Winfrey compensates Chicago for premiere

CHICAGO, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Talk show host Oprah Winfrey compensated Chicago for the cost of city services for her 24th season premiere on Michigan Avenue, a city official says.

Cindy Gatziolis, a spokeswoman for Chicago's Office of Special Events, said Winfrey's representatives paid five city departments a total of $54,832 for the event that shut down the avenue for 2 1/2 days, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Saturday.

Included among the bills was $28,277 for the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications for traffic control assistance during the Sept. 7-9 event.

Also among the bills paid Friday was $12,014 for the police department, $7,075 for the fire department, $6,163 for the electricity bureau and $1,306 for the streets and sanitation department.

Meanwhile, Winfrey continued her new season of taping in New York's Central Park Friday.

The New York Daily News said Winfrey welcomed Singer Mariah Carey and her husband, Nick Cannon, and enjoyed surprise appearances from actors Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman.