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Delaware judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit in battle over estate of the late pop icon Prince

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Delaware judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit in battle over estate of the late pop icon Prince


DOVER, Del. — A Delaware judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit filed by former business advisers to the late pop music icon Prince against two of his siblings and other heirs in a dispute over his estate.

The judge on Friday also agreed with plaintiffs L. Londell McMillan and Charles Spicer Jr. that an agreement purporting to replacing them as managers of a limited liability company established by three siblings was invalid.

Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2016. He had no will, and his six siblings inherited equal interests in the estate.

Three of them assigned their combined 50% interest to Prince Legacy LLC. They also granted McMillan and Spicer each a 10% interest in Prince Legacy, along with broad and exclusive management authority.

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One sister, Sharon Nelson, later regretted the decision and led an effort to remove McMillan and Spicer as managing members by amending the LLC agreement.

Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick ruled that the terms of the initial LLC agreement are unambiguous and that they prohibit the defendants’ attempts to amend it. She said the agreement remains in effect and McMillan and Spicer remain as managing members.

“As a matter of contract law, this is the only reasonable interpretation,” the judge wrote.

McCormick also ruled that the plaintiffs can pursue a claim that the defendants breached the LLC agreement by acting without authorization to amend it and remove McMillan and Spicer.

The lawsuit stems from disagreements involving Tyka Nelson, Prince’s sister, and five half-siblings: Sharon Nelson, Norrine Nelson, John R. Nelson, Omarr Baker and Alfred Jackson.

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Tyka, Omarr and Alfred, the three youngest, sold their stake to a music publishing company called Primary Wave Music, LLC, which later assigned its interests to an affiliate, Prince OAT Holdings LLC. Alfred has since died.

The older siblings, Sharon, Norrine and John, assigned 20% of their collective interests to McMillan and Spicer before John died in 2021. His interests passed to a trust overseen by Breanna Nelson, Allen Nelson and Johnny Nicholas Nelson Torres as co-trustees. Breanna and Allen are named as defendants in the lawsuit along with Sharon and Norrine, while Nelson Torres has sided with the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit alleges among other things that Sharon improperly tried to insert herself into management decisions and once demanded that the entire staff of the Paisley Park Museum in Minnesota be replaced. She also accused McMillan and Spicer of fraud and tried to sell her interests in Prince Legacy without the required consent of the other members.

The lawsuit is part of a long and convoluted legal battle involving both the size and the beneficiaries of Prince’s estate. In 2022, nearly six years after his death, the Internal Revenue Service and the administrator of the estate agreed to end a court battle and value the estate at roughly $156 million.



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Delaware

Delaware State Fair announces 2025 stars. Taylor Swift won fewer Grammys than one here

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Delaware State Fair announces 2025 stars. Taylor Swift won fewer Grammys than one here


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This holiday season, the Delaware State Fair wants to warm you up for summer 2025 with headliners CeCe Winans and comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias. 

Tickets for both shows are now on sale.  

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Here’s what you need to know about legendary singer CeCe Winans and the acclaimed entertainer Fluffy, plus how to secure tickets to their performances.

Who is Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias?  

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias is arguably the cuddliest comedian in the world. This jolly giant is coming back to Harrington this summer with more shenanigans.  

Fluffy, who headlined the Delaware State Fair in 2023 and 2017, has over 25 million followers across his social media platforms. The comedian’s ability to dish up clean while still making all ages laugh has separated him from the pack. Fluffy will work his magic to squeeze big laughs out of the audience when he returns to the Small Wonder. 

How much are tickets to see Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias?

Fluffy’s show at the Delaware State Fair starts at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 20. Tickets are $48-$84. For tickets, visit delawarestatefair.com.

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Who is CeCe Winans?  

CeCe Winans is recognized as the best-selling and most award-winning female gospel artist of all time. She has won 15 Grammy Awards, plus 27 Dove Awards and 16 Stellar Awards, according to her bio.  

Beyond being a respected gospel singer, CeCe has established a legacy as one of the most accomplished female music artists of all time. She currently has one more Grammy Award than superstar singer Taylor Swift.  

