Lamont

The opportunity tonight to become a world boxing champion isn't where Lamont Peterson's life once seemed to be headed. "Dead, or 100 years in jail," Peterson said this week, reflecting on his early childhood spent in horrid poverty in Washington D.C. Peterson, 25, will fight World Boxing Organization junior-welterweight champion Timothy Bradley of Palm Springs at the Agua Caliente Spa Resort Casino in Rancho Mirage in a bout that has generated buzz...

Elsa Emerson leaves home, becomes a movie star named Laura Lamont, marries a studio executive, wins an Oscar, suffers the inevitable career decline, takes too many pills and winds up in the hospital, works in a dress shop, then gets a chance to make a comeback on Broadway. We've heard this Hollywood tale an awful lot of times before, haven't we? Yes and no. Emma Straub, who has published two well-received story collections, makes an interesting decision in her first novel. Her heroine is not a self-destructive, self-dramatizing diva; she's a down-to-earth, professional actress who has few pretensions about what she does.

Kevin Thomas' review of "The Theory of Flight" contains a factual error (" 'Theory' Takes Flight in Its Search for Love," Dec. 23). Gemma Jones, known to many from "Masterpiece Theatre's" "The Duchess of Duke Street," doesn't play Kenneth Branagh's girlfriend but rather Helena Bonham Carter's mother. The girlfriend was played by Holly Aird. Had Jones been Branagh's girlfriend, I think we would have had an entirely different story. DAVID S. LAMONT Malibu

Internet regulars know Emma Straub, an effervescent young writer and bookseller from New York who has been accused of being the nicest person on Twitter. In her debut novel, “Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures,” tells a classic tale of fame and family set in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Aspiring actress Elsa Pitts arrives in Los Angeles in the 1930s; she quickly goes from comely Midwestern blond to glamorous brunette. Of course the name -- Elsa Pitts -- had to go. Probably faster than the hair.

The spirit of volunteerism seems to have gripped the country, and what a wonderful response that is. However, because the economy is faltering and more and more people are losing their jobs, as a practical matter, wouldn't it be better to offer and even subsidize the reemployment of many of these people to some of these so-called volunteer positions in schools, hospitals, etc. This action could help to restart our prosperity and give back the self-respect to...

Lamont Bentley, a promising actor who appeared in more than a dozen films and television shows but was best known for his role on the comedy series "Moesha," died early Wednesday in a car crash in Ventura County. He was 31. Bentley was traveling alone on the 118 Freeway near Simi Valley shortly after midnight when he headed for the Rocky Peak Fire Road offramp at a high speed, witnesses told authorities.

A respected skid row facility that provides shelter and counseling to homeless people became a site for drug dealing, leading to a double homicide inside the Lamp Lodge earlier this year, according to police detectives and court records. Los Angeles Police Department detectives allege that dealers sold rock cocaine and heroin out of the Lamp Lodge for months, a practice that ended after one of the alleged drug dealers and another man were shot to death there in April. Lamp officials said claims of widespread drug dealing at the facility are overblown.

Jada Pinkett Smith has responded to the rumor that she has an open relationship with hubby Will Smith, dubbing it "the most persistent" rumor that has dogged them during their 16-year marriage. Asked flat-out, "Is it true?" in a sit-down with Marc Lamont Hill on HuffPost Live , Jada replied, "I think, no, I think people get that idea because Will and I are very relaxed with one another and I think because, from how I've answered questions" about how she deals with other women when it comes to being married to a superstar.  Note that the word "no" actually appears in that quote, though it was hardly the highlight of the sentence.

The Gene Lamont era appears ready to begin in Pittsburgh. According to sources close to the Pirates on Monday, Lamont is expected to become the Pirates' manager later this week, barring a breakdown in negotiations or a surprise offer from another team currently without a manager. Lamont, who managed the Chicago White Sox for 2 1/2 seasons, would likely make about $250,000 to $300,000 per season, or one-third of Jim Leyland's $900,000 salary.

With Jim Leyland apparently set to become the Florida Marlins' manager as early as Wednesday, the Gene Lamont era appears ready to begin in Pittsburgh. According to sources close to the Pirates, Lamont is expected to become the Pirates' manager later this week, barring a breakdown in negotiations or a surprise offer from another team currently without a manager.

