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Thursday, July 9, 2020


Today's Leasing News Headlines

New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
    and Related Industries
RISC rolls out employment site
    tailored for repossession industry
Industries with the Highest Rate of Unemployment
    June, 2020 by Industry and Class of Worker
"Click it or Ticket" --How about...
    Placard
Leasing Software Companies
    Updated
Fleet Advantage Innovative Sale-Leaseback Program
    Two New Transactions Totaling $17 Million
Damian Broadbent to Head Asia-Pacific Advisory Services
    for Alta Group
Movies on TV: Bacurau, Da 5 Bloods,
  Hill of Freedom, Sorry We Missed You, Tommaso
    On Line Movies Suggested by Leasing News' Fernando Croce
Labrador Retriever/Mixed (medium coat)
    Princeton, Minnesota  Adopt a Dog
ELFA releases 2020 Software Guide
    50 Page Digital
News Briefs---
DocuSign Buys Liveoak for $38M
    looks to launch “DocuSign Notary”
U.S. passes 3 million reported coronavirus cases
     as debate rages over plans to reopen schools
Walgreens strikes deal with primary-care company
    to open doctor offices in hundreds of drugstores
Banks ring up billions in fees from PPP loans
    JP Morgan Chase/BofA, Seven Other Banks Named
'A gut punch': United Airlines to lay off up to 36,000 U.S.
     employees in October as travel remains depressed
Brooks Brothers, worn by Lincoln and Kennedy, goes bankrupt
    employed 4,000 people in March, before it furloughed about a third
Levi's to cut 700 office jobs
     due to virus-related slump
 ICE order over online classes rattles thousands
      of international college students
Odwalla shuts down: Bay Area smoothie brand
   ceases operations/ 300 Jobs to be Lost

You May have Missed---
Tom Hanks delivers a blunt message
    about COVID-19 on 'Today’

Broker/Funder/Industry Lists | Features (wrilter's columns)
Top Ten Stories Chosen by Readers | Top Stories last six months

www.leasingcomplaints.com (Be Careful of Doing Business)
www.evergreenleasingnews.org
Leasing News Icon for Android Mobile Device


  Sports Brief----
   California Nuts Brief---
    "Gimme that Wine"
     This Day in History
      SuDoku
       Daily Puzzle
        GasBuddy
         Weather, USA or specific area
          Traffic Live----

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


[headlines]

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

 


Nick Bionda was hired as Senior Vice President, Vendor and Banking Relations, Alliance Capital Corporation, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is "providing financing for commercial equipment and commercial trucking." He is located in the Greater Chicago Area. Previously, he was Regional Manager, Commercial Vehicles, Balboa Capital (March, 2018 - June, 2020); Director of Business Development, Finance Exchange (July, 2017 - October, 2017); Vice President, Sales, Ascentium Capital (January, 2017 - July, 2017); National Sales Director, Second City Leasing, LLC (February, 2013 – January, 2017); Sales Representative, Aetna Plywood (September, 2011 – December, 2012); Independent Business Development Consultant, Independence Energy, Inc. (March, 2009 – October, 2010); New Business Development, MG Design (July, 2008 – February, 2009); Product Manager, Jaeckle Distributors (October, 2007 – May, 2008); Senior Product Manager, Baer Supply Company (April, 2005 – May, 2007); Product Marketing Manager, IMC Holdings (March, 2003 – April, 2005); Independent Sales Rep., AFLAC (January, 2002 – March, 2003); Associate Marketing Manager, Direct Response Marketing, WW Grainger (May, 2000 – December, 2001); Assistant Marketing Manager, Quill Corporation, A Staples Company (October, 1995 – May, 2000).  Volunteer: Vice-Chairman, Walla-pa-looza Rasin' Cash for Cancer (January, 2009 – January, 2015). Organize fund raising events and raised over $100,000 to assist local residents dealing with Cancer. Education: Columbia College, Bachelor’s Degree, B.S, Business Administration/Marketing (1996 – 1998). McHenry High School High School, General Studies (1982 – 1986).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickbionda/


Cody Justman was hired as Junior Loan Officer, Intellican, Irvine, California. Previously, he was Account Executive, Alliance Funding Group (August, 2018 - July, 2020); Crew Leader, Bren Events Center (September, 2013 - June, 2016).  Education: University of California, Irvine. Bachelor of Arts. BA, History (2013 - 2017).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-justman-947958138/


Brandon Locknar was hired as Equipment Finance Intern, Arvest Bank, Fayetteville, Arkansas. "Work with various teams in Arvest's Equipment Finance division, including Sales Team, Credit Analysts, Loan Documentation and Maintenance, and Asset Management and Appraisal. Completed intern team project of creating a recruiting video for Arvest Ignite Intern Program. Brandon attends the University of Central Arkansas, starting August, 2017, where he is studying accounting and will begin his senior year this fall. He loves the outdoors, sports, books, cooking and great movie and TV series. Previously, he was an Audit Intern, BKD CPAs and Advisors (January, 2020 - March, 2020); Delivery Drive, Sanders Supply (May, 2018 - August, 2019); Cashier and Customer Service, Uncle Louie G, Part-time (July 2014 - May, 2017). https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-locknar-1b932917a/


Jennifer Vanderveen was hired as Senior Vice President and Banking Relations, Alliance Capital, Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is located in Orange County, California.  Previously, she was Vice President, Originations, LendSpark (February, 2019 - June, 2020); Business Development Manager, Western Territory, Engs Commercial Finance Co. (August, 2017 - February, 2019); Vice President, Construction, LendSpark Business Financing, (January, 2017 - August, 2017); Vice President, Construction, LendSpark Business Financing (January, 2017 - August, 2017); Assistant Vice Present, Alliance Funding Group (November,2015 - 2017); Vice President, Sales, Nations Finance (March, 2014-September, 2015); Vice President, Vendor Programs, Strada Capital Corporation (August, 2013 - March, 2014); Senior Finance Manager, Axis Capital, Inc. (August, 2011 - August, 2013). Certifications: Solutions Selling, LinkedIn (July, 2019), Key Account Management, LinkedIn (June, 2019). https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifervanderveen/


Jenny Wood was hired as Senior Business Development Account Manager, NewLane Finance, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is located in Albany, MN.  Previously, she was Account Manager, Stearns Bank (February, 2006 - June, 2020). Organizations:   Woodworking Machinery Industry Association.  Education: St. Cloud State University. Dale Carnegie Training. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennywood2020/

Bob Woods was hired as CEO, PDS Gaming, Las Vegas, Nevada, “a worldwide provider of gaming equipment and financial solutions to the gaming industry.... Bob has been closely involved with PDS Gaming for the past 15 years as a funding source and for the past three years as a member of the Board of Managers. Bob was previously the Chief Investment Officer of Northlight Financial Services where he directed investments and credit decisions for each of the business units formed by the Northlight management team. Prior to forming Northlight, he was a Managing Director at GE Capital and Executive VP of Heller Financial and Gilman Financial Services... PDS has deployed nearly $1.3 billion in capital. With a current roster of over 300 customers and clients, PDS has over the years operated in 81 regulated jurisdictions, 26 US States and 15 countries."

 

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

RISC rolls out employment site
tailored for repossession industry

By SubPrime Auto Finance News Staff

Already a training provider, RISC now is getting involved in the employment part of the repossession and recovery industries.

On Tuesday, the firm launched RepoHiring.com in an effort to helps connect collateral recovery industry employers with qualified job seekers. Free for both employers and job seekers, RISC emphasized this site is designed with the asset recovery industry in mind.

Over the past few years, RISC acknowledged the collateral recovery industry has been particularly challenged to identify and retain qualified employees.

“The old process simply wasn’t very efficient,” RISC said while noting that without a centralized resource, industry job seekers found opportunities through word of mouth, Facebook, Indeed, Craigslist or other social media.

“None of these sites were designed with the collateral recovery industry in mind,” RISC added.

RISC explained RepoHiring.com is geared to fill that gap across the gamut of roles in the repossession and collateral recovery industry including agents, lenders, forwarders, industry service providers, skip tracers, locksmiths and more.

Employers can post unlimited free job opportunities on the site in just minutes. They can also search the database of registered job seekers with public profiles.

Job seekers can create a profile and save it to apply for future opportunities.  They can upload a resume or build out an employment profile.

“Once the profile is built, applying for jobs is as easy as a single click,” RISC said.

