Government Bans Church From Feeding Homeless

According to the Arizona Republic, the state government has banned churches from feeding the poor and homeless.

A Phoenix ordinance banning charity dining halls in residential neighborhoods withstood a challenge by a north-central Phoenix church.

Retired Arizona Supreme Court Justice
Robert Corcoran, serving as a hearing officer, ruled Monday that feeding the homeless at a place of worship can be banned by city ordinance. The decision affects all Phoenix churches with underlying residential zoning.

Over the summer, city officials maintained that CrossRoads United Methodist Church, 7901 N. Central Ave., violated Phoenix zoning code by feeding the poor and homeless on its property, a use that can only occur in commercial or industrial zones. City officials said the decision is effective immediately.

The church appealed the citation, saying it is a church and is not operating as a charity dining hall. Church officials maintained that its actions were protected by the First Amendment and the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

McCain Still Fighting for Vets – to Become Teachers

Michael Riley of the Denver Post is following a story on two U.S. Senators who would like to pass legislation that would pave the way for more military personnel to put their skills to use in the Nation’s classrooms:

Sens. John McCain and Michael Bennet want to put more battlefield veterans in classrooms as teachers, teaming up as a seasoned senator with military expertise and a freshman lawmaker who was superintendent of Denver Public Schools.

But in co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill known as Troops to Teachers, McCain, R-Ariz., is also handing Bennet, D-Colo., a potential campaign plum, an unusual move given McCain’s role recruiting GOP front- runner Jane Norton to race against the vulnerable Democratic appointee.

[...]

Although it provides financial assistance for veterans to train as teachers, the existing program has tougher qualification requirements and limits the number of schools that can participate.

The senators’ bill would increase the authorized funding from $30 million a year to $50 million. Another 1,150 schools would be eligible to participate just in Colorado, many of them in poor and underserved areas. It also would reduce from six to four the number of years of noncombat active duty someone must serve to be eligible…Continue reading McCain, Bennet on front line to turn vets into teachers >>

 

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