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The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif., was sold to the local Catholic diocese in 2011. (JAE C. HONG / AP)

Posted: June 10, 2012

Crystal Cathedral in Calif. renamed

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. - Southern California's landmark Crystal Cathedral has been given a new name by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. The glass-paned megachurch founded by Hour of Power televangelist Robert Schuller was sold to the diocese last year.

On Saturday, Bishop Tod Brown renamed it Christ Cathedral during a priest ordination. Orange County Catholics had submitted more than 4,100 suggestions for a new name.

Schuller retired in 2006 after seeing his tiny ministry evolve into a global televangelist empire. But after a botched leadership transition to his son, donations began to plummet, and in 2010, the Crystal Cathedral sought bankruptcy protection.

The diocese bought the 2,900-seat cathedral and its grounds for $57.7 million. It wasn't known when the first Catholic worship would be held at the cathedral. - AP

NYPD recruit fired over beard

NEW YORK - An Orthodox Jew who was weeks away from becoming a New York City police officer said he had been kicked out of the police academy for refusing to trim his beard.

Fishel Litzman, 38, of Monsey, was fired Friday after a number of confrontations with the department over the length of his whiskers, he told the New York Daily News. Litzman is Hasidic and believes God forbids him to cut his beard.

NYPD rules usually require officers to be clean-shaven. The department makes exceptions for beards kept for religious purposes, but even then allows only a millimeter of growth. NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the rules were reasonable and Litzman was aware of them when he signed up.

- AP

Md. man held in SUV-building crash

WASHINGTON - Authorities said Saturday a man accused of driving an SUV into an office building in the nation's capital had been charged with arson and other counts.

Charles Morrell Ball, 32, of New Market, Md., was also charged with felony destruction of property and felony unauthorized use of a vehicle, according to D.C. police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump.

Authorities had said previously they believed the driver intentionally crashed into the office building less than a mile from the White House Friday night. The vehicle had been reported stolen.

- AP

Elsewhere:

An 18-year-old woman died Thursday after falling 400 feet in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. The Park Service said she was a concession employee on her first day in the park. She was hiking a canyon trail when she ventured onto a loose rock promontory that gave way.

An Iraq War veteran was charged Friday in the death of his brother during a camping trip in Utah. Eric Charlton, of West Haven, Utah, is accused of shooting Cameron Charlton, 17, on May 28 at Yuba Lake State Park. Eric Charlton, 27, a U.S. Marine veteran, said he thought his .45-caliber pistol was empty.