Bobby Brown back in jail

Decatur, Ga. — Singer Bobby Brown is back in jail for violating his probation on a prior drunken driving conviction.

Brown, 35, was being held Saturday without bond at the DeKalb County Jail, sheriff’s spokeswoman Mikki Jones said. He was taken into custody after appearing before a judge Friday, but officials could not confirm exactly what Brown had done to violate his probation.

He was expected to remain jailed until a court hearing Friday.

The judge’s ruling may have been related to Brown’s charge of misdemeanor battery in December, after an argument with his wife, singer Whitney Houston. A preliminary hearing in that case was set for May 5.

Royal spokesman defends Harry

London — A royal spokesman came to the defense of Prince Harry in a letter published Friday after a tabloid columnist called Prince Charles’ younger son a “national disgrace.”

The Daily Express’ Carol Sarler devoted several hundred words in her column Wednesday to roasting Prince Harry, who has been traveling and working in Australia and Africa since he finished his education at Eton in June.

She ridiculed the Australian sojourn, making comments about his behavior at rugby matches there, and said he had now “opted for eight lavish weeks in interesting parts of Africa, where he has reluctantly agreed to spend a bit of the trip staring at poor people.”

Friday’s Daily Express published a letter from Paddy Harverson, Prince Charles’ press secretary, calling the Sarler column “grossly unfair and ill-informed.” The paper simply printed the letter, without comment.

Singer running for school board

Anderson, Ind. — Sandi Patty has made it big in music. Now she hopes to start small in politics.

The Grammy-winning gospel singer filed papers Thursday expressing intent to run for a seat on the Anderson community school board. She will challenge Brian K. Kohles and incumbent Keith Millikan in the May 4 election.

Although the 47-year-old singer has never held public office, she’s familiar with the Anderson school system — she and her husband, Don Peslis, have eight children, all of whom have attended Anderson schools.