This Just In

In The News This Just In

Arrest in Etan Patz Case Made on Eve of the 33rd Anniversary of His Disappearance (VIDEO)

Posted by Julie Ryan Evans
on May 24, 2012 at 10:17 PM

Pedro Hernandez
Pedro Hernandez
It was exactly 33 years ago tomorrow that Etan Patz set off to the school bus stop by himself for the first time. As we well know, he never made it. Instead was likely lured with the promise of a soda and choked to death for no apparent reason by a man. Tonight that man, Pedro Hernandez, 51, of Maple Shade, N.J., has been arrested after all of these years. Finally.

Hernandez confessed yesterday and described what he says happened; he gave no motive. While the lack of physical evidence makes it difficult for police to corroborate his story, they believe he is indeed the killer. Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly told The New York Times:

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In The News This Just In

One Year After Casey Anthony Trial & She's Still Making News

Posted by Jeanne Sager
on May 24, 2012 at 12:17 PM

Casey AnthonyReady for a time warp? Today marks a full year since the trial of Casey Anthony on charges of murdering her toddler daughter Caylee and all the hoopla surrounding it got under way in Orlando, Florida. Little did we know then that she'd walk off relatively scot-free, thanks to the not guilty verdict that would come in July.

After that shocker, it's safe to say that most of America (or at least the 88 percent who think she is guilty) are approaching the one-year anniversary of the trial of the century with a bad taste in their mouths. Want to feel a little better? The past year for Casey hasn't exactly been smooth sailing. Here's a look at what she's been up to:

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In The News This Just In

Confession in Etan Patz Kidnapping Could Finally Crack Decades Old Tragedy

Posted by Sasha Brown-Worsham
on May 24, 2012 at 11:02 AM

The disappearance of Etan Patz has captured our culture's horror and imagination for the past 30 years. A young, beautiful boy taken from a street in New York City in 1979 changed the way parents parented their kids for the next three decades and changed everything about the way we view strangers and missing children. And now, all these years later, someone has confessed to playing a role in the disappearance.

Pedro Hernandez was taken into custody late Wednesday night. He had previously been looked at in the case and lived in the same SoHo neighborhood as Patz and his family. Though he has implicated himself, police said they are treating his "confession" with skepticism.

Regardless, this is some movement after the disappointing basement search a few weeks ago that turned up no evidence of human remains.

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Pregnancy This Just In

New Pregnancy Link to Autism Is Scary ... But Don't Panic Yet

Posted by Mary Fischer
on May 24, 2012 at 10:22 AM

pregnantResearchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute have recently discovered a link between fevers during pregnancy and autism. According to their findings, women who spiked a fever while pregnant were much more likely to have a baby diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.

There were 191 mothers who participated in this study who reported developing fevers while pregnant. Out of that group, 76 took medication to bring their temperature down, while the other 115 did not take anything to lower the fever. And the findings were pretty stunning as far as the autism spectrum goes. The women who did not take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to lower their fever were 2 1/2 times more likely to have babies with a communication disorder, and 2 3/4 times more likely to have babies with developmental problems.

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In The News This Just In

DUI Bust Includes Zebra, Parrot & an Old Dude Too (VIDEO)

Posted by Lindsay Mannering
on May 23, 2012 at 5:19 PM

zebraI wish I could've seen the original police blotter for this story. A man with a pet zebra and parrot in the front seat of his car was arrested in Dubuque, Iowa recently for an alleged OWI. It sounds like something straight out of The Hangover, but rest assured, Jerald Reiter, 55, wasn't drugged by Zach Galifianakis or serenaded by an ornery Mike Tyson. Reiter was just taking his zebra and his parrot to a local bar, you see, because he thought they allowed animals inside.

After learning that his beloved beasts weren't, in fact, welcome, Reiter went to put his pets back in the truck, but obviously couldn't do so without garnering some attention. People were snapping photos as he put the dynamic duo in the front seat, and Reiter believes one of the onlookers called the cops. What a buzz kill.

