Cheryl Wetzstein
Articles by Cheryl Wetzstein
‘Big business’ of divorce to be discussed at D.C.-area conference
Advocates for reform of the nation's family court system met in the Washington, D.C., area this weekend for a conference on divorce, child support and related issues. Published November 14, 2014
Officials denounce claims that Kenyan vaccine meant for population control
World Health Organization and UNICEF officials are strongly pushing back against claims that a tetanus vaccine program offered to Kenyan women is a covert population-control scheme. Published November 14, 2014
2nd Wives Club growing: Remarriages on the rise
Many blushing American brides have been down aisle before, says a new study that finds that four in 10 of new marriages have at least one partner who was previously married. Published November 14, 2014
HHS panel OKs 1-year deferral for gay, bisexual males to give blood
A federal advisory committee Thursday took a major step toward changing national policy to permit blood donations from gay and bisexual men for the first time in decades. Published November 13, 2014
Gay blood-donor ban under review
The Obama administration begins a series of hearings Thursday that many expect will bring the first easing of the blanket ban on gay men donating blood, a ban that was instituted in the early days of the AIDS crisis. Published November 12, 2014
Salvation Army can’t evict women for pregnancy: HUD
The Salvation Army has agreed to pay $12,000 to each of four homeless women and change its transitional-housing program policy under a pregnancy nondiscrimination settlement with a federal housing agency. Published November 12, 2014
S.C. to appeal ruling striking down gay marriage ban
A South Carolina official said the state will appeal a federal ruling that overturns a voter-passed amendment, saying the U.S. Supreme Court must "resolve the matter." Published November 12, 2014
Pro-choice activists sue to stop Tennessee abortion amendment
A nationally watched Tennessee abortion amendment was passed overwhelmingly on Nov. 4, but pro-choice supporters are asking a federal judge to force a recount or set aside their loss on the grounds that the votes weren't properly tallied. Published November 11, 2014
Rob Portman’s gay marriage stance under fire in Ohio
A national traditional-values group has vowed to defeat an Ohio Republican senator who endorses gay marriage, whether he runs for re-election or for president in 2016. Published November 10, 2014
Gay marriage bans upheld in four states, snapping same-sex win streak
To the jubilation of groups that support traditional marriage, a federal appellate court Thursday upheld laws against gay marriage laws in four states, setting the stage for a near-certain constitutional clash over the issue at the Supreme Court. Published November 6, 2014
Values groups celebrate, warn incoming GOP: Earn it
Leaders of traditional values, pro-life and tea party groups celebrated Republicans' election wins, but warned them to get busy keeping their promises to voters. Published November 5, 2014
Pro-life amendments fail in N.D., Colo., pass in Tenn.
The idea that human beings have rights from conception failed again, as voters in North Dakota and Colorado soundly rejected pro-life amendments Tuesday. Published November 5, 2014
Opponents of gay conversion therapy make case to U.N.; equate forced orientation change with torture
A group that opposes gay conversion therapy is trying to enlist the United Nations' help in outlawing the practice by equating it with torture. Published November 3, 2014
Group sees funny business in judge selection for gay marriage cases
A traditional values group says that an independent statistical review suggests there has been "panel-packing" on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to assign more liberal judges to court battles over gay marriage. Published October 31, 2014
Family values: Family finances hit by divorce, other factors
Wage stagnation and rising income inequality — two features of the current recovery that have puzzled both policymakers and analysts — may reflect not economic factors, but a vast change over the decades in the structure of the American family, in particular the decline in the number of married-parent families, according to a new study. Published October 30, 2014
California gay rights group to push for blood donor rule change
A California gay rights group has launched a "mobilization campaign" to step up the pressure on federal officials to change blood donor policy to admit gay and bisexual men as donors. Published October 29, 2014
N.D. clinic stops offering abortion pills
The director of North Dakota's only abortion clinic said Wednesday her staff would stop providing abortions with pills, but would continue offering surgical abortions. Published October 29, 2014
Vacations becoming a relic of the past?
The American habit of taking four weeks off work each year seems to have gone with the wind. A new study finds that U.S. employees now average a mere 16 vacation days from work — the lowest annual amount in the last four decades. Published October 21, 2014
Abortion gaffes of Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock resurface in campaign ads
Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock are not on any ballot this year, but the failed 2012 Republican Senate hopefuls — and their troubles with the abortion issue — already have made at least one appearance in a 2014 campaign ad. Published October 19, 2014
New ad links Iowa’s Ernst to Akin, Mourdock
Two ads attacking Iowa State Sen. Joni Ernst for her pro-life views were launched Thursday, hours before she was scheduled to participate in a final debate with her Democratic rival. Published October 16, 2014