GoFundMe for John McManigal Reaching $100,000
CEO and Founder of MEDCAP Asset Finance

https://www.gofundme.com/qmv424-the-mcmanigal-family

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Can You Run Credit Reports on Job Applicants
The Answer is Yes, Except in Certain States

By Tom McCurnin,
Leasing News Legal Editor,
and John Rubiner, Esq.

In re Uber FCRA Litig. (N.D.Cal. June 29, 2017, No. 14-cv-05200-EMC) 2017 U.S.Dist.LEXIS 101552. 
Mitchell v. Winco Foods, LLC 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 188325 (D. Idaho 2017)
Frazier v. Vintage Stock, Inc. (W.D.Okla. Nov. 28, 2016, No. CIV-15-550-D) 2016 U.S.Dist.LEXIS 163529.

Today’s case is not a leasing case, but an employment case and teaches readers that it may illegal in your state to run credit reports on job applicants, except for specific positions of trust. The facts follow.

Uber is a shared ride company and hires both independent contractors and employees. In instances of employees it followed the applicable law in California. It did not do so for independent contractors. In the Frazer case, the consent was obtained but in a stand-alone agreement.  

The holdings are not terribly important. But what is important is that employers may not run credit reports or background checks on job applicants except under certain circumstances. The rights of an employer to run these types of reports will depend on the state in which the employment is offered, the employment position being applied for, and when in the hiring process the investigative report is run. Sounds complicated, doesn’t it? 

The starting point is the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This statute requires that before a credit report is run on a prospective employee, the employee must consent in a separate document, which has been interpreted as requiring a stand-alone signed form. It should be noted that a “background check” is something different than a credit report. 

Under the FCRA, the applicant must be given a copy of the report if employment is refused, essentially similar to an adverse action letter in the world of credit underwriting. If the report is inaccurate, then the employee has the right to seek correction of the entries. There is no legal requirement that the position be kept open to allow the applicant to correct the entries. 

However, in addition to the federal law, eleven states and a few municipalities have enacted stronger, more restrictive laws on running such credit and investigative reports. These are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, New York City, and Chicago. The provisions of these jurisdictions are not uniform, but California is a good example for purposes of discussion.

There are two legislative acts in play, the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA), and the California Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act (CCRAA). Other states have similar laws on the books. 

Generally, an employer may only run credit checks during the application process with the consent of the applicant if the position is in law enforcement, a management position, in specialized parts of banks or credit card companies, involves possession of trade secrets, or handling more than $10,000 in cash. The consent form must comply with the statute and indicate which of the above exceptions are applicable. The employee may receive a free copy of the credit check, and if an adverse action is taken by the employer based on the report (denial of the job), the employee must be notified of the name and address of the reporting agency making the report. 

Then there is the “ban the box” movement. Under the Fair Employment and Housing Council Regulations, employers are prohibited from asking an applicant whether he or she has been convicted of a crime, subject to some vague policy exceptions. These policy exceptions require the employer to tailor the request for criminal information to “demonstrable performance on the job” and to consider “the person’s fitness for the specific position.” 

Assuming the criminal record is important to the job (the burden to show this will be on the employer), the employer must:

• Give notice to the applicant that they have been screened out because of a conviction;
• Give the applicant a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate that the exclusion should not be applied due to their particular circumstances; and
• Consider whether the additional information provided by the candidate or otherwise obtained by the employer warrants an exception to the exclusion and shows that the policy as applied is not job-related and consistent with business necessary

For those applicants who don’t fall within the above exceptions, the California employer may only run a credit report after the applicant has been conditionally accepted, with the offer of employment subject only to the credit check. 

If the employer conducts the background checks itself, ICRAA requires that the employee must receive a copy of the public records within seven days

Readers may wonder what the rationale is for banning credit checks, because such reports would be useful to screen potential employees. 

Employers are increasingly running credit checks on job applicants and using that information to make hiring decisions. The Society of Human Resources Management survey reported that 60% of employers get credit reports on applicants for some or all positions.  And there is good reason for employers to do so, because the credit report shows the applicant’s identifying information, including name(s), address, previous names and addresses, and social security number(s). It also shows the total debt the applicant has, including credit card debt, mortgage and car payments, student and other loans, and your payment history- including late payments.  Some reports may show criminal convictions and bankruptcy filings. 

Eleven states have passed laws limiting the use of employment credit checks. State laws to limit employer credit checks were enacted in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Cities, including New York City and Chicago, have restricted credit checks as well. Some of these states have broad exemptions for employees handling cash or goods, for employees with access to financial information, for management positions, and for law enforcement positions. The rationale for these bans on credit checks include the claim that credit history is not relevant to employment, employment credit checks create barriers to opportunity and upward mobility, can exacerbate racial discrimination, and can lead to invasions of privacy. Credit bureau reports have a 12% inaccuracy. 

The problem with credit reports effects low to moderate income workers more than higher executive types. The lower income applicants tend to have prior unemployment, medical debt and lack of health coverage. The credit score has little relevance to job performance. 

Most often, credit checks are used for applicants to jobs that deal with money. Bank, accounting, law enforcement, and positions where confidentiality is important are the types of employers who may seek credit verification on their potential employees. Many states have exemptions for these types of positions. 

In some of the more restrictive states, the employer can only run a credit check on an applicant after a conditional offer of employment has been made. At that point, the employer may then notify the applicant that a conditional offer of employment has been made, subject to a background check. Of course, if the background check comes back with adverse information, the employer must disclose the adverse information and the source. The applicant has 10 days to dispute the information. 

Even if the employer is not in one of the eight more restrictive states, the FCRA is applicable and requires written disclosure and consent in a stand-alone document, stating:

“a person may not procure a consumer report … for employment purposes … unless: (i) a clear and conspicuous disclosure has been made in writing to the consumer at any time before the report is procured or caused to be procured, in a document that consists solely of the disclosure, that a consumer report may be obtained for employment purposes; and (ii) the consumer has authorized in writing.”

What are the takeaways here?

• First, Be Aware That Some States Restrict the Employer’s Ability to Run Credit Reports. These states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. If your company is located in these states, seek the advice of competent employment counsel. 

• Second, If the Employer is Located in These States, Some Caution Needs to be Exercised. Both Vermont and California have stringent laws on their books relative to these types of credit reports.  Again, seek the advice of competent counsel. 

• Third, Consider Whether You Really Need To Run A Credit Report. Is it really necessary for the employment decision? Are you ruling out potentially good employees?

