’ Kopp asked.
Ducey likely needs the support of virtually all the Republicans in the Legislature as backing from Democrats is lacking.
One key issue is a demand by Democrats for universal background checks. Rep. Randall Friese, D-Tucson, said it makes no sense to prohibit licensed firearms dealers from selling weapons to someone who is the subject of a STOP order when that same person could buy one from an individual at a gun show.
Ducey has flatly rejected expanded background checks.
Democrats also are lukewarm to the idea of more school resource officers, suggesting the solution to campus violence is not having more people with weapons on school grounds.
HOW tough is Dragons lock Jack de Belin? He's carrying an ankle injury that would keep most players out for four to six weeks for a start.
If he's not scared of needles, he's sick of them having played with pain-killing injections since round nine as he wrestled a niggling rib complaint pre and post-Origin.
He'll do the same against South Sydney this week and, barring any late mishaps, with coach Paul McGregor saying on Friday he expects his side to be 1-17.
They're not the actions a player who shut up shop after a series win with the Blues as some have suggested, but de Belin admits it was a mental challenge going down the other side of that mountain.
“I can see where they're coming from but it's not the case at all,” de Belin said.
“Rugby league's a weird kind of game, sometimes you can be trying your guts out and things just don't go your way and you're down on your luck.
“In a sense it is difficult you work so hard to reach the pinnacle of the sport and once you make it you've got to come back down again. It was difficult going from such a big arena to coming back to club footy but, individually, I need to be better.
“It doesn't matter what goes on, week in, week out you've got to perform. I hadn't necessarily done that after the Origin series and I've got no one to blame but myself for that.
De Belin completed a light run on Thursay but sat out Friday's captain's run, with the final call likely to be made before kickoff. It'll be another tough effort, but de Belin said his body's actually held up well.
“I've been pretty lucky I haven't had any serious injuries,” he said.
McGregor said the determined effort to get onto the park underlines de Belin's importance to his side, particularly against a Souths pack regarded as the best in the competition.
“He's a very, very good player and he proved that this year in the highest arena of Origin footy for the first time in his career,” McGregor said.
"He's not a young bloke anymore, he's well into his career, and with that comes leadership and that experience he gets, he needs to bring that back to his club.
The glaring absence of skipper Gareth Widdop aside, McGregor will have the same 17 that blew Brisbane off the park last week, with youngster Zac Lomax retaining his place at right centre despite the availability of Euan Aitken.
It'll put the teenager head to head with childhood idol Greg Inglis.
“We've got our forward pack that took the field last week, the only change is Kurt coming in for Gareth and we'll bring an interchange player in, otherwise we're one to 17 from last week,” McGregor said.
"Euan's coming back from a hamstring problem which is a difficult one at this time of the year and he hasn't really hit over 80 per cent speed.
“He was available for selection but we're not pushing him right now, we didn't go down that road.
Discuss "De Belin set to defy pain of injured ankle for another week"
Sorceress (formerly Funkommunity) was founded in 2011 by vocalist Rachel Fraser and producer Isaac Aesili. One of the most widely respected Soul Electronica acts from New Zealand, their debut album Chequered Thoughts was released in 2012 to worldwide acclaim, leading Sorceress to tour Europe and Japan. Their new album ...
Pic’s Granary Gigs: Hear local group Medicine Woman from 6.30pm or get your jungle-boogie on for the Jungle Dance Party at 10pm. Both in the Granary Festival Cafe. No charge.
Regarding Bullied to Tears, (Bay Post/Moruya Examiner, April 10), I took up the NBN recently. I rang about problems and they fixed a date, weeks hence, for a technician to call. Before then, I received a call from a women with a cultured English voice, saying: "This is NBN. You are having problems? I will switch you th...
Max employs his best SLAM!
Regarding Bullied to Tears, (Bay Post/Moruya Examiner, April 10), I took up the NBN recently. I rang about problems and they fixed a date, weeks hence, for a technician to call.
Before then, I received a call from a women with a cultured English voice, saying: "This is NBN. You are having problems? I will switch you through to a technician."
I was connected to an accented voice who asked: "What is your problem, generally?" There was reference to my Qantas Visa card (with a Batemans Bay bank).
The "technician" said: "These persons in Europe, they have been trying to get your account details. We have been investigating and setting traps. Go to your bank and draw out $3000 and take it home. Then you will advise us and we will deposit a similar amount into your account, to set the trap."
I asked how they would do that and they replied: "You will give us your bank account details." SLAM!
I arranged new cards and pin for that account. I received 4-5 calls with the same cultured female voice. SLAM!
I was targeted by the same person (Bullied to tears) and know how this woman felt.
I had been having trouble with the NBN, so when "Telstra" called saying I had a problem they needed to fix, I fell for it. Bullying is a good description for how he acted and I was left panic stricken.
I was robbed of $20,000. I was told I am not being reimbursed by the bank as I had given access to my account and had authorised two large amounts to be taken. So much for net code, which did not contact me in relation to these transactions. These despicable people have been operating for months. I am glad your article...
As a council watcher for years, I reckon 99 per cent of work is done well.
Staff seem helpful and competent, streets are clean, garbage is collected, town water is of relatively high quality.
However public perception of council's direction has changed and not for the better. Previous general managers were more visible and participated in discussions in the media or in public meetings.
We are seeing corporate CEOs in the media, responding to the need for an informed public, hopefully confident in their transparent governance. If they aren't seen to do the right thing, their boards usually act.
