Archbishop urges priests to cut ties with Girl Scouts

Archbishop urges priests to cut ties with Girl Scouts

ST. LOUIS

St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson is urging priests to sever ties with the Girl Scouts, saying the organization promotes values “incompatible” with Catholic teachings.

The open letter to priests, Scout leaders and other Catholics was posted Thursday on the archdiocese website. It urges parishes that host Girl Scout meetings to consider alternative programs for girls that are more Catholic- or Christian-based.

Carlson worries that contraception and abortion rights are being promoted to Girl Scouts.

Bridge-case legal fees exceed $10M

TRENTON, N.J.

New Jersey taxpayers have been billed more than $10 million for legal services performed for Gov. Chris Christie’s administration in the George Washington Bridge lane closure case, including more than $2 million by a firm that the governor’s 2013 re-election campaign still owes money.

Invoices released by the state attorney general’s office Friday evening show the governor’s office spent $2.3 million on digital forensics firm Stroz Friedberg in 2014 and 2015. That’s in addition to the $8 million Christie’s administration spent through December for services from the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher firm.

Author Umberto Eco dies at age 84

ROME

Italian author Umberto Eco, who intrigued, puzzled and delighted readers worldwide with his best-selling historical novel “The Name of the Rose,” has died.

Spokeswoman Lori Glazer of Eco’s American publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, told The Associated Press that Eco died Friday at age 84. She could not immediately confirm the cause of death or where he died.

Author of a wide range of books, Eco was fascinated with the obscure and the mundane, and his books were both engaging narratives and philosophical and intellectual exercises.

PM vows Britain to stay on EU sidelines

BRUSSELS

Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday pledged Britain will never become part of a “European superstate” thanks to a hard-fought deal for a less- intrusive European Union which he hopes will sway voters in a referendum to keep the island nation in the 28-nation bloc.

The agreement Cameron won is a key steppingstone to the in-out referendum in Britain that could come as soon as this summer.

Cameron claimed that, under the deal, Britain would be allowed to stay on EU sidelines if other nations seek a closer union and has been guaranteed its social welfare would win more protection from unfair EU migrant claims. He also pledged the economy will prosper outside the euro area.

Official: Flint, state lagging on water fix

State and local officials still aren’t doing enough to fix problems that caused lead pollution of drinking water in Flint, Michigan – including having enough qualified workers to make sure the city water system functions adequately, a federal regulator said Friday.

Mark Pollins, director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Enforcement Division, said some progress had been made toward complying with an emergency order EPA issued Jan. 21 in response to the crisis. But “significant issues” remain that need “immediate attention” to safeguard the public water supply in the city of nearly 100,000, he said.

Associated Press