SAN FERNANDO COUNCILWOMAN CHARGED IN BEATING OF EX: SAN FERNANDO (AP) — A San Fernando councilwoman has been charged with destroying a laptop computer and picture frame in a fight with a fellow councilman who resigned after their scandalous affair and an ugly breakup that resulted in mutual restraining orders.
In charging documents Friday, Los Angeles County prosecutors also accuse Maribel de la Torre of committing battery on her former lover Mario Hernandez.
De la Torre is accused of committing about $400 worth of damage in a June 28 confrontation with Hernandez, who is identified only as "Mario H." in the charging document.
Their messy affair has been public since they announced at a council meeting in November that they were romantically linked, with Hernandez' wife in the audience.
Hernandez resigned Tuesday, avoiding a potentially tense council meeting with de la Torre.
JENNIFER LOPEZ FOLLOWS TYLER OFF 'AMERICAN IDOL': LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jennifer Lopez followed Steven Tyler's lead off "American Idol" on Friday, a one-two punch for a show on the brink of an adolescent identity crisis.
Lopez will not be back for a third year on television's top-rated but struggling show, her representative, Mark Young, said Friday. Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler announced Thursday he was exiting.
That means the "Idol" panel is down to one, original judge Randy Jackson, and there are reports that he may take a different role when the Fox show returns next January.
Lopez broke the news to "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest on his radio show.
"I really was dreading this phone call with you," she told him. "I honestly feel like the time has come that I have to get back to doing the other things that I do that I've put kind of on hold because I love 'Idol' so much."
"American Idol" has been TV's most popular program for nearly a decade, but its ratings have declined as TV's talent show field has grown more competitive.
SON OF SYLVESTER STALLONE DIES IN LA: LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 36-year-old son of Sylvester Stallone was found dead Friday, leaving the actor grief-stricken, his publicist said.
Authorities were investigating Sage Stallone's death, but details were not immediately available.
"Sylvester Stallone is devastated and grief-stricken over the sudden loss of his son," publicist Michelle Bega said in a statement. "His compassion and thoughts are with Sage's mother, Sasha."
Los Angeles police said they were dispatched to investigate a death at a home on Mulholland Terrace around 2:15 p.m. but could not confirm the person's identity or offer details.
Coroner's officials also said they were in the initial investigative stages.
"Sage was a very talented and wonderful young man, his loss will be felt forever," Bega said.
PRESBYTERIANS REJECT REDEFINITION OF MARRIAGE: The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) narrowly rejected a proposal to revise the traditional definition of marriage on Friday, a year after it struck down a barrier to ordaining gays.
The Presbyterian General Assembly, meeting in Pittsburgh, voted 338-308 against changing how marriage was defined in the church constitution from a "civil contract between a woman and a man" to a "covenant between two people." The assembly also rejected measures that would have affirmed a traditional definition of marriage or sought more theological study of the issue.
Other mainline Protestant churches have approved gay ordination or have permitted individual congregations to celebrate same-sex unions in recent years. The U.S. Episcopal Church, which is holding its national convention through next week in Indianapolis, will consider official prayers for blessing same-sex unions. However, only one major Protestant denomination, the United Church of Christ, has endorsed same-sex marriage outright.
NO. CAL. SCHOOL SETTLES ATHLETE MISTREATMENT SUIT: EAST NICOLAUS (AP) — A Northern California school district is paying $40,000 to settle a former football player's claims that punishment for missing practice turned abusive.
The Marysville Appeal-Democrat reports (http://bit.ly/Oh3sN4) that former East Nicolaus High School player Justin Williams alleged in a Sutter County Superior Court lawsuit that football coach Mark Varnum ordered 11 teammates to tackle him repeatedly in August, leaving him with a partially collapsed lung and concussion.
Former Sutter County Sheriff J. Paul Parker had said there wasn't enough evidence for criminal charges after his office investigated the case.
The coach is no longer listed as an employee on the school's website.
Williams will receive about $25,000 of the settlement with the East Nicolaus High School District when he turns 18 after attorney fees and expenses are deducted.
