newsmakers

newsmakers

Britney Spears makes Las Vegas entrance

LAS VEGAS

The Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is planning a lavish welcome for Britney Spears on Tuesday afternoon before the pop icon starts her two-year Las Vegas residency.

Her show debuts Dec. 27, just in time for Sin City’s massive New Year’s crowds. The 32-year-old will perform 50 shows each in 2014 and 2015, performing her top hits and more recent material.

The show will take place in a relatively small theater with nightclub touches, including table and bottle service.

Spears has released seven platinum-plus albums since she debuted on the music scene in 1999. She has more than a dozen Top 10 hits, including “Toxic,” “Gimme More” and “Oops! ... I Did It Again.”

Her eighth album, “Britney Jean,” was released this week to tepid reviews.

‘Curb Appeal’ co-host dies in cycle crash

SAN FRANCISCO

A co-host of the HGTV show “Curb Appeal” has been killed in a motorcycle accident in San Francisco.

The San Francisco medical examiner identified 38-year-old Bill Beckwith as the victim of a crash near the city’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood Monday night. He was riding a motorcycle that was struck by a car.

Beckwith was one of the three hosts of “Curb Appeal,” which features home renovations. He was a carpenter and general contractor who grew up on a farm in Maine and owned his own Bay Area construction business.

HGTV says in a statement that his creativity, adventurous spirit and general love of life will be missed.

Police say Beckwith suffered head trauma and was pronounced dead at a hospital. The 30-year-old driver of the car that struck him is cooperating with the investigation.Gown worn by Diana fetches $167,000

LONDON

A lavish white and gold ballet-inspired ball gown worn by Princess Diana has fetched $167,000 at a London auction.

Kerry Taylor Auction said the strapless gown, which features gold sequins, rhinestones and pearl beads, was not designed for Diana — but the royal chose it herself from a collection by her favorite designers, the Emanuels.

The auction house said Diana wore the dress, which came with a matching headband and optional sleeves, on various occasions.

It said the dress’ auction price exceeded initial estimates and went to an unidentified museum abroad.

Natural history museum diorama painter dies in Vt.

TOWNSEND, Vt.

A painter who created dioramas for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City has died. Fred F. Scherer died Nov. 25 in the Vermont town of Townshend. He was 98.

His daughter, Deidre Scherer, also an artist, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that millions of people have walked by the dioramas and not known who the artists were.

Fred Scherer was born in Queens, N.Y., and learned how to paint dioramas — three-dimensional background scenes — from artist James Perry Wilson.

From 1934 to 1972, he created or collaborated on many dioramas in the museum. His daughter says he created at least 15 of them in the Chapman Memorial Bird Hall, the African Hall and the North American Mammal Hall.

Associated Press