Jones, a pioneer in Hollywood as a black entertainment photographer, was a friend to many African-American entertainers and the black press as well. He was affiliated with magazines such as Jet, Ebony, and Sister 2 Sister as well as the Los Angeles Wave, the L.A. Watts Times and L.A. Focus newspapers.

Born in Mansfield, Ohio, Jones’ interest in photography began at a young age, when he expressed his desire to work with the black press. Upon graduation from high school, he was accepted to Ohio State University. However, he decided to put his studies on hold and joined the U.S. Air Force.

While in the Air Force as a technical sergeant, Jones began studying photography at the London School of Photography. It is there that he got the opportunity to capture a shot of Muhammad Ali, which marked the beginning of Jones’ journey as an independent photojournalist to the stars.

Following his military service, Jones settled in Los Angeles and attended Cal State Los Angeles where he received a degree in sociology. However, he still held his aspirations of being a photojournalist.

After college, he began doing freelance work. Although older than many of the other photographers, Jones displayed what Aldore Collier, West Coast editor of Ebony and Jet, said was a tenacity that his peers did not have.

“The manners he displayed really appealed to a lot of the Hollywood celebrities and as a result, he was the one they all looked for in the crowd,” Collier.

In a promotional video that photographer and filmmaker Ian Foxx has prepared for a documentary he is working on about his longtime friend and mentor, black entertainers shared their memories and thank-yous for the photographer who has captured through his lens some of the pivotal moments in their careers.

“I always knew I was in good hands,” said actor, director and activist Danny Glover, who remembers the level of comfort that he felt whenever Jones would photograph him. “There’s a way in which we gravitate toward [Bill], all of us who know [his] contribution to Jet magazine, know [his] contribution to getting it right and doing it right.”

He was one of the few African-American photographers on red carpets, however he was the leader amongst all photographers present. Foxx described him as a gentleman.

“Jones was a firm man with strong convictions yet he also had a heart of gold,” Foxx said”

In the 1990s, Jones was seriously injured during a brutal altercation with a neighbor. While washing his car, Jones was beaten with a baseball bat by a neighbor. leaving him in a coma for several weeks.

However, Jones was fighter and he did not let the attack stop him from doing what he loved.

According to many. Jones was not the typical celebrity photographer. His calm and friendly demeanor drew celebrities to him. No red carpet would be complete without Jones’ attendance, said actress Holly Robinson Peete.

In a video put together by Foxx, she said: “[Bill] makes me feel special every time I go to any event. … Thanks for every thing you bring to this Hollywood scene,” she said.

Jones, whose legacy spans over 50 years will be remembered as a giant in the industry and as someone who celebrities like Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Danny Glover, Judy Pace and many others trusted to capture their Hollywood moments.

Singer Kelly Price shared her sentiments via Instagram over the weekend.

“He by far was my favorite photog ever,” she said. “So kind and always genuinely concerned with allowing the photo to be true to the moment.”

Jones was surrounded by family and friends in his final moments.

The family issued the following statement shortly after his deatj

“Today we lost the legend of photography Bill Jones. He’s been suffering from dementia for the past seven years that stemmed from his brutal attack in 1997. Bill took his last breadth at noon today while holding his granddaughter Latoya Jones’ hand as surrounded by his daughters Michele and Natalie Jones and his longtime photography buddy Malcolm Ali and his great grandson. He would be missed, but his legacy will live forever. Please keep our family in your prayers at this difficult time.”

LaToya Jones told The Wave that she is encouraging everyone to be happy for her grandfather because he is no longer in any pain. She said she will continue to do her best to keep his legacy alive.

A “GoFundMe” account has been created to provide monetary support toward the funeral services and burial of Jones, which could happen as soon as July 14, LaToya Jones said.

Contributions for funeral expenses can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/2bdqnys.

The post Celebrity photographer Bill Jones dies at 83 appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

Clinton, sports broadcaster Bryant Gumbel and actor Billy Crystal, a longtime friend of Ali’s, will deliver eulogies during a memorial service that begins at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and King Abdullah II of Jordan also will speak during the service, according to longtime Ali spokesman Bob Gunnell. Smith and Lewis will be two of the eight pallbearers.

