http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/boyscouts/ en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:35:49 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2418027/posts The LAPD plans to launch its own Explorer program for young people this month, removing the Boy Scouts of America from management, officials said Tuesday. The Police Commission voted two months ago to end its relationship with the Scouts because of the organization's policies that discriminate against gays. The program had been operated by the Learning for Life Foundation, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts. The move to create the Los Angeles Police Department's own teen program should be launched by Jan. 1, Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger told the Police Commission. "We have received inquiries from dozens of agencies on... http://www.dailynews.com/ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2418027/posts#comment Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:35:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414468/posts Resident asks school board to remove Pledge of Allegiance from meetings December 22, 2009 By Chantelle Lusebrink The Issaquah School Board may consider eliminating the Pledge of Allegiance at its regular business meetings. At their Dec. 9 meeting, school board members were asked to eliminate the pledge from their meetings by parent Matthew Barry. “The words ‘under God’ in the pledge are offensive to your atheist residents in this school district,” Barry said at the meeting. “A study from last year, The American Religious Identification Survey, indicates that 15 percent of Americans aren’t religious. In Washington, which is one of... Issaquah Press http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414468/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:08:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2404970/posts The Boy Scouts of America turns 100 today! Boy Scouts of America http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2404970/posts#comment Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:49:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2399870/posts San Francisco » The Mormon church and Boy Scouts of America were named as defendants in lawsuits Monday claiming childhood sexual abuse by youth leaders decades ago. Alleged victims filed suits against both organizations in San Francisco and Seattle, and against the church alone in Portland, Ore. The plaintiffs are all represented by Portland attorney Kelly Clark, who has brought similar suits against the church and the Boy Scouts in the past. In the suit filed in San Francisco Superior Court, three brothers claim the church ignored their complaints about being molested by their Silicon Valley Boy Scout and Mormon... Salt Lake Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2399870/posts#comment Fri, 4 Dec 2009 02:40:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2396908/posts NetRight Nation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2396908/posts#comment Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:30:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2393068/posts George Watkins worked through the weekend on his Eagle Scout project. His project was to place pavers that were donated as a fundraiser for the Historical Soldiers Memorial Cemetery section at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Sierra Vista. He placed more than 4,000 pavers, a job that took two days to complete with the assistance of several Scouts and adult leaders. Photo by Mark Levy, Herald/Review Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Review http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2393068/posts#comment Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:24:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2392513/posts Kevin Anderson is a junior at Southern Lehigh High School near Allentown, Pennsylvania. He is also a longstanding member of Boy Scout Troop 301 in the Lehigh Valley. Kevin needed to do an Eagle Scout project to complete the requirements for the Eagle Scout rank. He decided to clear a 1,000 foot hiking and biking path at Kimmets Lock Park in east Allentown, completing a missing link in the 165-mile Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Trail. The completed trail would allow visitors to walk along the Lehigh River. Kevin and his Boy Scout volunteer helpers logged in 250 hours completing... Townhall.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2392513/posts#comment Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:28:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391383/posts The Boy Scouts' motto is: Be prepared. Who knew it meant preparing to de fend themselves against union thuggery? Kids, pay attention: This is a teachable moment for all of you on power, politics and Big Labor's culture of corruption. At last week's City Council meeting in Allentown, Pa., a top official of the local Service Employees International Union chapter ranted about 17-year-old Scout Kevin Anderson's park-cleanup work. To earn an Eagle Scout badge, Anderson devoted some 200 hours to picking up trash and helping clear a 1,000-foot walking path with fellow members of Boy Scouts Troop 301 of Center... NY Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391383/posts#comment Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:33:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2389446/posts ARLINGTON, Nov. 18, 2009 – Character was the focus as Scouting saluted the military yesterday. U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri told about 500 people from Boy Scouts’ National Capital Area Council that the values of Boy Scouts and the military are constant and that both organizations seek to serve something greater than themselves. This was the first Scout dinner saluting the military. Retired Navy Capt. Scott Gray, who now works with event sponsor General Dynamics, said he hopes to make the event an annual affair. The Crystal Gateway Marriott – a stone’s throw from the Pentagon – hosted the... