The state government has been so dysfunctional for so long that it's typical for pundits to issue blanket condemnations of the Legislature, the unions or other institutions without assigning individual blame. That's unfortunate, because sometimes an individual is very responsible when something destructive, appalling or ridiculous occurs. We're seeing just such an instance now in California's 12th Senate District, and the blame lies entirely with Senate President Don Perata, D-Oakland. Thanks to a recall ballot ... [full story]

It is a horrifying scenario: A gun goes off inside a crowded jetliner in flight, piercing the aircraft's skin or a window, rapidly depressurizing the cabin and possibly leading to catastrophe for all aboard. A government spokesman said on Monday that US Airways Flight 1536 from Denver to Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday, with 124 passengers and five crew members, was never in such danger when a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol belonging to the pilot went off ... [full story]

We have applauded Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's aggressive moves to head off financial turmoil. But Bernanke's unprecedented orchestration of JPMorgan Chase's takeover of Bear Stearns - the Wall Street firm whose reckless packaging of risky mortgages as securities left it near bankruptcy - looks increasingly problematic. Besides providing JPMorgan Chase with a line of credit to execute the deal, the Fed's initial arrangement would have required Bear Stearns shareholders to accept $2 for shares ... [full story]

Today, Iraq remains very much a mixture of good news and bad - of late, mostly bad. Last week marked the beginning of the sixth year U.S. forces have been in that desert nation. Sunday marked the 4,000th U.S. service member killed. Add to that the 30,000 or so wounded - about 13,000 severely - and the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of Iraqis killed since the United States initiated military action in March ... [full story]

The Federal Reserve last week became a major lender to the investment banking business, pumping $29 billion directly to Wall Street firms with promises of more to come. The Fed also agreed to risk $30 billion of taxpayers' money to keep Bear Stearns breathing. The U.S. taxpayer now has skin directly in the investment banking game. That being the case, shouldn't those taxpayers have more say in how that game is played? A cry is ... [full story]

When an American service member is killed in Iraq, it takes a day or two, sometimes more, for the military to verify the circumstances of the death, notify the next of kin and then make the name public. So it may be Wednesday before we know the identity of the 4,000th U.S. military fatality in Iraq. Even then, death No. 4,000 will be arbitrary. Numbers 3,997, 3998, 3,399 and 4,000 took place simultaneously, at 10 ... [full story]

Will Rogers may have been on to something when he said, "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." Not just disorganized, it's getting ugly. In fact, with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton still battling it out for the Democratic nomination for president, you could call it the political version of March Madness. Once this primary season is over and Democrats have chosen their nominee, one wonders if they'll ... [full story]

COOS BAY, Ore. -- Two barges owned by Florida-based Titan Salvage are due to arrive in Coos Bay around mid-afternoon on March 29 to begin the first steps of preparation for the planned removal of wreckage from the New Carissa later this spring. The "Karlissa A" and "Karlissa B" barges – each 170 by 80 by 13 feet – will be moored at the Central Dock in Coos Bay upon their arrival. Local contractors will ... [full story]

GOLD BEACH, Ore. – A 58-year old Brookings man died Wednesday night when he lost control of his car on ice-covered US 101 south of Gold Beach, slid sideways into the oncoming lane of traffic and struck an SUV, troopers reported. Lesile P. Salgado’s 1996 BMW lost traction about 8:35 p.m., March 26, as he traveled south on the highway near milepost 334 and was pronounced dead at the scene, Oregon State Police (OSP) Sgt. ... [full story]

REDMOND, Ore. – A 14-year-old boy was arrested for driving drunk and other crimes early Thursday morning after he and his 12-year-old sister allegedly stole his mother’s vehicle, led police on a car chase, and crashed into another car in southwest Redmond, Oregon, before being apprehended. Shortly after 2 a.m., March 27, Redmond police officers were responding to a Circle-K convenience store after they received a report of a possible drunk driver, and as they ... [full story]