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Christian Business Owners to Close Chapel Following Furor Over Refusal to Host a Gay Wedding — but There’s a Twist : Billy Hallowell

The Christian owners of a flower shop, restaurant and wedding venue in Grimes, Iowa, who faced a contentious legal battle following their refusal to host a gay couples' ceremony, are closing up shop, and issuing a warning to wedding-related business owners: that they, too, could soon face the same challenges.

Despite their business misfortune, there's an ironic twist: The chapel's current building will likely become home to a church — a development that Betty and Dick Odgaard, owners of Görtz Haus Gallery, are welcoming.

The husband and wife duo said that they have been operating the wedding business for 13 years, but after media coverage following their decision to turn away gay couple Lee Stafford and his fiancé Jared Ellars in August 2013, challenges abounded.                                                                                                                                                                                 They recently decided to stop hosting wedding ceremonies for all couples rather than abide by a government mandate that they accommodate same-sex ceremonies, but the remaining business activity hasn't been enough to keep the doors open.

"Our case had everything to do with our closing. Once we could no longer host weddings it was only a matter of time," Betty Odgaard told TheBlaze in an email on Sunday. "The lunch business had already decreased substantially due to boycotts and all the slander and black eye now on Görtz Haus."

She said that recent staffing issues were the final straw, giving her and her husband, Dick, "the final nudge" to make the heart-wrenching decision to close up shop.

"The writing has been on the wall for quite some time and we hung on as long as we could," she said. "This day had to come but it's just so hard to say this is it, it's over."

Despite making the tough decision, Odgaard said that she and her husband "will be fine," though she offered a warning to others to be aware of what has happened to both her business and her family.

"This happened to us and if you are in the wedding business it will happen to you — it's just a matter of when," she said. "If our justice system doesn't put something in place soon it will become increasingly difficult for Christians to be in business and stay true to the gospel and God's laws."                                                                                                     http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/06/22/christian-owned-wedding-venue-that-had-to-pay-5000-after-refusing-to-host-gay-wedding-will-shut-down/

Legendary Gunmaker Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy : Kaitlyn Schallhorn

Colt Defense LLC announced Sunday night that the 179-year-old company is filing for bankruptcy.

The firearms company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del., and Colt officials say they plan to restructure financially during this time. This process, according to a press release on Colt's website, will allow for the "accelerated sale" of the company's business operations in the U.S. and Canada.

"The plan we are announcing and have filed today will allow Colt to restructure its balance sheet while meeting all of its obligations to customers, vendors, suppliers and employees and providing for maximum continuity in the Company's current and future business operations," Keith Maib, Chief Restructuring Officer of Colt Defense LLC, said in the release.                                                                                                                                                                                         "Importantly, Colt remains open for business and our team will continue to be sharply focused on delivering for our customers and being a good commercial partner to our vendors and suppliers," Maib said. "We look forward to successfully executing on this plan, which provides a sound path of stewardship for an iconic American brand and the key stakeholders we serve."

According to Bloomberg, Colt, the maker of M4 and M16 military rifles, reported in an earlier filing that the company was struggling financially due to delays in U.S. government and foreign sales. A change in demand for sporting rifles and commercials handguns also reportedly contributed to the noted company's financial woes.       http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-15/colt-defense-179-year-old-gunmaker-files-for-bankruptcy     http://news.yahoo.com/legendary-gun-maker-colt-files-bankruptcy-172317457.html

In the press release, Colt said Sciens Capital Management LLC will act as a "stalking horse bidder" for the company's assets and liabilities. Colt's current management team is to remain in place.       http://www.sciensam.com/                                http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/06/15/legendary-gunmaker-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy/   

I tried 6 times to post this, and kept getting some silly green panda!

Father's Day - Rafael's Story        https://youtu.be/t7JksVsWv4U

Hershey to Cut About 300 Jobs, Lowers 2015 Revenue Outlook : ABC News

Hershey is expected to cut about 300 jobs by the end of the year as it looks to simplify its operations. The candy maker also cut its revenue outlook for the year.

Its shares fell more than 3 percent in afternoon trading Friday. The company has approximately 22,000 employees globally.

The company did not specify where the job cuts would come from, but said manufacturing operations are not included in the plans.

"Removing cost and complexity from our business will make us more flexible to quickly react to changing consumer and competitive marketplace trends," Chairman, President and CEO John Bilbrey said in a written statement.

