Category: 2019

Linda Kasabian: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Kalashian Nyrie
Heavy.com
  • By Elizabeth Sloan
  • Updated Jul 26, 2019 at 1:21pm 

  

Getty/Google Charles Manson

Linda Kasabian was 20 years old when she became a member of Charles Manson’s “Family” in 1969. Later, she became the prosecution’s star witness at their trial in 1970, according to biography.com.

Kasabian has been a popular figure in pop culture since the brutal slayings in 1969. Actresses including Clea DuVall, Marilyn Burns, Erin Marie Hogan, Michelle Briggs, Tamara Hope, and MacKenzie Mauzy have played her in various films. Billie Lourd portrays Kasabian in the “American Horror Story: Cult” episode “Charles (Manson) in Charge.” A British band even used her name, calling themselves Kasabian.

Here’s what you need to know:

According to biography.com, Linda Darlene Drouin was born on June 21, 1949, in Biddeford, Maine. She was raised in the New England town of Milford, New Hampshire, by her father, Rosaire Drouin, and her mother, Joyce Taylor.

Rosaire was a construction worker and Joyce was a homemaker. They reportedly struggled financially and emotionally until Rosaire abandoned the family when Linda was still a young girl.

Rosaire and Joyce both remarried. Linda was the eldest child, and her mother Joyce, with so many younger children and stepchildren to care for, said was unable to devote the necessary attention to her teenage daughter.

“I didn’t have time to listen to her problems,” Joyce told a Long Beach Newspaper in 1970. “A lot of what has happened to Linda is my fault.”

Linda claimed her stepfather, Jake Byrd, mistreated her and her mother. At 16 years old, Linda dropped out of high school and ran away from home. Shortly thereafter, she married Robert Peasley. According to cielodrive.com, Linda and Robert lived together for three months, however, they divorced when she was 17 years old.

Linda then traveled to Boston, where she married a “hippie-type,” Armenian American Robert Kasabian. The two reportedly lived at a “hippie pad” in Lake Tahoe for a while. Linda gave birth to a daughter Tanya in 1968.

When her second marriage started to deteriorate, the article stated that Linda and Tanya moved back to New Hampshire to live with Joyce. Later, Kasabian contacted Linda and invited her to meet him in Los Angeles. Linda wanted to patch things up and therefore went to Los Angeles.

According to her biography, Linda was a pregnant, 20-year-old, two-time divorcee, with an infant daughter when she met Charles Manson through Catherine “Gypsy” Share on July 4, 1969. Later, Linda moved to the Spahn Ranch with Manson and his followers.

Linda reportedly found Manson’s message to be peaceful at first, however, as time went on she realized his tone turned violent and paranoid. According to The Guardian, on the night of August 9, 1969, Linda and three other members of the Manson Family – Tex Watson, Susan Atkins and Patricia “Katie” Krenwinkel – were sent by Manson to break into Hollywood actress Sharon Tate’s home at 10050 Cielo Drive.

Tate was reportedly eight months pregnant and married to film director Roman Polanski at the time. Polanski was in Europe, but Tate was entertaining her friends Wojtek Frykowski, Abigail Folger and Jay Sebring that night. In an interview for the docu-drama “Manson,” Linda described how Tate begged for the life of her unborn child. However, the killers tied up Sharon and her friends and stabbed them to death. Tate was stabbed 16 times. Kasabian acted as a look-out.

“I saw a woman in a white dress and she had blood all over her and she was screaming and she was calling for her mom. I saw Katie stabbing her,” says Kasabian told The Guardian in 2009. “I thought about going to a house where there were lights down the road and then I said, ‘No, don’t do that, because they’ll find me and kill all those people’. So I went down the hill and I got into the car and I just stayed there and waited.”

According to her bio, the Mason Family ranch was raided in October 1969. Linda turned herself in two months later. In return for her testimony, which was the key to a guilty finding for Mason and his followers, Linda was granted immunity.