Ajenazah – a Muslim funeral prayer service – also is planned for noon June 9 at Freedom Hall on the University of Louisville campus.

Both services will be open to the public and tickets for both were distributed June 7 and 8 on a first-come basis. Tickets that had been distributed free of charge quickly appeared for sale on websites such as Craig’s List.

Ali, who went from the streets of Louisville, Kentucky, to being one of the most recognized people in the world, died in a Phoenix, Arizona hospital with family members at his bedside.

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable President Earl Ofari Hutchinson said Ali’s social and political impact on America cannot be understated.

“Ali will be remembered for his greatness in the ring, but he must be remembered for his even more pronounced greatness outside the ring,” Hutchinson said. “Ali spent much time in Los Angeles, even lived in the city for a time, and interacted with many schools and organizations and residents in the city.

Hutchinson and other civil rights activists called on Mayor Eric Garcetti and the L.A. City Council to declare an L.A. Muhammad Ali Tribute Day. The day would be a day to pay tribute to the towering contribution of Ali to the cause of racial and social justice in L.A. and the nation.

“His mission was always one of furthering the cause of social and racial justice,” Hutchinson said. “A day in his honor is a way to show our deep appreciation for his life and work.”

Local activist Najee Ali agreed, calling Ali “one of the greatest and most influential men in history.”

“Muhammad Ali wasn’t just the greatest boxer in history, he was a humanitarian, activist and a warrior for social justice who had the courage and conviction to stand up for his religious beliefs,” said Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic HOPE.

Members of the local American Muslim community paid tribute to Ali on June 4, with a special prayer and candlelight vigil at the Bilal Islamic Center, a mosque that Ali helped build.

Also on June 4, a floral wreath was placed next to Ali’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Ali received the star in 2002 for live theater in recognition of his famous flair and poetry that boosted the popularity of boxing. The star was unveiled in connection with a CBS special honoring Ali’s 60th birthday.

Security officials at the Hollywood & Highland complex said about 6,000 people visited Ali’s star June 4-5.

Of the 2,582 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Ali’s is the only one above ground. It is on an exterior wall of the Hollywood & Highland complex.

“I don’t want my name on the ground, [and] people walking on my name,” Ali said at his Walk of Fame ceremony.

Ali came to prominence in 1960 when he won a gold medal at the Rome Olympics, fighting under his birth name, Cassius Clay.

“As Olympians, our role is to inspire others to achieve their dreams, and no person has ever lived that role more than Muhammad Ali,” said four-time gold medal-winning swimmer Janet Evans, the vice chair and director of athlete relations of LA 2024, the group seeking to bring the 2024 Olympics to Los Angeles.

Evans called passing the Olympic torch to Ali to light the cauldron at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics “the defining moment of my career and a memory I will treasure forever, as much as any of the medals I won.”

Ali turned professional in 1960. The 13th fight of his professional career — a career in which he won the heavyweight championship three times — was at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena where he earned a fourth-round technical knockout over George Logan on April 23, 1962.

Ali fought three more times in the Los Angeles area, the final time on Sept. 10, 1973, when he won a 12-round split decision over Ken Norton at the Forum, avenging the second defeat of his professional career.

Ali lived in Los Angeles during parts of the 1970s and 1980s.

Garcetti said on Twitter: “We have lost a legend who proved the human spirit knows no bounds. Muhammad Ali you will never be forgotten.”

Fighting as Cassius Clay, Ali first won the heavyweight championship on Feb. 25, 1964, when the heavily favored Sonny Liston did not answer the bell to start the seventh round at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

After the fight, he dropped what he called his “slave name” becoming Muhammad Ali and disclosing he became a member of the Nation of Islam.

Ali angered many Americans in 1967 by refusing induction into the U.S. Army, citing his religious beliefs. His boxing license was suspended, his title was taken and he was convicted of draft evasion. The Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 1971.

Ali regained the title in 1974 with an eighth-round knockout of the previously undefeated and heavily favored George Foreman in a bout in Zaire known as the “Rumble in the Jungle.”

