Nov. 30 Reports: Jennifer Lauren Buntain, 33, was arrested on an outstanding probation violation warrant. Merle Eugene Herold, Jr., 51, was arrested for suspicion of DUII. Dec. 1 Reports: Dennis Jon Hill, 53, was arrested for suspicion of DUII. Patricia Jean heising, 26, was arrested on an outstanding probation violation warrant. Daniel Wesley Mills, Jr., 28, was arrested for theft, criminal mischief, and a parole violation warrant after allegedly breaking into a video machine & ... [full story]

NEW RELEASES I AM LEGEND - In the near future, a viral plague not only will exterminate humanity and spawn a race of flesh-eating mutants, but - the horror - drive gas prices to $6.63 a gallon. Fortunately, that's of zero concern to Robert Neville (Will Smith), who as the last man on Earth enjoys certain perks, free fill-ups among them. Director Francis Lawrence and writers Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman have taken Richard Matheson's ... [full story]

YAP, Micronesia - Yap, a speckle of gold dust floating on the far western Pacific Ocean in the heart of the Western Caroline Islands, is an inspirational step back to the cultural magnificence of Micronesia. For those exhausted by 21st century commercialism, Yap, an island state of the Federated States of Micronesia, 541 miles southwest of Guam, has maintained a glorious tranquility, proudly celebrating the ancient traditions of the Yapese languages, cherished legends, olden handicrafts ... [full story]

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Boca Raton boasts more than sunshine and beaches. Beyond the pristine, white sand and swaying palms is a burgeoning arts scene. Centrally positioned within the heart of Florida's Gold Coast in Palm Beach County, Boca is a tidy package of cultural surprises - from world-class museums to internationally acclaimed performers.   ELEGANT ENTRANCE - 'The Slave Girl,' a sensual statue created by Italian sculptor Ettore Pellagatta, stands at the Boca Raton Resort ... [full story]

ABRUZZO, Italy - Teenagers in skintight jeans and T-shirts were coupled on stone benches, sitting face to face with their legs entwined, gazing into each other's eyes and leaning in for gentle kisses. I was on the outer rim of the flat, rectangular park in Sulmona, a small town in Abruzzo, Italy, trying not to stare. Back where I live in Los Angeles, I never see these live, sigh-inspiring reminders of my long-ago high school ... [full story]

To hear him tell it, Garrett Lisi is a pretty typical surfer. "I've always been in the ocean, since before I could walk," he said by e-mail. "I turned 16 and got a VW bus, which I used to prowl the breaks around Encinitas (Calif.). I've been hunting waves ever since."   BALANCING ACT - 'Surfing acts as a great 'reset' button for whatever I'm worried about in the rest of my life,' says physicist Garrett ... [full story]

The mailbox is solid and sturdy. It's bolted in, good and tight. It looks like it can withstand a lot of weight - even the Visa and Capital One and MasterCard and American Express offerings that show up every day. Still ...   HOLIDAY CATALOGS - Holiday catalogs are stacking up and they're stacking up fast. American households get 19 billion catalogs annually, leading some to push for reform. CNS Illustration by Cristina Martinez Byvik. The poor ... [full story]

Four years ago, architect Robert Noble submitted a bid to design a showcase solar array covering the parking lot at Kyocera's San Diego plant. He got the job when no other architect put in a proposal.   SOLAR INVESTORS - Envision Solar helps companies install solar arrays in their parking lots. Here, President Karen Morgan and Chief Executive Officer Robert Noble stand under an array in the Kyocera facility in San Diego. CNS Photo by John ... [full story]

Dear Mr. Berko: I've owned Walgreens since you recommended it at $18 in 1995 when I bought 300 shares for $5,400 plus commissions. Now I have 600 shares because it split 2-for-1 and it sells for $39 a share so I have a nice profit of about $19,000. But just a short while ago Walgreen was $49. What's wrong? My internist office tells me that they won't call prescriptions in to Walgreens and if I ... [full story]

Dear Mr. Berko: I have just about $100,000 to invest short-term (about 18 months) in a money market fund or tax-free money market fund. Please tell me if you think the Vanguard Taxable Money Market Fund 5.26 percent is a safe fund. And please tell me if the Vanguard Tax-free Money Market Fund paying 3.55 percent is a safe fund. I'm in the 35 percent tax bracket and I can't figure out if I'm better ... [full story]