Paltrow seeks broader horizons

Venice What the movie world needs, according to actress Gwyneth Paltrow, is an old-fashioned exchange program.

Paltrow, who strutted into the Venice Film Festival gala Thursday flanked by fashion designer Valentino, says the Old World has something to teach the Show World.

“It’s good to broaden your vision of the world, to be a bit far from my country,” she told the Corriere della Sera daily in an interview published Friday. “There ought to be an exchange: Some Italians go to Hollywood and we come to the Old World. All that would help cinema.”

Her own trip to Europe is more vacation than work as she is one of the few major stars on hand without a movie to promote.

Metallica crooner eases up

San Rafael, Calif. Metallica lead singer James Hetfield is officially a benefactor of Marin County’s park system.

Marin County supervisors agreed to accept a 438.5-acre easement from Hetfield.

By giving property rights to the county’s Department of Parks, Open Space & Cultural Development, Hetfield is guaranteed the land will be preserved and its care will be the responsibility of the county.

The area includes a highly visible ridge line separating Lucas Valley to the north and portions of the upper Ross Valley and San Geronimo Valley.

Hetfield and his wife, Francesca, plan to build a 14,000-square-foot house, swimming pool and another 6,000-square-foot building that would house a music studio, garage and caretaker’s residence on part of the land they kept for development.

‘Waltons’ creator says goodnight

Schuyler, Va. After years of bickering, “The Waltons” creator Earl Hamner Jr. has severed ties with the Walton’s Mountain Museum.

Hamner and the Schuyler Community Center board, which runs the museum, have been arguing since the mid-1990s, according to those on both sides.

The feud came to a head when the board removed Hamner’s brother, Jim Hamner, as treasurer.

Hamner, who lives in Studio City, Calif., said he’d always felt left out of the board’s decisions and that his brother’s firing was the last straw.

“Blood is thicker than water,” he said.

Hamner, 79, based his books and “The Waltons” TV series on his experiences growing up in Schuyler in the 1930s. The series, which ran from 1972 to 1981, starred Richard Thomas.

Rocker crosses line at fair

Essex Junction, Vt. Rocker David Lee Roth really cranked up the volume at last weekend’s Champlain Valley Exposition.

Too much, say village officials, who fined the fair $5,000 for violation of Essex Junction’s noise ordinance.

Essex Police Chief David Demag said there were 32 calls complaining about the noise at Sunday night’s show.

“It was very annoying,” said Robert Durham, who lives about 600 feet from the fairgrounds. “I had the air conditioner on … and I could still hear it with the doors and windows closed.”

Tom Oddy, director of special events, said Roth’s crew had been told repeatedly to turn down the volume.