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Michelle Trachtenberg, signs of liver disease that she may have missed

Sandra Rose
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Michelle Trachtenberg, signs of liver disease that she may have missed
Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images

Michelle Trachtenberg, best known for her role as Georgina Sparks on “Gossip Girl”, died on Wednesday, Feb. 26, months after undergoing a liver transplant.

The 39-year-old actress was found dead around 8 a.m. in her Midtown Manhattan apartment, at 1 Columbus Place, according to ABC News.

Trachtenberg’s mother, Lana Trachtenberg, discovered her body and called 911 and EMS.

No foul play is suspected in her untimely death.

MediaPunch / BACKGRID

According to reports, Trachtenberg had a history of alcoholism that damaged her liver.

More than a year leading up to her death, fans expressed concerns about the actress’s health. They noted her weight loss and yellow-tinged eyes, a sign of liver disease.

One IG user wrote in the comments section, “Michelle u look sick. R u ok?”

Michelle Trachtenberg
Instagram

At the time, Trachtenberg clapped back: “Explain to me how I look sick. Did you lose a calendar and not realize I’m not 14. I’m 38. How sad for you to leave such a comment.”

Trachtenberg’s comment is a clue that she may have missed the signs and symptoms of liver failure.

In another post on Instagram, Trachtenberg wrote: “I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.”

In a follow-up post, she wrote: “Fun fact. This is my face. Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have you hate? Get a calendar.”

Alcoholism is a leading cause of liver disease worldwide. Hepatitis, obesity, and diabetes can also lead to liver disease (Cirrhosis).

One of the signs of liver disease is jaundice, yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. Jaundice is caused by a buildup of bilirubin in the blood. The excess bilirubin is deposited in the skin and the whites of the eyes.

The signs & symptoms that Trachtenberg may have missed include:

  • Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Feeling tired all the time (fatigue)
  • Right side and back pain
  • Abdominal pain
  • Swollen feet and legs
  • Dark urine
  • Pale, clay-colored stool
  • Dry, itchy skin

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    It’s very rare for doctors to place an alcoholic on a transplant waiting list when there are hundreds of non-alcoholic patients waiting for organs.

    Trachtenberg’s celebrity status may be the reason she was moved to the top of the waiting list.

    Trachtenberg was best known as Dawn Summers on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

    She also starred in “Harriet the Spy” and later appeared in “Gossip Girl.”

    Georgia couple, aged 87 and 89, accused of stealing $1 million from deceased mother’s pension payments

    Sandra Rose
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    Georgia couple, aged 87 and 89, accused of stealing $1 million from deceased mother’s pension payments
    Mary Ann Arceneaux, Ernest
    Gwinnett County PD

    Gwinnett County, Georgia police arrested an 87-year-old woman and her 89-year-old husband, who allegedly stole $1 million from her deceased mother’s pension payments.

    Records show Mary Ann Arceneaux and her husband Ernest Arceneaux, of Snellville, Georgia, stole pension payments intended for her mother, who died in 2010.

    According to the arrest warrant, Mary Ann Arceneaux’s mother retired from her teaching job and moved to California in 1991. She died in June 2010, but Mary Ann did not report her mother’s death to the California State Teachers’ Retirement System.

    Police allege that the Arceneauxs forged documents to show that her mother was still alive since 2010.

    “The daughter failed to notify anybody, the bank, the California Teacher Retirement System, or anybody that she had passed away,” Ryan Winderweedle of the Gwinnett County Police Department told WSB-TV.

    Officials with the California State Teachers’ Retirement System soon discovered the ruse when Arceneaux’s mother turned 120 years old – and she was still collecting her pension.

    “They were able to locate a death certificate on that former employee who was deceased in 2010,” Winderweedle said.

    According to police, the pension checks were deposited into a bank account, and then transferred to other accounts controlled by the Arceneauxs.

    The Arceneauxs allegedly stole $1,116,862.69, according to the arrest warrant.

    The Arceneauxs were arrested last week and charged with identity fraud and theft by deception. They have since posted bail.

    Legendary Actor Gene Hackman, His Wife and Dog Found Dead in New Mexico Home

    Sandra Rose
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    Legendary Actor Gene Hackman, His Wife and Dog Found Dead in New Mexico Home
    Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

    Movie icon Gene Hackman was found dead in his New Mexico home in Santa Fe on Wednesday, Feb. 26. He was 95.

    Police found Hackman dead along with his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, and their dog while conducting a welfare check on Wednesday afternoon.

    Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed their deaths and announced no foul play is suspected, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.

    Gene Hackman

    The two-time Academy Award winner was best known for his roles in The French Connection (1971), Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Superman (1978), Mississippi Burning (1988), The Firm (1993), The Birdcage (1996), and many more memorable films.

    Gene Hackman

    Hackman was born Eugene Allen Hackman in San Bernardino, California, in 1930. When Hackman was 13, his father abandoned the family with a final wave to his son.

    “It was so precise. Maybe that’s why I became an actor,” Hackman later told Vanity Fair in 2013. “I doubt I would’ve become so sensitive to human behavior if that hadn’t happened to me as a child — if I hadn’t realized how much one small gesture can mean.”

    After a stint in the Marines, Hackman bounced around in New York and Florida, before returning to his childhood home in Danville, Illinois. That’s where he met his girlfriend, Faye Maltese, and they were married in 1956. She worked as a bank clerk to support his fledgling acting career in California.

    Hackman joined the famed Pasadena Playhouse, where he bonded with another aspiring actor, Dustin Hoffman.

    WENN.com

    Hackman was eventually kicked out of the Pasadena Playhouse. He moved to New York and landed a small role in a two-week production of Arthur Miller’s play A View from the Bridge.

    His breakout role came when Hackman was in his mid-thirties. He played Warren Beatty’s brother Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde (1967). The role earned him his first of 5 Oscar nominations in 1968.

    The Birdcage movie poster

    In 1986, Hackman divorced his first wife, Faye, with whom he had three children.

    In 1991, he married Hawaiian classical pianist Betsy Arakawa after first meeting her at a gym.

    They moved into a Santa Fe, New Mexico home on 12 acres, which was featured in Architectural Digest in 1990. The home was situated on a hilltop, with a view of the Colorado mountains.

    Blogger begs for help to pay legal bills in Megan Thee Stallion lawsuit

    Sandra Rose
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    Blogger begs for help to pay legal bills in Megan Thee Stallion lawsuit
    Megan Thee Stallion, Milagro Gramz
    Screengrab, Getty Images

    Blogger Milagro Gramz (left) begged her followers for money to help pay her legal bills in Megan Thee Stallion‘s defamation lawsuit against her.

    Megan, real name Megan Pete, 30, sued Milagro Gramz last year for allegedly cyberstalking, spreading deep-fake pornography, and causing emotional distress.

    On Tuesday, Milagro took to social media to plead with her followers for money to cover her legal bills.

    “I’m being sued,” Milagro wrote in a post on X on Tuesday, Feb. 25. “I need some money. Here goes the story & the link. tell everybody.”

    In a post on a crowdfunding site, Milagro wrote: “Like many from my generation, I have used the internet to build a community and speak to issues that are important to me. In doing so, I defended Tory Lanez against claims that he had committed a heinous crime. This decision has put a target on my back and mounting legal fees could result in a miscarriage of justice.”

    Milagro Gramz

    The request confused Milagro’s followers who questioned why she needs her legal bills paid when her legal fees are already covered for free.

    In October, Unite The People announced they would represent Milagro pro bono – meaning without charge. Unite The People is a California-based, non-profit organization of concerned defense lawyers who offer their services to low-income people.

    Unite the people also represents Megan’s ex-boyfriend, rapper Tory Lanez, who is currently incarcerated in California for shooting at her feet.

    Tory Lanez, Milagro Gramz
    Screengrab

    During the discovery phase of the lawsuit, Megan’s lawyers subpoenaed Milagro’s financial records to determine if she’s being paid by Lanez to harass Megan online.

    The bank records showed payments totaling $3,000 from Tory’s father to Milagro.

    A judge recently granted permission for Megan’s lawyers to question Tory Lanez in a deposition as part of her defamation lawsuit against Milagro.

