Tuesday Night Links

1. Northwest Natural Gas Co. has asked Oregon regulators for permission to reduce rates for residential customers by 8% and commercial users by 9%.  The Portland-based company also filed a request in Washington to curb residential rates there by 9% and commercial rates by 9.5%, because of the "oceans of natural gas" in the U.S. and historic low prices.  

2. New Hampshire home sales increased in July by a jaw-dropping 52% compared to a year ago. 

3. McDonald's plans to open its first veggie-only restaurant next year in India.

4. Production of the well-known, but seldom-sold Chevy Volt electric car will be suspended for a month due to slow sales. 

5. In Phoenix, foreclosure resales in July dropped to a nearly 4.5-year low, helping the median sale price rise 25% from a year earlier, following price increases of 23.1% in June, 25% in May, and 18.3% in April. 

6. Alcohol kills. Fresno State University student dies after a night of binge drinking at the Theta Chi frat house.  And yet many Americans and politicians of both parties continue to support sending other Americans to jail for smoking weeds and preventing other sick Americans from using weeds for medicinal purposes?

7. Belize plans to enter the medical tourism business.