After losing the title to Leon Spinks on a split decision in 1978, he regained it later that year when he defeated Spinks on a unanimous decision.

“Muhammad Ali was truly the greatest – an athlete who transcended sports to become a global icon,” said Evans, the gold medal Olympian swimmer.

“He inspired me – and millions of others around the world – to be the best version of ourselves.”

The post Thousands to join final tribute to ‘The People’s Champ’ appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

Ali, who went from the streets of Louisville, Kentucky, to being one of the most recognized people in the world, died Friday night at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, with family members at his bedside.

He was 74.

A floral wreath was placed next to Ali’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star Saturday morning.

Ali received the star in 2002 for live theater in recognition of his famous flair and poetry that boosted the popularity of boxing. The star was unveiled in connection with a CBS special honoring Ali’s 60th birthday.

Of the 2,582 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Ali’s is the only one above ground. It is on an exterior wall of the Hollywood & Highland complex.

“I don’t want my name on the ground, [and] people walkin’ on my name,” Ali said at his Walk of Fame ceremony.

A wreath was placed next to Muhammad Ali’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Saturday morning after he died Friday night. Ali’s star is on an exterior wallk of the Hollywood & Highland complex, not on the sidewalk like the other 2,581 stars. (Photo by Marlene Panoyan)

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable President Earl Ofari Hutchinson paid tribute to Ali’s role as a social justice fighter in brief remarks at the star.

“Ali will be remembered for his greatness in the ring, but he must be remembered for his even more pronounced greatness outside the ring,” Hutchinson said. “Ali spent much time in Los Angeles, even lived in the city for a time, and interacted with many schools and organizations and residents in the city.

Hutchinson and other civil rights activists called on Mayor Eric Garcetti and the L.A. City Council to declare an L.A. Muhammad Ali Tribute Day. The day would be a day to pay tribute to the towering contribution of Ali to the cause of racial and social justice in L.A. and the nation.

“His mission was always one of furthering the cause of social and racial justice,” Hutchinson said. “A day in his honor is a way to show our deep appreciation for his life and work.”

“Muhammad Ali wasn’t just the greatest boxer in history, he was a humanitarian, activist and a warrior for social justice who had the courage and conviction to stand up for his religious beliefs,” said , the director of Project Islamic HOPE. “Ali was one of the greatest and most influential men in history.”

On Saturday night, members of the local American Muslim community paid tribute to Ali with a special prayer and candlelight vigil at the Bilal Islamic Center, a mosque that Ali helped to build.

Ali first came to prominence in 1960 when he won a gold medal at the Rome Olympics, fighting under his birth name, Cassius Clay.

“As Olympians, our role is to inspire others to achieve their dreams, and no person has ever lived that role more than Muhammad Ali,” said four-time gold medal-winning swimmer Janet Evans, the vice chair and director of athlete relations of LA 2024, the group seeking to bring the 2024 Olympics to Los Angeles.

Evans called passing the Olympic torch to Ali to light the cauldron at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics “the defining moment of my career and a memory I will treasure forever, as much as any of the medals I won.”

Ali turned professional in 1960. The 13th fight of his professional career that saw him win the world heavyweight championship three times was at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, a fourth-round technical knockout of George Logan April 23, 1962.

Ali fought three more times in the Los Angeles area, the final time on Sept. 10, 1973, when he won a 12-round split decision over Ken Norton at the Forum, avenging the second defeat of his professional career.

Ali lived in Los Angeles during parts of the 1970s and 1980s.

“We have lost a legend who proved the human spirit knows no bounds,” Mayor Eric Garcetti wrote on Twitter. “Muhammad Ali you will never be forgotten.”

Ali first won the heavyweight championship on Feb. 25, 1964, when the heavily favored Sonny Liston did not answer the bell to start the seventh round at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

After the fight, he dropped what he called his “slave name” becoming Muhammad Ali and disclosing he became a member of the Nation of Islam.

Ali angered many Americans in 1967 by refusing induction into the U.S. Army, citing his religious beliefs. His boxing license was suspended, he was stripped of his title and convicted of draft evasion. The Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 1971.