“If you’re reading this, RepoHiring.com was built for you,” the firm went on to say.

RISC noted RepoHiring.com currently serves all U.S. states with plans to expand as demand grows.


[headlines]
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The national unemployment rate in the U.S. has fallen over the past two months from heights not seen since the Great Depression. Unemployment went down from 14.7 percent in April to 13.3 percent in May, and it went down even further for June as employers invited their workers back to work as part of reopening measures across the country.

In June, the national unemployment rate fell from 13.3 percent to 11.2 percent. The leisure and hospitality industry gained the most jobs for the second straight month, with an unemployment rate falling again from 35 percent in May to 28 percent in June. Hotels and cruise lines, which have been forced to cut millions of jobs since March, are quickly creating reopening plans in line with city, state and federal plans. In May, Carnival Cruise Line announced some ships will return to business by August 1 but has since pushed back its start date into September. Transportation unemployment also fell dramatically in June, falling to just below 13 percent.

Retail is seeing a huge resurgence as the country move into July. Stores are reopening their doors in most states, and consumers may be less reluctant to socially distance in a store rather than sit in a movie theater or restaurant. Retailers on the ropes who have permanently closed stores or filed for bankruptcy, like Macy's and J.C. Penney, are holding their breath for consumers to show confidence and begin semi-regular purchasing patterns. New data from the University of Michigan suggests consumer confidence is ticking upward as states begin reopening businesses.

By Wlliam Roper, Editor, Statista



[headlines]
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[headlines]
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Leasing Software Companies

Aspket Experian - scorex SAP
Better Programs (Turbo-Lease) Constellation Financing Systems Inc. Shaw Systems
Capital Stream Financial Computer Systems, Inc. Systems for Financial Accntng
Cassiopae Integron Corporation CSC TCI
CHP Consulting International Decision Systems Thoughtworks
Cornerstone Software Ivory Consulting Vision Commerce
CT Lien Solutions LeaseQuery White Clarke North American
CSC TCI LTI Technology Solutions  
Cyence International NetSol Technologies, Inc.  
Dominion Leasing Software Odessa Technologies, Inc.  
eCredit Preferred Business Solutions  

Full Listing:
http://leasingnews.org/Ag_leasing/software.htm


[headlines]
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##### Press Release ############################

Fleet Advantage Innovative Sale-Leaseback Program
Two New Transactions Totaling $17 Million

Innovative Program Infuses Cash & Flexibility
with Future Plans for Equipment Upgrade


FORT LAUDERDALE, FL  – Fleet Advantage, a leading innovator in truck fleet business analytics, equipment financing, and lifecycle cost management today announced it has secured new business through its Sale-Leaseback program. The transactions include a large international distributor that provides food packaging, disposable supplies, and cleaning and safety products and a large regional convenience store chain with retail stores.

Under the agreements, Fleet Advantage will purchase approximately150 of their older assets and lease them back until they transition into newer, safer equipment at a predetermined, fixed monthly payment. The transaction generates an immediate influx of cash and produces an ongoing reduction in their overall costs. Each company independently determined that leasing from Fleet Advantage offers lower cost, greater flexibility, reduced risk and improved cash flow.

Fleet Advantage’s Sale-Leaseback is receiving a great market response based on its flexibility to dispose of surplus trucks and convert “dormant equity” locked up in truck ownership into cash with the opportunity to upgrade the fleet at a future date.


John Flynn, CEO of Fleet Advantage said, “These two companies rely on a supply chain that faces challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said. “We have quickly implemented this Sale-Leaseback program and infused cash into their businesses at a cost lower than their credit facility and provide reduced, fixed costs that improve their bottom line. When the newer trucks deliver, it will significantly reduce their variable operating costs in fuel and maintenance. Longer-term benefits are realized through an optimized asset lifecycle strategy, lowering the total cost of ownership and state-of-the-art safety equipment that reduces driver retention and increases morale.”

Benefits of the Sale-lease back program include:

  • Right-sizing of their fleet 
  • More efficient use of capital
  • Reduction of risk to seller on the future disposition of trucks 
  • Beneficial accounting treatment that does not add to long-term debt or impact lending covenants
  • Retains full access to existing credit facilities
  • New truck upgrades at a pre-determined, fixed monthly lease payment


About Fleet Advantage

Fleet Advantage has over $1 Billion of assets under management and serves America’s top truck fleets and guarantees the absolute lowest cost of operation by providing truck and trailer financing with matching proprietary data driven IT and fleet analytics, using the latest equipment technology to achieve better fleet “uptime” and maximum safety. Fleet Advantage is the largest and fastest-growing, privately held, independent, Class 8 truck lessor in the U.S. and ranked the 9th Top Private Independent from Monitor Daily; in 2015 is also named to Inc. magazines’ 500|5000 list of fastest growing companies in the nation.  In 2011, CEO John Flynn received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2011 Florida – Emerging Category award.

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


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

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

Damian Broadbent to Head Asia-Pacific Advisory Services
for Alta Group

GLENBROOK, NV,  - The Alta Group has appointed Damian Broadbent Managing Director of advisory services for equipment leasing, asset finance and manufacturing companies in Asia Pacific and for those considering expanding in the region.

He brings to his new position extensive executive management experience in the industry, having led operations in the region for major equipment leasing and asset finance companies, including DLL and Macquarie. Broadbent most recently served as chief executive and managing director of CSI Asia Pacific, a subsidiary of Tokyo Century Corporation, an independent technology lessor, where he devised and implemented a successful turnaround strategy and boosted profitability.

His expertise includes advising businesses on equipment/vendor leasing; funding, capital management and private equity; mergers and acquisitions, strategy development and review; financial partnership selection; business model assessment; investment decision analysis; and asset management.


John C. Deane, CEO of Alta, said, "Damian has a wealth of on-the-ground experience in equipment leasing and asset finance throughout Asia Pacific, which is an important region for our clients.
"We are delighted he is on board and leading our advisory services there."

Based at the center of the region in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Broadbent has extensive links across the region, and will have responsibility for business in Greater China (China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong), ASEAN (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, and Indonesia), Japan, Australia and New Zealand.)

Damian Broadbent commented – “I am delighted to be joining The Alta Group and their world class team, which has such deep industry experience and a reputation for excellence. Asia continues to be a major developing market for all aspects of the asset finance industry. Lessees are seeking to invest in the best available technology and utilize operating rather than capital budgets. Lessors and funders are seeking continued growth and to secure market share and revenue streams in the world’s fastest growing economies.”

While Japan and ANZ (Australia and New Zealand) are relatively mature leasing markets ripe for innovation, the trend in the rest of Asia is for banks and funders to enter the developing market, or to seek potential expansion opportunities in Europe and the Americas. At the same time, manufacturers are seeking to create competitive advantage by developing sales finance options, not only in their home markets but also overseas, he said.

“Alta is ideally positioned to work with our global and regional clients to ensure they experience successful outcomes in the Asset Finance industry.”

He can be reached at +60122803188.

About The Alta Group
The Alta Group is the leading global consultancy dedicated exclusively to the business of equipment leasing and asset finance. Since 1992, Alta has represented equipment leasing and finance companies, vendor/captive finance organizations, financial institutions, manufacturers and service providers, offering counsel on strategy and competitive alignment, asset management, business quality assurance, digital business transformations, legal services, mergers and acquisitions, and professional development. For information on the group’s services in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, China, and Asia Pacific, visit www.thealtagroup.com and follow us on Twitter @thealtagroupllc.

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



[headlines]
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Watch at Home
By Fernando Croce

As we hit the middle of the year, let’s take a moment to catch up with some of the best films to get release so far. Check your streaming services for availability.

Bacurau (Kino Lober): Following the tranquil “Aquarius,” Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho offers a raging portrait of upheaval with this one-of-a-kind blur of genres. Set in the fictional arid town of Bacurau, the story charts a series of increasingly surreal events that take place in the wake of the death of the town’s matriarch, widening the rift between warring groups interested in local water rights. On one side there’s the townspeople represented by tough doctor Domingas (Sonia Braga), and on the other greedy political machinations not afraid to hire murderous mercenaries led by Michael (Udo Kier). As tensions rise, the film fascinatingly shifts tones from realistic rural drama to acid Western suspense. With a timely view of the people’s rebellion, Mendonça Filho’s film burns with fury and inventiveness. With subtitles.