• Fourth, If You Run Credit Reports, Make Sure You Comply With The FCRA And State Law. Make sure you are handling the information confidentially and are ensuring that applicants sign all appropriate forms
 
• Fifth, Be Careful About “Ban The Box” Legislation.States and municipalities around the country have passed “ban the box” legislation. Be careful before asking about an applicant’s criminal background.  Find out if the state or municipality where the employee will work has such legislation. Also, for each position, think through whether a criminal background makes and difference and why 

The bottom line is that there is a growing trend across the nation to restrict employers’ use of background information in making hiring decisions – including credit checks and criminal history. If you are not in place that restricts or limits the use of the information, it is probably coming. Consequently, each time you look to hire someone, think through the information you need, how that information will impact your decision-making and why you need the information. 

Tom McCurnin and John Rubiner are partners 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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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

 

 

Frank Annello was hired as Director, at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Dallas, Texas as Asset Finance Professional Marine/Aircraft/Rail/Transportation/IT/Manufacturing. Previously, he was Vice President and Area Sales Manager, U.S. Bank (April, 2013 - December, 2017); Vice President, Wells Fargo Bank (2006 - 2013); Vice President, Bank of America (2000 - March, 2005); Vice President, GE Capital (January, 1998 - 2000). Education: Marquette University, business Administration and Management, General (2000 - 2001). Texas A&M University, Bachelor's Degree (1993 - 1997).  Activities and Societies: Football and Acting.  Summa cum Laude. https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-annello-91638121/

Shannah (Fitzgerald) Berger was promoted to Inside Sales Manager, First Lease, Inc., Horsham, Pennsylvania. She joined the firm October, 2006, as Staffing Specialist; promoted October, 2006, Operations Supervisor; promoted, March, 2015, Senior Accounts Manager, Sales. Prior, she was Staffing Specialist, Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation (2003 - 2006).  Community Service: Volunteer: Assistant Coach, Norwood Athletic Club (August, 2016 - Present).  Troop Leader, Girl Scouts of Southeastern, Pennsylvania (September, 2017 - Present).  Education:  a Salle University, BA, Communications, Psychology (1999 - 2003). https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannah-berger-1018a120/

Rob Black was hired as Sales Executive, Bryn Mawr Equipment Finance.   Previously, he was Sales Executive, Royal Bank America Leasing, L.P. (2006 - December, 2017); Sales Executive, Primary Financial Corp. (1995 - 2006).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-black-1769b222/

Anthony Burke was hired as Senior Credit Manager, Huntington Technology Finance, Inc., Bloomfield Hills, Minnesota. Previously, he was Senior Credit Officer, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance (June, 2008 - December, 2017); Senior Risk Analyst, GE Capital, Fleet (October, 2003 - May, 2008); Assistant Vice President, Inside Sales, Textron Financial (October,2001 - October, 2003); Business Development Manager, CitiCapital (August, 2000 - October, 2001); Western U.S. Risk Manager, Conseco (July, 1998 - July, 2000); Sales/Operations Manager, New Holland Credit (1990 - 1998); CSR, Ford Motor Credit Company (1988 - 1990); Defensive Tackle, Arizona Cardinals Football Club (when they were located in St. Louis). (1987). Community Service: Volunteer: Board Member/Commissioner, Eden Prairie Football Association (November, 2009 - Present).  Board Member, V3 Proud Sports Tri Team (September, 2007 - May, 2013). Board Member, University of Minnesota Goal Line Club (May, 2012). Education:  University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.  Bachelor of Arts (BA), Economics. Activities and Societies: University of Minnesota Varsity Football Member.  Hopkins High.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-burke-402b367/

Dan DeFrancesco was promoted to Corporate Controller, Direct Capital, a Division of CIT Bank, N.A.  He joined the firm February, 2014, as Accounting Manager; promoted January, 2015, Assistant Vice President, Accounting; promoted, May, 2017, Vice President, Accounting. He began his career at Zwicker & Associates, P.C., January, 2001 as Collection Specialist; promoted February, Staff Accountant/Financial Analyst; promoted January, 2006, Accounting Manager; promoted September, 2010, Director of Finance. Community Service: Volunteer: Bib Brothers Big Sisters of America (June, 2016 - Present.). Education: Southern New Hampshire University, Master of Science (MS), Accounting (2011 - 2014); University of New Hampshire, Whittemore School of Business and Economics, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Accounting (1998 - 2001).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-defrancesco-40aa8520/

Keith Hachey was hired as National Accounts Development Director, Americorp Financial, LLC, Greater Detroit Area. Previously, he was Vice President, Business Development Officer, Lease Corporation of America (July, 2009 - December, 2017); Vice President, Sales Manager, Banc of America Leasing (September, 2004 - July, 2009); Sales Executive, Lease Corporation of America (September, 2002 - October, 2004). He started at Fleet Capital Leasing as Asset Management Specialist II, February, 1997; promoted June, 2001, Relationship Manager. Prior he was Portfolio Specialist II, Sanwa Leasing Corporation (September, 1995 - February, 1997).  Education: Central Michigan University. Oakland University.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-hachey-484bb810/

Michael Losey has been hired as Portfolio Management, Envision Capital Group, Laguna Hills, California. Previously, he was Chief Operating Officer, SOLVE Capital Group, June, 2015 - December, 2017);  Chief Operations Officer, Strada Capital Corporation (October 2012 – April 2015); Director of Portfolio Management, Five Point Capital (December 2009 – January 2012); Director, Portfolio Management, Balboa Capital (July 1996 – December 2009); Collector, Amplicon Financial (1994 –1996); Legal Manager, Orix Credit Alliance (1992 – 1994); Collector, Circle Business Credit (1988 – 1992); Sr. Assistant Manager, Household Finance (1986 – 1988); Tank Commander, United States Marine Corps (1982 – 1986). Community Service: Volunteer: Saddleback Church (January, 1998 - January, 2014). https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-losey-82422912/

D. Bryant Mitchell was hired as Executive Vice President, Capital Markets, F.N.B Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began his career at PNC, January, 1981 rising to Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer, PNC Capital Markets, May, 1998; promoted Executive Vice President, January, 2000; promoted EVP and Regional Executive, PNC Public Finance, June, 2005; Executive Vice President, Regional Executive, May, 2012. Community Service: Volunteer: President, Cooper-Siegel Community Library (January, 2015 - Present) (Served on Board for over ten years.  Heavily involved in efforts to build new facility, which opened in 2011).  Board Member, Family Resources, an organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse. (April, 2014 - Present). https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbryantmitchell/

