Leasing News - information, news, education and entertainment for the commercial bank, finance and leasing industry

######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release” and was not written by Leasing News nor information verified, but from the source noted. When an article is signed by the writer, it is considered a “by line.” It reflects the opinion and research of the writer.

Jim Merrilees, CLFP, Joins Channel Partners
Veteran Still Very Active in Finance Industry

Channel Partners, LLC, announces the addition of Jim Merrilees, CLFP, as Vice President of Planning and Development. The company originates its loans exclusively through relationships with equipment
finance companies.

Jim joins Channel Partners at a time the company is expanding through investment, broadening product offerings and commitment to small businesses by efficiently providing working capital, according to its founder Brad Peterson.

Founding/Managing Member
Channel Partners

“I am extremely pleased Jim has chosen to join Channel Partners. His experience and insights will be invaluable as we continue to expand our on-balance sheet lending activity,” Peterson said. “Jim will be working with both our internal operations team and externally with equipment finance partners to help manage and drive our growth.”

Merrilees was the first to lead in developing a "wide area network" for Colonial Pacific Leasing called BLISS before the days of the internet. Steered the Pegasus dealer program, and under his watch a computer credit scoring profile for both vendor and broker business in a highly quick process. The internet version of BLISS, BLISSnet, was created after Jim had left the company.

Merrilees was one of the original supporters of the Certified Leasing Professional program, now Certified Leasing and Finance Professional Foundation, on the board of the Western Association of Equipment Lessors, which later became the United Association of Equipment Leasing, in which he also served as president, then combing with the Eastern Association of Equipment Lessors to become the National Equipment Finance Association. He has served also on the boards of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association and the CLFP Foundation, in addition to being past president of NEFA and the CLFP Foundation.

(Merrilees, fourth from left, standing)

The 1991 Western Association of Equipment Lessors Board of directors posed for this picture with the Pacific Ocean in the background as the evening Gala at The Lodge at Pebble Beach was about to commence. The 1991 Executive Committee (seated l to r) are President Bill Grohe, VP Marketing, Brentwood Funding Enterprises; Vice President Hal Horowitz, CLP, EVP, Interbank Leasing Company; Immediate Past President Ron Wagner, CLP, President Heritage Leasing Capital; Executive Vice President Jon Bednerik, CAE (not pictured is Secretary/Treasurer Gordon Roberts, VP First Concord Acceptance Corporation). Standing (l to r) are Board of Directors Members Bob Grenzer, President, Kropschot & Associates; Chuck Griffin, CLP President, Griffin & Associates; Jim Merrilees, President, Colonial Pacific Leasing Corporation; Peter Eaton, CLP, Regional Vice President, First National Leasing Corporation; Robert Jacobson III, CLP, Consultant; Francie Wilbourne, West Coast Manager, ORIX Credit Alliance Corporation; Oren M. Hall, Partner, Heritage Financial Services. (Not pictured are Barry Ferns, Esq., Ferns & Ferns, and Ginny Young, EVP, Nova Leasing Corporation.)

1993
Jim Merrilees, President,
Colonial Pacific Leasing Corp.
Tualatin, Oregon

The 1995 Western Association of Equipment Leasing Staff: (back row, left to right) Raymond Williams, Ph.D., CAE, 1995 President Jim Merrilees, Sharon Ortiz; Front row, left to right) Estarlita Green, James Geluz, Loretta Lowe.

Early in his career, Jim was with Pitney Bowes Credit Corporation in Torrance, CA, then moved up north where he eventually became the president of Colonial Pacific Leasing, Tualatin, Oregon, successful with the Pegasus program, left to found Nation’s Credit, then went Textron Financial, then in January, 2003, joined NetBank to launch a finance division for business equipment vendors and manufacturers. In July of the same year his friend Paul Menzel, CLP, senior vice-president of Pacific Capital Bank talked him into joining as VP/Project Manager. Their plan was to triple business, which they did, up-dating the operation while being able to retain the original group and their identity.

April 28, 2007, Jim Joins Quiktrak in Beaverton, Oregon.
http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/April%202007/04-30-07.htm#clp

February, 11, 2011 he joined Inspection Services Division of RTR Services, Salem, Oregon. 2013 he joined Tip Capital, 2013. Previously he was Business Development Consultant, Great American Insurance Group (October, 2012-Feburary, 2013); Vice President, RTR Services (September, 2010-April, 2012); President, Merrilees and Associates (April, 2010-Setpember, 2010): President, Quiktrak (April, 2007-April, 2010); VP Marketing, Pacific Capital Bank (2003-2007), President, Nations Credit, Business Leasing Group; President, Grayrock Rock Capital; Executive Vice President, First Corp, Portland, Oregon; President, Colonial Pacific Leasing (1989-1994); Regional Manager, Pitney Bowes Credit Corporation (1981-1987). Education: Pepperdine University, MBA, Business Administration and Management, General (1983 – 1985), Miami University, BS, Finance (1967 – 1971).

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Classified Ads---Sales

(These ads are “free” to those seeking employment or looking
to improve their position)

Work Remotely
Business Development - Are you looking to enter/increase your Healthcare lending? Let me identify and qualify healthcare (all verticals) vendors, distributors, and end users who utilize leasing/financing as a tool to sell equipment for you. Many years experience - contact Mitchell Utz at mitutz@msn.com or
(215) 460-4483.

Free Posting for those seeking employment in Leasing:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted-post.htm

All “free” categories “job wanted” ads:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Classified/Jwanted/Jwanted.htm

Receivables Management LLC
John Kenny

• End of Lease Negotiations & Enforcement
• Third-Party Commercial Collections

john@jkrmdirect.com | ph 315-866-1167
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Top Ten Stories of last week

(1) FINRA Bars Owner of B-D that Sells Equipment-Leasing Funds
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2015/4_15.htm#finra

(2) New Hires---Promotions in the Leasing Industry
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2015/4_17.htm#hires

(3) First Midwest Bank launches equipment financing business
http://www.nwitimes.com/business/jobs-and-employment/first-midwest-bank-launches-equipment-financing-business/article_0d23e908-b21d-5fdc-b2cd-18bbe17a98fb.html

(4) Leasing 102 by Mr. Terry Winders, CLFP
Margins
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2015/4_15.htm#margins

(5) CLFP Foundation Adds Four CLFPs from Northland Capital
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2015/4_17.htm#clfp

(6) Airplane seat swapping turns rough and tumble
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/14/business/airplane-seat-swapping-once-a-gentle-sport-turns-rough-and-tumble.html

(7) Ex-JPMorgan adviser charged in $20M fraud
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/04/16/jpmorgan-investment-adviser-fraud/25891775/

(8) 9th Annual Women in Leasing Luncheon April 30th
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2015/4_15.htm#luncheon

(9) Israeli Startup Leapfrogs Apple Watch Payments
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2015/4_15.htm#startup

(10) Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation Q2 Update
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2015/4_15.htm#elff

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“Best Way to Ask for a Raise”
Career Crossroad---By Emily Fitzpatrick/RII

Question: Emily, what is the best way to ask for a raise?

