Free Republic

America is falling apart. Literally. From highways to bridges to plumbing to telecommunications, we are not keeping up with our national maintenance chores. Our highways are crumbling. Just maintaining them as they are would cost up to 40 cents a gallon more in gas taxes over the next five years. And that would do nothing to meet the increased demand; highway travel and hours stuck in traffic have both grown by about 25 percent in the past 10 years. Remember that bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis last summer? More than one-quarter of U.S. bridges -- including one-quarter of Oregon's --...

WILLAMINA (Oregon)- At a special council meeting called for 7 p.m. Thursday at city hall, Willamina will consider declaring itself an "illegal alien free zone," serving as a warning to those without legal papers that they aren't welcome. Councilor Paul Delaney broached the idea at the council's March 13 meeting. The council voted 4-2 to convene a special meeting for that purpose, with the majority consisting of Delaney, Vernon Mosser, Daron Pond and Lewis Younger, the minority of Pat Howell and Kevin Nortness. Delaney doesn't hold out much hope of success, despite the show of support for a special session,...