Columbus Short Not Returning To 'Scandal'

TelevisionColumbus Short FightColumbus ShortColumbus Short AbuseColumbus Short ScandalColumbus Short LawsuitColumbus Short Out of Scandal'Scandal' Columbus Short Not ReturningAP

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Columbus Short won't be returning to "Scandal" following his legal troubles.

The 31-year-old actor said in a statement released Friday that he's exiting the ABC political thriller after three seasons.

"At this time, I must confirm my exit from a show I've called home for three years, with what is the most talented ensemble on television today," Short said. "I would like to first thank Shonda Rhimes for the opportunity to work with such an amazing cast."

The announcement of Short's exit from the series created by Rhimes comes amid two pending criminal cases, one accusing him of misdemeanor spousal battery and another accusing him of felony battery that seriously injured a man during an altercation at a West Hollywood restaurant in March.

If convicted, Short faces up to four years in state prison.

Short was charged Feb. 14 with misdemeanor spousal battery and has pleaded not guilty in that case. A judge ordered him to stay away from his wife, Tuere Short, at a March 5 court hearing. The case is due back in court on May 13.

In that instance, Short's wife reported that the actor began choking her while she was sleeping, chased her around their home, dragged her from a room and threw her on the ground, according to an application for a temporary restraining order that she filed.

NBA investigating if Clippers owner Donald Sterling made racist comments

Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports8:02 p.m. EDT April 26, 2014

(Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

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The NBA is investigating whether racially insensitive comments in an audio recording obtained by TMZ were made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

"The remarks heard on the recording are disturbing and offensive, but at this time we have no further information," NBA executive vice president of communication Mike Bass said. He also said the league is conducting a "full investigation."

ARMOUR: New commissioner must ban Sterling

OUTRAGE: Players, coaches react to comments

The players union is also looking into the situation, according to president Chris Paul, who is also the Clippers point guard.

"On behalf of the National Basketball Players Association, this is a very serious issue which we will address aggressively," Paul said in a statement. "We have asked Mayor Kevin Johnson to expand his responsibilities with the NBPA, to determine our response and our next steps. As players, we owe it to our teams and our fans to keep our focus on our game, the playoffs, and the drive to the Finals."

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, who is helping the union find its next executive director, called for an investigation and possible punishment.

"The reported comments made by Clippers owner Donald Sterling are reprehensible and unacceptable," Johnson said in a statement. "The National Basketball Players Association must and will play a very active role in determining how this issue is addressed.

"There needs to be an immediate investigation and if the reports are true, there needs to be strong and swift action taken. I have spoken with NBPA President Chris Paul and will be leading the NBPA in addressing the implications of this serious matter. I will be formally reaching out to the NBA today to determine our next steps. While I originally came on to lead the Executive Director search, this issue requires immediate attention from the players association. I will be keeping Chris Paul, the Executive Committee, and all player representatives informed of every step."

This is NBA commissioner's Adam Silver first major issue to resolve since replacing David Stern in February, and the union, players and coaches are awaiting his response.

Healthy Eating

Easy Tips for Planning a Healthy Diet & Sticking to It

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Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, stabilizing your mood, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible—all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a tasty, healthy diet.

IN THIS ARTICLE:

• Set yourself up for success
• Moderation is key
• Fill up on fruits & vegetables
• Eat more whole grains
• Enjoy healthy fats
• Put protein in perspective
• Add calcium & vitamin D
• Limit sugar & salt

  

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

• Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
• Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
• Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet.

Water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.

Exercise. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries, or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.

Earthquake strikes off Chile, triggers tsunami

(CNN) -- A mighty 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northern Chile late Tuesday, triggering small landslides, cutting power and generating a tsunami.

Four men and one woman died -- two who suffered heart attacks and three who were crushed, said Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo.

About 300 prisoners escaped from the northern port city of Iquique in the immediate aftermath, he said. The quake struck about 8:46 p.m. local time, some 60 miles northwest of Iquique. It had a depth of 12.5 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Chile's National Emergency Office asked coastal residents to evacuate.

"The fact is, we will know the extent of the damage as time goes by and when we inspect the areas in the light of day," Chile's President Michelle Bachelet said early Wednesday. "The country has faced these first emergency hours very well."