    In a new court filing, Megan’s lawyers said they believe deposing Tory is “necessary for Ms. Pete to fully investigate the extent and basis of Defendant’s conduct and Defendant’s relationship with Mr. Peterson, in support of her claims.”

    However, Tory’s lawyers have indicated he will not sit for a deposition behind bars. He’s already in prison – what more can they do to him?

    ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ Star Karen Huger Gets Her Sentence for Driving Drunk

    Sandra Rose
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    ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ Star Karen Huger Gets Her Sentence for Driving Drunk
    JC Olivera/Getty Images

    Karen Huger, star of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Potomac,” has been sentenced to one year in prison for driving under the influence of alcohol.

    Huger was convicted of DUI in December of 2024. She was sentenced to two years in prison with one year suspended on Wednesday, February 26.

    In March 2024, Huger was arrested after she crashed her Maserati into a tree in Potomac, Maryland. Police bodycam footage showed the 61-year-old reality TV star visibly intoxicated, unsteady on her feet and slurring her words.

    BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID

    Photos from the crash site, obtained by TMZ, show lots of skid marks and torn-up grass before her luxury sports car slammed into a tree, taking a big chunk out of the bark.

    Huger later said she was leaving an emotional dinner with a friend when she swerved to avoid an oncoming car.

    MediaPunch / BACKGRID

    After she completes her sentence, she will not be allowed to drive a vehicle for one year and will also be on probation for 5 years. The judge reportedly told Huger, “You were filled to the gills with alcohol.”

    Following the jury’s guilty verdict in December, Huger checked herself into a private rehab facility in Florida in January. She was unable to attend the “Real Housewives of Potomac” Season 9 reunion.

    Huger did, however, make a cameo appearance in episode 1 of the first Black daytime soap opera “Beyond the Gates” that premiered on CBS on Monday, Feb. 24.

    Michelle Trachtenberg, Star of ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, Dead at 39

    Sandra Rose
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    Michelle Trachtenberg, Star of ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, Dead at 39
    Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

    Former child actress Michelle Trachtenberg has died at age 39. Trachtenberg was found dead in her New York City apartment on Wednesday, February 26, according to reports.

    Trachtenberg had undergone a liver transplant and “may have been experiencing complications,” from the surgery.

    MediaPunch / BACKGRID

    Police are not investigating the death as foul play. An autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.

    Trachtenberg was best known for her roles in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Gossip Girl” and the comedy “EuroTrip.”

    She earned a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her role as the host of the Discovery Kids series “Truth or Scare” (2001–2003).

    Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

    Trachtenberg was born on October 11, 1985, in New York City. She made her first television appearance at the age of three, in a commercial for Wisk detergent. She went on to feature in over 100 more commercials.

    She landed her first TV role in an episode of “Law & Order” in 1991. Next, she appeared in Nickelodeon’s “Clarissa Explains it All” and later on “The Adventures of Pete & Pete.”

    Her breakout role came at age 10 when she starred as the lead in the 1996 film “Harriet the Spy”.

    Trachtenberg’s last credited role was in 2023, reprising Georgina Sparks on Max’s “Gossip Girl” reboot.

    Trachtenberg clapped back at fans who expressed concern over her dramatic weight loss and yellow eyes, a sign of liver disease.

    Michelle Trachtenberg
    Instagram

    She wrote, “Fun fact. This is my face. Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have to hate? Get a calendar.”

    In a follow-up post, she wrote: “I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.”

    First Black Daytime Soap Opera ‘Beyond the Gates’ Premieres On CBS

    Sandra Rose
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    First Black Daytime Soap Opera ‘Beyond the Gates’ Premieres On CBS
    Tamara Tunie, Karla Mosley, Clifton Davis, Daphnee Duplaix
    Screengrab

    CBS’ new daytime soap opera “Beyond the Gates” premiered on Monday, Feb. 24. Beyond the Gates follows a wealthy Black family living in a gated community in an affluent suburb of Maryland.

