Yosemite Is One of the Deadliest National Parks

Above, Yosemite's Half Dome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

National parks have been beacons of wonder for those who visit them. They also can be deadly for visitors who aren't careful.

That is the subject of an article in the Fresno Bee.

Some national parks are more dangerous than others. Yosemite National Park is listed as the third deadliest national park according to the article.

They begin with:

Yosemite National Park is a popular place to take in picturesque views and marvelous waterfalls, as well as enjoy a variety of outdoor adventures, including hiking. 

But did you know Yosemite also is considered one of the deadliest national parks in the United States? 

According to data collected from personal injury firm Malloy Law Offices, the national park in Central California ranks as the third deadliest national park in the country with 125 fatal incidents from 2014 to 2023. 

Of those fatal incidents, 42 were related to falling.

To read more, go here.

Former L.A. City Councilman Tom LaBonge Dies At 67

Above, L.A. City Councilman Tom LaBonge (left facing camera) at the Godzilla
 Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2004. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Former Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, who represented the Hollywood area, passed away Thursday.

The Los Angeles Daily News reported:

Former longtime Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, known for his big personality and passion for the simple joys of the city he lived in, died Thursday at the age of 67.

An avid hiker, especially in the Griffith Park hills that he scaled almost daily, LaBonge left his mark on the city in ways large and small, including during a Sunday trek down the Los Angeles River in 2015 in which he punctuated to the world his wonder at this uniquely Angeleno experience.

“What a day! What a sky! What a river!” he could be heard declaring in a video posted on his Facebook page, shortly before he left office in June 2015.

The clip showed a slice of his day, through shots of his sneakers on the pavement, the sound of chirping birds and a sideways, panning shot of his beloved Griffith Park, a Los Angeles landmark he helped to expand by 500 acres. It was an example of the many times he has expressed his love for the city, and its many jewels.  

Paramedics had responded Thursday to a call of a person in cardiac arrest at LaBonge’s home, according to ABC7. Further details were not disclosed.

LaBonge participated in the dedication ceremony of Godzilla's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2004 on Hollywood Blvd. At one point, he said to Godzilla, "I thought you were a little bit taller!"

To read more, go here.

Former Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda Dies

Above, former Dodger Manager Tommy Lasorda.

This year is sure starting out lousy.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Tom Lasorda, who in 20 years as the Dodgers manager won two World Series championships, four National League pennants and eight division titles and always insisted that he bled Dodger blue out of loyalty to the organization, has died at age 93.  

The vibrant and voluble Lasorda spent 71 seasons with the Dodgers and was among the few remaining links to the club’s Brooklyn roots. In and out of the hospital in recent years for heart, back and shoulder problems, Lasorda died of a heart attack Thursday night, according to the Dodgers.

I met Lasorda once. I was with a wheelchair-bound friend waiting for the elevator at Dodger Stadium to get to the level where our seats were when the door opened. Inside, was Tom Lasorda. We all shook hands and rode the elevator together.

R.I.P.

To read more, go here.

Tanya Roberts Dead At 65

Above, Roger Moore and Tanya Roberts in A View To A Kill.

This one is a shocker!

TMZ reported that former Charlie's Angels actress and Bond girl Tanya Roberts has died.

They reported:

Tanya Roberts -- a one-time Bond girl and cult classic '80s star -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Tanya's rep tells TMZ, she was on a walk with her dogs on Christmas Eve and when she returned home she collapsed. She was taken to the hospital and put on a ventilator but never got better. We're told it was NOT COVID-related. Tanya died today.

In the days leading up to her collapse, we're told Tanya appeared perfectly healthy ... even doing video chats for her fans.

To read more, go here. 

Dawn Wells, R.I.P.

Above, Dawn Wells.

This is another tough one.

The personalities of our youth are leaving us at a rapid pace.

Actress Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on television's Gilligan's Island in the 1960s has passed away at age 82 from complications of COVID-19. 

It never occurred to me that she was born five years after my mom. I used to watch Gilligan's Island back when it was first run. 

The only remaining star of Gilligan's Island now is Tina Louise, who played movie star Ginger (and, later, Julie Gray on Dallas).

