Mexico City getting some of its bustle back after swine flu shutdown, focus turn to economy

MEXICO CITY — Mexico announced steps Tuesday to jump start an economy punished by the swine flu epidemic. Cinco de Mayo celebrations, however, will have to wait until next year.

Annual letter carriers food drive for the needy set Saturday

WASHINGTON — The annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive by the nation’s postal carriers will be held Saturday.

Mexico City getting some of its bustle back after swine flu shutdown, but experts urge caution

MEXICO CITY — Mexico began a cautious return to normal Tuesday, the government canceling Cinco de Mayo celebrations as traffic picked up in the capital and cafes reopened following a five-day shutdown to contain swine flu.

Winners of the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards

The winners of the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards include:

Old book from Texas pharmacy where Dr Pepper was invented goes up for auction

DALLAS — Poking through antiques stores while traveling through the Texas Panhandle, Bill Waters stumbled across a tattered old ledger book filled with formulas.

Nourishing leftovers: Gleaning bears fruit for food banks, poor families hurt by recession

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A growing army of needy people and volunteers are descending on farms, fields and backyards across the nation in search of leftover produce that might otherwise go to waste.

WHO raises pandemic flu alert level to phase 5, one step short of full outbreak

GENEVA — The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent.

WHO: Swine flu moving closer to becoming a pandemic; US reports 1st death outside Mexico

BERLIN — The World Health Organization warned Wednesday that the swine flu outbreak is moving closer to becoming a pandemic, as the United States reported the first swine flu death outside of Mexico, and Germany and Austria became the latest European nations hit by the disease.

Swine flu death toll stabilizes while NY school outbreak shows epidemic can keep spreading

MEXICO CITY — The toll from the swine flu epidemic appears to be stabilizing in Mexico, the health secretary said late Tuesday, with only seven more suspected deaths. But health officials said they “fully expect” to see U.S. deaths as the virus keeps spreading around the world.

Mexican government says suspected swine flu deaths rise to 159, reported cases up to 2,498

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s’ health department says the number of suspected swine flu deaths has risen to 159, with the virus confirmed as the cause of death in 26 of those cases.

Swine flu epidemic jumps to more countries, Mexico closes pyramids and travel bans spread, too

MEXICO CITY — Mexico eliminated more reasons to visit the country on Tuesday, putting its pyramids and all other archaeological sites off limits nationwide and closing restaurants in the capital for all but take-out food in an aggressive bid to stop groups from gathering and spreading swine flu.

Remoteness hurts winery-oriented businesses in Walla Walla, Wash., during recession

WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Getting a positive national review for his French-influenced restaurant in this remote farming town thrilled Mike Davis.

Mexico puts new limits on crowds as swine flu crosses frontiers in US, overseas

MEXICO CITY — Mexico ordered restaurants to limit service to takeout on Tuesday and closed pool halls and gyms, as swine flu crossed new borders overseas and in the United States, where at least 64 people have been infected by the illness.

Swine flu crosses new frontiers as US cases rise to 68, Mexico shuts down more places

MEXICO CITY — Swine flu crossed new borders Tuesday with the first confirmed cases in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region, while the number of U.S. cases jumped to 68 and Mexico ordered restaurants to only serve takeout as a way to limit large public gatherings.

Oregon’s Portland Rose Festival Web site is beckoning you to a vacation visit

Travel season is upon us and the Northwest is beckoning, especially that scenic area of Oregon where the Columbia River approaches the sea and the city of Portland offers hospitality and attractions that include the nation’s largest rose show.

World famous but nearly unknown, Nazareth offers more than churches

NAZARETH, Israel — When Pope Benedict XVI pays a visit next month to the town where Jesus grew up, he will bring brief attention to a Holy Land destination that is at once world famous and unjustly overlooked.

Washington state grower Stemilt has all its peaches, nectarines certified organic

YAKIMA, Wash. — One of the Pacific Northwest’s largest fruit growers has had 100 percent of its peach and nectarine crops certified as organic, following a three-year transition period.

UN warns food crisis could re-emerge, calls on Asian countries to be prepared

BANGKOK — The food crisis that hit many developing countries last year is likely to re-emerge following the recession and Asian countries must take measures to protect poor people from rising prices, a U.N. report said Friday.

Not so fast-food! Swiss city of Basel wants buses, trams even cleaner, sets food fines

BASEL, Switzerland — Cleanliness, order and more ways to take your money: authorities in the Swiss city of Basel may have found a perfect recipe.

Product Recalls: chocolate chip cookies

The following recall has been announced:

Calif. GOP, state lawmaker criticize poster from ‘tea party’ event as anti-Semitic

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Republican Party and a Democratic state senator are denouncing as anti-Semitic an online poster that promoted last week’s nationwide “tea parties.”

Salt as the new food villain: NYC presses industry to reduce sodium, save lives

NEW YORK — First, it was a ban on artery-clogging trans fats. Then calories were posted on menus. Now the New York City health department is taking on salt.