The stories behind the headlines—honoring remarkable lives, preserving enduring legacies.
Nicolas Johnson COURTESY OF JOHNSON FAMILY
Nicolas Johnson, the older son of prominent entertainment attorney Matt Johnson, died July 1 in a car crash. He was 28.
Johnson was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Sherman Oaks at about 1 a.m. at the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Valley Meadow Road, just west of the 405 Freeway, the Canyon Newsreported. He was driving a Toyota GR86 when his car struck a curb and hit a light pole and was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel.
Born on May 28, 1998, Johnson graduated from Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in 2016 and left Los Angeles to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta, graduating magna cum laude in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Continue reading…
Cristina Sanz, who appeared in all four seasons of A&E’s Emmy-winning 2015-19 reality series Born This Way that chronicled the lives of adults living with Down syndrome, died July 6 after suffering cardiac arrest in Long Beach, CA. She was 36.
Her death was announced by parents Mariano and Beatriz Sanz on Instagram. Continue reading.
According to his former Dutch club FC Utrecht, Van Veen was the first Ajax Cape Town coach when the club was formed in 1999 as an amalgamation of Cape Town Spurs and Seven Stars.
He stayed for the first season where Ajax finished fourth, in the best league finish by a new club and they also qualified to play the CAF Cup the next season.
Van Veen was known as ‘Mister FC Utrecht’ after playing 13 seasons at the club with 391 appearances and 154 goals. Continue reading….
Smith County Sheriff’s Deputy Gerald Atchison Jr. (left) with Sheriff Larry Smith in 2018. Atchison died Tuesday after suffering a medical emergency while on duty.
A longtime Texas deputy died Tuesday after suffering a medical emergency while on duty.
Smith County Sheriff’s Deputy Gerald Atchison Jr. was working at agency headquarters in Tyler at around 2 p.m. in his role as a property and evidence technician when he collapsed, the sheriff’s office stated in a news release posted to social media.
His colleagues began performing until medics arrived, but Atchison remained unconscious.
He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Atchison is thought to have suffered “a massive coronary event,” according to the sheriff’s office. Continue reading…
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Former Romania soccer player Gabriel Muresan has died after drowning in a lake near the town where he was the mayor, local media reported on Thursday. He was 44.
The Romanian soccer federation confirmed the death of a midfielder who played nine times for the national team, including in qualifying games for the World Cup and European Championship from 2007-11.
“The Romanian Football Federation sends its most sincere condolences to the family, friends and all those who knew Gabriel Muresan,” it said.
Friends of the content creator confirmed his death in severalposts on social media on July 8.
Authorities in the Samut Prakan province of Thailand responded to a call of a man acting erratically on Tuesday afternoon at a luxury rental property, reported local outlets Bangkok Post and Thairath. When police arrived, the outlets reported, Murphy jumped into a nearby lake and swam for several minutes before appearing exhausted and drowning. Continue reading…
Harris Katleman, whose executive positions in television had him overseeing the development of such classic series as The Simpsons, NYPD Blue, CHiPS, Medical Center, In Living Color, Doogie Howser, M.D. and The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, died July 8 of natural causes in Los Angeles. He was 97. His death was announced by family. Read More
Joanna Pettet, who rose to fame as one of the tight-knit Vassar grads in Sidney Lumet’s 1966 adaptation of novelist Mary McCarthy’s bestseller The Group, died Tuesday, July 7. She was 83.
Her death was announced on Facebook by friend and former manager Pam DuBois, who noted that Pettet died on the anniversary of the death of her son (with actor and former husband Alex Cord) Damien Zachary Cord.
“We all loved Jo,” DuBois wrote. “But there was one person who loved her more. And yesterday on the 31st anniversary of his death. Damien Zach took his mother to heaven and there she will stay with him forever.”
Human Rights First mourns the passing of its beloved Chair Emeritus, William D. Zabel, and honors his outsize legacy championing human rights and social justice at home and abroad for over seven decades. A leading lawyer and towering figure in the ongoing quest to expand U.S. civil and human rights protections, Zabel was a guiding light and champion for Human Rights First from its earliest years and chaired its Board for more than 20 years. Zabel wrote the ACLU’s amicus brief in Loving v. Virginia, the case in which the Supreme Court ruled that laws prohibiting interracial marriage were unconstitutional and, in 1969, co-founded Schulte, Roth & Zabel, a leading New York-based law firm.
“Bill was one of a kind,” said Tom Bernstein, Human Rights First’s Chair Emeritus and a longtime friend of Zabel. “He was a lion who put his heart and soul into Human Rights First from day one. Over the next five decades, his joyful advocacy and steadfast commitment to the organization’s work inspired his extensive network of friends and admirers to join him in becoming human rights advocates and Human Rights First supporters.”
