A judge says she is inclined to block Mel Gibson from testifying during the workplace discrimination trial of the deputy who arrested the Oscar-winner for drunken driving.

Superior Court Judge Barbara Scheper tentatively ruled Tuesday that the deputy’s case shouldn’t focus on Gibson’s arrest or his anti-Semitic remarks at the time.

Deputy James Mee, who is Jewish, claims he suffered religious discrimination by superiors after arresting Gibson in 2006 and that he was ordered to remove the actor-director’s inflammatory rants from a report.

Son for Downey

Robert Downey Jr. and his wife, Susan, welcomed son Exton Elias Downey into the world Tuesday morning, a spokesperson for the actor told People magazine’s website Tuesday.

Downey has an 18-year-old son, Indio, from his previous marriage.

Ball up for auction

The Minnesota Twins are cutting ties with the Kardashians, too.

Well, sort of.

The team announced Tuesday it will auction off a baseball autographed by reality starlet Kim Kardashian and her husband Kris Humphries, from whom she has filed for divorce. They signed the ball before a Twins game in July, when Minnesota native and NBA player Humphries threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The auction proceeds will go to the team’s charity arm, the Minnesota Twins Community Fund.

Online bidding ends on Valentine’s Day.

Summer camps

The Journal Gazette is compiling its annual summer camp guide, a free listing of regional day and sleepover camps that will be published March 11.

Email details of your camp’s programs – description, dates, location, fees, ages and registration information – by Feb. 24 to Terri Richardson at trich@jg.net or fax to 461-8893.

Happy birthday

Among celebrity birthdays today: Composer-conductor John Williams is 80. News anchor Ted Koppel is 72. Actor Nick Nolte is 71. Actor-guitarist Creed Batton is 69. Actress Mary Steenburgen is 59. Author John Grisham is 57. Singer Vince Neil is 51. Actress Mary McCormack is 43. Actor Seth Green is 38.