Jan. 4, 2008 Reports: Michael John Erickson, 41, was arrested for suspicion of DUII. Rick Anthony Michael Ham, 20, and Devan Scott Walker, 18, were cited and released for theft/shoplifting. Allen Jess Miles, 48, was arrested for theft/shoplifting. Kenneth Ray Messinger, 47, was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Selena Ponce, 19, was arrested for suspicion of DUII. Jan. 5 Reports: Micaela Krista Zacarias, 22, was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Rebekah Danielle Ivey, 18, was ... [full story]

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Hungarian scientists have developed software that can classify dog barks according to various situations, even identifying barks from individual dogs.Csaba Molnar and colleagues at Eotvos Lorand University, reporting in the journal Animal Cognition, tested a computer algorithm's ability to identify and differentiate acoustical features of dog barks. The software analyzed more than 6,000 barks from 14 Hungarian sheepdogs in various situations. The barks were recorded, digitized and transferred to the computer, where they ... [full story]

Re­search­ers re­port that they have ar­ti­fi­cially cre­at­ed a beat­ing rat heart, with help from na­ture. Through a pro­cess called whole or­gan de­cel­lu­lar­iz­a­tion, Uni­vers­ity of Min­ne­so­ta sci­en­tists said they grew the or­gans by tak­ing dead ani­mal hearts and re-seed­ing them with live cells. The re­sults are de­scribed in the Jan­u­ary 13 on­line is­sue of the re­search jour­nal Na­ture Med­i­cine.  Al­though re-cre­ating hu­man hearts may be years away, the work seems to be a prom­is­ing start, said the prin­ci­pal ... [full story]

A bi­zarre dis­cov­ery has bot­a­nists puz­zled: a new spe­cies of enor­mous palm tree that flow­er’s it­self to death.Al­though it’s not the first type of plant or tree known to do this, it’s mys­ti­fy­ing re­search­ers for sev­er­al rea­sons. One ques­tion is how such huge trees went un­no­ticed be­fore; an­oth­er is how they evolved and got to Mad­a­gas­car, where they grow. t. spectabilis, leaving only a thin skeletal structure at the top. (Courtesy J. Dransfield) Not ... [full story]

MEMPHIS - U.S. medical scientists have identified the gene that's responsible for retinal development.St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators said their genetic discovery helps answer a long-standing question about the eyes of vertebrates, and might translate into a deeper understanding of how genes coordinate the complex process of eye formation and how a rare pediatric eye cancer progresses.Working with mice, the researchers found a gene called N-myc coordinates the growth of the retina and other ... [full story]

Katherine Heigl just had a great year, becoming a newlywed, a bigger television star and, finally, a movie star. She married singer Josh Kelley two days before Christmas, continued to play Dr. Isobel "Izzie" Stevens on the hit TV show "Grey's Anatomy," and co-starred in the smash comedy "Knocked Up."   KATHERINE HEIGL - Katherine Heigl is radiant in a bridesmaid dress in the romantic comedy '27 Dresses.' CNS Photo courtesy of Barry Wetcher. Now Heigl gets ... [full story]

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of a single-vehicle rollover crash on Knott Road just south of Bend that resulted in the death of the 19-year-old driver early this morning, deputies reported. Kirian E. Kossler, 19, was first reported to have been in critical condition after being ejected from the vehicle, but when Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputies arrived shortly after 4 a.m., January 18, paramedics advised that she had succumbed to her injuries. According to ... [full story]

NEW RELEASES CASSANDRA'S DREAM - Getting out of New York has been rejuvenating for Woody Allen, who turned 72 last month. Mr. New York Movies had been filming too many trite, papery footnotes to his career; then, working in Britain toned him up. There was the crafty "Match Point" (2005), the   'CASSANDRA'S DREAM' - More garnishing than substance in the drama 'Cassandra's Dream,' cute dating couples (from left) Sally Hawkins and Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell ... [full story]

What is it with Diane Keaton? She just turned 62, has the facial lines to show it and is even willing to dress badly, but her comic timing hasn't lost a nip of zip and she can still beam one of the great smiles of movie history.   'MAD MONEY' - Katie Holmes, Queen Latifah and Diane Keaton (from left) star in the comedy 'Mad Money.' CNS Photo courtesy of Melissa Moseley.  RATINGS 4 STARS - Excellent. ... [full story]

"27 Dresses" only seems like a lobotomy. In fact, this is public surgery to install a new vacuum tube for airheads into the generic chick flick, model 2008.   '27 DRESSES' - Newspaper reporter Kevin (James Marsden) offers a helping hand to fallen bridesmaid Jane (Katherine Heigl) in the romance film '27 Dresses.' CNS Photo courtesy of Barry Wetcher.  RATINGS 4 STARS - Excellent. 3 STARS - Worthy. 2 STARS - Mixed. 1 STAR - Poor. 0 ... [full story]