Will Disclosing Rates Kill the MCA Business
and Equipment Financing? Reaction

Email from

 Bud Callahan, CLFP, BPB, Long Time
Best Practicing Broker, Past NAELB President

"You seem to be on a roll today. I completely agree with your comments about rate disclosure. I have had several brokers asking me if I think this is the end of the industry.  In an earlier life, I was in the car business and, in 1968, The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) was signed into law as a means to protect consumers from unfair and predatory lending practices. It requires lenders and creditors to supply borrowers with clear and visible key information about the credit extended. It also made APR the standard tor rate disclosure instead of the old “add on rate” you are old enough to remember.

"The car dealers thought that was the end of F&I in the dealership and they’re still around. Maybe brokers may not get away with 10 to 15 points as easily but the wise will survive and be just fine.

"(You can print my response if you choose)."

Charles L. (Bud) Callahan, Jr. CLFP, BPB
National Equipment Leasing
9801 Fall Creek Road #342
Indianapolis, IN 46256
Direct Phone: 317-823-0447 Cell: 317-201-4424
Fax: 317-823-0474

E-Mail: bcallahan@nationalequipmentleasing.com
Website: www.nationalequipmentleasing.com

Will Disclosing Rates Kill the MCA Business
    and Equipment Financing?
By Kit Menkin
http://leasingnews.org/archives/May2021/05_26.htm#will

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

Luca Alessandrini was hired as Account Manager at LeafLink Financial at LeafLink, New York, New York.  Previously he was at BlueVine, starting 2018 as Business Development Specialist; promoted 2021, Account Executive; Co-Founder, Locle (March, 2016 - 2018); Marketing Intern, Live National (January, 2017 - June, 2017); Digital Marketing Specialist, Online Optimism (May, 2016 - August, 2016); Marketing Intern, House of Blues Entertainment (January, 2016 - May, 2016); Co-Director, New Orleans Film Society (2012).  Education: Tulane University, A.B. Freeman School of Business. Bachelor of Science, BS Marketing and Management, Majors: Marketing and Italian, Minor: Management and Real estate. Activities and Societies: Tulane Posse Scholar, Tulane Cryptocurrency Club. Universita di Bologna. Letter in Italian Language and Literature (2016 - 2017). General Assembly. Startup Intensive Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies (2016). General Assembly's San Francisco Campus.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/luca-alessandrini-tu/

Matt Banister was hired as Senior Vice President, Senior Business Development Officer, Univest Capital, Inc., a subsidiary of Univest Bank and Trust Company, Souderton, Pennsylvania. Previously, he was at Susquehanna Commercial Finance, (acquired by BB&T Commercial in 2017) joining in 2009 as AVP, SBU Manager; promoted 2014, Vice President; he later became Sales and Strategic Business United Leader at BB&T.  Education: Clemson University, BS, Economics (1996 - 2000). Radnor High School (1992 - 1996). https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-banister-42433825/

Siyani Fullerton, CLFP, was hired as Vice President, Bank of America. He previously was at First American Equipment Financing, joining November 2014 as Sales Analyst; promoted July, 2015, Assistant Vice President. Prior he was Advertising Account Manager, Rochester Business Journal (November, 2012 - November, 2014. Certifications: Certified Leasing and Finance Professional, issue, 2019. Volunteer: Animal Care Volunteer, Lollypop Farm Humane Society (January, 2104 - April, 2015). Planning Committee, RocCity Rising (December, 2012 - December, 2013).  Education: University of Rochester, B.A, European History. Activities and Societies: Men's Club Soccer, Sigma Chi Fraternity.  The Aquinas Institute of Rochester. https://www.linkedin.com/in/siyani/

David Howson was promoted to Vice President at Societe Generale Equipment Finance, SGEF.  He joined the world-wide organization January, 2020. He is located in Livingston, New Jersey. Previously, he was with CIT, starting 1998 as Government Finance Manager; promoted 2004, AVP, Operations; promoted 2010, Vice President, Sales Support and Operations, Telecom; promoted February, 2012, Vice President, Sales Support and Operations, Technology and Telecom. Prior, he was Assistant Vice President, State Bank of South Orange (1993 - 1998); Installment Loan Officer, Union Center National Bank (1990 - 1993). Education: Monmouth University, MBA, Business/Finance. Gettysburg College, BA, Business Administration.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidahowson/

Joseph O'Hara was hired as Vice President and Senior Business Development Officer at Univest Capital, Inc., a subsidiary of Univest Bank and Trust Co., Souderton, Pennsylvania. Previously, he was Vice President of Sales, First Business Bank (June 2020 - February, 2021); Owner, OFE Business Credit (February, 2002 - June, 2020); National Sales Manager, Rental Division, American Equipment Leasing (1994 - 1996). Education: West Chester University of Pennsylvania. https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-o-hara-ab45041b/

 

Help Wanted Ads

 

 

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Work from Home Expectations
Survey by Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation

Survey responses were collected from 64 equipment finance company executives from April 1-28, 2021, according to ELFF.

