NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Lil Wayne injured riding skateboard

ST. LOUIS

Lil Wayne said Monday he is recovering after gashing his head at a St. Louis-area skateboard park.

The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., was in suburban St. Louis on Sunday for a performance at the outdoor Verizon Amphitheatre. KTVI-TV reported that Lil Wayne, accompanied by a large entourage, showed up Sunday at DePaul Health Center’s emergency room.

Hospital spokeswoman Jamie Newell said she could not confirm Lil Wayne was at the hospital, citing privacy laws. But Lil Wayne wrote about it on his Twitter account.

Lil Wayne will release his new album, “The Carter IV,” digitally after Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards, at which Lil Wayne will perform. The album, which features collaborations with Drake, Cory Gunz, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes and others, will be in stores Monday.

‘In Cold Blood’ house damaged by fire

HOLCOMB, Kan.

Firefighters have put out a small fire at a rural southwest Kansas farmhouse where four family members were killed in 1959, sparking Truman Capote to write the critically acclaimed novel “In Cold Blood.”

Garden City Fire Chief Allen Shelton says the fire started Sunday night in an upstairs bedroom, most likely after a cigarette was left unattended. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to a chair in the room, but the rest of the house sustained some smoke and water damage.

The Holcomb home was the scene of the horrific slayings of Herbert Clutter, a prominent farmer and community leader, and his wife, Bonnie Mae Fox, along with their children, 15-year-old Kenyon and 16-year-old Nancy.

The hunt for their killers mesmerized the nation, drawing journalists from across the country.

Kate Winslet escapes fire at island home

LONDON

Guests including Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet escaped uninjured when fire destroyed Richard Branson’s Caribbean home during a tropical storm Monday, said the British businessman.

The Virgin Group boss said about 20 people, including Winslet and her children, were staying in the eight-bedroom Great House on Necker, his private isle in the British Virgin Islands.

Branson said he was staying in another property around 100 yards away with his wife, Joan, and son Sam, 25.

He said the fire broke out around 4 a.m. during a tropical storm with lightning and high winds, and Sam managed to help evacuate Winslet and other guests from the house.

Tropical Storm Irene walloped the Virgin islands and headed toward Puerto Rico late Sunday and early Monday, strengthening into a hurricane Monday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Branson said the guests, including his 90-year-old mother and his daughter Holly, 29, all managed to get out safely.

Songwriter Leiber dies, known for ‘Hound Dog’

los angeles

Jerry Leiber, who with longtime partner Mike Stoller wrote “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Yakity Yak” and other hit songs that came to define early rock ‘n’ roll, has died. He was 78.

His death was confirmed Monday by his longtime publicist, Bobbi Marcus.

With Leiber as lyricist and Stoller as composer, the team channeled their blues and jazz backgrounds into pop songs performed by such artists as Elvis Presley, Dion and the Belmonts, the Coasters, the Drifters and Ben E. King in a way that would help create a joyous new musical style.

From their breakout hit, blues great Big Mama Thornton’s 1953 rendition of “Hound Dog,” until their songwriting took a more serious turn in 1969 with Peggy Lee’s recording of “Is That All There Is?” the pair remained one of the most successful teams in pop music history.

Vindicator wire services