SEPTEMBER 15TH

Today is Monday, September 15, the 259th day of 2008.
There are 107 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

• On September 15, 1789, the U.S. Department of Foreign Affairs was renamed the Department of State.

On this date:

• In 1776, British forces occupied New York City during the American Revolution.
• In 1807, former Vice President Aaron Burr was acquitted of a misdemeanor charge two weeks after he was found innocent of treason.
• In 1821, independence from Spain was proclaimed for Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador.
• In 1857, William Howard Taft, who served as president of the United States and as U.S. chief justice, was born in Cincinnati.
• In 1858, the third debate between senatorial candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas was held in Jonesboro, Ill.
• In 1935, the Nuremberg Laws deprived German Jews of their citizenship.
• In 1940, during the Battle of Britain in World War II, the tide turned as the Luftwaffe sustained heavy losses inflicted by the Royal Air Force.
• In 1958, a New Jersey commuter train plunged off a partially open drawbridge into Newark Bay, killing 48 people.
• In 1963, four black girls were killed when a bomb went off during Sunday services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. (Three Ku Klux Klansmen were eventually convicted for their roles in the blast.)
• In 1982, Iran's former foreign minister, Sadegh Ghotbzadeh, was executed after he was convicted of plotting against the government.

Ten years ago:

• Nine states and the District of Columbia held primaries.
• In New York, liberal congressman Charles Schumer won the Democratic nod to challenge Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato. (Schumer won.)
• In Washington state, conservative congresswoman Linda Smith won the right to challenge Democratic Sen. Patty Murray. (Murray won re-election.)
• Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals hit his 63rd home run of the season.

Five years ago:

• A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals halted California's recall election, saying it was unacceptable for several counties to use punch-card ballots. (However, a larger panel of 11 judges from the 9th Circuit later ordered the election to go forward.)
• The WUSA soccer league shut down operations five days before the Women's World Cup, saying it didn't have enough money to stay in business for a fourth season.

One year ago:

• In his Saturday radio address, President Bush said while "formidable challenges" remained in Iraq, the United States would start shifting more troops into support roles.
• Several thousand protesters marched from the White House to the Capitol to demand an end to the Iraq war.
• Sarah Thomas became the first female official to work a game in the Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly I-A, serving as the line judge in the Jacksonville State-Memphis game.
• Actress-comedian Brett Somers died in Westport, Conn., at age 83.

Today's Birthdays:

• Actor-director Jackie Cooper is 86.
• Actor Forrest Compton is 83.
• Comedian Norm Crosby is 81.
• Actor Henry Darrow is 75.
• Baseball Hall-of-Famer Gaylord Perry is 70.
• Football Hall-of-Famer Merlin Olsen is 68.
• Opera singer Jessye Norman is 63.
• Writer-director Ron Shelton is 63.
• Actor Tommy Lee Jones is 62.
• Movie director Oliver Stone is 62.
• Rock musician Mitch Dorge (Crash Test Dummies) is 48.
• Football Hall-of-Famer Dan Marino is 47.
• Actor Danny Nucci is 40.
• Rap DJ Kay Gee is 39.
• Rock musician Allen Shellenberger (Lit) is 39.
• Actor Josh Charles is 37.
• Singer Ivette Sosa (Eden's Crush) is 32.
• Actress Amy Davidson is 29.
• Britain's Prince Henry of Wales is 24.

Thought for Today:

"God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road."
Isak Dinesen, Danish author (1885-1962).

"Let's all be careful out there!"