NATIONAL
LOS ANGELES — Rue McClanahan, who played sexy Southern belle Blanche Devereaux on "The Golden Girls," was recovering Thursday from heart bypass surgery at a New York City hospital.
The surgery took place Wednesday and went "very, very well," said friend and colleague Del Shores. "She's going to be great and up and entertaining us all very shortly."
McClanahan, 75, said in a statement she regretted missing a tribute to her set for this month at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco.
"Unfortunately, my doctor has laid down the law, and I'm currently in the hospital having some maintenance on the old ticker," she said. "Trust me, I'd much rather be in San Francisco having fun and being adored by all of you."
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is set to sign a $24 billion economic stimulus bill providing tax incentives to prospective homebuyers and extending unemployment benefits to the longtime jobless who have been left behind as the economy veers toward recovery.The White House signing ceremony today came a day after the House, displaying rare bipartisan agreement over the seriousness of the jobless situation, voted 403-12 for the measure. The Senate approved it unanimously Wednesday.The White House said the bill, which also includes tax cuts for struggling businesses, builds on provisions in the $787 billion stimulus package enacted last February that aim at spurring job creation.Lawmakers stressed the fourth unemployment benefit extension in the past 18 months was necessary because initial signs of economic recovery have not been reflected in the job market. About one-third of the 15 million people out of work have gone at least six months without a job.The bill would provide another 14 weeks of benefits to all out-of-work people who have exhausted their benefits or will do so by the end of the year, estimated at nearly 2 million. Those in states where the jobless rate is 8.5 percent or above get an additional six weeks.The tax credits, added by the Senate, center on extending the popular $8,000 credit for first-time homebuyers that was included in the stimulus package. The credit, which was to expire at the end of this month, will be available through next June as long as the buyer signs a binding contract by the end of April.
PASADENA, Calif. — Hero pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was named the grand marshal of the 121st Tournament of Roses Parade.Sullenberger will ride a flower-festooned float in the New Year's Day parade, themed "2010: A Cut Above The Rest."He'll also toss the coin before the 96th Rose Bowl Game hosted by Citi, which will feature two of the top college football teams in the country.The Tournament of Roses announced Sullenberger's selection Thursday.Sullenberger safely ditched US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in January after bird strikes crippled the airliner during takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport. All 155 people aboard safely escaped the aircraft.
