'Star Wars' brain honored

'Star Wars' brain honored
LOS ANGELES -- Career-achievement prizes? Maybe for your ordinary, down-to-earth directors, not your interstellar filmmaking overlords. "Star Wars" creator George Lucas is receiving a "galactic-achievement award" next week at ShoWest, an annual convention of theater owners in Las Vegas. The honor being presented March 17 comes two months before the debut of the final installment in Lucas' sci-fi saga, "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith," chronicling the transformation of young hero Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) into the dark lord Darth Vader. "This unique award celebrates the enduring popularity of the 'Star Wars' movies and the enormous impact and influence they have had on audiences and popular culture," Mitch Neuhauser, co-manager of ShoWest, said Tuesday.
Wonder to rock Tiger Jam
LAS VEGAS -- Stevie Wonder will have Sin City "Dancing to the Rhythm" when the Grammy winner headlines the upcoming Tiger Jam VIII. The annual benefit concert sponsored by Tiger Woods is scheduled for May 21 at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino. "Stevie Wonder is a music legend, and I'm thrilled he's headlining Tiger Jam VIII," Woods said Tuesday. "He's very committed to social causes, which makes him a perfect fit to help raise awareness for the Tiger Woods Learning Center." Counting Crows also will perform at the concert, which raises more than $1 million annually for the Tiger Woods Foundation.
Levert indicted in assault
CLEVELAND -- A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Gerald Levert on assault charges in a confrontation with police during a traffic stop last month. Earlier this month, prosecutor Anthony Jordan said there was no evidence the R & amp;B singer caused serious physical harm to patrolmen Ronald W. Ross and Daniel Lentz. Levert, 38, was charged with drunken driving, impeding traffic, obstructing police business and resisting arrest. On Tuesday, a grand jury indicted Levert on two charges of felonious assault and a charge of obstructing official business. The grand jury indicted James Austin Jr., 27, on the same charges and a charge of assault on a police officer. A message was left Tuesday at Jordan's office seeking comment. Police said Levert and Austin, a passenger in his car, intervened when authorities stopped a friend of Levert's for speeding at 12:45 a.m. Feb. 25.
Judge stops sex footage
LONDON -- A British judge banned the broadcast of video footage showing Elizabeth Jagger engaging in "sexual activities" with her boyfriend in a nightclub. Jagger, daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, sought the injunction against John Darling, manager of Kabaret's Prophecy Nightclub in London. High Court Judge Rodger Bell ruled Wednesday that Jagger, 20, and boyfriend Calum Best, son of former soccer star George Best, had a "legitimate expectation of privacy" when they engaged in sexual activities just inside the club's doors Feb. 17. The couple were captured on a closed-circuit television camera that they had failed to notice. "Although the claimant may be said to be guilty of misconduct in a most general sense, she was not in my view on the present information guilty of such moral turpitude as to prevent her seeking her remedy from the court," the judge said.
Today's birthdays
Talk show host Ralph Emery is 72. Bluegrass/country singer-musician Norman Blake is 67. Actor Chuck Norris is 65. Playwright David Rabe is 65. Singer Dean Torrence (Jan and Dean) is 65. Actress Katharine Houghton is 60. Rock musician Tom Scholz (Boston) is 58. Actress Shannon Tweed is 48. Actress Sharon Stone is 47. Rock musician Gail Greenwood is 45. Rock musician Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam) is 42. Britain's Prince Edward is 41. Actress Jasmine Guy is 41. Singer Edie Brickell is 39. Actor Stephen Mailer is 39. Actress Paget Brewster is 36. Country singer Daryle Singletary is 34. Rapper-producer Timbaland is 33. Actor Cristian de la Fuente is 31. Actress Bree Turner is 28. Olympic gold-medal gymnast Shannon Miller is 28. Actress Emily Osment is 13.