LITTLE ROCK — Pennsylvania’s Labor Department is defending its decision to issue work permits to Kate Gosselin’s sextuplets for the reality show Kate Plus 8. A statement from the Department of Labor & Industry said the children are not being “unlawfully exploited” by the filming at their home in Wernersville. State Rep. Thomas Murt questioned the permits last week, saying Pennsylvania law allows children under 7 to work in movies but not TV.Gosselin’s sextuplets are 6. Labor officials said Tuesday that the permits protect the children from working too many hours and ensure that they receive earnings from the TLC cable channel show. Murt maintains that the permits are illegal and said the labor department must seek a ruling from the attorney general.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed actress Geena Davis to a California commission established to promote women’s equality. Schwarzenegger on Tuesday named the 54-year-old actress to the Commission on the Status of Women. The nonpartisan panel advocates for women and girls in areas such as education and access to health care. Davis, a Democrat, has worked off screen to reduce sexual stereotyping.She is the founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in the Media and is a partner with United Nations Development Fund for Women. She won an Oscar in 1989 for her supporting role in The Accidental Tourist and was nominated for best actress in 1992 for Thelma and Louise. The appointment lasts four years and requires Senate confirmation.
A California court has issued Jennifer Aniston a temporary restraining order against a man who authorities say traveled cross-country in a delusional attempt to marry her. Court documents filed Tuesday in Santa Monica said police detained Jason R. Peyton last week after finding him with a sharp object, duct tape and love notes to the former Friends star. Authorities said he was stopped after spending days trying to find Aniston on Sunset Boulevard. The filings state that Peyton has been accused of stalking others and is disobeying court orders that he must take antipsychotic medications. The 24-year-old was placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold by Los Angeles police. A hearing on the order is to be held Aug. 9.
Front Section, Pages 2 on 07/22/2010