Da 5 Bloods (Netflix): Oscar-winning auteur Spike Lee (“BlackKklansman”) goes to the battlefield with this sprawling, exuberant take on the Vietnam War through African-American lenses. Switching back and forth between the 1970s and present-day, the film follows a group of soldiers known as Da Bloods, who fought in Vietnam and returned decades later to honor a dead friend and also search for hidden loot. They are Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis), and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), vets determined to honor their late squad leader (Chadwick Boseman). Their journey is a volatile one, filled with raw nerves, buried guilt, and conflicting politics. Striving to situate the Black perspective in the spectrum of Vietnam War movies, Lee is here in fine, incendiary form, aided enormously by Lindo’s ferocious performance.

Hill of Freedom (Bitters End): South Korean director Hong Sang-soo remains one of the world’s most prolific working filmmakers, so it’s no surprise that we’re still catching up with films made by him years ago. Such is the case of this characteristically sly comedy-drama from 2014, which is finally becoming available for U.S. audiences. At the center is a delightful misunderstanding of languages, as Kwon (Seo Young-hwa) receives a stack of letters from her Japanese tutor Mori (Ryo Kase). Mori had come to Seoul to declare his love, but not only does he not speak Korean, his letters are scattered out of order. Can the pieces of his emotions be put back together in time to save a budding romance? Short and droll, Hong’s film hits like a cool breeze. With subtitles.

Sorry We Missed You (Zeitgeist Films): At an age when most directors would be slowing down and resting on their laurels, veteran firebrand Ken Loach (“I, Daniel Blake”) continues his gritty compassion for the outcasts of the British system. In his latest, he takes a powerful and emphatic look at the victims of the 2008 economic crash, focusing on the Turner family. Paterfamilias Ricky (Kris Hitchen) hopes to start his own business, while his wife Abbie (Debbie Honeywood) struggles in her work as a nurse. The demands of their schedule put a strain on the family, further compounded by worries over their son Seb (Rhys Stone), who’s ditched school for graffiti in the streets. Engaged and engaging, Loach’s film is a quotidian portrait that’s at once searingly political and tenderly humanistic.

Tommaso (Kino Lober): Legendary bad-boy filmmaker Abel Ferrara (“Bad Lieutenant”) presents his tenderest work yet with this intimate, demanding but rewarding drama about a man very much like himself. Longtime Ferrara collaborator Willem Dafoe is marvelous as Tommaso, an American director living in Rome with his younger wife (Cristina Chiriac) and daughter Deedee (Anna Ferrara). Structured as a series of humble and revealing quotidian sequences, the film follows Tommaso in everyday duties that disarm with their sweetness even as they hint at dark and desperate undertones. Slowly, the protagonist’s fears and insecurities and troubled past are made visible as he tries to work on his next project. At once jagged and soulful, Ferrara’s self-portrait is a candid gem, showcasing his grungy verve as well as his poignant side.

 

[headlines]
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Labrador Retriever/Mixed (medium coat)
Princeton, Minnesota  Adopt a Dog


Coal (or Charcoal)

ID: D200963
Male
Age: 2 Years
Weight: 50 lbs.
Declawed: No
House Trained: Yes
Obedient Training: Has Basic Training
Reaction to New People: Friendly
Good with Dogs
Good with Cats
Good with Adults
Name: Coal DOB: June 2018 Weight: 50lns Adoption Fee: $375

Hello, I'm Coal! My foster calls me Charcoal! I am a bundle of energy but don’t worry, my foster mom says I'm well behaved! I love to play fetch, play with my squeaky toys, and lounge around chewing my bone. I enjoy going for walks, and wouldn’t mind a running buddy! I am very friendly with new people, but I can be skeptical of new dogs and cats. I warm up quickly, but I do need proper, slow introductions so I know they aren’t scary! I'm a smart boy who really wants to please! I back away from the doorway when told, sit, come when called, and shake with both paws! And I am really excited to do so! I am potty trained and can be trusted in a room all by myself without getting into trouble. I do kennel with some extra coaxing. I can get lonely, so I'll bark for a few minutes, but I stay quiet once I settle down. Because of this, my foster mom says apartment or duplex living might not be the best fit for me. A fenced in yard will be required of 5ft-6ft height.

An adoption application is the best way to show your interest in an animal.  Please check out our website, www.ruffstartrescue.org for more details and additional pictures on any of our animals! All Ruff Start dogs and cats are spayed/neutered, up to date on age appropriate vaccines, microchipped, dewormed, and on monthly flea/tick and heartworm prevention (dogs) as well as heartworm tested (dogs). Ruff Start Rescue is a foster based rescue. Animals are located in homes throughout Minnesota. We do not have a facility where animals are kept. Ruff Start Rescue Adoption Policies: http://www.ruffstartrescue.org/info/display?PageID=11744 

Ruff Start Rescue
12526 319th Ave
Princeton, MN 5537
(763) 355-3981
Email: info@ruffstartrescue.org
Contact Us:
https://www.ruffstartrescue.org/info/contact

Hours:
Monday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Tuesday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Wednesday: 9:00am - 7:00pm
Thursday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Friday:  9:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday & Sunday - Closed

[headlines]
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ELFA releases 2020 Software Guide
50 Page Digital

The 2020 ELFA Software Guide showcases the leading software solutions for the equipment finance industry. Whether your company is seeking to increase efficiency, improve the customer experience, secure your data or meet changing employee needs, among other goals, the guide will help you discover technology tools to solve problems and create opportunity.

The 2020 ELFA Software Guide includes “6 Tech Trends Facing Equipment Finance,” highlighting the changing nature of work in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The trends include:

  1. Remote adoption will create a hybrid approach to working.
  2. New technology and legacy processes must merge.
  3. Videoconferences should be used—and managed.
  4. Front- and back-end systems are adopting new technology.
  5. Cybersecurity has gotten more complex.
  6. Investment in the client experience is essential.

The guide also includes “Quick Quiz: How do you know when it’s time to upgrade your software platform?”  

Digital ELFA Software Guide
https://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication


[headlines]
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News Briefs----


DocuSign Buys Liveoak for $38M
    looks to launch “DocuSign Notary”
https://www.cfo.com/ma/2020/07/docusign-buys-liveoak-for-38m/

U.S. passes 3 million reported coronavirus cases
     as debate rages over plans to reopen schools
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/08/coronavirus-live-updates-us/

Walgreens strikes deal with primary-care company
    to open doctor offices in hundreds of drugstores
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/08/walgreens-strikes-deal-to-open-hundreds-of-doctor-offices-in-stores.html

Banks ring up billions in fees from PPP loans
    JP Morgan Chase/BofA, Seven Other Banks Named
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3589349-banks-ring-up-billions-in-fees-from-ppp-loans?

'A gut punch': United Airlines to lay off up to 36,000 U.S.
     employees in October as travel remains depressed
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/07/08/united-airlines-layoff-up-36-000-employees-october-coronavorus-fallout/5396857002/

Brooks Brothers, worn by Lincoln and Kennedy, goes bankrupt
    employed 4,000 people in March, before it furloughed about a third
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/business/brooks-brothers-worn-by-lincoln-and-kennedy-goes-bankrupt/

Levi's to cut 700 office jobs
     due to virus-related slump
https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Levi-s-to-cut-700-office-jobs-due-to-15392163.php

 ICE order over online classes rattles thousands
      of international college students
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2020/07/08/in-bay-area-ice-order-over-online-classes-rattles-thousands-of-international-college-students

Odwalla shuts down: Bay Area smoothie brand
   ceases operations/ 300 Jobs to be Lost
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Odwalla-shuts-down-Bay-Area-smoothie-brand-.php



[headlines]
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You May Have Missed---

Tom Hanks delivers a blunt message
    about COVID-19 on 'Today’
https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Tom-Hanks-delivers-a-blunt-message-coronavirus-15391483.php

(His birthday today, July 9, 1956, born Concord, California.


