In today’s News:
Concordia St. Paul sets record
Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), St. Paul, Minn., set a new fall enrollment record with 5,567 students — 428 more than its previous high of 5,139 a year ago. Traditional undergraduate programs gained 56 students, adult undergraduate programs 361 students, and graduate programs 11 students. Enrollment for students learning on campus now stands at an all-time high of 1,756, while graduate programs saw their total enrollment surpass 2,000 students for the second consecutive year. Adult undergraduate program enrollment, which includes the bulk of online students, stands at 1,788.
Suit filed against the city of Washington, D.C,
Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing two pro-life organizations filed suit in federal court Wednesday after the city of Washington, D.C., refused to grant permission for the groups to paint a pro-life message on a city street shortly after the city commissioned or allowed the painting of other messages on a different street. In June, a mural reading “BLACK LIVES MATTER” was created using permanent yellow paint, the length of an entire city block, extending the width of the street. Shortly after the mural was painted, another mural reading “DEFUND THE POLICE” was also painted on the street. The Frederick Douglass Foundation and Students for Life of America then sought to paint a similar mural outside of the Planned Parenthood Carole Whitehill Moses Center with the message “BLACK PRE-BORN LIVES MATTER,” but the city refused to grant a permit to the two groups. Students for Life of America applied for a permit and received permission to hold a rally, but neither group received a formal response from the city regarding the painted mural.
Pro-abortion follower appointed to Biden’s staff
Former Vice President Joe Biden has chosen an outspoken pro-abortion activist to serve as his White House chief of staff should he end up assuming the presidency in 2021. Last week, the 77-year-old Biden announced that he would tap Ron Klain, who had previously worked as chief of staff to Al Gore and Biden during their respective vice presidencies, to serve as his chief of staff. Over the years, Klain has repeatedly heaped praise on the pro-abortion movement and questioned the legitimacy of both the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections. In a series of tweets he sent out in 2018 and 2019, Klain voiced his admiration for pro-abortion activists and organizations.
City lifts ban on sidewalk counseling
In a victory for life Tuesday, the city council In Jackson, Missi. voted to repeal an ordinance that restricted pro-life free speech outside the only abortion facility in the state. The AP reports the Jackson City Council voted unanimously to repeal the 2019 buffer zone ordinance after pro-life sidewalk counselors sued the city. The ordinance prohibited people from “oral protest, education or counseling” within 15 feet of the entrance to a health care facility and prohibited amplified sound within 100 feet of the property line. It also banned anyone from coming within eight feet of another person without their permission. Those who violated the ordinance could face a $1,000 fine or jail time. The ordinance technically applied to all health care facilities in Jackson, but it really targeted pro-lifers. As a result, peaceful pro-life advocates could have been punished for praying outside the abortion facility or handing a woman information about pregnancy resources in the city. The victory Tuesday may be temporary. According to the AP, City Council President Aaron Banks promised to take new action to “guarantee safety and that individuals aren’t harassed.”
