In Empire of Eggs, a Dozen Opinions

Jack DeCoster's Iowa egg operation has long drawn mixed feelings in Clarion and the towns nearby, where the landscape of the American farm has been remade over the decades.

Rethinking New Orleans

Five years after Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters drove thousands of this city's residents out across America, new Mayor Mitch Landrieu says it's time to face facts about those who aren't coming back.

Marines Question Craft to Hit Beach

Amid a cost-cutting drive within the Pentagon, the U.S. Marines are taking a hard look at whether they can afford a new fleet of vehicles used to storm beaches.

States Press Workers on Health Care

Disputes have flared as a growing number of cash-strapped state and local governments press public employees to pay more for their health benefits.

Blagojevich Retrial Set for January

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's retrial will begin in early January, a judge said, well after the midterm congressional elections this fall.

In Butter Carving, No Margarine for Error

Butter carvings?a staple at state fairs?have been used since the 1890s by the dairy industry as a margarine-fighting weapon. The heads are displayed at museums and weddings, used for cookies and corn roasts, and stored in freezers.

Bush Returns to Arena With Memoir in Hand

After remaining mostly out of view and silent on policy debates since leaving office, George W. Bush is about to promote his memoir, to be published a week after the Nov. 2 elections.

Spill Damage Claims Absent the Spill

Florida hoteliers and state officials say jitters over the Gulf oil spill have cost them billions of dollars in tourism revenue, even though the bulk of the state's Gulf Coast beaches haven't suffered direct hits from the spill.

Mortgage Picture Brightens, for Now

The number of U.S. households that missed consecutive mortgage payments or were in foreclosure fell more in the second quarter than anytime since the mortgage crisis began four years ago, a survey found.