Leasing Readers Communicate
What is Going On
By Kit Menkin, Editor

Leasing News has a major advertiser that is now postponing their ads, as they are no longer funding, they report, perhaps until April.

They owe two months and now tell me: "I heard back from our accounting team, for right now we have enacted making payments on all invoices within 90 days. Your invoice is in the queue to be paid. Hopefully we quickly get things back to normal and will soon put this situation behind us."

*****

"I agree that the MCA loans are likely to be a disaster with the closing of restaurants and other small businesses that are thinly capitalized and live day-to-day on the cash flow that MCA loans provide.  Also, other providers of credit to small businesses will have higher delinquencies and losses.  The stocks of companies like Marlin and OnDeck have been decimated, although, in the case of Marlin, I think that the current valuation may be overly pessimistic.  It will be interesting to see how the impacted public companies revise their loss reserves in their March 31, 2020 financial statements.

"I fully support the shutdowns in California, NY and other states, and I think that my state should have done likewise.  Unless we can quickly stop the spread of the virus, things will get much worse before they get better.  If we can lower the first peak and new cases start declining in May, finance companies should be able to have a much better estimate of their needed loss reserves by the time they finalize their June 30, 2020 financial statements."

****

"Here are our current thoughts...

"As previously mentioned, capital and financial markets continue to be extremely unstable and a sudden lack of liquidity has prompted many lenders to reduce product offerings or halt originations entirely. Because of this, the rates and terms you have become used to seeing from RCN Capital and from other lenders in this space are no longer feasible. This means, our lending guidelines will change, and probably continue to change often, as market conditions fluctuate. Some of the immediate changes we currently anticipate are raising minimum credit score requirements, lowering leverage (LTV and LTC) and increasing rates across all loan programs. Please know that we are working tirelessly to provide updated product guidelines to our customers as they are developed, as many of these updates will be implemented immediately.

"In addition to the issues we are seeing in financial markets, we are also observing disruptions with appraisals and inspections due to health and safety concerns. We will do our best to minimize any delays this may cause and we appreciate your patience during this time.

"Finally, due to numerous county courthouses closing throughout the country, we are starting to experience difficulties with obtaining title policies and we are seeing title companies backing away from issuing gap coverage.

"As the current situation continues to evolve, we will provide regular updates in the days to come. We want to thank you for your past and continued support during these trying times. We wish good health and safety to our customers and their families during this time. 

"If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team. We remain optimistic that we will be able to work through the difficulties that lay ahead of us and we look forward to coming out on the other side of this stronger than ever.

"Best regards,"

JEFFREY TESCH
Chief Executive Officer, RCN Capital

******

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Support local businesses that are still #openfordelivery
Now even more restaurants have a $0 delivery fee

Door Dash Offers One Month Free services

We just added more than 100,000 independent restaurant partners to DashPass at no charge to help them generate higher sales. You can access all of these restaurants when you enroll in DashPass, and your first 30 days are free.*

Around the globe, the restaurants that form the backbone of our communities are being asked to change how they operate. In this unprecedented time, it's important that we work together to ensure that these businesses are supported.

With DashPass you can order from thousands of restaurants with $0 delivery and reduced service fees. Support local restaurants and save an average of $4-5 per order.

Try One Month Free
https://www.doordash.com/dashpass/en-US

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The coronavirus pandemic has brought life in the United States to a near standstill in recent days. Many cities and states are in complete lockdown as strict social distancing looks like the only way to slow down the spread of the virus at the moment. As people are no longer leaving their houses, let alone meeting in restaurants, movie theaters or at the mall, some industries have lost a significant portion of their income virtually overnight, putting millions of American jobs at risk.

According to estimates from Goldman Sachs economists, initial jobless claims may have exceeded 2 million in the week ended March 21, but that may only be the beginning of an unprecedented jobs crisis. According to the Job Quality Index (JQI), a research project from Cornell Law School and the Coalition for a Prosperous America that assesses job quality in the United States, more than 37 million (mostly lower-wage) jobs may be vulnerable.

By Felix Richeer, Statista
https://www.statista.com/chart/21204/american-jobs-at-risk-due-to-coronavirus-outbreak/

Telemarketing

Sales Makes it Happen by Scott Wheeler, CLFP

Many originators in the commercial equipment leasing and finance industry have been working remotely for years. However, the current situation is quite different. Now, many are sharing their home offices with spouses and children. They are confined to their home offices, rather than having the opportunity to travel part of the time visiting clients in person. They are confronted with an operational staff that was previously in a central office but are now also working remotely. Perhaps this is the first time that you, as an originator, are working remotely. Below are a few tips:

• First and most importantly, have patience and stay calm.
• Have a designated space exclusively for your work, preferably with a door (a lockable door is even better).
• Create a routine and follow it every day. Working from home takes discipline.
• If you and your spouse are working from home and taking care of the children, then you both need blocks of time to commit to your work. Plan out your schedules and stick to your plan. You cannot just "wing it."
• Working from home is not a 9 to 5 proposition. Some tasks can be completed off hours, after the kids are in bed (i.e. research, completing paperwork, planning the next day).
• Communicate often with your co-workers. Keeping everyone up-to-date and connected is everyone's responsibility. Several short conference calls are more effective than an hour-long teleconference. Quick emails to update the team are always helpful.
• Now is the time to be in more contact with your vendors and end-users than ever before. You must assure them that you are available to help with their needs. Be empathetic, have patience, be there to offer professional solutions.
• Have patience with others in your company that have never worked remotely. Your credit department may require a bit more time to process an application. We are all in this together. This is not a time for unnecessary drama. Be part of the solution.
• Teleworking requires flexibility and innovation - two attributes that the commercial equipment leasing and finance industry are experts in. Now is the time to use both.

These are truly unprecedented times. Leadership and professionalism will lead us forward. You are the solution.

