Cheryl Wetzstein
Articles by Cheryl Wetzstein
College degree, religious faith help marriages ‘survive’ to 20th year
America's marriage culture may be changing, but two statistics look about the same as they did 30 years ago. Published March 22, 2012
Study: Families trending toward open adoptions
An estimated 95 percent of U.S. infant adoptions now have some level of openness between birth parents and adoptive parents, unlike earlier decades, when such contact was routinely denied, says a report released Wednesday.. Published March 21, 2012
Panel’s ruling a boost to anti-smoking warnings
The federal government can require tobacco companies to "reserve significant packaging space" for anti-smoking warnings and graphic images on their cigarette labels, a three-judge appellate panel ruled Monday. Published March 19, 2012
Marriage education no sure solution
Marriage education improves relationships and lowers levels of marital distress, but doesn't deter divorce, at least in the short-term, says a new federally funded study. Published March 18, 2012
Number of adults returning to their family homes growing
It's been confirmed: They are down with living in the basement. Published March 15, 2012
Planned Parenthood accused of $6M fraud
A Planned Parenthood affiliate in Texas knowingly sent in about $6 million in false claims to Medicaid and took steps to cover up its acts, says a federal "whistleblower" lawsuit that was unsealed Friday. Published March 11, 2012
Agriculture official defends vigilance on food stamps
Obama administration officials at a House hearing Thursday tried to push back against recent investigative reports detailing problems and fraud in the nation's food-stamp program. Published March 8, 2012
Group calls study on mental health, abortion ‘debunked’
In the simmering battle over abortion and mental-health problems, a reproductive-health organization says a published study linking the two has been "decisively debunked," while the lead author of the study says her findings still stand. Published March 5, 2012
Obama defunds ‘snowflake babies’
The federal government's only program aimed at preventing the discarding of "extra" frozen human embryos is itself in danger of being discarded. Published March 4, 2012
Court snuffs out FDA rule on cigarette-pack notices
The federal government cannot force tobacco companies to put large graphic images and anti-smoking warnings on their cigarette packages, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. Published February 29, 2012
Doctors call for HPV shots for boys
Despite lackluster acceptance among girls for a vaccine to prevent cancer-causing sexually transmitted viruses, the American Academy of Pediatrics is fully recommending that boys get the shots as well. Published February 27, 2012
Washington state can’t force pharmacies to sell emergency-contraception pill
Washington state officials are permanently blocked from enforcing rules that tell pharmacies and pharmacists they have to stock emergency-contraception products regardless of any religious objections, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. Published February 22, 2012
Battle lines are drawn over whether Obama is waging a war on religion
There's a war raging over the "war on religion." President Obama's public clash with U.S. Catholic bishops in recent weeks over the issue of health insurance coverage for birth-control services has ignited a wider debate over whether the administration's policies such as gay marriage, abortion and employment-discrimination laws are running roughshod over religious freedom. Published February 20, 2012
Obama contraception mandate gets support from Catholics
A group of Catholic leaders went against the church's bishops Wednesday and called for support of President Obama's latest contraception-insurance policy, though the call happened the same day a prominent group of Catholic priests filed a federal lawsuit against it. Published February 15, 2012
No end near in uproar over insurance coverage of contraception
President Obama's efforts last week have failed to quell the fury over his decision to require most health plans to cover contraception. Republicans are still promising a fight in Congress, and two leading Catholic groups remain on the fence although the administration thought they had been won over. Published February 14, 2012
Furor on dictate over contraception coverage intensifying
There are no signs the national furor is ebbing over the Obama administration's plans to require that either employers or their insurance companies provide birth-control services at no extra cost to their female employees. Published February 13, 2012
White House says contraception compromise will stand
White House Chief of Staff Jacob Lew said Sunday the Obama administration has no plans to compromise further on its controversial mandate that religious organizations provide contraception services in their employee insurance plans. Published February 12, 2012
Abuse’s big toll on littlest victims
An estimated 4,500 children were so badly abused in 2006 they needed to be taken to a hospital, and 300 of them — mostly babies — died of their injuries, says a first-of-its-kind study released online Monday in the journal Pediatrics. Published February 6, 2012
U.S. marriage rate continues decline; men tie knot later
The third annual National Marriage Week USA begins Tuesday amid a tumultuous state of the union. Published February 5, 2012
Girl Scouts push for girls to become captains of industry
Backed by 100 years of experience, Girl Scouts are unleashing a campaign to ensure that girls will strive harder to become captains of industry. Published January 31, 2012
