Names In The News

Parsons (r) Announces That He Has “Beaten Lung Cancer”

NBC NASCAR analyst BENNY PARSONS said that he has “beaten lung cancer after a three-month battle.” He made the announcement on Friday after team owner RICK HENDRICK, driver JIMMIE JOHNSON and sponsor LOWE’S presented a $10,000 check in Parsons’ name to the BLUMENTHAL CANCER CENTER, where Parsons was treated (AP, 10/14).

THE BENEFACTORS: JULIE IRENE KAUFFMAN, the daughter of late Royals Owner EWING KAUFFMAN, will donate $1M to the BUCK O’NEIL EDUCATION & RESEARCH CENTER and will serve as co-Chair of the center’s capital campaign (K.C. STAR, 10/15)....A post office in Reseda, California, was renamed in honor of Basketball HOFer JOHN WOODEN on Saturday, which marked his 96th birthday (L.A. TIMES, 10/15)....Flames co-Owner & NHL BOG Chair HARLEY HOTCHKISS was honored by the CANADA INSTITUTE AT THE WOODROW WILSON INT’L CENTRE FOR SCHOLARS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION with the Woodrow Wilson Award for corporate citizenship. He was introduced by NHL Commissioner GARY BETTMAN (NATIONAL POST, 10/14).

ACTION NEWS: The N.Y. POST’s Page Six reported the set of ESPN’s miniseries “THE BRONX IS BURNING” is “smoldering with tales of a mean director who’s behind schedule and driving the production staff to talk of a possible mutiny.” But EOE Senior VP RON SEMIAO said director JEREMIAH CHECHIK is “doing a heckuva job. Things are going well and it’s a very calm environment” (N.Y. POST, 10/14).

LAND SPECULATORS: In N.Y., James Flanigan examined the proliferation of athletes investing in real estate, noting OSCAR DE LA HOYA’s GOLDEN BOY PARTNERS has six projects “in various stages of production and is closest to breaking ground” on a 107-unit town home development near L.A. The company “will provide assistance by introducing buyers to mortgage lenders” (N.Y. TIMES, 10/14).