National Park Service calls off deer hunt in Valley Forge (The Patriot-News) View full size AP Photo/Matt Rourke Deer in view of cannon at Valley Forge National Park, in Valley Forge. The National Park Service has called off a planned deer hunt at Valley Forge National Historical Park this winter. [News Source]

Valley Forge sharpshooter deer hunt postponed (AP via Yahoo! News) The National Park Service has called off its plan to deploy silencer-equipped sharpshooters this winter to cull the nearly 1,300 deer overtaking Valley Forge. [News Source]

Disease outbreak response hit and miss. SARS, West Nile disease, H1N1 and BSE have convinced Dr. Bhagirath Singh that Canada needs to do more to get ready for the next disease outbreak. [News Source]

Mad cow disease ‘could return in second wave.’ Nearly half the population, who were thought to be immune to the infection, might simply take much longer to show symptoms. [News Source]

School lunches follow USDAâregs (Williston Herald) Reducing fat content while still providing five combined servings of meat, vegetables or fruit, grains and milk remains the focus of school lunches across North Dakota and nationally. [News Source]

NSF Grant Benefits Chemistry Research/local H.S. Outreach (Medical News Today) The National Science Foundation has announced an award of a $247,553 to Enrique Peacock-Lopez, professor of chemistry at Williams College, in support of his project, "A Dynamical Study of Chemical Self-Replication and Regulatory Mechanisms." The research will include the participation of undergraduate students and, in addition, the project will support upgrading local high school chemistry ... [News Source]

The almanac (UPI) By United Press International UPI Almanac for Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009. [News Source]