Veterans give even more; 1 million sought for DNA data

The procedure that could, in a way, make Master Sgt. Clarence Gray immortal was quick, simple and mundane. | 02/13/12 06:31:55 By - Jay Price

California's mobile hospitals are losing funding and time

In a cool, 18,000-square-foot warehouse tucked in an industrial Sacramento-area neighborhood sits millions of dollars in equipment California leaders hope never to use. In the heady days of the housing bubble when the median home price in California was $576,000 and the general fund enjoyed a surplus in 2006, the state spent $18.3 million on three mobile hospitals for use in massive emergencies. | 02/13/12 06:56:16 By - Kevin Yamamura

Commentary: Government endeavors are wasteful until they're essential

Tuesday's weird, doesn't-really-count Missouri presidential primary came in the middle of Missouri's weird, doesn't-really-count winter, two facts that help illustrate Helling's first axiom of politics and government, which may be stated thus: Most government endeavors are wasteful. Until they're essential. | 02/12/12 06:11:06 By - Dave Helling

Commentary: Let the payroll tax holiday expire

Good politics — what helps get you elected — is frequently bad policy. The latest example is the payroll tax "holiday," which will expire in about three weeks unless Congress acts. | 02/11/12 06:12:49 By - E. Thomas McClanahan

Commentary: Snake vendors hiss at 'job-killing' constrictor ban

Oh my…. Rabbits. You really don't want to see bunny rabbits at a reptile show.

But there they were, in all their warm-blooded incongruity, with those big pleading eyes and furry cuteness, locked in a cage under the sign that described their gruesome fate. "Reptile feed. $10 each." | 02/11/12 06:44:49 By - Fred Grimm

Requirements for consumer health-insurance summaries unveiled

The Obama administration has unveiled final regulations detailing the new summaries that the 2010 federal health law requires health insurance plans to give to consumers to help them make informed coverage choices. | 02/10/12 15:30:00 By - Susan Jaffe

Union Pacific plans billions in infrastructure investment

Union Pacific said today that it plans to hire thousands more workers and invest several billion dollars this year, which marks the railroad’s 150th anniversary. | 02/10/12 14:01:40 By - Jerry Siebenmark

Westboro Church Tweets cancel of Tacoma trip for Powell service

Westboro Baptist Church may not be coming for the Powell boys' service after all. A Tweet sent from leader Fred Phelps Jr's Twitter account says "Washington trip now cancelled." | 02/10/12 13:55:18 By -

Gold heist leaves California gold town, Yreka, reeling

The last time so much gold was pulled out of this town, the place was known as "the richest square mile on earth," a Gold Rush jewel north of California's Mother Lode. | 02/10/12 13:43:42 By - Peter Hecht

Craving Girl Scout Cookies? There's an app for that

Looking for a place to buy Thin Mints, Samoas and your other favorite Girl Scout cookies? You can start by checking your smartphone. | 02/10/12 13:26:23 By - Sara Pauff

Obama compromises on contraception mandate, but reservations remain

Changing course after a week of controversy, President Barack Obama Friday said religious institutions won't be required to provide contraceptive coverage to their employees, but that women will still have access to the services through their insurance companies. | 02/10/12 11:08:47 By - Steven Thomma and Erika Bolstad

House passes ethics bill after deleting one key section

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill Thursday to curb insider trading by members of Congress and the executive branch, but not without the usual political acrimony that’s become a staple of Capitol Hill. | 02/10/12 01:06:32 By - William Douglas

Dow falls 89 points, its biggest one-day drop this year

Wall Street logged its worst week so far this year as investors worried that negotiations over a Greek bailout have unraveled, sending major U.S. stock indexes lower. | 02/10/12 19:50:36 By - Nathaniel Popper

Alaska lawmakers plan to sell ANWR drilling during D.C. trip

A contingent of state representatives including House Speaker Mike Chenault are missing several days of the legislative session next week to head to Washington, D.C., and make a pitch — once again — for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. | 02/10/12 06:57:48 By - Lisa Demer

Obama hails bank settlement; broader impact unclear

State and federal regulators announced on Thursday a settlement worth at least $25 billion with Bank of America and four other large banks, ending several years of litigation over alleged foreclosure abuses. The deal offers some help to struggling homeowners, but experts view it more as a moral victory with limited impact on the broader housing market. | 02/10/12 01:02:00 By - Franco Ordonez and Kevin G. Hall