Answer: The best approach is to NOT ask for a raise outright. Typically, employees will present a list to their employer explaining why they should receive a raise. I don't like this approach, as it almost is a demand, with a list of why that an employer either accepts or objects, and I have a better suggestion. My two-phase approach minimizes objections!

First, approach your employer by asking how they believe you are doing in your role e.g. your contributions to the company/division, what you can improve on, etc… Obviously, if there are multiple areas that need improvement (take notes) and if the overall self-generated review is not positive, then this is NOT the time to ask for an increase in salary. Listen. Your goal is not to ask for a raise, but find out what your boss thinks about your performance.

If the outcome is positive, then continue with the conversation with something to the effect “… well that is great, that is why I wanted to meet with you … I also feel I have contributed in the following ways (give your list now--verbally, not written) ….

If your boss agrees and even points out other things you are doing well, you can react by saying, thank you, perhaps my performance warrants a -----% increase …”

If the outcome is not so positive, take notes and work on / strive to make the improvements / changes discussed. You can then request another review, (making SURE you have addressed any areas of needed improvement) then continue with the conversation with something to the effect “… well that is great, that is why I wanted to meet with you …

I also feel I have contributed in the following ways (share your list of reasons now) …. … I am hoping you agree that my performance warrants a -----% increase …”

This method ensures to the employer that you are truly interested in your career and that you are really interested in positively contributing to the organization - additionally, you will gain respect.

Now make this approach your own - modify it to sync with your personality, role, etc…

TIP
The following are sure ways to be knocked down: the “market dictates” or “my colleague is receiving …” – so what?!

The worst reason “I received a job offer”; you can bet you will be let go within the next 6 months! (Some employees use “counter-offers” from current employers to receive an increase – again, not only will be let go within the next 6 months! BUT more importantly, you are hurting yourself / your reputation – it is a small industry – word WILL get out).

Emily Fitzpatrick
Sr. Recruiter
Recruiters International, Inc.
Phone: 954-885-9241
Cell: 954-612-0567
emily@riirecruit.com
Invite me to Connect on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/pub/emily-fitzpatrick/4/671/76
Also follow us on Twitter #RIIINFO

Career Crossroads Previous Columns
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/crossroad.html

(Terry retired January 1, 2015. To honor him and his many years of writing for readers of Leasing News, is repeating several of his columns that are still meaningful today. Here is August 22, 2011.)
---

Servicing Issues with Smaller Banks

I am involved as an expert witness in a case where leases were sold to a local bank and the leasing company retained the servicing. One of the reasons this happens is the bank does not have lease accounting software and expects the leasing company to provide billing and accounting support.

One of the reasons I present this subject is the lack of knowledge both the leasing company and the bank have of their responsibilities. To begin with: it is wise to have a lock box set up so the bank has control of the funds. This is a request of the bank regulators today and will fast become a requirement because of some nasty losses due inconsistencies and in some cases, outright fraud.

On occasion, the banks are unaware that if they purchased the leases, they must have sales tax permits in each state. In addition, they must complete an income tax form in each state and are subject to unpaid property tax claims. If the bank is a National Bank, they are licensed to do business in any state. However if they are a State Bank, then they must register to do business in each State that has a lease and pay the franchise fees. The leasing company can collect and pay the sales tax in their name, but they still must have the permits in the banks name.

On occasion the lessee is not aware the lease has been assigned, so it is called a non-notification lease. The bank reserves the right to step in and replace the lessor’s servicing if problems arise. This non-notification document needs to be drafted by legal counsel because it must state all of the circumstances that would occur that allow them to step in. The bank regulators are looking for these documents today. If there is no non-notification document, then an assignment notification legally needs to be sent to the lessee.

The bank regulators are beginning to require that the bank audit the leasing companies servicing to match up the leases as to amounts and receivables. Problems occur when the lease payments are in advance and the bank payments are in arrears. Leases can be delinquent for thirty days before the bank becomes aware of it.

Bank auditors can also ask for reviews of residuals over a chosen amount by requiring an inspection and an equipment review. This is to verify that the residuals are still valid and the lessee is living up to the maintenance requirements of the lease (if any).

If the bank just makes a commercial loan and accepts the lease as collateral then a lot of the requirements go away. However the bank will require an assignment of a properly filed UCC-1 or it may file its own UCC-1 on all of the lessee’s assets.

Even though the proposed accounting changes will make all leases look like capital leases, the accounting still remains different than booking a loan. Banks that try to account for leases that they own on lending software will be a target of the regulators in the near future because of the multitude of problems brought on by a software system based on customer location and not asset location. It is hard to handle sales tax, property tax, and asset location without a proper lease bookkeeping system.

If you plan to bring a new bank into leasing by offering your leases for sale, you should prepare a presentation of how to become a funder of leases, explain all of the requirements and who is going to be responsible for what so you can have a healthy relationship. Before making this arrangement, my strongest recommendation is to consult with an attorney who has leasing and finance experience, as well as works with banks, who can construct an acceptable assignment and responsibility agreement to your and the bank’s favor.

Previous #102 Columns:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/Leasing_102/Index.htm

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Banks Win, Pay Day Class Action Suit Loses,
No Right of Receiving Bank to Refuse an ACH
by Tom McCurnin
Leasing News Legal Editor

New York Class Action Take on Illegal New York Pay Lenders via “Operation Chokepoint” Regulations to Sue the Banks that Provide ACH Services.
Lawsuit is Unsuccessful as to Banks.

