Prince's Wife, Manuela Testolini Nelson, Filed for Divorce

Prince's wife, Manuela Testolini Nelson, filed the petition to end their five-year union, PEOPLE has learned.

"Deciding to end the marriage was a very difficult decision for Ms. Nelson," says her attorney, Edward Winer. "She is seeking a cooperative resolution of this case and hopes the proceeding will be resolved quickly and respectfully. Ms. Nelson continues to be focused on her charitable work and her business, which remain her top priority."

Prince's personal lawyer, Patrick Cousins, confirms that Testolini Nelson is the petitioner. "His wife filed for divorce. This isn’t something that he wanted," says Cousins. "There isn't anything else. He didn't counter sue. He is just trying to get it resolved.”

The divorce action was filed at Minnesota's Hennepin County District Court on May 24. The documents are sealed. (Minneapolis's Star Tribune newspaper was first to report the story.)

"All we can do is to just try to amicably resolve it, and that is what we are trying to do," adds Cousins.

Prince (full name: Prince Rogers Nelson), 48, and Testolini Nelson, 29, a former employee at Prince's charitable foundation, were married in 2001. She took her husband's last name.

Testolini Nelson, a Toronto native, is the founder and president of Gamillah, Inc., which operates, among other ventures, a production company and a line of designer candles. She is also involved with nonprofits including YouthCARE and United Communities Against Poverty.

Prince, who is working on a follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2006 album 3121, was previously married to backup singer and dancer Mayte Garcia from 1996 through 1998, when their union was annulled.

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ANC slams Nelson Mandela death rumour

It is people "without a soul" who would spread lies about former president Nelson Mandela being dead, while he is still alive, the African National Congress said.

"The ANC strongly condemns individuals or groupings behind such a hoax, which is meant to create an atmosphere of panic and anxiety in the country," spokesman Jackson Mthembu said in a statement.

He said the weekend hoax on a social network, Twitter, was not only "malicious but insensitive" to the Madiba family and the South African nation.

"It also goes against the African culture and tradition to claim that a living person is dead," Mthembu said.

He called on Twitter to investigate and find a way of stamping out the public misuse of their social network.

Rumours did the rounds on Saturday night that the 92-year-old Mandela had died.

However, Afrikaans Sunday newspaper, Rapport, reported that although the rumours were false but Mandela's health had deteriorated.

The newspaper said its reliable sources had confirmed that Mandela's health had weakened.

President of the National Press Club Yusuf Abramjee who was attending the 50th birthday of Mandela's daughter Zindzi, told the newspaper that struggle icon was alive.

"I'm at Zindzi's 50th birthday party. Winnie is here. The rumours are false," said Abramjee.

On Saturday Nelson Mandela Foundation spokesman Sello Hatang said that the former Statesman was well and on holiday with his wife Graca Machel.

Hatang said the foundation had asked that the media respect his privacy.

"Those behind this hoax are certainly people without any interest in the political and economic stability of South Africa, which we very much owe to the immense contribution by comrade Nelson Mandela, the country's first democratically elected President," Mthembu said.

Nelson Mandela's Zenani Dead

Zenani Mandela Dead: Nelson Mandela's Great-Granddaughter Killed After World Cup Concert

JOHANNESBURG — It should have been a moment of triumph – Nelson Mandela, basking in the cheers as Africa's first World Cup opened.

Instead, South Africa's beloved anti-apartheid icon stayed at home with his family Friday in northern Johannesburg during the opening ceremony and game, mourning his 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani, who died in a car crash on the way home from a tournament-eve concert in Soweto.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said the tragedy "made it inappropriate" for the former president, who is 91, to attend the opening ceremony in Johannesburg.

"We are sure that South Africans and people all over the world will stand in solidarity with Mr. Mandela and his family in the aftermath of this tragedy," the foundation said, adding that Mandela "will be there with you in spirit today."

Johannesburg Metro police spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane said the driver of the car had been arrested and charged with drunk driving. Mamonyane said the driver, whom police didn't identify, could also face homicide charges.

"The Metro police found that he was drunk," Mamonyane said. "He lost control of the vehicle and it collided with a barricade."

Police spokesman Govindsamy Mariemuthoo, who earlier said the driver would appear in court for a preliminary hearing Friday, said that had been postponed for further investigations, and that the driver was not being held. Mariemuthoo said that was not unusual.

"It's a decision of the prosecutor," he said.

