Lyme disease support group meets Jan. 30

The Lyme disease support group for people of Vernon and neighboring counties will be held at the Hillsboro Public Library, 819 High Ave., Hillsboro, Friday, Jan. 30, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The support group meeting is held for the benefit of people who are curious about tick borne diseases, such as Lyme disease. The conversations at meetings cover things such as how these bacterias or microbes invade and affect the human body, treating the infections, living with the problems and many more related issues.

For more information, contact Gary Cepek at garycepek@yahoo.com, 608-489-2725 or S1468 Cepek Rd., Elroy, WI 53929.

Source: http://lacrossetribune.com/vernonbroadcaster/news/local/lyme-disease-support-group-meets-jan/article_a03f9642-30ee-5905-863b-24352931df2b.html

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Column: Vonn, for once an athlete truly deserving of "star"

But with fewer races back then, Moser-Proell had fewer opportunities than Vonn to make her mark and she won more frequently and from a younger age than Vonn.

The technology of skiing has changed, too. Perhaps not as drastically as in tennis, where Rod Laver's wooden rackets frustrate comparisons with Roger Federer. In winning gold at the 1980 Olympics, Moser-Proell sped downhill as fast as Vonn did 30 years later for her gold in Vancouver in 2010.

Still, how would Vonn and Moser-Proell have fared against each other with the same boots and skis? The differing eras make that impossible to answer with certainty.

Fairer to both, then, not to play one off against the other. It's how and why Vonn has reached this milestone, not the record alone or eclipsing Moser-Proell, which make her special.

TALENT'S NOT ENOUGH: Vonn's brain is missing the alarm bells that tell the rest of us to slow down or she has learned to ignore them. Speed simply doesn't scare her. "That's why I have so many speeding tickets in my car," she has said. For her, an icy corner on a precipitous mountain slope is an opportunity to go quicker than others who apply the brakes. Not crashing occasionally, she figures, must mean that she isn't pushing hard enough. "I'm just not afraid."

But she also was smart in realizing long ago, early in her career, that natural hard-wiring for speed wouldn't alone be sufficient. She became the dominant woman skier not simply by being quick but by training and working hard enough to exploit that talent.

NOT A QUITTER: There were plenty of points along the way when Vonn could have said, "enough." At 16, after failing to finish most of her races. At 21, when a back-crunching, cart-wheeling crash in training at the Turin Olympics made her realize, for the first time, "that at any second I could be done, not just in skiing, but in life." In 2013, when she tore two right-knee ligaments, the ACL and MCL, that keep our thighbones attached to our shinbones. Or again in November that year, when she re-tore one of those ligaments that had been rebuilt with a graft from her hamstring, eventually forcing her out of the 2014 Sochi Olympics and back into surgery.

Pain is as much a part of competitive skiing as snow. What is astounding about Vonn isn't her high tolerance for it but that she's winning again so soon after sweating her way back to health not once but twice from surgeries that emaciated her leg muscles. Only in September did her surgeon clear her to ski again. World Cup wins 60, 61, 62 and 63 have come in eight races since December. She has scars on her knee but her confidence and fearlessness seem remarkably intact.

"I'm not dead; I'm still here," Vonn says in a forthcoming TV documentary about her recovery. One day, that would make a fitting headstone.

OFF-PISTE PERSONA: Given that they have people who manage their public personas, who tweet and post for them, and otherwise make them sound and look good, it's silly to assume that the athlete on your cereal box is a model citizen in private, too. Michael Phelps' drunken driving, the revelation in 2009 of Tiger Woods' serial adultery or Lance Armstrong's doping to name just those three showed how success in sports is sometimes only half the story.

Vonn does the public side extremely well. All sports could do with more women like her, to balance out and end the undeserved dominance of men. She is articulate about skiing, making the sport easier to understand and so more attractive. She seems to understand and deal graciously with media curiosity about her personal relationship with Woods, helping rehabilitate his image somewhat. "He's a catch. He's a good boyfriend," Vonn said on the "Today" show after Woods sprang the surprise of turning up for her 63rd victory.

"For the most part, she's been remarkably scandal-free for her career," six-time Olympic medalist Bode Miller said this month of Vonn. "She does the right stuff all the time. She's a very clean-cut American superstar and that's an amazing title."

A true star.

John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jleicester(at)ap.org or follow him at http://twitter.com/johnleicester

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sports/2080237-155/story.html

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Mystery surrounds train death of fitness model Greg Plitt

A fitness model and actor who was fatally struck by a train while filming a video on California railroad tracks was trying to get out of the way when he tripped, a friend told the Los Angeles Times.

He just made a mistake, Warren Coulter said Greg Plitts tragic death on Saturday while citing information from witnessing crew members.

