A high-school drama teacher in Vancouver is accused of raping a student.

Governor John Kitzhaber says he's "concerned" with the limits on the amount of marijuana an Oregon resident will be allowed to possess at home.

A new federal report shows Oregon's high-school graduation rate is the lowest of any state in the union.

An electrical fire that spread to a 15-foot Christmas tree prompted a blaze that reduced a 16,000-square-foot riverfront mansion near Maryland's capital to ruins, killing a couple and four of their young grandchildren, investigators said Wednesday.

An Irish police officer on vacation in New Orleans was shot by an armed robber, one of the latest victims in a string of shootings that have put the city on edge as it gets ready to kick off Carnival festivities.

Orders for long-lasting manufactured goods dropped sharply in December, dragged lower by a big decline in demand for commercial aircraft. The Commerce Department says orders for durable goods fell 3.4% in December following a 2.1% decline in November. The weakness was led by a 55.5% plunge in the volatile category of commercial aircraft. (CNBC)

Sales of new U.S. homes accelerated strongly in December.  New home sales climbed 11.6% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 481,000. The gains were not enough to offset essentially flat home-buying over the course of 2014. Just 435,000 new homes were bought last year, a modest 1.2% improvement from 2013. (Associated Press)

U.S. consumer confidence shot up in January to the highest level since August 2007. Americans are feeling better about current economic conditions, including the job market. They are also more optimistic about business conditions over the next six months. (Associated Press)

Hillsboro-based Lattice Semiconductor is buying Silicon Image for $600 million. Lattice will pay a nearly 24% premium for the company.  Lattice will have to issue debt to complete the deal. (Oregon Live)
 

(Phoenix, AZ)  --  Seattle Seahawks star running back Marshawn Lynch always seems to leave them wanting more.  At yesterday's pre-Super Bowl Media Day event in Phoenix, Lynch answered all questions with the same statement: "I'm just here so I won't get fined."  Lynch has been fined tens of thousands of dollars over the past two seasons for failing to comply with NFL policy that requires players to meet with reporters at scheduled times.  Lynch sat at the table yesterday for the allotted four minutes and 30 seconds before the alarm went off on his cell phone and he got up and left.