Costoso v. Bank of America 2015 WL 774478 (E.D. NY 2015).

Last year, I reported about “Operation Chokepoint,” the government’s attempt at trying to use banks to “weed out” undesirable banking customers, like pay day lenders and marijuana dispensaries. Pardon my pun.

Opportunistic class action lawyers took the Federal Reserve’s regulations and used them against unlicensed usurious pay day lenders in New York and took the concept a step further—sued to impose liability against the banks that provide traditional banking services to the borrowers that borrow money from those lenders. The theory of the case was that the borrowers’ banks should act as a watchdog over their customers’ accounts and should refuse to honor otherwise valid ACH debits from illegal, unlicensed, usurious pay day lenders. A New York federal court rejected that theory. The facts follow.

Jeanette Costoso used the Internet to borrow short term consumer pay day loans from a half dozen lenders including Hydra Fund, Mass Street, United Holdings, GTI Holdings, North Cash, and Mambo Cash. Bank of America was Costoso’s bank. ACH debits were processed by the lenders and BofA debited her account.

The theory advanced by the plaintiff was that the receiving bank of an ACH debit, called a “Receiver” under National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) rules, in this case Bank of America, was dealing with known “high risk” ACH originators of the debits, and the customer’s bank should have refused to honor an otherwise valid ACH, or at least made an inquiry as to the nature of the originator.

That argument was not without support. The New York Department of Financial Services issued letters to 117 banks urging that they block such payday lenders. The OCC also issued guidelines urging banks to gauge risks when banking such high risk lenders. NACHA urged its members to impose control systems to block high risk fraudulent loan practices. The New York State Banking Department issued an all institution letter, warning banks that out of state companies are illegally loaning money in New York and urging that the banks stop banking these customers. Finally, six federal agencies also have dog-piled on some illegal pay day lenders and their banks in an effort to curtail them banking these customers.

Plaintiff’s suit was based primarily on guidelines supplied by NACHA which arguably required banks to re-credit its customer’s accounts to the extent that the bank honored ACH debits on lenders who were operating illegally in New York.

The NACHA rules were mentioned in the bank’s account agreement, but not incorporated. So can a bank customer use the NACHA rules to which the customer is not a party? The Bank said no.

The Bank argued that the Bank’s account agreement did not incorporate NACHA but did incorporate Regulation E (Electronic Funds Transfer Act), and the bank complied with Reg. E. All the debits were clearly disclosed in the account statement by Originator with an identifying number and amount which the account holder could dispute. The customer did not dispute those ACH debits.

Regulation E allows the Receiver to rely on the Originator’s ACH, and shifts the burden to the customer to dispute the ACH. If disputed, the Originator is subject to a series of warranties through NACHA rules. In short, the Bank argued that the receiving bank must honor the ACH, subject to the warranties and the right of return. There is no right of the Receiving Bank to refuse an ACH.

Accordingly, the United States District Court dismissed the class action as to the Bank on the grounds that the receiving bank is obligated to honor all ACH debits, whether originated by crooks or not. Bank wins, class action loses.

This is good news for banks and small ticket lenders which use ACH debits. If the suit was successful, this would curtail credit availability to such small ticket lenders, and make the banks be the policeman and watchdog over all its accounts, a concept which has generally been rejected by the Courts.

The decision also helps advance and industry trend which is more banks are getting involved in the small ticket pay day loan business model. Some banks are creating their own subsidiary to make such loans (which would be exempt from regulation and usury). Other banks simply provide credit lines to such pay day lenders, with corresponding high interest rates and fee income. Some pay day lenders will make public offerings of stock.

I may be an industry hack, but I think there is a place for these high interest short term loans, at least as to persons who are unable to obtain credit elsewhere. Having banks, and companies which provide these banking services, encourages the free flow of credit. So long as the lenders operate with the rule of law, and borrowers exercise good business judgment, these loans should not be regulated out of existence. I also believe that this suit was a class action set up, in other words, the plaintiff borrowed these sums from these lenders with an eye toward suing the customer’s own bank. I could be wrong, but the timing suggests that interpretation.

The bottom line to this case is that the New York federal court has preserved these types of loans for such borrowers and has made it easier for banks to bank these pay day lenders as customers, notwithstanding operation chokepoint. The decision also directly effects, and give countenance to, banks which, while not directly banking pay day lenders, processes debits for such lenders.

Costoso v. Bank of America case
http://www.leasingnews.org/PDF/CostosoBankofAmerica2015.pdf

Tom McCurnin is a partner at Barton, Klugman & Oetting
in Los Angeles, California.

Tom McCurnin
Barton, Klugman & Oetting
350 South Grand Ave.
Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Direct Phone: (213) 617-6129
Cell (213) 268-8291
Email: tmccurnin@bkolaw.com
Visit our web site at www.bkolaw.com
Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org

Previous Tom McCurnin Articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/leasing_cases.html

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National Machine Tool Financial Re-brands to
First Midwest Equipment Finance, $10,000 to $10MM

ITASCA, IL — First Midwest Bank announced the launch of First Midwest Equipment Finance. First Midwest Equipment Finance represents a re-brand of National Machine Tool Financial Corporation, a leasing company founded in 1986 that First Midwest Bank acquired in October, 2014. First Midwest Equipment Finance provides equipment leasing and financing alternatives to traditional bank financing.

The web site states, “…provides financing, leasing, and lending services to businesses and municipalities with “A” through “D” credit profiles throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and South America. Since inception, FMEF has provided nearly $1 billion in financing to over ten thousand customers, also seeks third party originations.

“Financing programs, leases, and loans for equipment costing from $10,000 to $10,000,000+. “Application only” programs (No financials or tax returns required) for equipment up to $350,000 and we generally make a credit decision on these transactions within 24 hours.”

Mark G. Sander
President
First Midwest Bank

"We are extremely pleased that the National Machine Tool team has joined First Midwest Bank, adding equipment leasing to our commercial product offerings. Over the past 30 years, this team has built a solid reputation and a strong business predominantly operating in the manufacturing and industrial equipment leasing and finance markets," said Mark G. Sander, President of First Midwest Bank.