[headlines]
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Sports Briefs---

How Many Rings Has Tom Brady Won In His Career?
  His Next Step
https://gamedayr.com/how-many-rings-does-tom-brady-have/

49ers to season-ticket holders: You can defer to 2021 or get refund
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2020/07/08/49ers-to-season-ticket-holders-you-can-defer-to-2021/

SF 49ers' Raheem Mostert seeks trade as contract talks fizzle
https://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/SF-49ers-Raheem-Mostert-seeks-trade-as-contract-15395308.php

The Astros are a team of Karens.
    It's a tragedy MLB fans can't boo them in person
https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/The-Astros-are-a-team-of-Karens-It-s-a-tragedy-15392509.php

NFL's top 25 highest-paid players
https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/sports/nfl/2020/07/08/nfls-highest-paid-players-ranked-average-annual-salary/5396028002/

Ivy League cancels all fall sports
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/07/08/report-ivy-league-cancels-all-fall-sports/

Fewer reporters allowed at games
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/sports/fewer-reporters-allowed-at-games/

Stanford eliminates 11 varsity sports
    in the face of mounting deficit, pandemic impact
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/07/08/stanford-eliminates-11-varsity-sports/


[headlines]
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California Nuts Briefs---

Most Californians believe state is reopening too quickly,
    still concerned about catching COVID-19
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/07/08/coronavirus-most-californians-believe-state-is-reopening-too-quickly-still-concerned-about-catching-covid-19/

Six COVID-19 cases now reported by California Assembly.
    Legislature’s return date unclear
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article244059472.html?

Sacramento mayor wants to repeal city law
   that requires standing for national anthem
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article244063407.html?ac_cid=DM232849&ac_bid=1379874789

Bay Area pair who painted over BLM mural charged with hate crime
https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/2-Face-Charges-In-Defacing-Of-Martinez-Blm-Mural-15392691.php

$10,000 raised overnight to help
     save San Francisco's Miyako Ice Cream
https://www.sfgate.com/food/slideshow/Miyako-ice-cream-shop-Fillmore-San-Francisco-NCLF-204946.php


[headlines]

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

Climbing coronavirus cases force Napa County
    to curb restaurant, bar, tasting room reopenings
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/article/climbing-coronavirus-cases-forces-napa-county-to-curb-restaurant-bar-tast/

Ocatagon Vineyards estate on the market
    in Glen Ellen, California for $5,900,000
https://realestate.blogs.pressdemocrat.com/32403/octagon-vineyards-estate-on-the-market-in-glen-ellen-for-5900000/

Bottle Can Cut Carbon Footprint by 84%, says Frugalpac
https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2020/07/08/Packaging-innovation-Paper-wine-bottle-cuts-carbon-footprint?utm_source=copyright&utm_medium=OnSite&utm_campaign=copyright

Another Michelin-Starred Restaurant Permanently Closes
    Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic

https://robbreport.com/food-drink/dining/michelin-starred-restaurant-closes-covid-2927500/

