Marlena Shaw, ‘California Soul’ Singer, Dies at 81

Tom Johnson, who won two Emmy Awards for his comedy writing, died Jan.14 at his home in Los Angeles at 55. No cause of death has been established.

Michaela Zee Tom Johnson, a writer and comedian whose credits include “The Daily Show,” “Lopez Tonight” and “The Jeselnik Offensive,” died Jan. 14 in his Los Angeles home. He was 55.

Heaven knows that thousands of Southern California Morrissey fans are miserable now.

statement posted on her Facebook page yesterday (January 24). The cause of death is not yet known.Sharing the news, the late artist’s children – Leilah, Jeordie and Beau Jarred – wrote: “We are heartbroken, but want to thank each and every one of you for the affection you have for our Mother, and to tell you that she loved all of you so much!“She was one of the most talented, strong and passionate women of the era and every word she wrote, every note she sang reflected that.”The message continued: “Our world is much dimmer, the colors of a dreary, rainy Tennessee pale with her absence today, but we know that she is still here, smiling down on all of us, on all of you, from the stars.”Melanie’s children went on to describe their mother as an “extraordinary woman” before revealing that they’re “planning a Celebration of Life”, which “will be open to all of you who want to come and celebrate her”.“The details will be announced as soon as they are in place.

The three Democrats running for California’s open Senate seat sought to define their differences at their first debate tonight, but the the real flashpoint was with the sole Republican on the stage, Steve Garvey, and where he stood on Donald Trump.

Storms pounded the San Diego area today, delivering one of the rainiest days on record at the San Diego Airport, flooding major highways such as the 5, the 15 , the 94 and the 78, pushing the San Diego river over its banks, washing cars into flood channels and inundating portions of downtown.

Caroline Brew editor John Hamlin, who worked as an executive or consultant on 45 Oscar telecasts at NBC and then ABC, died on Jan. 15 in Pacific Palisades, Calif. He was 92.

Singer Marlena Shaw, best known for her much-sampled hit, California Soul, has died at 81, according to a video posted to Facebook by her daughter, Marla. No details were given.

Hollywood Democrats again might be facing conflicting loyalties and affinities, this time the race to fill the seat occupied for more than 30 years by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

her official Facebook page last night (January 19).“Hello everyone, it is with a very heavy heart that for myself and my family, I announce that our beloved mother, your beloved icon and artist, Marlena Shaw, has passed away today at 12:03,” Marla said. “She was peaceful, we were at peace.”Shaw’s signature song ‘California Soul’ was recorded as a humble album track on her 1969 LP ‘The Spice of Life’, but later became a highly sought-after record for rare groove collectors and early hip-hop samplers.

Mary Weiss, the lead singer and focal point of the Shangri-Las — one of the truly legendary girl groups of the early 1960s with hits like “Leader of the Pack,” “Great Big Kiss,” “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” and “Heaven Only Knows” — has died. Her death was confirmed to Variety by Miriam Linna of Norton Records, who released Weiss’ only solo album in 2007.

Southern California’s flagship PBS station is getting a rebrand. PBS SoCal, which merged with KCET a half-decade ago, said today that it will consolidate both brands under the PBS SoCal name starting February 6.

Veteran talent agent Scott Manners, who most recently was partner at Artists & Representatives, passed today in Los Angeles after a brief battle with ALS. Manners, who was 68, died peacefully, surrounded by his family, the agency said.

Sonja Shaw is president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board of education. She supports a policy passed by the board in July that requires school officials to out trans students to their parents. Late last year, a judge in San Bernardino blocked the policy from being enforced. On Thursday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned warned in a legal memo to every school district and charter school board and superintendent in the state that district should not force staff to out trans students to their parents. Photo: Chino Valley Unified School District board meeting screenshot.

Shannen Doherty has clear end-of-life plans.On Monday’s episode of the “Charmed” alum’s “Let’s Be Clear” podcast, Doherty, who is currently battling stage IV breast cancer, spoke with her guest, her best friend and executor of her will, Chris Cortazzo, about death. “This is such a morbid conversation, but it’s also so fun,” she admitted.

Attorney Leon Wildes, who stood next to John Lennon and Yoko Ono in court, in public and on TV during the early 1970s as the famous couple successfully fought unrelenting deportation attempts by the Nixon Administration, died Monday, January 8, at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital. He was 90.

TMZ, revealing that he died on Friday (January 12) at his home in Del Mar, California. At the time of publishing, Musser’s cause of death has yet to be announced. Musser has also shared numerous reports of Musser’s death on her Instagram stories.“RIP to the love of my life,” Press wrote in a series of Instagram Stories, which also included photos of them throughout their time as a couple.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor Joyce Randolph, who played Trixie Norton on the classic sitcom “The Honeymooners,” and was the last surviving member of the cast, died Saturday in New York City. She was 99. Randolph was in hospice care at the time of her death and died of natural causes, her son, Randy, told TMZ.

modernise the law to give a “clear” and “unequivocal” definition of spiking. The move was criticised by Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, for not going far enough.

Ruth Ashton Taylor, a pioneer as the first female television newscaster in Los Angeles and one of the first in the country, died Thursday in Northern California. She was 101.