Celtics F JAYLEN BROWN yesterday was honored by Massachusetts state Sen. NICK COLLINS for his "philanthropic work with children in Boston." Brown was recognized for his work with "his own Juice Foundation, with 'No Books No Ball' -- which uses basketball, academics and community engagement to motivate urban youth -- and with the Boys and Girls Club of Boston." Brown at the event "took questions from and posed for pictures with more than 100 local kids" (NBCSPORTSBOSTON.com, 1/1).
NAMES: Prospective incoming Mets Owner STEVE COHEN and his Point72 Asset Management firm "had a home run" in '19 with 13% returns as of the end of November (N.Y. POST, 1/1)....CBS' DOTTIE PEPPER "paid off all outstanding school lunch debt" for 50 kids at Dorothy Nolan Elementary in Sarasota Springs, N.Y. (Albany TIMES UNION, 1/1)....ROB GRONKOWSKI "brought his unique approach" to Fox' New Year's Eve coverage from Times Square, and he "capped off the night by engaging in some pagaentry of his own." Gronkowski "dressed up in an old-time football uniform, complete with a No. 87 jersey, and spiked an enormous bust" of STEVE HARVEY made of Legos. Gronkowski also "presented a series of gifts to a Make-A-Wish Foundation recipient" on the broadcast (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/1)....AYESHA CURRY has opened her Int'l Smoke restaurant inside the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 1/1)....Yankees P GERRIT COLE and his wife, AMY, are "expecting their first child, a boy, in June" (MLB.com, 1/1).
IN MEMORY: Former Univ. of Louisiana AD DAVID WALKER passed away Tuesday. Walker had served almost two years as the school's interim AD before being "appointed to the position full-time" in July '07. He later announced retirement plans in October '10, and "retired the following January" (Lafayette DAILY ADVERTISER, 1/2).
