OK, sorry about the first two posts but now I really see what's happening and not happening. I took the release handle out from the kickpanel and all seemed well there. I took the covers off under the hood that hide the hood latches and saw that both return springs are still in place but the drivers side mechanism had stuck in the open postion (which also holds the other side open and keeps the release handle slack).

I lubed up the pivot points, and worked the mechanism back and forth a few times, and shut the hood. It stayed shut. I realeased it from the inside and opened it and the drivers side latch was stuck open again.

Should I just assume that the springs have lost their umph and get two new ones from the dealer and then WD-40 the crap out of the mechanism, or should I get two stronger springs? Will two stronger ones have a bad effect on the handle/cable (i.e. if you have to pull harder to release, will the cable stretch of the plastic handle break when it's real cold??)