Free Wine App
https://www.nataliemaclean.com/mobileapp/

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

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This Day in History

    1755 - General Edward Braddock was mortally wounded when French and Indian troops ambushed his force of British regulars and colonial militia, which was on its way to attack France's Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh). Gen. Braddock's troops were decimated at Fort Duquesne, where he refused to accept Washington's advice on frontier style fighting. Braddock gave his bloody sash to George Washington at Fort Necessity just before he died on July 13.
    1776 – Gen. George Washington ordered the Declaration of Independence to be read to members of the Continental Army in Manhattan, while thousands of British troops on Staten Island prepared for the Battle of Long Island.  This is also the same day New York became the 13th colony to ratify the Declaration.
    1793 - Vermont is the first state to complete the revision of its constitution.
(lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul09.html )
    1802 – Birthday of Thomas Davenport (d. 1851), Williamstown, VT.  American inventor who is credited with developing the first successful electric motor.
    1809 - Samuel Parker of Billerica, MA received his first patent for a leather-splitting machine, which split leather to any thickness. This invention doubled the use of leather.
    1811 - Sara Payson Willis Parton (d. 1872) born Portland, Maine.  Better known as Fanny Fern, whose first collection of witticisms sold 80,000 copies, she was one of the first woman newspaper columnists in the world.
http://www.search.eb.com/women/articles/Parton_Sara_Payson_Willis.html
http://www.awomanaweek.com/parton.html
http://college.hmco.com/english/lauter/heath/4e/students/author_pages/early_nineteenth/
fernsarawillisparton_fa.html
    1819 - Birthday of Elias Howe (d. 1867) at Spencer, MA. American inventor of the lockstitch sewing machine. All inventions were slow to catch on as people were afraid to try new things, or change, or invest. His invention made him very little money.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul09.html
    1838 - Birthday of Philip P. Bliss (d. 1876) in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. American gospel singer and songwriter. His best-remembered hymns include 'Wonderful Words of Life,' 'It is Well with My Soul' and 'Let the Lower Lights Be Burning.'
http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biorpbliss.html
    1846 - An American naval captain occupies the small settlement of Yerba Buena, a site that will later be renamed San Francisco. Surprisingly, Europeans did not discover the spectacular San Francisco Bay until 1769, although several explorers had sailed by it in earlier centuries. When Spanish explorers finally found the bay in that year, they immediately recognized its strategic value. In 1776, the Spanish built a military post on the tip of the San Francisco peninsula and founded the mission of San Francisco de Asis (the Spanish name for Saint Francis of Assisi) nearby. The most northern outpost of the Spanish, and later Mexican, empire in America, the tiny settlement remained relatively insignificant for several decades. However, the potential of the magnificent harbor did not escape the attention of other nations. In 1835, the British Captain William Richardson established a private settlement on the shore of Yerba Buena Cove, several miles to the east of the Mexican mission. That same year, the U.S. government offered to purchase the bay, but the Mexicans declined to sell. In retrospect, the Mexicans should have sold while they still had the chance. A little more than a decade later, a dispute between the U.S. and Mexico over western Texas led to war. Shortly after the Mexican War began, U.S. Captain John Montgomery sailed his warship into San Francisco Bay, anchoring just off the settlement of Yerba Buena. On this day in 1846, Montgomery led a party of marines and sailors ashore. They met no resistance and claimed the settlement for the United States, raising the American flag in the central plaza. The following year, the Americans renamed the village San Francisco. When the Mexicans formally ceded California to the United States in the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe, San Francisco was still a small town with perhaps 900 occupants. Gold was discovered at the nearby Sutter's Fort. San Francisco became the gateway for a massive gold rush, and by 1852, the town was home to more than 36,000.
    1846 - The U.S. Treaty with Great Britain set the Oregon boundary at the 49th parallel. Expansionists in Congress disagreed and used the slogan “54-40 or Fight.” In June, Col. Castro’s forces from Monterey, under the command of Joaquín de la Torre, fought the Battle of Olompali north of San Rafael with Fremont’s troops from Sonoma. Two Americans and five or six Californians were killed. John Frémont, along with my namesake Christopher “Kit” Carson, his guide, crossed to the Presidio with his Republic of California forces and spiked 10 Spanish guns. He also gave the name “Chrysoplylae” or “Golden Gate” to the entrance of the Bay. Meanwhile, on July 2, Commodore Sloat anchored at Monterey aboard the “Savannah.” He hesitated to follow his secret orders lest he commit the same grave error as Commodore Jones in 1842. Thomas Larkin advised the Commodore to move cautiously. On July 5, Frémont returned to Sonoma and organized the “California Battalion” to carry on the revolution. Marine Lt. Archibald H. Gillespie was appointed adjutant. On July 7, American flag rose at Monterey by Commodore John Drake Sloat, U.S.N. Sloat decided to take possession of California because he feared the British might occupy Monterey and he was concerned about the reported revolution in Sonoma. The Commodore told the people of Monterey that he came to bring greater political freedom and stability, and henceforth California would be a part of the United States.
Population the pueblo of Yerba Buena estimated at about 1000 non-natives. There were about 50 buildings in the pueblo. On July 8, Capt. Montgomery took formal possession of Yerba Buena and appointed Lt. Washington Allen Bartlett the first American Alcalde (mayor) because he spoke fluent Spanish. This appointment was later ratified by a vote of the people. And this day, Captain James B. Montgomery of the U.S.S. Portsmouth and 70 marines and sailors marched to the Plaza at Yerba Buena (San Francisco), hauled down the Mexican flag and raised the Stars and Stripes. Capt. Montgomery claims Yerba Buena (San Francisco) for United States. He later made Indian slavery against the law by proclamation.
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist6/indian.html
As a side note, it would not be until January 24, 1848 that James W. Marshall, an employee of John Sutter, accidentally discovers gold while building a sawmill near Coloma City. Efforts to keep the discovery secret failed and the gold rush of 1849 was under way, bringing thousands of men to California.
    1847 - The twelve-hour and longer workday was common. The first law to try and change the workday to ten hours a day was in New Hampshire, although because of the “bargaining position,” it was ineffective. It stated that “in all contracts relating to labor, ten hours actual labor shall be taken to be a day’s work unless otherwise agreed by the parties.”
    1850 - Zachary Taylor, war hero, 12th president of the United States, after serving only 16 months, dies of “acute gastrointestinal illness,” believed to be caused by his ingestion of raw fruit and iced milk, also thought to be cholera, at the age of 55. Vice-President Millard Fillmore was sworn in as the 13th president of the United States on July 10. Some historians suggested that Taylor may have been poisoned. To test this theory, his remains were exhumed from a cemetery in Louisville, KY, on June 17, 1991. A coroner’s report dated June 26 found no evidence of foul play.
    1852 - American Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow visits Jewish cemetery of Newport, RI. Shortly thereafter he writes his poem "The Jewish Cemetery at Newport."
    1853 - Admiral Perry and US Navy visit Japan in what is historically recognized as the ‘Opening of Japan’ to the western world.  As he arrived, Perry ordered his ships to steam past Japanese lines towards the capital of Edo, refusing Japanese demands to leave. He then demanded permission to present a letter from President Millard Fillmore and threatened to use force if the Japanese boats around the American squadron did not disperse.  Perry attempted to intimidate the Japanese by presenting them a white flag and a letter which told them that in case they chose to fight, the Americans would destroy them.  After the Japanese agreed to receive the letter from the American President, Perry landed on July 14, 1853, presented the letter to attending delegates, and left for the Chinese coast, promising to return for a reply.  After Perry's departure, fortifications were built on Tokyo Bay in order to protect Edo from possible future American naval incursion.  Perry returned in February, 1854 with twice as many ships to find that the Japanese had prepared a treaty accepting virtually all the demands in Fillmore's letter. Perry signed at the Convention of Kanagawa on March 31, 1854 and departed, mistakenly believing the agreement had been made with imperial representatives. The agreement was made with the Shogun, the de facto ruler of Japan.
http://www.brunias.com/perry.html
http://www.baxleystamps.com/litho/ry_litho_narrative.shtml
    1863 - At the battle of Port Hudson, Miss., Confederate Major General Franklin Gardner surrendered his garrison of 5500 men to General Nathaniel P. Banks after a siege of six weeks. The army this day fully controlled this crucial spot on the Mississippi.
http://www2.cr.nps.gov/abpp/battles/la010.htm
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~genworld/porthdsn.html
    1864 - Confederate General Jubal Early brushes a Union force out of his way as he heads for Washington. Early's expedition towards the Union capital was designed to take pressure off Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia around Petersburg. Beginning in early May, Ulysses S. Grant's Union army had continually attacked Lee and drove the Confederates into trenches around the Richmond-Petersburg area. In 1862, the Confederates faced a similar situation around Richmond, and they responded by sending General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson to the Shenandoah Valley to occupy Federal forces. The ploy worked well and Jackson kept three separate Union forces away from the Confederate capital. Now, Lee sent Early on a similar mission. Early and his force of 14,000 marched down the Shenandoah Valley, crossed the Potomac into Maryland, and then veered southeast toward Washington. Union General Lew Wallace, commander of the Middle Department and stationed in Baltimore, patched together a force of 6,000 local militiamen and soldiers from various regiments to stall the Confederates while a division from Grant's army around Petersburg arrived to protect Washington. Wallace placed his makeshift force along the Monocacy River near Frederick. Early in the morning of July 9, Early's troops easily pushed a small Federal guard from Frederick before encountering the bulk of Wallace's force along the river. Wallace protected three bridges over the river. One led to Baltimore, the other to Washington, and the third carried the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Early's first attack was unsuccessful. A second assault, however, scattered the Yankees. The Union force retreated toward Baltimore and the road to Washington was now open to Early and his army. Union losses for the day stood at 1,800, and Early lost 700 of his men. However, the battle delayed Early's advance to Washington and allowed time for the Union to bring reinforcements from Grant's army. On July 11th, he actually entered the District of Columbia, breaking through inadequate Union forces southeast of Frederick, MD. He withdrew on July 12th as reserves were reported on their way. He continued to harass Union forces from the Shenandoah Valley until the Battle of Cedar Creek in October. He again missed his opportunity and allowed the Union troops to regroup. The poem “Sheridan’s Ride” by Thomas Buchanan Read dramatized the general’s return to the field and the turn of the battle.
