Divorce News Blog @newzblogz.com

Robert Webber was bullied by his brother Russell Webber into helping kill their landlord, Jose Chacon, his lawyer told a jury Wednesday, and when he first began assisting, he thought the man already was dead.

Robert Webber, 47, is asking a jury to decide his punishment after pleading guilty in Judge Sid Harle's 226th District Court.

Russell Webber pleaded guilty in December and was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the March 3, 2006, murder. His brother faces five to 99 years or life.

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DANVILLE, Calif. - Author Terry McMillan is suing her former husband for $40 million, alleging that he tried to smear her reputation during their highly publicized 2005 divorce.

McMillan, 55, filed the complaint Wednesday in Contra Costa County Superior Court against Jonathan Plummer, 32, who inspired her best-selling 1996 novel, "How Stella Got Her Groove Back." The book, later adapted into a movie starring Angela Bassett and Taye Diggs, chronicled the adventures of a 40-something woman who falls for a guy half her age.

The lawsuit claims Plummer, a Jamaica native, married McMillan in 1998 only to become a U.S. citizen. He later announced that he's gay.

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DANVILLE, Calif. - Author Terry McMillan filed a $40 million lawsuit Wednesday against her former husband, alleging that he tried to smear her reputation during their well-publicized 2005 divorce.

McMillan, 55, said 32-year-old Jonathan Plummer, who inspired her best-selling novel, "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" and then announced he is gay, wanted to force her to cancel a prenuptial agreement.

In her complaint, McMillan said Plummer married her in 1998 only to become an American citizen.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Pebbles, a sweet-faced Yorkshire terrier, has been battling kidney failure since eating dog food that was later recalled. Her story, told in newspaper and TV reports, has made her fight for life a symbol of the food scare's impact on pets and owners nationwide. "It's just terrible to see her go through this," Pebbles owner, Jeff Kerner, said Wednesday. Since Friday, the 7-year-old normally healthy pooch has been treated at Sylmar's Collett Veterinary Clinic. Even hooked t...

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(Created: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 9:13 PM CDT)

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Just as we are recovering from the news that the majority of American adults are now single, researchers from Penn State University describe what life is like for those still married.

Ironically, marriage fares better as a minority institution than it did when most Americans were wed. According to Paul R. Amato and his colleagues, that's because "individuals with the poorest marital quality tend to leave the married population relatively quickly," leaving the good marriages still going.

Wedded couples are increasingly supportive of lifelong commitment and more critical of divorce. Between 1980 and 2000 "the percentage of people who were 'very happy' with their spouse increased from 42 to 49, and the percentage of people who described their feelings of love for their spouse as 'extremely strong' increased from 50 to 56."

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EDWARDSVILLE — A Madison County jury deliberated about 30 minutes Wednesday before finding a Collinsville man guilty of trying to hire an undercover police officer to kill his wife.

John Orr, 59, faces between 20 and 40 years in prison for the murder solicitation conviction. He must serve 85 percent of his sentence, which means he will be behind bars for at least 17 years, said Neil Schroeder, who prosecuted the case. No sentencing date has been set.

"The evidence was overwhelming, and I think the jury did the right thing," Schroeder said.

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2004 1-owner 31K/mi, silver $14,000 Call 912-897-6836...

Buick LeSabre '04

19,316 miles exc cond., premium sound, 4-door...

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Britney checks out of rehab centerAfter nearly a month of seclusion in a luxurious rehabilitation center, Britney Spears has moved on.The pop star checked out of Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility “after successfully completing their program,” Spears’ manager, Larry Rudolph, said in a statement released by Jive Records.He asked that Spears’ privacy be respected.Spears, 25, entered the facility Feb. 22 after a bout of bizarre behavior that included s...

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Dear Dr. Gott: My brother had a hair analysis recommended to him by his chiropractor. He completed a questionnaire that listed his symptoms. They were cigarette addiction, aggression, allergies, anger, anxiety, back problems, temper, blurred vision, canker sores, carpal tunnel, chronic fatigue syndrome, craving sweets, defensiveness, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, drug addiction, exhaustion, fatigue, frequent urination, headaches, hearing problems, hemorrhoids, herpes, hypertension, hostility,...

