Madonna a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee

People

Madonna is among the nine artists nominated for the '08 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which requires that artists' first single or album be at least 25 years old. Other nominees include punk-rap outfit The Beastie Boys; Nile Rodgers' jazz funksters, Chic; Brit invaders The Dave Clark Five; disco emoter Donna Summer; and Leonard Cohen, whose first disc, "Songs of Leonard Cohen," came out 40 years ago.

Actress in court

Actress Michelle Rodriguez, 29, violated probation again in a drunken-driving case by failing to complete her community service and not following an alcohol-education program, Los Angeles prosecutors said. Rodriguez went to court Friday to answer to the latest claims by the city attorney's office. If found to have violated probation, Rodriguez could face between 477 and 537 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Appropriate story

The funny story that author Patricia MacLachlan recounted at the White House on Saturday was perfectly tailored to launch this year's National Book Festival. It celebrated literacy, the presidency and the founder of the event: first lady Laura Bush, a former librarian. MacLachlan, a children's-book writer, said she recently spoke with second-graders about their dreams. "I'm going to marry a president," a girl named Isabella said. "Really, why's that?" MacLachlan asked. "So I can be a librarian," said the girl, who apparently knew of Mrs. Bush's career path.

Going down

N-towers no more

Explosives leveled four giant cooling towers in Cumbria, northern England, at the world's first commercial nuclear-power station Saturday, as engineers began its decommissioning. As the station's 50-year-old, 289-foot towers, which cooled water used by the plant, crumbled to the ground, plumes of dust were spewed over the Irish Sea to "oohs" and "ahs" from onlookers. Calder Hall, a 62-building site on Britain's west coast officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956, produced weapons-grade plutonium while also feeding energy into Britain's national grid. It ceased operation in March 2003.

Let's eat

Grits champion

Pat Bertoletti, a mohawk-sporting chef from Chicago, gulped down 21 pounds of buttery, goopy grits in 10 minutes to win $4,000 in the first World Grits Eating Championship at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City on Saturday. Ryan Nerz, a spokesman for Major League Eating, said there were nine contestants, and the top three ate a combined 60 pounds. Tim "Eater X" Janus, of New York, was second, with 20 pounds. Joey Chestnut, of San Jose, Calif., who this summer became world hot-dog-eating champion, finished third, polishing off 19 pounds.

Today in History

1846: Boston dentist William Morton used ether as an anesthetic for the first time as he extracted an ulcerated tooth from merchant Eben Frost.

1962: Black student James Meredith was escorted by federal marshals to the campus of the University of Mississippi, where he enrolled for classes the next day.

1997: France's Roman Catholic Church apologized for its silence during the persecution and deportation of Jews by the pro-Nazi Vichy regime.

Today's Birthdays

Actress Deborah Kerr, 86. Author Elie Wiesel, 79. Singer Johnny Mathis, 72. Actress Fran Drescher, 50. Actor Eric Stoltz, 46. Actor Ashley Hamilton, 33. Actress Lacey Chabert, 25. Actor Kieran Culkin, 25. Singer-rapper T-Pain, 23.

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