The 37-year-old former Bravo star was posing for action shots when he was hit by the Metrolink passenger train, just north of the Burbank station, around 4 p.m., authorities said.

The conductor of the southbound train blew the horn, yet the actor was horrifyingly reported as seen not moving away.

Plitt's girlfriend, Christina Stejskal, told the LA Times said he was "just trying to get the best shot."

"He's just like Superman," she said while referring to the larger-than-life superhero being "more powerful than a locomotive."

Authorities had previously suggested that Plitt believed the train was coming on a parallel track before he was hit. They have ruled out suicide.

Jason Merritt

Greg Plitt with Bruce Cardenas and DJ Lauren Pappas at L.A. Fashion Week event last year.

Enlarge Michael Tran Archive/FilmMagic

Greg Plitt with actress Katie Cleary at LGBT Stars of Tomorrow Benefit in Hollywood in 2006.

Enlarge

"It's like a blind turn," Burbank Police Sgt. Scott Meadows said. "When the train came, you might not be able to tell which set the train is on."

Investigators are trying to determine why the crew was filming in a restricted area. They did not have a proper permit, NBC reported.

"A mistake was made. A simple, horrible, horrible, tragic mistake," Plitt pal Warren Coulter told NBC. "Greg was bigger than life. He vibrated at such a really high level in everything he did. He was such a high achiever."

Plitt appeared on the Bravo show "Work Out" in 2008, as well as in such films as "Terminator Salvation" and 2013's "Grudge Match."

"This is a terrible tragedy," Bravo tweeted Sunday. "Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with Greg Plitt's family and friends at this extremely difficult time."

Fans came together at a memorial near the tracks on Sunday to remember Plitt.

"He lived to 37 years to the most that you can ever imagine, Coulter told NBC. Greg in his 37 years probably was what most people would do in their entire lives.

ON A MOBILE DEVICE? WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

With News Wire Services, Nina Golgowski

dboroff@nydailynews.com

Tags: entertainment news , tv , greg plitt

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/mystery-surrounds-train-death-fitness-model-greg-plitt-article-1.2083633

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'Pitch Perfect' 2015: Trailer, Release Date, And Christina Aguilera Cameo ...

Following the release of the widely popular original film in 2012, it seems like the "Pitch Perfect" from 2015 will be full of surprises, besides bringing back the movie's beloved cast - now, it seems like "The Voice" coach and pop star Christina Aguilera might be making an appearance!

Like Us on Facebook

The original film was one of the most successful musicals in recent times, taking up a place in history for those who love the genre and creating a new wave of a cappella groups - now, the "Pitch Perfect" 2015 promises to be even more interesting, with the new announcements and rumors.

As FDRMXreports, the latest "Pitch Perfect" 2015 come surrounded with the Christina Aguilera mystique, who hasn't posted anything on her Twitter page since last December - and so there's a media frenzy surrounded the pop star as many wonder what's her next step, following the announcement that she'll be coming back to coach in "The Voice" on its eighth season.

Realty Todaytalks about the latest "Pitch Perfect" 2015 rumors, as there's a whole lot of wonder surrounding Aguilera at the moment; it has been said she's set to make a cameo or even take up a small role in this year's sequel, but many news outlets see it as doubtful due to the fact that she was pregnant at the time of filming; however, it'll only be a sure thing either way in a few months, when the movie hits theaters over the next summer.

Other rumors surrounding the "Fighter" pop star say that she'll be releasing her upcoming album, entitled "Blonde," within the next few months.

In the meantime and according to Just Jared Jr., the 2012 musical has been making news lately after ABC Family just premiered it on television, for those that can't wait until the May 15 release of the "Pitch Perfect" 2015 sequel!

2015 Food World News. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: http://www.foodworldnews.com/articles/13665/20150119/pitch-perfect-2015-2-christina-aguilera-the-voice.htm

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Christina Milian shares the joys of raising a girl with pregnant Tamera Mowry ...

ByKayla Caldwell for MailOnline

Published: 23:02 EST, 19 January 2015 | Updated: 02:21 EST, 20 January 2015

Tamera Mowry-Housley recently announced she and husband Adam Housley were expecting their second child - a baby girl.

And on an upcoming episode of The Real, guest Christina Milian shares a few sweet words for the 36-year-old mom-to-be.

The 33-year-old singer gushed about the benefits of raising a daughter, saying that she and her own are 'like best friends.'

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Proud parents: (L to R) Christina Milian gushed about raising a daughter when she guest starred on an episode of The Real - which airs Tuesday - alongside Jeannie Mai and pregnant Tamera Mowry-Housley

Tamera, who sported a flowing bright orange dress, started out by sharing that she had just found out she's having a girl.