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* First-time writer: Respect the president, even if you disagree

* No wonder Alcoa is short on electricians

* Former mayor Gibbs seeks 1st Ward seat

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MIAMI -- A Coral Gables accountant was found guilty Wednesday on all three counts for soliciting his brother to kill his wife.

Related Content: Previous Images | More Images | Video

Edward Locascio was convicted late Wednesday afternoon for the murder of his wife Maggie in 2001.

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SAUK PRAIRIE SCHOOL DISTRICT - The first boy to win the Sauk Prairie Optimists Oratorical Contest was Dr. Dusty Koch.The Sauk Prairie Optimists hosted the 2007 boys local oratorical contest at St. Aloysius School on March 14. The theme was "My biggest challenge is..," and for one of the 11 oratorical contest competitors, that was the topic of his speech, speaking publically to build his confidence. The following boys participated: Parker Cicero, Pat Klinkner, Austin Lins, Nicolas Coquard, Noah e...

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Q. I am looking for advice because I discovered that my husband of three months had an affair. I was willing to work through the infidelity with counseling. I then learned by way of his family that he is not what he portrays himself to be and highly suggested I leave him for my safety and sanity.

With this in mind, I am filing for divorce. Coupled with all the feelings of hurt and embarrassment, I feel guilty about the time and expense my family put into my bridal shower and especially our wedding. I have all the wedding gifts. Is there a protocol about whether to return the gifts or not when a marriage dissolves within a short period of time?

Gentle Reader:

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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- A man accused of gunning down his estranged wife execution-style outside her church pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder charges. Matthew McCall, 41, of American Canyon, could face the death penalty if convicted of murder with the special circumstance of lying in wait, Alameda County prosecutors said. Parishioners were filing into the Sunday morning service at the Acts Full Gospel Church on March 11 when witnesses said McCall argued with his wife, Tanya McCall, 40, be...

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LOS ANGELES - Britney Spears has left rehab, her spokeswoman told The Associated Press late Tuesday.

"Britney Spears has been released by the Promises Malibu Treatment Center after successfully completing their program," the pop star's manager, Larry Rudolph, said in a statement. "We ask that the media respects her privacy as well as those of her family and friends at this time."

Spears entered the facility Feb. 22.

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What: World's largest tennis tournament after the four Grand Slam events, with 96 men and 96 women.

When: Today through April 1

Where: Tennis Center at Crandon Park, Key Biscayne

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LOS ANGELES ? Britney Spears has left rehab. The pop star checked out of Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility "after successfully completing their program," the pop star's manager, Larry Rudolph, said in a statement released by Jive Records late Tuesday. "We ask that the media respects her privacy as well as those of her family and friends at this time."

Spears, 25, entered the facility Feb. 22, after a bout of bizarre behavior that included shaving her head, getting tiny lips tattooed on her wrist and beating a car with an umbrella, with photos of the incidents instantly beamed worldwide.

Spears' activities have been weekly magazine fodder since she filed for divorce from aspiring rapper Kevin Federline in November. The two have joint custody of their sons, Jayden James, 6 months, and Sean Preston, 18 months.

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When it comes to your long-term happiness, it?s worse to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, at least according to a review article by Michigan State University psychologist Richard Lucas.

Lucas set out to investigate a commonly held view in his field ? that people are born to be happy or sad, the slings and arrows of fortune altering that ?set point? only temporarily.

But nobody had specifically looked at the impact of big life changes, such as marriage, divorce or unemployment, he said. He found that marriage buoyed the spirits for only about two years, after which the spouses were no happier than they had been as singles.

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Lake Buena Vista, Fla. ?- This was the most popular day of spring training ?- a day off. Golf, fishing, going shopping with Baby. Well, that may be stretching it a bit. Time was, players didn't take wives to spring training. Couldn't afford it. Teams put players up in hotels with a roommate, the Bainbridge in St. Petersburg, the Manatee River in Bradenton, the Angebilt in Orlando, and the Astros were so cheesey players were stuffed into a dormitory on the grounds. That was many Marvin Miller years ago.