Scott A. Wheeler, CLFP
Wheeler Business Consulting
1314 Marquis Ct.
Fallston, Maryland 21047
Phone: 410 877 0428
Fax: 410 877 8161
Email: scott@wheelerbusinessconsulting.com
Web: www.wheelerbusinessconsulting.com 

Sales Makes it Happen articles:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Legacy/index.html

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Google Maps Now Identifies Businesses
That Are Temporarily Closed by David Schmidt

State emergency measures are causing a large number of businesses to temporarily close. In a blog post published March 15, 2020, Google CEO Sundar Pichai indicated that in response the Covid-19 pandemic, Google has begun a process to identify those businesses that are temporarily closed.

Sundar Pichai, Google CEO, said, "Based on data from governments and other authoritative sources, Google Search and Maps will now display if a place, like a school or local business, is temporarily closed. In the coming days, we'll make it possible for businesses to easily mark themselves as 'temporarily closed' using Google My Business.

“We’re also using our artificial intelligence (AI) technology Duplex where possible to contact businesses to confirm their updated business.”

This should prove to be a useful tool for credit executives trying to stay on top of their AR portfolio. A simple query in the Google search engine using a company's name or in Google Maps using the company's address should get you the latest information. When you haven't been able to get a hold of a customer by phone, this could provide a reason why. You can then pursue other contact methods.

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In order to stem the spread of the coronavirus, social interactions around the world are being restricted. This infographic, based on calculations by Robert A. J. Signer, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego, shows how this so-called social distancing can reduce the spread of the virus.

With no changes to social behavior, one infected person will on average pass the virus to 2.5 people within five days. After 30 days, the figure would rise to a devastating 406 new infections. The number can be significantly reduced though by engaging in less social contact. With a 50 percent reduction, the number of new infections caused by the average person after 30 days is just 15 people. A 75 percent change would result in an even lower 2.5 new cases - greatly reducing the burden on health services and, if followed by everybody, allowing a country to 'flatten the curve' of new infections.

By Martin Armstrong, Statista

https://www.statista.com/chart/21198/effect-of-social-distancing-signer-lab/

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Is Marijuana Use Advisable During Coronavirus Quarantine?
CannabisNewsWire.com

 

At the moment, millions of people all over Asia, the U.S. and Europe have been forced into self-isolation. In the few months that it has been active, the Coronavirus has wreaked havoc, with more than 300,000 people infected and at least 12,944 dead, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The virus is very communicable and the best preventive measures are self-isolation and social distancing.

However, that’s easier said than done. For those who aren’t used to working from home or long periods of isolation, it’s going to be quite tough. As more and more U.S. states go into lockdown to curb the spread of the condition, there has been a spike in demand for marijuana as people stock up. There is plenty of evidence that marijuana can help reduce stress levels and anxiety, and it could be the perfect companion during a long period of isolation.

Researchers have found that high-CBD/high-THC strains reduce stress while high-CBD/low-THC strains help limit depression. If you’re planning on using marijuana to help cope with the anxiety and stress of self-isolation, here are a few things you should keep in mind.

For starters, if you’re smoking with other people, do not share joints, pipes, bongs, vape pens, or anything that will touch your lips.

Erik Altieri, Executive Director of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws. advises, “Community has always been central to cannabis culture, but given the health crisis we find ourselves in, it is best we think of community a little differently.”

He suggests moving any group sessions to FaceTime, Zoom or Skype.

Secondly, make sure you keep your smoking equipment clean. A study conducted by Moose Labs, a Los Angeles-based cannabis accessories company, found that cannabis equipment can collect a staggering amount of germs. According to co-founder Jay Rush, the average gas station toilet has about 900 bacteria per square inch, while the average bong has about 3,000 bacteria per square inch.

Altieri says to regularly clean and disinfect your equipment with high percentage isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) to ensure they stay sterile.

Lastly, experts advise against smoking as it affects lung health. The Coronavirus attacks respiratory systems, and smoking puts you at greater risk. New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, recently stated that smokers and vapers are indeed more vulnerable to the Coronavirus. “If you are a smoker or a vaper, this is a very good time to stop that habit,” he said.

Instead, opt for edibles, oils, and tinctures as they don’t need to be combusted and inhaled. If you’re a little adventurous, there are plenty of marijuana recipes that are sure to keep you busy.

The entire cannabis industry, including companies like HTC Extraction Systems (TSX.V: HTC) (OTCQB: HTPRF), is hoping that people adhere to all the recommendations provided by health experts so that everyone can come out of this crisis stronger.

 

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ELFA Reports February Down 26% Month-to-Month
Up 22% Compared to 2019

(Chart: Leasing News)

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association reports overall new business volume was $6.8 billion.

click to make larger

 

 

 

 

 

(Chart: ELFA)

Receivables over 30 days were 2.00 percent, unchanged from the previous month and up from 1.80 percent the same period in 2019. Charge-offs were 0.51 percent, up from 0.47 percent the previous month, and up from 0.35 percent in the year-earlier period.

Credit approvals totaled 74.7 percent, down from 76.3 percent in January. Total headcount for equipment finance companies was down 3.1 percent year-over-year.

