By: Elizabeth Renter, 12/07/2013

The scent of lavender is a favorite in the beauty industry—used in bath and body products and marketed as a soothing smell with a spa-like quality. But this isn’t some marketing gimmick; lavender scent truly does relax and soothe the body. Lavender essential oil has a variety of beneficial effects in addition to its relaxing qualities. One of these, recently affirmed by Iranian researchers, is in the treatment of migraines.

For more information visit www.naturalsociety.com

By: Chris Dolce, 12/08/2013

Winter Storm Dion, the fourth named winter storm of the 2013-14 season, will result in more snow and ice for some of the same areas impacted by Winter Storm Cleon. Dion initially produced snow in Washington, California, Nevada and the Four Corners states during the first half of the weekend. Now, Dion is spreading snow and ice from the Midwest to the Mid-South, Ohio Valley, Middle Atlantic and Northeast.

For more information visit www.wunderground.com

By: Dave Smith, 12/05/2013

Mayor Billy Kenoi today signed into law a bill that bans any new uses of genetically modified crops on the Big Island. Kenoi announced his decision to sign Bill 113 in a letter to the County Council. The council passed the measure on Nov. 19 on a 6-3 vote. The bill prohibits new open-air growing of genetically modified organisms, also known as GMOs.

For more on this story visit http://bigislandnow.com/2013/12/05/kenoi-signs-anti-gmo-bill-into-law/

By: Jacob Chamberlain, 12/05/2013

Following major Election Day victories for anti-fracking campaigners in Colorado last month when four cities voted to ban the controversial oil and gas drilling technique, fossil fuel industry players have refused to accept defeat and are initiating legal battles that could potentially see those voter-approved referendums overturned. As Al Jazeera-America reports, the Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) filed a lawsuit this week against the towns of Lafayette and Fort Collins, arguing that voters violated a state law they say protects the fracking industry when they passed their respective referendums. “It's not a surprise that the Colorado Oil & Gas Association would take this position,” Laurie Kadrich, director of community development and neighborhood services for the city of Fort Collins, told Bloomberg. “As a city, we have a responsibility to defend the voter-approved ordinance, so we’ll be looking into the contents of the lawsuit and we’ll respond appropriately,” Kadrich said.

For more on this story visit www.commondreams.org

By: Nick Wiltgen and Chris Dolce, 12/07/2013

A bitter cold air mass has spread across the western states and into the Plains and Midwest the last couple of days. On Saturday morning, temperatures dropped as low as -39 degrees in Havre, Mont. and Jordan, Mont. In some cities, the frigid air mass has been the coldest seen in years or has broken daily record lows.

For more information visit www.wunderground.com