The Mandela foundation denied reports that the former president's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was in the car, but said she was treated in a hospital for shock after being told of the fatal accident. She was discharged after a few hours.

S

he was on the VIP list for the opening ceremony, and a press box official confirmed she was at Soccer City, but the foundation said later that Madikizela-Mandela did not attend.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who was in South Africa to lead his country's delegation to the opening ceremony, were among those who offered condolences.

South African President Jacob Zuma, calling Mandela by his clan name Madiba – a term of affection – referred to the death in the Mandela family in an address to the crowd before the Mexico-South Africa game started.

He said Mandela had wanted to be there, "but unfortunately there was a tragedy in the Mandela family."

"But he said the game must start. You must enjoy the game," Zuma added.

Mandela has achieved glory as a politician and human rights campaigner, but suffered many personal tragedies.

In 1969, three years after arriving on Robben Island to serve a life sentence for sabotage, Mandela received a telegram from his younger son, Makgatho, informing him that his eldest son, Madiba Thembekile, died in a car crash.

Prison authorities refused to allow Mandela to attend the funeral.

"I do not have words to express the sorrow, or the loss I felt," Mandela wrote in his autobiography. "It left a hole in my heart that can never be filled."

Thirty-six years later, Makgatho died. Mandela announced his last surviving son died of AIDS-related complications, saying the only way to fight the disease's stigma was to speak openly.

Mandela's family life suffered during years devoted to politics, as an underground anti-apartheid fighter and in prison. Two marriages fell apart, the second to Winnie. He began his 27-year imprisonment only four years after marrying her.

Mandela was freed in 1990. Four years later, his lifelong battle over apartheid won, he became South Africa's first black president. He served just one term, then devoted himself to international causes, including fighting AIDS.

He has announced his retirement and desire to devote time to his family several times. Increasingly, those close to him and other South Africans have said the reward for all he has done for his country should now be freedom from the public's demands.

On his 80th birthday July 18, 1998, he married Graca Machel, a veteran of the anti-colonial struggle in her native Mozambique, former education minister, noted international child rights advocate and widow of Mozambique's first president, Samora Machel.

Graca Machel once told a television interviewer she helped Mandela reconnect with his family. Family photos released by his foundation Friday showed a relaxed and smiling Mandela with Zenani and other great-grandchildren.

Zenani was one of the anti-apartheid icon's nine great-grandchildren.

RIP David Nelson Margaret Whiting Goodbye Jefferson Market

Two Hollywood deaths to report from yesterday.

David Nelson, Ricky Nelson‘s older brother and the eldest child of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, died at age 74. Wow–just to think that Ricky Nelson would have turned 71 this spring is frightening.

David was the actor of the two Nelson brothers, not the rock star. He appeared in the family TV show–which may have been the first reality show with celebrities. But he also acted in several prime time shows of the era including “Peyton Place.” It’s sad to think all the original Nelsons are gone now. Rest in peace.

Margaret Whiting--I just mentioned her a couple of weeks ago. Her father, a famous composer, co-wrote “On the Good Ship Lollipop.” Margaret became a pop singer superstar of the 1950s. She was the Celine Dion, let’s say, of her generation. Margaret Whiting worked in to the 1980s, and was married for a long time to porn star Jack Wrangler. (Yes,. it was icky.) She was 86, and beloved by her fans.

JEFFERSON MARKET, GOODBYE AGAIN

The Jefferson Market came to this part of Greenwich Village in 1929. Eighteen months ago, when it was about to close, I asked John Catsimatidis, who owns Gristede’s and Red Apple supermarkets, if he’d come and take a look at it. He did, and bought the lease. John did a valiant job, and I thank him. But time has marched on, and the new store never was able to compete with Citarella and Whole Foods. It’s going to close on Friday, I think, for good.

Until just three years ago, Jefferson Market was a bustling place. Their blue pedal bike carts were staples of our neighborhood, and a throw back to a simpler New York. In the old days–until the mid 80s–the market had no cash registers. They used little manual adding machines to ring up the charges. There were no credit cards, either. John Montuori owned the market for years until his untimely death in 1985 at age 56. His son, Louis, moved the market from the west side of Sixth Avenue to the east, at 10th St., in 1995. The space was too big, and things went downhill from there.

It’s a shame. The fear, of course, is that the large space will become something awful and commercial in a neighborhood that barely has restaurants that deliver food. Even worse: that like so many spaces here, it will remain open and lacking any tenant.

