2013-12-02

Metro-North crash victims include loving dad, friendly roommate, ‘inseparable’ sister

James Lovell, of Putnam County, who was headed to the city to work on lighting up the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, was among those killed in Sunday’s accident. Others were Ahn Kisook of Queens, James Ferrari of Montrose and Donna Smith of Newburgh.


Father-of-four James Lovell (second from left, wearing glasses, light blue shirt and khaki trousers) is pictured with his family. Lovell, of Cold Spring, NY, was killed on December 1, 2013 when the Metro-North Train he was traveling in was derailed just north of the Spuyten Duyvil station in the Bronx Borough of New York City. He was married to Philipstown Councilwoman Nancy Montgomery. Nancy is far right in photo.

James Lovell’s son described his dad’s death in the tragic Metro-North derailment Sunday as “an awful nightmare.”
“Words can’t express how much my father meant to me,” Finn Lovell wrote on Twitter. “It’s safe to say he molded me into the man I am today. I love you and miss you. I can’t believe you’re gone. This feels like an awful nightmare that I can't wake up from.”
The train derailed at 7:20 a.m., 23 minutes before it was due to arrive at Grand Central Terminal.

MICHAEL SCHWARTZ FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

The train derailed at 7:20 a.m., 23 minutes before it was due to arrive at Grand Central Terminal.

Lovell, 58, was the husband of a councilwoman in Philipstown, Putnam County, a father of four and a screenwriter. He was also a lighting designer and was on his way to work on the Wednesday lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
He worked for 20 years for NBC’s “Today” show as an audio technician, the show’s executive producer, Don Nash, told staff in a memo.
Finn Lovell posted a stream of tweets about the death of his father, James Lovell, in Sunday's Metro-North derailment in the Bronx.

Finn Lovell posted a stream of tweets about the death of his father, James Lovell, in Sunday's Metro-North derailment in the Bronx.

“He was not only a skilled technician but also one of the nicest guys you ever met,” Nash said.
The MTA Police Department said Ahn Kisook, 35, of Queens, James Ferrari, 59, of Montrose, and Donna Smith, 54, of Newburgh, were also killed in the horrific crash.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks to the press outside St. Barnabus Hospital in the Bronx after visiting survivors of the Sunday's Metro-North crash in the Bronx.

ANDREW SCHWARTZ/FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks to the press outside St. Barnabus Hospital in the Bronx after visiting survivors of the Sunday's Metro-North crash in the Bronx.

“I’m stunned,” said Kisook’s roommate “Hannah” Jung Heejung, 28, of Woodside. “I’m really shocked right now. “She was so nice. ”
She said Kisook was originally from South Korea, arrived in the U.S. about a year ago and worked the night shift as a nurse. According to Kisook’s LinkedIn page, she was a registered nurse at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn.
Ahn Kisook, of Queens, arrived in the U.S. a year ago and was working as a nurse in Brooklyn. She was among those killed in Sunday's Metro-North crash in the Bronx.

FACEBOOK

Ahn Kisook, of Queens, arrived in the U.S. a year ago and was working as a nurse in Brooklyn. She was among those killed in Sunday's Metro-North crash in the Bronx.

At Ferrari’s home in Montrose, family and friends asked for privacy.
“As of right now, the family would like to keep quiet and mourn his life,” said a man who identified himself as Vinnie and called himself a family friend.
Rescue workers help Linda Smith from the overturned wreckage of derailed Metro-North train Sunday morning in the Bronx near the Spuyten Duyvil Station. Davis' sister, Donna Smith, was killed in the accident.

FELIX LAM FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Rescue workers help Linda Smith from the overturned wreckage of derailed Metro-North train Sunday morning in the Bronx near the Spuyten Duyvil Station. Davis' sister, Donna Smith, was killed in the accident.

