Legendary blues singer Etta James dies in Calif.

Etta James, the powerful blues voice behind the chart-topping 1961 evergreen "At Last," has died after a lengthy struggle with leukemia. She was 83. Her longtime friend and manager, Lupe De Leon, first confirmed the news. "This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world," De Leon said. "She was a true original who could sing it all – her music defied category. I worked with Etta for over 30 years. She was my friend and I will miss her always." Because of her health concerns, James had curtailed her concerts in January 2010 to enter the hospital with a blood infection, among other ailments, including Alzheimer's disease. In May 2011, James was again admitted to a hospital in Riverside, Calif., with a urinary tract infection and the blood infection sepsis, her son Sametto James told Reuters at the time. The winner of four Grammys and a 1993 inductee to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, James was portrayed in the 2008 movie Cadillac Records by Beyoncé Knowles.  Her drug problems landed husband Artis Mills (whom she married in 1969) behind bars from 1972 to 1982, when he took the fall for the couple's arrest on heroin-possession charges. James made several trips to rehab, including a 17-month stint in the mid-'70s, without success. Finally, during a 1988 stay in the Betty Ford Clinic, just before her 50th birthday, this time for a codeine addiction, "I took back my life," says James, who remained clean after that. She suffered from dementia, kidney problems and leukemia. Her husband and her two sons fought over control of her $1 million estate, though a deal was later struck keeping Mills as the conservator and capping the singer's expenses at $350,000. In December 2011, her physician announced that her leukemia was terminal, and asked for prayers for the singer.


Kenny G's Wife Files for Legal Separation

The famous saxophone player's wife, Lyndie Benson, has filed for legal separation in Los Angeles Superior Court. The couple has two sons, Max and Noah. Kenny G. (last name: Gorlecki) is worth around $50 million -- which explains why he's hired high-power divorce attorney Laura Wasser. Her former clients include Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman. Benson, meanwhile, has enlisted the services of lawyer Gary Fishbein, who previously repped Halle Berry's ex Gabriel Aubry and rocker Nikki Sixx.

Rupert Murdoch firm pays Jude Law $200,000 in tabloid scandal
Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper company on Thursday agreed to pay actor Jude Law 130,000 pounds (about $200,000) to settle claims against the News of the World and The Sun tabloids. News Group Newspapers (NGN) accepted that 16 articles about Law published in the now-defunct News of the World tabloid between 2003 and 2006 had been obtained by phone hacking, and that the actor had also been placed under "repeated and sustained physical surveillance." The company also admitted that articles in The Sun tabloid misused Law's private information but did not give further details. The agreement with the actor was among 36 cases the company said Thursday it would be settling, including soccer player Ashley Cole and former British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. Actress Sienna Miller had reached an earlier settlement with the company. In a statement that could further damage the company's reputation, lawyers for victims who have reached settlements said the agreements were based on News Group Newspapers acknowledging senior executives tried to hide evidence. In all, Murdoch's company was facing 60 hacking lawsuits. The settlements were made public at a court hearing in London on Thursday, although financial details were not disclosed. Criminal probes are now under way into the phone hacking and allegations of payoffs to police. Cameron launched a judge-led inquiry into Britain's press ethics. News Corp was forced to scrap plans to take full control of Britain's highly profitable satellite broadcaster BSkyB.



Gingrich ex-wife claims he sought 'open' relationship

In excerpts of an interview scheduled to air on Thursday night, Marianne Gingrich claims that her ex-husband, Newt Gingrich, sought an "open marriage" before their own relationship ended. In the interview with ABC News, Marianne Gingrich claims that when the then-House speaker told her of a long-term, six-year affair he was having with a congressional staffer (Callista Bisek, now his third wife), he asked if he could remain married to Marianne and continue the affair. "I just stared at him and he said, 'Callista doesn't care what I do,'" Marianne Gingrich told ABC News. "He wanted an open marriage and I refused." Marianne Gingrich, the former speaker's second wife, also alleged that her ex-husband conducted his affair "in my bedroom in our apartment in Washington." According to Marianne Gingrich, her relationship with him began while Newt Gingrich was still married, but in divorce proceedings, with his first wife, Jackie. At the time, Jackie Gingrich was being treated for cancer. At a campaign stop in South Carolina, Gingrich called the statements by Marianne Gingrich, "tawdry and inappropriate," but wouldn't go further. His third wife, Callista Gingrich, stood a few feet behind him.

Terrell Owens Officially Joining Allen Wranglers of Indoor Football League

Three weeks after GM Drew Pearson announced that the Allen Wranglers were close to signing Terrell Owens, the receiver made the announcement official. “I’m headed back to Texas. IFL, here I come. Allen, Texas, here I come,” he said in a video linked on his Twitter account. “Allen, Texas … I’ll see you in the end zone.” T.O.’s tweet linking to the video aptly said “Getcha popcorn ready.” Owens will be a wide receiver and co-owner for the Indoor Football League franchise. “[Owens] has an ownership stake,” co-owner Jon Frankel said. “This is a business decision. I’m glad everybody looks at the players’ aspects. I can’t believe T.O. will come out of that tunnel for the Allen Wranglers.” T.O. played 15 seasons in the NFL but was unable to land a job this season after recovering from knee surgery. He’s apparently ready to play in the team’s February 25th season opener.

Heather Locklear Secretly Entered Rehab After Jack Wagner Split

Heather Locklear's private pain was made public when she was rushed to the Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. on January 12. (The actress' sister was reportedly scared the '90s TV star had overdosed on a combination of alcohol and prescription pills.) Locklear's problems only worsened when she and beau of four years, Jack Wagner, called off their engagement in November. "She doesn't get out of bed most days," the source explains, adding that "Jack kept her on the straight and narrow, but he couldn't keep Heather sober."  Though Wagner, 52, "begged her to go to rehab," it wasn't until after their breakup that Locklear "entered a treatment program, which her family was able to keep quiet."

Bengals WR Jerome Simpson Reportedly Indicted For Trafficking Marijuana

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jerome Simpson was ‘indicted by the Kenton County Grand Jury for Trafficking Marijuana (over eight ounces but less than five pounds), which is a Class D Felony and is punishable by one to five years in prison.’  I think you will agree that anything over eight ounces we can all safely say, is not for personal consumption. In September of this year police searched his home after they claimed a package containing 2.5 pounds of marijuana was delivered there. Investigators claimed that they found six more pounds of marijuana at his home.  narcotics unit devoted to detecting and tracking suspected marijuana shipments flagged the package, which originated in Eureka, Calif., at a Sacramento shipping center. California authorities then alerted Kentucky law enforcement agents about the package. When the package arrived at Simpson’s townhouse in the 2700 block of Mansion Place, Simpson’s 27-year-old girlfriend Aleen Smith accepted it from the delivery man, authorities said. Since that time the NFL said they would not take disciplinary action until the police had fully investigated the incident.  It looks like the police have done so and have indicted Jerome with the Class D Felony.