News
News from around the world, the nation, and close to home.
Checks of migratory birds show no avian flu in U.S.
By SABIN RUSSELL
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
A multimillion dollar national effort to screen North American migratory birds for potentially deadly strains of avian influenza has so far come up empty _ and if the United States is lucky, things will stay that way.
Reservor's death count continues to rise
By JASON BERGREEN
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
About 90 feet below the surface of Strawberry Reservoir, cold, dark waters hide a macabre display of drowned boaters.
The dead have been resting there as long as 10 years.
Jaws of the bay
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
A California sea lion has forced us to update our list of worrisome things that tend to bite us from behind.
What a shame. Those playful, Falstaffian creatures _ the ones with the barking voices, the ones our tourists love to point at and our children love to pet, are now ranked with death, taxes and the Taliban, to name a few.
Pay-grade inflation at California State University
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The chancellor of the California State University system sure seems to have a low regard for the intelligence of taxpayers who pay his salary. How else to explain Charles Reed's plan, approved by the CSU trustees this week, that will tighten the issuance of golden parachutes to departing administrations _ starting with his successor.
Mile high couple arrrested for overly friendly skies
By ANDREA WEIGL
Friday, November 17, 2006
A California couple whose in-flight friskiness on the way to North Carolina was a bit much for the other passengers are facing federal charges for harassing the flight attendant who asked them to stop.
Conspiracy theories propel radio show into Top 10
By DELFIN VIGIL
Friday, November 17, 2006
There was a time when "Coast to Coast AM," the late-night syndicated talk radio show dedicated to paranormal activities and political conspiracies, didn't get much respect.
Draft tries to offer difficult Catholic teaching in upbeat manner
By ANN RODGERS
Friday, November 17, 2006
Persuading married Catholics to reject contraceptives, gay Catholics to refrain from sex and all Catholics to receive the Eucharist in a state of holiness are topics for the U.S.
A GOP pro-choice group buys political ads
By BILL TOLAND
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The 2006 election is over, and the 2008 election is 718 days away. So why is a pro-choice Republican group launching a controversial advertising campaign in Pennsylvania TV markets this week?
A week that was supposed to be the first in six months fully devoid of political ads?
"Our ad, which is, you know, purposely divisive, could have hurt Republicans in certain races," said Jennifer Stockman, national co-chair of the Republican Majority for Choice, itself an outgrowth of the former national Republican Pro-Choice Coalition.
Water in Vancouver isn't safe now
By PETTI FONG
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Two million residents of Greater Vancouver have been advised to boil their cloudy water after heavy rainfall created mudslides in the region's reservoirs, the widest water warning in Canadian history.
Health officials said tap water is unsafe for drinking, brushing teeth or washing fruits and vegetables after the mudslides increased the risk of bacteria and viruses infecting the water supply.
Prescription drug benefit sign-up kicks in this week
By JOE FAHEY
Friday, November 17, 2006
Get ready for Part D, round two _ but be ready to act fast.
Beginning Wednesday, many Medicare recipients will again have the opportunity to enroll in the government's prescription drug program.
But unlike last year, when Medicare beneficiaries had until May 15 to join a private plan offering Part D benefits, this year's recipients will have only until Dec.