Spring training for the Braves this year was more or less for the exercise. Bobby Cox could have filled out his opening-day lineup card in February and it would still have played in April. This might be a hard sell among the clientele of Turner Field, who are not too happy that Marcus Giles was dropped like a hot potato and that Adam LaRoche was passed along for a short reliever. Or, that Kelly Johnson has been the second baseman since the first pulled muscle, and Scott Thorman the first baseman.

The brightest prospect in camp is another second baseman, Martin Prado, another one of those infielders from Venezuela. Johnson has picked it up with the bat, and by opening day he will have played his way into the manager's heart. Thorman was a slow beginner, with a swing that needed some kick in it. He's a big hunk, with the build of a tight end, and when he does start connecting, the fences won't hold him. It all comes with confidence.

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EDWARDSVILLE - A former Alton postal worker on trial for allegedly trying to hire an undercover police officer to kill his wife testified Tuesday the meeting with the officer was for the purpose of arranging to have a poem set to music.

"I am a poet and have been since 1997 and have been published internationally," said John A. Orr, 59, of Collinsville.

Orr, who said he is retired from the U.S. Navy, is on trial in Madison County Circuit Court on a charge of solicitation of murder for hire for allegedly offering an undercover Illinois State Police officer $100 to kill his wife, Karen Orr.

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LIMA — The business of training better parents got a big boost Tuesday with the approval of more than $35,000 in grants to six local organizations.Allen County commissioners approved the granting of 2008 Children’s Trust Fund on Tuesday. The annual fund, administered through the Allen County Family and Children First Council, will go to local groups working to teach parenting skills.“We all know it’s about parents. It’s not about kids. We have to teach parents to un...

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NEW YORK During his four years in Iraq, NBC News correspondent Richard Engel has escaped two attempted carjackings and a roadside bomb. Another bomb blew the door off his hotel room, sending shrapnel that burned holes through sheets of the bed where he was sleeping.

Its still an assignment he wouldnt think of giving up.

NBC and ABC this week are showcasing the work of two correspondents Engel and Terry McCarthy who have covered most of the war.

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Lawmakers consider hiring 20 fewer judges to save money for roads

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COCOA, Fla. -- Medics found 28 year old Toni Marie Walker unconscious inside her home on Edinburgh Drive, in Cocoa Tuesday evening. They rushed her to Wuesthoff Hospital, were she was pronounced dead. Her cause of death has not been revealed.

Investigators said Walker and her husband, Silvester, were the only people home, when they arrived. Police have labeled Walkers death suspicious and they questioned her husband.

Neighbors told police that the couple had filed for divorce it was going to be finalized this month.

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A man who claims his ex-wife tried to hire a hit man to kill him will have to keep paying her more than $2,400 a month after the Supreme Court ruled their divorce agreement can't be changed.

Joseph Richardson -- whose ex-wife, Ida Richardson, has not been charged with trying to have him killed -- argued that there are exceptions that allow a fixed separation agreement to be changed. Under the former couple's agreement, he must pay her $2,425 a month until she remarries or either of them dies.

A lower court dismissed the case after ruling the agreement could not be changed, and the Supreme Court agreed.

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Atlanta radio stations and New York Post’s Page Six column have been agog over a lengthy piece of video initially posted on YouTube.com and then yanked from the Web site this week. It features Atlanta record and film producer Dallas Austin talking smack about sleeping with Christina Aguilera and the pop star’s seeming obsession with him. Austin also alleges that Aguilera and Brit soul siren Joss Stone sleep with producers in exchange for music.

On Tuesday, the Atlanta producer issued the following statement to the AJC:

“Every action generates an equal and opposite reaction. My statement about Christina Aguilera and Joss Stone was a reaction to an incident I care not to discuss in any forum, and while I may have felt justified, I do owe an apology to Christina, Joss and their families.

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The pop star checked out of Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility "after successfully completing their program," her manager, Larry Rudolph, said in a statement released to The Associated Press by Jive Records late Tuesday. "We ask that the media respects her privacy as well as those of her family and friends at this time."