Manson was ultimately charged with for the murders of nine people, thanks to Linda. Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor at the trial, said the verdict was almost entirely thanks to her.

“She never asked for immunity from prosecution, but we gave it,” Bugliosi told The Guardian. “She stood in the witness box for 17 or 18 days and never broke down, despite the incredible pressure she was under. I doubt we would have convicted Manson without her.”

After the trial, Kasabian moved to New Hampshire to live with her mother, according to her bio. However, she was overwhelmed with media attention and decided to change her name and move west. Kasabian remained in hiding until a documentary film crew found her living in near poverty at a trailer park in 2009.

Nick Godwin, the Cineflix executive producer responsible for making “Manson,” spent months tracking Linda down and establishing a rapport with her. According to IMDb, the TV movie “follows Charles Manson’s ‘Family’ member Linda Kasabian, and her story to what when on at Spahn’s Movie Ranch and the final days leading up to the grisly 1969 Tate/La Bianca murders.”

Kasabian appears in the docu-drama, telling her story in complete detail for the first time. While her image is slightly obscured to protect her identity, Linda recounts the four weeks she spent with the Manson “family.”

Over 3,000 Armenians on pilgrimage at St. Thaddeus Monastery

Garo Vardanian
Tehran Times, Iran

TEHRAN – Over 3,000 Christian worshippers, who are natives of Iran or other countries, are on pilgrimage at St. Thaddeus Monastery, which is located in Iran’s West Azarbaijan province.

The essential core of the pilgrimage, called Badarak, was held on Saturday, attended by guests from Iran, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, the Netherlands, France, Austria, Germany, Canada and some other countries, IRNA reported.

The province’s cultural heritage department has endeavored to provide the necessary infrastructure, including camping sites, sanitary services, catering services, outdoor lighting, and setting up tents for ritual ceremonies and other services, chief of the department Jalil Jabbari said.

Baptism of children and youngsters along with performances of traditional songs and dances are amongst highlights the event.

The festivity is of high importance for Iranian-Armenians who mostly come from the cities of Tabriz, Urmia, Tehran, Isfahan and Qazvin, to stage the reunion in groups and families. It also provides them an opportunity to go on holiday and visit distant relatives.

Attendees commemorate the martyrdom of St. Thaddeus, one of the twelve disciples killed while he was preaching the Gospel. The legend says, a church dedicated to him was first built in 68 CE where Qareh Klise is standing.

Thaddeus was an apostle of Christ and the ceremony is rooted in the last supper with Jesus Christ on the night of his arrest and execution by the Roman soldiers.

Also known as the Qareh Klise (“the Black Church”), the monastery is one of the oldest surviving Christian monuments in the country. It is situated in Chaldoran county some 20 kilometers form Maku, adjacent to the borders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

The ancient Church shows off elaborate bas-reliefs of flowers, animals and human figures on its façade and exterior walls. It bears verses of Old and New Testament in Armenian calligraphy as well.

Together with St. Stepanos Monastery and the Chapel of Dzordzor, Qareh Klise was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2008 under the name “Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran”. All the three sites are located in West Azarbaijan and are of high significance from historical and cultural perspectives. They bear credible testimony to interchanges with the ancient regional societies in particular the Byzantine, Orthodox and Persian.

UNESCO has it that the churches bear examples of outstanding universal value of the Armenian architectural and decorative traditions.

AFM/MG     

Armenian flag raised on Mt. Kilimanjaro

Markos Nalchajian
Panorama, Armenia
Society 12:25 27/07/2019 Armenia

Anthony Ghanime, a 27-year-old Glendale resident, recently climbed the tallest peak in Africa—Mt. Kilimanjaro, Asbarez reports.

A Chamlian and Rose & Alex Pilibos School alumnus, Anthony traveled to Africa on Tuesday, July 9. The trek to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro took a total 8 days, from July 11 to 18.

When he reached the summit, Anthony raised an Armenian flag that kept in his Pilibos fanny pack throughout his climb. He returned to Los Angeles on Saturday, July 20.

Anthony is currently enrolled in an MBA program at the University of California, Irvine. With his program starting in September, he had enough time to plan and prepare for his trek up the mountain.

Prior to applying to graduate schools, Anthony spent time working abroad at Intel, as well as at an engineering company called Q-MEP.

“The privilege of being able to call myself an Armenian is something I’ve held dear to my heart my whole life and one I’ll continue to hold the rest of my life. It only seemed fitting for me to raise the Armenian flag on the summit, because of the meaning the flag holds in my heart,” Anthony said in an interview to Asbarez.

“Being able to raise that flag was my way of paying homage to my community, family, teachers, schools, and mentors for their effort in not only my development as a proud Armenian but the development of Armenian youth in general. I also hoped that it would be a type of catalyst for Armenian youth to pursue and challenge themselves in accomplishing feats that not only our community can be proud of, but that ones from other communities can also admire,” he said.

Wounded Armenian soldier is in severe condition

Emma Jilavian
Ch-Aviation
Wounded Armenian soldier is in severe condition Wounded Armenian soldier is in severe condition

16:32, 27.07.2019
                  

A 27-year-old Vazgen Ulukhanyan from Armenia’s Lory Province was injured as a result of a violation of the armistice regime by the enemy, ‘Noyemberyan’ medical center’s press service reported.

According to the source, the condition of the serviceman is consistently difficult, and he will soon be moved to Yerevan.

“The condition of the serviceman is consistently severe. He received a gunshot wound in the chest, rib fracture, traumatic shock,” the MC statement said.

As reported earlier, a contract soldier has been injured in Armenia’s Tavush province on Saturday, Armenian Defense Ministry’s press service reported.

Environment minister: Wastewater dumped into all rivers and water basins across Armenia

Arpi Talalian
Panorama, Armenia

The level of Lake Sevan, Armenia’s largest freshwater reservoir, was 4 centimeters higher on Friday, 26 July this year than on the same day last year, Environment Minister Erik Grigoryan told a discussion on Saturday.

“This comes despite the fact that we saw a 100 million cubic meters more evaporation and 40 million cubic meters less precipitation,” the minister stressed.

Grigoryan said he attaches great importance to the quantitative data, since in the lake’s case the quantity is inversely proportional to the quality.

“The issue of Sevan emerged at the time when various actions related to the lake’s level and volume started to be taken. It’s well known that the water level of Lake Sevan was dropped by more than 18 meters during the Soviet period to be increased again. Later, it was lowered again. Since the 2000s, the level has been raised by around 3 meters, while in 2011-2012 the water level saw little increase. The construction of the Arpa-Sevan Tunnel was being delayed, so a large amount of water was taken out of the lake due to the high demand for water,” the minister said.

Grigoryan explained the cold layer of the water prevents algae and organic matter from growing and spreading in the lake. However, starting from 2017, the amount of some organic substances, in particular phosphorus, has been steadily increasing in the lake. The minister says the rise is mainly prompted by the mass discharge of wastewater and sewage from over 90 nearby villages into Lake Sevan.

“The recent discussions showed most of the citizens are not aware that Sevan is being subjected to such pressure. But if we consider it in a wider context, all sewage water in Armenia flow into all rivers and water basins not only in Gegharkunik, but also in Syunik, Vayots Dzor and Shirak Provinces,” the minister said, vowing to take preventive measures in the sphere.

Armenia’s Garni Museum-Reserve offers free entry on Vardavar

Emil Lazarian
Panorama, Armenia
Society 12:12 27/07/2019 Armenia

Garni Historical-Cultural Museum-Reserve located 28 km east of the Armenian capital of Yerevan offers a free entry to all Armenians and foreigners on 28 July marking Vardavar, a traditional holiday in Armenia.