Amir Khan, who regained one light-welterweight title earlier this week without entering the ring, has a chance Saturday to win another if he can stop unbeaten Danny Garcia. Lamont Peterson had defeated Khan by a controversial decision in December but then tested positive in May for synthetic testosterone and admitted he started using the substance in November. The World Boxing Assn. this week stripped its title from Peterson and returned it to Khan. In a way, Khan's loss to Peterson never happened.

The anticipated world junior-welterweight title rematch between Lamont Peterson and Amir Khan in Las Vegas on May 19 was canceled Wednesday by Golden Boy Promotions because of the fallout from Peterson's positive test for testosterone. "It's unfair to the public, HBO and the hotel [Mandalay Bay]," said Golden Boy Chief Executive Richard Schaefer , whose decision came after he was informed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission that it would conduct a special session Tuesday to weigh Peterson's licensing.

  World Boxing Assn. and International Boxing Federation junior welterweight champion Lamont Peterson has tested positive for synthetic testosterone, jeopardizing his May 19 title defense against England's Amir Khan at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, said Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and Peterson's promoter, Richard Schaefer. Kizer and Schaefer confirmed the positive result for synthetic testosterone and are now awaiting a letter Tuesday explaining the result from Peterson's attorney, both men said.

World junior welterweight champion Lamont Peterson has tested positive for synthetic testosterone, jeopardizing his May 19 title defense against England's Amir Khan at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and Richard Schaefer, Peterson's promoter, confirmed Tuesday they've been notified of the positive test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Assn. Kizer received a letter Tuesday explaining the result from Peterson's attorney.

It's usually a contender who begrudgingly accepts a fight in a champion's hometown for the sake of having a title shot. Amir Khan has flipped tradition, going to Washington for a World Boxing Assn. junior-welterweight bout against challenger Lamont Peterson (29-1-1, 15 knockouts), a native of the District of Columbia. "The home crowd is a lot of pressure," Khan, 25, said this week of his sixth title defense, which will be televised by HBO (6:45 p.m. PST). "He might crack. I think he'll fight with his heart and all his dreams will go out the window.

Amid financial turmoil and changing political tides, the Compton City Council has voted to fire its third city manager in five years. The council voted 3 to 2 late Tuesday to terminate City Manager Willie Norfleet, effective immediately. Norfleet had worked for the city for about four years and served as city controller until his predecessor, Charles Evans, was fired last fall. Norfleet came under fire over revelations in the spring that the city was running a $25-million deficit in its general fund and over his handling of deep budget cuts and mass layoffs intended to get the city's finances stabilized.

A game after becoming the first Pittsburgh manager to win his debut since Harry Walker did in 1965, Gene Lamont faced what his friend and predecessor Jim Leyland did so many times the last several seasons. The Pirates' 7-5 loss on Thursday to the Giants gave them a split in their season-opening series. What helped the Giants end an eight-game home losing streak to Pittsburgh was Jeff Kent, who matched a career-high with five RBIs. Then the Giants withstood Mark Johnson's first grand slam.

Actor Jerry Lamont Crews, who appeared on Broadway, in television and motion pictures, has died at his North Hollywood home. He was 65. Crews died Sunday of complications of emphysema, said his former wife, Kathleen Carey of North Hollywood. Born in Birmingham, Ala., Crews served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and later attended an acting school in Washington. In New York, Crews appeared on Broadway in "Sunrise at Campobello" and "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial" and on live television.

Lamont Jones made a go-ahead lay-in with 1:03 left in the third overtime, the tying three-pointer with five seconds to go in the second overtime and the tying three-point play late in regulation, sending No. 21 Arizona to a thrilling 107-105 victory over California on Saturday night at Berkeley Jones finished with a career-high 27 points in the Wildcats' fifth consecutive win and Kevin Parrom scored five of his 25 points in the third extra period...

Reporting from Tucson Rotten irony, cruel fate or bad karma, USC can't be sure. But two of its former recruits, two players whose signature on 2009 letters of intent officially made them Trojans, ended up at Arizona and beat them Saturday. Derrick Williams and Lamont Jones each made all six of his shots against the team they nearly joined, and led Arizona to an 82-73 victory at the McKale Center. Williams, a superstar sophomore forward from La Mirada High who has become a national player-of-the-year candidate, scored a game-high 20 points, including 17 in the second half.