R.I.P.

Trump Tweets About Sean Connery

Minutes ago, President Trump Tweeted a tribute to Sean Connery:

Sean Connery, The Greatest 007 of All, Dies At 90

This one hurts.

Very sad news has been announced from the United Kingdom.

The Independent reported:

 Legendary James Bond actor Sean Connery has died, aged 90.

The Scottish Bafta-winning star played the British spy in seven films from 1962 until 1983.

He died in his sleep in the Bahamas. While a cause is yet to be announced, it is believed the actor had been unwell for a long period of time.

His first appearance as 007 came in Dr No in 1962. His other Bond films included From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), and You Only Live Twice (1967). 

He returned to the role twice more in Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983).

To say Connery was a giant in pop-culture would be a gross understatement. Thankfully, he had a long life and passing away the way he did is the best way to go. 

Akiko Wakabayashi, who co-starred with Connery in 1967's You Only Live Twice (set in Japan), said in a G-FAN interview (by yours truly and Brett Homenick) of Connery, "James Bond in the movie is a ladies' man, but Sean-san is a warm-hearted honest man. He has a clear vision as an actor. He can be stubborn from time to time, but he is a real man with a bit of old-fashioned taste."

To read more, go here.

Remains Discovered At Mesa Verde National Park

Above, Spruce Tree House at Mesa Verde National Park last week. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Right after Mitch Geriminsky and I visited Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado last week, human remains were found near Spruce Tree House at the park. It is an odd feeling to think that a missing man's skeletal remains were near where we were.

According to CBS 4 Denver:

(CBS4) – Authorities say personal items accompanying human remains found Thursday in Mesa Verde National Park allow them to tentatively identify the bones as those of a man who went missing there in 2013. Park officials, in a Friday press release, said they are tentatively identifying the remains as Mitchell Dale Stehling.

Stehling was visiting the park with his, father and mother on June 9, 2013.

According to the National Park Service’s Cold Case web page, Stehling told his family he wanted to see the Spruce Tree House cliff dwelling at the end of a quarter-mile long trail. He started hiking at 4:30 p.m. and never returned.

Hopefully, Stehling's family gets some closure with this discovery.

To read more, go here. 

Wellington "Bill" Wilson, 1954 - 2020

Above, Mitch, Bill and I in Buhl, Idaho last summer.

What a year.

A friend whom I've known since junior high in Hawthorne, California has passed away at 66.

Last night, I posted the following on Facebook:

Some distressing news has arrived from Buhl, Idaho. I just got off the phone with Mitch and he just talked to Bill's (Wellington's) daughter and she said that Bill may not last the night. His blood disease had turned into full blown terminal leukemia and there's nothing the doctors can do for him now except to keep him comfortable. He has been unresponsive for several hours. Mitch and I will be heading up to Idaho this weekend. We got our tickets before this news. Your prayers for Bill's family are appreciated. This photo was taken last summer.

Above, Bill and I at Denny's at the Flying J in 2018. He was a long-haul
trucker and stopped for a visit during one of his rounds in April.

We last got together last summer when he couldn't attend the Wells Fun Run (the event where I had my heart attack in 2018), so we headed up to his place in Buhl. We had a great time.

Above, Bill and his wife Linda stopped for a visit at
 the Flying J in August 2018. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Sadly, I learned a few minutes ago that Bill passed somewhere around midnight. The outcome we hoped for, when his illness began last year, did not come to pass. At least now he is at peace and no longer suffering.

Bill fought a valiant fight.

Above, Mitch, Bill and I in Wells, Nevada the day before my heart attack in 2018,

Ted Newsom, 1952 - 2020

Above, Ted Newsom seems shocked to be in a photo with a conservative at the 2012 Monsterpalooza..

I was saddened to learn this morning that actor, producer, writer, film historian and an inductee to the Classic Horror Film Board's Monster Kid Hall of Fame (did I miss anything?), Ted Newsom has passed away at 67 from cancer yesterday.