Ali regained the title in 1974 with an eighth-round knockout of the previously undefeated and favored George Foreman in a bout in Zaire known as the “Rumble in the Jungle.”

After losing the title to Leon Spinks on a split decision in 1978, he regained it later that year when he defeated Spinks on a unanimous decision.

“Muhammad Ali was truly the greatest — an athlete who transcended sports to become a global icon,” Evans said. “He inspired me and millions of others around the world, to be the best version of ourselves.”

The post Los Angeles mourns the death of Muhammad Ali appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

Young died in an Orange County hospital May 8 at the age of 67.

After a career in professional baseball that lasted from 1969 to 1978, Young became a scout and was the first African American to be named director of scouting when he was named to that position by the Detroit Tigers in 1981.

In 1986, while scouting for the Baltimore Orioles, Young became concerned about the lack of top African-American players who were ready to be drafted by major league teams.

He took his concerns to Orioles General Manager Roland Hemond and then-baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth.

Ueberroth, who was the head of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, contacted Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, who secured $50,000 for Young to start the program he called RBI for Reviving Baseball in the Inner City.

The organization started in Los Angeles in 1989 with a 12-team league of 13 and 14 years olds.

Two years later, Major League Baseball took over the program and today it serves 230,000 boys and girls in more than 200 cities across the United States, as well as in Canada, Curacao, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic

“All of us at Major League Baseball are saddened by the loss of John Young, a trailblazer and champion of both professional and youth baseball,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said May 9.

“The legacy John has left with the RBI program is evident in the impact it has had on young people who have grown to be important contributors to our society as teachers, police officers, doctors, youth coaches and as professional baseball players. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to John’s wife Sheryl, their children Dorian, Jon and Tori and their entire family, as well as his many friends throughout our game.”

Young grew up in South Los Angeles and attended Mt. Carmel High School and Chapman College in Orange, where he played on the school’s 1968 championship baseball team.

He was a first-round draft choice of the Detroit Tigers in 1969, the 16th player taken overall. His big league career was limited to two games for the Tigers in 1971 in which he was 2-for-4 with a double and a run batted in.

But his legacy in the game of baseball will be the RBI program.

“It’s like a child to me,” he said of the program. “To see the magnitude of RBI — what it has grown into — is unbelievable. It’s like a dream come true.”

Young developed the concept of RBI to overcome obstacles — including street gangs, a lack of organization, funding and community support — that prevented disadvantaged youth from learning and enjoying the game of baseball.

More importantly, Young also wanted to use participation in baseball as a means to overcome academic and social disadvantages faced by many inner-city kids.

Young is survived by his wife, Sheryl, and children Dorian, Jon and Tori. Funeral services are pending.

The post John Young, founder of RBI youth baseball program, dies appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

Williams, 72, died April 26 at his home in Fayetteville, Georgia. A relative said he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

According to the LAPD, there will also be two viewings for Williams. The first viewing will take place May 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Carl J. Mowell & Son Funeral home at 180 Jeff Davis Drive in Fayetteville.

Williams’ body will then be flown to Philadelphia for burial at the Zion Baptist Church at 3600 N. Broad St. at 11 a.m. May 7. The funeral will be preceded by a viewing from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Cancer Society for the cure of pancreatic cancer in Williams’ name.

At police headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, flags are being flown at half-staff to honor Williams. And Chief Charlie Beck has authorized all department members to wear a black mourning band on their badges to recognize Williams’ service.

Williams served as LAPD chief from June 30, 1992, to May 17, 1997. He became the city’s top cop following the resignation of Chief Daryl Gates in the aftermath of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. He came to Los Angeles after serving four years as Philadelphia’s police commissioner — the first black person to hold that position. Williams was a Philadelphia police officer for more than 20 years.

“I am sorry to hear of the passing of former LAPD Chief Willie Williams,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement released April 27. “Chief Williams was the first African-American to lead our Police Department, and he took stewardship following the civil unrest of 1992 — a difficult period in the history of law enforcement in our city.

“He served at a time when many of the reforms proposed by the Christopher Commission were being implemented, setting the department on course to become an international model for community policing. My thoughts are with his loved ones,” Garcetti said.

Beck, who served under Williams, responded on Twitter.

