LOS ANGELES -Troubled pop singer Britney Spears reportedly has been transported by ambulance from her Studio City, Calif., home to UCLA Medical Center. "Spears was escorted by police and is on her way to get help," a Los Angeles Police Department source told People.com. "She was driving around her neighborhood like a mad woman," a Spears family insider told the magazine. "Britney has been prescribed medication, which she refuses to take. This is just another ... [full story]

BEND, Ore. - Deschutes County employees received high marks in a recent community survey completed by 400 County residents. The survey asked citizen their thoughts about the quality of life in Deschutes County, County services, customer service, public safety, communication and other subjects. Deschutes County employees were rated favorably; with four in five residents who had been in contact with the County saying their overall impression was “excellent” or “good.” Residents rated the courtesy of ... [full story]

A Klamath Falls man and his six-year-old daughter were injured Wednesday night on Highway 97 when a commercial truck lost control on an icy bridge, crossed the centerline, and slammed into their pickup. Moments later, the pickup was hit by a second commercial truck when it was unable to stop, and the father and daughter were trapped inside the smashed vehicle for over two hours before firefighters could remove them, troopers reported.   (above) A 35-year ... [full story]

Two men were killed and another received minor injuries Wednesday afternoon after the driver of a pickup lost control on snow and ice-covered Highway 140W west of Klamath Falls and slid broadslide into an oncoming vehicle, troopers reported.   The driver and passenger of this Nissan pickup both died after it lost control on the ice and snow-covered highway Wednesday and crashed into an oncoming Jeep - OSP photo Wallace Homer Hamlet, 82, of Central Point was ... [full story]

A large tree that fell across Silverton Road NE in Salem this morning has shut down all four lanes of traffic in one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares, officials announced.   One of Salem's busiest streets was closed this morning when a large tree fell, blocking all four lanes of traffic - SFD photo The tree fell near the intersection of Silverton Road and Evergreen Avenue NE about 7:30 a.m., January 31, Salem Fire Department officials said. ... [full story]

Oregon Department of Transportation crews closed U.S. Highway 20 between mileposts 75 and 80 this morning. The Santiam Pass areas between Camp Sherman and Detroit were hit with two snow slides and have reportedly trapped two trucks between them.   About 6:30 a.m., January 31, two separate slides at mileposts 78.7 and 79.4 necessitated the closures. “No vehicles have been reported stuck within either slide,” ODOT reported, but added that they have received reports of two trucks ... [full story]

NEW YORK -- Precipitation-packed winter weather attacked both coasts Thursday and gusty winds in New York were blamed for the death of a construction worker.New York City officials said the worker fell 12 stories Wednesday when the scaffold platform beneath him collapsed, apparently because of high winds, The New York Times reported Thursday. City officials said another worker jumped to safety and a third fell onto a ledge and was hospitalized in serious condition.The Buffalo, ... [full story]

SASKATOON, Saskatechewan -- A northern Saskatchewan reservation was in mourning Thursday for two children found frozen to death after their father passed out while walking with them.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Christopher Pauchay was apparently walking his daughters, ages 1 and 3, to another house on the Yellow Quill First Nation reservation Tuesday in sub-freezing temperatures when he passed out, the Canwest News Service reported.He was found and taken to a hospital but it ... [full story]

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A suicide bomb attack on a mosque in Afghanistan's Helmand province Thursday killed six people including the deputy provincial governor, Voice of America said.The explosion occurred during afternoon prayers in Lashkar Gah, capital of the province known as a Taliban stronghold and the country's main poppy growing area. The report said 18 people were injured.Those killed included Per Mohammad, Helmand province deputy governor, VOA reported."(The) suicide bomber got into a mosque and ... [full story]

SIMI VALLEY , Calif. -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was expected to give his presidential endorsement to Republican hopeful John McCain Thursday, CNN reported.Schwarzenegger's endorsement could be key to McCain winning California's 170 GOP convention delegates. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's endorsement of the Arizona senator was cited in exit polls as a key to his winning Tuesday's Sunshine State primary.McCain also is set to receive the endorsements of Georgia's two Republican senators, Johnny Isakson and ... [full story]