Around The Arts

AFI to give Hanks lifetime award\nLOS ANGELES -- Two-time Oscar-winner Tom Hanks will receive the American Film Institute's 30th Life Achievement Award, which will be presented by fellow Oscar-winner Steven Spielberg. \nHanks, 45, will receive the award during ceremonies June 12. The tribute show is scheduled to air June 24 on USA Network. \nCelebrities expected to attend the ceremonies at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood include Tim Allen, Jim Carrey, Ron Howard, Helen Hunt, Steve Martin, Meg Ryan and Gary Sinise. \nWyclef arrested in N.Y. schools protest\nNEW YORK -- Ten people, including singer Wyclef Jean, were arrested as thousands of teachers and students turned out for a rally to hear hip-hop stars and politicians denounce proposed cuts in New York City school funding. \nAll those arrested during Tuesday's rally near City Hall were charged with disorderly conduct, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said. One person was also charged with assaulting an officer. \nIt was unclear how the officer was hurt, but police said he suffered only minor injuries. \nThe rally, which police say attracted some 20,000 school children, was organized by the United Federation of Teachers and the Hip Hop Summit Action Network, a group organized by rap impressario Russell Simmons. \nJean, a former member of the Fugees, was arrested for disorderly conduct after he attempted to perform. The event's permit barred performances. \nEntertainers including Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu, Jay-Z and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs told the crowd that Mayor Michael Bloomberg's budget cuts are unfair to students.\nIce cream company benefits from star's preference\nCINCINNATI -- Business always gets brisk for the Graeter's ice cream company when summer arrives. But it improved dramatically after Oprah Winfrey announced on television that she likes the Graeter's product. \n"This is the best ice cream I've ever tasted," Winfrey said on her show Thursday. \nThe telephones began ringing at the Cincinnati-based company, which has stores in Columbus, northern Kentucky and Lexington and Louisville, Ky. Callers wanted to order the ice cream that Winfrey said she craves. \nBy Friday morning, Graeter's had received 450 ice cream orders through its phone line and Web site. By Monday, it had received more than 700 orders. \nNormally, the company might have received 75 orders during that period, executive vice president Rich Graeter said. \n"This is the kind of mail-order business we usually get during the holidays." \nCompany officials were told that Winfrey first tasted Graeter's ice cream last year, when a friend gave her a gift pack for Christmas. \nTwo weeks ago, one of Winfrey's producers called to ask for a shipment to serve to the audience at her Chicago studios during a show on summer food. Graeter said he oversaw the shipment of 10 gallons of vanilla and a pint each of the company's 24 flavors to Winfrey's studios -- but he missed the show on which it was featured.