With economic uncertainty tainting everyone's holiday spirit, consumers are bracing to stay within their budgets -- especially when it comes to Christmas shopping.

Food is expensive, job security is getting iffy and winter's big heating bills are coming.

Albertsons stores in Washington and Oregon will offer its Holiday Bucks -- Feed A Family program through Christmas starting Wednesday.

WASHINGTON -- The full scope of the housing meltdown isn't clear and already there are ominous signs of a new crisis -- one that could turn out the lights on malls, hotels and storefronts nationwide.

A state representative and two longtime farming couples will be inducted into the Agriculture Hall of Fame in January.

The Richland Personnel Committee is looking for a new member for a volunteer position ending Jan. 1, 2012.

The Port of Kennewick has hired Seattle-based Foster Pepper, one of the largest law firms in the Pacific Northwest, to do a comprehensive legal review of the two proposed options for the future of Vista Field.

Horizon Air is tweaking its schedule on some routes, including Pasco to Seattle, to streamline passengers' flight connections.

Coming soon to a couch near you: laziness. TiVo and Domino's announced that they're launching a service that allows you to order a pizza from your TV set-top box. Those who already have a Domino's account don't have to enter their address or name -- they just push a few buttons and wait for the pizza to arrive (they will have to get up off the couch to pay the delivery person, though).

Layaway is making a comeback this holiday season. Last week, Sears introduced the program at its stores nationwide in a bid to attract customers and increase sales. Customers asked for it, said Tom Aiello, divisional vice president of public relations at Sears Holdings Corp.

DETROIT They'll park some corporate jets, cut executive pay and serve up concessions from the United Auto Workers, but Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and perhaps Chrysler LLC also will have to address massive debts to persuade a skeptical Congress to loan them money.

NEW YORK Gold prices and other commodities tumbled Monday, as confirmation that the nation is in a recession further unnerved investors already concerned about a drop off in demand for raw materials.

WASHINGTON Most Americans sorely knew it already, but now it's official: The country is in a recession, and it's getting worse. Wall Street convulsed at the news - and a fresh batch of bad economic reports - tanking nearly 680 points. With the economic pain likely to stretch well into 2009, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday he stands ready to lower interest rates yet again and to explore other rescue or revival measures.

NEW YORK Yields on long-term U.S. government debt sank to record lows Monday as worries about mounting economic problems and a stock market plunge touched off another investor rush to safety. The possibility that the Federal Reserve could enter the Treasury market as a buyer also helped drive down yields.

NEW YORK The stock market suffered one of its worst days since the financial meltdown Monday, slicing 680 points off the Dow Jones industrial average as Wall Street snapped out of its daydream of a rally and once again faced the harsh reality of a recession.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Federal regulators have rejected proposed changes by the Federal Communications Commission that would require all U.S. cell phone towers to have at least eight hours of backup power.

NEW YORK A federal appeals court ruled Monday that a lower court went too far in ordering that two Qualcomm Inc. patents be held to be unenforceable.

NEW YORK Retailers who saw Thanksgiving holiday sales drop off as the weekend progressed stepped up online promotions on the day known as "Cyber Monday" to try to get consumers tired of the crowds at stores to keep shopping.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. Newly merged company Clearwire Corp. says it plans to sell its wireless broadband service under the brand name of "Clear."

NEW YORK Media mogul Sumner Redstone sold his majority stake in video game publisher Midway Games Inc. on Monday as his family's holding company looks to get out from under a $1.6 billion debt.