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Some of the notable songs CeCe is known for singing include “Goodness of God,” “Holy Forever,” and “Count on Me” with Whitney Houston.  

In October, CeCe dropped her new Christmas album titled “Joyful, Joyful.”   

CeCe is one of 10 siblings in the famous musical family, The Winans, and is widely known for performing alongside her brother Benjamin in the acclaimed duo BeBe & CeCe Winans. In addition to BeBe & CeCe, her parents and siblings have released music under a wide variety of names including Mom and Pop Winans (CeCe’s parents) and The Winans (four of CeCe’s brothers). 

How much are CeCe Winans tickets?

CeCe Winans’ show at the Delaware State Fair starts at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22. Tickets are $38-$73. For tickets, visit delawarestatefair.com. 

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When is the Delaware State Fair?

The 106th Delaware State Fair (18500 S. Dupont Highway, Harrington) launches for 10 summer days, starting Thursday, July 17 to Saturday, July 26 2025. For more updates on headliners and other information, visit delawarestatefair.com.

If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters. 





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Sussex County blocks state-approved plan for medical marijuana biz to open store

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Sussex County blocks state-approved plan for medical marijuana biz to open store


Chip Guy, the Sussex County spokesman, said Stark was mistaken in believing the county was awarding her a building permit.

“To be clear, the county DID NOT issue a building permit,’’ Guy said in an emailed response to questions about The Farm’s bid to put astore in Sussex.

Guy said an official “notified the applicant that the building plan review [tenant fit-out] had cleared initial steps. That is but one step that is part of the process in determining whether to issue a building permit in the first place.”

Guy said the county’s “due diligence’’ found that The Farm’s location simply did not qualify for approval.

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Stark remains flabbergasted by the decision, saying she had relied on the state’s approval of the location as well as the state’s identified patient need for that area of Sussex.

“In my mind, when they approved that location and we started spending money and had rent to pay, and drawings put together, and had to start seeking other approvals and permits, it was an established use,” Stark said.

Robert Coupe, the state’s marijuana commissioner, said the state’s hands are tied as long as the current state law remains in effect.

“There’s nothing for me to do. They have to fight that fight,’’ Coupe said of Stark.

Coupe, whose office will soon issue 30 licenses for retail recreational marijuana stores statewide, added that Sussex’s “three-mile buffer, as it currently exists, definitely presents challenges for our selected applicants” in Sussex, where 10 retail licenses will be granted.

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“If it appears that it will be difficult for them to find areas to operate, probably a focus for them will be on specific towns that have said they will allow operations,” he said.

Guy, who has not agreed to do any interviews on the Sussex law, wrote last month that he disagrees with the assertion that no parcels exist in unincorporated Sussex for retail stores. Yet he would not identify any permitted sites, or consent to a request by WHYY News to analyze the zoning map to find any.

Stark said she has spoken to a lawyer about her options, and if her efforts fail, is also considering whether to find a site elsewhere in Sussex, perhaps within the town limits of Frankford, which hasn’t banned cannabis stores.

“It’s ridiculous,’’ Stark said of her company’s predicament in Sussex. “And more people just need to know it’s ridiculous.”

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U.S. House GOP bans Delaware’s U.S. Rep. from same-sex bathrooms

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U.S. House GOP bans Delaware’s U.S. Rep. from same-sex bathrooms


From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-South Carolina, has introduced legislation that would bar transgender women from using women’s restrooms and other facilities on federal property.

It comes just a few days after she filed a resolution intended to institute a bathroom ban in parts of the U.S. Capitol complex that she said was targeted at Delaware Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride, a Democrat, who First State voters elected to serve as the first openly transgender person in Congress just two weeks ago.

Mace said to reporters Monday that McBride, who she misgendered during her comments, didn’t “belong in women’s spaces, bathrooms and locker rooms.”

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While not specifically mentioning Mace’s bills, House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a statement Wednesday dictating that House policy in January would ban transgender women from using facilities — like bathrooms and locker rooms — that do not correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth.

“All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,” Johnson said in a statement. It was not clear how the policy would be enforced.

“Each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol,” he added.

Mace’s resolution, which she said she wanted to be included in the rules package for the next Congress, requires the House sergeant at arms to enforce the ban.



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