Across the Southeast

2 arrested in church vandalism, arsons

PHENIX CITY, ALA. --- Two men who authorities said dabbled in devil worship have been arrested in a rash of church arsons and vandalism in rural east Alabama, including scrawling on a Sunday school classroom wall: "Teach children to worship Satan!!"

Geoffrey Parquette and James Clark, both 21, were arrested Sunday and entered not guilty pleas Monday.

The two from Lee County were arrested after a stolen cross was found in Mr. Parquette's home and a family member alerted authorities, according to church members briefed by investigators.

"These guys called themselves professed spiritual satanists," Russell County Sheriff Tommy Boswell said.

Mr. Parquette is charged with second-degree arson, third-degree burglary and criminal mischief in Russell and Lee counties.

Mr. Clark is charged with second-degree arson and burglary in Lee County.

Neither had an attorney at their court appearance Monday.

Both remained in custody. Bond was set at $200,000 for Mr. Parquette; no bond was set immediately for Mr. Clark.

TVA board members await fate of jobs

KNOXVILLE, TENN. --- Congress took a holiday break at the expense of three members of the Tennessee Valley Authority's board of directors.

The nation's largest public utility notified the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday that new terms for two board members and a replacement appointee to another seat were left in limbo when Congress went home.

That leaves the nine-member TVA board operating with six members at least until the Senate gets back to work Jan. 22. TVA spokesman John Moulton said the board can still function with as few as five members.

TVA is a self-supporting $9 billion federal corporation that serves 8.8 million consumers through 159 power distributors in Tennessee and parts of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and Virginia.

-- Associated Press