Justices agree to hear job bias lawsuits against churches
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court recently said it will consider expanding protections for churches against job-discrimination claims.
The justices agreed to review two cases in which a federal appeals court allowed discrimination lawsuits by teachers against two Catholic schools in California to proceed.
The court has previously ruled that religious employees of a church cannot sue for employment discrimination. But it did not make clear the distinction between a secular employee, who can take advantage of the government’s protection from discrimination and retaliation, and a religious employee, who cannot.
The question for the justices in the new cases is whether religious institutions can invoke a “ministerial exception” to anti-discrimination laws more broadly, even when the employees do not have special religious training or titles. This doctrine says the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of religion shields churches and their operations from the government’s reach.
Both schools invoked the ministerial exception to try to end the suits, arguing that the teachers had important religious functions. But a federal appeals court said the teachers could not be considered ministers for this purpose.
Woman gets kidney from husband on Christmas Eve
DETROIT (AP) — A Grand Rapids-area man has given his wife an unusual gift at Christmas: a kidney.
WOOD-TV reports that doctors in Detroit removed a kidney from Logan Bosselaar on Tuesday, Christmas Eve, and transplanted it to Vanessa Bosselaar.
“He's a now a piece of me," Vanessa said.
The surgery had been in the works for weeks. Doctors at Henry Ford Hospital were surprised that Logan was a perfect transplant match for his 24-year-old wife, who has a serious kidney disease. They live in Kentwood, near Grand Rapids.
“I got to see Vanessa when she rolled in,” Logan said of the transplant. “She was pretty out of it, but it was just a relief to see her and know that she was OK.”
It's been a challenging month: The Bosselaars were in a rollover crash after a medical appointment a few weeks ago but had only minor injuries.
“The fact that we were OK from our car accident and then to go in and have a successful surgery — that’s amazing,” Logan said.
North Carolina couple calls 911 on vacuum thought to be intruder
HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) — 'Twas the night of Christmas at a North Carolina house, no creature should have been stirring, not even a mouse.
But a Forsyth County couple awoke with a fright, as something was moving about their house in the night.
They dashed to their closet and hid in fear, dialing 911 with a sensitive ear.
Responding sheriff's deputies searched the home, and found a robot vacuum alone.
The source of the scare had quickly been sorted, WGHP-TV reported. The robot had seemingly started and gotten stuck, its beeping and banging made the audible muck.
Homeowner Thomas Milam said the vacuum named Harry was new. They'd had it for days, maybe just two.
He said it's not better to be sorry than safe, and he'd call 911 again, even if making a mistake.
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