Mahoning commissioners fund religious conference

CANFIELD

The Mahoning County commissioners approved without comment a resolution to spend $2,500 in county hotel bed-tax revenue to promote a “Living Proof Live” women’s Christian conference Nov. 4-5 at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown.

The conference, which has a $69 registration fee, is sponsored by Lifeway Christian Resources, a Nashville-Tenn.-based nonprofit organization, whose parent organization is the Southern Baptist Convention.

Featuring Beth Moore, a nationally known public speaker and author, the conference is expected to draw more than 5,000 participants.

An American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio spokesman said that organization objects to the grant to promote the faith-based conference because it believes the grant is contrary to the constitutional principle of government neutrality toward religion.

Read what other actions the commissioners took in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.