Free Republic

Ken Osmond, best known for his role at the troublemaker Eddie Haskell on the television comedy “Leave It to Beaver,” died on Monday morning. He was 76. Sources tell Variety Osmond passed away at his Los Angeles home surrounded by family members. The cause of death is unknown.

The idea of forcing children to attend school is outdated and should be scrapped in favor of a system that encourages learning by choice, state Sen. Aaron Osmond said in calling for an end to compulsory education in Utah. “Some parents act as if the responsibility to educate, and even care for their child, is primarily the responsibility of the public school system,” the South Jordan Republican first wrote on a state Senate blog on Friday. … Osmond said that in the current state of public education, teachers do not receive meaningful support from parents, while at the same time...

There's a disease that runs rampant in the Mormon faith, which may transcend across a multitude of denominations. It is called When-are-you-itis. And, singles cresting 30 are more than aware of it. When opportunity presents itself, and occasion finds an older single wandering the foyer of a "home ward," the casual acquaintance may stop to strike up a conversation. "Don! It's so good to see you. How's life been treating you?" The conversation begins, and after a short interlude of chewing the fat, the bomb drops ... "So, when are you getting married?" (Note: This statement is the equivalent of...

Herriman councilman Milton "Mick" Shannon, co-founder of the Children's Miracle Network charity, resigned Thursday after being charged with felony criminal mischief. Shannon was been charged in 3rd District Court in West Jordan with criminal mischief, a second-degree felony, for intentionally destroying property on Feb. 10. Court documents say Shannon slashed tires and scratched the body of a vehicle belonging to a man he believed was having an affair with his ex-wife. Shannon said Thursday that the charges are an attempt to defame him, but did not say by whom. He said he is in the midst of divorce proceedings. He...

Perhaps this was a cry out for relevancy - something she hasn't been since the Clinton administration, but comedienne Roseanne Barr is showing her social commentary knows no bounds. In a March 4 post on her blog, Barr used the suicide of Marie Osmond's son, Michael Blosil, to go on a sick and twisted anti-religion screed. According to the former sitcom star, any underlying issues that led to Blosil taking his own life were a result of "his church and the people in it": "marie osmonds poor gay son killed himself because he had been told how wrong and how...

The MMO takes the media pulse in three areas: slimy tabloids intrude into the Osmonds' sacred space in the wake of a tragedy, the media still can't move beyond Mitt Romney's faith, and U.K.'s Guardian takes a jaded view of Mormon-Catholic cooperation. Intrusion into a family moment Leave it up to the tabloid press to exploit the Osmonds once again as they reported on the suicide of Marie Osmond's son, Michael. The Mormon Media Observer will not reprint or link to the myriad of tabloid articles filled with speculation and innuendo. Let's just say this, the kind of press coverage...

Marie Osmond’s Son Commits Suicide Entertainment Tonight reports teen battled severe depression Marie Osmond's teenaged son, Michael Blosil, has killed himself by leaping to his death around 9 p.m. Friday in Los Angeles, reports Entertainment Tonight, which quotes Marie's brother, Donny Osmond, as saying, "Please pray for my sister and her family." According to ET, Michael left a note explaining he intended to end his life after a lengthy battle with severe depression that left him, he said, feeling as if he had no friends and could never fit in. In 2007, Michael, then 16, entered a rehab facility. His...

Marie Osmond's teenage son committed suicide last night, this according to Entertainment Tonight. Michael Blosil, one of Osmond's eight children, reportedly jumped from his downtown Los Angeles apartment building. ET says Michael left behind a note that said he intended to commit suicide due to a life-long battle with depression. Donny Osmond released a statement that says: "Please pray for my sister and her family."

Stress of comeback blamed for death of pop king Michael JacksonJune 27, 2009 10:00am THE stress of a hugely anticipated series of comeback shows in London caused Michael Jackson's death, his close friend Uri Geller says. Spoon-bending psychic and performer Geller, who lives in Britain, said Jackson was desperate to prove to the world that he was still a superstar despite child abuse allegations which had seriously damaged his career. The paranormalist described the scale of Jackson's planned comeback shows - some 50 concerts at London's O2 Arena, which were due to start in July - as ``just scary''. ``He...

LOS ANGELES - Marie Osmond said her 16-year-old son has entered a rehabilitation facility, but she didn't disclose the nature of his problem. "My son, Michael, is an amazing young man, shown through his courage in facing his issues. As his mother I couldn't be more proud of him," the 48-year-old singer said in a statement issued Wednesday through her publicist, Marleah Leslie. "The press and public have always been kind and gracious in the past and I know they will continue to respect our privacy during this time," Osmond said. The statement was first reported by TV show "Entertainment...

PROVO - Last August, Nathan Osmond took advantage of the opportunity to video-record his children sitting on their great-grandfather's lap during a special family home evening. For the first time, that same night, he performed the song he had promised his grandfather, George Osmond, he would write for him many years earlier. "I knew it wouldn't be much longer," Nathan Osmond said, "I had to carry through with my promise."

George Osmond, father of the famous singing family, The Osmonds, has died. Osmond passed away Tuesday morning in Utah. He was 90 years old. A cause of death was not immediately available. The death was first reported by "Entertainment Tonight's" Web site and was confirmed by The Associated Press through a spokeswoman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which Osmond was a member. Donny Osmond was in the "Entertainment Tonight" studio getting ready to tape a segment for a show when he learned of his father's death. Marie Osmond performed Monday night on "Dancing With the...

Apparently, Marie Osmond was a co-host on "The View" last week, fueling rumors that she is a possible replacement for Rosie O'Donnell. Marie is quite conservative and not bashful about expressing her opinions so, she could be an interesting choice. We'll see.