Above, Jack Larson (left) chats with Ted Newsom and Jim Beaver at the Adventures of Superman luncheon in 2014. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

We last communicated a few months ago and he indicated that he wasn't doing too well. We commiserated over our ailments and I gave him some words of encouragement. Based on that conversation, it didn't come as a surprise to hear of his passing. Still, 67 is too young to go to the "Golden Hills".

I last saw him at the Adventures of Superman plaque dedication and luncheon back in 2014. I posted back in January 2015 that he was on the mend after lung surgery that removed 1/3 of a lung. I sent him a link to it and he thanked me.

Above, Ted Newsom and Armand at the 2014 Adventures of Superman plaque dedication in Tarzana, California.

Although he and I were poles opposite politically, he had a rare quality (for a liberal) of a great wit and knew his stuff about horror and science fiction. We still got along and swapped political jokes. He got a kick out of an Anthony Weiner joke I told him.

He will be missed.

Charlie Daniels Dies At 83

Above, Charlie Daniels in 2017.

It was just a couple of days ago that I read an open letter titled, "Don't Mess With The Second Amendment" in the current (June/July) issue of the NRA's American Rifleman. The author of the open letter was country legend Charlie Daniels.

Now, it has been reported that Daniels had passed away today.

From charliedaniels.com:

Country music and southern rock legend Charlie Daniels has passed. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member died this morning at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee. Doctors determined the cause of death was a hemorrhagic stroke. He was 83. 

Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days. 

About Charlie Daniels:

From his Dove Award-winning gospel albums to his genre-defining southern rock anthems and his CMA Award-winning country hits, few artists have left a more indelible mark on America's musical landscape than Charlie Daniels. An outspoken patriot, beloved mentor, and a true road warrior, Daniels parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum career and a platform to support the military, underprivileged children, and others in need. The Charlie Daniels Band has long populated radio with memorable hits and his signature song, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." Over the course of his career, Daniels received numerous accolades, including his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Musicians Hall of Fame and becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Daniels helped to shine the spotlight on the many causes that are close to his heart. He was a staunch supporter of the military and gave his time and talent to numerous charitable organizations, including The Journey Home Project, that he founded in 2014 with his manager, David Corlew, to help veterans of the United States Armed Forces.

The music world has been hit hard within the last day or so.

First, it was the announcement of the passing of Ennio Morricone. And now this.

R.I.P.

Ennio Morricone Dies At 91

The world has lost one of the giants in movie music scoring.

Variety reported:

Oscar winner Ennio Morricone, composer of “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and “The Mission” and among the most prolific and admired composers in film history, has died. He was 91. 

Morricone died early Monday in a Rome clinic, where he was taken shortly after suffering a fall that caused a hip fracture, his lawyer Giorgio Asumma told Italian news agency ANSA. 

Shortly after Morricone’s death was confirmed, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tweeted: “We will always remember, with infinite gratitude, the artistic genius of the Maestro #EnnioMorricone. It made us dream, feel excited, reflect, writing memorable notes that will remain indelible in the history of music and cinema.” 

The Italian maestro’s estimated 500 scores for films and television, composed over more than 50 years, are believed to constitute a record in Western cinema for sheer quantity of music. 

At least a dozen of them became film-score classics, from the so-called spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s, including “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and “Once Upon a Time in the West” to the widely acclaimed “The Mission” and “Cinema Paradiso” of the 1980s.

To read more, go here. 

Aunt Gloria, R.I.P.

Above, Aunt "Glo" received many Dodgers gifts on her 86th birthday. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I saw the caller i.d. this morning at 6:42, I immediately knew that the call with the news I've been dreading to hear was forthcoming.

It was my cousin Maria in Wildomar, California and she broke the news that her mom, my Aunt Gloria, had passed away at 89. Although the news was expected for the past several days, it was still upsetting to hear. It took me to now to muster enough to write this.

She had been in declining health for the past couple of years and she wasn't expected to make it to her birthday last October. But she did, and she looked better than I expected last Christmas. But, knowing that it may be her last Christmas, I made it a special point to go to California.

Above, Christmas Day 2016.

