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Bus crash sends 35 Young Life campers to hospital
A bus rolled off a Colorado highway Friday, injuring nearly all of its passengers: 45 teens and leaders from a Minnesota chapter of Young Life, a Christian youth outreach program. At last report, two of the teens were still in serious condition at Denver-area hospitals. The driver of the bus has been charged with 45 counts of careless driving causing injury and other charges, but friends, family, and his employer say that's ridiculous. "It was an accident, and he was really a hero, but you're not hearing or reading anything about that," the driver's son says. "He did a lot to help. He pulled kids out of the bus, rescued them." Likewise, the bus company says that police treatment of the driver "is not right," but they're also defending themselves against charges that the rear brakes were out of adjustment and that the bus was two months overdue for inspection. Police explain that the driver was arrested because it would be difficult to file charges once he returned to Minnesota; the charges, said a state trooper, may be dropped if crash investigators determine there were other reasons for the accident. Young Life spokesman Pep Jackson said the group had specifically requested the bus driver, whom had driven them on a previous trip. "He loves kids, and the kids love him," Jackson said. "Our people are concerned about him and how this will affect him." In the meantime, the Christian youth, most now reunited with their families, say they want to finish their trip to Young Life's Frontier Ranch.

Episcopal Church battles:

• Civil, religious courts mulled | Accokeek rector plans to file case against bishop, saying she broke church law (The Washington Times)
• Accokeek rector vows to stay despite Episcopal bishop's suit | lawyer says he may ask denomination's leaders to act (The Washington Post)
• Their truths shall set them apart | Citing biblical validity over unity, conservative Episcopalians boldly move toward a likely breakaway church. It's a pattern as old as Christianity. (Los Angeles Times)

Church and State:

• Reading freebie becomes flash point | Deleting biblical verse from coupons in giveaway goody bags sparks row over censorship (The Sun, Baltimore)
• Hawaiian church to sue county for refusing expansion permit | Maui Planning Commission denies plans to expand agricultural building (Associated Press)
• Two sides close to settling Illinois dispute over school prayer | Agreement would permanently bar school from sponsoring prayer at its annual graduation ceremony (Associated Press)
• Nebraska city officials defend Ten Commandments display | ACLU files federal lawsuit over monument in Plattsmouth city park (Associated Press)

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July (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45