Smith’s neighbors remembered the paralegal as a hard-worker who was a committed volunteer and very close to her sister Linda, who may have been on the train with her.
“She worked very hard and she would spend her weekends with the Girl Scouts,” said Lynn Davis, 60, who lives next door.
Kathy Cerone, 69, said Smith loved reading.
“I picture her on the lawn reading books in the summertime,” Cerone said.
Cerone and Davis said Smith’s mother died two years ago, and their father a few years before that.
The sisters were inseparable, Cerone said. “They were like best friends and sisters . . . They did everything together.”
With Don Kaplan and Aaron Short


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/metro-north-crash-victims-include-loving-dad-sister-article-1.1534498#ixzz2mIxd4fwk

Paul Walker's girlfriend is broken up over movie star's death: report

One of Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell's relatives reportedly said that the 23-year-old woman was looking forward to a happy life with 40-year-old Paul Walker of 'The Fast and the Furious.'


Paul Walker, seen here with Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell in Hawaii, died in a fiery car crash in California.

Paul Walker's girlfriend is devastated over the star's untimely death, relatives say.
Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell, 23, who has been dating the 40-year-old "Fast and the Furious" star for seven years, has turned to her mother, Julie, for solace during this difficult time, the Daily Mail reported.
"They had their ups and downs but they were together and looking to spend a bright future together," Pilchard-Gosnell's uncle Barton Bruner told the site.
The couple apparently started dating when he was 33 and she was 16. Though 17 years younger than Walker, Pilchard-Gosnell is only 8 years older than his daughter Meadow, 15, to whom she was becoming a stepmother of sorts, according to the Mail Online.
Walker achieved worldwide fame for his role in

AFP/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Walker achieved worldwide fame for his role in "The Fast and the Furious" franchise.

But those plans were tragically dashed on Saturday about 3:30 p.m. when a Porsche GT Walker was inside sped off-road and hit a tree in Santa Clarita, Calif., authorities and witnesses said.
The car burst into flames and killed the star.
"This is horrible news and unexpected," Bruner said. "Her mother is with her and she is comforting her."
mwalsh@nydailynews.com


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/paul-walker-girlfriend-broken-movie-star-death-report-article-1.1534465#ixzz2mIx8tU81

2013-11-28

Justin Bieber under fire for graffiti: Australian hotel proud of pop star's art work, but mayor demands he clean up the ‘mess’


Justin Bieber’s graffiti art has become an issue in several countries, but in Australia some people love it and others hate it.

An Australian hotel is declaring itself a graffiti Belieber, despite being at odds with the city government.
QT Hotel in the Gold Coast said it gave Justin Bieber permission to spray graffiti on its wall. The Canadian singer and others posted images online showing cartoon faces in fluorescent paint on an outdoor wall at the hotel in Queensland state.
After hearing criticism, the hotel changed its Facebook page cover art Thursday to show Bieber, his graffiti and the declaration: "He asked, and we said YES."
The Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate says the singer risked undermining the city's efforts to fight graffiti. "The last thing we want is to have graffiti glorified and more young people thinking it's a cool thing to do," he said.
Australian government officials have asked Bieber to ‘clean up’ his art, but one hotel is ‘proud’ of their pop star display.

JUSTINBIEBER/VIA INSTAGRAM

Australian government officials have asked Bieber to ‘clean up’ his art, but one hotel is ‘proud’ of their pop star display.

In a letter to the hotel, Tate asserted the city can insist on removal of graffiti in private spaces if it's visible from public spaces.
But in further posts on its Facebook page, QT Hotel defended Bieber as an excellent hotel guest and said it wanted to promote graffiti as an art form. It invited artists to share examples of their work to be judged, with select artists being offered a hotel wall they could spray-paint themselves.
Bieber performed in Brisbane on Wednesday and has more concerts in Sydney on Friday and Saturday.
Justin Bieber posted photos of his graffiti art, done in several countries during his Believe world tour, to his Instagram page.

JUSTINBIEBER/VIA INSTAGRAM

Justin Bieber posted photos of his graffiti art, done in several countries during his Believe world tour, to his Instagram page.

The 19-year-old pop star arrived in Australia after a troubled Latin American tour.
He apologized to Argentinians after images appeared to show him dragging that country's flag across the stage with his feet. He quit one concert early after apparently contracting food poisoning, and police in Brazil want to question him about another graffiti incident there.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/justin-bieber-fire-graffiti-australia-article-1.1531866#ixzz2lxO46RZi

FBI hunt killer of 21-year-old Florida woman found beaten to death in Louisiana bayou

Lindsay Louise Ellixson, 21, was found beaten to death, and a homicide investigation has been launched to discover how the ‘free spirit’ died. Her family says she was traveling the country to ‘figure out’ her life and was only home ‘intermittently.’

The body of Lindsay Louise Ellixson, 21, was discovered battered and beaten in a bayou in East Baton Rouge, La. Authorities are searching for her killer.

The FBI is hunting the killer of a Florida woman beaten to death and dumped in a Louisiana bayou as she traveled the country "trying to figure out" her life.
The battered body of Lindsay Louise Ellixson, 21, was found at 3 p.m. Saturday floating in water by fishermen in East Baton Rouge.
Agents think she was killed by a blow to the head — and that she'd been ditched two to five days before her discovery.
A homicide investigation has been launched.
"She was beaten to death and left there," Chief of Investigations Shane Evans told WFTV. "Someone did this to her and put her there. It was unusually brutal and violent."
Ellixson, originally from Orlando, had been reportedly touring the nation ever since finishing Boone High School.
Her adoptive mom, Catherine Ellixson, said she'd been home "intermittently" over the years, and they'd last spoken 10 days before her body was found.
"She had beautiful blue eyes and a free spirit," Catherine Ellixson told The Advocate. "She just had a lot of struggles that she needed to overcome."
Lindsay Ellixon had 'beautiful blue eyes and a free spirit,' said her adoptive mother, Catherine Ellixson.

FACEBOOK

Lindsay Ellixon had 'beautiful blue eyes and a free spirit,' said her adoptive mother, Catherine Ellixson.

Agents are now looking at posts the young woman made on the MeetMe social networking site in the eight weeks before her death.
Listing herself as job and homeless, she allegedly wrote under the name "Lindsay Head" that she was engaged — and was also looking for "ladies only" as she "looking for fun for my man."
She also wrote: "I can't find a good guy to spoil me and love me for me … why does it always have to end up about sex!"
Another time she posted: "I'm making it known that I'm in need of someone sexy to take care of me and make my life less boring … I need more excitement!!!"
And her last entry read: "GIVING UP FOR NOW."
Her adoptive dad, Chris Ellixson, said the family was "coming to terms" with her death.
"She's looking down on us, smiling, wishing us a happy Thanksgiving," he told WAFB. "We know where she is. (She was) just trying to figure things out."
Anyone with information is asked to contact East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office at 225-389-5000 or CrimeStoppers anonymously at 344-STOP.
Local authorities, state police and the FBI are investigating.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/fbi-hunt-killer-woman-21-found-bayou-article-1.1531852#ixzz2lxNiVxX9

Tom Cruise dines with actress Laura Prepon: Actor’s rep denies he’s romancing ‘Orange is the New Black’ star


Tom Cruise was spotted having dinner with actress Laura Prepon, but his rep denies the two are an item.

Is Tom Cruise back to "auditioning" girlfriends?
The "Mission Impossible" star was spotted having dinner with "That '70s Show" actress Laura Prepon at the Manor Hotel in Los Angeles earlier this week, sparking rumors that Cruise, 51, is finally moving on from his divorce from Katie Holmes.
Cruise has not bene publicly linked to anyone since his split from ex-wife Katie Holmes (L) in 2012.

JAMES DEVANEY/WIREIMAGE

Cruise has not bene publicly linked to anyone since his split from ex-wife Katie Holmes (L) in 2012.