She was the youngest of my dad's family and was the most fortunate, longevity-wise, of her brothers and sisters. She epitomized "The Last of the Mohicans". She was an avid Dodgers fan.

When I was growing up in Los Angeles, my aunt and cousins lived up the driveway from us and she was like a second mom to me. Jessica, my ex-roommate said this of her this morning, "She was a nice and caring woman! I'm sooo glad I met her!" That's the general of everyone who were fortunate to meet her.

She leaves behind four daughters, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren along with many nieces and nephews.

She will be missed.

Chicago, Other Cities Now Coronavirus "Hotspots"

Above, the Chicago skyline from Rosemont, Illinois last summer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The last time I checked, my home county, McKinley County in New Mexico, reported 5 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

At least we're not in the Chicago metropolitan area as it has become a "hotspot" for the coronavirus.

According to the Chicago Tribune:

As the United States led the world with confirmed coronavirus cases, cities such as Detroit, Chicago and New Orleans grew as hotspots Saturday, while the virus continued to pummel New York City and made its way into rural America. 

Elsewhere, Russia said its borders would be fully closed as of Monday, while in parts of Africa, pandemic prevention measures took a violent turn, with Kenyan police firing tear gas and officers elsewhere seen on video hitting people with batons. 

Worldwide infections surpassed 640,000 with nearly 30,000 deaths as new cases also stacked up quickly in Europe, according to a tally by John Hopkins University. The U.S. leads the world in reported cases with more than 112,000, but five countries exceed its roughly 1,700 deaths: Italy, Spain, China, Iran and France. Italy alone now has 10,023 deaths, the most of any country.

Asya, my Russian artist friend, is currently stuck in Denmark as there are no flights to her hometown of St. Petersburg.

As of 2 days ago, the Navajo Nation reported 69 cases.

Although it is a boring assignment, but just stay home. The more everyone stays at home, the quicker this pandemic will end.

To read more, go here. 

Coronavirus: Do Not Resuscitate

Last night, a friend sent me this text message:

I was just told by a nurse that many hospitals across the country have issued Do Not Resuscitate orders for coronavirus patients. People need to check their local hospitals to see which ones have issued this order.

Nothing like tossing the Hippocratic Oath out the window!

It just so happens, another friend send me an article from the Washington Post on Do Not Resuscitate orders. 

It begins with:

Hospitals on the front lines of the pandemic are engaged in a heated private debate over a calculation few have encountered in their lifetimes — how to weigh the “save at all costs” approach to resuscitating a dying patient against the real danger of exposing doctors and nurses to the contagion of coronavirus. 

The conversations are driven by the realization that the risk to staff amid dwindling stores of protective equipment — such as masks, gowns and gloves — may be too great to justify the conventional response when a patient “codes,” and their heart or breathing stops. 

Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago has been discussing a do-not-resuscitate policy for infected patients, regardless of the wishes of the patient or their family members — a wrenching decision to prioritize the lives of the many over the one. 

Richard Wunderink, one of Northwestern’s intensive-care medical directors, said hospital administrators would have to ask Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for help in clarifying state law and whether it permits the policy shift.

“It’s a major concern for everyone,” he said. “This is something about which we have had lots of communication with families, and I think they are very aware of the grave circumstances.”

Like one of my friends said, check your local hospitals to see which of them issued this order.

To read more, go here.

Coronavirus: Deaths Confined To Elderly With Prior Medical Problems

The phoney media-driven coronavirus pandemic hysteria misses the point that the U.S. deaths due to the virus have been the elderly with pre-existing medical problems.

Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson broke down the deaths in the U.S. in a series of Tweets:

More Spring-Like Weather, Body Found Near Flying J

Above, the mesas back in December. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It looks like (so far) that we're going to have a good week in regards to the weather. We didn't get the rain and snow showers that was forecast.

The highs will be in the 50s, but the lows will mainly be down into the 20s and 30s. Still, it is gradually warming up and becoming more spring-like.

We could use more precipitation, but what we did get saturated the ground for a long time instead of immediately evaporating into the air. This'll help replenish the water aquifer below us, which is where we get our drinking water.