Kayla Perlinger, CLFP, was promoted to Broker Relations Supervisor/Sales Analyst, Stearns Bank, St. Cloud, Minnesota. She joined the firm October, 2011, as Senior Credit Analyst; promoted October, 2014, Senior Syndication, Analyst. Prior, she was Digital Creation & Distribution, CM Group Holdings, Inc. aka Creative Memories, joining the firm September, 2007; promoted June, 2011, Marketing Analyst. Accomplishments: Certified Lease & Finance Professional/CLFP Foundation.  Excel 2013 Essential Training, License 2BBC22. Honors & Awards: Chris Walker Memorial Member of the Year. Education: St. Cloud State University, Bachelor's Degree, Economics. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-perlinger-clfp-3a141533/

Kelli Roussos-Smith was hired as Operations Manager/Attorney, Bridge Funding Group, a BankUnited Company, Baltimore, Maryland.  Previously, she was Attorney/Capital Markets Documentation Manager, City National Capital Finance (June, 2017 - December, 2017); Vice President of Operations/Attorney, MB Equipment Finance, LLC (October, 2012 - August 2016); Law Clerk for the Hon. John C. Themelis, Circuit Court for Baltimore City (August, 2008 - March, 2010). Education: University of Baltimore School of Law, Juris Doctor (2005 - 2008).  Loyola College in Maryland, Bachelor's degree, English Language and Literature, General (2001 - 2005). https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-roussos-smith-8bb52526/

Anthony J. Salm is now Managing Partner, Lexant Capital Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio. Previously, he was Senior Managing Director, Co-Founder, Iron City Capital Funding, LLC (March, 2016 - December, 2017); Managing Director, Patriot Equipment Finance (July, 2011 - December, 2014); Senior Vice President, CG Commercial Finance (July 2014 – December 2014); Regional V.P. Ohio Operations, First National Capital (January 2005 – July 2011); Regional Sales Manager, Tokia Bank (1994 – 1996). Education: Cornell University Financial Management Certification (2014 – 2014); Ashington University, Executive MBA Studies, Strategic Market Management (2003 – 2004). Concordia College, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.). Northern Michigan University, Business Administration and Management, General. Activities and Societies: Varsity Wrestling Team, Scholarship. General. St. Edward High School, June, 1986 (College Preparatory).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-j-salm-b523ab7/

Mike Wright was hired as Senior Vice President, National Sales Director, Midland Equipment Finance, a Division of Midland States Bank, Clayton, Missouri. He is located in the Greater Nashville Area, Tennessee.  Previously, he was Senior Vice President, National Sales Manager, Scottrade (January, 2013 - December, 2017); Vice President, TCF Equipment Finance (February, 2009 -January, 2013); Vice President, division Head, Banco Popular de Puerto Rick (January, 2007 - February, 2009); Vice President, U.S. Bank (January, 1994 - January, 2006); Account Executive, Credit Agricole de la Touraine et du Poitou (January, 1993 - January, 1994); Area Manager, AT&T Capital Corporation (January, 1991 - January, 1993); President, Asher Capital Corporation (January, 1987 - January, 1991); Account Executive, Bankers Leasing Corporation (January, 1985 - January, 1997). Community Service: Volunteer: President, Mount Juliet Little League (January, 2004 - January, 2007). Education: Fountain Gate Theological Seminary, Theology Studies (1982 - 1984).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimdenning/
   

Dale R. Davis
President
Endeavor Financial Services
DDavis@EndeavorFS.net
(877) 727-4327, ext. 207
(877) 337-3227
www.EndeavorFS.net

Dale joined the Leasing News Advisor Board on January 26, 2007. He has been active in the vehicle and equipment leasing business since 1978.

Dale was the President of the National Vehicle Leasing Association (NVLA) in 2005-2006. He was presented with the association’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2007.

Dale is a contributing author to “Foundations of Leasing", an industry publication. He is also active with local community groups and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Dale is married and has four children.

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Where Have All the Men Gone?
Bloomberg Report on Employment Age Participation

Bloomberg reports, "“The participation rate of prime-age workers – those 25 to 54 years old – tells a more complete picture than the main unemployment rate. Just after World War II, 97 percent of working-age men were participating in the labor force – either employed or actively searching for a job. That number has steadily decreased and is today at 88.5 percent."

"That means one out of every nine men is not only unemployed, but has given up looking for work. Since the unemployment rate only takes into account people actively in the workforce, those not
participating are left out of that calculation. That’s how you can have an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent for prime-age males, but also have 11.5 percent of that cohort not in the workforce.

"As things stand now, the participation rate for all males will continue to decline, according to Congressional Budget Office projections. Even adjusted to exclude the effects of an aging population, which accounts for a large share of the decline in the overall participation rate, the rate is still expected to fall over the next 25 years.”

– Catarina Saraiva and Steve Matthews, Reporters, Bloomberg.

 

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The Beige Book January Report
Economy Continues to Expand

 Overall Economic Activity

Reports from the 12 Federal Reserve Districts indicated that the economy continued to expand from late November through the end of the year, with 11 Districts reporting modest to moderate gains and Dallas recording a robust increase.

The outlook for 2018 remains optimistic for a majority of contacts across the country. Most Districts reported that non-auto retail sales expanded since the last report and that auto sales were mixed. Some retailers highlighted that holiday sales were higher than expected. Residential real estate activity remained constrained across the country.

Most Districts reported little growth in home sales due to limited housing inventory. Nonresidential activity continued to experience slight growth. Most manufacturers reported modest growth in overall business conditions. Reports indicated that some manufacturers increased capital expenditures over the reporting period. Most reporting Districts noted continued growth in transportation activity.

Loan volumes in many Districts were steady. Among reporting Districts, agricultural conditions were mixed and energy contacts described a slight uptick in activity.

Full Report, including 12 Districts:
https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/BeigeBook_20180117.pdf

 

##### Press Release ############################

Big Momentum Taking Hold
PayNet U.S. Small Business Credit Monthly Report

The U.S. economy has expanded at a solid pace over the last nine months, and the combination of lower tax rates, lighter-touch regulation, and a cyclical upswing in the global economy continue to boost small business confidence.

 The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index reached its second-highest reading ever in November, suggesting that small business owners are likely to increase their hiring, invest in new equipment, and expand their operations in the months ahead. Banks are responding to this increased demand by easing standards and term restrictions for commercial and industrial (C&I) loans to small firms, according to the Federal Reserve.

After treading water for much of 2017, the annual growth rate for the SBLI’s 3-month moving average is now solidly positive, and we expect continued improvement in the months ahead.