Separately, the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s Monthly Confidence Index (MCI-EFI) in March is 46.0, a decrease from the February index of 58.7.

click to make larger

click image to make larger

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(Chart: ELFA)

Full Listing of MLFI Participants in Survey is 35
Bank of America Global Leasing
Bank of the West
BB&T Bank
BMO Harris Equipment Finance
Canon Financial Services
Caterpillar Financial Services
CIT
Citizens Asset Finance
Dell Financial Services
DLL
Fifth Third Bank
First American Equipment Finance, a City National Bank Company
Frost Equipment Leasing and Finance
GreatAmerica Financial Services
Hitachi Capital America
HP, Inc.
HPE Financial Services Company
Huntington Equipment Finance
John Deere Financial
Key Equipment Finance
LEAF Commercial Capital Inc.
M&T Bank
Marlin Capital Solutions
Merchants Bank Equipment Finance
PNC Equipment Finance
Societe Generale Equipment Finance
Siemens Financial Services
Stearns Bank
Stonebriar Commercial Finance
TCF Capital Solutions, a division of TCF National Bank
TD Equipment Finance
TIAA Commercial Finance, Inc.
US Bancorp Business Equipment Finance
Volvo Financial Services
Wells Fargo Equipment Finance

 

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

Menomonee Falls, Wis. – The National Vehicle Leasing Association (NVLA), voice of the independent vehicle leasing community, has rescheduled its 2020 annual conference to October 14-16 at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol in Austin, TX. NVLA canceled its scheduled March 25-27 conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NVLA Conference Committee Chair Ken Sopp expressed excitement for moving forward with the 2020 NVLA Annual Conference.

“The NVLA Annual Conference is the marquee education and networking event for the independent vehicle leasing community,” said Sopp, president of Credit Union Leasing of America. “We are looking forward to bringing the NVLA community together this fall after facing pandemic-related disruptions to our personal and professional lives.”
 

NVLA President and industry veteran Doug Moore affirmed how the conference theme, Wins of Change, has never been more appropriate for 2020.

“The 2020 NVLA Annual Conference will feature top-notch speakers who are experts in their respected fields,” said Moore. “The program will include discussions on how the leasing community leaders are adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic positioning to win during this unprecedented time.”

Industry veteran and former 20-year Kelley Blue Book editor, Charlie Vogelheim will serve as emcee. His expertise of the automotive industry and trademark wit is what brings the NVLA Conference to fruition.

Matthew Daus, Partner at Windels Marx Law Firm, will be our keynote speaker for the conference. Daus’ presentation, “The Future of Leasing in a Rapidly Evolving Transportation Technology World”, will cover the latest developments in mobility management, and the role of leasing in the past, present and future.

The 2020 program will feature a dual track format including sessions aimed at traditional commercial fleet and consumer lessors and a track focusing on the growing Lease Here Pay Here (LHPH) business model. The LHPH track is aimed to give attendees the tools, resources, and connections needed to build and grow a successful LHPH business.

Please visit the NVLA website for more updates on the 2020 NVLA Annual Conference. www.nvla.org

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

Labrador Retriever
Bethesda, Maryland

Annie

Female
8 Years Old
Good with
Kids 10+, Dogs, Cats
Needs: A forever home
Loving and gentle lady

Annie is a sweet couch potato and enjoys relaxing around her people and the resident dogs! This cute senior needs to drop a few dress sizes, but she LOVES her walks and is very friendly to all that she meets—she'll do an adorable little gallop when you ask her if she's a good girl and having fun. Annie also enjoys wandering for sniffs around the backyard with her foster siblings. She's not into play with the younger pups, but co-exists peacefully once they know that she's not down with rough-housing. Annie has arthritis, like most gals her age, so she is looking for a home with limited steps. She loves dog beds and will stretch out if it's big or squeeze in if it's small.

​Watch Annie chow down: https://youtu.be/uXQwAwPp8bA
Annie is your sunshine: https://youtu.be/XKQzphZLclI

​Lab Rescue of LRCP, Inc.
E-mail us: info@lab-rescue.org
Lab Line: (301) 299-6756
We are a virtual organization & do not have a physical location.

Adoption Application and Information:
https://www.lab-rescue.org/adopt

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Preceding Baseball Opening Day,
which would have been tomorrow

(Turn the Sound On)

John Fogerty, Centerfield, Music Video  (3:51)
 lyrics from John Fogerty’s Baseball Hall of Fame tribute, “Centerfield.”

 

According to John Fogerty, he drew his inspiration from center field at Yankee Stadium. When Fogerty was growing up on the West Coast, there was no Major League Baseball team to root for, and the closest thing his area had to a team was the New York Yankees which had Bay Area native Joe DiMaggio on their team.[2] 

"When I was a little kid, there were no teams on the West Coast, so the idea of a Major League team was really mythical to me," he said.[2] "Through my own lore, the way I was kind of filtering this faraway dream, it seemed that the coolest place. The No. 1 guy seemed to be a center fielder, and he seemed to play in Yankee Stadium."[7] The song was also inspired by his frustration watching a struggling team on TV, where he would imagine himself to be a rookie sitting on a bench, "I would always yell at the TV, 'Put me in coach, put me in!' "[7]

Baseball legends mentioned in the song include DiMaggio, Willie Mays, and Ty Cobb, all of them center fielders. Fogerty quoted a line from Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" in the first verse: "rounding third, he was heading for home." The second verse refers to Casey (of the Mudville Nine) from the poem "Casey at the Bat". The final verse quotes longtime Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants broadcaster Lon Simmons, whose home run call was "Tell it goodbye!"

In a radio interview with Dan Patrick on October 8, 2015, Fogerty mentioned that he always pictured Jackie Robinson as the "brown eyed handsome man" who was "rounding third, headed for home".

  Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centerfield_(song)

News Briefs----

‘We’re gonna have a shutdown in the housing market’
   Coronavirus will likely bring the U.S. housing market to a halt
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/economist-were-gonna-have-a-shutdown-in-the-housing-market-154833204.html

Zillow Suspends Home Buying due to COVID-19
  in all 24 Markets
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/23/zillow-suspends-home-buying-due-to-covid-19/

Wait for first California jobless benefits could be
  ‘much longer’ than 21 days amid coronavirus
https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article241438651.html?

Trump baffles GM, Ford over ventilators
   they're willing to make
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-22/trump-says-they-can-make-ventilators-automakers-aren-t-so-sure

Hyatt to cut most U.S. corporate staffers
   work reductions scheduled from April 1 to end of May
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/hyatt-cut-most-us-corporate-staffers

SF businesses decline cash,
   fearing it could spread the virus
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Coronavirus-SF-businesses-decline-cash-fearing-15154292.php

 

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You May Have Missed---

The tech headaches of working from home
     and how to remedy them
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/the-tech-headaches-of-working-from-home-and-how-to-remedy-them/

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And Now It's Spring
© Lhtheaker

The grass is green across the hill,
But yellow blooms the daffodil.
It's sunshine on a little stalk,
A friendly flower, I bet they talk...

Of little kids, too long inside
They burst outdoors to play and hide.
Tracking mud and bringing bugs.
Look, there's footprints on the rug!

Tiny whirlwinds, these little tykes,
They skin their knees while riding bikes.
They rip and roar, they're running wild!
What fun it is to be a child.

It grows warmer every day.
Shoo the children out to play!
Pick the flowers, play in mud.
Too much rain, here comes a flood!

My snowy, winter days are gone.
I mourn them, but I hear a song
Of birds in trees; wind chimes ring.
I guess it might as well be spring

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/and-now-its-spring

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Coronavirus postpones Olympics:
   What this means for future of Tokyo Games
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/24/coronavirus-and-the-olympics-ioc-postpones-tokyo-games-amid-health-concerns/

Cam Newton Rumors: Panthers Expected to Release
   QB After Failing to Find Trade
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2858023-cam-newton-rumors-panthers-expected-to-release-qb-after-failing-to-find-trade

Wide receiver Travis Benjamin to sign
      one-year deal with San Francisco 49ers
https://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/travis-benjamin-san-francisco-49ers-wide-receiver-15154335.php

NFL Rumors: Raiders passed on Tom Brady
  because of game film from last two years
https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-rumors-raiders-passed-tom-182001939.html   

Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw doesn't understand
  Tom Brady's decision to join the Buccaneers
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-legend-terry-bradshaw-doesnt-understand-tom-bradys-decision-to-join-the-buccaneers/

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California Nuts Briefs---

Coronavirus updates: 45 dead and 2,300 infected in California;
    jury trials suspended
https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article241457016.html?

Coronavirus updates: 45 dead and 2,300 infected in California;
    jury trials suspended
https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article241457016.html?

Six SF Bay Area counties order coronavirus testing data from labs
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/24/six-bay-area-counties-order-coronavirus-testing-data-from-labs/

Crowds pack California beaches despite coronavirus order
   Los Angeles, other cities act to restrict access
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/23/crowds-pack-california-beaches-despite-coronavirus-order/

Kaiser Permanente cancels $900 million Oakland headquarters
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Kaiser-Permanente-cancels-900-million-Oakland-15154331.php

California saved billions for ‘rainy day.’
    But two economic hurricanes are headed our way
https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article241310316.html?

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

A Napa Winery Closed Its Tasting Room,
   But Is Still Paying Its Staff. The CEO's Reasoning Is Powerful
https://www.inc.com/chris-matyszczyk/a-napa-winery-closed-its-tasting-room-but-is-still-paying-its-staff-ceos-reasoning-is-powerful.html

Crisis Management for Wine Country
https://svbwine.blogspot.com/2020/03/crisis-management-for-wine-country.html

These Wineries Will Ship You Wine Right Now
  + Great Deals & Virtual Tastings!
https://www.wineoh.tv/these-wineries-will-ship-you-wine-right-now-great-deals-virtual-tastings

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

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

     31 – The first Easter celebration occurred, according calendar-maker Dionysius Exiguus.  Dionysius is best known as the inventor of the Anno Domini era, which is used to number the years of both the Gregorian and Julian calendars. He used it to identify the several Easters in his Easter table of the future dates of Easter based in lunar projections.  Dionysius' tables were quickly adopted at Rome, and from this time the arguments between Rome and Alexandria regarding the correct date for the celebration of Easter came to an end – both used identical tables and hence observed the feast on the same day.
    1584 - Sir Walter Raleigh, English explorer, courtier, and writer, renewed Humphrey Gilbert's patent to explore North America. He went on to settle the Virginia colony on Roanoke Island, naming it after the virgin queen.
    1609 - Henry Hudson embarked on an exploration for Dutch East India Co.
    1634 - Lord Baltimore arrived in Maryland.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar25.html
    1655 - Puritans jailed Governor Stone after a military victory over Catholic forces in the colony of Maryland.
    1668 – The first horse race in America took place on a racecourse built over the Salisbury Plain in present-day Long Island, New York, just south of the New Hyde Park train station.
    1751 - New Year's Day was celebrated in Great Britain and its North American colonies.  This was the beginning of the New Year up through 1751, when, with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, the beginning of the year was changed to Jan 1.
    1775 - George Washington planted pecan trees (some of which still survive) at Mount Vernon. The trees were a gift to Washington from Thomas Jefferson, who had planted a few pecan trees from the southern US at Monticello, VA. The pecan, native to southern North America, is sometimes called "America's own nut." First cultivated by American Indians, it has been transplanted to other continents but has failed to achieve wide use or popularity outside the US.
    1776 – Congress authorized a medal for George Washington.
    1813 - The first U.S. flag flown in battle was on the frigate Essex in the Pacific. USS Essex takes Neryeda, first capture by U.S. Navy in Pacific. Early in 1813, the USS ESSEX, under the Command of Captain David Porter, USN, rounded Cape Horn and became the first Navy ship to carry the American flag into the Pacific Ocean. The ESSEX began operating in Pacific waters and captured a British commerce raider, several British merchantmen, and several large British whaling ships.
    1843 - Seventeen Texans, who picked black beans from a jar otherwise filled with white beans, were executed by a Mexican firing squad. After months of raiding, captivity and escapes in Northern Mexico, Mexican president Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna ordered the execution of one tenth of the 176 Texas freebooters of the Mier Expedition.
    1848 - News item in the "California Star" about the discovery of gold did not stir excitement in San Francisco.
    1856 - A.E. Burnside patented the Burnside carbine.
    1865 - Confederate General Robert E. Lee makes Fort Stedman his last attack of the war in a desperate attempt to break out of Petersburg, Virginia. The attack failed, and within a week, Lee was evacuating his positions around Petersburg. For nine months, Petersburg was under siege by the Army of the Potomac and the overall Union commander, General Ulysses S. Grant. The two great armies had fought a bloody campaign in the spring of 1864, and then settled into trenches that eventually stretched for fifty miles around Petersburg and the Confederate capital of Richmond. Lee could not win this war of attrition, but his men held out through the winter of 1864 into 1865. Now, Lee realized the growing Yankee army could overwhelm his diminishing force when the spring brought better weather for an assault. After a desperate battle, the rebels could not overrun the Union soldiers, who not only were in superior number, but were supported by continual reinforcements. The Rebels were unable to hold the captured ground, and they were driven back to their original position. The Union lost 1,000 men killed, wounded, and captured, while the Lee lost probably three times that number, including 1,500 captured during the retreat. Already outnumbered, these loses were more than Lee's army could bear. Lee wrote to Confederate President Jefferson Davis that it would be impossible to maintain the Petersburg line much longer. On March 29, Grant began his offensive, and Petersburg fell on April 3. Two weeks after the Battle of Fort Stedman, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
    1872 - Dr. Zabdiel Boylston inoculated his six-year-old son, Thomas, and two African-American servants with human smallpox pustules. He then went out to inoculate 247 individuals. The public acceptance in his area of acceptance of the inoculation was due in large measure to the efforts of Cotton Mather, the Boston minister and scientist, who persistently advocated it. Smallpox as a dreaded disease around the world. In 1800, Dr. Edward Jenner of England introduced to Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse of Cambridge, MA, professor of theory and practice of medicine at Harvard University, who inoculated his son, Daniel, three children, and three servants, with smallpox using cowpox. It was not until this day in 1802, that a smallpox clinic was open and free distribution of the vaccine to the poor. This was started by Dr. James Smith in Baltimore, Maryland. This is a major event as smallpox was the epidemic of the new world.
    1880 - Birthday of Aline Bernstein (d. 1955), NYC.   American stage and costume designer, author and unofficial agent for Thomas Wolfe. After doing costumes and scenery for the Henry Street Settlement for almost ten years, she applied for membership in the brotherhood of Painters, Decorator and Paperhangers of the AFL but was turned down until 1926 when she became the first female member of the union. For the next 20 years, she worked as resident designer for Eva Le Gallienne's Civic Repertory Theatre in New York. At age 71, she won the Tony for her costume designs for the opera “Regina” (1949). Following their well-known affair, Thomas Wolfe based the character of Esther Jack in two of his novels on her. She supported Wolfe who was 20 years younger, helped turn him into a novelist, found a publisher - and he left her.
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/biography/abernstein.html
http://www.fau.edu/library/bro59.htm
http://www.sweetstar.com/book/080784117x
    1894 - Coxey's Army of ragtag bums (Common-Wealth Army) heads for Washington DC, demanding economic reform. Coxey, a well-to-do businessman who was a Populist and quite untypical of his class in other ways, proposed a plan of federal work relief on public roads to be financed by an issue of Treasury notes--thus ending the depression of 1893 by means of monetary inflation and work relief for the unemployed. When Congress refused to pass this bill, Coxey stated, "We will send a petition to Washington with boots on." Thus Coxey's Army marched peacefully from Ohio to Washington, D.C. where they were cheered by crowds, but Coxey and his lieutenants were arrested by police and about 50 people were beaten or trampled. Library of Congress:  John M. Blum et al, “The National Experience, Part Two: A History of the United States since 1865” (New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1981), p. 515.
    1898 - Assist. SECNAV Theodore Roosevelt proposes Navy investigate military application of Samuel Langley's flying machine, beginning naval aviation. Langley had been experimenting for over a decade with steam powered flying machines and was attempting to adapt a working steam model to an internal combustion powered design.
    1906 - Birthday of guitarist Curley Weaver (d. 1962), Covington, GA
http://www.io.com/~tbone1/blues/ECblz/curwea.html
    1910 - The Chalmers Auto Company of Detroit agreed to award a new car to the player with the highest batting average at season's end. Ty Cobb won a disputed tile over Nap Lajoie in a controversial finish, but Chalmers awarded cars to both players in an effort to save face.  At the start of the final day of the season, Cobb held a slim lead, just a few points ahead of the Lajoie. While Cobb did not play in the Tigers' final two games of the season, Lajoie played in two games on the last day of the season for the Cleveland Naps.  Lajoie hit safely eight times in the Naps' doubleheader and finished the season with a .384 batting average.  His final at-bat resulted in a wild throw which was scored as an error. The issue was brought to American League president Ban Johnson, who declared all batting averages official, and Cobb the champion (.385069 to .384095).
    1911 - At about 4:30 PM, fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company at New York, NY, minutes before the seamstresses were to go home. Some workers were fatally burned while others leaped to their deaths from the windows of the 10-story building. The fire lasted only 18 minutes but left 146 workers dead, most of them young immigrant women. It was found that some of the deaths were a direct result of workers being trapped on the ninth floor by a locked door. Labor law forbade locking factory doors while employees were at work, and owners of the company were indicted on charges of first- and second-degree manslaughter. The tragic fire became a turning point in labor history, bringing about reforms in health and safety laws.
http://www.csun.edu/~ghy7463/mw2.html
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/
    1913 - The Palace Theatre opened its doors in New York City. Ed Wynn was first on the vaudeville bill. Some 20 years later, Wynn would be named as radio's top entertainer. He later became popular on early television, as did his son, Keenan Wynne.
    1914 - Society Hill, SC, was buried under 18 inches of snow, establishing a state record.
    1916 - Ishi dies, last of his California-based Yahi Yana, his Native American tribe in Northern California. Captured in 1911, he had escaped from settlers who exterminated the rest of the Yahis, along with the elk they had hunted, only to spend his last years in captivity, studied by anthropologists as a freakish curiosity.
    1917 - Birthday of drummer Armand “Jump” Jackson (d. 1985), New Orleans, LA
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/mallard.html
    1918 - Howard Cosell (d. 1994), broadcaster, born at New York, NY. After earning a law degree, Cosell began his broadcasting career as the host of "Howard Cosell Speaking of Sports." He achieved national prominence and a great deal of notoriety for his support of Muhammad Ali's stand against the Vietnam War and then as co-host of ABC's Monday Night Football.
    1931 - Scottsboro Boys arrested, Point Rock, Alabama.  Nine black teenagers were accused of raping two white women on a train in 1931. The landmark set of legal cases from this incident dealt with racism and the right to a fair trial. The cases included a lynch mob before the suspects had been indicted, a frame-up, all-white juries, rushed trials, and disruptive mobs. It is frequently cited as an example of an overall miscarriage of justice in the US legal system.  During the retrials, one of the alleged victims admitted fabricating the rape story and asserted that none of the Scottsboro Boys touched either of the white women. The jury found the defendants guilty, but the judge set aside the verdict and granted a new trial. The case was sent to the US Supreme Court on appeal. It ruled that African Americans had to be included on juries and ordered retrials.  Charges were finally dropped for four of the nine defendants. Sentences for the rest ranged from 75 years to death. All but two served prison sentences. One was shot in prison by a guard and permanently disabled. Two escaped, were later charged with other crimes, convicted, and sent back to prison. Clarence Norris, the oldest defendant and the only one sentenced to death, "jumped parole" in 1946 and went into hiding. He was found in 1976 and pardoned by Governor George Wallace, by which time the case had been thoroughly analyzed and shown to be an injustice. The last surviving defendant died in 1989.  On November 21, 2013, Alabama's parole board voted to grant posthumous pardons to the three Scottsboro Boys who had not been pardoned or had their convictions overturned. 
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/scottsb.htm
    1933 - Birthday of guitarist Clarence “Swamp Blues” Edwards (d. 1993), Lindsay, LA
http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/roots/BLUES%20&%20GOSPEL/
blues_e1.htm#CLARENCE%20EDWARDS
    1934 - Horton Smith won the first Masters Golf tournament under the magnolia trees of Augusta National in Georgia.
    1938 - Birthday of guitarist/songwriter/actor Hoyt Axton (d. 1999), Duncan, OK
http://www.sixcats.com/axton/hoyt2.htm
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/avert/hoytaxton/index.shtml
    1942 - Singer Aretha Franklin (d. 2018) was born Memphis, TN.  Following her signing to Atlantic Records in 1967, Franklin achieved commercial acclaim and success with songs such as "Respect", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” and "Think". These hits and more helped her to gain the title “The Queen of Soul” by the end of the1960s.  Franklin eventually recorded a total of 112 charted singles on Billboard, including 77 Hot 100 entries, 17 top ten pop singles, 100 R&B entries and twenty number-one R&B singles, becoming the most charted female artist in the chart's history.
Mrs. Murphy: Help you two?
Elwood: Do you have any white bread ma'am?
Mrs. Murphy: Yeah.
Elwood: I'll have some toasted white bread please.
Mrs. Murphy: You want butter or jam on that, honey?
Elwood: No ma'am, dry.
Jake: Do you have any fried chicken ma'am?
Mrs. Murphy: Best damned chicken in the state.
Jake: Bring me four fried chickens and a Coke.
Mrs. Murphy: You want chicken wings or chicken legs?
Jake: Four fried chickens and a Coke.
Elwood: And some dry white toast please.
Mrs. Murphy: Ya'all want anything to drink with that?
Elwood: No ma'am.
Jake: A Coke.
Mrs. Murphy: Be right back.
Blues Brothers, 1980
    1943 - A second great snowstorm hit the northeastern U.S. The storm produced snow from Maine all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Natchez, MS received three inches of snow, and up to 15 inches buried eastern Tennessee. Coastal Maine received 204 inches of snow that winter.
