Paradise Driver: 09/15/08

Monday, September 15, 2008

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: