Valpo council urged to support anti-bullying efforts

VALPARAISO | In the battle against bullies, a growing number of people are getting involved, ranging from the U.S. Army to a Valparaiso middle school student.

Resolve to Quit Smoking in the New Year

It’s at the top of many New Year’s resolution lists — quitting smoking. In fact, 15 million people try to quit smoking cigarettes yearly. Only 5 percent succeed when they use no support or go cold turkey. Moreover, the average smoker will attempt to quit up to nine times before successfully …

Judge deciding if stores must post tobacco apology

A federal judge will soon decide whether your next tank of gas or bottle of soda comes with a free apology from the Marlboro man and Joe Camel.

Parents struggle to find gender-neutral toys

Parents who hope to expose their children to different kinds of play, like science sets for girls and dolls for boys, for example, can find themselves stymied by a toy industry that can seem stuck in the past when it comes to gender roles.

Dealing with grief, sadness at the holidays

The egg nog is flowing, the lights are twinkling and words like "joy" and "jolly" are in season. But not everyone feels that joy or is in the mood for holiday festivities.

Holiday gifts for pets following high-tech trend

A holiday present for Fido or Fluffy used to be an extra table scrap or a new squeeze toy. But as with gifts for their human counterparts, pet presents are becoming increasingly high-tech.

Right at Home: Party favors with flair

A New Year's bash is one of the easier parties to throw. Everyone's already in the merry-making mood, so it's a simple matter of setting the stage.

Meditation relaxes the mind, helps the body

Once known as spiritual discipline practiced in Eastern cultures, meditation has now found itself in the mainstream, with many touting its health benefits.

Keeping kids and teens tobacco-free

The teen years bring plenty of changes for students, as well as new worries for parents. Smoking is at the top of that list for many parents.

YOUNG VOICES: Dating in college isn't like it was in high school

It’s universally realized that college is a world of its own. Fledgling young adults are thrown into an atmosphere where eating pizza for every meal is socially acceptable, going to bed before midnight is abnormal, and skipping class because “my bed is just so much more inviting!” is a commo…

AP sources: NFL, union to meet HGH test experts

Negotiators for the NFL and the players union will meet with anti-doping experts next week as they try to reach an agreement on HGH testing before the start of the season, people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

Games pimps play: mental manipulation in prostitution

CHICAGO | Before co-founding The Dreamcatcher Foundation and becoming a Cook County Court advocate for victims of sexual exploitation, Brenda Myers-Powell spent 25 years as a prostitute.