Introduction from the author: When Calafia asked me to serve as Public Information Officer for the local council, I thought it would be fun to write a column as a way of sharing news and information I gather throughout the year. What's Brewing is the result. It is my hope to provide you with a brief overview of what is currently brewing in the Wiccan community, and when possible, point you toward sites where you can obtain further information. I'll be awarding from one to five wands to those mentioned in my column who are Wiccan-friendly. The others will be the recipients of anywhere from one to five toads. We plan to update the column on a regular basis, so please visit us again soon.

On the Travel Channel:
Only in America featured a local coven in Salem performing a ritual in their back yard on Samhain night. Reporters interviewed curious neighbors, who openly watched the ritual from behind a chain-link fence. The neighbors' reactions ranged from supportive of Wiccans' rights to practice religious freedom to finding witches weird, but none seemed blatantly intolerant. Overall, the program presented an impartial look at what witches do. I think they deserve a wave of approval from my wand. 

Winter Olympics Seeks Chaplains to Serve Athletes:
According to an article in The Desert News, Salt Lake, Utah, USA, by religious editor Carrie A. Moore, the Salt Lake Olympic Committee says the International Olympic Committee requires the host city provide chaplains to serve the athletes, in an effort to serve mind, body, and spirit. They have formed an Interfaith Relations Roundtable, and are attempting to draw a wide selection of leaders from the religious community.
     Clergy from a wide variety of established religions have applied to the committee for involvement, including leaders from Bahai, Buddhist, Christian Science, Quaker, Greek Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish, Protestant, LDS, Southern Baptist, and Unitarian faiths. So far, no Wiccan or Pagan clergy are involved, though it is very likely there will be Pagan or Wiccan athletes participating in the games. 
     Ariadne Morningstar passed on an email to the Discussion & Debate list from Lowell McFarland, which includes excepts from the article and notes on the need for Wiccan clergy to become involved in serving on the committee if possible. Any qualified volunteers might want to read the complete article to find out what the requirements are at - http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,145017489,00.html?

Religious Intolerance at Religious Summit: 
Following a prestigious religious summit in Cape Town - The Parliament of the World's Religions - which drew over 7 000 delegates, including the exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, Chief rabbi Cyril Harris and Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, decried the involvement of 'unorthodox' religious groups. They insisted witches and members of other Pagan and unorthodox religions should not be invited to future events 
    Elder Rowan Fairgrove, a Wiccan delegate who attended the conference, related the fact that Neo-Paganism is one of the fastest growing religions in the world. And it is reported that other religious leaders in attendance found the South African leaders' comments against not so well established religions offensive. I find them offensive too, and award them one slimy toad each. 

Wiccan teacher suspended:
An article in the Fayetteville Observer, by Matt Leclercg, reports that an 11th-grade English teacher in Scotland County, NC, was suspended as a result of her religious practices. Shari Eicher, a Wiccan, said she was escorted off campus and suspended with pay for an indefinite period of time. Apparently Mrs. Eicher and her husband run a small coven in the town of Wagram, and locals reportedly discovered the couples' photos on their coven web site, which included photos of members skyclad during ritual.
   Though Shari Eicher, High Priestess of Willow Fyre Coven, professes she does not practice nudity in her religious worship, school officials say they have reasonable cause for assuming Ms. Eicher has showed inappropriate behavior for a school employee. School officials refuse to comment at this time, saying they are still investigating the matter. I'm not going to award anyone wands or toads at this point in time, but will follow the proceedings and keep you informed as to the outcome. I have to say, though, constitutional rights aside, that posting nude photos on your web site when you teach minors in the public school system is probably asking for trouble. 
 To read more about this story, visit the following web site: 
http://www.fayettevillenc.com/foto/news/content/2000/tx00jan/n12wicc.htm

Goddess is Alive in Y2K:
The Goddess 2000 Project, a grass root effort to honor the Goddess through artistic expression, is gaining momentum as we move toward the next millenium. I'm awarding The Northern Dawn Local Council of CoG five enthusiastic waves of the wand for their contribution. They sponsored three dynamic billboards in Minneapolis depicting the Goddess. One reads, The Goddess is Alive and Magic is Afoot. Another says, The Goddess Within. And the third says, Embrace the Goddess. All three billboards carry the slogan, Freedom of Religion Means All Religions. You can view the billboards at the following address:
http://hawkdancing.com/gdssigns.html

Lady Diana
Lady Diana, HPS of Misty Vale Coven, is the current Public Information Officer for Calafia, local chapter of CoG. She teaches an ongoing series of Wiccan classes at Starcrafts in San Diego. You can contact her at mistyvale@home.com or visit the Misty Vale website at http://members.home.com/mpadilla