    1945 - After 35 days of bitter fighting, the amphibious assault on the rocky fortress of Iwo Jima finally appeared over. On the night of 25 March, however, a 300-man Japanese force launched a vicious final counterattack in the vicinity of Airfield Number 2. Army pilots, Seabees and Marines of the 5th Pioneer Battalion and 28th Marines fought the fanatical Japanese force till morning but suffered heavy casualties --more than 100 killed and another 200 American wounded. Nearly all of the Japanese force was killed in the battle.
    1946 - The first “Jazz at the Philharmonic.” One of the most influential solos of jazz alto saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker's career was his rendition of “Lady Be Good,” performed at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium. Every aspect of the performance became part of the language of modern jazz. There are many albums of the various years produced by Norman Granz on Emarcy records.
    1946 - Woody Herman band premiers Igor Stravinsky's Ebony Concerto at Carnegie Hall.
    1947 - Singer/composer Sir Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, Middlesex, England.  In his five-decade career, John has sold more than 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world.  He has more than fifty Tor 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums, 58 Billboard Top 40 singles, 27 Top 10, four No. 2 and nine No. 1. For 31 consecutive years (1970–2000) he had at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100.  Having been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1996, John was made a Knight Bachelor by Queen Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.    
www.eltonjohn.com
    1948 - For the second time in less than a week, airplanes were destroyed by a tornado at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma.  A March 20th tornado destroyed fifty planes at Tinker AFB causing more than ten million dollars damage, and the March 25th tornado destroyed another thirty-five planes causing six million dollars damage. The first tornado struck without warning and caused more damage than any previous tornado in the state of Oklahoma. The second tornado was predicted by Fawbush and Miller of the United States Air Force, and their accurate tornado forecast ushered in the modern era of severe weather forecasting
    1952 - Bill Mosienko of the Chicago Blackhawks set an NHL record by scoring three goals in 21 minutes in a game against the New York Rangers. Mosienko scored at 6:09, 6:20 and 6:30 of the third period against goalie Lorne Anderson. Chicago won 7-6.
    1954 - RCA manufactures the first COLOR television set.
    1954 - 26th Annual Academy Awards, RKO Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. Actor/singer/dancer Donald O'Connor and actor Fredric March (in New York) kept the audience informed on who won what. "From Here to Eternity" (Buddy Adler, producer) won Best Picture, also picking up the Oscar for Best Director for Fred Zinnemann; Best Supporting Actor for Frank Sinatra and Best Supporting Actress for Donna Reed; Best Writing/Screenplay (Daniel Taradash); Best Cinematography/Black-and-White (Burnett Guffey); Best Sound/ Recording (John P. Livadary, Columbia SSD); and Best Film Editing (William A. Lyon). The Best Actor award for the films of 1953 went to William Holden for "Stalag 17" while the Best Actress award went to Audrey Hepburn for "Roman Holiday." "Secret Love" from "Calamity Jane" was the Best Music/Song of the Year (Sammy Fain, music, Paul Francis Webster, lyrics). An interesting note: The Best Writing/ Story and Screenplay went to the 1953 version of "Titanic" (Charles Brackett, Walter Reisch, Richard L. Breen). Other memorable movies that year (some Oscar winners, some not): "The Robe," "Shane," "Mogambo," "The Moon is Blue" and "Hondo."
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0148588.html .
    1955 - Collector of Customs Chester McPhee confiscates 520 copies of a volume of poetry titled "Howl and Other Poems" by Allen Ginsberg with an introduction by William Carlos Williams. "The words and the sense of the writing is obscene," MacPhee declares "You wouldn't want your children to comer across it." It will then be published by City Lights publishers in San Francisco, leading to the arrest of publisher (and prominent poet) Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Customs also seized and destroyed another shipment of Ginsberg's poetry sent from Canada in the 60s.
    1956 - Top Hits
“Lisbon Antigua” - Nelson Riddle
“The Poor People of Paris” - Les Baxter
“A Tear Fell” - Teresa Brewer
“Heartbreak Hotel” - Elvis Presley
    1958 - Elvis Presley received the regulation short haircut from army barber James Peterson.
    1959 – Frank Sinatra recorded “Here's That Rainy Day” for the Capitol album “No One Cares,” arranged and conducted by Gordon Jenkins.
    1961 - Elvis Presley appears in concert at a benefit for the U.S.S. Arizona memorial in Hawaii. Following his 17 song set, the King would not play another live date for the next eight years.
    1964 - Top Hits
“She Loves You” - The Beatles
“Fun Fun Fun” - The Beach Boys
“Twist and Shout” - The Beatles
“Saginaw, Michigan” - Lefty Frizzell
    1965 - Martin Luther King Jr., leads 25,000 into Montgomery, completing civil rights march begun in Selma. After a weeks-long struggle against local police, the civil rights march ends triumphantly with a 50,000 person demonstration in Montgomery.
http://i.timeinc.net/Life/mlk/mlk08.jpg
    1966 - Poll taxes were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on grounds that they represented an economic barrier to voting.
    1967 - The Doors debut album, featuring "Light My Fire," enters the Billboard LP chart.
    1967 - Although they had cracked the Top 40 on three previous occasions, The Turtles enjoyed their first and only Billboard number one hit with "Happy Together."
    1969 - *DOANE, STEPHEN HOLDEN, Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Hau Nghia Province, Republic of Vietnam, 25 March 1969. Entered service at: Albany, N.Y. Born: 13 October 1947, Beverley, Mass. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. First Lt. Doane was serving as a platoon leader when his company, engaged in a tactical operation, abruptly contacted an enemy force concealed in protected bunkers and trenches. Three of the leading soldiers were pinned down by enemy crossfire. One was seriously wounded. After efforts of 1 platoon to rescue these men had failed, it became obvious that only a small group could successfully move close enough to destroy the enemy position and rescue or relieve the trapped soldiers, 1st Lt. Doane, although fully aware of the danger of such an action, crawled to the nearest enemy bunker and silenced it. He was wounded but continued to advance to a second enemy bunker. As he prepared to throw a grenade, he was again wounded. Undaunted, he deliberately pulled the pin on the grenade and lunged with it into the enemy bunker, destroying this final obstacle. 1st Lt. Doane's supreme act enabled his company to rescue the trapped men without further casualties. The extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by this officer were an inspiration to his men and are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