He continued, "We are providing the necessary momentum to expand this business by integrating our commercial leasing operations under the First Midwest name, which will enable us to leverage our sales platforms and enhance client relationships."

Susan Adamatis Rusch remains as Vice-President, Credit.

Chris J. Chiappetta, President of First Midwest Equipment Finance,
commented, “"Joining First Midwest Bank has been a great opportunity for us, and the launch of First Midwest Equipment Finance will allow us to further build the Bank's leasing operations.

"We will continue to utilize the well-known National Machine Tool brand in addition to the First Midwest Equipment Finance name," added Chiappetta.

Reportedly, the Alta Group initiated the transaction and served as exclusive financial advisor to National Machine Tool Financial Corporation in the sale of National Machine Tool Finance Corporation to First Midwest Bank.

Commenting then on the transaction, Chiappetta said, “I now understand why The Alta Group and Bruce Kropschot have such a great reputation in the M & A industry. The Alta Group was extremely helpful in negotiating specific terms of our recent company sale. Bruce Kropschot's in-depth knowledge and experience was vital to a smooth closing. Bruce and The Alta Group have been great consultants and a pleasure to deal with.”

Website: www.netlease.com

(Leasing News provides this ad as a trade for appraisals and equipment valuations provided by Ed Castagna)

News Briefs----

Ex-D’Hanis State Bank president indicted
$6.4MM Alleged Embezzlement plus other bank fraud
http://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/Ex-D-Hanis-State-Bank-president-indicted-6207084.php

Stearns Bank Equipment Finance Division expands
http://www.sctimes.com/story/money/2015/04/16/stearns-bank-equipment-finance-division-expands/25911193/

Competition and Surplus Capital Seem To Be Holding Marlin Business Services Back
http://seekingalpha.com/article/3075906-competition-and-surplus-capital-seem-to-be-holding-marlin-business-services-back

Umpqua Now West Coast Largest Community Bank
http://bankinnovation.net/2015/04/umpqua-completes-core-update/

Xtra Lease to Add 9,000 New Trailers This Year
http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=37980

Air Lease Corp Now Covered by Bank of America (AL)
http://www.wkrb13.com/markets/558507/air-lease-corp-now-covered-by-bank-of-america-al/

Mortgage rates fall as retail sales falter
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/mortgage-analysis-041615.aspx?ic_id=Top_Financial%20News%20Center_link_1

Solar Power Battle Puts Hawaii at Forefront of Worldwide Changes
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/19/business/energy-environment/solar-power-battle-puts-hawaii-at-forefront-of-worldwide-changes.html?src=me&_r=0

((Please Click on Bulletin Board to learn more information))
(Leasing News provides this ad “gratis” as a means
to help support the growth of Lease Police)

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--You May Have Missed It

For $275,000, Garth buys back his truck at Omni Dallas gala
http://www.guidelive.com/acm-awards/2015/04/18/275000-garth-buys-back-truck-omni-dallas-gala

Cop and case worker help homeless man living in a cardboard box find forgotten bank account - with enough social security benefits in it to get him his own HOUSE
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3045383/Cop-case-worker-help-homeless-man-living-cardboard-box-forgotten-bank-account-social-security-benefits-HOUSE.html

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SparkPeople--Live Healthier and Longer

How to Feed a Vegetarian
Meeting the Needs of Meatless Eaters
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1152

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Spring Poem

The Season Of Spring

by Morhardt Carmen Mencita Monoi Angel

the season of spring
weather seems to sing
lovely lovely days
are coming our ways

the season of spring
blooming blossoming
of nature of all kind
let roots unbind

the season of spring
birds unfold their wings
diving high into sky
wish one could fly

the season of spring
careful hearts love sting
reaching out towards others
some persons might bother

the season of spring
nice sound bells ring
new wave new style
faces have on a smile

the season of spring
an new awakening
busy humanity on earth
as if it’s a new birth

listen listen to my words
the season of spring is near
now a look into your lovely eyes
and one can see spring is already here

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Sports Briefs----

Eagles plan to sign Tim Tebow as team's fourth QB on Monday
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/report--eagles-plan-to-sign-tim-tebow-at-fourth-qb-on-monday-230425075.html

Giants unveil 2014 World Series rings
http://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/Giants-unveil-2014-World-Series-rings-6209139.php

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California Nuts Briefs---

Searchable database of Silicon Valley's top 150 companies for 2015
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_27932727/sv150-searchable-database-silicon-valleys-top-150-companies

Silicon Valley, led by Apple, becomes Wall Street's backbone and ATM
http://www.siliconvalley.com/ci_27941929/sv150-silicon-valley-led-by-apple-becomes-wall

For most of the SV150's 30 years, HP dominated
http://www.siliconvalley.com/michelle-quinn/ci_27942059/quinn-most-sv150s-30-years-hp-dominated

California almond growers to expand orchards,
despite drought
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article18716937.html

Residents outraged as Marin History Museum sells artifacts to auction firm
http://www.marinij.com/general-news/20150415/residents-outraged-as-marin-history-museum-sells-artifacts-to-auction-firm

George Lucas proposes 224 units at Grady Ranch
http://www.marinij.com/general-news/20150414/george-lucas-proposes-224-units-at-grady-ranch

New S.F. archive includes stunning photos from 1906 quake
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/New-S-F-archive-includes-stunning-photos-from-6207086.php

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“Gimme that Wine”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

Joseph Phelps, Pioneering California Wine Producer,
Dies at 87
http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/51483

Eighteen Pass the Advanced Sommelier Exam
http://www.winebusiness.com/news/?go=getArticle&dataid=149481

Get ready to celebrate Oregon Wine Month
http://www.pamplinmedia.com/lor/54-my-community/257094-124896-get-ready-to-celebrate-oregon-wine-month-

Sinking Euro and Rising Dollar Make Waves in the Wine Industry
http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/51479

Duckhorn’s Canvasback quickly builds on early success
http://www.greatnorthwestwine.com/2015/04/16/canvasback-podcast/

Lake County's Leading Varieties on the Rise
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?sectio
n=news&content=149743

Free Mobile Wine Program
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Feb2010/2_26.htm#mobile

Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/

US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/

Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm

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     1534 - French explorer Jacques Cartier set sail from St. Malo to explore the North American coastline during which he discovered Canada and Labrador.
    1657 - Asser Levy of New Amsterdam (later New York City) was admitted as a town citizen. Jews were denied the privilege of standing guard and keeping watch, compulsory for all citizens, and Asser Levy and Jacob Barsimson objected to the discrimination. After being denied, Levy appealed. He became a prosperous trader, the first Jew to own land in America, and the first to serve on a jury, in 1671, after the colony had been taken over by the English.
    1718 - Birth of David Brainerd, colonial American missionary to the Indians of New England. Following his premature death from tuberculosis at 29, Brainerd's journal (published in 1649 by the Jonathan Edwards) influenced hundreds to become missionaries after him.
    1775 - British troops began the siege of Boston.
    1777 - New York adopted a new constitution as an independent state.
    1789 – The first Presidential inauguration was held in Philadelphia for President George Washington.
    1799 - Napoleon issues a decree calling for establishing Jerusalem for Jews
    1815 - Boston's Handel and Hayden Society, which claims to be the oldest singing group in the United States, was made up of members of nine Boston churches. It excluded women from membership. However, the chorus of ninety men "permitted" ten women to perform at its first concert 12-25-1815 of Handel's Creation because it was *written* with women's parts and solos. The barring of women was based on the church's rulings that women were not to lead.
The melodies were converted to male voices and women were only allowed to sing harmony. Oddly enough, the society hired Miss Sophia Hewitt, the only woman they have ever employed in its history, as organist and accompanist. She also served as organist at the two major churches in Boston and performed in New York and other parts of New England in concerts and benefits. Following her marriage, the receipts for her pay were signed for by her husband since married women at the time had no legal rights to their own money and could not own property.
    1832 - Hot Springs National Park, the first national park in the United States, was established by an act of Congress. It had been a reservation prior to becoming a national park.
    1836 - Wisconsin Territory is established. Wisconsin, formerly governed as part of the territories of Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, was established as a separate US territory, with Madison, located midway between Milwaukee and the western centers of population, to be founded as the territorial capital. In 1634, French explorer Jean Nicolet landed at Green Bay, becoming the first European to visit the lake-heavy northern region that would later become Wisconsin. In 1763, at the conclusion of the French and Indian Wars, Wisconsin, a major center of the American fur trade, passed into British control. Two decades later, at the end of the American Revolution, the region came under US rule, and was governed as part of the Northwest Territory. However, British fur traders continued to dominate Wisconsin from across the Canadian border, and it was not until the end of the War of 1812 that the region fell firmly under American control. In the first decades of the nineteenth century, settlers began arriving via the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes to exploit Wisconsin's agricultural potential, and in 1832, the Black Hawk War ended Native-American resistance to white settlement. In 1836, after several decades of governance as part of other territories, Wisconsin was made a separate entity. By 1840, population in Wisconsin had risen above 130,000, but the people voted against statehood four times, fearing the higher taxes that would come with a stronger central government. Finally, in 1848, Wisconsin citizens, envious of the prosperity that federal programs brought to neighboring Midwestern states, voted to approve statehood. On 29 April 1848, Wisconsin entered the Union as the thirtieth state.
    1841 - "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," Edgar Allen Poe's first detective story, was published. The story featured C. Auguste Dupin, the first-ever fictional detective. Poe considered his work an example of ratiocination - the process of logical and methodical reasoning.
    1850 - Birthday of American sculptor of Daniel Chester French at Exeter, NH. One of the most important artists of the 19th and early 20th centuries as a sculptor of public monuments, French is best known for his 1875 “Minute Man” statue at Concord, MA, and his 1922 statue of the seated Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial at Washington, DC
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr20.html
    1853 - Harriet Tubman starts Underground Railroad.
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/tubman
http://www.nyhistory.com/harriettubman/life.htm
    1854 - Capt. Creesy sets a world record by sailing from New York to San Francisco in 88 days.
    1861 - Colonel Robert E. Lee resigns from the United States army two days after he was offered command of the Union army and three days after his native state, Virginia, seceded from the Union. Lee opposed secession, but he was a loyal son of Virginia. His official resignation was only one sentence, but he wrote a longer explanation to his friend and mentor, General Winfield Scott, later that day. Lee had fought under Scott during the Mexican War, and he revealed to his former commander the depth of his struggle. Lee interviewed with Scott on April 18, and explained that he would have resigned then "but for the struggle it has cost me to separate myself from a service to which I have devoted the best years of my life and all the ability I possess." Lee expressed gratitude for the kindness shown him by all in the army during his 25-year service, but Lee was most grateful to Scott. "To no one, general, have I been as much indebted as to yourself for uniform kindness and consideration..." He concluded with this poignant sentiment: "Save in the defense of my native State, I never desire again to draw my sword." But draw it he would. Two days later, Lee was appointed commander of Virginia's forces with the rank of major general. He spent the next few months raising troops in Virginia, and in July, he was sent to western Virginia to advise Confederate commanders struggling to maintain control over the mountainous region. Lee did little to build his reputation there as the Confederates experienced a series of setbacks, and he returned to Richmond when the Union gained control of the area. The next year, Lee assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia after General Joseph Johnston was wounded in battle. Lee quickly turned the tables on Union General George B. McClellan, as he would several other commanders of the Army of the Potomac. His brilliance as a battlefield tactician earned him a place among the great military leaders of all time.
    1865 - Safety matches advertised for the first time.