Zabel traveled the world on behalf of Human Rights First, participating in fact-finding missions investigating abuses in the Soviet Union, the Philippines, and China. In Pinochet’s Chile, Zabel investigated the disappearances of lawyers and judges and met Judge Carlos Cerda, who was under attack by the regime as the only judge to pursue human rights cases during that time. Zabel secured safe haven for Judge Cerda in the United States. In 1989, as the Iron Curtain came down, Zabel and Bernstein travelled to Moscow to examine the rights situation there.
“We had been friends before,” Bernstein recalled. “On that trip, we became comrades.”\
Zabel, born in Nebraska to Russian and Romanian immigrants, heard the call to activism early. Senator George McGovern, a friend of his politically-active parents, took him to the Sioux Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge where the brutal conditions left an impression. “Just like the organization he helped found, and to which he contributed so greatly, for Bill, human rights always came first,” said Lynda Clarizio, co-chair of the organization’s board of directors. Continue reading…
Franklin’s story starts remarkably early. Born in Berkeley, California, he began taking jazz piano lessons at just six years old under Dr. Herb Wong, a respected jazz journalist, disc jockey, and educator. By 14, he was already leading his own funk-jazz band, In One Piece, recording his first sessions at Ray Dobar’s House of Music in Berkeley. Before he’d even signed a major label deal, he was already working alongside John Handy, Bill Summers, Freddie Hubbard, and Marlena Shaw, building real credibility in the San Francisco jazz scene as a teenager.
He signed with CBS Records in 1978 and released his debut album, In the Center, at just 20 years old, already carrying a distinctive sound shaped by influences like McCoy Tyner, George Duke, Chick Corea, and Lonnie Liston Smith. Two years later, everything changed with You’ll Never Know and its lead single, “The Groove,” which climbed to number seven on the UK Singles Chart. The track didn’t just chart, it sparked its own dance craze in the UK called “The Freeze,” championed by DJ Chris Hill, turning Franklin into a defining voice of the era’s jazz-funk crossover sound. Read More.
Wally Funk, right, describes her flight experience as Mark Bezos, left, and Jeff Bezos, left, center, applaud in the spaceport.
In 2021, Funk was celebrated by the city of Grapevine for her historic spaceflight aboard a Blue Origin New Shepherd rocket. The mission was six decades in the making, as Funk, known as a pioneer for women in aviation and spaceflight, underwent a series of tests as part of NASA’s first human spaceflight program, “Project Mercury,” in the 1960s.
Funk was one of 13 women selected to undergo the tests, known as the “Mercury 13.” Though it is commonly held that the group of women qualified to fly in space but were excluded because of their gender, Funk was adamant she was not selected because she did not have an engineering degree. Continue reading…
Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer behind bombastic 1980s hits including “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Holding Out For A Hero,” has died. She was 75 years old. The news was shared on her website and official social media channels.
“Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for,” the statement reads.
In May, Tyler was admitted to a hospital near her home in Faro, Portugal for emergency intestinal surgery. Following the procedure, her official website announced that she had been placed in an induced coma for recovery. Continue reading…
After graduating from City College of New York in 1954 with a degree in mechanical engineering and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sonny began his engineering career with North American Aviation. When called to active duty the following year, he was assigned to the team led by Wernher von Braun in Huntsville. Following his military service, he remained with the group as an aerospace engineer and became one of the original members of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Read More…
Phil Regan, a former All-Star pitcher who later managed the Orioles and spent decades as a pitching coach for teams including the Cubs and Mets, has died at age 89.
Regan died Wednesday, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, citing Regan’s attorney, Matt Blit.
The righty made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 1960 and spent six seasons in Detroit before stints with the Dodgers, Cubs and White Sox. His best season came in 1966, when he went 14-1 with a 1.62 ERA and had an NL-best 21 saves during an All-Star campaign with the Dodgers that led to him being named both the Sporting News NL Reliever of the Year and the publication’s NL Comeback Player of the Year. Read More.
Rhett Bernstein – The football community is mourning the loss of Rhett Bernstein, the former Mjøndalen IF defender and Brown University standout, who passed away at the age of 38.On July 8, 2026, Mjøndalen announced Bernstein’s death, expressing condolences to his family and all those affected by the loss.
The club confirmed his passing but did not disclose a cause of death, and no additional details have been released publicly. A native of the United States, Bernstein built an impressive football career that began at Brown University, where he earned recognition as one of the program’s top defenders. In 2009, he represented Maccabi USA at the Maccabiah Games, proudly competing on the international stage. His professional career later included playing in Israel, Norway with Mjøndalen IF, and the United States with Miami FC.
