By LISA HOFFMAN, Scripps Howard News Service

WASHINGTON -- Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt made headlines -- and got kudos -- for his department's proposal Wednesday to use postal workers to distribute protective antibiotics to individual households in the event of an anthrax attack.

WASHINGTON -- Could there be an October surprise headed our way from the Caribbean? That's what some Cuba watchers are warning.After being pummeled by four hurricanes, Cuba is a wreck, with 500,000 homes damaged, 200,000 people homeless and 30 percent of all crops ruined. Schools and hospitals are out of commission, the electrical grid is damaged and food is scarce.

WASHINGTON -- After weeks of being pummeled, the Department of Veterans Affairs has backed down from its refusal to let nonpartisan groups hold voter-registration drives in VA facilities, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and homeless shelters.

WASHINGTON -- Life is about to get a lot more entertaining for Capitol Hill lawmakers and their staffs. A big upgrade is under way for the cable-TV system to which those who toil in Congress are privy.

WASHINGTON -- Seven years on, the war on terror -- at least at home -- may well have been won.

WASHINGTON -- With barely two months left before the nation votes Nov. 4, election officials are furiously scrambling to find 2 million poll workers to help handle what could be a record turnout.

WASHINGTON -- The 110th Congress is close to becoming the most deadly term for lawmakers in the past 20 years.The death of Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, who died Wednesday of a brain aneurysm, brings to eight the number of legislators who have died since the current Congress began in January 2007.

WASHINGTON -- Expect to hear more in coming months about Middle East terrorists turning to the illegal drug trade to finance their evildoing.

WASHINGTON -- Pressure is mounting on the Department of Veterans Affairs to let nonpartisan groups hold voter-registration drives in VA facilities, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and homeless shelters.

WASHINGTON -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- the government-chartered mortgage giants tumbling toward a taxpayer bailout -- have not been penurious about making campaign contributions and engaging top lobbyists to grease their way on Capitol Hill.