HELENA, Mont. — Frank Dryman first escaped hanging, then he just escaped. He wasn't found for four decades until he was discovered running a wedding chapel in Arizona, some 1,300 miles south of the Montana town where he killed a man who had offered him a ride in a blizzard.

March 18, 2005

CONRAD, Mont. - Prosecutors on Monday reached a plea deal with the man accused of plotting to abduct David Letterman's young son, allowing him to plead guilty to lesser charges and dropping a kidnapping-related charge in return.

BUTTE, Mont. - Two inmates, including one who was once accused of plotting to kidnap David Letterman's son, escaped Friday in a truck while working at a state prison ranch. Kelly A. Frank, 45, and convicted burglar William J. Willcutt, 22, were assigned to a crew that moves irrigation pipe at the prison ranch, jail officials said.

TUCSON — The second anniversary of the rampage that wounded Gabrielle Giffords included the customary solemn remembrances and chiming of bells to recall the victims of the tragedy. It also included a new role for the wounded former congresswoman as a national gun control advocate.

LOS ANGELES - Take Hugh Hefner out of the running. "I can make clear at this time," he says, "that I am not the father of the child."

Defensive tackle Shane Collins is among five Arizona State athletes who will be inducted into the school's Sports Hall of Fame, ASU announced Wednesday.

Paul Hotchkiss remembers it all.

FRESNO, Calif. — Tinker to Evers to Chance. If you're a big-time baseball fan, those words probably mean something to you.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Chinese President Hu Jintao wraps up his four-day U.S. tour Friday at Yale University, where he is expected to offer reassurances that China seeks a peaceful rise to economic prosperity, a theme he articulated this week at a Boeing jet plant and the White House.

Visit award-winning Van Chevrolet in Scottsdale for all the "SS" products. Van treats its customers with no pressure and lots of respect and they stand behind their service after the sale. And BMW Motorcycles of Scottsdale hosts an exciting demonstration event showing what police motorcycles can do complete with a "wheelie" machine and stunt drivers.

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TUCSON - For a sophomore Matthew Mathers showed a lot of maturity and restraint early in the season.

WASHINGTON -- After a summer of setbacks, President Barack Obama sought to resuscitate the drive for sweeping health care legislation Wednesday night with a high-stakes speech in prime time to lawmakers and an increasingly skeptical public.

WASHINGTON  — After weeks of turmoil, House Democrats reached a shaky peace with the party's rebellious rank-and-file conservatives Wednesday to clear the way for a vote in September on sweeping health care legislation.

NEW YORK - Natasha Richardson, a gifted and precocious heiress to acting royalty whose career highlights included the film "Patty Hearst" and a Tony-winning performance in a stage revival of "Cabaret," died Wednesday at age 45 after suffering a head injury during a beginners' ski lesson.

NEW YORK - If Fidel Castro died tomorrow, the U.S. embargo against Cuba could not be lifted like any other — as President Bush undid by decree the 18-year trade sanctions against Libya in April or President Clinton lifted the 19-year ban against Vietnam in 1994.

The spring election season took shape Wednesday as City Council hopefuls in four East Valley jurisdictions filed papers to get on the ballot. The races will likely include battles over a potential property tax in Mesa, eminent domain in Tempe and rapid growth in Chandler and Queen Creek.

The spring election season took shape Wednesday as City Council hopefuls in four East Valley jurisdictions filed papers to get on the ballot. The races will likely include battles over a potential property tax in Mesa, eminent domain in Tempe and rapid growth in Chandler and Queen Creek.

Primary elections Tuesday in the East Valley include mayoral races in Chandler and Queen Creek, and council races in Mesa, Tempe, Chandler and Queen Creek.

Tempe City Council incumbent Ben Arredondo leads all East Valley candidates this season with nearly $144,000 in campaign contributions. Chandler Mayor Boyd Dunn is next with $76,000 to date, followed by his challenger, Chandler City Councilman Phill Westbrooks, with nearly $63,000.

Tempe City Council incumbent Ben Arredondo leads all East Valley candidates this season with nearly $144,000 in campaign contributions. Chandler Mayor Boyd Dunn is next with $76,000 to date, followed by his challenger, Chandler City Councilman Phill Westbrooks, with nearly $63,000.

At 17, Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove a stock car under the lights for the first time in 1994 at the Concord Speedway in North Carolina, racing an old, beat-up Chevrolet Monte Carlo he had purchased for $200.

Ken Koziol, vice president of Arizona Event Co., knows a thing or two about staging large-scale events — his firm organizes the annual Fiesta Bowl Block Party in downtown Tempe. The seeds for this weekend's Tempe Music Festival were sown during preparations for one of the annual New Year's Eve events.