Megas, the singer-songwriter widely regarded as the father of Icelandic rock and roll, has died at the age of 81. Born Magnús Þór Jónsson in Reykjavík on April 7, 1945, he passed away in July 2026 after a career spanning more than five decades that reshaped Icelandic music and literature.
An early admirer of Elvis Presley, Megas developed a love of rock and roll as a boy before immersing himself in painting, piano, and writing. By 1968 he had already published the sheet music and lyrics to 14 songs, drawing on influences like Bob Dylan and Ray Davies as he moved into songwriting as a young bohemian writer. Read More.
Merrell, who grew up in Delaware, played at Rutgers between 2009 and 2013, appearing in 32 games under head coaches Greg Schiano and Kyle Flood. He collected 79 tackles (16 for loss), including 8.5 sacks, and forced a fumble. Merrell served as a captain alongside his twin brother Jamal in 2013, when they became the second pair of brothers in program history to simultaneously serve as captains, doing so 120 years after George and Gabe Ludlow did so in the 1893 season. Read More.
Tony Rayns, the British film critic who introduced Korean cinema to global audiences, died Wednesday. He was 77.
The Busan International Film Festival announced his death on social media the same day. “Tony Rayns, who championed the value of Korean and Asian cinema to the world ahead of anyone else, has passed away. May he rest in peace,” the festival said.
Born in 1948, Rayns worked as a film critic for Sight and Sound, the magazine of the British Film Institute, and as a programmer for the London Film Festival and the Vancouver International Film Festival, continually discovering Korean films and introducing them overseas. Read More.
Kevin Chown, the versatile American bassist who spent nearly a decade touring and recording with Finnish vocalist Tarja Turunen and became a fixture across the progressive rock and metal world, has died at 56.
Born and raised in Escanaba, Michigan, Chown grew up surrounded by music thanks to a band-teacher father and piano-teacher mother, and switched from drums to bass after discovering Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones. He was performing professionally by age 15. After studying jazz at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he was named Montreux Detroit Jazz Festival’s College Jazz Soloist of the Year in 1993, Chown built a career that stretched across genres, session work and production, all while playing in the progressive metal band Edwin Dare and running his own Detroit recording studio. Read More.
Walt Whitman Odets (February 4, 1947 – July 5, 2026) was an American clinical psychologist and author. He has written about the early development, psychological and social experiences of gay men and their communities.
Odets’ earlier writing focused on the lives of men living in and surviving the early AIDSepidemic. The spring 1996 issue of Positive Impact Journal called him “an important voice in the AIDS education and prevention arena.”Odets’s 1995 study, In the Shadow of the Epidemic: Being HIV-Negative in the Age of AIDS, was listed by The New York Times as among the “Notable Books of the Year 1995.”Additionally, In the Shadow of the Epidemicwas the No. 1 bestselling book purchased by gay men in the late fall of 1995, according to The Advocate, and was confirmed as a “Gay Bestseller of 1995” by the Feminist Bookstore News.
Odets was born on February 4, 1947, in Los Angeles, California,to playwright, screenwriter and director Clifford Odets and actress Bette Grayson. The family, which included Walt’s sister Nora, two years his senior, moved to New York City in the summer of 1948. Odets and Grayson separated in October 1949 and were divorced in November 1951. In February 1954, Grayson died suddenly of pneumonia, leaving seven-year-old Walt and his disabled sister in the care of their father. In 1955, the truncated family moved back to the West Coast so that Clifford could return to screenwriting in order to make a living. He also considered California a healthier environment in which to raise children. Read More.
Clark was a standout linebacker for the Bellefontaine Chieftains from 1965 through 1968 before graduating from Bellefontaine High School in 1969. His success on the field earned him a scholarship to Michigan State University, where he became one of the nation’s top defensive players. During his collegiate career, Clark received both All-America and All-Big Ten honors while helping establish himself as one of the Spartans’ premier linebackers.
Following college, Clark fulfilled his dream of playing professional football in the National Football League. During his NFL career, he suited up for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots. Read More.
Ski Racing Media has confirmed with people close to Lanning that TJ Lanning, a former U.S. Ski Team alpine racer remembered for his fearless approach to speed skiing, his resilience through repeated injuries and his later work as a coach, has died. He was 41.
Thomas “TJ” Lanning was born Aug. 27, 1984, in Helena, Montana, and became one of the most promising American speed skiers of his generation. He specialized in downhill, super-G and combined, bringing an aggressive, all-in style that made him one of the more compelling U.S. racers of his era.
Lanning learned to ski at a young age and emerged quickly as a standout junior racer. He competed at the 2001 and 2002 FIS Junior World Ski Championships and later represented the United States at the 2007 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Åre, Sweden. READ MORE….