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2389446/posts#comment Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:56:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2389137/posts n a room filled with hundreds of supporters and local leaders, the Boy Scouts of America today unveiled its plans for a world-class, national center of scouting excellence in the New River Gorge region of West Virginia. The site will serve as a premier Scouting destination, offering a new high-adventure base and national leadership programs and will become the permanent home of the National Scout Jamboree. The BSA's selection of the 10,600-acre site near Beckley was chosen after an extensive, nationwide process that lasted more than 18 months aimed at finding the perfect location for realizing the vision of a... Boy Scouts of America http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2389137/posts#comment Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:48:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2386983/posts In pursuit of an Eagle Scout badge, Kevin Anderson, 17, has toiled for more than 200 hours hours over several weeks to clear a walking path in an east Allentown park. Little did the do-gooder know that his altruistic act would put him in the cross hairs of the city's largest municipal union. Nick Balzano, president of the local Service Employees International Union, told Allentown City Council Tuesday that the union is considering filing a grievance against the city for allowing Anderson to clear a 1,000-foot walking and biking path at Kimmets Lock Park. "We'll be looking into the Cub... The Morning Call http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2386983/posts#comment Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:55:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2388352/posts 17-year-old Kevin Anderson wanted to add another Eagle Scout badge to his well-earned collection and so spent some 200 hours over several weeks to clear a walking path along the river in east Allentown park in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Little did young Mr. Anderson know it but he was about to prove once again that unions have a pernicious influence on governments everywhere. After Kevin's good deed the city's public employees union went gunning for the poor kid with threats and gyrations meant to shake down the city and scare off any citizen that might dare to imagine that they could... Publius Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2388352/posts#comment Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:17:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2388325/posts Union Bullies Boy Scout for Dastardly Good Deed 17-year-old's 250 of community service angers Allentown union By TERESA MASTERSON Updated 12:30 PM EST, Tue, Nov 17, 2009 A 17-year-old Boy Scout worked more than 200 hours to clear a path in his local park so that people could enjoy walking and biking along the river. Bad move Boy Scout. Now grown men who didn’t get around to doing it for a paycheck are after you. Kevin Anderson, a junior at Southern Lehigh High School, a varsity soccer player and a Boy Scout hoping to get his Eagle Scout badge, spent... nbcphiladelphia http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2388325/posts#comment Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:45:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2387771/posts More mischief from the SEIU? SEIU members think they are entitled to work and make money. Of course, if there is no government money to fund projects and volunteers step in and take up the slack, union thugs are demanding all work stop. It’s not fair! Cry me a river. From Jarrett Renshaw of the Morning Call. In pursuit of an Eagle Scout badge, Kevin Anderson, 17, has toiled for more than 200 hours hours over several weeks to clear a walking path in an east Allentown park. Little did the do-gooder know that his altruistic act would put him... http://www.radioviceonline.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2387771/posts#comment Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:19:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2366418/posts The Obama administration’s safe schools czar, Kevin Jennings, has accused the Baptists, the Boy Scouts and sports fans of anti-gay bias, and he has advocated a special high school for gay teens as well as gay-straight alliance clubs for every high school in America. Jennings, who was a prominent homosexual activist before being named director of the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools at the U.S. Department of Education, also has called for kindergarteners to be taught to respect all sexual orientations, while insisting that “ex-gay messages” and “Christian values” are ‘misused to isolate or denigrate lesbian, gay, bisexual... CNSNews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2366418/posts#comment Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:37:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2365279/posts Three stories in the news this week pointed out the lunacy of what has become known as "zero tolerance". In the first case, a 6-year-old boy was suspended and threatened with reform school because he brought a camping utensil to school. Zachary Christie, a first-grader at Downes Elementary School in Newark, Del., was so proud of the spoon-fork-knife combination gift that he wanted to show it off and use it to eat his lunch. He was by all accounts a good student, who sometimes wore suits to school because he took his education seriously. He was also a Cub Scout.... America Talks http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2365279/posts#comment Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:16:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2362781/posts Matthew Whalen, the Egle Scout in upstate New York who was suspended for having a pocket knife in his car received reassuring news from West Point today. Attending the prestigious New York military academy was always a dream for Matthew since the first grade. News 10 Albany reports: The military academy he's wanted to attend since first grade has told Matthew not to worry. Washington Times-Water Cooler