Small businesses continue to exhibit little financial stress. Across all industries and regions, delinquency and default rates are essentially unchanged on the year, and while both measures have slowly risen since bottoming out in late 2015, this movement is consistent with tightening Fed policy and is not yet cause for concern. However, the prospect of multiple Fed rate hikes in 2018 may put additional upward pressure on delinquencies and defaults in the second half of 2018. Moreover, states affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma (i.e., Florida, Georgia, and Texas) are already experiencing more delinquencies since the storms, and this effect may worsen in the months
ahead.

 Specifically, short-term delinquencies have increased noticeably in Florida since August (+27bp) and have also ticked up in Georgia (+5bp) and Texas (+2bp).

### Press Release ############################

 

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Fernando's View
By Fernando F. Croce

Crack suspense (“The Commuter”) and intense drama (“In the Fade”) come to theaters, while new DVD releases offer breezy cynicism (“American Made”), a wisecracking journey (“The Trip to Spain”), and a Hollywood classic (“Young Mr. Lincoln”).

In theaters:

The Commuter (Lionsgate): After “Unknown” and “Non-Stop,” director Jaume Collet-Serra and star Liam Neeson team up once more for another exciting action drama, showing that robust Hollywood genre filmmaking is alive and well. Neeson plays Michael, a cop turned insurance salesman whose world is suddenly turned upside-down when he answers a mysterious phone call during the train ride home from work. Combining a money offer with threats to his family, the stranger forces Michael to uncover the identity of a fellow patient before the last stop. With time running out and the lives of everybody else on the train being in danger, he realizes that he’s become part of a criminal conspiracy. Making ingenious use of the suburban setting, Collet-Serra builds consistent tension to a plot that could have easily turned ludicrous.

In the Fade (Magnolia): Diane Kruger delivers an award-winning performance in this emotional, volatile tale of grief from German-Turkish director Fatih Akin (“Head-On”). She portrays Katja, a woman whose life spins out of control when her husband and young son die in an explosion planned by neo-Nazi terrorists. Numb with depression in the aftermath, she finally sees hope for justice once a pair of suspects are captured and put on trial. It’s not long, however, for them to be set free and for Katja to pursue a personal form of vengeance. Inspired by real-life xenophobic crimes in Europe, Akin’s film runs the gamut from recovery drama to courtroom tract to revenge suspense. Though the trajectory isn’t always believable, the story holds together thanks to the raw intensity Kruger brings to it. With subtitles.

Netflix Tip: A striking beauty who brought an exciting touch to her screen time, Darlanne Fluegel (1953-2018) appeared in several hits from the Seventies and Eighties. So check them out on Netflix, from “The Eyes of Laura Mars” (1978) and “Once Upon a Time in America” (1984) to “To Live and Die in L.A.” (1985) and “Running Scared” (1986).

On DVD:

American Made (Universal): Tom Cruise does some of his most charged acting in years in this fleet, entertainingly cynical crime drama based on a true story. Cruise stars as Barry Seal, a former TWA pilot who became involved with smuggling for Latin American drug lords in the late 1970s. After getting caught by the CIA, he begins working with the agency as an agent in a series of increasingly dangerous missions that continue into the Reagan years. As the 1980s grow more volatile with the rise of the Medellin Cartel and Pablo Escobar, Seal’s life with his wife Lucy (Sarah Wright) turns more uncertain by the day. Directed with gusto by Doug Liman (“The Bourne Identity”), the movies gives Cruise a chance to audaciously play the desperation behind his mega-watt grin.

The Trip to Spain (IFC Films): The delectable comic duo of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon return for a third helping of fancy meals and smart jokes in the second sequel to the 2010 sleeper hit “The Trip,” again directed by the versatile Michael Winterbottom. Playing jocular versions of themselves, the two British comedians hit the road this time for Spain, looking for unique local cuisine in smaller cities rather than in touristic spots like Barcelona and Madrid. While savoring their discoveries and needling each other with celebrity impressions, Coogan and Brydon also deal with the pangs of middle-age insecurity, adding a melancholy undertone to their improvised larks. Though it doesn’t much deviate from the formula of the two previous installments, the movie nevertheless makes for a most enjoyable journey.

Young Mr. Lincoln (Criterion): Arguably the greatest American filmmaker, John Ford delivered no less than three masterpieces in 1939—the Western bedrock “Stagecoach,” the gorgeous historical drama “Drums Along the Mohawk,” and this truly lovely portrait of a great president. Beautifully played by Henry Fonda, Abraham Lincoln is depicted in his early years as a callow law practitioner, moving from Kentucky to Illinois to face his most decisive case. Facing a dramatic trial which puts the innocent lives on the balance, Lincoln comes to discover the sage qualities that will mark his future as the nation’s leader. Rather than a pious biopic, Ford and Fonda fashion a leisurely incarnation full of sly humor and profoundly humanistic empathy. The result is a wise, funny and moving classic from Hollywood’s golden age.

Border Collie/Labrador Retriever Mix
Dallas, Texas  Adopt a Dog

Cooper
Male
Date of birth: Unknown
Adult
Large

"Cooper is house broken and really likes to be wherever you are. He will get in the shower with you if you don't close the door. He is great with kids, very smart and playful. He was born with a birth defect and his front paw twist outward.

"Cooper is in our Guest Foster program now. If you will like to meet him we ask that you fill out an application online or at the shelter."

For all pet inquiries and for faster service, please contact the Adoption Director by email at adoptions@dognkittycity.org . If you need to speak with someone, you can call the shelter and leave a message at 214-350-7387. If you are interested in adopting this pet you will need to submit a filled-in adoption application (dognkittycity.org/2/adoption-application.html) to the Adoption Director in person, by email, or by fax at 214-484-6695.

Adoption Director
Email: adoptions@dognkittycity.org
Fax:  214-484-6695

Shelter
Dog & Kitty City
2719 Manor Way
Dallas, Texas 75235
Phone:       214-350-7387
Hours:       Daily 11:45-5.
Closed Tuesdays and holidays.

Please note that many of our dogs are at off-site adopt-a-pets on Saturdays, and some of our pets are in foster homes or other off-site adoption locations, such as PetSmart. Please email us to verify that the pet you are interested in is at the shelter prior to visiting us. GREATER DALLAS INQUIRIES ONLY, PLEASE!

Adopt a Pet
http://www.adoptapet.com/

 

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Number 1 Enterprises, Inc.
Funding Cannabis, Marijuana, CBD, Hemp Businesses

 “We specialize in structuring your capital infusion. Number 1 is a group of reformed bankers whom grew weary of declining great clients because their loan requests did not fit into the traditional lenders' ‘box’.”  