Former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran has died after a prolonged illness a day before his 39th birthday.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday “with profound grief and deep sorrow.”
“Shapoor Zadran was one of the foundation-laying figures of Afghanistan cricket, whose dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment played a vital role in the rise and development of the game in our country.” Read More.
Brian Potter, the British songwriter and producer who teamed with Dennis Lambert on the Billy Jack theme “One Tin Soldier,” the Four Tops’ “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)” and Glen Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy, has died. He was 87.
Potter died June 30 at a residence for seniors in Granada Hills after living with vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s for several years, his daughter, Courtney Potter, announced.
Other hits written by Lambert & Potter included 1971’s “Don’t Pull Your Love” by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, which made it to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100; 1971’s “Two Divided by Love,” from The Grass Roots; 1974’s “Dream On,” by The Righteous Brothers; and 1975’s “It Only Takes a Minute” by Tavares, which peaked at No. 10. Read More.
Moritz de Hadeln, a pioneering industry professional who led the Berlin, Venice and Locarno Film Festivals, died July 4 of complications from a scheduled medical procedure. He was 85.
Reps close to de Hadeln’s family confirmed the news to Deadline.De Hadeln was born in the UK city of Exeter on December 21, 1940, the son of former WWII intelligence officer-turned-art book publisher Harry Hudson and Romanian French artist Alexandra Bălăceanu. READ MORE.
The Rev. Ed King, a United Methodist Church minister and co-founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic
Party (MFDP), is remembered by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
King died July 4, 2026, at the age of 89.
Born Ralph Edwin King, he joined the ministry as a young man and enrolled at Boston University, where he volunteered for civil rights causes. In 1963, he accepted a position as chaplain at Tougaloo College and joined the Jackson Freedom Movement, organizing a downtown Jackson boycott with Mississippi NAACP field secretary Medgar Wiley Evers and John Salter, a professor at Tougaloo College. King served as an “observer” during the 1963 Jackson Woolworth sit-in, reporting the demonstration’s ensuing violence to Evers. Read more.
FORT MILL, S.C. — Al Holland, used primarily as a reliever during his 10-year career in the major leagues, died on July 4, his son confirmed. He was 73.
Al Holland Jr. confirmed that his father died in Fort Mill, South Carolina, according to the North Carolina A&T baseball website.
The elder Holland is a member of the North Carolina A&T Sports (1994) and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Halls of Fame (1993), the school said.
The Philliesannounced Holland’s death in a statement on X on Monday.
“The Phillies are saddened to learn of the passing of Al Holland, who spent parts of three seasons with the club from 1983-85,” the statement said. “As a dominant closer, Al was an integral part of the team’s winning the National League pennant in 1983 and was an All-Star in 1984. The club and fans are forever grateful for his contributions and the legacy he leaves behind in Philadelphia.” Read More.
JOHNNY GINGER ACTOR DIES
Galen Grindle, the beloved Detroit television personality known to generations of local kids as Johnny Ginger, has died. He was 92.
Grindle died on July 5, 2026. His death was announced by his former station, WXYZ Detroit.
Born on June 16, 1934 in Toledo, Ohio, Grindle grew up in a Vaudeville family act alongside his parents Ray and Edna and his tap-dancing brother Kenny, performing at Toledo’s Paramount Theater. His career began almost by accident when the family brought young Galen onstage to sing “Sonny Boy” and he became an instant hit. As a teenager, he built on that early spark performing stand-up comedy in clubs across Toledo, Detroit, and Canada. Read More.
Louise Lasser, whose pig-tailed braids, bangs and baby-doll gingham dresses took the nation by storm when they became her trademark look on Norman Lear‘s Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman in the 1970s, died Monday at her home in Manhattan. She was 87.
Her death was reported by her friend Susan Charlotte to The New York Times.
Initially making her name in early Woody Allen films — the two married in 1966 and divorced four years later — Lasser employed a droll, deadpan comic delivery to great effect not only in Allen’s Take the Money and Run, Bananas and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) but in buzzy commercials for NyQuil and Excedrin. Read More.
Renowned Quebec actorMarc Messier passed away on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at the age of 78, leaving behind his three children, Gabrielle, Félix, and Jeanne, along with generations of grieving fans across the province.
The prolific performer sustained a career spanning over 50 years, transitioning from an athletic childhood of hockey and swimming in Granby to becoming one of Quebec’s most recognizable cultural figures. Messier achieved legendary status through his roles as Réjean in La petite vie, Marc Gagnon in Lance et compte, and Bob Chicoine in the Les Boys franchise, alongside a 38-year run in the theatrical comedy Broue. READ MORE.
