Univ. of Maryland President WALLACE LOH will "remain in his post" through mid-'20 under a plan approved yesterday that "delays his retirement for a year while the state flagship’s governing board searches for a successor." Last fall, Loh "declared he would step down at the end of this school year amid a leadership crisis that erupted" after JORDAN MCNAIR's death "exposed troubles within the football program and athletic department" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/31).
STEPPING INTO THE RING: In Philadelphia, E.J. Smith profiles fight promotion Raging Babe Founder & CEO MICHELLE ROSADO, whose company "has its first card coming Feb. 8 at the 2300 Arena." Rosado is also currently in an "understudy role" with promoter J RUSSELL PELTZ, and she is among the "growing movement of women in a male-dominated sport." She has also "become one of the rising stars in the Philly boxing scene" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 1/31).
NAMES: Panthers QB CAM NEWTON “created a new cigar bar-lounge-restaurant called Fellaship,” which will open this weekend near Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The 4,600-square-foot space will have a “secret VIP lounge hidden behind a set of moving bookshelves,” along with “fine dining, TV monitors framed like artwork” and a glass-enclosed wine room (BIZJOURNALS.com, 1/29). Fellaship will also feature “hand-rolled cigars and a gallery of works by Atlanta artists” (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 1/30)....Country singer TOBY KEITH’s I Love This Bar & Grill at Patriot Place, a “popular watering hole steps from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, has abruptly closed for good” (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 1/30)....U.S. Sen. KAMALA HARRIS (D-Calif.) will be feted this Saturday in L.A. at a VIP meet-and-greet hosted by NBCUniversal Film & Entertainment Chair JEFF SHELL, an SBJ/SBD “Forty Under 40” HOFer (THE DAILY)....Country singer JAKE OWEN will “perform a pre-race concert at the Daytona 500” on Feb. 17 (AP, 1/30)....RAFAEL NADAL is “set to marry” his girlfriend of 14 years, MERY PERELLO (NYPOST.com, 1/30).
