Dan Gross: Weather Channel hires LaRosa

SAY GOODBYE to CBS 3 meteorologist

Maria LaRosa

, who has been hired as a main anchor at the Weather Channel and is about to leave for Atlanta.

Tomorrow is the last day on-air at

CBS 3 for LaRosa, who's expecting her third child in May.

LaRosa, who joined CBS 3 in 2004, and her husband, Mariusz Kolakowski, have two sons, Michael and Justin. Kolakowski operates a business based in Atlanta, so the move may be easier on him than on the Jersey-raised LaRosa.

It's not yet known whether the station will hire a replacement, so it seems likely that for the time being Doug Kammerer or Carol Erickson will fill LaRosa's shifts.

Speaking of weather women . . .

Robyn Stevens, who has done weather for WB-17, CN8 and CW Philly 57, just reached an out-of-court settlement in a dispute with Mindie Barnett and her Haddonfield PR firm MB & Associates.

Stevens worked for Barnett for about three years but was let go in October. After her firing, Barnett says, she learned Stevens was running her own PR firm through the office and had her attorney draft a civil suit for breach of contract, fraud and unjust enrichment. Barnett, who spent 10 years as a television reporter/anchor before opening her firm, confirmed Friday that Stevens had paid her a settlement to avoid the lawsuit. Barnett, who befriended Stevens while both worked in television news, declined to reveal what the settlement was.

Stevens did not return several requests for comment.

NE baby on 'Regis & Kelly'?

Twenty-three-month-old Mischa Weston yesterday was vying for a spot in the top five of the Beautiful Baby Search on Live With Regis and Kelly. Baby Mischa and mom, Jowo Samah, could be on the show at 9 this morning on 6 ABC if she was among finalists to advance from the top 10. Online voting, at livewithregisandkelly.com, ended at midnight. The winner will be on the cover of Parenting Early Years magazine and, more importantly, will win $125,000 for college. The four runners-up will each receive $25,000 for college and will get Gerber baby products.

Sikahema, 'Gonzo' get radio gig

NBC10 sports director Vai Sikahema and Inquirer columnist John Gonzalez will host a new show for 97.5 The Fanatic from 10 a.m. to noon on weekdays. While Inquirer editors recently tried to prevent newly rehired columnist Stephen A. Smith from hosting a radio show, (heard from 6 to 9 a.m. nationally on Fox Sports Radio and Sirius/XM), Gonzo has seemingly received their blessing.

Film on Philly noir writer screens

"David Goodis: To a Pulp," a film about Philadelphia noir writer David Goodis, will have its world premiere Friday at the Society Hill Playhouse, 507 S. Eighth St. The film is by Larry Withers, whose interest in Goodis began in 1986 when he learned his late mother, Elaine Astor, had been married to Goodis before she later married his father, Robert Withers. Lou Boxer, a Goodis historian, suggested that Withers make a film about the life of the hard-boiled fiction writer through interviews with his friends. Friday's screening costs $10. DVDs are also available online at Amazon, or order them through Withers at onairvideo@mac.com and

he'll cover shipping costs.

Chio at Diego's to raise money

Wired 96.5's Chio reunites with his longtime Q102 sidekick Diego Ramos at 9 p.m. Friday at Diego's (2676 Bridge) in Bridesburg. Wired and the Chio Cares Foundation will host a benefit for the families of Vanessa Dorwart and Gina Gentile, the Interboro High School students who committed suicide by train last week. The money raised will help pay the families' funeral expenses.

Clark checks out comedy show

NBC10's John Clark caught Whitney Cummings' performance at Helium, 2031 Sansom St., a couple of nights back. Cummings is a regular guest on E!'s Chelsea Lately show. You may recall that Clark was also at Helium in December. His Team Papa narrowly lost "Seinfeld Trivia" to the Van Buren Boys in an unprecedented dramatic overtime showdown.

Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest updates or follow PhillyGossip on Twitter. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.