Sprinter Asafa Powell, left, stands with his coach Stephen Francis as he poses with his Chairman Award for being named Jamaica Sportsman for 2005, Feb. 23, 2006 in Kingston, Jamaica. (AP Photo/Collin Reid, File)
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Stephen Francis, the influential Jamaican track and field coach whose athletes won Olympic and world titles and helped turn the small Caribbean island into a sprinting powerhouse, has died, his club said Sunday. He was 64.
The training group Francis co-founded in 1999, the Maximising Velocity & Power Track & Field Club, or MVP, became one of the sport’s premier training centers, producing generations of Olympic champions and world record holders. The club said Sunday that Francis had died late Saturday but did not disclose a cause of death. Read More.
After receiving a call reporting shots fired, officers from the Rittman Police Department, Medina County Sheriff’s Office, and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene, where they were immediately fired upon. Sergeant Ries and four Medina County Sheriff’s officers were struck. Sergeant Ries succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Two deputies were transported to a local hospital in stable condition, two others were treated at the scene, and a Wayne County Sheriff’s Office K-9 who was shot during the incident remains in serious condition at a local animal hospital. Two other individuals were also killed during the incident. Read More.
After ASU, he was drafted in the ninth round by the Twins in 1977 and made his MLB debut on June 3, 1978, winning his start against the Detroit Tigers. Jackson spent all five years with the Twins before a career-ending arm injury at 27 years old.
The Los Angeles native pitched for the Sun Devils from 1974-77, including three College World Series appearances. The left-hander helped secure the national championship by throwing a three-hit shutout in the semifinals of the 1977 CWS. Read More.
George E. Johnson, who founded Johnson Products Company, and along with it a new universe of hair care products tailored to Black consumers, died Monday morning.
He died from natural causes at his Downtown Chicago condo, said his son John Edward Johnson. He was 99.
“I think his legacy as a businessman and philanthropist speaks for itself,” his son said.
The Tudors star Slaine Kelly has died “peacefully” at home, aged 43, surrounded by her family, following a battle with cancer. The mum of one’s death was confirmed by her family in a notice on obituary site RIP.ie.
It read: “Slaine Kelly … passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family. Beloved daughter of Marion and Joe Kelly. Cherished mother of Knox, much-loved sister of Darragh and sister-in-law of Mags and adored aunt of Eliza. Read More…
Mike Wallace, a self-proclaimed radical historian whose magisterial, unvarnished biography of New York, “Gotham,” written
with Edwin G. Burrows, won the Pulitzer Prize and inspired two more door-stopper volumes about the city, died on Sunday in Mexico City. He was 83.
His death, in a hospital, was confirmed in a statement by his wife, Carmen Boullosa, a poet and playwright. She said he had been suffering from Lewy body dementia. Read More…
JON DYMOND has left this earth this morning and is on his New Musical Journey with ALL the other Musicians, His Family Members, Friends and ANGELS.
Jon Dymond was an outstanding Bass Player and Vocalist. Oh so much Musical Talent Jon had and now he has joined the Heavens with this Talent.
Jon played in many Bands throughout his Musical Career. Jon has been in the Skunks, Bootleggers, Larry Lynne Band, Larry Lynne Revue, Larry Lynne Decades Band with me for over 24 Years. Gone Too Soon
We had such a great time playing at Mole Lake Casino and on the Road. Jon’s voice was so powerful that night ! Jon’s Last Song he Sang was “Does Anybody Really Know Time It is?” We believe Jon knew what time it really was and that was his message to ALL of US. We will miss you, Jon
As days go by Please Keep Jon’s Wife, Nancy in your Prayers as Nancy copes with her loss of her Husband, Jon.
Until we meet again Jon, we will listen for your SMOOTH TWANG of your Bass you played.
On a few Notes we are going to miss with Jon: If we could not find a piece of equipment at the end of the night, Jon’s Famous Words were: “Don’t worry about it, I put it on EBay already !”
Jon was our Stage Apparel Chief: “Boys, this is your apparel, Black Sequin Jacket, Black Shirt, White Bolo…
Jon, Please watch over ALL of US especially your Wife, Nancy & Georgie (your cat).
Jon – It’s Not Good Bye – It’s See YOU Later Our Musical Brother
R.I.P. Jon – Musically Yours, Larry Lynne, James Aubrey, Chris Eddie Davis. READ MORE….
July 4, 2026
Joby Baker in 1967 on
‘Good Morning World’ CBS via Getty Images
Joby Baker, whose presence on television and in film throughout the 1960s and ’70s made him one of the era’s more familiar faces in both drama and light comic fare, died June 22 of natural causes in Mount Kisco, New York. He was 92.