The chocolate and candy maker — whose brands include Reese's, Twizzlers and its namesake — said that it will face an estimated $100 million to $120 million in pretax charges related to the job cuts. It anticipates $65 million to $75 million in savings, mostly in 2016, and plans to reinvest part of the funds back into the business.                                   http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/hershey-cut-300-jobs-lowers-2015-revenue-outlook-31884158

Informant: Ohio ISIS recruit ready to cut off head of own non-Muslim son : Joe Newby

on.aol.com
In an FBI complaint against 38-year-old Amir Said Abdul Rahman Al-Ghazi, an Ohio man arrested Friday, an informant alleges the man, formerly known as Robert C. McCollum, said he would cut off the head of his own non-Muslim son to prove his worth as a Muslim, Breitbart.com reported Saturday. He was arrested and brought up on charges of supporting the militant Islamic State terrorist organization.  http://www.examiner.com/topic/ohio

http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/06/20/ohio-isis-recruit-was-ready-to-cut-off-the-head-of-his-non-muslim-son/

In a conversation with one informant, he allegedly said his faith allows him to "behead Christians, Jews, and Atheists." Last year, he reportedly said that if war broke out in the United States between Muslims and non-Muslims, "he would cut off the head of his non-Muslim son if necessary."      http://www.scribd.com/doc/269157414/Al-Ghazi-Complaint   http://www.examiner.com/topic/behead

According to the FBI complaint, he was allegedly interested in attacking a police station, but said he would need another "100 brothers" to make the attack happen. The complaint said that between July 2014 and June 2015, he made multiple statements on social media indicating his "allegiance to, affiliation with, and desire to act on behalf of ISIL." The complaint also says he reportedly told another undercover informant that he was planning a Boston Marathon-style attack and needed help to secure weapons and bomb-making materials.

He also expressed hope the attack against Pamela Geller's "Draw Mohammed" contest in Garland, Texas, had been successful, the report adds. "If the Texas bros had maybe 6 more with them it may have been a different story," he said, according to the FBI report.     http://www.examiner.com/article/report-isis-praises-gunmen-foiled-garland-terror-attack                             http://www.examiner.com/article/informant-ohio-isis-recruit-ready-to-cut-off-head-of-own-non-muslim-son  

Report: Iranian Jewish woman cut in half, media silent : Joe Newby

On Thursday, Israel Radio reported that a Jewish woman in Isfahan, Iran, was murdered and cut in half by Muslim extremists who wanted to take over her home.  http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=6571       http://www.examiner.com/topic/iran

Israel Radio said that according to relatives, the woman lived next to a newly built mosque, and worshippers "had demanded that she and her family leave their home so the mosque could be expanded."      http://www.examiner.com/topic/mosque 

The woman complained to authorities, and in response, a group of thugs came to her house, murdered her and allegedly cut her in two.

"The event left the Jewish community in Iran, estimated to be around 25,000 people, worried and fearing escalating violence against it," Israel Radio said.

Daniel Greenfield reminded readers at Frontpagemag.com that Jews and Christians in the Muslim world are "protected".   http://www.frontpagemag.com/2012/dgreenfield/jewish-woman-in-iran-cut-in-half-for-refusing-to-turn-over-her-home-to-a-mosque/ 

"They pay protection money in the form of Jizya. And they're not persecuted too much, unless they don't make way for a mosque or unless Islamists take over," he wrote.

"This is your life. This is your life under Islam," he added.

While the report has been picked up by a number of blogs, the so-called "mainstream media" has remained silent.            http://www.examiner.com/article/report-iranian-jewish-woman-cut-half-media-silent

A Loving Father – Sunday Thought For The Day by Mychal Massie

A Loving Father – Sunday Thought For The Day by Mychal Massie on June 21, 2015 in Daily Rant, Faith & Family,Thought For The Day
Posted by doofiegirl 

The following was written for June 21, 2015, "Our Daily Bread" by Bill Crowder.
***********************
The parents were obviously weary from dragging their two energetic preschoolers through airports and airplanes, and now their final flight was delayed. As I watched the two boys running around the crowded gate area, I wondered how Mom and Dad were going to keep the little guys settled down for our half-hour flight into Grand Rapids. When we finally boarded, I noticed that the father and one of the sons were in the seats behind me. Then I heard the weary father say to his son, "Why don't you let me read one of your storybooks to you." And during the entire flight, this loving father softly and patiently read to his son, keeping him calm and focused.
In one of his psalms David declares, "As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him" (Ps. 103:13). The word pities refers to showing love and compassion. This tender word gives us a picture of how deeply our heavenly Father loves His children, and it reminds us what a great gift it is to be able to look to God and cry, "Abba, Father" (Rom. 8:15).
God longs for you to listen again to the story of His love for you when you are restless on your own journey through life. Your heavenly Father is always near, ready to encourage you with His Word.
I rejoice in Your presence and Your love for me, Lord. Today I choose joy in knowing Your love is constant and unchanging, forever fixed.
God's great love for His child is one of His greatest gifts.
INSIGHT:
Commentator Adam Clarke provides this background to Psalm 103: "The inscription in the Hebrew, and in all the Versions, gives this Psalm to David; and yet many of the ancients believed it to refer to the times of the captivity, or rather to its conclusion, in which the redeemed Jews give thanks to God for their restoration. It is a Psalm of inimitable sweetness and excellence; contains the most affectionate sentiments of gratitude to God for his mercies; and the most consoling motives to continue to trust in God, and be obedient to him."
READ: Psalm 103:7-13
7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
http://mychal-massie.com/premium/a-loving-father-sunday-thought-for...

