Meadows Valley Public Library

It took over five years for Nathaniel Rich to finish his first novel — maybe because he was writing The Mayor's Tongue secretly, first as a college student, and then while writing film criticism during the day.

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The NCAA men's basketball tournament featured more surprises as first-round play continued Friday. Cornell, Missouri and Georgia Tech were all underdog winners.

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The divisive issue of abortion is once again causing problems for House Democrats as they work toward a Sunday vote on health care legislation.

The Colts announced the additions of two coaches on Friday. Former Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner will take over as wide receivers coach, while former Kansas State coach Ron Prince joins the staff as an assistant offensive line coach. 2010-03-20T00:05:00Z NFL.com

The Tennessee Titans acquired defensive end Jason Babin on Friday after the Philadelphia Eagles declined to match an offer sheet. 2010-03-19T23:56:00Z NFL.com Wire Reports

President Barack Obama will make a final public plea for health care reform Friday, framing the upcoming congressional vote as a showdown between ordinary Americans and big insurance companies, White House aides say.

The Red River kept rising to dangerous levels Friday as those in the area hoped they'd done enough to protect themselves.

If the health care reform bill passes, many of the provisions won't go into effect until years later. But there are some items that will be implemented in the first year after passage.

British Airways cabin crew members opted to go ahead with a strike this weekend after talks between the union and the airline broke down.

Anna Nicole Smith's estate is not entitled to $300 million the deceased actress had claimed was intended as a gift from her oil tycoon husband, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.

A federal judge said Friday that he will not approve a proposed $657 million settlement for people sickened after working on the World Trade Center site until it is negotiated further.

Cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, who last played in the NFL two years ago, worked out for teams Friday at a New Orleans-area high school. He also met with Detroit Lions officials in the morning, according to a league source. La Canfora, Jason 2010-03-19T21:45:00Z NFL.com

The state of Florida must fund some of Casey Anthony's defense in her first-degree murder trial for the death of daughter Caylee, a judge ruled Friday.

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ripped into the $657 million deal to compensate workers sickened by ash and dust from the collapsed World Trade Center. He said the figure was too low and workers did not have enough time to decide whether to accept the deal. "I will not preside over a settlement that is based on fear or ignorance," he said.

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A man who advised the 10 American Baptist missionaries accused of kidnapping 33 Haitian children after the earthquake there was arrested Thursday night in the Dominican Republic and accused of human trafficking, officials said Friday.

President Obama made an urgent plea for health reform ahead of Sunday's vote. Also: • Obama will address House Dems Saturday • More lawmakers announced decisions • Boehner called the vote "tight"

Swedish artist Lars Vilks has lived with a $100,000 bounty on his head since 2007 for a drawing he made depicting the Prophet Muhammad. But unlike the angry protest that erupted in 2005 after similar cartoons were published in Denmark, Swedes have remained largely silent on the controversy.

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Officials in Argentina's Mendoza province have authorized chemical castration for rapists after a significant increase in sexual assaults last year.

All of the 33 children that U.S. missionaries tried to take out of Haiti after the deadly January earthquake have been returned to their parents. But at least one mother says that she would consider giving up her children for a better life elsewhere than subject them to the desperate living conditions in Haiti.

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Dodgers Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully was released from a hospital Friday after a night of observation following a fall and a bumped on the head. Scully, 82, issued a statement thanking people for their thoughts and prayers and apologizing for any concerns he caused.

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