His death, announced to Deadline by his family, came just 10 days after that of Ronnie Schell, Baker’s co-star in the short-lived but fondly remembered 1967 sitcom Good Morning World. The CBS single-season comedy featured Baker and Schell as a morning drive radio disc jockey duo and best friends though of differing temperaments. Goldie Hawn also was a cast member. Read More…
Doreen C. Broadnax, known professionally as Sparky D, or spelled Sparky Dee (June 2, 1965 – July 2026) was an American hip–hop musician and rapper. Broadnax is noted as one of the first female battle rappers, first gaining attention through the Roxanne Wars; when she responded to Roxanne Shante’s “Roxanne’s Revenge” with “Sparky’s Turn (Roxanne, You’re Through)” in 1985.
Robert B. Sloan Jr., president of Houston Christian University, died at age 77 on July 4, 2026, after leading the institution for nearly two decades.(Michael A. Tims, Houston Christian University)
HOUSTON – Houston Christian University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. has died, the university announced Saturday. He was 77.
HCU Board Chairman Ramiro Peña said Sloan’s death was sudden and happened Saturday morning. In a statement to the university community, Peña credited Sloan with steering HCU through what he called its most consequential years, pointing to growth in enrollment and academic offerings, new construction and campus expansion, and increased national visibility.
Hip-hop Pioneer Doreen Broadnax, known professionally as Sparky D has reportedly passed away at the age of 61. Sparky D who helped shaped the early days hip-hop, during the legendary Roxanne wars of the mid 1980s, with a series of battle records. She later dedicated herself to Gospel Music and ministry, inspiring others through her faith and testimony. Read more.
Trevor Fishlock – Renowned reporter, author and broadcaster Trevor Fishlock has died. He wrote several books on Wales and was best-known for his long-running television series Fishlock’s Wild Tracks and Fishlock’s Wales.
The former foreign correspondent adopted Wales as his home after a career covering more than 60 countries. He was celebrated for his knowledge of Welsh history and creating engaging documentaries.
Zoe Thomas, Head of News and Programmes At ITV Cymru Wales, said: “ITV Cymru Wales is deeply saddened by the passing of legendary journalist, author, and broadcaster Trevor Fishlock.
“As a master storyteller, Trevor brought warmth, intellect, and humanity to Welsh broadcasting, capturing the heart of the nation through his acclaimed series Wild Tracks and Fishlock’s Wales.”
His books on Wales included ‘Wales and the Welsh’, ‘Talking of Wales’, ‘Fishlock’s Wild Tracks’, ‘Senedd’, ‘IOn This Place: The National Library of Wales’ and ‘Pembrokeshire: Journeys and Stories’.
Born in Hereford in 1941 Trevor moved to Cardiff as a correspondent for The Times in the 1970s and adopted Wales as his home. READ-MORE
Dave Stimson, co-founder of the pioneering ’80s hardcore punk zine, record label, and distribution company Touch & Go, has died. Stimson reportedly passed away Wednesday. Touch & Go’s Corey Rusk posted the news to the label’s Instagram account today along with a tribute to Stimson.
Today is a sad day. Touch and Go co-founder Dave Stimson has passed away. I spent last night reminiscing and telling DS stories with Tesco. Bittersweet. Back in the Touch and Go Fanzine days, Tesco was the master of verbose storytelling. Although Dave was his linguistically minimalist counterpart, Dave could convey as much with a dry, condensed sentence as Tesco could in a full page. He was funny in a very different manner from Tesco. Together, they were like cool older brothers to us guys in the Necros (who were still in high school when we met Dave and Tesco). They put us on the cover of their fanzine, started a label (which I quickly joined them in running) to put out our records, and got us opening slots at Lansing’s Club DooBee with Black Flag and DOA at the start of 1981. Legends… both of them.
Stimson and the Meatmen’s Tesco Vee launched the Touch & Go zine together in 1979. Stimson and Vee, elementary school teachers in Lansing, Michigan, published button-pushing humor and reviews of records by punk bands. As related in Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life, their review of the debut Teen Idles single helped build a buzz around Dischord Records that helped the label to continue as a going concern. READ MORE…
Trainer John Parisella won more than 1,200 races and more than $23 million during his career.
John Parisella, a man with a big personality, who was dubbed “trainer to the stars,” and a winner of more than 1,200 races in a four-decade-plus career, died Friday in a hospital in Long Island, N.Y., according to his ex-wife Melissa. He was 85.
Parisella was born in Brooklyn and attended St. John’s University. He got into the sport as an assistant to trainer Tommy Gullo on the New York circuit and, according to Equibase, started training horses in 1969. He won 1,241 races and his horses earned more than $23 million purses before Parisella saddled his last horse in 2016.
