Page 6 - aruba-today-20190514

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 14 May 2019
Clash over Woodstock 50 fest's prospects plays out in court

By JENNIFER PELTZ did 50 years ago."
Associated Press But the festival's former
NEW YORK (AP) — Wood- main investor says it took
stock 50 festival organizers charge of the show — and
and their onetime financial announced its cancella-
partner traded accusa- tion April 29 — because
tions of broken promises as preparations were lagging
they argued Monday over and the company was
whether the anniversary concerned for concertgo-
show can go on. ers' and performers' health
With under 100 days to go, and safety.
the two sides clashed in a "This festival is not going
New York courtroom over to happen," said attorney
money, control, changes Marc Greenwald, a lawyer
in plans and whether it's still for backer Amplifi Live LLC.
feasible to hold the event, It's an arm of Dentsu, an in-
scheduled for Aug. 16-18 at ternational marketing com-
Watkins Glen International pany based in Japan.
racetrack. The hearing is Woodstock 50 sued last
set to continue Tuesday. week, saying Amplifi Live
Organizers insist they're go- couldn't singlehandedly
ing forward with a sprawl- call off the show.
ing, big-name homage to The organizers accused
one of the most significant their former partner of sab- In this March 19, 2019 filer photo, comedy writer Alan Zweibel; HeadCount executive director
Andy Bernstein; hip hop recording artist Common; Woodstock co-producer and co-founder, Mi-
moments in pop music his- otaging the event by scar- chael Lang and musician John Fogerty, left to right, participate in the Woodstock 50 lineup an-
tory and 1960s countercul- ing off the public, privately nouncement at Electric Lady Studios, in New York.
ture. telling artists to stay away Associated Press
"We are producing what and draining $18 million
will be an iconic and his- from the festival bank ac- remained of the $49 million funding, attendance ca- capacity" for the site at
toric event" that honors the count. it put in. pacity and infrastructure 65,000, according to court
1969 concert's themes of Amplifi Live shot back in The festival has yet to get at the festival's central New documents.
"peace and music," said court papers Sunday that a state permit, though of- York venue, according to Woodstock 50 wants the
Gregory Peck, a manag- the organizers' "incompe- ficials have prepared one court papers. $18 million back; Peck said
ing member of organizers tence" and "misrepresenta- conditionally, court papers Woodstock 50 initially it's needed "in a matter of
Woodstock 50 LLC. "I feel, tions" spurred the company show. Production compa- foresaw a 150,000-person days" to pay for a new pro-
personally, we need Wood- to take control, nix the fes- ny Superfly dropped out af- event. But Superfly pegged duction company and oth-
stock now as much as we tival and take back what ter raising concerns about the "safe and appropriate er expenses. q

Mormon church opposes LGBT

nondiscrimination measure

among others that oppose and public accommoda- It expressed concern "that
the measure. tions, but that such efforts the ongoing conflicts be-
"While providing extremely shouldn't erode the right for tween religious liberty and
broad protections for LGBT people to live and speak LGBT rights is poisoning our
rights, the Equality Act pro- freely about their religious civil discourse, eroding the
vides no protections for re- beliefs. free exercise of religion and
ligious freedom," the state- The religion has tried to preventing diverse Ameri-
ment said. stake out a more compas- cans of good will from liv-
The legislation would add sionate stance on LGBTQ ing together in respect and
In this April 6, 2019, file photo, the angel Moroni statue sits atop gender identity and sexual people, while sticking firmly peace."
the Salt Lake City temple, in Salt Lake City. orientation to existing fed- to its doctrinal opposition to U.S. Sens. Mitt Romney and
Associated Press eral nondiscrimination laws gay marriage and same- Mike Lee, Republicans from
covering such things as sex intimacy. Utah, also oppose the leg-
By BRADY McCOMBS The faith said in a statement employment, housing, ed- The church points to a 2015 islation.
Associated Press that the Equality Act would ucation, and public spaces Utah anti-discrimination Lee said in a statement
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The "threaten religious employ- and services. law it backed. That mea- the proposal is "seriously
Church of Jesus Christ ment standards, devastate The bill has widespread sure made it illegal to base flawed" and would "dan-
of Latter-day Saints an- religious education, defund Democratic backing and employment and housing gerously undermine the First
nounced its opposition numerous religious chari- seems certain to pass the decisions on sexual orien- Amendment and the free-
Monday to a comprehen- ties." The church pointed House, but the chances tation or gender identity, doms it was designed to
sive nondiscrimination bill out the importance of reli- appear slim in the Republi- while also creating exemp- protect." Romney doesn't
that faces long odds in gions and religious schools can-controlled Senate. tions for religious organiza- support the measure be-
Congress, saying the leg- having the right to create The Utah-based faith, wide- tions and protecting reli- cause it doesn't contain
islation doesn't "meet the faith-based employment ly known as the Mormon gious speech in the work- strong religious liberty pro-
standard of fairness for all," and admissions standards. church, said it favors "rea- place. tections that are "essential"
contending it would strip The Southern Baptist Con- sonable" measures to pro- The faith said the federal to any legislation on the is-
key religious freedom pro- vention and the Roman tect LGBT people's access Equality Act doesn't strike sue, said spokeswoman Ari-
tections. Catholic Church are to housing, employment the right balance. elle Mueller in an email.q