Spears, 25, entered the facility Feb. 22, after a bout of bizarre behavior that included shaving her head, getting tiny lips tattooed on her wrist and beating a car with an umbrella, with photos of the incidents instantly beamed worldwide.

Spears' activities have been weekly magazine fodder since she filed for divorce from aspiring rapper Kevin Federline in November. The two have joint custody of their sons, Jayden James, 6 months, and Sean Preston, 18 months. Federline and the children reportedly visited Spears during her treatment.

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The pop star checked out of Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility "after successfully completing their program," the pop star's manager, Larry Rudolph, said in a statement released by Jive Records late Tuesday. "We ask that the media respects her privacy as well as those of her family and friends at this time."

Spears, 25, entered the facility Feb. 22, after a bout of bizarre behavior that included shaving her head, getting tiny lips tattooed on her wrist and beating a car with an umbrella, with photos of the incidents instantly beamed worldwide.

Spears' activities have been weekly magazine fodder since she filed for divorce from aspiring rapper Kevin Federline in November. The two have joint custody of their sons, Jayden James, 6 months, and Sean Preston, 18 months. Federline and the children reportedly visited Spears during her treatment.

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NEW YORK - Heather Mills stepped up and showed she can dance on a prosthetic leg. Gracefully. Mills' appearance on "Dancing With the Stars" on Monday night had been eagerly awaited, amid public speculation that she might experience trouble.

The ABC dancing contest, returning for its fourth season, was a big hit in the past. But adding a new level of interest and curiosity this go-around is the presence of the 39-year-old activist and estranged wife of former Beatle Paul McCartney as one of the 11 celebrity contestants.

If there was anyone watching who didn't know about Mills' prosthesis, host Tom Bergeron wasted no time at the top of the show reminding them that contenders include "our first performer with an artificial limb."

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Kenneth Baumruk is brought into the St. Charles County courtroom by officers for his sentencing Monday.

(Odell Mitchell Jr./P-D)

Lisa Schmidt was there in the St. Louis County courtroom nearly 15 years ago when her stepfather, Kenneth Baumruk, shot and killed her mother Mary Baumruk. Now, after a judge sentenced Kenneth Baumruk to deaththis afternoon, Schmidt says she wants to watch his execution.

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NEW YORK — Heather Mills stepped up and showed she can dance on a prosthetic leg. Gracefully. Mills' appearance on "Dancing With the Stars" on Monday night had been eagerly awaited, amid public speculation that she might experience trouble.

The ABC dancing contest, returning for its fourth season, was a big hit in the past. But adding a new level of interest and curiosity this go-around is the presence of the 39-year-old activist and estranged wife of former Beatle Paul McCartney as one of the 11 celebrity contestants.

If there was anyone watching who didn't know about Mills' prosthesis, host Tom Bergeron wasted no time at the top of the show reminding them that contenders include "our first performer with an artificial limb."

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Various legal factors allow pediatrician Burton Moore, arrested in 2003, to still see patients.

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR

ROCKFORD — The Rockford pediatrician accused of keeping a stash of child pornography still practices medicine in Rockford, more than three years after his arrest.

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During his four years in Iraq, NBC News correspondent Richard Engel has escaped two attempted carjackings and a roadside bomb. Another bomb blew the door off his hotel room, sending shrapnel that burned holes through sheets of the bed where he was sleeping.

It's still an assignment he wouldn't think of giving up.

Both NBC and ABC this week are showcasing the work of two correspondents ? Engel and Terry McCarthy ? who have covered most of the war.

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The man was distinguished by an odd conceit in personal adornment:

He wore a finger ring with a large red gem setting strung on his necktie as a cravat adornment. He was Sherwood Anderson... business tycoon, paint manufacturer, advertising executive and weekly newspaper publisher.

He also was a man of distinction in American letters, an author who left a profound impression on the nation's literature in a fabulous career before 1940, a one-time amnesia victim, a romantic who married four women and divorced three.

