National News

According to recent surveys, 89% of brides decide on a budget before they start planning their wedding, and the bridal gown is often a big portion of that budget. However, a few lucky military brides in Lenexa, KS and Corona Del Mar, CA were able to take that factor out of the equation, thanks to two bridal shops who provided dresses for free. Anne Hafner and Madison Clay from Belle Vogue Bridal in Lenexa, KS. decided to create their "Gowns for Good" event to show support and appreciation for members of the armed forces and their families. This past weekend, Belle Vogue gave away 150 brand new gowns to military brides. Special occasion gowns will also be offered at the low price of $25. Most of the bridal gowns being distributed are exclusive designer samples, worth up to $2,900. “Ever...

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, lovingly known as the celeb power duo "Brangelina" by fans and critics alike, recently tied the knot after spending nearly a decade together. The wedding, which was a private ceremony held in a chateau in the south of France, immediately sent worldwide media outlets and gossip columns into a frenzy. Although fans around the world are trying desperately to find out all the details behind the wedding -- Who was invited? Why was it kept secret? What made Jolie decide to let her six children decorate her designer wedding dress with their drawings? -- many people are more concerned with the fact that the couple got married at all. Regardless of the details behind the marriage, people are still wondering one big question: after nearly a decade together and beginning...

Nuance, a national communication company, has now enabled the ability for health providers to share over 3 billion health images using cloud technology. This new technology will allow healthcare providers, such as doctors, to send along x-rays and other medical information to various places even if the places are not networked together. In the past, it has often been difficult to get health care institutions to share diagnostic images with each other because of concerns over privacy and network security. Consequently, patients have experienced delayed or inconsistent treatment of their ailments. The lack of communication has also unnecessarily padded already expensive medical bills -- if a patient's provider can't access their old MRI scan, then they have to conduct a new one. "Physici...

U.S. cities that regularly replace their natural gas lines have fewer occurrences of gas leaks, according to a new study conducted by Google and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). According to a July 16 Herald Bulletin article, the study found that cities like Indianapolis, where old gas lines are regularly replaced, see fewer leaks than places where they aren't, like Staten Island in New York City and Boston, where there is approximately one leak per mile. To conduct the study, gas-detecting devices were affixed to Google's mapping vehicles, which then drove around the major U.S. cities that were surveyed. The EDF then used statistical calculations to determine the amount of methane present in these cities' streets, the Herald Bulletin reports. Google Maps is typically used by...

The thought of loosing control of a car's steering system while barreling down a highway going 73 miles per hour is frightening, and Hyundia Motor Co. agrees. South Korea's largest car maker has decided to recall around 2,100 Sonata midsize sedans. The sedans were produced from their Alabama car manufacturing plant and were found to have wiring-related issues that have the potential to affect the power steering system. It can be difficult to determine what is wrong with a car, and not to mention expensive if there is something found to be the matter. Engine and transmission problems, for example, require the most expensive auto repairs in the U.S. The Sonata steering system issue has been traced back to the wiring harness, which is responsible for making the steering wheel easy to...

Bedbugs are one of humanity's pests that have clung on through the centuries of improvements in cleaning and home care. Many homeowners feel obligated to spend hundreds of dollars on bedbug removal. But could there be a way for consumers to prevent bedbugs from sucking the blood out of their bank accounts? According to researchers from the University of Florida, it's not only possible, but a necessary addition to the options consumers have for fighting bed bugs. "Having low cost bedbug control is a must," said Roberto M. Pereira, one of the study's authors, who says that when it comes to their device, "it’s not even a dollar." The trap the UF entomologists have devised consists, basically, of two plastic containers. One rests within the other, creating a "moat." The researchers used ...

Johnna Harvard, a mother in Riverside, Alabama, lost her five-year-old son to a pit bull attack back in April 2014. This month, however, Harvard herself was also attacked by a pit bull -- at her son's grave site! The boy, John Triton Harvard, was playing in the front yard with his 9-year-old brother when a pit bull that had been running through the neighborhood mauled him. John was declared dead when he arrived at the hospital. As the family continues to grieve for their son, Harvard said she has been attacked twice while visiting her son's grave in nearby Pell City. The dog charged at her and others, and she was able to get the attack on camera. Harvard and other bystanders jumped into their vehicles and called 911. A responding officer from the Pell City Police Department had to...

This year may see a record number of safety recalls for vehicles, with General Motors recalling 20 million cars in the first six months of 2014. The reason for the recalls stems from the lowered standards for safety recalls; manufacturers have to recall cars with potential defects for liability purposes. Most recently, GM issued a recall for Chevrolet's 2013-2014 Cruze sedans with Takata air bags, which could fail to inflate in the event of a crash. However, the news isn't all bad for car dealers, says one expert. After these recalls are issued, dealerships have the opportunity to make money, says Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst at AutoTrader.com. Although the auto makers cover the cost of repairs resulting from the recall, customers still have to take their cars to a dealer in o...

The housing market has been gaining stability over the past month. According to the National Association of Realtors, sales of previously owned homes increased 4.9% from April to May, for an annual rate of 4.89 million sales. This has been the largest increase in home sales since August 2011, and it also surprised industry experts who had predicted a more gradual gain of 4.75 million sales. Over the past few months, the housing recovery has been lagging. Home prices and mortgage rates rose at the same time, which led to a slow market as potential buyers decided to wait opting in. The news of the recent growth has spurred hope in an industry that has, so far, had to deal with several major blows in a row thanks to the ongoing impact of the Recession. Industry insiders say that buye...

While legislators battle over the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions, Alabama may already have one system in place that meets and exceeds many of the state's healthcare needs. In Alabama, Gov. Bentley and other state lawmakers want to reject the ACA's expansion, creating a hot button topic throughout Alabama. The governor recently referred to the expansion as "a federal government dependency program for the uninsured," who are stuck in the gap between those currently on Medicaid and those who can afford private insurance. However, a Medicaid expansion could result in "30,700 new jobs, [a] $2.1 billion economic boost, plus 500 lives saved every year," according to the state's Democratic gubernatorial candidate Parker Griffith. But there is at least one effective healthcare sys...