And after mentioning that Christina's daughter Violet's tutu made her excited for the new baby, she asked: 'What can I expect, having a girl?'

Christina seemed excited to speak about her four-year-old daughter Violet, saying: 'Well, Violet is a girly girl. She's definitely a little diva.'

Diva: Christina was happy to speak about her daughter with co-hosts Jeannie and Tamera, who she called a 'girly girl,' and 'definitely a little diva'

'I don't actually remember myself being as girly as she is, but she's super sassy and saucey,' Christina continued.

'Like, she wobbles her little neck. She knows how to dance. She does the whole deal,' the reality TV star laughed.

The two shared a sweet moment as Christina said: 'Her and I are like best friends,' which prompted Tamera to respond: 'Oh, I love that.'

Best friends: The reality star gushed about her young daughter, sharing that she and Violet are like best friends

'And that's one thing that I love about her," she said. 'Who knows with those teenage years, but I'm enjoying the moment right now.'

She added, 'It's so sweet. I just love having a daughter so congratulations. That's going to be exciting. You're going to have a beautiful baby.'

Tamera seemed really touched by Christina's words, commenting: 'Thank you so much,' as everyone cheered.

Well wishes: The mother of one congratulated Tamera (R) on her pregnancy, saying: 'You're going to have a beautiful baby'

Violet is Christina's daughter with ex-husband The-Dream, who she divorced in 2010. The two had been dating for six months before they wed.

She was also recently engaged to rapper Jas Prince, who she began dating shortly after her split from her ex-husband.

However, in June of 2014 shereportedly ended her relationship with Rap-a-Lot Records CEO after two years of dating, and her E! Series Christina Milian Turned Up will focus on her raising Violet as a single mother, as well as chronicling her return to music.

'Princesses' Christina shared this photograph of her and her daughter Violet, who she calls her best friend

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Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2917597/Christina-Milian-shares-joys-raising-girl-pregnant-Tamera-Mowry-Housley.html

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'Pitch Perfect' 2015: Trailer, Release Date, And Christina Aguilera Cameo ...

Following the release of the widely popular original film in 2012, it seems like the "Pitch Perfect" from 2015 will be full of surprises, besides bringing back the movie's beloved cast - now, it seems like "The Voice" coach and pop star Christina Aguilera might be making an appearance!

Like Us on Facebook

The original film was one of the most successful musicals in recent times, taking up a place in history for those who love the genre and creating a new wave of a cappella groups - now, the "Pitch Perfect" 2015 promises to be even more interesting, with the new announcements and rumors.

As FDRMXreports, the latest "Pitch Perfect" 2015 come surrounded with the Christina Aguilera mystique, who hasn't posted anything on her Twitter page since last December - and so there's a media frenzy surrounded the pop star as many wonder what's her next step, following the announcement that she'll be coming back to coach in "The Voice" on its eighth season.

Realty Todaytalks about the latest "Pitch Perfect" 2015 rumors, as there's a whole lot of wonder surrounding Aguilera at the moment; it has been said she's set to make a cameo or even take up a small role in this year's sequel, but many news outlets see it as doubtful due to the fact that she was pregnant at the time of filming; however, it'll only be a sure thing either way in a few months, when the movie hits theaters over the next summer.

Other rumors surrounding the "Fighter" pop star say that she'll be releasing her upcoming album, entitled "Blonde," within the next few months.

In the meantime and according to Just Jared Jr., the 2012 musical has been making news lately after ABC Family just premiered it on television, for those that can't wait until the May 15 release of the "Pitch Perfect" 2015 sequel!

2015 Food World News. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: http://www.foodworldnews.com/articles/13665/20150119/pitch-perfect-2015-2-christina-aguilera-the-voice.htm

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Debra Messing, Katharine McPhee reunite for Broadway musical

'Smash' cast members Debra Messing, Katharine McPhee and Anjelica Huston will reunite for a one-off Broadway production.

The trio will appear with the previously-announced Megan Hilty in a version of Smash's Marilyn Monroe biographical musical 'Bombshell', according to Broadway.Com.

All 22 songs written by Tony and Grammy award-winning pair Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman will be performed to benefit the Actors Fund on June 8, one day after the Tony Awards.

McPhee confirmed the reunion. "It's so cool. I'm going to be there - me and Megan - everyone - Debra, Anjelica.

"It's going to be so fun. That was such a great, really fun - another really special job."

'Hit List', another musical featured in 'Smash', was previously staged on December 9, 2013.

'Smash' was cancelled in May 2013 at the end of its second season.

McPhee has gone on to star in CBS procedural drama 'Scorpion', which was renewed earlier this week.

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/debra-messing-katharine-mcphee-reunite-for-broadway-musical-115011600078_1.html

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