General News

High Court To Hear Case On Gay Scoutmaster The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow in the case of a former Eagle Scout who was expelled as an assistant scoutmaster when leaders learned he was gay. The controversial case has attracted widespread interest and sparked 'friend of the court' briefs from more than a dozen organizations, including the LDS Church, a sponsor of thousands of Boy Scout Troops.

LDS Missionary In Missouri Held On Sex Charges The Tribune reports that an LDS missionary serving in Hazelwood, Missouri has been arrested on three charges of sexual misconduct. Elder Kevin Gill, 23, of Littleton, Colorado, was arrested after he exposed himself to fifth- and sixth-grad girls at McNair Elementary School.

VT Civil Unions Bill Becomes Law Over the objections of conservatives, Vermont Governor Howard Dean signed the state's civil unions bill into law Wednesday. The law, passed in response to a Vermon Supreme Court decision requiring equal treatment for homosexual couples, gives the couples all of the rights, privileges, benefits and responsibilities of civil marriage. The law was passed by the legislature in spite of a suggestion by an LDS Church official that the state pass an amendment to the state constitution overriding the court.

Local News

LDS Officials Dispute Police Claim That Accused Sex Offender Was Leader Redmond Stake President Steve Richardson is disputing police statements to the press here characterizing a 62-year-old businessman and church member as a leader. James Richardson, who is no relation to the stake president, plead not guilty yesterday to the sexual abuse of a young woman with Downs syndrome that he met through the church.

Original Mormon chapel reopens Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve rededicated what the London Times calls the "world's first Mormon chapel" as a museum of LDS history in Great Britain. The restored building will also be used for "religious celebrations" on occasion.

LDS Church Is Already Green, Says Panel The green movement doesn't conflict with the teachings of the LDS Church, said a panel of LDS Church members and environmentalists, including Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone of the LDS Church's First Quorum of the Seventy. The presence of Elder Featherstone, who cautioned that he spoke for himself and not for the Church, was called "a historic event" by Rich Ingebretsen, who moderated the forum on the LDS Church and environmental issues.

Sports

Elway wants Steve Young in Denver Retired Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway surprised reporters by saying that he would love to see LDS Church member Steve Young, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, join the Broncos next season. Elway led the Bronco's to Super Bowl victories in 1998 and 1999, and thinks the team could do it again this coming year.

People

LDS Council Chair Will Sit Out Of Mall Decisions To Avoid Conflict In an opinion released Tuesday, City Attorney Roger Cutler advised Salt Lake City Council Chairman Carlton Christensen to avoid discussions and a final vote on a proposed Grand Mall west of Salt Lake City International Airport in order to avoid a perceived conflict of interests.

LDS French professor Karl Sandberg dies Prominent St. Paul LDS Church member and professor of French at St. Paul's Macalester College died Wednesday in St George, Utah of complications from diabetes. Sandberg, who taught at Duke, the University of Arizona and the University of Minnesota in addition to 24 years on the faculty of Macalester, was 69.

Gay Dimick Taylor Gay Dimick Taylor, widow of LDS author Samuel W. Taylor, died at home on April 22nd, at the age of 92. Sister Taylor was a support and partner to her husband and an active LDS Church member, sharing her talents with her Relief Society.

Arts & Entertainment

'Gods Army' Invades Hollywood Richard Dutcher's LDS film "God's Army" opens in Los Angeles on Friday, invading Hollywood's core territory and continuing its effort to prove the size of the market for LDS films. Dutcher and the other actors in the film will be at Friday's premiere at the Vine Theatre, near the corner of Hollywood and Vine. The film also opens at six additional theaters in suburban Orange and Riverside counties.

'God's Army' Draws Positive Review in LA Times The Los Angeles Times reviewed "God's Army" in its first week in LA area theaters, giving the film a mostly positive review and thorough description. Noting that the film is in 'limited release,' the Times says that the film is "not a movie heavy on proselytizing," which hopefully will make the film more appealing to non-LDS Church members.

Friends Of Gilgal Still Need A Little More To Complete Sale Salt Lake's Gilgal Garden is on its way to becoming a city park. The group of preservationists trying to save the property now only needs to raise an additional $75,000 to seal the deal. Unfortunately, the group has about one month left until the scheduled transfer date, June 10th.

Business

Willes Replaced At Los Angeles Times' The Tribune Co.'s takeover of the Los Angeles Times is proceeding, and LDS Church member Mark Willes is now out. Willes was replaced as Chairman, President and CEO of Times Mirror, the Times' parent company on Tuesday, marking the end of his era at the Times. The merger hasn't completed yet, and Willes still remains on the board until it is complete.

Huntsman Steps Up Cancer War LDS billionaire Jon M. Huntsman will announce today that he is donating $125 million to the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. Huntsman started the Institute in 1995 with a $100 million donation.

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