Featured Updates

• Molester found slain in Corcoran prison cell CORCORAN, Calif. (AP) — Investigators at California State Prison-Corcoran are investigating as a homicide the death of an inmate who was a convicted child molester. On Thursday corrections officials found the 63-year-old unresponsive in his...
• Bill would require correct ID in debt-collections SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Debt collectors would have to make sure they are going after the right person under a bill approved by the state Senate on Friday. Democratic Sen. Mark Leno of San Francisco said some unscrupulous debt-buyers don't...
• First lady to students: 'I have failed at things' WASHINGTON (AP) — Failure is OK, but continuing to work hard is more important, Michelle Obama said Friday. That was the message the first lady delivered to students at an elementary school where the arts are being used to help boost student...
• Cannes: Dern a leading man again in 'Nebraska' CANNES, France (AP) — For the aging, gruff patriarch of his father-son road trip "Nebraska," Alexander Payne tried to lure Gene Hackman out of retirement and considered the likes of Robert Duvall and Jack Nicholson. Bruce Dern calls them "the...
• Patrick: Another Indy 500 'less and less likely' CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Danica Patrick still follows the Indianapolis 500 closely, even pre-organizing her race day schedule this Sunday so she can watch most of the event. As for participating in the race again, that's a different...
• Students safe after armed man reported at school THORNTON, Colo. (AP) — Armed officers and worried parents rushed to a Denver-area high school as students hunkered down in closets and classrooms Friday after a report of a gunman near campus on the last day of class before summer vacation, but...
• Toronto mayor denies he smokes crack cocaine TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Mayor Rob Ford denied Friday that he smokes crack cocaine and said he is not an addict after a video purported to show him using the drug. The mayor of Canada's largest city did not say whether he has ever used...
• Furlough Friday: Unpaid day off for many in government WASHINGTON (AP) — No one answered the tax-help hotline at the IRS on Friday. And you could forget about getting advice on avoiding foreclosures at the 80 Housing and Urban Development field offices nationwide. It was "furlough Friday." Roughly 5...
• Damage reported from magnitude-5.7 quake in Calif. GREENVILLE, Calif. (AP) — Residents in rural northeastern California assessed damage to their homes and businesses Friday from a magnitude-5.7 earthquake, one of the strongest temblors to hit the densely forested region in decades. The quake...
• NBC to air Blake Shelton's benefit for Oklahomans (AP) - NBC and sister networks will air Blake Shelton's concert to help his fellow Oklahomans affected by this week's storms in their home state. Shelton's "Healing in the Heartland" benefit will be broadcast live as a telethon by NBC on May...
• LA sanitation ends plans for dump near Joshua Tree LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County's sanitation districts are no longer pursuing plans to build a 4,000-acre landfill near Joshua Tree National Park on former mine land. David Rothbart, supervising engineer at the Sanitation Districts of...
• After vote on gay youth, Scouts face more turmoil (AP) - The Boy Scouts of America will get no reprieve from controversy after a contentious vote to accept openly gay boys as Scouts. Dismayed conservatives are already looking at alternative youth groups as they predict a mass exodus from the...