Taco Bell, KFC stop using oils that contain trans fats

The KFC restaurant chain announced today that all 5,500 of its U.S. restaurants have stopped frying chicken in artery-clogging trans fat.

The company had said in October that it was switching to a new soybean oil believed to be less likely to cause heart disease. "This idea is a positive one for consumers, and we do expect it's going to really appeal to people and bring them into our stores," said James O'Reilly, KFC's chief marketing officer.

Sister brand Taco Bell also said today that its U.S. restaurants have switched to oils with zero grams of trans fat. The two chains are subsidiaries of Louisville-based Yum Brands Inc., whose brands also include Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's and A&W.

The moves come amid a national push to rid diets of trans fat, which doctors say can raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol.

San Diego

Edwards says his programs might require a tax increase

Democratic presidential contender John Edwards said Sunday he would consider raising taxes on corporations and wealthy people to fund programs such as universal health care.

Edwards has long said he wants to repeal the tax cuts on upper-income earners enacted during the Bush presidency, but Sunday he seemed to go further, by saying he was open to raising them higher than they were before George W. Bush took office. He also said he would consider taxes on "excess profits," including those made by oil companies.

Edwards said it was more important to level with voters than to worry about the political consequences of advocating higher taxes. "It's just the truth," Edwards said at a news conference after his speech to the California Democratic Party convention. "It's the only way to fund the things that need to be done."

Edwards said his plan to provide universal health coverage would cost $90 billion to $120 billion a year.

Dixon, Ill.

Ex-Boy Scout official charged in sexual assaults on teen

A former regional Boy Scout official has been charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old Scout at least four times since July.

Charles Bickerstaff, 56, of Dixon, was charged with four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and four counts of criminal sexual assault, Lee County Correctional Officer Larry Schremp said Sunday. Bail was set at $2.5 million, and Bickerstaff remained in custody Sunday.

Bickerstaff retired last year as district executive for the Blackhawk Area Council, covering northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, of the Boy Scouts of America. The boy alerted authorities to the alleged abuse in late April, and investigators discovered journals in Bickerstaff's house that detailed facts supporting the boy's account, Lee County detective Sgt. David Glessner said.

Waycross, Ga.

Wildfire is 70% contained, expected to burn another week

Firefighters have managed to contain about 70 percent of the largest wildfire in Georgia history, which had charred 100 square miles of forest and swampland, officials said Sunday.

Firefighters patrolled a 16-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 1, which remained closed. Wind gusting to 15 mph and extreme drought conditions mean the fire will continue to rage for at least another week, officials said.

The blaze started April 16 near the Okefenokee Swamp.

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