Strange But True

The board was renting an office at the Aspen airport because of the cost of real estate in the city, where even a small house can cost $1 million.

Now, the board has purchased a spacious office in Basalt, 10 miles from Aspen, said Brynne Kristan, executive vice president of the board.

Kristan said the board had hoped to own its own office in Aspen: "We thought we'd be real estate owners ourselves," Kristan said.

Scores of businesses have moved out of town in the past decade because of the high cost of real estate and commercial space.

Heroin on TV

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — A reporter for a new Dutch television talk show plans to use heroin and other illegal drugs on the air during a weekly program on issues concerning young people, producers said.

The announcement of "Shoot Up and Swallow," scheduled to premiere as a late-night show Oct. 10, has sparked an outcry. Even in the liberal Netherlands, where marijuana is sold and used openly, the proposed drug use by reporter Filemon Wesselink is illegal.

"This is dangerous and it sets a bad example," said Pieter Heerma, spokesman for the governing center-right Christian Democrat party. "We're going to ask the justice minister for his view on what the law says about this, and his view on the dangers and risks involved."

Justice Ministry spokesman Ivo Hommes said it was not immediately clear whether Wesselink could be prosecuted. Possession of any amount of heroin is illegal, but police usually do not arrest anyone with less than a half gram.

The show's in-studio host, Sophie Hilbrand, will interview guests about drug use and abuse, while Wesselink appears in segments taped in the field as he experiments with drugs and liquor.

Another reporter, Ties Van Westing, will do segments about engaging in sex acts, but not on camera.

Furniture fiasco

PARIS — A Paris court ordered a European princess to pay thousands of dollars in fines and damages for removing furniture that was to be seized by bailiffs in lieu of an unpaid hotel bill.

The luxury Royal Monceau Hotel accused Princess Ira de Furstenberg, a long-standing client, of removing $13,370 worth of furniture from her Paris apartment ahead of a visit by bailiffs in July 2004.

The court ordered the princess to pay a $2,430 fine and $13,370 in damages.

The aristocrat's lawyer, Emannuel Trink, said his client was considering an appeal.

Furstenberg, a former actress, is the daughter of a Liechtenstein prince.

Panda for Thanksgiving

WASHINGTON — Turkey, football and panda could all be in store for this Thanksgiving.

The National Zoo hopes to put its giant panda cub on exhibit in November, possibly before Thanksgiving. Zoo officials will set a date after keepers determine how first-time mother Mei Xiang adjusts to the additional noise and traffic, zoo spokeswoman Peper Long told The Washington Post.

The Panda House was closed shortly before Mei Xiang gave birth to the male cub on July 9. The public can still see her mate, Tian Tian, in his yard, and Mei Xiang sometimes ventures outside as well.