    According to IMDB.com:

    “Beyond the Gates” is set in a leafy Maryland suburb just outside of Washington D.C., and in one the most affluent African American counties in the United States. At the center of this community are the Duprees, a powerful and prestigious multi-generational family that is the very definition of Black royalty. But behind these pristine walls and lush, manicured gardens are juicy secrets and scandals waiting to be uncovered. And those that live outside these gates are watching closely. These are the places where the characters live, love, work and play. Those who have “made it” and those who haven’t are all trying to navigate life — and some with more grace than others.

    “Beyond the Gates” stars Clifton Davis and Tamara Tunie as Vernon and Anita Dupree, aka “The Duprees.” Vernon’s father built Fairmont Crest, a gated enclave of upscale homes.

    Karla Mosley, Tamara Tunie, Daphnee Duplaix
    Screengrab

    Karla Mosley (left) and Daphnee Duplaix (right) play their daughters Dani and Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson, a clinical psychologist.

    Daphnee Duplaix
    Screengrab

    In the series’ intro, Nicole is seen behind the wheel of a Maybach speeding through the gates of the posh Fairmont Crest Country Club.

    Timon Durett
    Screengrab

    Tension builds in the air as the Dupree family gathers at the country club to discuss Dani’s ex-husband, Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett), who is set to marry his paralegal, Hayley Lawson, at the country club.

    Karla Mosley, Clifton Davis
    Screengrab

    Dani, a reformed alcoholic who fell off the wagon, is beside herself with jealousy. Tempers flare when she spots Hayley at the club, and she slaps fire out of her.

    Brandon Claybon, Mike Manning
    Screengrab

    In episode 2 (Feb. 25), Nicole’s son Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) is seen at home with his husband, Bradley “Smitty” Smith (Mike Manning).

    Martin is a congressman, who aspires to be the nation’s first Black, openly gay President.

    The Duprees
    Screengrab

    Martin’s grandfather is Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis), a former senator and civil rights activist, who accepts his son’s lifestyle.

    Davis, 79, is a well-known actor, singer, songwriter, minister, and author. He previously starred in the TV series “That’s My Mama”, “Amen”, “Madam Secretary”, and others.

    Davis wrote the Jackson 5’s No. 2 hit record “Never can Say Goodbye” in 1971.

    Beyond the Gates was created by Michele Val Jean (“General Hospital”, “The Bold and the Beautiful”).

    House Approves Trump’s Budget Resolution – One Step Closer to NO Taxes on Tips, Overtime, or Social Security

    Sandra Rose
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    House Approves Trump’s Budget Resolution – One Step Closer to NO Taxes on Tips, Overtime, or Social Security
    The New York Times / MEGA

    The House of Representatives in Congress narrowly passed a budget resolution, moving one step closer to President Donald Trump’s budget reconciliation on Tuesday night.

    The approval is considered a win for working class Americans because it means Trump’s “no tax on tips and overtime” spending bill moves one step closer to reality.

    According to Newsweek, “The House and the Senate can now negotiate how to move forward to implement Trump’s promised legislation, which would extend tax cuts set to expire and introduce spending reductions across the federal government.”

    To be clear, the resolution that passed in the House on Tuesday does not contain language that removes taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security for seniors.

    However, according to House Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, Republicans were called back to the floor to pass reconciliation to include those line items.

    The Senate would still have to approve the spending bill containing those items, but it will be a fierce battle.

    Some Americans are disappointed by the partial victory. Lawmakers enter Congress and become millionaires, while the voters who put them there remain dirt poor.

    ‘Legend’ Diana Taurasi retires after 20 years, 3 WNBA titles and 6 Olympic gold medals

    Sandra Rose
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    ‘Legend’ Diana Taurasi retires after 20 years, 3 WNBA titles and 6 Olympic gold medals
    Chris Coduto/Getty Images

    Diana Taurasi, the leading scorer in WNBA history, announced her retirement on Tuesday. She is retiring after 20 seasons with the same team, the Phoenix Mercury.

    “Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” Taurasi told Time magazine. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”

    Taurasi, 42, is a three-time WNBA champion and a two-time WNBA Finals MVP. She finishes her WNBA career with 10,646 points.

    Elsa/Getty Images

    Taurasi led UConn to three straight national titles from 2001-04. She was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 WNBA draft.

