Dance, dance, dance! 10 parties for Obama

Dance, dance, dance! 10 parties for Obama

WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle will twirl their way through 10 official inaugural balls on Jan. 20. The Presidential Inaugural Committee said Wednesday that the Obamas would attend 10 official balls, one more than President George W. Bush and Laura Bush attended in 2005.

For ball-goers and Obama-watchers, a few questions remain: What will Michelle Obama wear? Which musical groups will perform? And will young daughters Sasha and Malia attend? No word from the committee on those fronts.

Six of the official balls will be held at the Washington Convention Center, with others at Union Station, the Washington Hilton, the National Building Museum and the DC Armory.

But the biggest parties this time may well be unofficial. MTV and BET are throwing televised parties, while the Creative Coalition will hold a gala to be headlined by Elvis Costello. Dionne Warwick is hosting the American Music Inaugural Ball.

Man who killed friend of rapper gets 66 years

CINCINNATI — A man convicted of killing a friend and assistant of T.I. has been sentenced to 66 years to life in prison.

A jury in Cincinnati last month convicted 34-year-old Hosea Thomas of murder, felonious assault and illegally having a gun after a felony conviction. Philant Johnson died in May 2006 during a running gun battle on Interstate 75 that followed a T.I. concert in Cincinnati.

The rap star, whose real name is Clifford Harris, took the stand during Thomas’ trial and said he believed the shots fired at his entourage were really meant for him. The Grammy-winning rapper was not hurt.

Suit against director of ‘Kingdom’ dismissed

LOS ANGELES — A lawsuit against director Peter Berg over an accident that killed an assistant propmaster on “The Kingdom” set has been dismissed.

The parents of Nick Papac sued Berg, a driver and a production company in August over an accident that killed their son in 2006.

Berg was riding in a sport utility vehicle that had an accident on a highway closed for filming the “The Kingdom.”

Today’s birthdays

Rhythm-and-blues singer John Edwards (The Spinners) is 64. Singer Jimmy Buffett is 62. Country singer Barbara Mandrell is 60. Actress Sissy Spacek is 59. Singer Annie Lennox is 54. Reggae singer-musician Robin Campbell (UB40) is 54. Singer Dido is 37.