Back to the big screen

Although Houma native Quvenzhané Wallis did not take home the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role at Sunday’s Academy Awards, she will return to the big screen in a remake of “Annie.”  
As she walked down the red carpet for her role as Hushpuppy in “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” the 9-year-old also had reason to celebrate Sony Pictures Entertainment’s announcement of her role in the remake.  
“With the recent Academy Award nomination and critical acclaim, Quvenzhané Wallis is a true star and we believe her portrayal as Annie will make her a true worldwide star,” Hannah Minghella, president of production for Columbia, said in a statement. “She is an extraordinary young talent with an amazing range, not only as an actress but as a singer and dancer, and we can’t wait for audiences to further discover her.”
The rising star’s talent also landed her a spot in “Twelve Years a Slave,” with Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, and Michael Fassbender.  
Wallis made history at this year’s Academy Awards for being the youngest nominated actress in her category.  

Saying farewell

Pope Benedict will officially retire from his duties at the Vatican today, becoming the first pontiff to retire in almost 600 years.  
The 85-year-old Benedict announced his retirement at the end of February earlier in the month, citing health reasons.  
On his last day as head of the Catholic Church, the Pope will meet with his Cardinals in the morning and Benedict will fly to Castel Gandolfo, the papal residence south of Rome to greet parishioners.  
He will remain in Castel Gandolfo until a monastery undergoing renovations at the Vatican is completed, where he will move for a “Quiet life of prayer.”   
Monsignor Pier Luigi Celata said at a Vatican press briefing that the election of Benedict’s successor must take place within 20 days of his resignation.  

Breaking and entering

Troy Willis, former University of Tennessee strength and conditioning coach, was arrested and charged with theft, burglary, and vandalism on Feb. 26 after using a saw and his hands to break into the university’s basketball arena. Willis spent eight seasons with the university’s basketball program before being let go at the end of the 2011-2012 season.
According to an affidavit acquired by the Knoxville News Sentinel, Wills broke into the arena on Saturday morning and used a saw to enter the office of Bill Whitesell, a university event management director. Inside the office, Willis caused $750 worth of damages and stole $4,150 from the event management director’s desk. According to the affidavit, Wills was seen on surveillance video walking down a hall inside the arena “with what appears to be a saw in his hand” and “attempting to hide underneath his coat.”
Willis also faces charges stemming for a Dec. 5 incident in which the former coach stole a $100 bottle of tanning cream from a tanning salon in Knoxville, Tenn. Wills agreed to return the bottle after being contacted about the theft, but he never did so, according to the News Sentinel.