    1871 - Ku Klux Klan Act passed by US Congress. With passage of the Third Force Act, popularly known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, Congress authorized President Ulysses S. Grants to use military force against the Ku Klux Klan. Founded in 1865 by a group of Confederate veterans, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) rapidly grew from a secret social fraternity to a paramilitary force bent on reversing the federal government's progressive Reconstruction Era-activities in the South, especially in regard to the region's African-American population. The name of the Ku Klux Klan was derived from the Greek word kuklos, meaning circle, and clann, a Scottish Gaelic word for the traditional tribal units of Scotland that reflected the Scottish ancestry of many of the KKK's founding members. Under a platform of philosophized white racial superiority, the group employed violence as a means of pushing back the radical reforms underway in the post-Civil War South. Thriving in counties where the two political parties or races were relatively balanced, the KKK engaged in terrorist raids against African-Americans and white Southern Republicans at night, employing intimidation, destruction of property, assault, and murder to achieve its aims and influence upcoming elections.
    1880 - Sacramento, California had its heaviest 24 hour rainfall when 7.24 inches fell.
    1893 - Harold Lloyd, a comic genius of early American film, was born at Burchard, NE. Lloyd began acting at 20 years of age, and his career took off when he teamed with producer Hal Roach in the comic “Lonesome Luke” shorts (1916-1917). Lloyd then created the “glasses” character: the boy-next-door whose distinguishing feature was his round horn spectacles. This character thrilled audiences in “daredevil” comedy featuring dangerous stunts. (Lloyd never used a double). Lloyd’s hits included “Safety Last” (1923), where he dangled from a building’s clock face, “The Freshman” (1925) and “Speedy” (1928), the biggest box-office star of the 1930s. Lloyd survived with lesser success in the talkie 1930s. He was given an honorary Oscar in 1953 for being a “master comedian and good citizen.” Lloyd died on March 8, 1971 in Hollywood, Ca.
    1908 – Vibraharp/Bank Leader Lionel Hampton birthday. The jazz great was born at Louisville, KY. Hampton started out on piano and rums, but Louis Armstrong urged him to take up the vibraphone in 1930. Hampton went on to make that his signature instrument. He recorded and played with Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, and other legends, before becoming a bandleader himself. He played almost up until his death on August 31, 2002, at New York, NY.
    1901 - A spring snowstorm dumped very heavy snow over northeastern Ohio. Warren was buried under 35.5 inches in 36 hours and 28 inches fell at Green Hill. Akron established April snowfall records with 15.6 inches in 24 hours and 26.6 inches for the month.
    1912 - After two days of rain, the first game ever is finally played at Fenway Park with a comeback eleven-inning Red Sox win over the New York Highlanders, 7-6.
    1912 – Tiger Stadium in Detroit, originally known as Navin Field, opened to the Tigers 6-5 win over the Cleveland Indians. Long gone, it was the site of Babe Ruth’s 700th career HR and Roger Maris’ first of the 1961 season.
    1916 - In Chicago, the Cubs play their first game at Weeghman Park beating the Reds in 11 innings, 7-6. The ballpark will be renamed Wrigley Field in 1926.
    1918 – Baron Manfred von Richthofen, a.k.a. The Red Baron, shot down his 79th and 80th victims, his final victories before his death the following day.
    1920 - Tornadoes in Mississippi and Alabama killed 219 persons.
    1923 - Birthday of Tito Puente, The King of the Mambo—or “El Rey” ---was born Ernesto Antonia Puente, Jr. at Spanish Harlem, New York City, to Puerto Rican parents. The legendary Puente had a career that spanned more than six decades, starting in 1937. He popularized the timbale, but played many percussion instruments and was also a composer, arranger and bandleader. His album “Dance Mania” (1948) was an international bestseller, and he released more than 100 albums. His song “Oye Corno Va” was covered by Carlos Santana and has become a classic. Puente won five Grammies, was inducted into the Jazz and Hispanic Halls of Fame and received a Smithsonian Lifetime achievement Award. President Jimmy Carter pronounced him “The Goodwill Ambassador of Latin American Music. “ Puente died on May 31, 2000, at New York, NY.
    1931 - On Okeh Records, Louis Armstrong recorded, "When It’s Sleepy Time Down South", which would be his theme song for decades. The song was recorded in Chicago, Illinois.
    1934 - Child actress Shirley Temple's first major movie, “Stand Up and Cheer”, was released to New York theaters on this date. It was the beginning of the most successful child actor's career in the history of Hollywood.
    1939 - Ted Williams made his major league debut for the Boston Red Sox, getting one double in four at-bats, as the Sox lost to the New York Yankees, 2-0.
    1939 - Billie Holiday records Strange Fruit.
    1939 - New York World's Fair opens
    1939 - Country-pop singer Johnny Tillotson was born in Jacksonville, Florida. Between 1958 and 1965, he had more than 25 records on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart, including "Poetry in Motion," "Without You" and "Talk Back Trembling Lips."
    1939 - Birthday of Katherine V. Forrest in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She is a novelist and editor whose erotic lesbian novel “Curious Wine” has sold more copies than any lesbian-centered novel since “Well of Loneliness”. She crossed over to mainstream novels using some lesbian characters, especially a mystery series that features a Los Angeles detective. The detective series is strong on technical police work.
    1945 - Soviet troops enter Berlin.
    1945 - US 7th Army and Allied forces capture Nuremberg and Stuttgart in Germany.
    1945 - Allied bombers cut off German retreat in Italy as Hitler celebrates his birthday. Allied bombers in Italy begin Operation Corncob, a three-day attack on the bridges over the rivers Adige and Brenta to cut off German lines of retreat on the peninsula.
Meanwhile, Adolf Hitler, who has only 10 more days to live, celebrates his 56th birthday as a Gestapo reign of terror results in the hanging of 20 Russian prisoners of war and 20 Jewish children. Of these, at least nine are under the age of 12. All of the victims had been taken from Auschwitz to Neuengamme, the place of execution, for the purpose of medical experimentation.
    1945 - American forces liberated Buchenwald. 350 Americans were imprisoned at Berga, a sub-camp of Buchenwald, following their Dec, 1944, capture at the Battle of the Bulge. Charles Guggenheim's (d.2002) last documentary film was title "Berga."
    1945 - HAYASHI, JOE, Medal of Honor