So goodbye, Jefferson Market: the famous butcher, the cooked chickens, exotic fruits always in season, to all the white haired guys who are long gone now. Another part of New York history sinks into memory.

Ricky, Nelson, May 8. 1940- Dec 31, 1985

I will take a break from Constable tonight to memorialize Ricky Nelson. Nelson was the son of a famous big band leader Ozzie Nelson. Ricky began his career in 1952, in his fathers radio show "Here Come The Nelsons" That evolved into Ozzie and Harriet, a TV show I never saw ( I grew up, and still live without TV)

Ricky Nelson used the TV exposure to build a career as a musician. He had 19 top ten hits and placed 53 songs in the top 100. He played with first rate musicians and was the real thing himself. Nelson spent his whole life trying to overcome his image as a lightweight child star musician.

Ricky Nelson probably made the first music video by editing together cuts from his television appearances.

After numerous failed marriages and drug addictions he toured extensively playing his hits in state fairs and secondary venues, but always wrote and played new music too. He scored a great comeback hit with "Garden Party" in 1972 documenting a failed gig at the Madison square Garden, his last top 40 hit.

Twenty six years ago tonight, Ricky Nelson and his band boarded his 1944 DC3 in Guntersville, Alabama bound for Dallas. At 5:14 the plane crashed in DeKalb, Texas killing most of the passengers including Nelson and his fiance Helen Blair.

The pilots attempted to land in a field after smoke filled the cabin. The pilot indicated that the crew tried to turn on the gasoline cabin heater repeatedly shortly before the fire occurred, but that it failed to respond.

Happy New Year to you all, and God Bless. Thank you all for reading my blog. I have met so many of you and it has been a great reward for my efforts here. I have had over 26,000 readers this month!
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David Nelson Dead: Actor Dies At 74

LOS ANGELES — David Nelson, who starred on his parents' popular television show "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," has died, a family spokesman said. He was 74.

Nelson, who was battling complications of colon cancer, died Tuesday at his Los Angeles home, said family spokesman and longtime Hollywood publicist Dale Olson.

Nelson was the last remaining member of the Nelsons TV family, which included actor/bandleader Ozzie, his singer wife, Harriet Hilliard and his teen idol brother Rick. The show originated on radio in 1952 as "Here Come the Nelsons," then ran for 320 episodes on TV from 1952 to 1966 as "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" with some of the story lines taken from the stars' own lives. David Nelson also directed and produced numerous episodes of the show throughout its run.

Singer Gunnar Nelson, a son of Rick Nelson, issued a statement Wednesday, saying his uncle's death was "a great loss to the Nelson family."

"We will all miss Uncle Dave's laughter and evolved sense of humor," Gunnar Nelson said.

"The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" was shot in the Nelson family home in the Hollywood foothills, which remains a popular attraction for visitors on Hollywood celebrity bus tours.

Born in New York City, David attended Hollywood High School and the University of Southern California.

His film credits included "Peyton Place," `'The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker," `'The Big Circus," `'Day of the Outlaw," `'30,'"'The Big Show," `Love and Kisses and "Swing Out, Sweet Land." In 1976, he costarred with his mother in "Smash-Up on Interstate 5."

His television credits included "Up In Smoke," `'The Love Boat," `'High School USA," and "A Family For Joe." Directing credits included "O.K. Crackerby," `'Childish Things," `'Easy To Be Free," `'Ozzie's Girls," `'Death Screams," `'Last Plane Out," `'Goodnight Beantown" and "A Rare Breed."

Nelson also was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He is survived by his wife, Yvonne; four sons and a daughter; and seven grandchildren. A service will be held Thursday at Pierce Brothers Westwood Mortuary.

Actor David Nelson Died of Complications

Actor David Nelson has died after suffering complications from colon cancer. He was 74 years old. Nelson, best known for starring on his parents' TV hit "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet", passed away on Monday, January 10 at his home in Los Angeles.

He was the last surviving member of the real-life TV family, whose U.S. sitcom ran on the small screen from 1952 to 1966. Nelson attended the University of Southern California before convincing his parents to allow him to act on the show, along with his teen idol brother Ricky.

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and racked up a number of TV and film credits, including roles in "Peyton Place", "The Big Circus" and "Love and Kisses".

The actor is survived by his wife, Yvonne, four sons and a daughter, according to the Associated Press. A memorial service will be held in Los Angeles' Pierce Brothers Westwood Mortuary on Thursday, January 13.