    Like Iowa’s Caitlin Clark did in 2024, Taurasi breathed life into the WNBA when she was drafted in 2004. Once-empty arenas filled with UConn fans eager to follow Taurasi to the WNBA.

    LeBron James, Diana Taurasi

    But Taurasi, who is married to a former WNBA player, prioritized her sexuality above everything else.

    The Mercury star gained a reputation as a sh*t talker on and off the court. Taurasi’s masculinity made it difficult to market her to a mainstream audience. Soon, women’s basketball arenas were half-empty again.

    Fans say Caitlin Clark is who Diana Taurasi should have been for the WNBA. Clark drew millions of new fans to the WNBA in 2024, and she sold out arenas everywhere she played.

    WNBA fans noted that Taurasi is retiring a year after Clark’s record-breaking rookie season. They both entered the WNBA in a blaze of glory, but only one of them became the face of the entire league.

    Instead of welcoming Clark into the league with open arms, Taurasi showed petty jealousy.

    “Reality is coming. There’s levels to this thing. And that’s just life, we all went through it,” Taurasi said about college stars like Clark transitioning into the WNBA.

    But reality came for Taurasi when she faced Clark and the Indiana Fever for the first time — and lost to the rookie superstar.

    Corbis via Getty Images

    Clark’s spot on the 2024 Summer Olympic women’s basketball team was given to Taurasi, who already had 5 Olympic gold medals. Taurasi picked up her 6th gold medal at the Olympics, which should have gone to Clark.

    Instead of honoring Taurasi’s legacy, some Clark supporters flooded social media with trolling comments.

    “Caitlin Clark sent Diana Taurasi into retirement,” one social media user said when the news of Taurasi’s retirement broke on Tuesday.

    One X user wrote: “Caitlin Clark didn’t really just bully Diana Taurasi out of the league right?!”

    Another Clark fan wrote: “Congrats on a great career Diana Taurasi! You never beat Caitlin Clark not once.”

    A third fan wrote: “Diana Taurasi retired so she didn’t have to get cooked by Caitlin Clark again.”

    Clark took the high road in a one word statement after Taurasi’s retirement was announced.

    “legend,” the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year wrote in a post on Instagram.

    Diana Taurasi

    ‘America’s Worst Mayor’ Tiffany Henyard loses by a landslide in Dolton primary

    Sandra Rose
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    ‘America’s Worst Mayor’ Tiffany Henyard loses by a landslide in Dolton primary
    Tiffany Henyard
    Screengrab/Fox32

    “America’s Worst Mayor” Tiffany Henyard lost a mayoral primary by a landslide on Tuesday. Henyard lost the primary to Dolton, Illinois Trustee Jason House.

    Henyard confidently predicted she would win the primary on Tuesday morning. But Chicago suburb residents came out in droves to boot her out.

    “The way that the present mayor has been doing things just hasn’t been sitting right with me,” said voter Sharon Hunley, a Democrat.

    House campaigned on a platform of transparency and reform under the slogan “clean house.”

    “Not only is Ms. Henyard depriving the public of what they deserve, it’s costing the village money,” he said on Election Day. “Day one, every record will be turned over.”

    House will now face independent candidate Casundra Hopson-Jordan in the general election on April 1.

    Tiffany Henyard
    Screengrab

    Henyard fought fiercely to hold onto her office that she won by 82% of the vote in 2021. She often referred to herself as “super mayor” and is accused of drowning the Village of Dolton in $7 million debt over the years.

    She allegedly ran up the village’s credits cards, spending thousands of dollars on personal expenses, trips, and luxury handbags and shoes.

    Henyard allegedly attended Dolton village meetings dressed like the fictional drug dealer Nino Brown in the 1991 movie “New Jack City.”

    In one photo on her Instagram page, Henyard poses in her office with a stuffed toy dog, similar to the real dog Nino Brown threatened people with in New Jack City.

    Dolton is a village of 20,000 residents just south of Chicago. The village is more than 90% Black.

    Henyard is accused of spending over $1 million in taxpayer funds on a security detail of police officers.

    One Dolton resident said the mayor ordered a shooting at her home. No one was injured.

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