Dr. James Holsinger's nomination to be surgeon general colored by questionable deaths at a VA hospital where he was Chief Medical Officer, along with his record of homophobia and involvement in a questionable Kentucky land deal While the George W. Bush administration didn't invent cronyism -- handing over administration jobs to friends, funders and longtime supporters -- it certainly has put its own unique stamp on the concept. When the history of the Bush Administration ... [full story]

Raising a family is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences in life, but also one of the most expensive. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture survey, a typical middle-income family will spend nearly $200,000 raising a child to age 18 - not including college costs or lost wages for a stay-at-home parent. First-time parents are often amazed at how many "things" a baby needs. Top essentials include a car seat (required by ... [full story]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects approx-imately 4% to 6% of women in the US, yet many have never heard of it.  The causes of PCOS are unknown, and many women may ignore the seemingly unrelated symptoms, such as irregular periods, being overweight, and having extra facial hair. But PCOS is a serious disorder that can make it hard to become pregnant and can lead to other severe health problems, so proper ... [full story]

Beer Industry Employs over 24,000 Oregonians, Pays nearly $675 million in Wages Each year, Oregonians mark the Labor Day holiday with backyard cookouts and ice-cold beer.  Alongside the Fourth of July and Memorial Day, Labor Day is one of the busiest sales periods for beer in the United States.  Sales during the Labor Day holiday also contribute to the nearly $2.2 billion of economic activity generated by the beer industry in Oregon each year.  “Oregon’s ... [full story]

Fixed mortgage rates fell sharply this week, with the average conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate falling to 6.43 percent. This is the lowest since May 23, 2007. According to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large lenders, the average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.32 discount and origination points. The average 15-year fixed rate mortgage popular for refinancing slid to 6.13 percent. Unfortunately for mortgage shoppers in higher-cost housing markets, the average rate for ... [full story]

REDMOND, Ore. - The Oregon Department of Education released this week the preliminary Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report required by No Child Left Behind (NCLB).   AYP is a key provision of NCLB Act signed into law by President George Bush in January 2002.  It is an annual determination of whether schools, districts and states have made progress toward the goal of having all students meets rigorous academic standards by 2014.  Oregon’s statewide reading and ... [full story]

After the warmth of summer, there's no doubt that your favorite fishing hole has some vegetation built up in it. In summer, when the water warms, the different aquatic vegetations are able to bloom. And if you are a bass angler, there's nothing that makes you happier than grass in a fishery.Grass is important to a fishery for a multitude of reasons. First, young fish (called fry) are able to retreat into the dense aquatic ... [full story]

PORTLAND --  With Labor Day weekend approaching, Oregon Labor Commissioner Dan Gardner and six state legislators who are labor union members announced their support for Jeff Merkley for U.S. Senate Thursday."Jeff Merkley's leadership in the House has opened doors for workers all across Oregon.  He has been a real ally in protecting prevailing wage jobs and the minimum wage, expanding collective bargaining rights, protect our firefighters and police officers and strengthening Oregon's family leave laws," ... [full story]

Tipping fees charged at Knott Landfill and other Deschutes County solid waste disposal facilities (Negus, Northwest, Alfalfa and Southwest transfer stations) will increase on October 1st. The funds generated by the increase will be used to preserve Deschutes County Roads. The tipping fee for solid waste disposal franchise collectors will increase from $40 to $45 per ton on October 1. The increase will result in a 45 cents per month increase for curbside service based ... [full story]

Consumers need to dispose of a brand of extra lean ground beef linked to at least eight Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections cases in Oregon and Washington, public health officials announced today.  The products were sold in Northwest grocery stores in late July and early August. Both products were packaged in 16-ounce black trays and labeled as follows: • "Northwest Finest" brand Natural Ground Beef, 7% fat. The red and black label bears a UPC code ... [full story]