_ In New Orleans, the term “making groceries” refers to buying food. But for television star Wendell Pierce it takes on a whole new meaning. The TREME actor, with partners Troy Henry and James Hatchett is making plans to build four new food markets in the New Orleans. The stores will be built in, what First Lady Obama calls “food deserts”. These are poverty stricken areas where fast food chains and convenience store are the sole source of food. According to the First Lady, these “food deserts” are partially responsible for the ailing health of low-income populations, and hugely to blame for high obesity rates.

Pierce, a native to Ponchartrain Park, wants to use his celebrity, not to mention his savings, to help continue to improve the living conditions in some of the worse-off areas of the city. The first store his set to open in the Lower 9th ward in the spring of 2012. Each store will cost a couple million to build, which is small price to pay for the 100-150 jobs that each will create! This is in addition to the improvement of food quality to these neighborhoods. A recent study found that off all the food stores in the Lower 9th, only 35% carried fresh fruit or vegetables. Many people living in these neighborhoods, specifically the Lower 9th do not have access to reliable transportations and are entirely dependent on the food supplies that are available within walking distance. Opening a quality supermarket in this area will give residents access to better nutrition, more jobs and social activities- such as the proposed monthly crawfish boil.

Before this plan, developers have been hesitant to build in certain neighborhoods because of bad crime and transportation. But The Wire star is confident that improving the quality of life in these areas would diminish both of these problems. A large-scale food store would be sure to increase transportation to and from these neighborhoods, which would also make it easier for residents to find work. And higher employment rates would lead to less crime. This is a wonderfully generous plan by the local star, and this Southern Celebrity Gossiper is proud to report that he has our full support!

You can read more in the Washington Post.

_  In 2005 Brad Pitt purchased a mansion in California following his divorce from actress, Jennifer Aniston. Since then he has widened his real-estate perspective and has built (more than a few) homes here in New Orleans. So what was to become of his $12 million dollar Malibu Dream house? Fortunately, a friendly neighbor was happy to take it off his hands! Metairie-native and comedian, Ellen DeGeneres, purchased the home just last week for her and her wife, Portia De Rossi. Ellen has gained international renown for her daytime talk show, and De Rossi is best know for her television roles in series, “Ally McBeal”, “Arrested Development” and “Better Off Ted”. The sale was very short, and a source told the Daily Gossip that Pitt’s remaining belongings were moved out the day off the transaction. DeGeneres and De Rossi plan to De-Light in this home sooner rather than later, and have already begun moving in their furniture. Ellen has a passion for real-estate, which she explained in an interview is because of her up-bringing. She said, “we never had a house when I was growing up, we always rented… The first thing I did when I made money was buy a house”.  So it looks like the two have no plans of returning to Metairie in the immediate future. But when they do, this Southern Celebrity Gossiper is sure that Brad Pitt can help them find a nice place to settle down!

Last September, after months of speculation, Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev finally confirmed that they are in a relationship. The two met on the set of their hit t.v. show “Vampire Diaries”. On the show, Louisiana actor Somerhalder plays the bad boy, but in real life? This gossiper thinks his bark is worse than his bite!

Reportedly, Somerhalder will be giving his starlet girlfriend some extra T.L.C. this weekend since she has just had her wisdom teeth removed. Some sources think that Ian also accompanied Nina to the dentist for her appointment. Nina is not particularly good with needles, according to her tweet earlier that morning where she wrote, “Don't like needles or blood. This is not going to be fun. Yikes”. She wasn’t sounding too optimistic when she uploaded the twit-pic of her in the dental surgery chair. Hopefully she had the support of her boyfriend to help take, not only her picture, but care of her post-op.

So don’t let his rough exterior on Vampire Diaries fool you- Ian Somerhalder certainly has those good Southern manners!

Read more about this story from gather.com .