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/union-generals/sheridan/poem-sheridans-ride.htm
    1868 - The 14th Amendment defined US citizenship and provided that no State shall have the right to abridge the rights of any citizen without due process and equal protection under the law. Coming three years after the Civil War, the 14th Amendment also included provisions for barring individuals who assisted in any rebellion or insurrection against the US from holding public office, and releasing federal and state governments from any financial liability incurred in the assistance of rebellion or insurrection against the US.
    1872 - John F. Blondel of Thomaston, ME, obtained a patent for a doughnut cutter. A spring pushed the dough out of a center tube to make a hole. His invention helped to increase efficiency for bakers to increase their quantities of this tasty treat that originated in the 16th century Holland, where it was known as an "Olykoek." Blondel, however, was not the one who gave this pastry its famous ring shape. According to legend, a Maine sea captain gave the doughnut its hole by thrusting a piece of fried dough on the spoke of his ship’s wheel so he could steer with both hands. On the books, however, it was in 1847 when a young American named Captain Hanson Crockett Gregory first put the hole in the doughnut. Hanson's mother was a cake maker who, because the cakes were difficult to fry all the way through, began placing walnuts and hazelnuts in the center to mask their gooey texture. Her son disliked this part of the otherwise delicious cake and removed it altogether, giving it the look we all know and love. Today Americans eat an estimated 10 billion of these deep-fried pastries annually.
    1887 - American biographer and historian Samuel Eliot Morison (d. 1976), was born in Boston.  Noted for his works of maritime history and American history that were both authoritative and popular, he received his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1912 and taught history at the university for 40 years. He won Pulitzer Prizes for “Admiral of the Ocean Sea” (1942), a biography of Columbus, and “John Paul Jones: A Sailor's Biography” (1959). In 1942, he was commissioned to write a history of US naval operations in World War II, which was published in 15 volumes between 1947 and 1962. Morison wrote the popular “Oxford History of the American People” (1965) and co-authored the classic textbook “The Growth of the American Republic” (1930) with Henry S. Commager.
    1893 - In Provident Hospital on Chicago’s south side, African-American surgeon Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed the first successful open-heart surgery. The patient was James Cornish whose internal mammary artery had been damaged by a knife wound. The operation was witnessed by six doctors and described in the March 27, 1897 Medical Record.
    1894 - Dorothy Thompson (d. 1961) birthday, New York City.  Influential U.S. newspaper columnist, expelled from Germany for her virulent anti-Nazi stand when she was a U.S. reporter, she lectured widely against Hitler on her return to the U.S. She headed her paper's Berlin office 1925-1934. Her newspaper column “On the Record” was one of the most popular in the nation (1936-1958).
http://www.britannica.com/women/articles/Thompson_Dorothy.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0826206468/avsearch-bkasin-20/
103-5362656-4423850
http://www.ksu.edu/dthompson/
    1896 - William Jennings Bryan caused a sensation at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago with his "cross of gold" speech denouncing supporters of the gold standard. Bryan went on to win the party's nomination.
    1896 - Birth of William Cameron Townsend (d. 1982), Eastvale, CA.  American missionary and linguist. In 1942, he established what has become the largest evangelical missionary agency in the world, Wycliffe Bible Translators (WBT).
http://www.wycliffe.ca/resource/HTML/history_cameron.html
    1907 - Birthday of Eddie Dean, born Edward Dean Glosup, (d. 1999) in Posey, Texas. He appeared in scores of low-budget westerns, including his own series of 20 films from 1946-48. Dean and his wife Loreen co-wrote the country music classics "One Has My Name, the Other Has My Heart" and "I Dreamed of a Hillybilly Heaven.”
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Dean,+Eddie
    1908 – American photographer Minor White (d. 1976) birthday, Minneapolis.
http://photography.about.com/library/weekly/aa121701a.htm
http://www.profotos.com/education/referencedesk/masters/masters/minorwhite/
minorwhite.shtml
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/white_minor.html
http://www.masters-of-photography.com/W/white/white.html
http://www.masters-of-photography.com/W/white/white_devils_slide_full.html
http://masters-of-photography.com/W/white/white_windowsill_full.html
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/white_minor.html
    1910 - Jimmy Dale was born Harold C. Fox (d. 1996), Chicago.  Bandleader-clothier, he first coined “zoot suit” (with a reet pleat) in 1942.
    1914 - The first auction duplicate bridge championship was held at the Lake Placid Club, Lake Placid, NY. The four-man team of the New York Bridge Whist Club defeated the team of the Knickerbocker Whist Club of New York City by seven tricks on 48 boards to win the American Whist League’s Hamilton Trophy, symbolic of the whist championship of the United States and Canada.
    1915 - Birthday of American composer David Diamond (d. 2005), at Rochester, NY.  Diamond studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, because of his great hero, Maurice Ravel. He had a close friendship with Leonard Bernstein who premiered a lot of his works. Diamond was still active as a composer in his mid-80’s and had been mostly known for the work "Rounds" for string orchestra.
    1918 – Worst rail accident in U.S. history occurs with head-on collision of two trains at Nashville, Tennessee, taking the lives of 101 and injuring another 171.
    1921 - Birthday of Canadian country singer Stu Davis, born David Stewart (d. 2007) in Boggy Creek, Saskatchewan. He and his brother Fred teamed up in 1939 to perform as the Harmony Boys on Regina radio station CKCK. Stu Davis later became known as "Canada's Cowboy Troubadour," and made appearances in the late 1940's on NBC radio's "National Barn Dance" from Chicago and the "Grand Ole Opry." Davis signed with London Records in 1956, making 15 LP's for the label.
    1925 - Birthday of tenor sax player Frank Wright (d. 1990), Grenada, MS.
http://www.centrohd.com/music/allmusic/art1.htm
    1926 - Mathilde Krim (d. 2018) birthday, Como, Italy.  Founder in 1980 of AmFar, the preeminent AIDS organization that has raised more than $50 million for AIDS research and education. She was one of the first to recognize the dangers of AIDS worldwide in 1980, when most health authorities were unaware of anything called AIDS, she had the courage to do something about it, using $100,000 of her own funds. She served as head of a lab at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and was a noted medical researcher and health educator.
http://www.70up.org/krim.htm
http://www.thebody.com/amfar/krim.html
    1927 – Birthday of actor, singer Ed Ames, born Edmund Dantes Urick, Malden, MA.  While still in high school, he and his brothers formed a quartet and often won competitions around Boston. The Ames Brothers were first signed on with Decca in 1947, but because of the Musician Union's ban in 1948, Decca only released three singles. As the ban was ending, they signed on with another label, Coral Records, a subsidiary of Decca. They had their first major hit in the 1950s with the double-sided "Rag Mop" and "Sentimental Me." They joined RCA Victor records and continued to have success throughout the 1950s with many hits like "It Only Hurts For a Little While," "You, You, You," and "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane." In the early 1960s, they disbanded and Ed, pursuing a career in acting, landed the role of Native American Mingo on the NBC television series, “Daniel Boone” with Fess Parker.  One of the most memorable moments of his career and in TV history occurred on April 29, 1965, when he appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” Ames and Carson were discussing Ames' tomahawk throwing abilities. When Ames claimed that he could hit a target from across the room, Carson asked Ames if he could demonstrate this skill. Ames agreed, and a wood panel with a chalk outline of a cowboy was brought on to the stage. Ames proceeded to throw the tomahawk, which hit the "cowboy" square in the groin with the handle pointing upward. This led to a very long burst of laughter from the audience, which has been called the longest sustained laugh by a live audience in television history.
    1928 - Vince Edwards (d. 1996) birthday, Brooklyn. As Dr. Ben Casey on the 1961 television show “Ben Casey,” Edwards’s muscular, brooding charm made him an overnight sex symbol. Medical school enrollment increased while he was on the air. After conquering a gambling addiction, he became a real-life hero.
    1930 - Arranger/bandleader Buddy Bregman born Louis Isidore Bregman (d. 2017), Chicago, IL.
http://www.bobbydarin.net/bdbuddy.html
http://www.buddybregman.com
    1932 – Birthday of Donald Rumsfeld, Chicago.  13th Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford, and 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006 under President George W. Bush. He is both the youngest and the oldest person to have served as Secretary of Defense. Additionally, Rumsfeld was a four-term US Congressman from Illinois (1962–1969), Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity (1969–1970), Counsellor to the President (1969–1973), the US Permanent Representative to NATO (1973–1974), and White House Chief of Staff (1974–1975).
    1932 – The Yankees Ben Chapman hit three HRs, two inside-the-park, at Yankee Stadium.
    1936 - The temperature hit an all-time record high of 106 degrees at the Central Park Observatory in New York City, a record which lasted until LaGuardia Airport hit 107 degrees on July 3, 1966.
