NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

NYC TV reporter dies after brain hemorrhage

NEW YORK

A veteran New York television reporter has died after suffering a brain hemorrhage after covering a story.

WABC-TV says 49-year-old Lisa Colagrossi was stricken while returning to the station from a fire scene Thursday. Colagrossi was taken to a hospital, where she died Friday.

Colagrossi joined WABC-TV shortly after the World Trade Center attacks in 2001. She was previously an anchor for WKMG-TV in Orlando, Fla.

Colagrossi began her journalism career at WKYC-TV in her hometown of Cleveland.

WABC-TV news director Camille Edwards says Colagrossi’s “bright smile and big blue eyes lit up our newsroom.” Edwards says Colagrossi had “two wonderful qualities: grace and grit.”

Colagrossi lived in Stamford, Conn. She is survived by her husband and two sons.

Legend: Verdict may set scary precedent

AUSTIN, Texas

John Legend says he’s concerned that the “Blurred Lines” verdict could set a scary precedent for artists creating music inspired by others.

Legend told The Associated Press on Saturday that the song sounds like Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up,” but says “you have to be careful when it comes to copyrights, whether just sounding like or feeling like something is enough to say you violated their copyrights.”

Pharrell and Robin Thicke were ordered to pay nearly $7.4 million to three of Gaye’s children after a jury determined the performers copied elements of the Gaye’s 1977 hit.

Legend says he’s “a little concerned that this verdict might be a slippery slope.”

Legend performed Saturday during South by Southwest in Austin.

Manilow giving piano to NY school district

UNIONDALE, N.Y.

Barry Manilow is giving a piano to a New York school district, and he’s urging others to donate musical instruments for schoolchildren to play.

Newsday reported that the 71-year-old Manilow is donating a piano to the Uniondale school district on Long Island.

Manilow says music is “a vital part of a child’s education.”

Uniondale Superintendent William Lloyd says he hopes Manilow’s gift will encourage more donations and help students “build character to achieve success.”

The donation is part of the singer’s Manilow Music Project.

Manilow says he started the project to help public schools with depleted music programs.

Associated Press