Connecticut

LAS VEGAS — Police said that rap music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight is in a Las Vegas jail on drug and assault charges after he was accused of beating his girlfriend while brandishing a knife.

The 43-year-old Knight was arrested about 6:40 a.m. Wednesday on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance, possession of dangerous drugs without a prescription and battery domestic violence.

Police responding to a report of a car hitting a curb near the Las Vegas Strip said that they found Knight standing over his longtime girlfriend with a knife in his hand.

Police said that the woman tried to run from the car, but Knight grabbed her. (Read the full post about ‘Suge Knight Accused Of Domestic Battery’…)

LOS ANGELES — Butterfly, freestyle, relay — monologue? Michael Phelps is trading the pool for the “Saturday Night Live” stage.

The record-breaking swimmer, who took home eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, will host the 34th season premiere of NBC’s late-night sketch-comedy series on Sept. 13. Joining the 23-year-old athlete as musical guest will be rapper Lil Wayne.

It will be the debut “SNL” appearances for both.

The network will air seven new “SNL” episodes before November’s presidential election. The Sept. 13 premiere will mark the beginning of four new “SNL” shows in a row. (Read the full post about ‘Michael Phelps To Open ‘SNL’ Season’…)

ATLANTA — After 50 years in the music business, Kenny Rogers is thinking about hanging up his microphone for good.

Rogers said that his next album may be his last. The 70-year-old country music legend cited family obligations, specifically his identical 4-year-old twin boys.

“They say having kids at my age either makes you or breaks you and I’m leaning heavily toward break right now,” Rogers said.

Rogers came out with a career retrospective CD this week called, “Kenny Rogers: 50 Years.”

The release is being sold exclusively through Cracker Barrel restaurants. The 12-track CD includes hits such as “Lucille” and “The Gambler,” and features three new songs. (Read the full post about ‘Kenny Rogers Hints Next Album May Be Last’…)

MINNEAPOLIS — First the gold, then the Wheaties.

At the Olympics in Beijing this month, Nastia Liukin followed in the footsteps of Mary Lou Retton and Carly Patterson, the two other American gymnasts who have won Olympic gold in the all-around competition. Now she and American decathlete Bryan Clay will follow them onto the Wheaties cereal box.

Liukin and Clay will get their own special-edition Wheaties boxes, General Mills Inc. announced Thursday.

Liukin, who is from Parker, Texas, won five medals in the Beijing Olympics, including helping the U.S. win silver in the team competition. (Read the full post about ‘Wheaties To Honor Olympic Champions’…)

Connecticut’s own Ralph Nader is still out there, running for president. He is still drawing support, too.

Police search the home of a Hartford city councilwoman, apparently in connection with the Perez scandals.

As you know, Rep. Rosa DeLauro got to address the delegates in Denver yesterday. Here’s the video (posted by ctblogger):

The New Haven Independent has a great article about Dan Malloy and John DeStefano spending time in Denver.

(Read the full post about ‘News Roundup’…)

UPDATE [by Gabe]: Apparently, this was the brainchild of Karl Rove (less generous interpretation: Novak got rolled by Rove, again, in Rove’s attempt to kill the Lieberman for VP idea):

Republican strategist Karl Rove called Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) late last week and urged him to contact Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to withdraw his name from vice presidential consideration, according to three sources familiar with the conversation.

Lieberman dismissed the request, these sources agreed.

Lieberman “laughed at the suggestion and certainly did not call [McCain] on it,” said one source familiar with the details.

“Rove called Lieberman,” recounted a second source.

(Read the full post about ‘McCain/Lieberman? Closer Than We Think’…)

Rosa is speaking with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Nita Lowey, Rep. Hilda Solis, Rep. Louise Slaughter, Rep. Maxine Waters, Rep. Kathy Castor, and Rep. Lois Capps. They are at the podium now. Here are her remarks, as prepared:

I am Rosa DeLauro from the State of Connecticut.

Shelly in Utah wrote to Barack Obama to tell him about the discrimination she faced in the corporate world.

Ten years ago, because of stories like hers, I introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Every year, the Republican Congress blocked our bill. But after ten long years and a new Democratic Congress, we were successful.

That doesn’t mean our work is done.

(Read the full post about ‘Rep. DeLauro’s Comments from the DNCC Podium’…)

Shelton’s charter revision, which goes before voters this November, has come up with an interesting change:

And if the recommendations pass, the city’s longest-serving member of the Board of Aldermen will have a difficult decision to make — give up either that seat or his position as the city’s Democratic registrar of voters.
[…]
Those changes include a provision that prohibits any elected official from holding two elected offices. Initially, the commission had included a provision that Aldermen Jack Finn, D-1, and Jason Perillo, R-2, would be exempt from that requirement, but later took that out after Perillo protested that it would be wrong to give the two men that pass.

(Read the full post about ‘Shelton Charter Revision: Hold One Job Only’…)

LOS ANGELES — Actor Charlie Sheen is about to become a dad for the fourth time: His new wife, Brooke Mueller, is pregnant.

Sheen has three daughters already: two girls with ex-wife, Denise Richards; and a 25-year-old — Cassandra Jade Estevez.

Estevez’s mother is Sheen’s former girlfriend Paula Profit.

Sheen and Mueller got married in May. He said that they’re both thrilled and he knows “she’ll be an amazing mom.”

After three girls, Sheen adds, unless he bats “100 percent, perhaps a boy awaits us.”

NEW YORK — It’s not just Simon, Randy and Paula anymore.

A fourth judge has been added to “American Idol.” Kara Dioguardi has written songs for Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion and many others.

An “Idol” executive producer said that they originally intended to have four judges. She didn’t say why it’s taken eight seasons to add another judge.

The eighth season of “American Idol” premieres in January.