Recent Stories

Alaska senators say public option is battle point in health care bill

A day after Alaska's senators voted against each other on health care reform, both said that plans to offer people the option to buy government-run health insurance won't survive the upcoming Senate fight as written. As the Senate prepares for combat over overhauling national health care, this so-called "public option" is a key battleground. | 11/23/09 06:37:15 By - Kyle Hopkins

N.C. Sen. Hagan drove 4th Circuit Court nominations

Word about North Carolina's shoddy representation on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals reached U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan last year the way such political concerns often do: by way of a friend of a friend. | 11/23/09 07:44:39 By - Barbara Barrett

Jerry Brown's AG work may be helping in governor's race

As the undeclared Democratic front-runner in California's governor's race, Jerry Brown keeps a low profile and stays mum on divisive issues, saying he'll talk more if and when he actually runs. What's clear is Brown's official position has let him take the high road on a wide range of issues while he avoids the rhetorical skirmishes of the governor's race. | 11/23/09 06:54:49 By - Jack Chang

Will Palin's book tour jump-start a political movement?

With her campaign-style bus and adoring crowds, Sarah Palin's swing through red zones of bluish states to promote her new book has appeared to be something more than a book tour. | 11/23/09 05:44:00 By - Erika Bolstad

Commentary: Why not throw the whole Constitution out while we're at it?

I didn't know we had so many scared conservative leaders. There are a fair number of scared liberal ones as well, given the rhetoric from Washington, Columbia and New York. But I thought conservative leaders and pundits were the "Bring it on!" types who crave confrontations with terrorists. | 11/23/09 06:16:50 By - Issac Bailey

'Cash for Clunkers' had mixed results in California's capital

In the Sacramento region, "cash for clunkers" translated into "trade that old domestic car for a foreign brand." The federal program aimed at improving air quality while benefiting U.S. automakers largely missed at least one of its marks locally. Eight of the 10 most popular local trade-ins during Cash for Clunkers were built by U.S. automakers while all of the 10 most popular vehicles purchased locally with vouchers from the program were built by Japanese or Korean outfits. | 11/23/09 06:47:37 By - Phillip Reese

Commentary: The cost of dropping out to all of us

It will take a significant change in policy for this nation to overcome its appalling school dropout problem, but maybe the place to start is coming up with a good slogan. | 11/23/09 06:09:54 By - Mary Sanchez

Commentary: Food security is a priority

I strongly believe that America's ingenuity and sense of fairness should be applied to the effort of eliminating childhood hunger in this country. The Department of Agriculture is deeply involved in this effort as we work toward a national approach that promotes economic opportunity. | 11/23/09 06:12:47 By - Tom Vilsack

Commentary: It's shameful that millions go hungry in the land of plenty

We need to wipe out hunger in America. It's a sin that it not only exists but is actually increasing in the richest nation on Earth. Tens of millions of Americans are unable to feed their families. Because of widespread poverty, they simply cannot afford adequate nutrition. With the current recession and crippling joblessness, this is a crisis that requires our immediate attention. | 11/23/09 06:07:51 By - David A. Love

Eco-friendly California's recycling program is on the rocks

The state that's long prided itself on being an environmental leader now finds its most basic program for recycling beverage bottles and cans mired in debt and litigation. | 11/22/09 17:17:50 By - Jim Sanders

H1N1 isn't the only worry: Syphilis is making a comeback

Health workers in North Carolina have more than the H1N1 virus to worry about: Cases of syphilis in the state have nearly doubled in the past year. Statistics show syphilis and other sexually transmitted disease rates rising nationwide. | 11/22/09 17:03:46 By - Sadia Latifi

CSI Hilton Head? Suicide ruling leaves questions unanswered

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation ruled South Carolina resident Sonny Graham's death a suicide, but the evidence has left his family and friends unconvinced. | 11/22/09 18:04:13 By - Renee Dudley

South Carolina schoolchildren send soldiers bits of home

The Children's School sends hundreds of shoeboxes filled with everything from powdered apple cider to Tootsie Pops, all so that soldiers the children will never meet won't be so homesick. | 11/22/09 17:40:56 By - Andrew Dys

Palin to dine with Billy Graham and son Sunday night

Sarah Palin signed books Sunday at Fort Bragg, then was headed to Billy Graham's mountaintop home in western North Carolina for dinner with the 91-year-old evangelist and his son Franklin. | 11/22/09 16:41:00 By - Tim Funk

Wily coyotes, man's best friend's deliquent cousins

Coyotes are thriving as development steals habitat and new urban greenways teeming with deer and small prey provide a side door into neighborhoods. As a result, coyotes are eating small pets and terrifying residents. | 11/22/09 16:49:01 By - Christopher D. Kirkpatrick