The fall rains, which have caused problems in Oregon and parts of California, did little harm here, as the grapes were safely fermenting at most wineries by mid-October. Later, heat spikes shrank the grapes and reduced the tonnage but concentrated flavors and accelerated the onset of harvest. It opens up a bit hard and tannic, but give it a good airing (decant if possible) and it will soften up, adding layers of tea, tobacco and pepper. Meanwhile, new releases from the 2005 vintage are...

WHITMAN You can smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes and anything else that's legal and smokable inside the store. Brennan said it costs about $75,000 to open a full-stocked tobacco store n including a walk-in humidor insulated with imported Spanish cedar n and that he's happy to invest in downtown Whitman. in downtown Whitman is a breath of fresh air for smokers and for the local economy, said David Brennan, the store's owner. Brennan said his store would comply with all applicable rules and...

In a year when Republicans face tough challengers for every other statewide office, the agriculture commissioner's race is the only one in which the GOP enjoys a comfortable lead. Using tobacco settlement money to pay for agriculture improvements ("If the money is coming to the private, let the private sector do it") And Democratic party officials would be happy to see them hold on to it, rather than hand the office to a candidate not of their choosing. The Kentucky Department of...

The clearest example of their failure is SCHIP, a highly successful program providing health insurance to millions of children from poor and working-class families. Blame the other guy In the twisted logic of today's capital, failure is better than progress because you get to blame the other guy for the gridlock. Just look at the history of SCHIP, passed with bipartisan support 10 years ago to insure children whose parents don't qualify for Medicaid but can't afford their own coverage....

Supporters: Tobacco tax hike will pay for needed children s health program Opponents: Measure would hijack state s constitution Few ballot measures in Oregon history have generated as much sound and fury as Measure 50, the proposal to jack up the tobacco tax to finance a new children s medical insurance program. Supporters: Tobacco tax hike will pay for needed children s health program Opponents: Measure would hijack state s constitution Few ballot measures in Oregon history have generated...

McMahan gave a PowerPoint presentation on the activities of his department, which enforces laws and regulatory permit holders and non-permitees regarding alcohol and tobacco sales and uses. McMahan, a 20-year law enforcement veteran, explained that there currently are 87 excise officers working in the state and they are divided into 18 districts. Overall, the effort was well received as many schools tried a different approach to past years in an effort to gain the students attention on the...