Private Joe Hayashi distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 20 and 22 April 1945, near Tendola, Italy. On 20 April 1945, ordered to attack a strongly defended hill that commanded all approaches to the village of Tendola, Private Hayashi skillfully led his men to a point within 75 yards of enemy positions before they were detected and fired upon. After dragging his wounded comrades to safety, he returned alone and exposed himself to small arms fire in order to direct and adjust mortar fire against hostile emplacements. Boldly attacking the hill with the remaining men of his squad, he attained his objective and discovered that the mortars had neutralized three machine guns, killed 27 men, and wounded many others. On 22 April 1945, attacking the village of Tendola, Private Hayashi maneuvered his squad up a steep, terraced hill to within 100 yards of the enemy. Crawling under intense fire to a hostile machine gun position, he threw a grenade, killing one enemy soldier and forcing the other members of the gun crew to surrender. Seeing four enemy machine guns delivering deadly fire upon other elements of his platoon, he threw another grenade, destroying a machine gun nest. He then crawled to the right flank of another machine gun position where he killed four enemy soldiers and forced the others to flee. Attempting to pursue the enemy, he was mortally wounded by a burst of machine pistol fire. The dauntless courage and exemplary leadership of Private Hayashi enabled his company to attain its objective. Private Hayashi’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.
    1948 - Labor leader Walter Reuther is shot and seriously wounded by would-be assassins. Reuther was previously victim of an attempted abduction in April 1938. His brother Victor was shot & nearly at his home by police in 1949. In 1949 the UAW’s headquarters in Detroit was bombed .He later died in a plane crash in 1970 (of the media reports apparently only one paper addressed the possibility that he may have been murdered; In October 1968, both Walter and his brother Victor were almost killed in a small private plane near Dulles Airport).
http://www.is.wayne.edu/mnissani/media/reuther.htm
    1949 - Willie Shoemaker won his first race as a jockey aboard Shafter V at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, CA -- not far from San Francisco.
    1950 - Top Hits
“If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake” - Eileen Barton
“Music, Music, Music” - Teresa Brewer
“Peter Cottontail” - Gene Autry
“Long Gone Lonesome Blues” - Hank Williams
    1951 - Luther Vandross is born in New York City. His biggest pop hit is “Power of Love/Love Power,'' which hits No. 4 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1991. The album “Power of Love'' reaches No. 1 on both Billboard's pop and R&B album charts.
    1952 - The tankers Esso Suez and Esso Greensboro crashed in a thick fog off the coast of Morgan City, LA. Only five of the Greensboro's crew survived after the ship bursts into flame.
    1957 - Westinghouse first to use FORTRAN computer language. The Westinghouse-Bettis nuclear power plant became the first commercial users of FORTRAN, soon to be the dominant computer language for scientific applications. FORTRAN, or Formula Translator, was the first widely used high-level computer language. Developed by IBM researcher John Backus, FORTRAN greatly simplified programming by translating simple English instructions into machine language, saving the programmer hundreds of steps.
    1957 - Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" starts an eight week stay at the top of the US record charts. Songwriter Otis Blackwell would later say that he wrote the tune at the suggestion of an associate who was shaking a bottle of Pepsi. The song went on to be the biggest single of 1957, selling over 2 million copies.
    1958 - Top Hits
“He’s Got the Whole World (In His Hands)” - Laurie London
“Book of Love” - The Monotones
“Don’t You Just Know It” - Huey (Piano) Smith & The Clowns
“Oh Lonesome Me” - Don Gibson
    1959 - CBS-TV's "Desilu Playhouse" presented a two-part show titled, "The Untouchables" starring Robert Stack. When the program became a weekly show in 1959, Stack became a star. It ran until 1963 and beyond in re-runs. Based on the memoir of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, it fictionalized Ness' experiences as a Prohibition agent, fighting crime in Chicago in the 1930s with the help of a special team of agents handpicked for their courage, moral character and incorruptibility, nicknamed the Untouchables. The book was later made into a film in 1987 by Brian DePalma with a script by David Mamet, and a second less successful TV series in 1993. A powerful, hard-hitting crime drama, and a landmark police series, “The Untouchables” won series star Robert Stack an Emmy for Best Actor in 1960.
    1959 - Goldband Records releases "Puppy Love" by Dolly Parton, a song that was recorded two years earlier when she was just eleven years old. The record will flop and Dolly would have to wait until 1967 to make her first Billboard chart appearance.
    1960 - Elvis Presley's return to Hollywood to film "G.I. Blues" is greeted by tremendous fanfare. Of course, it's the top story on the nightly news and even makes page one of the local newspapers.
    1961 - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved FM stereo broadcasting, but it would be another five or six years before FM stations went ‘underground’ to attract listeners tired of poor audio quality on AM stations. Until then, FM stations broadcast in monaural sound.
    1961 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Runaway,'' Del Shannon. Shannon is the first artist to take a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney onto the U.S. pop charts. His version of “From Me to You'' hits the Hot 100 on June 29, 1963, before the release of the Beatles debut American single, “I Want to Hold Your Hand.''
    1962 - The New Orleans Citizens Committee gives free one-way ride to blacks to move North.
    1963 - The movie soundtrack album of “West Side Story” hit Number 1 on the pop LP chart and stayed there for 2 weeks: music by Leonard Bernstein, libretto/lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and conception and choreography by Jerome Robbins. It was inspired by Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”.
    1963 - Ricky (he wasn’t Rick yet) Nelson married Kris Harmon, daughter of Tom Harmon, the 1940 Heisman Trophy Winner from the University of Michigan. Six months later, on October 25th, Tracy Kristine Nelson was born at St. John's Hospital near Santa Monica.
    1964 - The Elvis Presley movie “Viva Las Vegas'' premieres.
    1966 - Top Hits
“The Ballad of the Green Berets” - SSgt Barry Sadler
“(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration” - The Righteous Brothers
“Daydream” - The Lovin’ Spoonful
“I Want to Go with You” - Eddy Arnold
    1968 - Pierre Elliott Trudeau sworn-in as Canada's PM
    1968 - The Rolling Stones record "Jumpin' Jack Flash", which will reach #1 in the UK and #3 in the US by next July.
    1969 - Ken Harrelson almost quit Major League baseball when he found out he was being traded from the Boston Red Sox, an American League contender, to the Cleveland Indians, a perennial American League non-contender. He stayed for money and played for Cleveland after all.
    1969 - On the site of a parking lot owned by the University of California, Berkeley a diverse group of people came together, each freely contributing their skills and resources to create People’s Park. This is to be the site of a student revolution.
    1971 - The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the use of busing to achieve racial desegregation in schools.
    1971 - Barbra Streisand records "We've Only Just Begun"
    1974 - Top Hits
“TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)” - MFSB featuring The Three Degrees
“Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me” - Gladys Knight & The Pips
“The Loco-Motion” - Grand Funk
“A Very Special Love Song” - Charlie Rich
    1977 - The theme song from the TV show “Soul Train” called TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia) topped the Billboard Hot 100.
    1979 - It was reported Johnny Carson was leaving "The Tonight Show". Newspapers in the United States offered ideas why the comedian and late-night host was unhappy after 17 years on the show. More money, more vacation time and a four-day week (he got Mondays off) was just what ‘The Great Carsoni’ needed to stay at NBC for another 12 years.
    1980 - 84 year old George Burns, who starred in the movie “Oh God” with John Denver, reaches the Billboard Hot 100 with "I Wish I Was 18 Again".
    1982 - Top Hits
“I Love Rock ’N’ Roll” - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
“We Got the Beat” - Go-Go’s
“Chariots of Fire” - Titles - Vangelis
“The Clown” - Conway Twitty
    1982 - With a 4-2 win over the Reds, the Braves record their 12th consecutive victory to establish a major-league record for the most victories from the beginning of the season. The previous mark had been set a year earlier by the Oakland A's. The Braves, under Manager Joe Torre, won the NL West Division title.
    1983 - President Ronald Reagan signs a $165 billion bail-out for Social Security
    1984 - A temperature of 106 degrees in Del Rio, Texas set a new record high for April.
    1986 - Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls scored a record 63 points in the NBA Playoffs against the Boston Celtics. This NBA Playoffs record included two overtime periods.
    1986 - Pianist Vladimir Horowitz gave his first concert in the Soviet Union for 61 years. He had emigrated in 1925.
    1987 - "Starlight Express", the roller-skating musical, posted the largest week’s gross in the history of Broadway, earning $606,081 at the box office. The revival of "The King and I" starring Yul Brynner was the old record holder in 1985.
    1987 - In Columbus, OH, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was organized, making it the largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S. It represented the merger of three smaller Lutheran bodies, and was officially born on Jan 1, 1988.
    1987 - Fifty-two cities in the central and eastern U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. The high of 92 degrees at Memphis, TN was a record for April, and the high of 94 at Little Rock, AR equaled their April record.
    1988 - Helen Thayer, New Zealand-born American reaches the North Pole on foot and on skis with no mechanical assists. Using a rope attached to her belt, she pulled a sled which held her tent and all her food (and her dog’s food). Her sole companion was a husky who would warn her when polar bears were approaching. (The big bears are absolutely silent when they attack.) Temperatures in storms dropped to minus 100 degrees. The 345-mile, 27-day journey marked the first time a woman had reached the North Pole alone. Thayer, a mountain climber and U.S. Luge Champion in 1975, was 50 years old at the time. In 1990 she would serve as the leader of the first International U.S./Soviet Arctic Women's expedition.
The website at
http://www.goals.com/thayer/expfrm.htm
that explains the arctic trip in detail.
    1988 - Claudell Washington hits the 10,000th home run in Yankee history.
    1988 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,'' Whitney Houston.
    1989 - Hot weather spread from the southwestern U.S. into the Great Plains Region. Twenty-three cities reported new record high temperatures for the date. The afternoon high of 104 degrees at Tucson, AZ was an April record, and highs of 87 at Provo, UT, 90 at Pueblo, CO, and 85 at Salt Lake City, UT, equaled April records.
    1990 - Top Hits
“I’ll Be Your Everything” - Tommy Page
“Don’t Wanna Fall in Love” - Jane Child
“Nothing Compares 2 U” - Sinead O’Connor
“Five Minutes” - Lorrie Morgan
    1990 - A fast moving Pacific storm produced heavy snow in the central mountains and the Upper Arkansas Valley of Colorado, with a foot of snow reported at Leadville. Thunderstorms in the south central U.S. produced wind gusts to 76 mph at Tulsa, OK, and heavy rain which caused flooding of Cat Claw Creek in the Abilene, TX area. Lightning struck the building housing a fish farm in Scott, AR killing 10,000 pounds of fish. Many of the fish died from the heat of the fire.
    1991 - Wendy and Carnie Wilson, daughters of The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, along with Chynna Phillips, daughter of The Mamas and Papas' John Phillips, combined their talents to hit #1 on the Billboard singles chart for the third time with "You're In Love".
    1992 - 100th episode of "Murphy Brown" airs
    1996 - In a case that sparked an uproar reminiscent of the Rodney King case in Los Angeles, two Riverside County, Calif., sheriff's deputies were videotaped repeatedly clubbing a Mexican man and woman after a 70-mile highway chase involving a pickup truck suspected of sneaking across the border.
    1997 - Mark McGwire becomes the fourth major leaguer to hit a home run over the left field roof at Tiger Stadium. The A's first baseman joins Harmon Killebrew (1962), Frank Howard (1968), and Cecil Fielder (1990) as the only players to accomplish the feat.
    1998 - Digital TV and Internet over copper wires. US West announced it would deliver digital TV programming and high-speed Internet access using traditional copper telephone wires. The company said it would first offer the service, called VDSL (Variable Digital Subscriber Lines), in Phoenix, providing some 120 television channels, forty digital music channels, Internet access, and telephone services through television sets.
    1999 - At Columbine High School, Littleton, CO, students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 12 other students, a teacher and then themselves. 24 were seriously wounded.
    1999 - Billy Joel performs what he says is his last public pop music concert at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. He plans on devoting his efforts to classical music.
    2006 - Appearing as a pinch hitter at PETCO Park, Julio Franco becomes the oldest major leaguer to hit a home run. The 47-year, 240 days old’s eighth inning blast, which put the Mets ahead in their 7-2 victory over the Padres, surpasses Jack Quinn who accomplish the feat as a pitcher for the Philadelphia A’s at the age of 46 years, 357 days.
    2006 - As the Nationals beat the Phillies, 10-4, Frank Robinson becomes the 53rd manager to win 1000 big league games. The first black skipper in Major League history, who has also been the dugout leader for the Indians, Giants, Orioles, and Expos, has compiled a 1,000-1,095 in 16 seasons.
    2006 - Up to five feet of snow falls in the Dakotas. I-94 and other highways were closed, power was out for thousands and caused at least four deaths.
    2008 – Danica Patrick became the first female driver to win an Indy car race, winning the Japan 300.
    2010 – In the Gulf of Mexico, BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded, killing eleven workers and beginning an oil spill that would last six months. It is the largest oil spill in American waters. Damage estimates approached $200 billion.
Stanley Cup Champions
    1958 - Montréal Canadiens

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