Prosecutor drops case involving 2 police chiefs

October 31, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio — A prosecutor has dropped a case connected to two Ohio police chiefs who were accused of snooping on the woman who bore twins for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.

Special prosecutor Shawn Hervey said Friday he prefers to have Bruce Callarik testify in the other men’s upcoming trials.

All three were charged with a scheme to steal items from the surrogate’s eastern Ohio home and sell them to paparazzi.

Callarik had previously pleaded innocent to complicity to receiving stolen property. His lawyer says he will testify truthfully but not necessarily for or against anyone.

Rachael Ray to serve dinner in Wilmington

WILMINGTON, Ohio — Rachael Ray plans to serve an early Thanksgiving dinner to an Ohio community slammed by job losses. The talk-show host and cookbook author is offering people who live in Wilmington a free dinner Nov. 8 at the local convention center. The city in southwest Ohio has lost thousands of jobs due to the pullout of delivery company DHL Express.

Ray won’t be the first sympathetic celebrity to visit Wilmington. Jay Leno came to town in May to perform two free comedy shows. Residents who want tickets to Ray’s dinner must sign up online and will have to show ID proving they live in the Wilmington ZIP code.

Today’s birthdays

Anchorman Dan Rather is 78. Actor David Ogden Stiers (“M.A.S.H.”) is 67. Actress Deidre Hall (“Days of Our Lives”) is 61. Director Peter Jackson (“Lord of the Rings”) is 48. Drummer Larry Mullen of U2 is 48. Country singer Darryl Worley is 45. Actor Rob Schneider is 45. Guitarist Adrock of the Beastie Boys is 43. Musician Rob Van Winkle (Vanilla Ice) is 41. Actor Eddie Kaye Thomas (“American Pie”) is 29.