Marshall is among drop-off sites for international Christmas project Nov. 12-19

This month, Marshall will be among 5,000 U.S. drop-off locations collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, Nov. 12-19.

Marshall families, churches and groups are busy transforming empty shoeboxes into gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items. The Samaritan’s Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have received.

This year, Marshall-area residents hope to collect more than 2,599 gifts to contribute to the 2018 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

Local collection sites: Marshall — Radiant Life Church, 500 S. Saratoga St.

Mon, Nov. 12: 2-6 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 13: 2-6 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 14: 2-8 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 15: 2-6 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 16: 2-6 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 17: noon-4 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 18: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 19: 10 a.m.-noon

For additional drop-off locations visit the drop-off locator online.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 612-359-7025, or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.

Swedish meatball supper is Sunday at Hope Lutheran

A Swedish meatball supper is from 5-7 p.m. Sunday at Hope Lutheran Church in Minneota. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for youth 4-10 years. The meal includes Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes and gravy, lefse and dessert. A bake sale and silent auction will also take place in the fellowship hall.

Candidate apologizes for mailer criticized as anti-Semitic

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Republican candidate for state Senate in Connecticut apologized Wednesday for sending out a mailer that has been criticized as anti-Semitic.

Ed Charamut’s campaign staff posted a statement on social media, acknowledging the mailer had “serious unintended consequences.”

It includes an image of his Democratic opponent, state Rep. Matthew Lesser, with cash in his hands and a maniacal look on his face. Lesser is Jewish.

“The entire campaign committee, which includes members of the Jewish community, never discussed or considered Mr. Lesser’s ethnicity, race, religion or any other personal characteristic of Mr. Lesser and it was never our intention for the mailer to be anything more than a reflection of Mr. Lesser’s policy record,” the campaign said. “However, it is clear now that the imagery could be interpreted as anti-Semitic, and for that we deeply apologize as hate speech of any kind does not belong in our society and especially not in our politics.”

The statement refers to Charamut in the third person and does not include any personal message from the candidate. It indicates Charamut will remain in the race.

The message was posted on the Charamut campaign Facebook page, which also included a profile picture that was updated on Oct. 28 with a frame from the Campaign Against Antisemitism, which was released after the mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue. The frame has a Star of David made of interlocking arms of different colors and the hashtag “Together Against Antisemitism.”

The Anti-Defamation League says the mailing comes amid a rise in reported anti-Semitic incidents, including Saturday’s shooting that left 11 people dead and six others wounded.

$3M to Catholic school teacher in wrongful-termination suit

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury has awarded more than $3.5 million to a former Catholic school teacher who said the Archdiocese of Los Angeles fired her for being pregnant and unwed.

City News Service reports Wednesday that jurors deliberated for less than a day before finding in favor of Kourtney Liggins, an ex-science teacher at LA’s Transfiguration School.

Her lawsuit alleged wrongful termination and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The panel found the archdiocese and the Rev. Michael Tang, the former pastor of Church of the Transfiguration, liable. A lawyer for the defendants didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment.