Showing Britney the love

WORTH A TRY

The congregation of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Ky., is being asked to send letters of love and support to troubled pop star Britney Spears, described by the pastor as having made "devastating life choices." Pastor John Weece said the idea came as he watched repeated reports of Spears' reported problems with drugs and alcohol and the loss of custody of her children. Cindy Willison, the church's director of communications, was still collecting the letters Friday and looking for the best way to send them directly to Spears. "This is an opportunity for us to reach out to someone who probably doesn't have a lot of people in her life that care for her as a person," she said.

PEOPLE

No work for Kirk

William Shatner has not been invited to reprise his Capt. Kirk role in the new "Star Trek," although Leonard Nimoy will be back as Spock. Shatner, 76, is not taking his exclusion well. "I couldn't believe it. I'm not in the movie at all. Leonard, God bless his heart, is in, but not me," he said last week. The new "Star Trek" flick is due out in December 2008.

SICK BAY

Dinkins appendectomy

Former New York Mayor David Dinkins underwent an emergency appendectomy Friday night but was "doing well" Saturday, a family friend said. "He's walked already," Peter Johnson Jr. said. "He's 80, and he's got the body of a 40-year-old."

IN THE COURTS

She's in a tight spot

A former Minneapolis court clerk is charged with fixing 73 of her parking tickets to avoid paying $5,112 in fines and late fees. Dawn Nyberg, 32, was charged with theft by swindle of public funds, forgery and misconduct by a public officer. The first two charges are felonies; the last is a misdemeanor. Nyberg paid no fines on any citations except the final two, which she paid when she resigned June 25, 10 days after the trouble came to light.

Today in History

1886: The Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France, was dedicated in New York Harbor by President Cleveland.

1965:Pope Paul VI issued a decree absolving Jews of collective guilt for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

2002: American diplomat Laurence Foley was assassinated in front of his house in Amman, Jordan, in the first such attack on a U.S. diplomat in decades.

Today's Birthdays

Musician-songwriter Charlie Daniels, 71. Actor Dennis Franz, 63. Actress Telma Hopkins, 59. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, 52. Actor Mark Derwin, 47. Actress Daphne Zuniga, 45. Actress Lauren Holly, 44. Actor-comedian Andy Richter, 41. Actress Julia Roberts, 40. Actor Joaquin Phoenix, 33.

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