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Conservative Evangelical Christian voters have come a long way in a short time. From their nearly unanimous condemnation of Bill Clinton for his extramarital affairs, a growing number of these "pro-family" voters appear ready to accept several Republican presidential candidates who do not share their ideal of marriage and faith.

Among those seriously under consideration by these church-going folks is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has been married three times and who had an affair with the woman now his wife when he was married to wife number two. The second wife, Donna Hanover, once recorded a political commercial for Giuliani, touting his virtues as a husband. She called him "honest and very kind" and "this is the kind of man I wanted to be the father of my children" and "Rudy is such a great Dad." It's on Y...

Another of the thrice married is former House Speaker Newt Gingrich who, last week, trod the Damascus Road to Colorado Springs. On the syndicated radio program of psychologist James Dobson, Gingrich confessed that he had an extramarital affair with the woman to whom he is now married while he was married to his second wife. Gingrich acknowledged not living up to his own standards, or God's.

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A Tyler man already facing up to life in prison for allegedly assaulting his estranged wife with a pistol has been indicted in Wood County for sexually assaulting the same victim.

Brian David Fairhurst, 30, faces two to 20 years in prison if he is convicted of sexually assaulting the woman on Jan. 1, 2006, in Wood County.

Fairhurst was also indicted Aug. 8 by a Collin County grand jury for burglary of a building - entering the residence of his wife on Jan. 30, 2006, - and committing or attempting to commit aggravated assault or sexual assault.

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If you have an event you would like to see listed in our calendar of events, please send your information to Katie McDevitt at kmcdevitt@hcnonline.com or fax to 281-964-4423.

KINGWOOD AREA REPUBLICAN WOMEN

On Wednesday, March 21, members and guests of Kingwood Area Republican Women's club will feature Lisa Prusak, executive director of Village Learning & Achievement Center, as their speaker. Prusak has been actively involved with the organization since 2001. KARW welcomes guests at 11 a.m. at Kingwood Country Club. An optional buffet is offered at 11:30 with program at noon. Contact Alice at 281-360-7457 for more information and check out the Web site at www.kingwoodarearepublicanwomen.org

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      Hurt: Deer and elk, which will now have even more rifles pointed at them during the hunting season after the age limit for a big game license was lowered to 12 years.

      Helped: Farmers selling produce at farmer's markets will no longer be required to have a food handler's permit.

      Hurt: One note critics of the Republican-dominated Legislature who will, at least temporarily, find something besides education funding to denigrate them.

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Move over, marriage. When it comes to romantic commitment, you're not the only game in town.

While the culture wars rage on — conservatives doing their darndest to ban same-sex marriage, domestic partners gay and straight clamoring for the same legal rights as their married neighbors, and singles shouting, "Hey, where's our piece of the government pie?" — a funny thing happened: Marriage slipped off its pedestal.

That's not to say we're all a bunch of misanthropic commitphobes. In fact, most women (and men) can expect to tie the knot at some point in their lives. Controversy still swirls around the statistics used in the New York Times' recent attention-getting report that "51% of Women Are Now Living Without a Spouse." But regardless of that questionable snapshot in time, experts will tell you that thanks to death, divorce, separation and shifting attitudes toward marriage, the average American (woman or man) lives half their adult life spouse-free.

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It's suppertime at the Malcomsons. Seventeen-month-old Sarah is wearing her dinner plate on her head again.

Her sister and brother, Grace and Will, 6 years old today, jockey for their mother's attention. They talk endlessly about their day - about their teacher and friends in kindergarten and their upcoming birthday party.

But in this lively family tableau, is someone missing?

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Kudos to Illinois Sen. Kimberly Lightford, 4th District, and please contact your local state of Illinois representation and ask them to support Sen. Lightford!For what, you may be asking? With Sen. Lightford and Equal Parenting of Illinois' efforts to update our antiquated Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.In a prior Pantagraph Letter to the Editor, I commented on how unfortunate it was that I knew a local dad - a good dad and one who wanted full involvement with his children - r...

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If you're unhappily single, there are two ways to look at the upcoming holidays: with dread and with less dread.

Experts advise less dread.

