News Briefs for August 4, 2022
News reports from Australia, New Zealand, the United States.
Name Blame
Philanthropist.com is the owner of the Adventist.com domain name. In a cease-and-desist letter, the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists (“General Conference”) alleged that Philanthropist.com’s use of the Adventist.com domain name infringed on its ADVENTIST trademark. In the letter, the General Conference threatened to file suit against Philanthropist.com if it did not transfer the domain name to the General Conference, a threat it followed through on when Philanthropist.com refused to transfer its rights. In response, Philanthropist.com petitioned to cancel the trademark. The Board granted the General Conference’s motion to dismiss the petition for failure to establish entitlement to a statutory cause of action.
On appeal, Philanthropist.com argues that the plain text of the Lanham Act, which requires only a belief in damage, entitles Philanthropist.com to a statutory cause of action to petition to cancel the General Conference’s ADVENTIST trademark. Specifically, Philanthropist argues that it owns the Adventist.com domain name and that the General Conference threatened and then followed through on its threat to sue Philanthropist.com for the use of its domain name. Thus, Philanthropist.com contends that there is a direct connection between the harm to its interests and the generic trademark that it is seeking to cancel.
In response, the General Conference argues that Philanthropist.com does not have standing to bring the appeal and that, in any event, it has failed to establish that the Board erred in concluding that Philanthropist.com did not show an entitlement to a statutory cause of action. First, the General Conference contends that Philanthropist.com lacks Article III standing because it cannot demonstrate that it has suffered a concrete, particularized injury that is both actual and imminent. Second, the General Conference contends that the Board properly concluded that Philanthropist.com failed to establish a legitimate commercial interest in the “zone of interest” or a reasonable belief of damages caused by the registration of the General’s Conference’s ADVENTIST trademark.
Historic Moment
The Canberra National Seventh Day Adventist Church in Turner, Australia, has been officially heritage-listed after meeting two of the criteria. The statement of historical significance says the church, designed by prominent Australian architect Ken Woolley, is an excellent example of Modernist church design incorporating characteristics of the late 20th century Ecclesiastical and Sydney Regional styles. These are integrated with unique attributes related to its function as a Seventh-day Adventist Church.
It is thought to be the only church of its kind in Australia that incorporates symbolic aspects of the Seventh-day Adventist liturgy.
Don’t Hate; Negotiate
Anthem Blue Cross and Adventist Health have agreed to extend their current contract to Aug. 16, 2022. Both parties continue to actively negotiate in good faith with the goal of reaching a mutually agreeable agreement. In the last five months, Adventist Health and Anthem have exchanged 14 contract proposals.
Adventist Health Lays Off 52 Administrators
Adventist Health is slimming down its administration staff, resulting in 52 recent layoffs at its Roseville headquarters.
For Whom the Bell Tolls
A ride-on lawnmower, a trailer, and tools were stolen from Longburn Adventist College in New Zealand on July 14, 2022. The school’s historic school bell was also taken on July 28, 2022, but it isn’t known if the two events are linked.
Build It and They Will Come?
Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center has announced it is relocating two miles up the road from its current location in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in order to expand its footprint. That means a totally new hospital building for southern Prince George’s County.
The medical center recently purchased 23 acres of land between Livingston Road and Route 210 on Old Fort Road in Fort Washington. This empty land is across from the new Giant grocery store. Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center is opening in an area considered a “medical desert” in Prince George’s County, Maryland,
$4 Million for Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital will receive $4 million in funding from the state of California to support a program to provide seamless medical care and mental health services to children in the Inland Empire who have been victims of trauma, such as abuse, neglect, and maltreatment.
Angels Watching Over Her
Contemporary Christian singer/songwriter Amy Grant has been hospitalized after a bike accident. The accident occurred on Wednesday, July 27. She was taken to a Nashville, Tennessee, hospital.
“(S)he was wearing a helmet and taken to Vanderbilt, where she was treated for cuts and abrasions, and is in stable condition,” Velvet Kelm, Grant’s spokeswoman, told Religion News Service on Thursday. “She was admitted and stayed overnight as a precaution and will be staying another night for observation and treatment.”
The accident happened less than a week after Grant was named one of this year’s five Kennedy Center Honors recipients, Grant expressed awe upon learning that the Kennedy Center had decided to name her an honoree, marking the first time a contemporary Christian artist was recognized in that way.
(Photo: The Canberra National Seventh Day Adventist Church in Turner, Australia, has been officially listed as a historic building. Photo via Wikipedia.)