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Baby This Just In

Snooki Reveals 'It's a Boy,' But the Name Is Even Bigger News!

Posted by Kiri Blakeley
on May 23, 2012 at 12:18 PM

I know we have all been waiting breathlessly for Snooki to announce the sex of her baby, and now she has! Snooki will be expecting a little bambino. That's boy, in non-Italian. Snooki told In Touch that she wanted a girl, but that as long as the baby is healthy, she's happy. I sense a collective sigh of disappointment that we won't see a little Snooki, with the garish bejeweled diapers, the wispy baby pouf, and the possible (fake) baby tan. However, there is some good news!

Snooki also says she won't be giving her little bambino a typically weird Hollywood celebrity name. She's going old-school. Snooki and her fiance, Jionni LaValle, may go with either Jionni Jr. or Lorenzo. Good, solid Italian names, both.

But in case Snooki is still considering monikers, here's a few others she might want for her short list ...

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Sports This Just In

Donald Driver Wins 'DWTS': Check Out His Fanciest Footwork This Season (VIDEOS)

Posted by Mary Fischer
on May 23, 2012 at 10:30 AM

donald driver

Season 14 of Dancing With the Stars came to an end last night, and NFL player Donald Driver & his partner Peta Murgatroyd are the official winners of the mirror ball trophy! I have to admit -- when Donald was first announced as a cast member, I figured he'd be voted off fairly quickly, because football players are typically too big and burly to be graceful on the dance floor.

But boy, was I ever proven wrong! Can you believe how Donald came out of the gate running on the very first night, and only got better and better each week? At times, it was hard to tell whether he or Peta was the ballroom professional -- that's how impressive his dancing skills were.

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Home & Garden This Just In

William Levy Loses 'DWTS' -- and Now He's Homeless! (VIDEO)

Posted by Mary Fischer
on May 23, 2012 at 9:56 AM

william levy houseWell, Dancing With the Stars season 14 crowned a winner last night, as Donald Driver took home the mirror ball trophy. And even though the sexiest man who ever graced the ballroom floor, better known as William Levy, provided some pretty stiff competition during the past 10 weeks, his fancy footwork only landed him a third place spot in the finals.

Losing DWTS was no doubt a huge disappointment for William, but losing his Doral, Florida home may prove to be a much bigger letdown. His house near Miami has reportedly gone into foreclosure, and the bank is set to auction it off next month.

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Entertainment This Just In

'The Great Gatsby' Trailer Will Make You Want to Party Like It's 1922 (VIDEO)

Posted by Julie Ryan Evans
on May 23, 2012 at 12:14 AM

Leonardo DiCaprioRemakes and books made into movies aren't typically high on my list of favorite films. The upcoming version of The Great Gatsby directed by Baz Luhrmann, however, is both, but I can't wait to see it -- especially after seeing the trailer that was just released.

In short, it looks AMAZING. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jay Gatsby; Carey Mulligan plays Daisy Buchanan; and Tobey Maguire is Nick Carraway. The cast alone is incredible, but then you add in the music (Kanye West and Jay-Z and U2 might seem odd choices, but they work), the costumes, and the whole feel of the era, and the book appears to be coming to life -- albeit with a definite twist. See for yourself after the jump.

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Healthy Living This Just In

POM Wonderful Juice Can’t Work Miracles (But I’ll Still Drink It)

Posted by Jacqueline Burt
on May 22, 2012 at 11:45 PM

POMI've got to be honest, I'm kind of disappointed to learn that POM Wonderful apparently isn't the magical elixir it's cracked up to be.

Federal Administrative Judge D. Michael Chappell ruled Monday that the company made "deceptive advertising claims" by marketing the juice as a means to “treat, prevent, or reduce the risk heart disease, prostate cancer, or erectile dysfunction.”

Why am I disappointed?

Not because I'm personally worried about any of the above ailments, but because those "deceptive advertising claims" made me feel better about spending a small fortune on the stuff. Which I love simply for the taste.

But all is not lost. Even Judge Chappell "did not agree that every marketing claim included in the complaint was deceptive."

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