Page 5 • Thursday, April 15, 1999
le Battalion
A
GGIELIFE
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
DIANA
Spencer settles
vith the Express
LONDON (AP) — Earl Spencer
Ccepted an undisclosed settle
ment Wednes-
ay from a news-
apet that
uestioned the
handling of mon-
—raised by a
y-oncert staged
„ ,. i honor of his
^ ite sister.
Hollmx rincess Diana.
Spencer had
ued the Express on Sunday for li-
el over its Dec. 16 story.
His attorney, Simon Ekins, said
me^tory “gave rise to the inter
nee” that the earl had control
ver the concert proceeds and
may have used some of the mon-
yto defray the high costs of Tun
ing his country estate.
In fact, Ekins said, the June 28
oncert at the estate was orga-
ized by an independent compa-
y and Spencer had no control
Uv • ver the proceeds.
Minher: B" 16 newspaper withdrew its al-
Mdistor Rations and apologized, blam-
iltooofte 1 8 an editing error,
lesebanc The concert raised $320,000
le amuse 3rthe Diana, Princess of Wales,
ul.too Memorial Fund,
eel, on if.-, fe
style. We
; of a veie;
I, he doe . ,
ead comf
ess whole
through f:
rev," thar.':
ey are h
CarribeaMi
iris it the a
? cliche is,
is dead.!
showers a;
■ t ionary ne
, ” has goft
ur. Today,
re acts like
erday’spo
■ sirjighin
n en joy the
> of their tie
at is left, Or
lav is a sa:e
Costner, friends
}pen restaurant
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) —
ievin Costner and some famous
pals are working
on opening their
second restau
rant.
Costner,
Robert Wagner
and champion
golfer Fred Cou
ples attended
the groundbreak
ing Tuesday for
Clubhouse restaurant,
? the albi
iwbacks
sounds jus
:e Seal), the
in a parti
lit singles,
lest totinE
listener mother
antogn cheduled to open this fall.
\j Costner, Wagner, Couples and
olf legend Jack Nicklaus are
"■Partners in the first Clubhouse,
/hich opened in Chicago in
.997.
Connery makes
Mann impressions
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean
Connery made
an impression at
Mann’s Chinese
Theater.
Connery, ac
companied by
wife, Micheline,
pressed his
hands and feet
into the famous connery
concrete Tues
day.
The actor was joined by Cather
ine Zeta Jones, his co-star in the
movie “Entrapment.”
It opens April 30.
Reeve to deliver
commencement
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (AP) —
Christopher Reeve will give this
year’s commencement address at
Williams College.
The Superman star was para
lyzed from the neck down in a
1995 riding accident and has be
come a spokesperson for the dis
abled and spinal cord research.
The college’s 210th com
mencement will be June 6.
Reeve traces his theater career
to 1968 when at age 15 he got a
summer apprenticeship at the
Williamstown Theater Festival. He
has a home in Williamstown.
Graham honored by
Gospel Hall of Fame
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The
Rev. Billy Graham will be inducted
nto the Gospel
vlusic Hall of
: ame next week
or his support of
Christian music.
He will be rep-
esented by
>inger George
Beverly Shea at
he ceremony
kpril 21. A video
acceptance speech
vill be shown.
GRAHAM
by Graham
Thursday,
April 15
• 7 p.m. - Occasional String Band
is performing swing and folk mu
sic at Brazos Blue Ribbon Bak
ery.
•8 p.m. - Steamroller and
Streamline are performing at The
Theatre.
• 9 p.m. - Seth Walker will be per
forming inside of The Cow Hop,
while Linus and 24-7 will be play
ing outside.
•9:30 p.m. - Bobby Hall and Ice
Cold Blues Band are playing at
Croozed Path.
•9:30 p.m. - EMS is performing
at Fitzwilly’s.
Friday,
April 16
• 7 p.m. - Occasional String Band
is performing swing and folk mu
sic at Bazos Blue Ribbon Bakery.
•9 p.m. - Amy Atchley is per
forming folk at Sweet Eugene’s.
•9 p.m. - Cane Breaker is play
ing at The Cow Hop.
•9:30 p.m. - Hazy Train is play
ing at Crooked Path Ale House.
•10:30 p.m. - Pi Sigma Epsilon
presents Sour Mash at Shadow
Canyon.
Saturday,
April 17
•9 p.m. - Sweet Eugene’s pre
sents Mother’s Monkey, an alter
native band.
•9 p.m. - Dagwood will be play
ing at The Cow Hop on the inside
stage, while Squelch is perform
ing outside.
9:30 p.m. - Voo-Doos is per
forming at Fitzwilly’s.
Jones steps down from stand
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Com
pleting three days on the witness
stand, talk show host Jenny Jones
said Wednesday that a man who
killed a fellow guest after a seg
ment on gay crushes was an adult
and made “an informed choice”
to appear on the program.
Jones stepped down after 12
hours of testimony in the $50 mil
lion lawsuit against her show.
Jones, who is not being sued,
insisted that she and her show
were not responsible for the 1995
shooting death of Scott Amedure,
a gay man who had described his
crush on fellow guest Jonathan
Schmitz during a “Jenny Jones
Show” taping.