Through a network of over 8,000 Funding Sources: Private Investors, Investor Groups, Lenders, Co-Brokers, Facilitators, Hedge Funds, etc., we help businesses acquire the necessary capital to grow their business:

• Debt and Convertible Notes
• Equity Capital
• Unsecured Business Financing
• Purchase Order Financing
• Accounts Receivable Financing
• Factoring

Companies have funded or in process of funding include:

1. Marijuana Grower, Extractor, Edibles Maker, Wholesaler, and Dispensary in Alaska
2. Medical Marijuana Conglomerate Acquiring a Building and Additional Capital for Operations in Nevada
3. Medical Marijuana Grower in Arizona
4. National Builder whom builds Grow-houses of all sizes
5. Warehouse Builder in North Florida which leases the space to Cannabis Grow-houses
6. Grower in Northern Nevada
7. Builder & Grower in New Jersey
8. Cannaceuticals and Hemp-based Nutritional Product company based in Florida and Pennsylvania
9. CBD Oil Manufacturer
10. CBD Oil Wholesalers
11. CBD Oil Retailers

“We will leave no stone unturned to ensure every available option for acquiring your business capital.

“With Number 1, We get it done!”

Andrew DiAlberto, President
Number One Enterprises, Inc.                                                                                                                                  3100 NW 46th St.
Suite 208
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309
Tel:  954-204-3292
Cell:  954-579-2584
E-Mail:  andrew@number1ent.com                                                  

Responses on Financing Cannabis
(In Order Received)
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Dec2017/12_20.htm#responses

 

News Briefs----

Bitcoin Falls Below $10,000
  as Virtual Currency Bubble Deflates
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/17/technology/bitcoin-virtual-currency-bubble.html

Apple to pay $38 billion in U.S. taxes on foreign cash,
    open new campus
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-pay-38-billion-repatriation-181530477.html

Venture-capital funding in 2017
was the highest it's been in the past 10 years
http://www.businessinsider.com/venture-capital-funding-peaked-in-2017-2018-1 

Marijuana-friendly states ask Congress
   to make banking legal for the weed industry
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/marijuana-friendly-states-ask-congress-203612284.html

Kroger is rolling out a new technology to nearly 200 stores
  that could change grocery shopping as we know it
http://www.businessinsider.com/kroger-is-rolling-out-digital-shelf-technology-2018-1

 

 

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You May Have Missed---

25 Biggest Layoffs in the Last Year
  By John Harrington 24/7 Wall Street -- Slideshow

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2018/01/10/25-biggest-layoffs-in-the-last-year/2/

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If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you think you'd like to win, but you think you can't,
it's almost certain you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you've lost.
For out in the world you'll find,
success begins with a fellow's will.
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you're outclassed, you are
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself,
before you can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go,
to the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later the man who wins,
is the man who thinks he can.

Unknown

[headlines]
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Sports Briefs---

Padres installing baseball's biggest solar project
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/energy-green/sd-fi-padres-solar-20180117-story.html

Grant Cohn: Reuben Foster hurt himself and 49ers with his immaturity
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/7881602-181/grant-cohn-reuben-foster-hurt

NFL's kneeling protesters miss playoffs
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jan/15/nfls-kneeling-protesters-miss-playoffs/

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

California Nuts Briefs---

Sonoma County home sales jump 10 percent to $3.97 billion
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7880463-181/sonoma-county-home-sales-jump

 

[headlines]
--------------------------------------------------------------

“Gimme that Wine”

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

San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition set to go international
http://www.greatnorthwestwine.com/2018/01/11/san-francisco-chronicle-wine-competition-set-go-international/

New Zealand Eyes Premium Low Alcohol Wine Sector
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2018/01/new-zealand-eyes-premium-low-alcohol-wine-sector/

Silicon Valley Bank wine business forecast warns
    of slowing sales growth
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/sonomacounty/7864505-181/rob-mcmillan-silicon-valley-bank-wine-forecast

