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Seasonal
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Fire-proof your home this season
'Tis the season for at-home entertaining - food, friends, family, fun and yes, even fires. Many home fires occur in cold weather months as more people bring warmth into their homes with things like traditional candles or holiday lighting. Fire-proof the holiday season with these tips that safeguard your family and your h...
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Halloween decor - more treat than trick
While displaying ghosts and goblins is great for the kids and the standard for Halloween decor, how about getting into the spirit but with a bit more sophistication this year? If you are throwing a Halloween party for those adults who are kids at heart, a spooky holiday theme can still be part of the festivities, but wit...
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Confidence is key when driving in winter weather
Harsh winter conditions can have crippling effects for drivers in locations often affected by snowy and icy weather during the cold months. Hauling the kids to hockey practice or even a quick trip to the grocery store could prove to be a difficult task, especially if a vehicle is not ready for challenging conditions that...
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Tips for elevating the traditional holiday meal
If preparing the holiday feast falls upon you, the pressure is on to get it just right. Whether you're faithfully replicating treasured family recipes, or want to put a new creative spin on seasonal culinary customs, achieving success with the food you offer can define a happy holiday experience for all.
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Prevent winter fun from becoming a DUI
Many Americans associate drinking and driving with New Year's Eve. But throughout the cold-weather months, from holiday season office parties through snowmobiling season in January and February, to St. Patrick's Day in March, there are ample opportunities for even cautious drivers to let their guard down when it comes dr...
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Eco-friendly tips to protect homes from pesky bugs
Cool weather signals homeowners to finalize outdoor chores and cozy up for the long winter ahead. It also signals pesky insects to head indoors seeking food sources and warm, safe places to hibernate. What can the smart homeowner do?
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Savory fall dishes enhanced with grapes
Beautiful fall vegetables are in season now and make for wonderful dishes that will have your family members saying "yum." In addition to the traditional fall flavors of produce like squash and cauliflower, California grapes are also in season, having one of the longest, "just-picked" seasons among North American fruits,...
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Should you 'winterize' your pet?
The arrival of autumn signals many changes in the household, from switching from salads to soups to pulling sweaters out of storage to changing furnace filters. With pets, however, you may need to think as much about what you don't change as what you do.
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Upgrade your pest control this fall
Where do bugs enter your home? The short answer: all over. Sometimes they crawl or fly in when windows or doors are open. They also slip in through cracks in walls or foundations, holes in window screens or crevices in the home that let in cables, wires and pipes. Most commonly though, they'll drop right onto your roof a...
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Easy and affordable ways to spruce up your space
When seasons change, it's also a good time to change out and update your home decor. Time and budget don't always allow for a complete overhaul, so here are some easy and affordable ways to rejuvenate your home.
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Warm up the colder months with skin that's irresistible to touch
In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, we text more than we hug; we touch our phones more than we touch each other. However, despite the need to be "plugged in," when surveyed by professionals at Arizona State University, 75 percent of men and women agreed they would like more touch in their lives. As the coole...
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Home renovations before the holidays
Fall is a great time to tackle some of those home improvement projects. Now that the summer vacations are over and children are back in school, you're ready to make your home all comfy and cozy before the deep freeze and holiday guests arrive.
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national news
Boy Scouts of America votes to end century-old ban on gay scouts

Jennifer Tyrrell hugs Pascal Tessier after a resolution passed to allow openly gay scouts in the Boy Scouts in GrapevineBy Marice Richter GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - The Boy Scouts of America voted on Thursday to lift a century-old ban on openly gay scouts in a major victory for gay rights activists, but the decision means a sea of change for an organization that depends heavily on faith-based groups. More than 60 percent of the group's National Council, comprised of some 1,400 delegates, voted in favor of ending the ban, effective January 1, 2014, the group said in a statement. A prohibition on openly gay adult leaders remains in place. ...


Thu May 23 21:55:35 UTC 2013
Truck strike may have caused Washington state bridge collapse, officials says

I-5 Bridge Collapses On Skagit River In WashingtonBy Jonathan Kaminsky OLYMPIA, Washington (Reuters) - A colliding truck may have triggered the collapse on Thursday of part of a four-lane freeway bridge that sent vehicles and drivers tumbling into a frigid river in Washington state, officials said. A U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into what led part of the Interstate 5 bridge to fall into the Skagit River 55 miles north of Seattle was expected to continue on Friday. Two of the three people rescued from the river were hospitalized with hypothermia, but no one died, officials said. ...


Fri May 24 04:14:46 UTC 2013
Magnitude 5.7 quake strikes Northern California
(Reuters) - A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Northern California on Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicenter of the quake was 6 miles northwest of the town of Greenville, and near the smaller community of Canyondam, the USGS said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Allen Shephard, a hunting and fishing guide at Quail Lodge at Lake Almanor in Canyondam, said the quake knocked him "right off the couch and onto the floor." The floor of the lodge was littered with broken dishware, and cabinets were in disarray, said Shephard, 62. ...
Fri May 24 01:53:09 UTC 2013
Boy Scouts vote to end ban on gay youth members
[Updated at 6:55 p.m. CT] DALLAS – The Boy Scouts of America, one of the country’s largest and oldest youth organizations, decided on Thursday to break 103 years of tradition by allowing openly gay members into its ranks. The controversial move was approved by more than 60 percent of the approximate 1,400 votes cast by [...]
Thu May 23 18:55:38 UTC 2013