    1941 - Crack British cryptologists break the secret code used by the German army to direct ground-to-air operations on the Eastern front. British experts had already broken many of the Enigma codes for the Western front. Enigma was the Germans' most sophisticated coding machine, necessary to secretly transmit information. The Enigma machine, invented in 1919 by Hugo Koch, a Dutchman, looked like a typewriter and was originally employed for business purposes. The Germany army adapted the machine for wartime use and considered its encoding system unbreakable.
    1942 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit:  “Sleepy Lagoon,'' Harry James Orchestra.
    1942 - Birthday of Richard Roundtree, actor (“Shaft,” “Q”, “Roots.”),
New Rochelle, NY.
    1944 - German Army Group Center was taken by surprise when the Soviets began an offensive between the Baltic Sea and the Carpathian Mountains. The Germans had expected an attack farther south, where the Red Army had already penetrated deep into Poland. When Hitler refused to allow a German retreat, the Soviets easily broke through the German lines, and the Reich’s forces were isolated in the Baltic States. Within a week Army Group Center was virtually annihilated, with a loss of 200,000 men.
    1944 - PUCKET, DONALD D. (Air Mission), Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 98th Bombardment Group. Place and date: Ploesti Raid, Rumania, 9 July 1944. Entered service at: Boulder, Colo. Birth: Longmont, Colo. G.O. No.: 48, 23 June 1945. Citation: He took part in a highly effective attack against vital oil installation in Ploesti, Rumania, on 9 July 1944. Just after "bombs away," the plane received heavy and direct hits from antiaircraft fire. One crewmember was instantly killed and 6 others severely wounded. The airplane was badly damaged, 2 were knocked out, the control cables cut, the oxygen system on fire, and the bomb bay flooded with gas and hydraulic fluid. Regaining control of his crippled plane, 1st Lt. Pucket turned its direction over to the copilot. He calmed the crew, administered first aid, and surveyed the damage. Finding the bomb bay doors jammed, he used the hand crank to open them to allow the gas to escape. He jettisoned all guns and equipment but the plane continued to lose altitude rapidly. Realizing that it would be impossible to reach friendly territory he ordered the crew to abandon ship. Three of the crew, uncontrollable from fright or shock, would not leave. 1st Lt. Pucket urged the others to jump. Ignoring their entreaties to follow, he refused to abandon the 3 hysterical men and was last seen fighting to regain control of the plane. A few moments later the flaming bomber crashed on a mountainside. 1st Lt. Pucket, unhesitatingly and with supreme sacrifice, gave his life in his courageous attempt to save the lives of 3 others.
    1946 - Birthday of Bon Scott, born Ronald Belford Scott (d. 1980), Forfar, Scotland.  Singer for AC/DC. I saw him in Campbell, California, when there was a rock 'n' roll club early on and at one time had a signed poster by all members of the band.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Scott
http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/3196/01/MPRA_paper_3196.pdf
    1947 - The first female army officer, Florence Aby Blanchfield, appointed lieutenant colonel with a ceremony held at the Pentagon.  General Dwight David Eisenhower, Chief of Staff, presenting her with her commission. On June 1, 1943, she had been appointed superintendent of army nurses.
http://www.military.com/Content/MoreContent?file=ML_blanchfield_bkp.
    1947 – Birthday of Orenthal James “OJ” Simpson, San Francisco.  Nicknamed “The Juice,” Heisman Trophy winner, USC All-American, NFL Hall of Fame running back who was the first man to rush for over 2000 yards in a season. Simpson was the first professional football player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, a mark he set in 1973. While six other players have passed the 2,000-rush yard mark, he stands alone as the only player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a 14-game season (professional football changed to a 16-game season in 1978). He holds the record for the single season yards-per-game average, which stands at 143.1 ypg. Simpson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. After retiring from professional football, Simpson had a career as an actor, pitchman, and football broadcaster. In 1995, he was acquitted of the 1994 murder of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman after a lengthy and internationally publicized criminal trial, the People v. Simpson. In 1997, a civil court awarded a judgment against Simpson for their wrongful deaths; to date he has paid little of the $33.5 million judgment. In September 2007, Simpson was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and charged with numerous felonies, including armed robbery and kidnapping. In 2008, he was found guilty and was sentenced to 33 years' imprisonment, with a minimum of nine years without parole. He served his sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Lovelock, Nevada, from where he was paroled on Oct 1, 2017. (http://www.doc.nv.gov/?q=node/26.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OJ_Simpson
    1949 - NBC radio broadcast "Dangerous Assignment" for the first time. The show starred Brian Donlevy as Steve Mitchell.
http://www.rusc.com/old-time-radio-series/old-time-radio-Dangerous%20Assignment.html
http://www.radiomemories.com/radiomemories/dangerousassignment.html
    1950 - Top Hits
“Bewitched” - The Bill Snyder Orchestra
“My Foolish Heart” - The Gordon Jenkins Orchestra (vocal: Eileen Wilson)
“I Wanna Be Loved” - The Andrews Sisters
“Why Don’t You Love Me” - Hank Williams
    1951 - American "hard-boiled" novelist Dashiell Hammett was sentenced, choosing six months' imprisonment rather than co-operate with the US House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities' inquiries into domestic "subversion", refusing to kow-tow to the anti-communist witch hunters. My son Dashiell is named after him, my favorite detective writer. Hammett was President of the League of American Writers in 1942, and of the Civil Rights Congress of New York, 1946-47.
http://mysterynet.com/hammett/
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/hammett_d.html
http://www.thrillingdetective.com/hammet.html
    1952 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit:  “Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart,'' Vera Lynn.
    1953 - At Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium, reliever Bob Miller replaced Robin Roberts, ending the starter's consecutive complete game streak at 28. In today’s game, the best starters rarely have that many in their entire careers.
    1954 - Debbie Sledge of Sister Sledge is born in Philadelphia. Sisters Debbie, Joan, Kim and Kathie Sledge of North Philadelphia begin recording as Sister Sledge in1971. The group's biggest hit is the million-selling No. 2 song, “We Are Family'' in 1979.
    1955 - Pat Boone released his version of "Ain't That a Shame" which became his first #1 hit, covering the original by Fats Domino, a common occurrence in rock ‘n’ roll’s early days.
    1955 - A landmark in music history is established when Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" reaches number one on the Billboard chart. Many music historians will eventually acknowledge the song as a dividing line, separating Rock ‘n’ Roll from everything that preceded it.
    1955 - Les Paul and Mary Ford enter the Billboard charts with "Hummingbird," which will reach #7 and become the first of their five Pop chart entries.
    1955 – Birthday of Jimmy Smits, Brooklyn.  Actor “LA Law,” “NYPD Blue.”
    1956 – The BBWAA, by a narrow margin of 14-12, votes to establish the Cy Young Award to honor the Major Leagues' most outstanding pitcher. Young has passed away in 1955.  Commissioner Ford Frick initiated the idea because he felt hurlers were not recognized in the MVP voting, but ironically the first recipient of the Cy Young Award, Brooklyn Dodger Don Newcombe, will also win the MVP that year. In 1967, the award was extended to recognize the best pitcher in each league.
    1956 - Dick Clark made his debut as host of "Bandstand" on Philadelphia TV station WFIL. He took over from Bob Horn, who had been charged with driving while intoxicated during a highly publicized police crackdown.  "Bandstand" featured top pop and rock stars lip-synching their latest hits and a group of local teens dancing in the studio to recorded music. The ABC network expressed interest, and in 1957, the program was re-titled "American Bandstand" and shown across the US and Canada. At the height of its popularity, the daily show was reported to have generated one million fan letters a week. Through their exposure on "American Bandstand," such non-singers as Fabian and Frankie Avalon became teen idols and the show was a launching pad for many other singing acts and rock ‘n’ roll itself.  Millions of teens across the US ran home from school to watch the show at 4 pm as must-see TV.  Clark relinquished his "Bandstand" hosting duties in 1989 to 26-year-old David Hirsch. The program died within a matter of months. Still, it had been on the air for 37 years - a record for a television variety show.
http://www.history-of-rock.com/clark.htm
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/bandstnd.htm
http://www.dickclarkproductions.com/html/restaurants.html
    1956 - Actor Tom Hanks born Concord, California. After his parents divorced when he was a toddler, Hanks lived with his father, a cook. He began studying acting in high school, played with a Shakespeare festival for three years, and launched his television career in 1980 with “Bosom Buddies,” an offbeat sitcom about two men forced to disguise themselves as women. He made a splash with “Splash” in 1984, followed by a huge success with “Big” in 1988, for which he received an Oscar nomination. After several quiet years, his career took off again with “Sleepless in Seattle” (1993).  He is now considered one of the biggest box office draws alive. He won the Best Actor Oscar twice, for “Philadelphia” in 1993 and “Forrest Gump” in 1994. In 1995, Hanks became one of only two actors who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in consecutive years, with Spencer Tracy being the other.
He was also nominated for his role in “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998. He began directing in 1996 with “That Thing You Do” and co-produced “Cast Away” (2000), for which he received another Best Actor Oscar nomination.  Hanks' films have grossed more than $4.5 billion at U.S. and Canadian box offices and more than $9.0 billion worldwide, making him the third highest-grossing actor in North America.  Hanks has been nominated for numerous awards. 
    1957 - Bobby Helms "My Special Angel" is released.  It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and spent four weeks at number one on the US Country Music chart.  The single made the R&B chart as well peaking at number eight, and it became a gold record.  
    1958 - Top Hits
“Hard Headed Woman” - Elvis Presley
“Splish Splash” - Bobby Darin
“Poor Little Fool” - Ricky Nelson
“Guess Things Happen that Way” - Johnny Cash
    1958 - Johnny Cash, following in the footsteps of ex-Sun Records artist Carl Perkins, signs with Columbia Records.
    1958 - On Capitol Hill, Casey Stengel and Mickey Mantle appear in front of the Senate Anti-Trust and Monopoly Subcommittee which is investigating baseball as a monopoly in regards to sport's antitrust exemption. After 'The Old Perfessor' gives 45 minutes of rambling and confusing testimony, Senator Estes Kefauver laughs when Mickey Mantle answers his inquiry about the topic with, "My views are just about the same as Casey's."
