National News Feb. 23 - March 7

This is not original reporting. All information has been compiled from The Washington Post. Silver Chips Online posts this news summary to provide readers with a forum for discussion.

March 4 - Senator John McCain won the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential race by getting more than the 1,191 convention delegates. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was the last Republican challenger to concede. Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are neck and neck as each tries to secure the Democratic nomination.

Feb. 26 - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) might no longer require factory farms to report their level of emissions for toxic gases. The EPA is reconsidering the policy due to pressure from agricultural lobbyists and politicians from agricultural states. Although the EPA recognizes that the emissions are dangerous, they say the local enforcers do not use the current numbers, thus making the process excessive.

Page, AZ

March 8 - Over 300,000 gallons of water from the Lake Powell dam were released into the Grand Canyon. The water is part of an effort to mimic natural floods that stabilize the ecosystem by spreading sediment. This three-day flood is the third of its kind and is designed to help rebuild the sandbars in the Colorado River.

Woodinville, WA

March 4 - Three houses, costing over $10 million, were demolished by a fire that is suspected to be an act of eco-terrorism. Two other houses were damaged. Signs that ridicule the developers interest in being environmentally friendly and have the initials ELF on it were found at the scene. ELF, the Earth Liberation Front, a coalition of extreme environmentalists, has been held accountable for dozens of similar acts since the 1990s.

San Francisco, CA

March 3 - The company responsible for depositing fuel into the San Francisco Bay in a collision last November has agreed to pay the city $2 million. San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera considers the money to be an initial payment to help with cleanup costs.

Atlanta, GA

Feb. 28 - The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a federal advisory panel, recommended that all children, except those younger than six months and those with egg allergies, get the flu shot. If this advice is followed, over 30 million more children will receive the vaccine. Although health centers are to place their orders for immunizations immediately, it may not be feasible for all children to receive the vaccine until the 2009-2010 flu season.