“The LAPD is saddened to hear of the loss of former Chief Willie Williams,” he tweeted.

With the LAPD in turmoil following the Rodney King beating, the acquittal of the officers involved and the ensuing riots, Williams worked to implement changes in the department to bolster its relationship with black communities in the city.

During his tenure, the LAPD grew by 2,000 officers and the department adopted more “community policing” strategies that were designed to be less confrontational — putting officers on the streets, interacting with the public.

While he won some praise for building community relationships, his leadership style and ability was often questioned by critics, who suggested that improvements in the department were being slowed by a lack of leadership. His bid for a second term as chief was rejected by the Police Commission in 1997.

Williams was never really accepted by the old guard at the LAPD, who were still loyal to the late former Chief Daryl Gates. In 1995, Williams was reprimanded by the L.A. Police Commission for allegedly lying about accepting free accommodations at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

However, police sources who spoke confidentially to Newsweek Magazine and the L.A. Weekly said the investigation into his travel and housing was a rogue operation conducted by disgruntled detectives in the Organized Crime Intelligence Division — since reformed as Organized Crime and Vice Division — to discredit Williams.

In March 2002, Williams was appointed as federal security director for the Transportation Security Administration at Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport.

The post Funeral services planned for Willie Williams, L.A.’s first black police chief appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

A public viewing will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. April 15 at Angelus Funeral Home, 3875 Crenshaw Blvd., and a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., April 16, in the Council Chambers of Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spring St. Parking is available at City Hall East.

Battle-Bey, the longtime president and CEO of the Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation, died April 7. The cause of death was not announced.

Battle-Bey had worked for almost 40 years to strengthen the economy in South Los Angeles.

The Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation came about after Sears announced it was closing its South Los Angeles store in 1979.

As part of a citizen advisory committee established by then-Mayor Tom Bradley in response to the Sears’ closing, the economic development corporation began in 1981.

The corporation provided the first major retail investment in the neighborhood since the 1965 Watts riots. During Battle-Bey’s time as executive director, the organization became the owner of two shopping centers, developed and financed six supermarkets and rehabilitated hundreds of housing units for low and moderate-income residents. The nonprofit has also created more than 3,000 jobs for local residents and operates a Business Enterprise Center.

In 2008, Battle-Bey took advantage of the community’s changing demographics to negotiate with El Super, part of a large Mexican grocery chain, to open a store in South L.A.

“No words can adequately describe what Marva has meant in our lives,” said William A. Holland, vice president of the corporation’s Board of Directors, in a statement. “We are forever grateful for the opportunity to work with her. Marva left a company that only she could have built, and her spirit will forever be the foundation of [our organization].”

Battle-Bey grew up in Detroit, Michigan, with two brothers and a sister. Her upbringing in the 1950s and 1960s was similar to that portrayed in shows like “Leave It To Beaver” and “I Love Lucy,” said her sister Gloria Gilmore, 67.

Battle-Bey received a scholarship to Michigan State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in urban planning. She later received another scholarship from USC, where she earned her master’s degree in urban and regional planning, another master’s in public administration and a Ph.D. in urban studies.

While in school, she became an early champion of diversity when she created “An Evening of Soul,” a program designed to share the best of African-American culture with her fellow students, staff and faculty. Upon graduation, she served on the precursor to the USC Black Alumni Association, using her leadership skills to raise scholarship money for students of color, and, in particular, African-American students.

Gilmore described her sister as “bubbly and happy,” yet at the same time a “workhorse who put her occupation before herself.”

“She was a very warm, loving person,” Gilmore said. “She was calm; things did not upset her. I was the hyper one.”

In addition to leading the Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation, Battle-Bey also served as president of the Black Women’s Network, an organization dedicated to economic development, networking and wellness.

She was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Economic Justice Award from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and an NAACP Image Award.

She also was named one of the “Most Powerful African-American Women in Los Angeles,” by the Los Angeles Times and LA Focus newspapers.

Battle-Bey is survived by Dr. Stephon F. Battle-Bey, her companion of 30 years; her sister Gloria Gilmore, and brothers Doward Smith and Troy Rials of Detroit, Michigan.

