Milestones

By Elizabeth L. Bland, Sean Gregory, Barbara Maddux, Benjamin Nugent, David Robinson And Rebecca Winters

SEPARATED. CONJOINED TWINS, in a 22-hour operation; in Los Angeles. Year-old Guatemalan sisters Maria Teresa and Maria de Jesus Quiej-Alvarez, who were joined at the skull and faced different directions, are progressing well after a 50-member team at Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA worked around the clock to separate the shared skull and untangle the blood vessels that connected them. Born to Alba Leticia Alvarez, 23, and Wenceslao Quiej Lopez, 21, a banana packer, the girls, whose development prior to the surgery was normal, have been given a good chance of survival.

SETTLED. NIXON SISTERS' LAWSUIT, over how to spend an almost $20 million bequest to the presidential library of their father Richard M. Nixon. Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower did not speak for years because of the dispute over the money, but a court-ordered mediation resulted in an agreement, whose details were not revealed.

MARK REACHED. By BARRY BONDS, 38, who hit his 600th home run with a 421-ft. shot to center field at Pacific Bell Park. The San Francisco slugger became only the fourth major-leaguer to attain the goal.

AILING. CHARLTON HESTON, 78, imposing star of such Hollywood epics as Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments, conservative political spokesman and, since 1998, president of the National Rifle Association, who revealed that his doctors have said he has symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease. In a taped address announcing his struggle with Alzheimer's, Heston lamented, "For an actor, there is no greater loss than the loss of his audience. I can part the Red Sea, but I can't part with you."

DIED. JOSHUA RYAN EVANS, 20, 3-ft. 2-in. actor who played Timmy, a doll that miraculously came to life, on the NBC soap opera Passions; during heart surgery; in San Diego. Born with a rare disease that stunted his heart, Evans also had roles on Ally McBeal and in Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

DIED. MATT ROBINSON, 65, writer for The Cosby Show and other TV sitcoms who was the first actor to play the endearing Gordon on Sesame Street; of Parkinson's disease, in Los Angeles.

DIED. CHICK HEARN, 85, popular, big-hearted radio and television voice of the Los Angeles Lakers for 42 seasons; of a head injury sustained in a fall at his Encino home; in Northridge, Calif. As the only regular voice of the Lakers since the team's move from Minneapolis, Minn., in 1960, Hearn delivered eloquent and witty play-by-play that added phrases such as "slam dunk" and "air ball" to the basketball lexicon.

DIED. BERNARD HALDANE, 91, founder of the almost 100 career-counseling centers that bear his name and author of 14 books on changing jobs; in Seattle.

BY ELIZABETH L. BLAND, SEAN GREGORY, BARBARA MADDUX, BENJAMIN NUGENT, DAVID ROBINSON AND REBECCA WINTERS