briefs

(MCT) – Australian actor Heath Ledger, 28, whose searing performance in “Brokeback… (MCT) – Australian actor Heath Ledger, 28, whose searing performance in “Brokeback Mountain” won universal acclaim and an indelible place in cinematic history, was found dead in a downtown Manhattan apartment Tuesday afternoon.

New York police said drugs might have been a factor, though the cause of death is under investigation. Sleeping pills were found at the scene, according to police.

Ledger most recently appeared in “I’m Not There,” Todd Haynes’ rumination on Bob Dylan. He had completed work as The Joker in the Batman movie “The Dark Knight,” scheduled for release this summer, and was cast in Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” at the time of his death.

His big break came in 2000 when he played opposite fellow Australian Mel Gibson, as Gibson’s son in “The Patriot.” Other roles included that of Billy Bob Thornton’s son in “Monster’s Ball” (2001) and a surfer in “The Lords of Dogtown” (2005).

On the set of “Brokeback Mountain,” Ledger fell in love with actress Michelle Williams, who played his unloved wife. The couple had a daughter, Matilda, in October 2005 and made a home in Brooklyn, but they separated last year. – Karen Heller, The Philadelphia Inquirer

(U-WIRE) MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Students who booze while on the state’s tab could soon be paying their own college costs.

A bill introduced in the West Virginia state senate on Jan. 10 seeks to punish students who receive two or more alcohol-related citations with the loss of their state financial aid, including the Promise Scholarship.

The proposed legislation would apply to violations of state law or local ordinances, including underage possession and consumption, open container violation, driving under the influence, public intoxication and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

“When you look at the bill, it is about responsibility and safety. Nobody should be getting behind a wheel when they’re intoxicated. I view it as something that teaches students responsibility,” Sen. Erik Wells, D-Kanawha, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said.

Tying scholarship funds to lawful behavior is not an original idea.

A similar law was passed in South Carolina in 1999, according to Jamie Dickenson, a certified educational planner who consulted on the bill.

The West Virginia bill does not currently contain a provision for students to regain the scholarships, though South Carolina students have the ability to receive their scholarships again after one year.

The issue of substance abuse and scholarship has also been similarly addressed on a federal level, Dickenson said.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, requests that students answer questions about drug use to receive federal funding. – Kellen Henry, The Daily Athenaeum

(U-WIRE) LOS ANGELES – Scrabulous, an online version of the game Scrabble, has become one of the most widely used applications on Facebook, adding just another reason for students to spend time on the social-networking website.

But Hasbro Inc. and Mattel Inc., who own the rights to Scrabble, which is unaffiliated with Scrabulous, are not so thrilled with the sudden popularity of the online game. And as Hasbro and Mattel threaten legal action, claiming copyright and trademark infringement, thousands of Facebook users are fighting to rescue the online game.

“Scrabulous is something new and fun to do on Facebook,” Kyle Wood, a second-year undeclared student, said. “I think it would be a shame to take the application off Facebook because it’s letting kids from our generation rediscover a classic board game.”

Scrabulous users are putting up a fight – at least 40 different “Save Scrabulous” groups have popped up on Facebook, the largest of which has attracted over 45,000 members. – Carolyn Mcgough, Daily Bruin (UCLA)