The post City Hall memorial service planned for Battle-Bey appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

Rosendahl died March 30 at age 70 after a four-year battle with cancer.

City Councilman Mike Bonin, who served as Rosendahl’s chief of staff and ultimately succeeded him representing the 11th District, asked attendees at St. Monica’s Church to pray for Rosendahl, “a cherished friend and exemplary public servant, beloved partner, a brother, an uncle, a mentor, a colleague, a boss, a role-model and an inspiration.”

Former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who delivered the eulogy, invoked one of Rosendahl’s favorite catch-phrases in describing his former colleague.

“Billy was great, great, great, great, great, great, great!” he said, prompting applause from mourners.

Villaraigosa said Rosendahl had an “unbridled enthusiasm for life” and was the type of man who welcomed people of all backgrounds into his home.

“You could go to Billy’s house and see a billionaire and a homeless person there, and Billy holding court,” he said.

Rosendahl once also “found a place to live” for Zuma Dogg, a well-known City Hall gadfly, Villaraigosa said.

“Zuma Dogg would beat us all up, he certainly beat me up!” he said.

“He would beat Billy up from time to time. But that was Billy. He was a man [who] embraced love and embraced people. He was someone committed to working for the homeless, someone who understood that to whom much is given, much is expected.”

One of Rosendahl’s legacies was in bringing the “safe parking concept to Los Angeles,” which would have allowed those who are homeless to park and live in their vehicles in a lot overnight, Villaraigosa said.

He said the idea was “foiled by petty politics and bureaucracy,” but there is now another chance to implement this idea under Rosendahl’s successor, Bonin.

“We owe it to Bill’s legacy to make it happen this time,” Villaraigosa said.

Villaraigosa also hailed Rosendahl for his ability to be civil, even in the midst of political debate.

“Even when we argued he made sure we did it with civility and respect,” he said. “It was never personal for Billy. And in this political season when too much is personal, not enough of our debate is civil, we should think about Billy. He made me proud and I know he made you proud to have him as a colleague.”

Rosendahl, a former cable television executive and public affairs broadcaster, served on the council from 2005 to 2013, when he retired to fight stage-four cancer. Toward the end of his tenure in office, Rosendahl was an ardent supporter of medical marijuana, which he used to fight the side effects of his cancer treatments.

He was often referred to as the “conscience of the City Council.”

Mayor Eric Garcetti, who could not attend the Catholic mass service because he was traveling back from a trip to Washington, D.C., is expected to speak at another event honoring Rosendahl, a celebration of Life,” which is set for 2 p.m. April 16 at Mar Vista Park.

The public is welcome to RSVP for the service and make donations to three organizations in lieu of flowers at http://www.11thdistrict.com.

“The organizations, which serve the homeless, are Safe Place for Youth, New Directions for Veterans and the Jeff Griffith Youth Center at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center.

In July 2012, after collapsing suddenly, Rosendahl was diagnosed with cancer of the ureter, a tube that connects the kidney to the bladder. He was told he did not have long to live.

He said that for several months, he would suffer from delirium and underwent numerous chemotherapy treatments, which reduced him from a hale 225 pounds to 170.

It was only after his doctor suggested he use marijuana to help him ease the pain and get more sleep that he began to recover. The extra rest helped save his life, Rosendahl said in 2013.

He resumed his City Council duties in September 2012, throwing himself into getting a medical marijuana law passed and becoming the only council member to oppose a plan to expand an LAX runway closer to some of his constituents. In April 2013, Rosendahl announced he was in remission.

“The amount of love I’ve gotten has been phenomenal,” he told his colleagues on his first day back from medical leave. “People have brought food to the house. People have prayed with me, people have sung with me. They put all kinds of positive energy toward me.”

Rosendahl was at one time a vice president of communications company Adelphia and arrived on the council to represent the 11th Council District in 2005 after years as a cable channel host covering public affairs. Prior to that, he worked on presidential campaigns for Robert Kennedy, Fred Harris and George McGovern.

Rosendahl ran for office as openly gay, which was something that had never been done before. Two previous council members, Jackie Goldberg and Joel Wachs, came out after they were elected.