Parisella trained a large number of graded stakes winners that included Simply Majestic, Chapel of Dreams, Chieftain’s Command, Am Capable, Danzig’s Dance, Raja’s Shark, Kamikaze Rick, Fray Star, Don Rickes, Fight Over and Jones Time Machine. Fight Over finished third in the 1984 Preakness. Simply Majestic finished third in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Parisella’s uncle Joe Scanadore was the manager for comedian Don Rickles. Through that relationship, Parisella was introduced to a number of Hollywood stars. He trained for some including James Caan, Jack Klugman, and Telly Savalas. Read More…
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Lam Wing-kee, a former Hong Kong bookseller who became a symbol of resistance to Beijing’s crackdown on speech freedom after he was seized by Chinese authorities in late 2015, has died in Taiwan, the island’s official Central News Agency reported, citing an unnamed source.
The news agency didn’t give a cause of death but said the 70-year-old Lam had a cancer relapse last year and was admitted to MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taipei on Tuesday. He fell into a coma on Wednesday and died Thursday evening, according to the report.
Kjell Nilsson, the Swedish born weightlifter and actor best known for playing the villainous masked marauder Lord Humungus in the classic 1981 Mad Max film The Road Warrior, died in Queensland, Australia, Thursday, July 2, following a four-year battle with kidney disease. He was 76.
Glass, who has played with a number of acclaimed metal bands over the past four decades, including SOIL, BROKEN HOPE, SINDROME, TERMINAL DEATH, DIRGE WITHIN, THE BLOODLINE and, more recently, REPENTANCE, passed away on July 1, a month after suffering a stroke at his Illinois home that he shared with his wife Michelle and their 13-year-old son Maddux.
Michelle shared the news of Shaun‘s death in a social media post on Wednesday (July 1). She wrote: “It is with an extremely heavy heart that I share that Shaun passed away this morning after suffering a medical emergency on May 31.
“Shaun and I met in 2003 and married in 2010. In 2012, we welcomed our son — Shaun‘s pride and joy, as anyone who knew him well already knows.
“Our lives will never be the same. We are devastated, and we ask for privacy and respect as our family begins to navigate this unimaginable loss.” Read More.
The two schools announced his death in statements Friday. No cause was given.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Coach Walden,” Cougars athletic director Jon Haarlow said. “He will forever be remembered as a great Coug who deeply loved Washington State. Our heart is with Coach Walden’s family, friends and all the former players whose lives he positively impacted.”
Walden was born and raised in Aberdeen, Mississippi, and played quarterback in junior college before transferring to Wyoming, where he played for future Nebraska coach Bob Devaney. He led the Cowboys to two championships in the old Skyline Conference.
The singer and guitarist died Thursday of natural causes, entertainment promoter and manager Brian Edwards confirmed to CBC News.
Hunter was 89.Born on March 20, 1937, in London, Ont., Hunter got an early start as an entertainer. He began taking guitar lessons at around nine years old, which soon led to him booking gigs, playing in churches and eventually landing on the radio.
He joined CBC’s Country Hoedown in 1956 as a rhythm guitarist before making his biggest mark: hosting The Tommy Hunter Show, which debuted as a radio show before transitioning to television. That series ran for 27 years, going off the airwaves in 1992. Read More.
Canada’s Oldest Draq Queen Russell Alldread, aka Michelle DuBarry, Has Passed.
Russell Peters Alldread, AKA Anita Modé, AKA Michelle DuBarry, Canada’s Oldest Drag Queen has passed away. November 23, 1931 – July 1, 2026
Russell was born and raised in Bowmanville, Ontario. But he was reinvented as first Anita, then our beloved Michelle, in Toronto, Canada. This is where he found his community, his people, his tribe, and lived for the remainder of his life.
He spent his remaining years at Heritage Nursing home, and his final days at Rekai Sherbourne. He will be missed.
She will be remembered.
The official Celebration of Life will take place at Woody’s on Church Str. in Toronto, Canada. Date to be announced soon. All are welcome. Read More.
July 2, 2026
Moritz Borman, a veteran producer whose credits include several Oliver Stonemovies along with Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Terminator Salvation, The Crow: Salvation and others, died July 1 in Munich, where his upcoming film was being shot. He was 71.
According to a statement from Mitchell’s family provided to KBTX, his death was “sudden and unexpected.”
“As we begin to process this heartbreaking loss, we ask for your continued prayers as we await additional answers in the days ahead,” the statement read, in part. “We trust that God will continue to surround our family with His peace, grace, and strength as we navigate this difficult journey.”