What Happened When Glenn Beck Arrived At A Charleston Church Made An MSNBC Reporter Break Down ; "It goes all the way down the street..." :

MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts broke down on-air Friday while reporting live from Charleston, South Carolina.

Emotion welled up within the news anchor as he watched hundreds of people arrive at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston singing Gospel songs. As the scene was unfolding, accused shooter Dylann Roof was standing for his bond hearing in another part of town.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   What Roberts did not realize was that conservative television commentator and radio talk show host Glenn Beck was responsible for the crowd. The media personality had flown in to Charleston and asked people to join him in a nearby park to pray.

The Blaze's deputy managing editor Jonathan Seidl tweeted this image out from the MSNBC coverage.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 The hundreds of people who attended the prayer meeting then marched down to the AME Church in a show of support to the congregation.

The Blaze reports:          http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/06/19/the-moment-an-msnbc-anchor-broke-down-on-air-as-glenn-beck-showed-up-at-the-charleston-church/

"Can we look over here right now. It's kind of heartbreaking," Roberts said, his voice cracking, "They're singing and a whole flood of people showed up at the same time."
Roberts remained turned away from the camera, not wanting viewers to see the emotion of the moment had overtaken him.

"So you're hearing from the family, and then this whole group of people showed up. And they're singing a gospel song. ... I apologize," he said, stopping himself and trying to fight back tears.

The MSNBC anchor was referring to several family members forgiving Roof during his bond hearing, which Western Journalism covered. (See also video below.)          http://www.westernjournalism.com/watch-daughter-of-charleston-victim-addresses-the-shooting-suspect-with-3-incredible-words/          http://abcnews.go.com/us                       https://youtu.be/ggiU2n09NY8

Authorities arrest 243 people in $712 million Medicare fraud : BY MEGAN CASSELLA

The U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday that 243 people have been arrested across the country, charged with submitting fake billing for Medicare, a government healthcare program, that totaled $712 million.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch described the arrests as the largest criminal health care fraud takedown in the history of the Justice Department.

Those arrested included 46 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals. The charges are based on a variety of alleged fraud schemes, the government said, including submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid, the healthcare program for low-income individuals, for treatments that were medically unnecessary and often never provided.

The nationwide sweep, led by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force and the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, involved about 900 law enforcement officials. It's the largest both in terms of the number of those charged and the amount of money lost.

Many of the arrests were in Florida, long an epicenter of Medicare fraud. In Miami, 73 defendants were charged with offenses involving approximately $263 million in false billings.

One mental health facility there billed close to $64 million for psychotherapy sessions that were nothing more than moving patients to different locations, Lynch said in a press conference.

Other cities involved include Houston, Dallas and McAllen, Texas; Los Angeles; Detroit; Tampa; Brooklyn, New York; and New Orleans.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            One case in Michigan involved a doctor who prescribed unnecessary narcotics in exchange for patients' identification information, which was used to generate false billings. Patients then became deeply addicted to the prescription narcotics and were bound to the scheme as long as they wanted to keep their access to the drugs.

"In the days ahead, the Department of Justice will continue our focus on preventing wrongdoing and prosecuting those whose criminal activity drives up medical costs and jeopardizes a system that our citizens trust with their lives," Lynch said.                 http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/18/us-usa-medicare-idUSKBN0OY22E20150618

Al Sharpton On His Way to Promote Racial Unrest After SC Shooting at Black Church : By Colleen Conley

On Thursday, Al Sharpton issued a press release indicating his intention to travel to the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC after a shooting rampage that left 9 people dead.

The historically black church was hosting a Bible study group when a gunman opened fire, killing 3 men and 6 women. He let one woman go to "tell the world what happened." A five year old girl also survived by playing dead.

The shooting has been labeled as a hate crime, and the suspect, Dylann Roof, has been apprehended.

In a statement Sharpton said:

"I am shocked and outraged about the killing of nine innocent people at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. What has our society come to when people in a prayer meeting in the sacred halls of a church can be shot in what is deemed a possible hate crime?
"The Pastor of the church, Reverend Clementa Pinckney, worked closely with our National Action Network Chapter leader and our Vice President of Religious Affairs, Rev. Nelson Rivers. It is chilling to me that just over two months ago while I was in North Charleston over the police shooting of Walter Scott, I'm reminded that Rev. Pinckney was among the clergy who stood with me at that occasion and now he has fallen victim to senseless violence.
"We must do what we can to apprehend the killer and we must support the families involved in this tragedy. Demagoguery, increasing tension, and talk of violence will only make a mockery of what we face."       http://www.tpnn.com/2015/06/18/al-sharpton-on-his-way-to-promote-racial-unrest-after-sc-shooting-at-black-church/