Under the energetic sponsorship of a national task force, the events have mushroomed into the thousands in recent years. They are held at houses of worship but also schools, courthouses, city halls, state houses, and at the White House and on Capitol Hill. This year, however, voices are being raised to challenge the religiously exclusive nature of the task-force effort, which is coordinated by conservative Christians who have encouraged government leaders' involvement in their events but rejected direct participation by other faith leaders. Christian Science Monitor

At the Crave Bookstore and Cafe in Lebanon, Tenn., you can buy Christian bestsellers like Max Lucado's "3:16" and "Velvet Elvis" from Rob Bell, sample the latest CD from Third Day, or get just about any English Bible translation under the sun. And then there are the "cinnamon things." "It's not a muffin and it's not a roll," said Sandra Lawrence, who works in the store's cafe. "People kept saying, 'give me one of those cinnamon things,' so that's what we named them." The Crave, which opened in December 2007, is not your ordinary Christian bookstore. Co-owners Mike and Beth Waggoner, along with their partners Sonny and Bridgette Belew, knew that if they just sold books, their store wouldn't have a prayer. The Leaf Chronicle

The controversy surrounding a popular teen-star's recent photo shoot is creating opportunities for parents to teach their children about a wide range of moral issues and decisions. Earlier this week, controversial pictures from an upcoming issue of Vanity Fair featuring Miley Cyrus -- better known as the television character "Hannah Montana" -- were released. Hannah Montana is currently the highest-rated show on the Disney Channel. The photos were taken by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz, and included one in which the 15-year-old star is wrapped in what appears to be a satin bed sheet, with her back exposed. Other photos include Cyrus and her dad, singer Billy Ray Cyrus. Initially, Cyrus, who has openly proclaimed her faith in Christ, defended the pictures as "artistic." Subsequently she has stated the photos and story embarrassed her, and she has issued an apology to her fans. One News Now

Californians divided over new taxes for schools, poll finds -- Californians want their public schools protected from state budget cuts and are willing to tax the rich to make that happen. But despite the threat of schools taking a beating in next year's state budget, residents are sharply divided over whether they would support higher taxes for themselves, according to a statewide poll released late Wednesday. Mitchell Landsberg in the Los Angeles Times Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle Dana Hull in the San Jose Mercury -- 5/1/08

See the world, let special interests pay, Schwarzenegger urges lawmakers -- The governor says globe-trotting is how he got his education and says it is especially important for legislators from small towns. Evan Halper and Nancy Vogel in the Los Angeles Times Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/1/08

Gas near $4 a gallon raises costs for businesses -- If the cost of a fill-up at the gas station makes you gasp, you ain't seen nothing yet. High pump prices are just the beginning of the four-dollar-gas fallout. In Silicon Valley, flowers, pizzas and taxi rides to the airport are going to cost more. So will hay for horses and limousines to the prom. Linda Goldston in the San Jose Mercury -- 5/1/08

Hispanics to march as debate simmers -- Valley Hispanics will march for immigrant rights today in downtown Fresno for the third year in a row. But activists are divided on whether another march is the best way to push for changes in federal immigration law. Vanessa Colón in the Fresno Bee -- 5/1/08

Wiegand: The latest from the goofy front -- Exactly two months ago, I regaled or bored you with some synopses of proposed legislation that we in political journalism sometimes refer to as "goofy." Steve Wiegand in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/1/08

For love of L.A. taco trucks -- Some residents have launched an Internet fight against an L.A. County law curbing how long the vehicles can remain parked as they sell their wares. Jean-Paul Renaud in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/1/08