Although now a Christian tradition, celebrating the transfiguration of Jesus Christ (the Feast of the Transfiguration), Vardavar’s history dates back to pagan times, where it was associated with the goddess of water, love and fertility – Astghik.

All are invited to attend an event in line with the pagan ritual scheduled for Sunday, the Service for Protection of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum Reservoirs said in a statement on Friday.

Upon the order of Ara Tarverdyan, the director of the organization, on that day the entry to the museum-reserve will be free from 1pm to 5pm.

The Garni Song and Dance Ensemble, Haykazun Ensemble, as well as singers Arsen Hambaryan and Grigor Hambaryan are also set to perform during the event. 

Armenia’s ombudsman visits Gavar orphanage after unsafe food reports

Andranik Taslakhchian
Panorama, Armenia

As part of his working visit to Gegharkunik Province on Friday, Armenia’s Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Arman Tatoyan paid a visit to the orphanage of Gavar to familiarize himself with the issue of the low-quality meat supplied to the facility.

The employees told the ombudsman that the children had not eaten the meat. According to the deputy director of the orphanage, the administration noticed the problem immediately after looking at the meat and rang an alarm to the State Service for Food Safety to record the fact.

Arman Tatoyan also examined the conditions of the orphanage and held private talks with the orphanage children over possible violations of their rights.

Earlier on Thursday, Armenia’s social welfare ministry reported that low-quality meat with unpleasant smell had been supplied to the orphanage. According to the orphanage administration, the supplier had to eliminate the shortcomings within three days.


Hurghada-Yerevan airplane lands at Zvartnots airport

Chalian Meline

Hurghada-Yerevan airplane lands at Zvartnots airport

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20:52,

YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS. The airplane carrying the Armenian citizens from Hurghada landed at Zvartnots airport.

ARMENPRESS reports 132 people returned to Armenia.

132 Armenian citizens were left in Hurghada due to the cancellation of OTF 3703 flight en route Hurghada-Yerevan. According to some reports, the flight was cancelled because the Armenian A&R tour agency didn’t pay the Greek Orange Fly airline to carry out the flight. Hurghada-Yerevan July 29 flight has also been cancelled, which means that nearly 100 Armenian citizens will face the same problem. The flights are funded by the Government of Armenia.

The Embassy of Armenia in Egypt urges the citizens of Armenia spending their holiday in Hurghada to suspend their holiday and return to Armenia by July 29 flight.  “The Armenian Embassy in Egypt informs that Hurghada-Yerevan OTF 3701 flight will be carried out at 03:00, Egypt time. At the same time we urge the passengers whose flights are scheduled on August 1 and 5 to suspend their holiday and fly to Armenia by the mentioned flight”, reads the statement.

The Government of Armenia discusses allocating 47 million and 198 thousand AMD from the reserve fund of the Foreign Ministry for organizing the return of the remaining 119 citizens.

The Police of Armenia is preparing materials over the activities of the A&R tour agency.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan




EU initiates series of consultations on future of Eastern Partnership

Chmshkian Vicken

EU initiates series of consultations on future of Eastern Partnership

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21:12,

YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS.  The European Union institutions opens a board and inclusive structured consultation on the future strategic direction of the Eastern Partnership, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the EU Delegation to Armenia.

Over the past decade, the strengthened cooperation between the EU, its Member States, and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, in the framework of the Eastern Partnership has proven to be mutually beneficial and has been delivering concrete results for citizens.

The joint reform agenda of “20 Deliverables for 2020”, has successfully achieved key progress in working towards building stronger economies, stronger governance, stronger connectivity and stronger societies across the region. To mark the 10th anniversary of the initiative, a High Level Conference took place on 14 May, during which President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker launched discussions on the future of the Eastern Partnership.