    1971 - Tom Jones went gold with his single, "She's a Lady," a million-selling hit song written by Paul Anka.  It is Jones' highest-charting single in the U.S. to date, hitting #1 in Cash Box magazine for a week and spending one week at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
    1972 - The group, America, rode to the top of the pop music charts with their LP, "America", and the single (included on the LP), "A Horse with No Name," the group's only gold record and one of two number one songs (the other was "Sister Golden Hair," 6/14/75). America placed 11 tunes on the pop music charts between 1972 and 1983.  The group formed in England in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley, sons of U.S. Air Force personnel stationed in London, where they began performing live.
    1972 - Top Hits
“A Horse with No Name” - America
“Puppy Love” - Donny Osmond
“Mother and Child Reunion” - Paul Simon
“My Hang-Up is You” - Freddie Hart
    1972 - Roberta Flack started a five-week run to the top of the Billboard album chart with "First Take."
    1975 - The town of Sandberg reported a wind gust to 101 mph, a record for the state of California
    1977 - After a decade of having only local success in the Michigan area, 33-year-old Bob Seger gets his big break. His 7th album, "Night Moves" goes Platinum on the strength of three Top Forty hits: "Night Moves," "Mainstreet" and "Rock and Roll Never Forgets."
    1980 - Top Hits
“Another Brick in the Wall” - Pink Floyd
“Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl” - Spinners
“Him” - Rupert Holmes
“Why Don't You Spend the Night” - Ronnie Milsap
    1982 - “9 to 5 ” premiered on TV. This half-hour sitcom was based on the 1980 movie of the same name about three working women in dead-end jobs in a larger corporation. The three women were played by Rita Moreno, Valerie Curtin and Rachel Dennison (in the role her sister Dolly Parton had played in the movie.”
    1982 - "Cagney & Lacey" premiered on TV, breaking new ground as the first TV crime show in which the central characters were both female. The series was based on a made-for-TV movie that aired Oct 8, 1981, starring Loretta Swit and Tyne Daly. In the TV version, Meg Foster played Swit's character, Chris Cagney, but after one season she was replaced by Sharon Gless. Daly and Gless won six Emmys together for their roles. The last telecast aired on Aug 25, 1988.
http://timstvshowcase.com/cagney.html
    1983 - Motown Records celebrates its 25 anniversary with a concert in Pasadena, featuring The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, Jr. Walker, The Commodores, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson 5.
    1985 - 57th Academy awards, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, no less. Host for the big show was actor/director Jack Lemmon. The Best Picture of 1985 was "Amadeus,” produced by Saul Zaentz.  It also won Oscars for Best Director for Milos Forman and Best Actor for F. Murray Abraham. The film also won top honors for Best Writing/Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Peter Shaffer); Best Costume Design (Theodor Pistek); Best Sound (Mark Berger, Thomas Scott II, Todd Boekelheide, Christopher Newman); and Best Makeup (Paul LeBlanc, Dick Smith). Sally Field was pronounced Best Actress for "Places in the Heart," Best Supporting Actor was Haing S. Ngor for "The Killing Fields," and the Best Supporting Actress Oscar was given to Peggy Ashcroft for "A Passage to India." Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from "The Woman in Red" took the honors for Best Movie/Song. The Academy also gave an honorary Oscar to Jimmy Stewart in recognition of more than 70 films in his 50-year career. Stewart earned one Oscar for Best Actor in "Philadelphia Story" (1940), and nominations for Best Actor in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Harvey,” "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Anatomy of a Murder."
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0149613.html
    1988 - Top Hits
“Never Gonna Give You Up” - Rick Astley
“I Get Weak” - Belinda Carlisle
“Man in the Mirror” - Michael Jackson
“Life Turned Her that Way” - Ricky Van Shelton
    1988 - An early season heat wave prevailed in the southwestern U.S. The high of 93 degrees at Tucson, AZ was a new record for March. Windy conditions prevailed across the central and eastern U.S. Winds gusted to 60 mph at Minneapolis, MN, and reached 120 mph atop Rendezvous Peak, WY
    1990 - Temperatures dipped below zero in the Northern Rocky Mountain Region. Hardin, MT was the cold spot in the nation with a morning low of 10 degrees below zero. Freezing drizzle was reported in the Southern Plains Region, with afternoon highs only in the 30s from the Southern High Plains to Missouri and Arkansas.
    1991 - The World League of American Football, part of the marketing attempt by the National Football League to extend the game's popularity in Europe, made its debut as the London Monarchs defeated the Frankfurt Galaxy, 24-11.
    1991 – 63rd Academy Awards Celebration, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Host was Billy Crystal, wearing an Armani tuxedo as did actors Jeff Goldblum, Tom Hanks, Dennis Hopper, Steve Martin and Denzel Washington. Also clad in Armani ... gowns ... were Oscar nominees Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts and Jessica Tandy, prompting "Women's Wear Daily" to refer to the occasion as the “Armani Awards.” Best Picture of the Year (1990) was "Dances with Wolves" (Jim Wilson, Kevin Costner, producers). Costner also won for his Best Direction of "Dances with Wolves." The Best Actor Oscar went to Jeremy Irons for "Reversal of Fortune." Best Actress was Kathy Bates for "Misery." The prize for Best Supporting Actor was claimed by Joe Pesci for "GoodFellas" and Best Supporting Actress was Whoopi Goldberg for "Ghost." The Best Music/Song was presented to Stephen Sondheim for "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" from "Dick Tracy."
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0149801.html
    1995 - Top Hits
“Take A Bow” - Madonna
“Candy Rain” - Soul For Real
“Creep” - TLC
“Red Light Special” – TLC
    2000 - Top Hits
“Say My Name” – Destiny’s Child
“Maria Maria” - Santana Featuring The Product G
“Breathe” - Faith Hill
“Amazed” - Lonestar
    2001 - Steve Martin hosts the Academy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. “Gladiator” wins the best picture, Russell Crowe for “Gladiator,” Julia Roberts for “Erin Brockovich,” Benicio Del Toro, Best Supporting Actor for “Traffic,” Best Supporting Actress Marcia Gay Harden
for “Pollock,” Steven Soderbergh Best Director for “Traffic,” Best Writer Stephen Gaghan for “Traffic,” Bob Dylan wins the Best Original Song Oscar for "Things Have Changed" from the movie “Wonder Boys.”
http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Years/2000/academy-awards
    2014 - U.S. Girl Scout Katie Francis breaks the record for selling cookies for the organization's annual fundraiser, selling 18,107 boxes over a seven-week period.  

NCAA Basketball Champions:
    1948 - Kentucky
    1957 - North Carolina
    1963 - Loyola (IL)
    1968 - UCLA