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California Rep. Henry Waxman, elected in 1974 in Watergate's aftermath, has announced his retirement. The Democrat leaves behind one of the most substantive legislative records in the House's recent history, and was instrumental in the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

The only road into Valdez, Alaska, was reopened on Wednesday after an avalanche closed the city off from all highway traffic for nearly two weeks. Melissa Block speaks with Valdez City Manager John Hozey, who helped coordinate clean-up efforts for the city's more than 4,000 residents.

Along with submissions for our Weekly Innovation post, we've also received ideas for things that haven't been created yet, things that NPR readers want to see become a reality (like reversible tattoos or steering wheel fans). As we look ahead to 2014, here are our favorite ideas of the past year.

Patty Stonesifer once held a top spot at Microsoft. After that, she spent years at the helm of philanthropy giant the Gates Foundation. But this year, Stonesifer downsized. She's taken on a smaller-scale role as CEO of Martha's Table, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit that serves the poor.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote a letter Thursday to ten million of his closest friends. He wanted to let everyone know the league is doing everything it can to prevent concussions and that player safety is top priority. His letter came the day after excerpts of the book League of Denial, which details how the NFL ignored the evidence linking football to concussions and long-term brain damage, came out. Sportswriter Stefan Fatsis talks to Audie Cornish about this and other NFL news.

Three years after bariatic surgery, most people experienced health improvements. Yet some people benefited much more than others. Figuring out those differences would help doctors and patients understand who should have surgery and who should avoid it.

Running a hospital that scores well on keeping more patients alive or providing extensive charity care doesn't translate into a compensation bump for top executives. Nonprofit hospitals have been under scrutiny for paying high salaries to chief executives while skimping on benefits for their communities.

With the partial government shutdown in its 11th day, there's much speculation about a possible break in negotiations between the White House and Republicans. But despite the noise, very little seems firm.

Despite common perceptions, all pro cyclists did not use performance-enhancing drugs when Lance Armstrong was racing, says Joe Lindsey, a contributor to Bicycling magazine. "There were riders who made the right choice, and there were riders who made the wrong choice," he says.

A study of online conversation finds some big differences in geographically distinct parts of Florida around the issue of unemployment. This kind of information could be important to President Obama and Mitt Romney in how they shape their messages while visiting the state, and in advertisements.