AltWeeklies Wire
Bait and Kill: Soldier Resists More Deadly Missionsnew

A soldier who once participated in the Army's "bait and kill" teams in Iraq now suffers from PTSD now faces a court martial, prison and no treatment for his injuries for his refusal to fight in a war he does not believe in.
Eugene Weekly |
Camilla Mortensen |
05-28-2008 |
War
House Built on High Hopes Goes Down in Flamesnew
A cauldron of squatters and property owners, stirred by green dreams and the bursting housing bubble, set an unusual Oakland house ablaze.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Shane Bauer |
05-28-2008 |
Housing & Development
Eugene Tsui Says It's Time for Thinking Bignew

How big? The architect proposed a 2,340-foot tower for Oakland and a two-mile high structure that could house all of San Francisco.
East Bay Express |
Eliza Strickland |
05-28-2008 |
Housing & Development
Only Communal Action Can Solve Global Warmingnew
Our focus must remain not on "What Can I Do as One Person?" but rather on the tougher question of "What Can We Do as One People?"
East Bay Express |
Jay Youngdahl |
05-28-2008 |
Environment
Details of the Big SDSU Drug Bust Emergenew
The District Attorney conveyed the impression that the DEA had uncovered a single huge drug ring, led and organized by Kenneth Ciaccio and centered in six fraternities. The reality, as it turns out, was a little different.
San Diego CityBeat |
Eric Wolff |
05-28-2008 |
Drugs
Environmental Icon to Plead Guilty to Arson and Conspiracynew

Tre Arrow's decision last week to plead guilty to the longstanding federal charges comes as a blow to his fellow activists, some of whom have spent years fighting for his release while Arrow proclaimed his innocence.
Willamette Week |
James Pitkin |
05-28-2008 |
Crime & Justice
Huge Debt Loads Weigh Down Today's Graduatesnew
The dirty secret of today's economy is that the odds are stacked against the under-35 set. College graduates are hitting the books just to stay even with their parents’ economic performance. They’re paying more for less.
Willamette Week |
Beth Slovic |
05-28-2008 |
Education
Keep the National Guard in New Orleansnew
Starting next month, the National Guard will start pulling its 300-odd troops out of New Orleans, taking with them many people's feelings of safety. Although we understand that the state has limited military resources, and we acknowledge that the commitment of the Guard was never intended to be open ended, we feel that withdrawal of the troops at this time would be a tragic mistake -- one that would cost lives.
In the Yearning for Zion Case, Fear & Prejudice is Trumping Rule of Lawnew
Texas' argument all along has essentially been that because YFZ's residents have not been forthcoming about their familial relationships and identities, this case is really, really hard, and the court needs to overlook some of the judicial safeguards that protect conventional and weird families alike who aren't doing anything illegal.
San Antonio Current |
Elaine Wolff |
05-28-2008 |
Crime & Justice
San Antonio's Bicyclists Talk About Why They Ridenew

As $4 gallons of gas become the new normal, alternative transportation modes will continue to grow in popularity, if not outright necessity. So if you, too -- for Global Warming, or your kids' college saving fund, or just a nice ass -- are wavering over the gas pedal, maybe you'll find your final bit of inspiration here.
San Antonio Current |
Mark Jones |
05-28-2008 |
Transportation
Why is the Media Covering Up Bush's War Crimes?
Kids in secret prisons. Chinese intelligence officers invited to torture at Gitmo. Why is the American media covering up these horror stories?
Foreclosure May Hurt Children the Mostnew
"When foreclosures force children from their homes, their education is disrupted, their peer relationships crumble, and the social networks that support them are fractured," according to a recent study by First Focus. "Indeed, their physical health, as well as their emotional health and well-being, is placed at risk." Tiffany Rodriguez, a North Philly 14-year-old, would have to agree.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tasneem Paghdiwala |
05-27-2008 |
Housing & Development
Colony Collapse Disorder is Putting Honeybees and Our Food Supply at Risknew

Since November 2006, there have been reports of honeybees flying away from their colonies and disappearing. Beekeepers are reporting losses of between 30 and 90 percent of their hives. No one seems to know exactly why the bees aren't returning to the hive. But the phenomenon is more than alarming -- it's being called a global crisis.
Boulder Weekly |
Dana Logan |
05-27-2008 |
Animal Issues
Protesters Decry UVM's Use of Live Pigs in Surgeons' Training Programnew
Advanced Trauma Operative Management offers practicing surgeonsa quick yet intense refresher in basic trauma-surgery techniques. But animal-rights advocates, as well as medical students and faculty around the country, believe live-animal training sessions have no place on college campuses.
Seven Days |
Mike Ives |
05-27-2008 |
Animal Issues
Green-Collar Job Programs Address Two Urban Ills at Oncenew
"We were doing debris removal and giving disenfranchised people a segue into the work force. For those part-timers who really got involved, there was a sense of ownership and pride -- they could do this for their own neighborhood."
Philadelphia City Paper |
Dana Henry |
05-27-2008 |
Business & Labor