Rosendahl came out as gay in 1995 when his partner, Christopher Lee Blauman, died of complications of AIDS.

Rosendahl is survived by his partner, Hedi El-Kholti; brother Thomas and sister-in-law Sheila, and their sons, Robbie-Paul, Ricky-Luke and Arthur; brother Steven; sister Mary LeMothe; sister Helen Davoren; and nephew Christopher.

The post Rosendahl remembered for ‘unbridled enthusiasm’ appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

Memorial services for Percy Pinkney, founder of the Black American Political Association of California (BAPAC), will be held from 11 a.m. to noon March 26 at Mount Vernon Memorial Park & Mortuary in Fair Oaks. A viewing will begin at 9 a.m.

Pinkney, 79, founded the 40,000-member BAPAC in 1979 as a vehicle to empower underserved residents in California and recruit more African Americans into the political process. He served as the group’s state president until his death on March 18 of natural causes.

BAPAC Southern Vice President Dr. Willie Blair called Pinkney a stalwart leader who touched many lives for the better.

“He would want his legacy to be that,” said Blair, also board chair of the group’s San Diego chapter. “We utilize his passing as a rally call to make BAPAC stronger and more prolific than ever – and that is exactly what we plan to do. If he knew that, he would be smiling down from heaven.”

Pinkney’s political career began four years before he started BAPAC, which since has grown to 50 chapters around the state. He led Gov. Jerry Brown’s community relations department for seven years during the California executive’s first governorship, beginning in 1975.

A native of McComb, Miss., Pinkney was the first person to join U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s staff in 1992. He was the senator’s field representative in Los Angeles, overseeing issues affecting the black community until he retired in 2014.

Feinstein called her longtime colleague and friend a caring person whose compassion for others never ceased.

“No issue was too small or too big for Percy to tackle,” she said in a statement. “When Percy became engaged on an issue, he didn’t rest until the problem was solved.

“Percy represented the best of public service – an unwavering devotion to the people of California and making their lives better,” she added. “It was an honor to be Percy’s friend and I will miss him dearly.”

Pinkney, who also served in the U.S. Army, earned his undergraduate degree at San Francisco State and a master’s degree in social work from Lone Mountain College in San Francisco.

For more information, contact BAPAC at (310) 479-4727 or bapacstateoffice.org.

The post Funeral services set March 26 for civic activist Percy Pinkney appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

Cole  died Dec. 31 at the age of 65.

Cole’s death was confirmed by publicist Maureen O’Connor.

Notables were quick to express their condolences.

“May her soul rest in peace,” tweeted the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

“A voice from heaven has been called home,” added Cher in a tweet.

Born in 1950, Cole grew up among musical royalty. Her father was one of the most accomplished singers and jazz musicians of the postwar era, and her mother, Maria Hawkins Cole, was a singer for Duke Ellington. Their house, in Los Angeles’ upscale Hancock Park neighborhood, was a regular spot for her parents’ colleagues.

“I remember meeting Peggy Lee, Danny Thomas, Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and so many others at parties,” she told the Wall Street Journal in 2014.

Tony Bennett, who also knew many of the legends of that era, expressed his sadness on Instagram on New Years.

“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Natalie Cole, as I have cherished the long friendship I had with her, her father Nat, and the family over the years,” he wrote.

A wreath was placed on top of Natalie Cole’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Monday. King died Dec. 31 at the age of 65. (Courtesy photo)

At age 6, Cole sang with her father on a Christmas album, and she was performing by the time she was 11. Nat King Cole died in 1965, when she was 15, a loss that “crushed” her, she said.

“Dad had been everything to me,” she told the Wall Street Journal.

After college in Massachusetts, Cole embarked on her own career. In 1975, she had a massive hit with “This Will Be” from her album “Inseparable,” which showed off her tremendous pipes — she earned comparisons to Aretha Franklin — and command of a range of styles. The work won her a Grammy for best new artist.

She followed that with other hits, including “I’ve Got Love on My Mind,” “Our Love” and “Someone That I Used to Love.”

But failing sales and personal problems sidetracked Cole’s career. She had done heroin in the early 1970s, she told the Houston Chronicle, and then got hooked on cocaine. Her mother even filed for conservatorship in 1982.