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

This Day in History

     1770 - The Sons of Liberty in New York City attacked British soldiers. They were called this because the group of American civilians attacked the 40 to 50 armed soldiers because they had cut down the liberty poles that the Americans had erected. The soldiers used their bayonets and dispersed them. No one was killed but several persons on both sides were seriously injured. What was really a mob fight was termed the Battle of Golden Hill.
    1778 - Captain James Cook of the British Navy thought he was the first to find a group of islands in the Pacific. He named them the Sandwich Islands in honor of England's Earl of Sandwich, the first lord of the British Admiralty. Little did he know that the islands already had a name. The people who lived on them called the islands, Hawaii. Actually, these islands had been discovered long before by the Polynesians. Other explorers before Cook probably stopped at the Hawaiian Islands as early as the 1500s. However, it was Cook who spread the word of the existence of this group of tropical isles to the rest of the world. He was killed in Waimea, Kauai, after a dispute with the natives. A plaque marks his discovery of the island, in a rather remote area, actually on the ocean near the river inlet, and the when I visited, it was defaced with many words written over it. The city fathers put up a statute in the “downtown” area. While it says it is in the actual spot, it is not, as evidenced by not only the original plaque but a book about the errors of historic markers in the United States.
http://www.kauai-hawaii.com/destinations.php?54
    1782 - Birthday of Daniel Webster (d. 1852), at Salisbury, NH.  American statesman and orator who said, on Apr 6, 1830, "The people's government, made for the people, made by the people, and answerable to the people."
    1803 - Seeking information on what lay west of the young United Sates, President Thomas Jefferson sent a confidential letter to Congress requesting funds for an exploratory expedition to be led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark. After the Louisiana Purchase was signed on April 30, 1803, the expedition's mission changed and it became a survey of new American land. The “Corps of Discovery” set off May 14 from St. Louis and returned with much information about the land, the peoples there and the flora and fauna.      
    1813 - Joseph Farwell Glidden (d. 1906) was born, Charlestown, NH.  Inventor of barbed wire. Glidden began experimenting with ways to improved barbed wire and the next year, he received a patent for a machine that added the barbs to the wire mechanically, thus allowing for mass production. Glidden and his partner, Isaac L. Ellwood, established the Barb Fence Company in De Kalb, and in a few years, barbed wire was being used all over the West. Barbed wire accelerated the development of the region, closed the open range, and ended the golden age of the cowboy, who had roamed freely over wide stretches of land. Glidden was soon one of the richest men in America. He invested in the fancy Glidden Hotel in De Kalb and bought 180,000 acres of land in Texas, where he raised 15,000 head of cattle.
    1836 - Jim Bowie arrives at the Alamo to assist its Texas defenders.
    1836 - Marines reinforced Army to repulse Indians at Ft. Brooke, Florida the Army’s headquarters during the Second Seminole War.
    1840 - The ElectroMagnetic and Mechanics Intelligencer first appeared. It was printed in New York City on a press “propelled by electro-magnetism.” The editor of the magazine and the inventor of the electrical printing press was Thomas Davenport.
    1854 - Thomas Watson, (d. 1934) the American telephone pioneer and shipbuilder, was born in Salem, MA.  An assistant to Alexander Graham Bell, notably in the invention of the telephone in 1876, he is best known because, as the recipient of the first telephone call – although coming from just the next room – his name became the first words ever said over the phone. "Mr. Watson – Come here – I want to see you."
    1857 - A great cold storm swept across the Atlantic Seaboard. Snowfall totals of 12 inches were common, whole gales caused shipwrecks and damage property on islands, and temperatures near zero prevailed from Virginia northward. Great drifts of snow blocked transportation. Richmond, VA was cut off from Washington, DC for a week.
    1866 - As Congress convened, first on the agenda was reconstruction.  The process of dealing with the former Confederate states and the millions of freed Black slaves was to occupy the government and the nation for the next decade. President Andrew Johnson proposed fairly lenient treatment of the secessionists but showed no interest in securing civil rights for Blacks. He has made a deal to win the electoral votes of Southern Democrats. Opposing him was a group of radical Republicans, who wanted the South severely punished. The deal created hostility on both sides, also giving the congressional election in the fall an overwhelming victory that paved the way for harsh treatment of the South. Thus was born the "Dixie Democrats," which through this day, elected and supported only Democrats.  While the Civil War was officially over, there was no end to it in Washington, D.C.
   1891 - The first Armenian Church in the U.S. was consecrated in Worcester, MA. New churches were later consecrated in Fresno, CA (1900); West Hoboken, NJ (1907); and Fowler, CA (1910).
    1892 – Oliver Hardy was born Norvell Hardy (d. 1957) in Harlem, Ga.  American comic actor and one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic act that began in the era of silent films and lasted 25 years, from 1927-1951. He appeared with his comedy partner Stan Laurel in 107 short films, feature films, and cameo roles.  In 1917, Hardy moved to Los Angeles, working freelance for several Hollywood studios. Between 1918 and 1923, Hardy made more than 40 films for Vitagraph, mostly playing the "heavy."  In 1921, he appeared in the movie, “The Lucky Dog,” starring a young British comedian named Stan Laurel. In 1925, he was in the film “Yes, Yes, Nanette!,” starring Jimmy Finlayson and directed by Stan Laurel. (In later years Finlayson frequently was a supporting actor in the Laurel and Hardy film series.) In 1927, Laurel and Hardy began sharing screen time together in “Slipping Wives,” “Duck Soup” (no relation to the 1933 Marx Brothers film) and “With Love and Hisses.”  Roach Studios' supervising director Leo McCarey, realizing the audience reaction to the two, began intentionally teaming them together. This led to the start of a Laurel and Hardy series later that year.     
    1896 - First college basketball game.  At Springfield College, MA, Dr. James Naismith, a physical education teacher, was trying to keep students occupied during a rainy day. 
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jan18.html
    1896 – Before Curt Flood, there was John Montgomery Ward, who had not played or managed for the last two seasons.  He objected to being reserved by the New York Giants. At the NL meeting in February, his appeal was upheld, and Ward was declared a free agent. 
    1904 - Actor Cary Grant was born Archibald Leach (d. 1986) in Bristol, England.  Known as one of classic Hollywood’s definitive leading men, he began a career in Hollywood in the early 1930s, and became known for his transatlantic accent, debonair demeanor, and light-hearted approach to acting and sense of comic timing. He became an American citizen in 1942.  After his retirement from film acting in 1966, Grant pursued numerous business interests and sat on the board of MGM and others. He was presented with an Honorary Oscar by his friend Frank Sinatra in 1970, and in 1981, he was accorded the Kennedy Center Honors. In 1999, the AFI named Grant the second greatest male star of Golden Age Hollywood cinema, after Bogart. 
    1911 - The first landing of an aircraft on a ship took place as pilot Eugene B. Ely flew onto the deck of the USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco Bay.
    1912 - English explorer Robert F. Scott and his expedition reached the South Pole, only to discover that Roald Amundsen had reached it first.
    1913 - Birthday of entertainer and movie star Danny Kaye, born David Daniel Kaminski (d. 1987) at Brooklyn, NY.  Actor, singer, dancer, comedian, and musician. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs.   
    1918 - Legendary blues guitarist Elmore James (d. 1963) was born in Durant, Mississippi. He is cited by Eric Clapton, George Harrison and countless other rock guitarists as a major influence. James's early 1950's recording of "Dust My Broom" is his most famous.
    1932 – Jazz singer Irene Kral (d. 1978) was born in Chicago. 
http://www.irenekral.com/html/discography.html