We had a little excitement early this morning. A body was found near the westbound off-ramp of Interstate 40 in front of the Flying J. The ramp was closed from about 2:00 this morning until around 11:00 for the police investigation. This affected business in the Flying J for a while. One of our community residents thinks there was a shooting. Details unknown.

From the National Weather Service:

Tonight

A 20 percent chance of showers before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming clear, with a low around 25. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Tuesday

Sunny, with a high near 51. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light in the evening.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Light southwest wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night

Clear, with a low around 28. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday

Sunny, with a high near 57.

Thursday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.

Friday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

Friday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

UPDATE (03-03-20):

It was a shooting, but there were no fatalities. To read the story, go here.

Bob Cobert Passes Away At 95

Above, composer Bob Cobert.

Dark Shadows composer Bob Cobert has passed away at age 95, according to ShadowGram.

They posted:

SHADOWGRAM – THE OFFICIAL DARK SHADOWS NEWS ONLINE UPDATES
Sunday, February 23, 2020
SHADOWGRAM UPDATE # 434

***** SHADOWGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT:

-- BOB COBERT, “DARK SHADOWS” MUSIC COMPOSER – IN MEMORIAM

********************************************
An Official Internet Publication of SHADOWGRAM – THE OFFICIAL DARK SHADOWS NEWSLETTER
********************************************
BOB COBERT, “DARK SHADOWS” MUSIC COMPOSER – IN MEMORIAM

It is with great sadness that ShadowGram reports the passing of Robert “Bob” Cobert, composer of the original Dark Shadows soundtrack music. He passed away on February 19, 2020 from pneumonia at the age of 95.

Cobert’s career was characterized by its breadth and versatility. An accomplished musician, composer, musical director and arranger, Cobert distinguished himself with imaginative musical scores for film, television, theater and ballet. His work embraced jazz, classical, folk, pop, rhythm-and-blues, rock and even disco.

Few musical themes in television history are as memorable as Cobert's for the original cult 1966-71 daytime drama Dark Shadows. In addition to the scores for House of Dark Shadows and Night of Dark Shadows – the 1970 and 1971 motion pictures based on the series – and the 1991 primetime mini-series revival, Cobert's genre work includes a wealth of other iconic projects with producer-director Dan Curtis such as The Strange Case of Dr. Jeykll & Mr. Hyde, The Night Stalker, Trilogy of Terror, Burnt Offerings, Dracula and Intruders. Cobert is also responsible for the sweeping soundtrack to the epic 1983 mini-series The Winds of War and was Emmy-nominated for its 1988-89 sequel, War and Remembrance, creating the largest musical score in the history of television or film.

Screen Legend Kirk Douglas Dies At 103

Above, Patrick O'Neal (left) and Kirk Douglas in In Harm's Way (1965).

Actor Michael Douglas announced today that his father, screen legend Kirk Douglas, has died at age 103.

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

Kirk Douglas, the son of a ragman who channeled a deep, personal anger through a chiseled jaw and steely blue eyes to forge one of the most indelible and indefatigable careers in Hollywood history, died Wednesday. He was 103. 

“It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,” son Michael Douglas wrote on his Instagram account. “To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the Golden Age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.” 

Douglas walked away from a helicopter crash in 1991 and suffered a severe stroke in 1996 but, ever the battler, he refused to give in. With a passionate will to survive, he was the last man standing of all the great stars of another time.

Yes, he truly was the last man standing of his era.

To read more, go here. 

John Karlen Dies At 86

Above, John Karlen (far left) at a 1989 Dark Shadows convention in Los Angeles. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Sad news.

Actor John Karlen, best known as Willie Loomis on Dark Shadows and as Harvey on Cagney and Lacey (for which he won an Emmy as Best Supporting Actor), passed away yesterday from congestive heart failure at a Burbank hospice. He was 86.

Karlen was a fan favorite with a great sense of humor when he appeared at Dark Shadows conventions.

Karlen's Willie Loomis freed vampire Barnabas Collins from his chained coffin. A clip from that scene is below.



He had suffered a stroke some months ago, it was reported.