Schmitz has said he is hetero
sexual and was humiliated.
Schmitz was convicted in 1996
of second-degree murder.
The conviction was overturned
because of an error in jury selec
tion, and his retrial is set for Aug.
19.
In the lawsuit against the show
and its producer, Warner Bros.,
Amedure’s family accuses “The
Jenny Jones Show” of tricking a
mentally troubled Schmitz into
appearing on the program and
leading him to believe his admir
er was a woman.
Jones said, “I don’t think we
exploit people.” Schmitz, she said,
“was an adult.
He knew the person with the
crush could be a man or a woman.
He was given enough information
to make an informed choice.”
$197 million Massachusett jackpot claimed by Chilean immigrant
9RAINTREE, Mass. (AP) — In an instant,
.tana Grasso went from baby sitter for a million-
tire to millionaire baby sitter.
The 54-year-old Chilean immigrant came for-
varri Wednesday to claim the $197 million Big
lame jackpot, the world’s biggest lottery prize
tver won by one person. She beat odds of 76 mil-
ion-to-1.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I haven’t had
ime to think clearly.”
She decided to take the money in a lump sum
>f $104 million — $70.2 million after taxes — in-
tead of in 26 annual installments.
The divorced mother of two said she is not sure
vhat she will do with the money, but she men-
ioned her family and handicapped children as
>riorities.
Since finding out she won on April 6, her only
najor purchase was the navy blue suit she wore to
he news conference at state lottery headquarters.
“I’m a very down-to-earth person,” she said.
Until she quit last week, Grasso worked for the
amily of Chris Gabrieli, a Boston venture capi-
alist who ran for Congress last year.
Since 1996, she has lived in the family’s Bea-
:on Hill townhouse and looked after Gabrieli’s
:hildren. There are now four children, ages 1 to
i.
“She’s the kind of person who deserves a good
urn in life,” said Gabrieli, who is worth some
where between $25 million and $125 million him
self, according to campaign records.
Grasso bought the winning ticket at a grocery
store near baseball’s Fenway Park while shopping
for the family.
Grasso said she does not play the lottery regu
larly but did this time because the jackpot was so
big.
“At first I couldn't believe
that it could be. There are
so many million chances."
— Maria Grasso
Big Game Jackpot Winner
She said she chose the winning numbers at
random.
With the winning ticket beside her bed, she
had difficulty sleeping the night she won.
“At first I couldn’t believe that it could be,”
Grasso said. “There are so many million
chances.”
Grasso, one of six children, came to the Unit
ed States in 1971, earned her high school equiva
lency diploma in 1976 and became a U.S. citizen
in 1984. She has worked as a teaching assistant
for the mentally handicapped.
“This has been my priority, to work with chil
dren, special needs children,” she said. “I think
this will be a chance for me to keep helping.”
She also will be able to help her family — both
her two grown children and her relatives in Chile.
“She fully deserves what has happened to
her,” a woman named Ana, who said she is Gras
so’s sister, told National Television in Chile. “She
has worked hard all her life to help her family, es
pecially our mother.”
Grasso said she waited until Wednesday to
come forward because she needed time to get a
lawyer and clear her head.
During that time, rumors abounded that the
winner was a Nigerian immigrant cab driver. Af
ter colleagues at the man’s taxi company spread
word the driver had won the jackpot, the man got
so much attention that he had to hire a lawyer to
deny he was the winner.
“I felt sorry for him,” Grasso said.
The nation’s biggest jackpot was $295 million,
but that was split last July by 13 Ohio machinists
who pooled their ticket purchases.
A 1997 lottery drawing in Spain — named El
Gordo, or the Fat One — had a $270 million purse,
the richest in the world. But the money was split
among many winners, and the biggest single prize
was only $2 million.
<in.
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The area's first Fresh Meal Market & Bakery
Featuring Contemporary Southwest Cuisine
Dine in with us
or enjoy your meal at home
Epicures Restaurant Carry Out
Monday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m
Serving the Brazos Valley since 1983
Owner/Chef Graduate of Culinary Institute of America
& 2319 Texas Ave., South (next to Discount Tire)
695-0985
:
L a a a.
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restaurant
Crawfish & Beer!
EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT!
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$3.99/lb.
Student ID required
50# Drafts & 99# Margaritas
only w/purchase of an entree
Student ID required
268-5333
317 College Ave. • Old Albertson's Shopping Center
f l 20x20 Party Canopy
40 Chairs
5 8ft. Banquet Tables
1 Beverage Cooler
6ft Grill
7 $155 + Tax
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College Station, TX 77845
(409) 696-5696
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340 O. BUSH DR. * 007 HARVEY ROAD
303 S. COL.GEGE AVE.
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846-0512
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846-4360
Mon.-Wed. 10-6, Th.-Sat. 10-9, Sun. 10-2
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Beautiful jewelry ifial ij timeleM, classic and bold.
A special boutique for (fie mosl discriminating taste
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Many one of a kind pieces.
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846-0832
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Baby bedding
846-9775
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Garden District Hours:
Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
106-108 NORTH AVENUE • BRYAN
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