UNDATED (AP) – Former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh has revealed he’s got prostate cancer. Lesh says on his web site he has been monitored by doctors since his liver transplant in 1998 and one noticed that Lesh had elevated levels of antigens.
That doctor recommended Lesh see a urologist, and a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. Lesh plans to have the cancer removed in early December. He says since he caught it very early and it’s small and slow-growing, he expects to have a rapid and complete recovery. He says he feels energetic as always and he plans to keep all his scheduled appearances.

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Snow Patrol and Tenacious D have been added to the lineup of the American Music Awards. Country group Rascal Flatts will also perform.
They join previously announced performers Beyonce’, Mary J. Blige, Carrie Underwood, the Dixie Chicks, Josh Groban, Nelly Furtado and Pussycat Dolls. The awards will be handed out November 21st in Los Angeles and shown on ABC.

NEW YORK (AP) – An unidentified bidder has spent 15 million dollars for the Jimi Hendrix song catalog, but the bidder may not actually own it. Hendrix’s family claims they still own the songs. The rights to Hendrix’s catalog were auctioned off Thursday by the estate of former Hendrix manager Michael Frank Jeffrey, who died in 1973.
The auction was sponsored by Ocean Tomo Auctions, who refused to identify the winning bidder. Hendrix family spokesman Bob Merlis says the term “winner” actually means, “You may buy the right to become a defendant in a lawsuit.” Merlis says the Hendrix family had warned that the Jeffrey estate had no claim to the songs, as affirmed in several previous court cases. Merlis says the Hendrix family “sounded many, many cautionary notes.” An Ocean Tomo spokeswoman has no comment on the charges from the Hendrix estate.

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) – President Bush is trying to fire up his
party by decrying gay marriage.
Campaigning for candidates in Georgia, the president pointed to
last week’s New Jersey Supreme Court ruling that said same-sex
couples are entitled to the same rights as heterosexual couples.
Bush says activist judges have tried to redefine America by
court order for decades. The president says the New Jersey court
ruling raises doubt about the institution of marriage.
New Jersey’s court left it up to the Legislature to decide
whether to extend the rights under the structure of marriage or
something else.
Bush supports the idea of civil unions. But he ignored that as
he protrayed the New Jersey decision as the kind of thing America
should do without.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) – Morris County authorities say they’ve
crippled a violent drug distribution network operated by the Bloods
street gang.
Authorities yesterday announced the arrests of 47 adults and
three juveniles. Eleven suspects are reputedly members of the
Bloods.
Prosecutors say the gang members were plotting a murder, selling
drugs and engaged in violence in Morristown.
County Prosecutor Michael Rubbinaccio says “Operation Direct
Pressure” was meant to send a message that gang activity would not
be tolerated.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)