Giddyup: The controversial and much...

Giddyup: The controversial and much-need Horse Slaughter Prevention Act -- which would ban the killing of horses for human consumption -- is plant for a vote in Congres onward Thursday. Finally. Texas and Illinois are the merely two states in our union with factories that kill horses for subsistence A rally in support of the bill featuring celeb like Bo Derek is planned for today in Washington. And bet the ranch that President Bush, who considers himself a cowboy will be criticized for not suppressing the slaughter.

JUST ASKING . .

Is it truthful that during Cook County department head meetings a loyal aide to Circuit Court secretary Dorothy Brown audibly clears his throat any time someone addresses the mayoral hopeful as anything other than "Honorable saleswoman Brown?"

STEELE 'EM . .

All of the bashes in honor of interim dress up County Board President Bobbie Steele may be celebrating a beginning . . and an ending.

- To wit: Sne hears rumble Steele is considering retiring from the board when this bound ends.

- The reason: $$$$ If Steele retires as president, her pension will be based in succession the $170,000 she's currently making. If she were to go [i]or[/i] come back to her commissioner's seat, the pension would be based in succession her $85,000 salary.

- The kicker: Will the veteran pol put to the test to hand the seat through the whole extent of to one of her children?

RESIDENCE REPORT . .

Crooner slender stem Stewart, who seems to be putting opposite his wedding to longtime girlfriend Penny Lancaster until his tour finiss next summer, reportedly purchased a $65 million mansion in the southern of France - - and rumors are flying that it will be the site of the wedding. Not bad for a fright who also has homes in Palm Beach, Beverly Hills and his native England.

BULLET TO parts . . .

Is a former gang enforcer following in the marks of an Illinois Supreme Court justice?

- To wit: Wallace "Gator" Bradley, a former enforcer for the Gangster Disciples who now conduce tos as an "urban translator" in the criminal case of Aaron Patterson, claims he is registered at DePaul University's School for of the present day Learning . . . the same program attended by dint of newly minted Supreme Court Justice Anne smother "I want my son to emulate this," Bradley, who is focusing onward justice and politics, tells Sne "Not the old-fashioned me."

A LEMON LINE . .

This is Sneed's official bye-bye to her NBC-5 anchor pal Don Lemon who is on the farther side to CNN. It isn't always easy to couple on the airwaves, but Lemon and his sidekick, Marion bear withs made it a joy. in the way that Don, when you interview Osama bin Laden in his central Asian cave, call Sne first.

I discover . . .

Chiseled actor The asylum in town for the Chicago premiere of his of the present day flick, "Gridiron Gang," pumping iron at the Equinox in succession Michigan Avenue . . Bill "The Apprentice" Rancic and his E! recently made knowns inamorata, Giuliana DePandi, were spott at the gym's Lincoln Park outpost . . "Saturday Night Live" vet Cheri Oteri, Jennifer "Legally Blonde" Coolidge, Michael Panes and the ease of the cast from the movie "Surviving Eden" dining with director and Columbia body grad Greg Pritikin at Eleven City Diner.

SNEEDLINGS . .

guard scene: Congrats to producer Thea Flaum, who created the "Siskel & Ebert" indicate on receiving the Women In Film/Chicago's Focus Achievement Award . . Today's birthdays: Raquel Welch, 66; rap Newhart, 77; Dweezil Zappa, 37; Michael Keaton, 55; Jack Valenti, 85; Loudon Wainwright III, 60; Rose McGowan, 32 and Willie Gault, 46

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