Maybe our past mayors and councillors were more savvy, seeming interested in what their constituents had to say. Rarely do we see "questions on notice" tabled in response to a concern. Certainly there were more opportunities for such representation to be seen to be done and more sincere and frank public debates. Public...
The banking inquiries and the ABC kerfuffle are examples of what not to do. In many instances, the troubles could be attributed to board-sanctioned arrogance - not to mention greed - believing they were the chosen ones who knew best and could get away with (not quite) murder.
There were criticisms of council in the past, but issues were more sympathetically accepted. Previous mayors and GMs said: "See me after the meeting and we'll sort it out."
Our council seems to be like a mushroom farmer, cutting communication and imposing draconian measures to exclude criticisms. The result is declining respect. The best way to earn respect is to show it.
Councillors, please consider improving council's standing by involving and communicating with your constituents, not how to cut them out.
SLAM: Max Hogno, of Moruya, slammed the phone down on a scammer and wants others to do the same.
Discuss "Max employs his best SLAM! \| Letters to the editor"
WASHINGTON — Sen. Jim Bunning criticized his fellow Kentucky Republican, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, for trying to stock his own campaign war chest in the midst of the junior senator's fund-raising efforts for a 2010 race.
"My senior senator also sent out his first mailing for 2014. Just as I refrained from doing it for two years, he sent out his, so you know where he stands," Bunning told reporters Tuesday during a telephone news conference.
For the past few months, Bunning has had increasingly testy exchanges with members of the Republican leadership and the news media as both questioned whether the senator can mount a strong bid for a third term.
As a key campaign finance reporting period draws closer, the tension has grown palpable.
During Tuesday's call, Bunning again suggested that Republican leaders are trying to recruit a challenger.
Last month, the National Republican Senatorial Committee told The Washington Post that a meeting with state Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, was a "courtesy visit" and that the party "would back Bunning in a contested primary" — a position the NRSC chairman, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, has repeatedly stresse...
Bunning has complained that comments by McConnell and Cornyn questioning the junior senator's re-election plans undermine his campaign efforts.
Earlier this month, Bunning cursed at reporters during a telephone press call and refused to release the results of an internal political poll.
In April, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in South Dakota v. Wayfair.
This case dealt with a South Dakota law, passed in 2016, which would require online companies that do more than $100,000 of business in the state, or more than 200 transactions annually, to collect a sales tax, even if they do not have a physical presence in the state.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1967 that states could not force mail-order catalog companies to collect sales taxes unless the company had a physical presence in the state. They reaffirmed that ruling in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota in 1992.
Even if the Supreme Court strikes down South Dakota’s law, a ruling that is expected by the end of June, these small business owners say Congress needs to take action.
“I think if we end up with a patchwork of different laws from every state, it’s going to be very harmful as well for a small business,” he said.
A proposed bill in Congress, the Marketplace Fairness Act, sponsored by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), would set a minimum threshold for online companies to collect sales tax at $1 million in total sales. Several small business owners told CNSNews.com that they would like the threshold increase to at least $10 million in tot...
Another issue small business owners told CNSNews.com they were concerned about is the de minimis value, or the value below which goods can be shipped into the country before duties and taxes are assessed.
As a part of eBay's 13th Annual U.S. of eBay Advocacy Day event, small business owners met with members of Congress on Capitol Hill earlier on Wednesday. After meeting with members of Congress, many of these small business owners told CNSNews.com, they were optimistic.
“I felt that they really listened to our voice and they definitely took into consideration a lot of the things that we have suggested and some of the issues that we bought to them today,” Ciara Brown, owner of The Diamond Hanger said.
President Muhammadu Buhari will not change the result of the supplementary elections scheduled for this week by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the presidency has said.
Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu in a statement last night, said INEC was fully in charge of the country's elections.
The statement reads: "Past Presidents of Nigeria were known to interfere in inconclusive elections, and that is why party members appear to be upset that the same thing is not happening now, but President Buhari is a different kind of leader. He swore to defend the constitution and will not veer off from that.
"The constitution of Nigeria gives the President no such powers. It is unfair and ridiculous to criticise President Buhari for not going against the constitution.
"Party members in states where there will be supplementary elections then need to be reminded that they need to work hard to earn their people's votes, rather than expect President Buhari to manipulate INEC in their favour.
"Interestingly, while members of the ruling APC party were criticising the President for not interfering on their behalf, members of the opposition were condemning the President based on their assumptions that he would definitely interfere, as many in the opposition did while in power.
"Under President Buhari, INEC had been and will be completely independent throughout the elections, free from any interference.
"President Buhari is a man of conviction, and the manipulation of election results goes against everything he stands for INEC is completely in charge."
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Since 2001, Miller has owned the naming rights to the Milwaukee Brewers' stadium, Miller Park. In two years, the ballpark will have a new name, and the rights will be owned by American Family Insurance.
"Twenty years ago our company stepped forward to help keep the Brewers in Brew City USA, a move that built on our longstanding relationship with the team and our commitment to Wisconsin – whether that’s at Packers and Bucks games, at Summerfest and the State Fair or in backyards and beer bars.
"Late last year another Wisconsin company, American Family Insurance, proactively pitched the Brewers an incredibly rich offer for the future naming rights to Miller Park, and we’re proud to welcome American Family to the family we’ve been part of for generations.
"While the name on the stadium will change after the 2020 season, we fully expect Brewers fans inside and outside the stadium will continue to celebrate every home run and every strike out with one of our beloved brands."
The government shelves a report urging change to its law, which would have given Ireland expatriates votes in a general election.

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