November 11, 2015

Rick Scarborough: We’ll Find A Cure For AIDS If the U.S. Rejects Homosexuality and Repents

Anti-gay pastor Rick Scarborough–who back in July promised to set himself on fire if same-sex marriage became legal–has said that AIDS is God’s judgement on sin.

He also claimed that a cure for AIDS would be found by “some sharp probably Christian or Jewish researcher” if the U.S. repented for tolerating homosexuality.

Right Wing Watch notes that Scarborough–who later back-tracked on his promise of self-immolation–was speaking at a “Prayer For Our Warriors Conference” at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Arizona.

Playing the victim card, he added that gay rights groups have “subverted the truth” by attacking “those of us who stand for God and country without apology.”

Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2015/11/rick-scarborough-well-find-cure-aids-u-s-rejects-homosexuality-repents-video/

November 11, 2015

Nearly 4,000 Gay Couples Tied the Knot In Oklahoma’s 1st Year Of Same-Sex Marriage

Many gay couples in Oklahoma celebrated their first wedding anniversaries last Tuesday, which marked one year since same-sex marriage became legal in the Sooner State.

On Oct. 6, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear appeals of pro-marriage equality rulings from three circuits, including the 10th, which covers Oklahoma.

Since then, nearly 4,000 gay couples in Oklahoma have tied the knot, according to Oklahomans for Equality. They include Kathy Voigtschild and Rachel Baker-Voigtschild (above), who dressed as Batman and Robin for their impromptu ceremony at Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City.

Toby Jenkins, executive director of Oklahomans for Equality, told Fox 23 that all but five counties in Oklahoma have issued same-sex marriage licenses. No gay couples have sought licenses in those five counties.

Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2015/11/nearly-4000-gay-couples-tied-knot-oklahomas-1st-year-sex-marriage-video/

November 11, 2015

Fort Bend and McLennan County jails violate standards, officials say

State regulators have found that two county jails are violating Texas' minimum jail standards after inmate suicides earlier this month.

On Nov. 5, Texas Commission on Jail Standards officials sent a letter to authorities in Fort Bend County, following two deaths in custody since Sept. 30.

"You are hereby notified that the jail in your county fails to comply with minimum standards ... and that appropriate corrective measures must be initiated," commission officials wrote to Sheriff Troy Nehls, a criminal justice reformer who has made changes at the county jail in recent years, such as providing GED classes or vocational training for inmates.

The commission found that Fort Bend County jailers were not completing face-to-face checks on inmates every hour, as required by law.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/2-county-jails-violate-standards-officials-say-6624338.php

November 11, 2015

Prosecutors fire back over another of Paxton’s motions to throw out indictments

The prosecutors pursuing criminal charges against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have filed a response to another of the several motions by Paxton’s defense team to throw out the indictments.

This filing addresses claims by Paxton that the prosecutors disclosed grand jury information and violated grand jury secrecy by talking to various media. Paxton’s motions, filed last week, cite several stories, in particular a news story in the New York Times on Aug. 1 reporting on the existence of indictments against the state’s top lawman that were under seal until Aug. 3.

“Well-established ethical rules are set in place to prohibit lawyers involved in litigation or investigations from making statements to the media that would prejudice the case or defendant,” Paxton’s motion argued.

But prosecutors claim they did not violate grand jury secrecy. Even assuming they did violate a rule, they wrote in their motion, such a disciplinary violation “does not entitle him to the pre-trial windfall he seeks unless he can show the violation affected his substantial rights or deprived him of a fair trial.”

Read more: http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2015/11/prosecutors-fire-back-over-another-of-paxtons-motions-to-throw-out-indictments.html/

November 11, 2015

No one gets offended if all the colors are used.

Photo from the Texas Lone Star Bar in Wakefield, Texas:

November 11, 2015

Division III Play of the Week

November 11, 2015

Lafayette’s Cajundome in line for extensive, $20 million makeover

The Cajundome is preparing for its most extensive renovation in three decades — a $20 million makeover that will bring new seating, new lights, a rejuvenated roof and host of other upgrades.

Cajundome Director Greg Davis laid out the details in a Tuesday ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of the facility, which opened Nov. 10, 1985.

He said the Cajundome will close in May 2016 for the six-month renovation project and reopen in December.

Plans call for replacing the original 10,000 seats and adding 1,000 seats to bring capacity for concerts up to 11,000.

Read more: http://theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/13939906-123/lafayettes-cajundome-in-line-for

November 11, 2015

Jury convicts ex-Orleans judge Yolanda King for lying about where she lived

It took five tries for Yolanda King to finally win a judgeship, and less than an hour for a jury to find she had lied to get it.

King, who won a surprise runoff victory in May 2013 for a seat on the bench in New Orleans Juvenile Court, was convicted Tuesday of filing false public records and violating the state election code. A jury of three women and three men found that King’s claim to a New Orleans domicile on a sworn candidate statement in February 2013 was bogus, convinced by evidence that for years she claimed a homestead exemption at a house she bought in 2006 in Slidell.

King, 58, is believed to be the first in the state to face criminal prosecution for what is a common allegation against political hopefuls: Fudging a home address to get around the state constitution, which says judges must have been domiciled in the parish or district where they serve for at least a year prior to an election.

King sat silently at the defense table after ad hoc Judge Michael Kirby read the verdict in an Orleans Parish courtroom. She faces a maximum five-year prison sentence on the false public records charge, and two years maximum on the second count.

Read more: http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/13942408-123/jury-convicts-ex-orleans-judge-yolanda

November 11, 2015

Work requirement for food stamp recipients 'unreasonably harsh,' must go, group tells Jindal

A New Orleans organization advocating for low-income residents urged Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration to end a new minimum work requirement enacted for more than 60,000 food stamp recipients.

The group Stand With Dignity sent a complaint letter to Jindal and his Department of Children and Families Services secretary, Suzy Sonnier, calling the work requirements “unreasonably harsh.”

The Jindal administration let a federal waiver expire on Oct. 1 that allowed adults aged 18 to 49 without children to receive food stamps without a work requirement. They will soon be required to work at least 20 hours per week or be enrolled in a federally-approved job training program to receive benefits.

States that meet certain U.S. Labor Department criteria have been able to get waivers from the work requirements in federal law.

Read more: http://theadvocate.com/news/13942253-123/jindal-administration-asked-to-reconsider

November 11, 2015

One-liners, attacks on personal records punctuate spirited John Bel Edwards-David Vitter debate

Democrat John Bel Edwards and Republican David Vitter spent much of the first televised debate in the gubernatorial runoff taking aim at each other’s positions on issues like Medicaid expansion, transportation funding and the state budget.

But the final minutes of Tuesday night’s debate were peppered with direct hits and personal digs.

“You are a liar, a cheater and a stealer, and I don’t tolerate that,” Edwards told a visibly agitated Vitter.

Vitter accused Edwards, a military veteran, of not living “by the Honor Code.”

“You are completely disingenuous,” he said.

Read more: http://theadvocate.com/news/13938680-123/democrat-john-bel-edwards-republican