Hostage taker shot dead by FBI 'lived in Liverpool with former gang boss'

This is such a sweet and classy move!

ISLESFORD, Maine -- Ashley Bryan, a prolific and prize-winning children’s author and illustrator who told stories of Black life, culture and folklore in such acclaimed works as “Freedom Over Me,” “Beautiful Blackbird” and “Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum,” has died at age 98.Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing announced that the longtime Maine resident died “peacefully” Friday in Texas, where he had been staying with relatives.“An early, quiet, and potent force in bringing children of color and issues of racial diversity into the canon of children’s literature, he was committed to opening the eyes of children of all backgrounds to a wide range of themes through poetry, folktales, spirituals, and biblical narratives,” the publisher’s statement reads.Bryan was a Harlem native who showed an early talent for drawing and for a time was the only Black student at the art school at Cooper Union in Manhattan. He served in a segregated military unit for two years during World World II, an experience he recounted in his memoir “Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace,” and resumed his art studies after the war.Bryan worked on more than 70 books and received numerous honors, including Coretta Scott King Awards — given for the year’s best work by a Black author or illustrator — for the folktales “Beautiful Blackbird” and “Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum.” He also received two lifetime achievement prizes: the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (now known as the Children’s Literature Legacy Award) and the Virginia Hamilton award.Survivors include his brother Ernest, and “many cherished” nieces and nephews, according to Simon & Schuster.“I am deeply saddened to learn of Ashley’s passing,” Gov.

Morgan Stevens, the Fame and Melrose Place actor whose body was found by police during a wellness check of his Hollywood home last week, died of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the Los Angeles Coroner’s office has disclosed.

Morgan Stevens, an actor best known for his role as the teacher David Reardon in the television series "Fame" and his recurring role on popular 1990s series "Melrose Place," died Jan. 26 of heart disease at his home in Hollywood, according to the L.A. Coroner’s office.

Matthew Dowd has joined MSNBC as political contributor and analyst, in a role that will include field reporting about the threats to U.S. democracy.

A touching tribute. Alyssa Scott reflected on her son Zen’s December 2021 death amid news that Nick Cannon is expecting baby No. 8 with pregnant Bre Tiesi.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentDespite premiering at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, ranking among Hulu’s most-watched documentaries and garnering high-profile support, Sabrina Van Tassel’s “The State of Texas vs. Melissa” hasn’t yet succeeded in changing the fate of Melissa Lucio.The first Hispanic woman sentenced to death row in Texas, Lucio has been in prison for 14 years and was just given an execution date for April 27.

Tiger King star Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, has been resentenced to spend 21 years in prison.The former zookeeper, who ran the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma for 20 years until 2018, has been campaigning for his jail sentence to be reduced ever since the smash hit documentary Tiger King was released on Netflix in 2020. Joe Exotic, 58, was originally imprisoned for 22 years after he was convicted for attempting to hire two different men to kill animal rights activist Carole Baskin.

Tiger King star Joe Exotic has been jailed for 21 years after being resentenced for his part in a murder-for-hire plot.

[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]

[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]

TMZ source, Stevens hadn’t been seen or heard from in a few days.A neighbor called authorities to do a wellness check, the insider said. Authorities confirmed to TMZ that the TV star was found in his kitchen, where he was pronounced dead.

A new Wookiee entered the Star Wars scene with a warm welcome from Angie Mayhew, the widow of Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew.

responded to the first trailer for the new Tiger King-inspired drama series, Joe vs Carole.The forthcoming show will follow the fierce rivalry between Big Cat business owners Baskin and Joe ‘Exotic’ Schreibvogel, which was documented in Netflix‘s hit series Tiger King (2020) and its 2021 sequel.Written and executive produced by Etan Frankel, Joe vs Carole will star Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks) as Baskin’s husband Harold Baskin, with Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) taking on the role of Carole. John Cameron Mitchell, meanwhile, will appear as Exotic.The first trailer for the series, which is set to arrive on Sky and NOW on March 4, was released over the weekend.