A rehab stint in 1983 turned her life around, she said.

“Somehow, at some point halfway through those 30 days, I went from not wanting to be there to being afraid to leave. I was starting to get it,” she said.

Cole began a comeback in the late ’80s that was capped by 1991′s “Unforgettable … With Love,” an album that — thanks to the wonder of technology — included a duet with her father on one of his biggest hits, “Unforgettable.” (On another song, “Route 66,” she was accompanied on piano by another member of her family, her uncle Ike Cole.)

For years, she had declined to perform her father’s works in concert; now, an album of those recordings won six Grammys, including the big three: song of the year, record of the year and album of the year.

She won another Grammy for 2008′s “Still Unforgettable,” which included a variety of American standards.

Longtime Grammy show producer Ken Ehrlich remembered Cole as having “one of those magical voices that grabbed you from the first note.”

“In a way, and not just in lineage, Natalie was the connector between the great singers of her father and Ella’s generation, and the great female voices who were to dominate in the last 25 years,” he said in a statement. “I’ll never forget when we did ‘Unforgettable’ as a duet with her father’s recording on a Grammy hall of fame show, years before she recorded it. Magical!”

In 2008, Cole started suffering from kidney problems due to hepatitis C, which she attributed to her past drug issues. Despite chemotherapy, both kidneys failed, and in 2009, she went public with a request for a kidney donation.

Even then, despite her struggles, she was a determined performer.

“I have been on dialysis in Istanbul, Milan, Indonesia, Manila, London. It’s — it’s amazing,” Cole told CNN in 2009.

She received a directed donation of a kidney from a deceased donor in May 2009.

Cole maintained her recording and performing career, most recently recording an album in Spanish, “Natalie Cole in Español.” She also appeared as a judge on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and guested on some “Real Housewives” programs.

Cole was married three times. She divorced her third husband, Kenneth Dupree, in 2004.

CNN’s Paul Vercammen and Cheri Mossburg contributed to this story.

The post Services pending for Natalie Cole appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

Lemon played 24 seasons and by his own estimate more than 16,000 games with the Globetrotters, the touring exhibition basketball team known for its slick ball-handling, practical jokes, red-white-and-blue uniforms and multiyear winning streaks against overmatched opponents.

He also was one of a handful of Globetrotters whose fame transcended sports, especially among children during the team’s heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. Lemon was immortalized in a Harlem Globetrotters cartoon series and appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” episodes of “Scooby Doo” and many national TV commercials.

A gifted player whose basketball skills were sometimes overshadowed by his on-court high jinks, Lemon was known for sinking half-court hook shots, throwing behind-the-back passes and pretending to spy on his opponents’ huddles.

Nicknamed the “clown prince” of basketball, he also pioneered a trademark routine in which he doused a referee with a bucket of water and then pranked fans by heaving another bucket — filled with confetti, not water — into the stands as people scrambled to get out of the way.

“For a generation of fans, the name Meadowlark Lemon was synonymous with the Harlem Globetrotters,” Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider said. “He was an incredible entertainer and brought happiness and lifelong memories to millions around the world. We have lost a great ambassador of the game.”

Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, Lemon joined the Globetrotters in 1954 after serving two years in the Army. Over the next quarter-century, he and the team played almost everywhere, from high school gyms to Madison Square Garden to an exhibition in Moscow during the Cold War.

His website says Lemon and his teammates played before popes, kings, queens, presidents and regular basketball fans in almost 100 countries.

After a salary dispute, Lemon left the Globetrotters in 1979 to form his own comedic basketball teams, which performed under the names Meadowlark Lemon’s Bucketeers, the Shooting Stars and Meadowlark Lemon’s Harlem All Stars.

He returned to the Harlem Globetrotters for a 50-game “comeback” tour in 1993.

Lemon was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. He spent the last several years of his life serving as an ordained minister and motivational speaker.

His death follows that of early Globetrotter player and teammate Marques Haynes, who died in May.

The post Famed hoops jester Meadowlark Lemon dies at 83 appeared first on Wave Newspapers.