Katherine Heigl has made plans to stop puffing on her electronic cigarette long enough to produce and star in her very own HBO movie, called The Knitting Circle. In Craig Wright’s adaptation of the best-selling Ann Wood book, Heigl will play the main character — a woman who is married and eases her grief over the death of her daughter by participating in a knitting circle. Heigl’s mother, Nancy, will produce as well, which makes sense considering she also produced two of her daughter’s other movies, Life as We Know It and The Ugly Truth. So here’s to mother-daughter projects: because if they don’t tell the hard stories (like the ones where women find hobbies to cope with an extreme loss, or the ones where a woman finds herself having to talk through her orgasms when she’s out to dinner with her friends and family because a particularly vindictive man is controlling the vibration speed of her pearl thong (and he knows just how she likes it)), then who will?

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Lionsgate has confirmed that it is moving the release of its action comedy One for the Money from this July to Jan. 27, 2012. The film is based on the bestselling novel by Janet Evanovich about a bounty hunter, played by Katherine Heigl.

source: deadline.com

Television and film actress Katherine Heigl announced Thursday at a press conference in Los Angeles that she would be pledging $1 million to spay and neuter programs in the city and county of Los Angeles.

The star of Warner Bros.’ upcoming film “Life As We Know It” is kicking off a pet initiative, in association with the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, to increase awareness and help curb the pet population crisis.

“What’s happening is not only inhumane and morally reprehensible, it’s economically irresponsible,” Heigl said. “Killing is not a solution.”

In addition to the contribution to spay and neuter programs, the JDHF will continue to support Learn to be a Best Friend (a training and education obedience program); transport programs moving animals from local shelters where they would be euthanized to humane societies, rescue organizations and “no kill” shelters; and continue to promote pet adoption.

“I think we have to work a little harder and call ourselves a dog lover country,” Cesar Millan of National Geographic Channel’s “The Dog Whisperer” said, joining Heigl on the podium at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. “Never work against mother nature.”

Each year 500,000 animals are sheltered and euthanized in California, costing the state $250 million. “Most people are unaware of what’s happening,” Heigl said. “We can start to change the existing paradigm.” [Source]

NASHUA, N.H. – More than two dozen Chihuahuas, terriers and lapdogs — pets severely overpopulated in Los Angeles — arrived Wednesday night at a Nashua shelter thanks to the generosity of a TV actress, WMUR-TV in Manchester reported.

The 25 Chihuahuas come to the state from shelters in the Los Angeles area.

“They have an overabundance of Chihuahuas and Chihuahua-type dogs in their state, and I was contacted by a rescue group that’s trying to save them from euthanasia,” said Tammy DeVito, the animal care director at the Humane Society of Greater Nashua.

Actress Katherine Heigl of “Grey’s Anatomy” paid the thousands of dollars needed to transport the dogs from the Golden State to the Granite State.”That’s great that we have a partner out there because this is the first time we’ve done a transport from L.A.,” said Karen Bill, executive director of the Humane Society of Greater Nashua.Veterinarians said the dogs are actually victims of their own popularity.

The shelter said people have bought the dogs as status symbols, rather than pets.”It’s based on people idolizing stars that have little Chihuahuas and movies where they spotlight Chihuahuas,” DeVito said.”Movies like ‘Beverly Hills Chihuahua’ … people think of pets, sometimes, as a fashion accessory,” Bill said.

When the dogs go out of fashion, humane societies end up taking responsibility for thousands of the pint-sized pooches, but here, people will line up to get them.”They’re hard to come by in the state of New Hampshire.

So, we thought it would be a great match,” DeVito said.”It would just be a matter of a few days before they’re all settling in New Hampshire homes,” Bill said.The shipment is a collaborative project with the Salem Animal Rescue League, which will take five of the Chihuahuas. The Nashua Humane Society will take the rest.

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According to RadarOnline.com, Katherine Heigl and husband Josh Kelley are adopting a baby this week. “She and Josh are so happy,” the source said.

Apparently, the couple have wanted a baby for a long time, the source said, and the adoption process has been in the works for at least six months.”Katherine and Josh are adopting a baby,” the actress’s rep confirmed to PEOPLE.

The baby girl is from Korea. Her full name is Nayleigh, and she is approximately 10 months old.

“She is thrilled,” a source close to the situation told RadarOnline.com.

Heigl is on leave of absence from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and starts filming the big-screen feature ‘Life As We Know It’ next week.

The actress also recently hosted a baby shower for her ‘Grey’s’ co-star Ellen Pompeo. [Source]