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Sometimes, the simplest tools in medicine are the ones that give us the most useful information. Take the humble blood pressure machine, for example. It's been around for years, and it's cheap, compared with a lot of other medical devices. It's simple to use, and it doesn't require a medical or a nursing degree to operate. But the numbers it reports are valuable in helping predict a person's risk of a host of medical problems, including heart failure, stroke and kidney failure, and can help doctors determine whether a person really needs to take medicine to control his or her high blood pressure.

Californians are required to disclose the radon level in their home, if known, before transferring it to a new owner. Nevadans are not. In both states, renters are particularly vulnerable. "There are no regulations to protect renters from radon in Nevada," said Susan Howe, radon education program director for the University of Nevada Cooperative Ex

Seattle has gained a national reputation as a haven for “foodies” – but there’s a “food desert” in its own back yard, ironically in an area that once helped feed a growing city.

In Orange and Guilford counties, neighbors fight landfill expansions