The dating czars suggest that for singletons, the holidays are the best season in which to flirt your way to a partner for dating's biggest night - New Year's Eve.

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SUNDAY, March 18 (HealthDay News) -- You starve yourself, shedding pounds, and it feels too good to ever stop.

Or you eat lots -- as much as you want, more than you want -- and then sneak away from your loved ones to purge it all.

But you're not 16, not 19, not 21. Not a young woman at all. You're in your 30s, 40s, or 50s. And you can't stop.

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SUNDAY, March 18 (HealthDay News) -- You starve yourself, shedding pounds, and it feels too good to ever stop.

Or you eat lots -- as much as you want, more than you want -- and then sneak away from your loved ones to purge it all.

But you're not 16, not 19, not 21. Not a young woman at all. You're in your 30s, 40s, or 50s. And you can't stop.

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Celebrity, professional partner: That's the normal order of business on Dancing With the Stars. But this season, one star will be competing with her much-talked-about prosthetic leg. Daniel Liam / ABC Heather Mills and Jonathan Roberts

Heather Mills' prosthesis is mentioned so much in her lore that it's like the Fifth Beatle. So let's just go ahead and name her leg Pete Best. She won't mind.

Then again, she might; perhaps we'll see evidence of her much-ballyhooed temper on live TV. But she's not the only one lacing up her jazz shoes. Other contenders include an Olympian, a former NBA superstar, a supermodel, Cliff Clavin and Steve Sanders. Who will go home with that disco ball on a stick?

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My father wanted one of his sons to be a banker. He knew how important banks, particularly local banks, were to the stability of communities. I’m not so sure he would think that way today.This week has seen panic headlines splashed over the front pages of newspapers concerning the financial problems of some of the country’s largest mortgage lenders. States’ attorneys general from all across the country are looking into the problems at New Century. The company has said they are ...

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The harassment apparently started after his recent divorce and might be connected to his newfound habit of communicating with men over the Internet to arrange meetings to "wrestle."

Not(e) a good idea

A 21-year-old man who robbed a Walgreens on Milwaukee's south side this month used the wrong piece of paper to write his demands on.

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The trial of a lawyer who threatened to sue four men because they slept with his wife ended last week without a plain-and-simple answer to the question most important to married Texans: Can scorned spouses file suit against the no-good, meddlesome (expletives) who seduce their mates?

Maybe, lawyers for the defense argued. Probably not, prosecutors contended. This much seemed clear when the verdict came back as guilty on three counts of theft and not so on two others:

The attorney, Ted H. Roberts, faces possible prison time not because he threatened legal action, but because jurors decided his complaints and demands resulted in an elaborate theft of $100,000 from at least two of the men.

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Many folks are infuriated to know that about 35,000 vehicles may belong to “license cheaters” — typically Clark County residents who license their cars in Oregon to save a few bucks.

That’s bad enough, costing Washington millions in uncollected tax and fee revenues, state troopers say.

But about 4,100 of the 35,000 vehicles in the Washington State Patrol’s database may belong to folks who are more hard-core than license cheaters.

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SUNDAY, March 18 (HealthDay News) -- You starve yourself, shedding pounds, and it feels too good to ever stop.

Or you eat lots -- as much as you want, more than you want -- and then sneak away from your loved ones to purge it all.

But you're not 16, not 19, not 21. Not a young woman at all. You're in your 30s, 40s, or 50s. And you can't stop.

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Editor's note: The information in this column is not intended as legal advice but to provide a general understanding of the law. Readers with legal problems, including those whose questions are addressed here, should consult attorneys for advice on their particular circumstances.

Q: We filed our income tax with a tax preparer business in 2004. He got us a refund, but later the IRS sent us a letter stating that we owe $2,400 in taxes for 2004. Is the tax preparer responsible for the tax owed or at least half of it?

A: No, your tax preparer is not liable for any portion of it. Unless he made some sort of guarantee that he would pay any additional taxes you might owe, then the $2,400 bill is your debt alone.

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Ingrid Amidon, a trained skin-care specialist with 30 years of experience, has joined Allure et Beaute Salon and Day