One!Take News Observer Rock Legend Tina Turner Dies at 83

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Tina Turner, the “Queen of Rock ‘n Roll’ whose legend grew after she overcame a bitter divorce to musician Ike Turner that was filled with violence, has died at the age of 83. The superstar’s family confirmed her death in a statement on Wednesday, May 24, noting that Turner died “peacefully” at her home near Zurich, Switzerland.

“Starting with her performances with her ex-husband

Ike, Turner injected an uninhibited, volcanic stage presence into pop,” Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos declared in a tribute. “Even with choreographed backup singers — both

4-Year-Old Child is ‘OK’ After Being Dropped from Border Wall in San Diego

SAN DIEGO (AP) – A 4-year-old child was dropped into the United States from a high border wall with Mexico in a surveillance video that captures a routineand highly risky - occurrence.

“Remarkably, the child is ok!” Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz tweeted in his caption to the agency’s oneminute, 37-second video, which was posted on Twitter on Monday. “Do not trust smugglers!’’ with Ike and during her own career — Turner never seemed to reign in,” Spanos, who co-authored the tribute with David Browne, asserted.

“Her influence on rock, R&B and soul singing and performance was also immeasurable.

“Her delivery influenced everyone from Mick Jagger to Mary J. Blige, and her high-energy stage presence (topped with an array of gravity-defying wigs) was passed down to Janet Jackson and Beyoncé.

“Turner’s message — one that resounded with generations of women — was that she could hold her own onstage against any man.”

Born Anna Mae Bullock in Tennessee in 1939, Turner started her career in 1958 as the lead singer for Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm band.

Later, the couple changed the name to the Ike & Tina Revue and spun out hit after hit with songs like “Nutbush City Limits,” “River Deep,” and the seminal “Proud Mary.”

Following a tumultuous and abusive relationship, Tina escaped from Ike’s clutches in 1976 with no money and just the clothes on her back that reportedly were bloodied following Ike’s latest assault.

During divorce proceedings, Tina simply demanded that she keep her stage name which the judge granted.

With assistance from rock stars like Mick Jagger and David Bowie, Turner rebounded several years later and topped the pop music charts with her 1984 solo album, Private Dancer.

The album included a bevy of hit singles, including a remake of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together,” and “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” which became the title of her successful 1993 biopic starring Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne.

She then enjoyed the starring role alongside Mel Gibson in the 1985 movie, “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.”

In 1986, Tina wrote her memoir, “I, Tina,” which writers used to create the film, What’s Love Got to Do With It.”

Over her career, Turner earned 11 Grammy Awards, and sold an estimated 180 million records globally.

In 2001, Turner earned induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and, in 2008, after having taken a hiatus from performing, toured the world for her 50th anniversary in show business.

“Heaven has gained an angel,” singer Ciara tweeted.

“Thank you for the inspiration you gave us all.”

The Defender Network’s Twitter account praised Turner as “an unstoppable musical force who exuded grace and resilience. “

And hip-hop pioneer Grandmaster Flash said Turner would be missed.

“Rest in peace Tina Turner you will be missed.”

“My condolences to the Turner family,” Flash said.

The jerky, black-and-white images appear to show the child and one adult being aided by another adult over the wall, which rises as high 30 feet (9.1 meters) between Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California. Ortiz said agents heard gunfire while tending to the child.

The child came with two adults, all of whom were in Border Patrol custody, agency spokesman Michael Scappechio said Tuesday. It had not been confirmed if the adults were the child’s parents or what nationality they were. It was also unclear if they would be released in the United States to pursue immigration cases or deported.

Attempts to get over the wall happen daily but are less common among children of such young ages, Scappechio said.

Researchers have found sharp increases in deaths and severe injuries associated with trying to overcome the San Diego wall since it was heightened during the Trump administration. A study published last year in JAMA Surgery found 16 deaths from 2019 to 2021, compared to zero from 2016 to 2018 and 375 severe injuries from 2019 to 2021 compared to 67 from 2016 to 2018. An end to pandemic-era limits on asylum on May 11 was expected to bring more illegal crossings but the opposite has occurred so far. Ortiz said Monday that illegal crossings totaled 8,750 over the previous 72 hours for a daily average of 2,916, down from a daily average of more than 10,000 just before the restrictions lifted.

A’s Broadcaster Glen Kuiper Let Go after Racial Slur on Air

By JOSH DUBOW

AP Sports Writer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Oakland Athletics broadcaster Glen Kuiper was let go by NBC Sports California after using a racial slur during a telecast while describing a trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Kuiper was suspended by the network following his slur that aired during a pregame segment of an A’s game against the Kansas City Royals on May 5. Kuiper talked about a trip to the museum with colleague Dallas Braden but seemingly mispronounced the word “Negro,” making it sound instead like a slur.

“Following an internal review, the decision has been made for NBC Sports California to end its relationship with Glen Kuiper, effective immediately,” the network said in a statement Monday. “We thank Glen for his dedication to Bay Area baseball over the years.”

A person familiar with the investigation said “the decision was based on a variety of factors, including information uncovered in the internal review.” The person spoke on condition of anonymity and didn’t divulge specific details because the network had not publicly disclosed the results of the investigation.

Kuiper said in a statement Monday night that he mispronounced the word “negro” out of his excitement talking about his visit to the museum.

“It was a terrible but honest mispronunciation, and I take full responsibility,” he said.

Kuiper said “racism is in no way a part of me; it never has been, and it never will be.”

“I am an honest, caring, kind, honorable, respectful husband and father who would never utter a disparaging word about anybody. Those who know me best know this about me,” he said. “I wish the Oakland A’s and NBC Sports would have taken into consideration my 20-year career, my solid reputation, integrity, and character, but in this current environment traits like integrity and character are no longer considered. I will always have a hard time understanding how one mistake in a 20-year broadcasting career is cause for termination, but I know something better is in my future.”

The superstar’s family confirmed her death in a statement on Wednesday, May 24, noting that Turner died “peacefully” at her home near Zurich, Switzerland.