Free Republic

Blues legend B.B. King has died in Las Vegas at age 89, his lawyer says. Attorney Brent Bryson tells The Associated Press that King died peacefully in his sleep at 9:40 p.m. PDT Thursday at his home in Las Vegas.

<p>Their agony was seared on their faces — and into a city’s heart.</p> <p>The father, mother and sister of NYPD Officer Brian Moore sobbed throughout his funeral Mass on Friday, bereft of all but his heroic memory and a shiny new detective’s shield posthumously awarded.</p>

Ben E. King, the smooth, soulful baritone who led the Drifters on “There Goes My Baby,” “Save the Last Dance for Me” and other hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and as a solo artist recorded the classic singles “Spanish Harlem” and “Stand by Me,” died on Thursday in Hackensack, N.J. He was 76. His lawyer, Judy Tint, said Mr. King, who lived in Teaneck, N.J., died at Hackensack University Medical Center after a brief illness, offering no further details. Mr. King was working in his father’s Harlem luncheonette in 1956 when a local impresario, Lover Patterson, overheard...

ISLAMABAD — A 72-year-old American development worker who was kidnapped in Pakistan by al-Qaeda more than two years ago appealed to President Obama in a video released Thursday to negotiate his release, saying he feels “totally abandoned and forgotten.” The video of Warren Weinstein was the first since two videos released in September 2012. Weinstein, the country director in Pakistan for J.E. Austin Associates, a U.S.-based firm that advises a range of Pakistani business and government sectors, was abducted from his house in the eastern city of Lahore in August 2011. **SNIP** “Nine years ago I came to Pakistan to...

A gunman ambushed cops and killed a veteran detective early Wednesday during a door-to-door shooting spree in an Atlanta-area suburb, police said. Det. Terence Avery Green, a 22-year veteran Fulton County officer, died in a shootout with the suspect, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. Police said the suspect was possibly drunk when he started terrorizing the Cedar Grove neighborhood near Fairburn, Ga., early Wednesday. He carried a long barrel gun and banged on doors. Then, he fired into some of the homes, police said. Fulton County cops responded to the scene around 1:30 a.m., and the man opened fire on...

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Chicago legend Ernie Banks, also known as 'Mr. Cub' and 'Mr. Sunshine,' died Friday night, sources say. He was 83. Banks would have turned 84 on January 31. He was born in 1931 in Dallas, Texas. Banks was the first African American player to play for the Cubs. In 1950, he played for the Kansas City Monarchs in Negro League Baseball . He then played shortstop and first base for 19 seasons, from 1953 to 1971. The entire time Banks played for the Cubs, he was a national league all-star for 11 seasons. He was...

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Nellie Gray, who started the annual March for Life to protest the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion nationwide, has died at age 86. She was found dead in her home Aug. 13 in Washington's Capitol Hill neighborhood by a March for Life staffer, Gene Ruane, who said the medical examiner will determine the cause and date of her death. The March for Life has grown into one of the signature events of the pro-life movement. After the first march in 1974, Gray, a Texas native, established the March for Life Education & Defense Fund to sustain...

(CNN) -- Joe Cocker, the British blues-rock singer whose raspy voice brought plaintive soul to such hits as "You Are So Beautiful" and the duet "Up Where We Belong," died Monday after a battle with lung cancer. He was 70. Cocker's performing career spanned some 50 years, from Woodstock, where he sang the Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends," to the digital-music era. He had tour dates scheduled well into 2015. "Goodbye and God bless to Joe Cocker from one of his friends peace and love," tweeted Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.

UPDATE: (Jazz) Police Commissioner William J. Bratton identified the slain officers as Wenjian Liu, a seven-year veteran of the force, and Rafael Ramos, who has been an officer since 2012. UPDATE: (Jazz) As is so often the case, the readers here at Hot Air had identified the killer at least an hour before the media put it out, but they have now confirmed what you already knew.

Granny Ruth departed this earth for her heavenly home sometime over the Christmas weekend. Heaven's gain is Free Republic's loss. She was a wonderful freeper and friend to many.

Our Dear Backhoe, lost his wife, Miss. Emily suddenly early Monday morning. The Source URL will take you to the thread he posted on FRee Dominion (Our sister site in Canada), and this link takes you to his announcement here on FR. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/833678/posts?page=12455#12455 Most of you know that Backhoe maintains the thread "DUBOB 11- more tales from the Dark UnderBelly Of the Beast...", and since his post was made there, very few have seen it. Our good FRiend could really use our support, so please post all replies to Backhoe. He is busy with funeral arrangements, so may not post...

Comedian, journalist and disability advocate Stella Young has died aged 32. Young died on Saturday evening, according to a statement released by her family. 'With great sadness we acknowledge the passing of Stella Young, our much loved and irreplaceable daughter and sister. Stella passed away on Saturday evening, unexpectedly, but in no pain,' the statement said. Her family said they will hold a private funeral, followed by a public event in Melbourne. Scroll down for video In a statement ABC managing director Mark Scott said Ms Young was an unforgettable communicator and a passionate advocate. 'Stella helped us understand disability...

Remembering Gladys Hayworth

(U.S. Coast Guard photo) WWII veteran given Viking funeral; Coast Guard agreed to Norse send-off World War II veteran Andrew Haines decided years ago that he wanted a Norse-inspired funeral upon his death, and the U.S. Coast Guard obliged. Mr. Haines, who emigrated from Norway in 1927, scaled down blueprints for a 100-foot ship to a few feet in the years before he died. It was then up to the Coast Guard to decide whether it would ignite the boat and send-off Mr. Haines‘ cremated remains in accordance with his wishes. “Oh, I was thrilled,” Mr. Haines’ son Andy...

According to the State of California, JahiMcMath has been dead since December 9, 2013, when she went into cardiac arrest after catastrophic side effects from throat surgery. Oakland Children’s Hospital doctors insisted she was brain dead, that is, she had experienced total brain failure. Under California law, brain death is dead. When the doctors stated their intention to remove the life support from Jahi, her mother sued. A brouhaha ensued. A judge appointed an independent physician from Stanford to examine the girl, and he too found she was dead. The judge declared her dead and the state of California issued...

http://www.localsyr.com/story/d/story/joan-rivers-banned-adele-michelle-obama-from-funer/32046/HKvlbfyHyUWsgvkvFUmWlw

S. Truett Cathy, the billionaire founder of the privately held Chick-fil-A restaurant chain that famously closes on Sundays but also drew unwanted attention on gay marriage in recent years because of his family’s conservative views, died early Monday, a company spokesman said. He was 93. Chick-fil-A spokesman Mark Baldwin told The Associated Press that Cathy died at home surrounded by members of his family. Funeral plans had not yet been finalized, he said. …

In Memory of Jaycee

RIP Robin Williams.

This afternoon, after a long battle with cancer, Freeper Tminusfour passed away. For those of us who were blessed to know her personally, she was an amazing inspiration. She fought the cancer for nine years, cheerfully saying it would not define who she was. She was a model Christian, showing Christ's love in all that she did. She is survived by her husband, Freeper 4merliberal, by four daughters, and by a son and three stepsons. Now in the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, she is released from pain and hears the words "Well done, good and faithful...