Tag Archives: National

Mickey Rooney, Master of Putting On a Show, Dies at 93

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mickey-rooney1Mickey Rooney, the exuberant entertainer who led a roller-coaster life — the world’s top box-office star at 19 as the irrepressible Andy Hardy, a bankrupt has-been in his 40s, a comeback kid on Broadway as he neared 60 — died on Sunday. He was 93 and lived in Westlake Village, Calif.

His death was confirmed by his son Michael Joseph Rooney.

He stood only a few inches taller than five feet, but Mr. Rooney was larger and louder than life. From the moment he toddled onto a burlesque stage at 17 months to his movie debut at 6 to his career-crowning Broadway debut in “Sugar Babies” at 59 and beyond, he did it all. He could act, sing, dance, play piano and drums, and before he was out of short pants he could cry on cue.

As Andy Hardy, growing up in the idealized fictional town of Carvel, Mr. Rooney was the most famous teenager in America from 1937 to 1944: everybody’s cheeky son or younger brother, energetic and feverishly in love with girls and cars. The 15 Hardy Family movies, in which all problems could be solved by Andy’s man-to-man talks with his father, Judge Hardy (played by Lewis Stone), earned more than $75 million — a huge sum during the Depression years, when movie tickets rarely cost more than 25 cents.

More at New York Times

Navy conduct sea rescue for Rebel Heart

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rebelheartThe Navy has sent the frigate USS Vandegrift to the Rebel Heart to rescue a one-year old child who fell ill on the stalled 36-foot Hans Christian boat.

At last report, the California National Guard sent rescuers who parachuted onto the vessel, but the child did not respond to medications. The child is suffering a fever and an unknown rash.

Although the boat is said to be repaired, the Vandegrift should reach the Rebel Heart by tonight or early Sunday to take the crew off of the boat. The crew consist of San Diego residents Eric and Charlotte Kaufman with their daughters, Lyra, 1, and Cora, 3.

USS Vandegrift

USS Vandegrift

More at UT San Diego

Jeremiah A. Denton Jr., Vietnam POW and former U.S. senator, dies at 89

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obit0331395960841MARCH 28 – Jeremiah A. Denton Jr., a retired Navy rear admiral and former U.S. senator who survived nearly eight years of captivity in North Vietnamese prisons, and whose public acts of defiance and patriotism came to embody the sacrifices of American POWs in Vietnam, died March 28 at a hospice in Virginia Beach. He was 89.

The cause was complications from a heart ailment, said his son Jim Denton. Adm. Denton was a native of Alabama, where in 1980 he became the state’s first Republican to win election to the Senate since Reconstruction.

Adm. Denton lost a reelection bid six years later. But he remained widely known for his heroism as a naval aviator and prisoner of war, and particularly for two television appearances that reached millions of Americans through the evening news during the Vietnam War.

In the first, orchestrated by the North Vietnamese as propaganda and broadcast in the United States in 1966, he appeared in his prison uniform and blinked the word “torture” in Morse code — a secret message to U.S. military intelligence for which he later received the Navy Cross.

Read more at The Washington Post

Highly decorated rodeo Hall of Famer dies at 63.

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robert-shallARLEE – Robert H. Schall Jr., 63, from Arlee, passed away Friday, March 21, 2014, after a two-year battle with cancer. He was born June 25, 1950. He spent his entire life in Arlee, most of it on the Schall Ranch.

His rodeo career is legendary. He was an accomplished bareback rider, team roper and steer wrestler, winning countless championships in the PRCA, NRA and other regional associations. He traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada and on occasion to Australia. He was a Montana State University alum, being most proud of his membership on the 1972 NIRA National Championship Men’s Rodeo Team and of being a member of the MSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He won the coveted PRCA Linderman Award in 1986. He was a past president of the Northern Rodeo Association. He was recently inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and is listed on the Montana Rodeo Wall of Fame at Metra Park in Billings.

He was a dear friend and mentor to many. Bob was incredibly proud of being a father to Emily, she was the light of his life. He never missed an opportunity to be with her or support her throughout her youth. He drove many tireless miles to be wherever she may need him.

He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to fish, hunt and pack. His favorite dessert was pie and ice cream. His ability to complete math calculations in his head was astounding.

Read more at The Missoulian

Governor Pence Signs Bill Taking Indiana Out of Common Core

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mike-penceIndianapolis – Governor Mike Pence today signed Senate Enrolled Act 91, which requires Indiana to adopt its own academic standards. The Governor issued the following statement:

“I believe our students are best served when decisions about education are made at the state and local level. By signing this legislation, Indiana has taken an important step forward in developing academic standards that are written by Hoosiers, for Hoosiers, and are uncommonly high, and I commend members of the General Assembly for their support.