    1936 - In Washington, DC, Catholic biblical scholars met to discuss two proposals: the preparation of a new Bible translation and the formation of a society of Catholic biblical scholars. In result, the Catholic Biblical Association (CBA) was formed in 1937, and the New American Bible (NAB) was published in 1970.
    1938 - Curtis Charles “Curt” Flood (d. 1992) born at Houston, TX. Flood was one of baseball's best centerfielders in the 1960's, batting .293 over 15 seasons and playing spectacular defense. After the 1969 season, he refused to accept a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies. “I am not a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes,” he said in a letter to MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. The resulting lawsuit went to the Supreme Court where Flood lost. But his stand, taken because he did not want to switch teams, paved the way for the end of baseball's reserve clause and the advent of free agency.
    1939 - On Decca Records, Louis Armstrong and his orchestra recorded "Jeepers Creepers." Vocals were provided by Satchmo.
    1940 - Canadian jazz pianist and bassist Don Thompson was born, Powell River, BC.
    1941 - David Ruffin (d. 1991), co-lead singer of the Temptations until 1968, was born in Meridian, Mississippi. The Temptations emerged during the mid-1960's as one of the leading vocal groups in soul music and their sound, as well as their elaborate stage show, became the model for countless groups that followed. The Temptations’ major breakthrough came in 1965, when they took Smokey Robinson's composition, "My Girl," to the top of the charts. David Ruffin left the Temptations in 1968, beginning a successful solo career with his 1969 hit "My Whole World Ended." He died of a cocaine overdose in Philadelphia on June 1st, 1991.
    1941 - Singer Bobby Goldsboro was born in Marianna, Florida. His sentimental pop songs, such as "See the Funny Little Clown," "Honey" and "Watching Scotty Grow" were big hits from the mid-1960's to the early '70s.
    1944 - The first jazz music concert ever held at the New York City Metropolitan Opera House was performed. Performing were: Louis Armstrong, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton.
    1946 - Ella Fitzgerald has another hit with “You Won't Be Satisfied.” Decca
    1948 - The Original Amateur Hour debuted on the DuMont Television Network with Ted Mack as the host.  Mack was the field assistant of Major Bowes who created the show on radio in 1934.  The show is a progenitor of later, similar programs such as “Star Search,” “American Idol,” and “America’s Got Talent.”  As CBS began terminating long-running shows because of the demographics of their viewers, Mack beat CBS to the punch and terminated the “Original Amateur Hour” of his own volition. The final show was broadcast on September 27, 1970.     
    1951 – The NFL took control of the failing Baltimore Colts.  In the rival All-American Football Conference, Baltimore was granted a franchise after Miami folded. The team would be named Colts in honor of Baltimore's rich history with racing and breeding of horses. The Colts became one of three teams  - San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns -  to join the NFL in 1950. However, the team could not make money and the league bought the team instead and had them play in Dallas. The Texans were a miserable failure, and by the middle of the season were operating out of Hershey, Pennsylvania and playing all their games on the road. Baltimore was granted a franchise that would pay homage to the former team by carrying the name Colts. 
    1954 - Top Hits
“Oh! My Pa-Pa” - Eddie Fisher
“Changing Partners” - Patti Page
“Secret Love” - Doris Day
“Bimbo” - Jim Reeves
    1956 - Little Richard enters the pop chart at #26 with "Tutti Frutti." His original beats out covers by Elvis Presley and Pat Boone. Also, the Top Fifty pop album chart which is dominated by records like "Jackie Gleason Plays Music for Lovers Only" and "Jackie Gleason Plays Romantic Jazz," lists its first rock and roll entry. Billy Haley & the Comets' "Rock around the Clock" is #12.
    1956 - The Bill Haley and the Comets album “Rock Around the Clock” enters the charts
    1958 - Willie O'Ree became the first black player in the National Hockey League when he played for the Boston Bruins in a game against the Montreal Canadians. Boston won, 3-0.
    1960 - Johnny Preston started a three-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Running Bear.' Written by J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper), the tune originally entered the chart in October, 1959, then quickly vanished, but re-entered in November and slowly climbed to the top. It was also a UK No.1.    
    1962 - Top Hits
“The Twist” - Chubby Checker
“Peppermint Twist” - Joey Dee & The Starliters
“Can't Help Falling in Love” - Elvis Presley
“Walk on By” - Leroy Van Dyke
    1964 - The Beatles had their first appearance on the US singles chart with "I Want to Hold Your Hand." The disc entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #45, just ten days after its release, making it the fastest-breaking and the fastest selling single in Capitol Records history. Capitol had earlier turned down "Love Me Do," "Please Please Me," "From Me to You" and "She Loves You," which were then released by Vee Jay Records. After a nasty lawsuit, Capitol Records was granted an injunction, restraining Vee Jay Records from further manufacturing, distributing, advertising or otherwise disposing of recordings by the Beatles. If you have any old Beatles records on Vee Jay, hang on to them, they are now collector's items.
    1965 - Paul Simon drops out of law school to pursue music full-time.
    1966 - Robert Clifton Weaver was sworn in as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, becoming the first black cabinet member in U.S. history. He was nominated by President Lyndon Johnson.
    1968 – Singer Eartha Kitt made headlines, as she got into a now-famous confrontation with First Lady Lady Bird Johnson at a White House luncheon to discuss urban crime. Ms. Kitt told the First Lady that American youth were rebelling against the war in Vietnam, linking the crime rate with the war escalation. She had a lot to say and it definitely was not "C'est Si Bon."
    1968 - YNTEMA, GORDON DOUGLAS, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Place and date: Near Thong Binh, Republic of Vietnam, 16-18 January 1968. Entered service at: Detroit, Mich. Born: 26 June 1945, Bethesda, Md. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Yntema, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while assigned to Detachment A-431, Company D. As part of a larger force of civilian irregulars from Camp Cai Cai, he accompanied 2 platoons to a blocking position east of the village of Thong Binh, where they became heavily engaged in a small-arms fire fight with the Viet Cong. Assuming control of the force when the Vietnamese commander was seriously wounded, he advanced his troops to within 50 meters of the enemy bunkers. After a fierce 30-minute fire fight, the enemy forced Sgt. Yntema to withdraw his men to a trench in order to afford them protection and still perform their assigned blocking mission. Under cover of machinegun fire, approximately 1 company of Viet Cong maneuvered into a position which pinned down the friendly platoons from 3 sides. A dwindling ammunition supply, coupled with a Viet Cong mortar barrage which inflicted heavy losses on the exposed friendly troops, caused many of the irregulars to withdraw. Seriously wounded and ordered to withdraw himself, Sgt. Yntema refused to leave his fallen comrades. Under withering small arms and machinegun fire, he carried the wounded Vietnamese commander and a mortally wounded American Special Forces advisor to a small gully 50 meters away in order to shield them from the enemy fire. Sgt. Yntema then continued to repulse the attacking Viet Cong attempting to overrun his position until, out of ammunition and surrounded, he was offered the opportunity to surrender. Refusing, Sgt. Yntema stood his ground, using his rifle as a club to fight the approximately 15 Viet Cong attempting his capture. His resistance was so fierce that the Viet Cong were forced to shoot in order to overcome him. Sgt. Yntema's personal bravery in the face of insurmountable odds and supreme self-sacrifice were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect the utmost credit upon himself, the 1st Special Forces, and the U.S. Army.
    1969 - Albums released this week include the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" on Apple Records; Tommy James & the Shondells' "Crimson and Clover" on Roulette; Creedance Clearwater Revival's "Bayou Country" on Fantasy and the self-titled LP by Blood, Sweat and Tears on Columbia.
