Source: Cape Cod Times

http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/paganlawyer5.htm

On January 5, 2003 Cape Cod Times reported that "Dana Eilers of Chatham... 'ran away from St. Louis and the active practice of law three years ago,' Eilers said, 'I was fortunate enough before I came here to be plugged into the Pagan community on the Cape. And I'm pleased to say there is an active and thriving group of Pagans here on Cape Cod'... Eilers settled in at the family digs in...

Source: Reclaiming Quarterly

In the Winter, 2003 edition of the Reclaiming Quarterly reported that "Witches from Florida, North Carolina and New York participated in this year's School of the Americas protest at Ft. Benning, in Columbus, Georgia, November 15-17. The cluster sought to bear spiritual witness for the continuing murders, disappearances, and massacres perpetrated by graduates of the School of the Americas (now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation).

Source: The Birmingham News

http://www.al.com/living/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/living/1040984191150340.xml

On December 27, 2002 The Birmingham News reported that the "First Baptist Church of Dadeville [AL]... sued... two self-described witches, [wolf breeders Joseph and Deborah Wilson],... after they refused to sell a building the church wants to buy for an expansion...

Source: The New York Times

On December 22, 2002 The New York Times reported that "last night was the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, a good opportunity to explore what New York City residents would do with an extended period of darkness -- 886 minutes, to be precise -- from 4:32 p.m. yesterday, when the sun set, until 7:18 a.m. this morning, when it rose again, according to Tim Morrin, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. The solstice itself occurred last night at 8:14 p.m., Mr. Morrin said. In the northern hemisphere, it...

Source: Fox News Channel

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,72791,00.html

On December 12, 2002 the Fox News Channel reported that "members of Syracuse University's Pagan Society lighted candles in the campus chapel, while curious students signed up for a new class on witchcraft. And at the University of Arizona and Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, believers can be excused from class on Wiccan holidays... 'There is a cultural shift with college students identifying...

Source: Catholic League

http://www.catholicleague.org/research/decceleb.htm

On December 12, 2002 Catholic League reported that "December presents public schools with the opportunity of acknowledging the diverse religious beliefs of their students while avoiding the kind of divisiveness that some activist organizations foster by misinterpreting the constitutional mandate regarding freedom of religion. Teachers, administrators and parents should try to promote greater...

Source: The Washington Post

On December 7, 2002 The Washington Post reported that "in Chesterfield County, elected leaders bow their heads for a brief prayer to start every meeting of the Board of Supervisors. Local ministers, priests and the occasional rabbi, each of whom has volunteered to be on a list, offer words of inspiration before the meeting shifts to zoning laws, budget cuts and public hearings. It's been that way for years. But when Cynthia Simpson, a witch and local Wiccan priestess, volunteered, she received a firm "no." In a letter from...

Source: St. Petersburg Times

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/12/05/Floridian/No_shirt__No_shoes__N.shtml

On December 5, 2002 the St. Petersburg Times reported that "a [witches'] meeting at a Clearwater Krispy Kreme ended when a witch mascot was displayed. The witches say they were tossed out. Krispy Kreme says they were asked only to remove the mascot... The witches say the Krispy Kreme manager asked them to remove the wicker witch and threw them out......

Source: AFP

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/021122/afp/021122074316top.html

On November 22, 2002 AFP reported that "small groups of witches, Druids, Shaman and Wiccans make up the more than 10,000 estimated pagans in the US armed forces, according to the Military Pagan Network, a support group. The first pagan ritual on a military base was carried out in 1988 at Fort Hood, Texas. Since then pagan soldiers have been dancing around fires, in the Navy they've formed...

Source: The Associated Press

On November 13, 2002 The Associated Press reported that "[Grant] Pontius began to study paganism as a teenager living in Osceola [FL]. A few years later, while attending a 'drumming circle' with some friends, Pontius felt an explosive 'presence of energy.' Pontius' experience mirrors that of Katrina Jones, a 1987 Memorial High School graduate and self-proclaimed Wiccan witch... As a girl, Jones attended a conservative Christian church until the church insisted the friend she brought along to youth group had to join. 'Well, I...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On November 6, 2002 The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "Mexicans in metro Atlanta commemorated Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a celebration rooted in both their indigenous traditions and their adopted Christianity. Several hundred people viewed 13 homemade altars at a celebration in Forest Park sponsored by the city and the Mexican consul general's office Saturday. The celebration... shares its philosophy with that of other cultures such as those in Asia and Africa in which ancestor...

Source: Intelligencer Journal

On November 5, 2002 the Intelligencer Journal reported that "because they find meaning and comfort in ancient traditions that pay respect to nature and the turn of the seasons, the Bezzards, one-time Methodists, practice Wicca, a modern faith reconstructed from the earth-based beliefs of pre-Christian peoples. Their daughter, Jessica, 25, was the first in the family enamored of Wicca. As a nonconforming 15-year-old, she became intrigued with Wicca's belief in the divinity of nature, as represented by a god and goddess, and...

Source: Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0211010219nov01.story

On November 1, 2002 the Chicago Tribune reported that "the first Wiccan to serve as a prison chaplain in Wisconsin and a Muslim chaplain were both ousted from the Waupun Clergy Association, which now allows only Christians as members. Muslim Imam Ronald Beyah said last week's action included him so it wouldn't appear the group was targeting the...

Source: The Boston Globe

On October 31, 2002 The Boston Globe reported that "witchcraft, or the Wicca religion, which combines folk magic, astrology, and a dedication to the environment, is shedding its Hollywood rap of devil worship and animal sacrifice. These days, it means big business to [Salem]'s economy. Partially because of America's growing interest in the religion, and it's near-obsession with Halloween, nearly $30 million will flow into the shops, museums, and restaurants here during the month of October. This represents almost a third of...

Source: WomensENews

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1089

On October 31, 2002 WomensENews reported that "Cyndi Simpson has come under fire by the Board of Supervisors of Chesterfield County [Virginia], which has barred her from offering a prayer before its open meetings, a customary practice there. Simpson, 47, says she simply wants to share the Wiccan tradition with her hometown of Richmond. Wicca focuses on ritual, nature, spirituality, prayers and...