“As the task of writing our new academic standards continues, I am grateful to the more than 100 Indiana educators who have put thousands of hours into a comprehensive, transparent, and rigorous process of academic review and am confident that our state will produce Indiana standards that will prepare our students for success in college, careers, and life.”

Shame on Subaru of Wichita

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subaru
Wichita, Kansas – Subaru of Wichita should be ashamed for having such unbeatable prices.

The Subaru dealer of Wichita responded to a protest sign of the Carpenters Local 201 with a sign of their own. Scott Pitman posted their take on the protest on their blog. The dispute apparently started earlier this month over some construction on their site.

KWCH television published an unflattering article on the tactics of the union.

Their YouTube video below was posted with the notice, “We fully support every American’s freedom to exercise their First Amendment Rights, but when we disagree, we’re going to exercise ours and have fun at the same time.”

Michael Behenna released from U.S. Disciplinary Barracks

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Left: Michael Behenna is hugged Friday by his father, Scott Behenna, as his grandmother, Betty Zemp, looks on after his release from prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Photos by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman SARAH PHIPPS -

Left: Michael Behenna is hugged Friday by his father, Scott Behenna, as his grandmother, Betty Zemp, looks on after his release from prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Photos by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman SARAH PHIPPS –

Former U.S. Army 1st Lt. Michael Behenna is returning to Edmond after being released Friday, having served five years for killing an Iraqi.

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — Nervous energy coursed through the Behenna family Friday morning as they waited in a parking lot just outside the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. The ominous walls of the historic military prison loomed behind them as they scanned a nearby street for a white van.

“He’s supposed to come from that way,” Vicki Behenna said pointing east toward the main prison entrance. “But who knows with this place. He could come from anywhere.”

Just then, a white van approached on a side road from the opposite direction, turned into the lot and crawled to a stop in front of the small group of supporters.

Read more at NewsOK

Comedian David Brenner dies at 78

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DavidBrennerDavid Brenner, the gangly, toothy-grinned “Tonight Show” favorite whose brand of observational comedy became a staple for other standup comedians, including Jerry Seinfeld and Paul Reiser, died Saturday. He was 78.

Brenner, who had been fighting cancer, died peacefully at his home in New York City with his family at his side, according to Jeff Abraham, his friend and publicist.

“David Brenner was a huge star when I met him and he took me under his wing. To me, historically, he was the godfather of hip, observational comedy,” comedian Richard Lewis said in a statement. “He mentored me from day one. … His passing leaves a hole in my life that can never be replaced.”

Read more at FOX News

Glenn McDuffie, World War II Vet in Iconic Kissing Photo, Dies

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glenn-mcduffie-600A man who became known for claiming he was the sailor kissing a woman in Times Square in a famous World War II-era photo taken by a Life magazine photographer has died. Glenn McDuffie was 86.

McDuffie died March 9 in a nursing home in Dallas, his daughter, Glenda Bell, told the Associated Press.

After World War II, McDuffie, who was born in Kannapolis, N.C., and moved to Houston in 1960, became a mail carrier and semi-professional baseball player.

But his life became more exciting about six years ago when Houston Police Department forensic artist Lois Gibson was able to identify him as the young man leaning over the woman in his arms to kiss her.

Read more at People

Citing U.S. constitution, county commissioners OK guns in parks

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"It's extremely important to emphasize that the 2nd Amendment is not conditional," El Paso County Commissioner for District 2 Amy Lathen said. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette

“It’s extremely important to emphasize that the 2nd Amendment is not conditional,” El Paso County Commissioner for District 2 Amy Lathen said. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette

Gun owners now will be able to openly carry firearms in El Paso County parks.

The Board of County Commissioners unanimously passed parks rule changes Tuesday during its regular meeing that include tweaking the regulation that had banned open carry. The 4-0 vote came in the absence of Chairman Dennis Hisey, who left the regular meeting shortly after noon.

Hisey said moments before exiting that he was also in favor of the change to the gun rule and was confident that if he had stayed the vote would have remained unanimous. While the rule change allows open carry, it forbids the discharge of guns, fireworks or explosive device in a county park.

Each of the commissioners mentioned their oath to uphold the United States Constitution and the 2nd Amendment, which gives citizens the right to bear arms. Multiple board members also said they did not want to incriminate law-abiding citizens who simply want to defend themselves.

“We don’t get to cherry-pick what provisions of the constitution to support,” said Darryl Glenn, the District 1 representative.

Read more at The Gazette