    1969 – The Washington Senators signed Ted Williams as manager to a five-year contract worth a reported salary of $75,000 per season. Under his leadership, the Senators complied a record of 86-76, the best mark in the franchise's history since the original Senators moved to Minneapolis and their replacements bolted to Texas…before the current Washington Nationals.
    1970 - Top Hits
“Raindrop Keep Fallin' on My Head” - B.J. Thomas
“Venus” - The Shocking Blue
“I Want You Back” - The Jackson 5
“Baby, Baby (I Know You're a Lady)” - David Houston
    1971 - The McCann-Erickson advertising agency takes a meeting with British songwriters Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway to record a Coca-Cola commercial with the group the New Seekers that will eventually become "I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing." While it initially attracts little attention on its radio release, it becomes a smash hit as a TV ad filmed with a globally diverse cast performing on a hillside outside Rome. The commercial, titled simply "Hillside" and costing a whopping $250,000 to film, is first aired in July, 1971 and becomes a smash hit with many sequels, including a Christmas version filmed at night with a choir holding candles on a hillside in a tree formation. The commercials become some of the most successful and iconic ever filmed, and in a way herald in the dawn of the globalization era. They also make chart-topping stars of the New Seekers.
    1975 - “The Jeffersons” premiered on TV; CBS sitcom about an African American family (formerly neighbors of the Bunkers on "All in the Family") who moved to Manhattan's East Side, thanks to the success of George Jefferson's chain of dry cleaning stores. Having a format similar to "All in the Family," the show featured a black bigot, George Jefferson. Particularly memorable were the racial slurs Jefferson used against the mixed-marriage neighbors, Tom and Helen Willis. The show was able to humorously introduce subjects such as mixed marriage on a prime-time series. Cast included Sherman Hemsley as George Jefferson, Isabel Sanford as Louise Jefferson, Mike Evans and Damon Evans as Lionel, Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker as the mixed couple, Berlinda Tolbert as their daughter, Jenny, and Paul Benedict as the British bachelor neighbor Bentley. The last episode aired July 23, 1985.
    1975 - Barry Manilow's "Mandy" hits #1.
    1976 - The Pittsburgh Steelers won their second consecutive Super Bowl, defeating the Dallas Cowboys, 21-17, in Super Bowl X. Pittsburgh wide receiver Lynn Swann was named the game's MVP by setting a Super Bowl record with 161 yards on four receptions.
http://images.nfl.com/history/images/0118.jpg
    1978 - Top Hits
“Baby Come Back” - Player
“Here You Come Again” - Dolly Parton
“You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)” - Rod Stewart
“Take This Job and Shove It” - Johnny Paycheck
    1985 - Newspaper USA Today took a poll of its readers as to where the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame should be built. The winner was Cleveland.  The building was opened in 1996.
    1986 - Dionne Warwick's single for AID's research, "That's What Friends are For," became her second #1 song on the music charts. Although Dionne had many hits in the 1960s, singing Burt Bacharach tunes like, "I Say a Little Prayer" and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," she first hit the top spot when she added an ‘e' to Warwick and joined the Spinners in the 1974 hit, "Then Came You." She changed her name back to Warwick (without the ‘e') after making a couple of hits produced by Barry Manilow in the early '80s. That'll do it. Remember, "I'll Never Love This Way Again?"
    1986 - Top Hits
“That's What Friends are For” - Dionne & Friends
“Talk to Me” - Stevie Nicks
“Burning Heart” – Survivor
“Bop” - Dan Seals
    1987 - For the first time in history, the Public Broadcasting System, PBS, was watched by more than 100 million viewers. The record audience was measured during the week of January 12-18.
    1989 - At just 38 years old, Stevie Wonder became the youngest living person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At a ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, other inductees include Dion, The Rolling Stones, The Temptations, and Otis Redding. 
    1990 - Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry was arrested for drug possession in an FBI sting.
    1991 – Eastern Airlines, after suffering crippling losses for several years, discontinued operations after 6 decades.
    1993 - Martin Luther King Jr. holiday observed in all 50 states for first time.
    1988 - A storm in the southwestern U.S. produced a 15 to 20-foot surf along the southern coast of California resulting in more than $50 million damage. A small tornado in Orange County, CA lifted a baseball dugout fifteen feet into the air and deposited it in the street, 150 yards away. The same storm also produced 26 inches of snow at Duck Creek, UT.
    1990 - A winter storm produced heavy snow and high winds across the southwestern U.S. Snowfall totals ranged up to 18 inches at Lake Arrowhead, CA and Ashford, AZ. High winds in New Mexico gusted to 100 mph east of Albuquerque. Unseasonably warm weather continued from Texas to the Atlantic coast. Twenty cities reported record high temperatures for the date including Roanoke, VA with a reading of 71 degrees.
    1995 - The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia escapes unhurt when his rented BMW crashes into a guardrail near Mill Valley, California.
    1996 - The first computer software application on Digital Video Disc was the PhoneDisc PowerFinder USA ONE, an electronic phone directory for the entire United States. It contained on a single digital video disc, or DVD, information that previously required the storage capacity of six CD-Rom discs.
    2001 - San Francisco sues 13 energy providers for collusion to fix prices and restrict the energy supply.
    2003 - In the US tens of thousands rallied in Washington, DC in an emphatic dissent against preparations for war in Iraq. As many as 500,000 rallied outside the Capitol. In San Francisco, the rally drew at least 100,000 by my count. A small band of anarchists vandalized the Financial District in “black bloc” protests.
    2011 - A $28 billion merger between Comcast and NBC Universal was approved by the Federal Communications Commission.
    2011 - The largest collection of Beatles memorabilia went on display in a new museum in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Rodolfo Vazquez, a 53-year-old accountant, turned his mammoth Beatles collection into a museum with more than 8,500 objects - setting the new world record for the largest collection of Beatles memorabilia. Some of the items included a box of condoms bearing the names of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, a brick from the Cavern Club, a chunk of the stage from the Star Club in Hamburg, and certified copies of the band members' birth certificates. Among his favorite items were 64 boxes of chewing gum in the form of Beatles records.
    2013 - NASA scientists achieved a first in laser communication when they successfully beamed a picture of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a spacecraft orbiting the Moon.
    2016 - Glenn Frey, lead guitarist of The Eagles, died at the age of 67 in New York City from complications arising from rheumatoid arthritis, colitis and pneumonia. Frey co-founded The Eagles in 1971 with Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner. After the breakup of the Eagles in 1980, Frey embarked on a successful solo career and went on to score the Top 40 hits 'The One You Love,' 'Smuggler's Blues,' 'The Heat Is On,' and 'You Belong to the City.'  At the end of the 20th century, two of their albums, “Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)” and “Hotel California,” were ranked among the 20 best-selling albums in the US according to the RIAA. “Hotel California” is ranked 37th in Rolling Stone’s list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" and the band was ranked number 75 on the magazine's 2004 list of “The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”  The Eagles are one of the world’s best-selling bands in history, having sold more than 150 million records - 100 million in the U.S. alone - including 42 million copies of “Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)” and 32 million copies of “Hotel California.”  “Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)” was the best-selling album of the 20th century in the U.S.  They are the fifth-highest-selling music act and the highest-selling American band in U.S. history.  They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
 
Super Bowl Champions:
    1976 -  Pittsburgh Steelers