While Cruise and Prepon, 33, are both members of the Church of Scientology, the actor's rep denies he is romancing the "Orange is the New Black" star — according to Us Weekly magazine.
"They see each other at some functions, but they are not dating," an insider told the mag, though adds that Cruise "will date again and has been talking with women."
Laura Prepon previously dated Christopher Masterson (not pictured) the brother of her ‘That ‘70s Show’ costar Danny Masterson (R) for seven years.

MICHAEL LOCCISANO/FILMMAGIC

Laura Prepon previously dated Christopher Masterson (not pictured) the brother of her ‘That ‘70s Show’ costar Danny Masterson (R) for seven years.

"He's actually a lot more relaxed and more extroverted," the source said.
The "Oblivion" actor has not been linked to a woman since his divorce from Holmes in June 2012, after the couple's six years together.
"Tom still sees (Suri) and speaks to her on the phone," a source told the magazine, of Cruise and Holmes' 7-year-old daughter.
Prepon dated Christopher Masterson, the brother of her "That '70s Show" costar Danny Masterson, for seven years before splitting from him in 2007.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/tom-cruise-rep-denies-romancing-laura-prepon-article-1.1531829#ixzz2lxNAIPDE

Kim Kardashian reveals her selfie secrets: ‘Know your angle’


Kim Kardashian (L) and pal Brittny Gastineau share their selfie secrets.

It's no secret that Kim Kardashian's Instagram account garners thousands of comments and likes from gawkers around the world. But after posting the now infamous white swimsuit selfie, Kardashian, 33, has taken on the title as the reigning queen of self-snaps.
Thankfully, she's agreed to share her secret.
"Rule number one is that you always want it to be a little bit higher," Kardashian, 33, explains in a video for Extra TV.
That is, before the reality starlet adds that she looks "so disgusting with no makeup on today."
Whatever, Kim.
She continues, explaining that the selfie must always be taken from "high to low," and that duck-mouthed hopefuls need to "know your angle."
The butt cheeks seen around the world: Kim Kardashian posted this photo to Instagram on Oct. 17, and then the Internet broke.

INSTAGRAM

The butt cheeks seen around the world: Kim Kardashian posted this photo to Instagram on Oct. 17, and then the Internet broke.

"I love duck-face because it gives you cheekbones," Kardashian gushes to best friend Brittny Gastineau.
"And know your lighting," Gastineau adds.
And with that, the best kept celebrity secret has been revealed.
Happy selfie-snapping!



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/kim-kardashian-reveals-selfie-secrets-article-1.1531816#ixzz2lxMfga3c

2013-11-27

Ciara channels Beyonce, flashes under cleavage in racy GQ shoot

The 'Body Party' singer sported cut-off denim shorts and a very cropped top in a new photo spread.



Ciara flaunts her toned figure in a Beyonce-inspired GQ shoot.

Ciara is giving Beyonce a run for her money in a new photo spread for GQ Magazine.
The "Body Party" singer mimicked Queen Bey's scantily-clad look for the February issue in a photo shoot of her own.
The 28-year-old singer, who first gained fame in 2004 for her hit single "Goodies," posed for the magazine in a micro crop top and cut-off denim shorts.
She spoke to the magazine about her tips for people looking how to dance to her new single, "Overdose."
The February GQ cover that inspired Ciara's pose.

TERRY RICHARDSON/GQ

The February GQ cover that inspired Ciara's pose.

"Go with the flow; don't overthink it," Ciara said. "If you're a head-nod kind of guy, nod your head. If you're a guy who likes to coast out and rock or sway, just do that. Whatever you do, don't get out there and try to do something you haven't practiced."
Ciara also offered style tips for guys hoping to impress her.
"I love when people have their own creative vision, when a person stands out and tries different things," she said. "I also think less is more…and confidence is everything. Confidence is what makes that simple white tee and jeans look good."


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/ciara-channels-beyonce-flashes-cleavage-racy-gq-shoot-article-1.1530312#ixzz2lrcJMUYp

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