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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

More celebrities tweet for tribes’ land

From Wire Reports

More celebrities are backing an online campaign to raise money so that Native American tribes in South Dakota can purchase land they consider sacred.

Sean “P Diddy” Combs and Bette Midler are the latest big names to throw their support behind a fundraising effort to buy nearly 2,000 acres of pristine prairie grass in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Three days after the campaign began, P Diddy tweeted: “Help save the Sioux Nation! Click here,” and linked to the website. Midler also lent her voice, tweeting: “Incredible story re the Sioux Sacred Grounds. Donate what you can.”

More than $18,000 had been raised as of Sunday afternoon – $6,000 flowed in immediately after P Diddy’s tweet. The campaign will last through Nov. 30, when the tribes of the Great Sioux Nation must have $9 million in order to purchase the land. The tribes have raised $7 million so far for the 1,942 acres, which they call Pe’ Sla, or “old baldy.” There are Sioux tribes in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska and Canada.

The property is important to their creation story, and tribal members have long held ceremonies there. When the land was put up for sale, tribal members worried it would be developed because of its proximity to Mount Rushmore.

P Diddy and Midler join actor Ezra Miller and hip-hop producer Sol Guy showing their support for the cause.

No appeal for ‘Desperate’ actress

The California Supreme Court has declined to review Nicollette Sheridan’s lawsuit over the demise of her role on “Desperate Housewives.”

The state’s high court said Friday it would deny an appeal by the actress in her wrongful termination case against ABC and Touchstone Television.

Sheridan said she was fired because she claimed she was hit in the head by series creator Marc Cherry. ABC attorneys claimed Sheridan’s contract simply was not renewed.

In March jurors deadlocked after a two-week trial. An appeals court found in August that Sheridan was not entitled to a new trial, but should be allowed to file an amended lawsuit claiming she was retaliated against because she complained about her boss.

“Desperate Housewives” concluded its eight-season run this year.

The birthday bunch

Actor Alan Young (“Mr. Ed”) is 93. Talk show host Larry King is 79. Talk show host Dick Cavett is 76. Media mogul Ted Turner is 74. Fashion designer Calvin Klein is 70. Actress Allison Janney (“The West Wing”) is 53. Actress Meg Ryan is 51. Actress Jodie Foster is 50. Dancer-choreographer Savion Glover is 39. Rapper Lil’ Mo is 35.