http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2362781/posts#comment Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:51:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2363272/posts FirstCall/ -- AT&T* announced today a donation of more than $250,000 to the Patriots' Path Council, serving Boy Scouts of America in northern and central New Jersey. The money is a result of the first annual AT&T NJ Golf Classic which was held at Fiddlers Elbow Country Club in Bedminster and featured appearances by former NY Yankees Joe Pepitone and Lee Mazzilli. Proceeds will be used to support Inner City Scouting programs providing camp scholarships for children living in urban areas and will also fund the cost of a full-time bilingual Program Director for Hispanic communities. Yahool Business Wire http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2363272/posts#comment Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:57:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2356356/posts Below is audio and a partial transcript of Kevin Jennings', President Obama's safe school czar, thoughts on keeping the Boy Scouts out of the public school system. This is from a 2000 speaking engagement with his former organization the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in Iowa. In the same speech, Mr. Jennings also advocated for mandating a gay friendly curriculum in the public schools from kindergarten onward. Washington Times-Water Cooler http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2356356/posts#comment Wed, 7 Oct 2009 00:46:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2215650/posts SNIPPET: "For all his public activity, Bray has rarely, if ever, discussed his life story in detail. His own MAS biography offers vague descriptions of his work as "a long time civil and human rights advocate." A charismatic African-American convert to Islam, Bray spent this entire decade working for Islamist organizations. Prior to joining MAS, Bray was political director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). Those jobs have helped him build a growing public profile and given him access to politicians and policy makers. And that may explain his reluctance to discuss his life before political activism. The Investigative... IPT News - An IPT Investigation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2215650/posts#comment Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:34:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2333881/posts New advice published in Scouting, the official in-house magazine, says neither Scouts nor their parents should bring penknives to camp except in "specific" situations. Scouts have traditionally been taught how to use knives correctly, using them on camping trips to cut firewood or carve tools. At one point Scouts were allowed to carry a sheath knife on their belt as part of their uniform although this is no longer the case. In recent years the Scout Association guidance has been that parents should carry knives to camps or meetings. Dave Budd, a knife-maker who runs courses training Scouts about the... The Telegraph http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2333881/posts#comment Mon, 7 Sep 2009 13:29:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2332562/posts Lucas Wondra has Down syndrome and communicates with a few words, sign language and a PDA with a speaker and voice software. But when it comes to the Boy Scouts, he concedes no disability. On Monday, Lucas, a 16-year-old freshman at Hutchinson High, became an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America and the latest in a collage of medals and merit badges covering his uniform. Scout Master Bill Whitlow said Lucas is the first Scout with Down syndrome from Troop 301 to achieve his Eagle rank. "I feel like it's been a community effort," his... The Hutchinson News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2332562/posts#comment Sat, 5 Sep 2009 00:39:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2325142/posts LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Smoke filled the skies over the Los Angeles Basin Wednesday as a quick-moving wildfire expanded to 750 acres in the mountains north of the city, officials said. With high temperatures and dry winds fueling the flames, firefighters said just 10 percent of the fire was contained by morning. The National Weather Service said temperatures were expected to reach triple digits in the valley, the Los Angeles Times reported Campgrounds in the Angeles National Forest were evacuated Tuesday after a brush fire broke out near the Morris Dam north of Azusa in late afternoon. About... UPI http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2325142/posts#comment Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:33:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2306307/posts Even though there was a slight hitch in their plan, a group of Boy Scouts who while on their way to a national competition in Indiana found themselves stranded in Atlanta, are now on their way. After exhausting all other options to find a flight that would get them to Indiana before 8 a.m. Sunday, the Scouts were able to rent a charter bus, which Delta will be covering the cost, said Carlos Santos, Delta spokesman. Although they bought their plane tickets in April, the group of 30 Boy Scouts and their eight chaperones were forced to rent the bus... ajc.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2306307/posts#comment Sun, 2 Aug 2009 04:12:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2295207/posts CONCORD, N.H. —  A Massachusetts teenager who spent three nights alone on Mount Washington in April after he sprained an ankle and veered off marked trails has been fined more than $25,000 for the cost of his rescue.Scott Mason had been praised for utilizing his Eagle Scout skills — sleeping in the crevice of a boulder and jump-starting fires with hand sanitzer gel. But authorities say he wasn't prepared for the conditions he encountered and shouldn't have set out on such an ambitious hike."Yes, he'd been out there in July when you could step across the brooks. And people have been... AP via Fox http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2295207/posts#comment Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:19:18 GMT