In this context, the European Council has tasked the Commission and EEAS to present proposals for the future of the Eastern Partnership. In order to ensure the Partnership remains relevant and inclusive, the European Commission and European External Action Service invite key stakeholders to share their views on a future policy framework.

Member States and Eastern Partner Countries (governments, parliaments, local and regional authorities); international organisations; international financial institutions; civil society; business and the private sector; academia; think-tanks; youth; media and other stakeholders are invited to share their views on a new post-2020 policy framework.

All stakeholders are invited to submit their contributions on the following website by 31 October 2019. Dedicated consultation events will be also held in partner countries and in the EU during this period.

Based on these inputs, a document will be prepared to outline the proposed new framework for the post 2020 Eastern Partnership.

Asbarez: Camp Zavarian: A Lasting Impact

Emil Lazarian
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BY ALIQUE KALACHIAN

Camp Zavarian is an Armenian summer camp dedicated to keeping Armenian culture alive, as well as giving children a fun-filled summer experience. At the camp, children have the opportunity to learn about a wide range of topics, such as their homeland, Armenian revolutionary songs, cooking, art, acting, and—one considered to be the most impactful—friendship. After coming to this interactive, hands-on summer camp, children leave with a whole new sense of nationalism, confidence, and a new idea of what it means to be a friend to one another.

Although students are taught a number of lifelong lessons at Camp Zavarian, it can be argued that the teachers and volunteers working at the camp are just as heavily influenced as the children they dedicatedly serve.

Every summer morning, Mrs. Arpi Dabaghian wakes up early and prepares for the new agenda at Camp Zavarian. She provides the necessary strong backbone to the daily routine of entertaining, as well as teaching, young minds at the camp. Mrs. Dabaghian and her team of hard working teachers give support to the young camp attendees as they guide them through the adventurous journey of learning and exploring new concepts and topics. More than a teacher, though, Mrs. Dabaghian is a mentor, whose contagious positivity and ability to deeply connect with the children influences many of their lives.

When leaving Camp Zavarian, the children exude more confidence than they came in with. But, what the children at Camp Zavarian fail to notice is that, as the teachers and volunteers of Camp Zavarian are teaching the campers about their heritage and life lessons on friendship and teamwork, they too are learning new lessons for themselves.

“Yes, I learn new lessons every single day I teach at Camp Zavarian,” said Sarina Ajnass, a teacher at the summer camp. “Every situation and every child shows me a different perspective on things. A certain example of this would be: understanding how to deal with each child differently and realizing that they don’t all respond the same to every situation. A certain child who is acting up may need firm and strict disciplining, but another child who is also acting up may need to be told a different way to get him to stop.” Through Camp Zavarian, Sarina gained knowledge about the minds of children and how each child is unique.

“It makes me happy knowing I’m making a difference in these children’s lives and making memories that will last a lifetime,” said Preny Ayvazian, as she explained her realization that she wanted to become a real teacher after years of volunteering. As Preny gained experience with each year of volunteering, she slowly realized that she was destined to not only guide children, but to also connect with them. She desired to continue with a career where she could support and inspire children through their journey in education.

As these children grow, they, too, get the chance to volunteer and guide the campers themselves. By being volunteers, they get to exercise the lessons they observed and were taught by their teachers. As volunteers gain more experience at the summer camp, they learn more about themselves. For example, volunteers get to learn whether or not they can connect with children, or which of their skills is stronger than the others. Volunteers, who are usually in their high school years, use Camp Zavarian as a chance to give back to the community and to be more involved in the organizations surrounding them. This is especially important for Armenian high schoolers in largely American communities. With students being surrounded by so many American influences, it is easy for a young person to lose touch with the roots of their culture. Teenagers of the Armenian community come to Camp Zavarian to keep their culture alive, as well as to spend their summer doing meaningful work.

At Camp Zavarian, the students are given a chance to explore new talents, arts, and their culture. Although these campers are given the chance to become completely different people by the end of summer, the teachers, too, can grow with this summer experience.