Mitchell was a member of the “Wrecking Crew” defense from 1993-96, including the 1993 Southwest Conference champion squad. He earned All-SWC honors in 1995, followed by an All-Big 12 nod in 1996 to go along with his College Football News All-America selection. Read More…
The news of the death of Hikaru Kurosaki, Japanese actor who marked generations as the hero Jaspion, has been confirmed. The artist was 64 years old and the information was published by the ZakII portal, part of the Sankei group in Japan.
The work “The Fantastic Jaspion”, a Japanese series in the tokusatsu genre, which combines action with real actors and visual effects, was produced by Toei. Its debut in Brazil in 1988 transformed it into a true cultural phenomenon, opening doors for the popularization of several other Japanese productions on Brazilian television.
The official statement about Kurosaki’s death was made by a colleague from the Diving Association in the city of Motobu, located in Okinawa Prefecture, through a post on the social network Facebook. Read More.
A truly gifted rider who became a household name in the 1980s, he was no stranger to trouble either and won a massive fanbase as a larger-than-life character on and off the racecourse.
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Born near Wetherby in 1960, Bradley, whose dad Norman was a famous trainer, would ride more than 700 winners in a 22-year career which included the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Irish Grand National. 1983 victory aboard 100-30 fav Bregawn at Cheltenham went down in history for trainer Michael Dickinson saddling the first five home – a feat unmatched to this day.
And his unforgettable 1996 Champion Hurdle win came after he was jocked off favourite Alderbrook after turning up late for a training session. Read More.
LeRoy Irvin, a first-team All-Pro at both cornerback and punt returner with the Rams in the 1980s, has died at the age of 68.
The Rams announced Irvin’s death today, and among those remembering him are former teammate Eric Dickerson, who posted about him on social media this morning.
“Devastated to hear about the passing of my brother, teammate, and Rams legend Leroy Irvin. Leroy wasn’t just a lockdown corner and a fierce competitor on the field; he was a true friend and a great man who always brought incredible energy. Rest in peace, my brother. Sending my thoughts and prayers to the Irvin family and all of Rams Nation,” Dickerson wrote. READ MORE.
A national hero, Momand died from cancer on June 21 in a hospital in Stuttgart, Germany, where he had lived since leaving Afghanistan in 1992 during the civil war.
“I am deeply saddened by the sudden death of Afghanistan’s first and only astronaut, Abdul Ahad Momand,” former President Ashraf Ghani wrote on X. “I pray to God to grant Momand a high place in heaven, and I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, children, and other family members.” Read More.
Mihovk-Rosenacker Funeral Homes in Cincinnati said he died June 28 but did not provide a cause of death.Born on November 24, 1939, Baumes served in the U.S. Navy before launching a career in show business in the early 1970s. He worked as a writer and/or producer on some TV movies before serving as an associate to the executive producer of CBS’ 1972-73 interfaith romance sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie. Baumes continued to work on telefilms before becoming an executive producer on the superhero series Wonder Woman.
Arbel served as state attorney from 1994 to 2004, after which she served on the Supreme Court until 2014.
She was born in Jerusalem in 1944 to a Czech-born father, Yitzhak, and a Hungarian-born mother, Tova.
Arbel was admitted to the bar in 1969 and worked for a few years at Tel Aviv’s Hayak law firm before joining the Central District Office of the State Attorney in 1972, and eventually became district attorney in 1984. Read More…
Texas-born Willis was a co-founder and the original lead singer for the band, whose hit singles included “Y.M.C.A.,” “Go West” and “In the Navy.”
Willis left the group in 1979 in hope of embarking on a solo career before he re-formed the flamboyant disco band in 2017, leading to disputes with some of his former bandmates.
Willis had said he got thousands of complaints about the use of the song at Trump’s events and had decided to ask him “to stop using Y.M.C.A. because his use had become a nuisance to me.”
He said he wrote the lyrics based on “the things I knew about the Y in the urban areas of San Francisco such as swimming, basketball, track, and cheap food and cheap rooms.” READ MORE...
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was killed Wednesday morning after he was struck by a tractor-railer while conducting an inspection on the side of I-81
“The man died a hero,” Bivens said. “He was an outstanding trooper.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro confirmed the driver was being treated at Lehigh Valley Hospital. Their condition is unclear at this time.Shapiro said flags will fly at half-staff to honor Pahira’s service.
Tony Rayns, the British film critic who introduced Korean cinema to global audiences, died Wednesday. He was 77.
Walt Whitman Odets (February 4, 1947 – July 5, 2026) was an American clinical psychologist and author. He has written about the early development, psychological and social experiences of gay men and their communities.
Party (MFDP), is remembered by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
After receiving a call reporting shots fired, officers from the Rittman Police Department, Medina County Sheriff’s Office, and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene, where they were immediately fired upon. Sergeant Ries and four Medina County Sheriff’s officers were struck. Sergeant Ries succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
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