When I set out to achieve universal health care as first lady back in 1993, I knew I needed to learn from Hawaii's pioneering example. So I traveled to your state and met with health care professionals and community leaders to discuss how Hawaii's approach to health care could be a model for America. I was greatly impressed by what I saw.

I was impressed by your passionate belief that health care is not a luxury -- but a fundamental right. I was impressed by this state's proud progressive tradition and firm commitment to caring for all its citizens. And I was impressed by Hawaii's rich cultural heritage and breathtaking natural beauty.

But I know Hawaii also faces unique challenges -- from education to energy to the economy. And the people of Hawaii deserve a president who won't just talk about solutions to those problems -- but will actually deliver.

United Way contributes funds to Mental Health and Substance Abuse ...

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers of Southern Oklahoma, located at 111 E. 12th St., has been providing services for the Ada area since the 1950s. "We provide behavioral health services, counseling - individual and group, rehab - individual and group. We have a medication clinic which is where we have a psychiatrist that comes in and provides psychotropic medication for those who need them. Our psychiatric rehabilitation program is a day program from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. This program enables individuals to learn new living and social skills," said Terry Goodwin, executive director of MHSACSO.MHSACSO is a non-profit agency that provides mental health care and chemical dependency treatment to nine counties in South Central Oklahoma. Other services include screening and assessment, emergency crisis intervention, outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, case management, day treatment, children/adolescent programs, aging programs, chemical dependency treatment, consultation, education, and prevention.

Westminster talks to set unionist agenda for the future of Scotland

But not one of the six senior politicians involved will be representing the Scottish Government.Today's meeting – between Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat politicians – will help create a Scottish Constitutional Commission to deliver more powers for the Scottish Parliament.At the same time, officials in Alex Salmond's office will be planning the next stage of the Scottish Government's National Conversation on Independence.Political experts agree that Scottish politics has now become polarised on constitutional grounds with the unionist parties and their Scottish Constitutional Commission on one side and the SNP's National Conversation on the other.However, there is also considerable scope for confusion, with two separate debates on Scotland's constitutional future going on, one organised by the nationalists and one by the unionists, with neither side willing to get involved with the other.Professor John Curtice, political expert at Strathclyde University, said he believed the Scottish Constitutional Commission has far more potential to change Scottish politics than its nationalist rival.Prof Curtice said: "The National Conversation is a mechanism to encourage debate and perhaps to encourage more support for independence, but the brutal truth is that, as far as holding a referendum is concerned, the votes are not there."The Scottish Constitutional Commission potentially is very important because the parties involved have the votes necessary in both legislatures to pass the necessary legislation."But he added: "Whether it will prove to be more than a talking shop will depend on the attitude of the UK Labour government."Wendy Alexander, for Labour, Annabel Goldie, for the Tories and Nicol Stephen, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, are heading south for today's meeting, where they will discuss the commission plans with Des Browne, the Scottish Secretary, and his shadows, Tory David Mundell and Liberal Democrat Alistair Carmicheal.A senior Liberal Democrat source said the party wanted a formal statement from Mr Browne after today's meeting, not just acknowledging the debate, but actively supporting the commission idea.

Local woman is finalist in nation wide model search

As a 50 -year-old woman. Laura Lasko has done a lot of things. Theres the scuba diving and traveling, and the time she survived hurricane Wilma. Shes a certified yoga instructor, and licensed counselor for troubled teens. Shes even going to ASU to get her Doctorate degree. So no one was surprised when she entered the More Magazine / Wilhelmina 40+ Model Search. What is surprising, is that out of nearly 16,000 entries, Laura is one of ten finalists. She will be heading to New York early next week to compete for a $15,000 dollar Wilhelmina modeling contract and other prizes valued at $90,000 dollars.

More magazine has been around for close to ten years, and is geared towards women in their 40s and 50s. It focuses on health, beauty, social issues for women, fashion its been wonderful, says Lasko.

Kids like booze and sex. So what?

Truly, as the Home Secretary declaimed, society has reached some kind of "tipping point".

Jacqui Smith was actually referring to a terrifying new statistic in her war against underage boozing: more 13-year-olds have drunk alcohol than have not. As with the many sweeping and horrifying pronouncements on the young, there was scant clarification and no historical perspective. So I rang the Home Office and discovered that this means that 54 per cent of kids aged 13 have tasted alcohol in their lifetimes. Well, sign up my two mini-winos for The Pledge! My sons have sipped champagne, swigged my beer - provoking sour-lemon-faced disbelief - been encouraged to taste wine at dinner. I thought that is how we're supposed to initiate them into a Francophile, middle-class Waitrose world: less likely to create binge drinkers than locking booze in a tantalising box marked "adult fun".

Campaigns court superdelegates

His wife took a call from Albright, Tinsley said. "That was pretty funny, she was freaked out a little bit," he said.Tinsley also gets contacted by many Obama supporters from around Montana, he said.He believes that all the attention to the superdelegates will lead to a change in the process by which Democrats pick their nominee. "This is the one we have right now, so we have to live with it and deal with it," he said.Montana Democratic Party Chairman Dennis McDonald and Gov. Brian Schweitzer, both superdelegates, have not chosen a candidate."I'd like to establish a transparent process," Schweitzer said. "I don't want our next president to be selected by virtue of the superdelegates one by one by one deciding which way to go."Schweitzer said if superdelegates as a whole agree to one option for choosing a candidate, he would abide by it.