Tag Archives: family

Michael Jackson’s boyhood home pays tribute

Michael Jackson was the pride of Gary, Indiana, growing up, and on Tuesday his hometown paid tribute to the late entertainer with a memorial and celebration in his honor. They remembered him as not just the King of Pop or the musician who took Hollywood by storm, but as someone with an unmatched enthusiasm and talent for entertaining even as a little boy growing up in this city of about 100,000 in northwestern Indiana, 30 miles from downtown Chicago, Illinois. Jackson’s first music teacher, Anita Hill, spoke of teaching Jackson to sing “Climb Every Mountain,” and remembered him as a “very energetic and wonderful student.” The principal of his middle school remembered how, at Christmastime how Jackson, always jumped up and offered to sing to his class

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UK defense chief defends Afghan fight, says more lives will be lost

Britain’s defense secretary Wednesday mourned the deaths of seven British soldiers killed over the last week in Afghanistan and defended the hard-fought mission against Taliban militants. But Bob Ainsworth, speaking at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, also said “the nature of the fight” against a “highly adaptable” enemy “means we will take more casualties before we succeed.” “It is understandable that at a time like this people ask why are the lives of these courageous people being lost Why are we in Afghanistan In these difficult times, can we afford to be there As defense secretary, I have a responsibility to answer these questions,” he said

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Jackson family may be allowed burial at Neverland Ranch

The family of Michael Jackson has been told by state officials that it may be possible to bury the singer at Neverland Ranch — if the county gives the green light. Officials with Santa Barbara County, the site of the ranch, said Thursday that they have not yet been approached, and it was not clear whether the family had decided to pursue that option. A lawyer from the Jackson family contacted state officials recently about possibly burying Jackson at the ranch that was his home for almost two decades, said Amanda Fulkerson of California’s State and Consumer Services Agency

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Travolta’s wife to address grief over son’s death

Actress Kelly Preston, whose son Jett Travolta died earlier this year, will talk publicly in October about how she and her husband, actor John Travolta, have dealt with their grief. Preston, 46, will appear on a panel titled “Grief and Resilience” at a conference hosted by California first lady Maria Shriver, according to a conference spokeswoman. Jett, 16, was found unconscious on January 2, while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas’ West End

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Analysis: What effect would Sotomayor have on high court?

If Sonia Sotomayor fulfills her long-held dream to sit on the Supreme Court, she would have the prestige of joining the highest court in the land, lifetime job security and a public forum as the first Hispanic on that bench. A statement released on Ensign’s behalf by his lawyer, Paul Coggins, said a check totaling $96,000 from both of Ensign’s parents was given to Cindy Hampton, her husband, Doug, and two of their children in April 2008. It described the money as two separate gifts to each family member

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More associates link Jackson to prescription drugs

Michael Jackson’s dermatologist said Wednesday that he was not surprised to learn that investigators found numerous bottles of prescription drugs in the singer’s home — adding that he had warned Jackson about their danger repeatedly. “I’m very shocked by it, but I have to tell you it’s not something that would be unheard of,” Dr. Arnold Klein said in an appearance on CNN’s “Larry King Live.” Klein is the latest in a growing series of Jackson associates who have tied the singer to drugs in recent days

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