The Napa Valley Register publishes monthly statistics on arrests and convictions for driving under the influence in Napa County. Statistics are published the first Monday of each month.

Lauren Meanza had always thought of the pop song “I Hope You Dance” as upbeat.

Newly elected Juliana Inman and Peter Mott took their Napa City Council seats Tuesday at City Hall before a crowd of applauding campaign supporters and city officials.

A Napa mother lost her life early Tuesday morning in a single-vehicle crash on Silverado Trail, south of Hagen Road.

A Napa family had an unexpected visitor Monday night.

The attorney representing Napa Valley College nursing students Ashley McManus and Christeta Amoren-Gonzalez and the attorney representing college’s nursing department, are in negotiations to resolve a grievance filed by the students earlier this year.

Napa County Registrar of Voters John Tuteur was back counting votes Tuesday, as his office responded to a recount request from American Canyon Mayor Cecil Shaver, who finished out of the running for a city council seat on Nov. 7.

Three Napa Valley vintners cited by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for illegally pouring wine at a consumer event have had their licenses suspended for 10 days.

Thanksgiving came and went just like any other day in the Ruiz household.

Napa resident Eric Copple pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to two counts of first degree murder in the Nov. 1, 2004, slayings of Adriane Insogna and Leslie Ann Mazzara in a west Napa home.

Eric Matthew Copple pleaded guilty Tuesday to the bloody slayings of two 26-year-old women in Napa in 2004, and will spend the rest of his life in state prison.

NEW YORK — New York on Tuesday became the first city in the nation to ban artery-clogging artificial trans fats at restaurants, leading the charge to limit consumption of an ingredient linked to heart disease and used in everything from french fries to pizza dough to pancake mix.

NEW YORK  — The popular online hangout MySpace said Tuesday it will develop technologies to help block convicted sex offenders, the site’s latest attempt to address complaints about sexual predators and other dangers to teens.

CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez snubbed a U.S. overture for dialogue on Tuesday, saying he is always willing to talk but doubts Washington sincerely wants to improve relations.

MERLIN, Ore. — Searchers scouring a rugged canyon Tuesday found a pair of pants matching the description of those worn by a missing man who struck out for help after his family’s car got stuck in the snow.

WASHINGTON  — Robert Gates, seemingly clinching confirmation as the new secretary of defense, said Tuesday the United States is not winning in Iraq and he’s confident President Bush will listen to his ideas about forging a new war strategy.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran has blocked access to the popular video-sharing Web site YouTube.com, and a media rights group warned Tuesday that Internet censorship in the Islamic state is on the rise.

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq’s prime minister reversed course Tuesday and said his envoys will talk with Iraq’s neighbors about the possibility of a regional conference on quelling the violence here, despite opposition to the plan by some key political allies.

SUVA, Fiji  — Fiji’s military overthrew the elected government Tuesday after weeks of threats, locking down the capital and putting the prime minister under house arrest in the fourth coup in the South Pacific country in 19 years.

CHICAGO  — New moms face increased risks for a variety of mental problems, not just postpartum depression, according to one of the largest studies of psychiatric illness after childbirth.