The Colorado Supreme Court ruled Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit brought by an attorney against cake artist Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado.

The court’s ruling hopefully brings Phillips’ legal battles — and the attorney’s harassment — to an end. Phillips has been in court defending his right to free speech for more than 12 years.

In 2018, on the same day the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would hear Phillips’ first case (Masterpiece I), a transgender-identified attorney named Autumn Scardina called Jack’s shop. He requested Phillips create a custom cake — pink on the inside and blue on the outside — to celebrate and symbolize a “gender transition” from male to female.

Phillips politely declined because he cannot express that message “for anyone” — whether they identify as transgender or not.

Scardina then filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission resulting in a second lawsuit (Masterpiece II), which was later dropped after Jack countersued the commission for harassing him.

But Scardina wasn’t done. He then filed a civil lawsuit against Jack for allegedly discriminating against him because he identifies as transgender. That resulted in the latest lawsuit against Jack, Masterpiece III.

In its 4-3 decision, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in Jack’s favor on procedural grounds, without ruling on his free speech claims.

Four collegiate women’s volleyball teams have chosen to forfeit their matches, rather than play a team with a man who claims he is a woman.

Utah State, Southern Utah, Boise State and the University of Wyoming have chosen to protect their players and take a stand for fairness rather than play San Jose State, which has a transgender-identified “woman” on its roster.

All the schools are in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference, except for Southern Utah, which is part of the Big Sky Conference.

Their courageous stand is part of a growing backlash against boys and men competing in girls and women’s sports.

Riley Gaines directs The Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute and is an Ambassador for Independent Women’s Forum.

A collegiate All-American swimmer, she’s an outspoken advocate for women’s-only sports teams. She’s part of a lawsuit, organized by the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS), against the NCAA for allowing men in women’s sports.

Gaines applauded the unified stance of the four women’s teams.

Rather than protect its players, Colorado State decided to play San Jose on October 3, winning in three straight sets, despite the presence of Blaire Fleming, the 6-foot-1 transgender-identified athlete.

According to the polls, baseball hasn’t been America’s favorite sport for more than 50 years — but everyone is nevertheless entitled to their own wrong opinion.

But whether or not you appreciate the game, there is something special about October baseball — playoff competition that often concludes in the cool or even cold air of autumn after a long and hot summer.

After 30 teams competing during the 162-game regular season and the “Wild Card” round of the playoffs complete, eight teams remain: The Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Fans of longstanding have their teams, but casual Christian followers might be encouraged to learn that Major League Baseball has strong believers on every team, although some may be either more reserved or quiet about it than others. Of the teams remaining in the hunt for the long sought after World Series ring, here are a few you might consider rooting for:

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Measuring 6 feet 7 inches and weighing in at 282 pounds, Judge is colossal in physical size and stature — but stands even taller in reputation as one of baseball’s good guys — a man who prioritizes his Christian faith and credits the love and care of his family for his baseball success.

Adopted at birth, Judge said of his mom and dad, “I feel they kind of picked me. I feel that God was the one that matched us together.”

Hurricane Helene made landfall nearly two weeks ago on Sept. 26 in Florida’s Big Bend region.

The death toll has already topped over 230, after the hurricane brought devastating rainfall and flooding to Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina in particular.

The hurricane has become the deadliest mainland hurricane since Hurricane Katrina caused 1,392 fatalities in 2005.

Where’s FEMA?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), tasked with helping people before, during and after disasters, has been widely criticized for its anemic response to Hurricane Helene.

Part of the reason for the agency’s inadequate response may be because of its shifting priorities.

According to a letter written by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on April 1, 2024, the agency’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan’s top two priorities include instituting DEI goals and responding to climate change.

“First, we must instill equity as a foundation of emergency management,” Criswell writes (emphasis in original).

“Systems that foster inequality serve no one, especially in times of crisis.”