Bishops Try To Meld Faith with African Life

VATICAN CITY Roman Catholic bishops from Africa, meeting in Romeat a special congress, are seeking to match the demands of theirfaith with the social, political and economic needs of a hungry andoften violent continent.

For about 300 bishops from the 53 nations of Africa attendingthe monthlong synod, "inculturation" - the melding of RomanCatholicism with African traditions - is as an overriding concern."It is the marriage of faith and life," said the group's interimdocument.

The secular context for a church transported to Africa in thelast century by European missionaries emerges with painful clarity asthe bishops recite a litany of continental need.

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Today in History

Today is Wednesday, Nov. 24, the 328th day of 2010. There are 37 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 24, 1859, British naturalist Charles Darwin published "On the Origin of Species," which explained his theory of evolution by means of natural selection.

On this date:

In 1784, Zachary Taylor, the 12th president of the United States, was born in Orange County, Va.

In 1863, the Civil War Battle of Lookout Mountain began in Tennessee; Union forces succeeded in taking the mountain from the Confederates.

In 1939, British Overseas Airways Corp. (BOAC) was formally established.

In 1944, during World War II, U.S. bombers …

Strong earthquake rattles buildings around Japan

A strong magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit off the eastern coast of Japan on Sunday, rattling buildings across a broad swath of the country, including the crowded capital.

There were no reports of casualties, with only light damage to structures near the epicenter, according to local officials.

The quake hit at 5:08 p.m. and was felt most strongly in central Fukushima prefecture about 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

"It was fairly strong, but didn't knock over anything in the office," said Ken Yoshida, a town official in Naraha, one of the hardest-hit areas. He said an earthen wall in …

$48,000 ring recovered; Woman gives it back after engagement ends

NAPERVILLE - It's better to have loved and lost -- unless thewoman keeps your $48,000 engagement ring and threatens to sell it.And that's just what the former fiancee of businessman RichardPhebus did, his attorney said.

Now, after having to go to court, he has the ring back.

Phebus popped the question to 43-year-old Renee Mingilino inDecember and presented her with a 5.03 carat, center pear-shapeddiamond engagement ring. The ring's value was appraised at a cool$48,000.

But the love affair soured soon after and, by February, theNaperville couple was meeting with a counselor in hopes of savingtheir rocky relationship, court papers indicate. The …

Fed-up girlfriend calls 911 on pot-smoking beau

LEBANON, Mo. (AP) — A 35-year-old man was charged in Missouri with possessing marijuana after his girlfriend called 911 and said she was tired of him smoking pot all day instead of working. Dispatchers in the southwestern Missouri town of Lebanon got a 911 hang-up call Saturday night from a motel room. Police said officers went to the motel and were told by the woman that her boyfriend did nothing …

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City says video casino violates ordinance: Woman wanted to establish business in Kanawha City

A Clarksburg woman involved with opening a new video lotterycasino at the former Risk's 35th Street Farmers Market said she hadno idea Charleston officials had determined the establishment is aviolation of a city ordinance.

Nancy Stumpo of Clarksburg applied for a city business license forThe Hot Spot, which would be operated by the Fraternal Order of theOwls. Stumpo said she talked Monday to Lottery Commissioner JohnMusgrave and he never mentioned the venue would be denied itslicense.

"The commissioner didn't come out and say we would not be able toput an establishment in (Risk's) with video lottery machines," Stumposaid. But Musgrave, like Stumpo, was unaware of the city'sconclusion.

Charleston Mayor Danny Jones announced at Monday's City Councilmeeting that the city attorney determined the establishment is inviolation of a city ordinance. Councilman Mark Sadd did some researchand sent a letter to the city planning director stating that theordinance does apply to the proposed business.

The ordinance, passed Feb. 2, regulates a new business with videolottery machines from opening within 2,000 feet of an alreadyestablished video casino. The former Risk's building is that close toMurad's at 35th Street and the Park-Mart Sunoco, which both housevideo lottery machines.

Jones said the ordinance doesn't state that any establishment inthe process of applying for a lottery license is grandfathered in andbecause the proposed casino has yet to get its license it violatesthe ordinance.

When the lottery commission reviews The Hot Spot's application forits lottery license, Jones said the city would recommend the licensebe denied because of the violation.

"It's exciting to see the distance requirements put on theseestablishments actually work," said Councilwoman Mary Jean Davis, aco-sponsor of the ordinance.

Councilman John Miller from Kanawha City shared Davis' excitement.He, along with State Senate Minority Leader and Kanawha City residentVic Sprouse, organized a community meeting last week to rallyresidents against the establishment.

"It sounds like really good news from the city perspective,"Sprouse said.

Sprouse said he can't imagine the lottery commission granting thebusiness its license now.

Stumpo declined to answer most questions about the city'sopposition, but said: "Hopefully, we'll do what we can. Nothingofficial has really happened."

She said her partners planned to meet with Musgrave today todiscuss the license. She said they took into consideration the twonearby video lottery venues but chose the former Risk's marketbecause of its location and price.

Building owner Thomas King of Marmet declined comment.

Also at Monday's meeting, council:

* Authorized the mayor to invest $20,000 in the Florida StreetStreetscape project. The money for the West Side NeighborhoodAssociation Grant originally was approved to be used for housingprojects, but the funds cannot be used for private property projects.

* Agreed to reimburse the Charleston Housing Authority 50 percentof funds received from the Federal Emergency Agency for repair tostorm sewers damage by flooding.

Writer Mike Andrick can be reached at 348-1796 or by e-mail atmandrick@dailymail.com.