    1959 - The Drifters "Dance with Me" is released.
    1960 – USS Thresher was launched at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  She was lead boat of her class of nuclear-powered attack submarines in the US Navy.  On 10 April 1963, Thresher sank during deep-diving tests about 350 km (220 mi) east of Boston, Massachusetts, killing all 129 crew and shipyard personnel aboard. It is the second-deadliest submarine incident on record. Her loss was a watershed for the U.S. Navy, leading to the implementation of a rigorous submarine safety program known as SUBSAFE.
    1962 - Bob Dylan records “Blowin in the Wind.”   
    1962 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit:  “Roses Are Red (My Love),'' Bobby Vinton.
    1964 - "House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals hits #1 on the U.K. singles chart.
    1965 - Patricia Roberts Harris was sworn in as the ambassador to Luxembourg, the first African-American Ambassador. She was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.  http://www.usps.com/images/stamps/2000/harris.htm
    1966 - United Farm Workers benefit at the Fillmore with Quicksilver Messenger Service & the San Andreas Fault Finders.
http://www.penncen.com/quicksilver/
    1966 - Top Hits
“Paperback Writer” - The Beatles
“Red Rubber Ball” - The Cyrkle
“Hanky Panky” - Tommy James & The Shondells
“Think of Me” - Buck Owens
    1966 - Jack Nicklaus shot 282 at Muirfield in Scotland to win his first British Open Championship. With this victory, Nicklaus joined Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player as the only golfers to have won all four events comprising golf’s modern Grand Slam: the Masters, the US Open, The British Open and the PGA Championship. Nicklaus won two other British Opens, in 1970 and 1978.  For his career, Nicklaus won 18 major championships, still the record.
http://www.nicklaus.com/
    1968 - The Beatles "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" is released.
    1969 - A funeral was held in Cheltenham Spa, England, for Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, who had been found dead in the swimming pool of his home six days earlier. The coroner's report cited "death by misadventure."
http://home.earthlink.net/~hobhead/
    1969 - Courtney Love is born in San Francisco.
    1974 - Top Hits
“Rock the Boat” - The Hues Corporation
“Rock Your Baby” - George McCrae
“Hollywood Swinging” - Kool & The Gang
“He Thinks I Still Care” - Anne Murray
    1977 - KISS' "Love Gun" LP enters the chart.
    1977 - Bob Marley and the Wailers' "Exodus" LP enters the chart.
    1978 - Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner" peaks at #8 on the pop chart.
    1978 - After crashing legendary bluesman Willie Dixon's house in Chicago, Dixon takes the Rolling Stones to the local Quiet Night Club to join Muddy Waters and his band onstage and jam with them on several of their favorite Muddy songs, including "Mannish Boy."
    1982 - Top Hits
“Don’t You Want Me” - The Human League
“Rosanna” - Toto
“Hurts So Good” - John Cougar
“Any Day Now” - Ronnie Milsap
    1983 - The Police's "Every Breath You Take" peaks at #1 on the pop chart -- a position it will hold for 9 weeks.
    1983 - Stevie Nicks' album "The Wild Heart" enters the chart. It features the smash hit, "Stand Back."
    1983 - Elton John's hit "I'm Still Standing" hits #12 on the singles chart.
    1984 - The Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, IN was packed to the rafters. 67,596 spectators, the largest crowd to watch a basketball game in the United States, saw the U.S. men’s Olympic team defeat a team of players from the NBA, 97-82. The largest crowd in the world to see a basketball game was in 1951. 75,000 spectators saw the Harlem Globetrotters play in Olympic Stadium in West Berlin, Germany.
    1985 - Football great Joe Namath signed a five-year pact with ABC-TV to provide commentary for "Monday Night Football." The former New York Jets quarterback reportedly earned one million dollars a year for the job. Namath replaced ‘Dandy’ Don Meredith. Broadway Joe had previous experience with "Monday Night Football" as a player, when he and the Jets were the first team to play on the popular TV series on September 21, 1970. 1985 was the only season he appeared on MNF.
    1987 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather in Michigan. A tornado near Munising, MI, destroyed part of a commercial dog kennel, and one of the missing dogs was later found unharmed in a tree top half a mile away.
    1988 - Twenty-three cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Alpena, MI, and Buffalo, NY, suffered through their sixth straight day of record heat. The percentage of total area in the country in the grips of severe to extreme drought reached 43 percent, the fourth highest total of record. The record of 61 percent occurred during the summer of 1934.
    1988 - At Candlestick Park, Chris Speier hits for the cycle as the Giants maul the Cardinals, 21-2. The 21 runs scored established a San Francisco record.
    1988 - Elton John's "Reg Strikes Back" LP enters the chart. It will stay for 19 weeks and features the hit, "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That."
    1988 - Steve Winwood's "Roll With It" LP enters the chart. It will stay on the chart for 31 weeks eventually hitting #1. The LP features the #1 hit, "Roll with It."
    1989 – For the first time, Wimbledon has both men’s and women's final on same day, Boris Becker beats Stefan Edberg while Steffi Graf beats Martina Navratilova
    1990 - Top Hits
“Step By Step” - New Kids on the Block
“She Ain’t Worth It” - Glenn Medeiros featuring Bobby Brown
“Hold On” - En Vogue
    1991 - Prodigy began testing a service allowing customers to pay bills electronically. The service, which cost about $9.95 a month on top of Prodigy's monthly online service fee, allowed members to pay up to 20 bills electronically. About a quarter of a million subscribers participated in the test.
    1992 - Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton tapped Sen. Al Gore of Tennessee to be his running mate.
    1994 - John Mellencamp's "Dance Naked" LP enters the chart. The album features the hit "Wild Night", a duet with Me’Shell NdegeOcello.
    1994 - The Kiss tribute album, "Kiss My Ass, Classic Kiss Regrooved" enters the chart. The LP features Kiss songs done by artists such as Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Wonder and Garth Brooks.
    1995 - The Grateful Dead played what proved to be their last concert, at Soldier Field in Chicago. The show began with their only Top-10 hit, "Touch of Grey," and ended with an encore of "Black Muddy River" and "Box of Rain." One month later, leader Jerry Garcia entered a drug rehabilitation program in Forest Knoll, known as Forest Farm in Marin County, CA.  Garcia died early Wednesday, August 9, in his sleep at the drug rehabilitation clinic in Forest Knolls, Marin County, where he had gone to kick a heroin habit. He had snuck out after curfew and made a connection. The Marin County coroner said preliminary tests indicated Garcia - overweight and diabetic - had died of a heart attack.
http://www.dead.net/
    1995 - The Rolling Stones played their first concert in their homeland in five years, opening the British leg of their "Voodoo Lounge" tour in Sheffield, England. During the tour, the Stones played before more than 6.5 million people in 135 venues around the world. Ticket sales topped $300-million Canadian, with more than $430-million in merchandise sales. They are still on a roll; every concert I have seen them, they get better and better. Several recent ones I have sat in the second or third up-front row.
http://www.rollingstones.com/
    1997 - Apple Computer chairman and CEO Gilbert Amelio was ousted. His unexpected departure came less than a year and a half after he was named chairman in February, 1996. Amelio became the third Apple chief forced out in four years, including John Sculley in 1993 and Michael Spindler in 1996. Amelio had a very fancy wine cellar entrance and trappings. He liked it there better than anywhere else.
    1997 - Boxer Mike Tyson was banned from the ring and fined $3 million for biting opponent Evander Holyfield's ear.
    1998 - Milwaukee Brewer owner Bud Selig, who served as acting commissioner for nearly the last six years, is named by the owners to be baseball's ninth commissioner. To avoid conflicts of interest, his ownership of the Milwaukee's franchise will be placed in trust.  Selig was Commissioner through 2014 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017.  Selig oversaw baseball through the 1994 strike, the introduction of the wild card playoff format, interleague play, and the merging of the National and American Leagues into the Office of the Commissioner. He was instrumental in organizing the World Baseball Classic in 2006.  Selig also introduced revenue sharing and is credited for the financial turnaround of baseball during his tenure with a 400 percent increase in the revenue of MLB and annual record-breaking attendance.  During Selig's term of service, the use of steroids and other PEDs became a public issue. The Mitchell Report, commissioned by Selig, concluded that the MLB commissioners, club officials, the Players Association, and the players all share "to some extent in the responsibility for the steroid era."  Selig had pledged on numerous occasions to rid baseball of performance-enhancing drugs and instituted many rule changes and penalties to that end.
    2002 - Despite chants of 'Let them play!' from the sellout crowd of 41,871 at Milwaukee's Miller Park, Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig declares the 73rd All-Star Game a 7-7 tie after 11 innings because both teams had run out of players. No player is selected to receive the first Ted Williams Most Valuable Player award, named in honor of the late Red Sox legend who died five days prior.
    2004 - A Senate Intelligence Committee report concluded the CIA had provided unfounded assessments of the threat posed by Iraq that the Bush administration relied on to justify going to war.
    2005 - Daredevil skateboarder Danny Way jumps the Great Wall of China, rolling down a massive ramp at nearly 50 mph.  Way botched the landing on his first attempt but then successfully completed the jump across the 61-foot gap four times, adding 360-degree spins on his last three tries.
http://dannyway.com/
    2011 – Major League Baseball history was made when Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter joined the 3000-hit club with a 5-for-5 day that included a home run as the 3000th hit and the game-winning single in the 8th.  Jeter is the only Yankee to have reached the 3000-hit mark and he finished his career with 3630, good for sixth all-time and best among shortstops.
    2013 - Jon Bon Jovi returned to his hometown of Sayreville, New Jersey to donate $1 million to the Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund. Presenting a check to Governor Chris Christie, the singer told a crowd in front of the town hall, "One thought came to me. What can I do? One of the residents responded, saying, 'Use your voice.'"


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