Work from Home Survey:

•  The level of Work from Home pre-pandemic overall was 28%. The larger the lender (by annual origination volume),  the fewer that were 50%+.

•  About 85% of all lender sizes were mostly Work from Home at the beginning of 2021.

•  By 2022, management expects Work from Home to be cut in half, with the portion of lenders having 50%+,  going from  84% currently down to 41%.

   o  40% of $1B+ organizations are expecting to be mostly Work from Home next year, compared to only 7% pre-pandemic.

   o  60% of captives expect to be mostly Work from Home in 2022. None were 50+% before the pandemic

Full ELFF Poll Results include performance of portfolio metrics, including deferrals, defaults, and originations are available online at https://www.leasefoundation.org/industry-resources/covid-impact-recovery-survey/.

All Foundation studies are available for free download from the Foundation’s online library at http://store.leasefoundation.org/ 

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LinkedIn on Working Remote
Remote Work's Top 8 Industries

Is remote work here to stay? A new analysis by LinkedIn’s Economic Graph team shows a huge rise in the trend, at least for a number of industries.

As of May 20, the percentage of paid job postings on LinkedIn that offered “remote work” has skyrocketed 457% from the year-earlier share, according to the data. That analysis covers about two million job listings in the past year, ranging from children’s book editors to anti-money-laundering experts.

Leading the way is the media and communications industry, where remote work now accounts for 26.8% of all paid job listings. Software and IT jobs are also near the top. Overall, 9.7% of listings across all industries now involve remote work, up from barely 2% a year earlier.

Not every industry is embracing remote work, though. LinkedIn data shows that remote opportunities still constitute less than 5% of all job posts in fields such as consumer goods, manufacturing, design, transportation and logistics. For travel and recreation, remote listings fall below 2% of the mix.

The List  - April 2021
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Peoples Bancorp Inc. and Premier Financial Bancorp, Inc.
    Announce Definitive Merger Agreement
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_02.htm#peoples

North Star Now a Division of People's Bank
    Effective April 1, 2021
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_02.htm#north

North Mill Continues Record-Setting Trajectory
    as March Volume Hits All-Time High
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_02.htm#nm

Looks Like One More Once for California SB 1235
    to Put Financial Disclosures on Commercial Transactions
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_08.htm#looks

Currency and Mazo Capital Solutions
    (888) 702-9292
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2

ELFF Q2 Economic Outlook
    Forecasts 11.2% equipment growth /software investment
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_16.htm#elff

A visual look at the Section 179 tax deduction and
    how it applies to business vehicles
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_19.htm#visual

Sale of Marlin Expected 1st Quarter, 2022, Depending on
  Sale of Marlin Bank, Other Regulations and Requirements
President/CEO Hilzinger Expected to Retire after Completion
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_21.htm#sale

Maxim Commercial Capital Reports
    Strong Q1 2021 Demand
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_23.htm#maxim

Amur Equipment Finance Successfully Completes
    Largest Ever Term Securitization
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_23.htm#amur

Cash Advance Firm to Pay $9.8M to Settle FTC Complaint
    It Overcharged Small Businesses
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_23.htm#cash

Webster Bank Announces $10 Billion Merger Plan,
    to Open Stamford HQ
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_21.htm#webster

U.S. Business Borrowing for Equipment Rises
    26% in March, ELFA Reports in Reuters
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_23.htm#elfa

North Mill Equipment Finance Continues to Expand
    with Fourteen New Staff Members
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_26.htm#nm

Ascentium Capital LLC Announces First Quarter 2021
    Funding Volume of $312 Million
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_28.htm#asc

CLFP's by Company
    Members with Two or More - Updated
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_28.htm#clfp

Part 1
Ken Greene, Esq. Report on SFNet Webinar
  State Financial Disclosure Legislation:
    What You Don’t Know May Hurt You
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_26.htm#webinar

Part 2
  Ken Greene, Esq. Report on SFNet Webinar
    State Financial Disclosure Legislation:
      What You Don’t Know May Hurt You
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_28.htm#greene

Part 3
Disclosures for Non-Traditional Finance Products
 and Beyond by Ken Greene, Esq.
    What You Don’t Know May Hurt You
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_30.htm#3

Marlin Business Services Reports 1st Quarter
    Net Income of $6.9 Million
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_30.htm#marlin

CIT Has Remained Strong
    First Quarter 2021 Reports
http://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2021/04_30.htm#cit

 

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

FDIC-Insured Institutions Reported $76.8 Billion
First Quarter Net Income, 2021

• Quarterly Net Income Rose from a Year Ago Primarily Because of Negative Provisions for Credit Losses
• Net Interest Margin Contracted Further, Setting a Record Low
• Loan Balances Declined From the Previous Quarter and Year, Driven by a Reduction in Credit Card Balances
• Asset Quality Improved
• Community Banks Reported an Increase in Quarterly Net Income from a Year Ago

 

FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams

“Despite continued challenges, the banking industry remains resilient. The banking industry reported positive results for first quarter 2021, reflecting optimism about the pace of the economic recovery. However, a record low net interest margin and slow loan growth could challenge banks going forward.”

Highlights from the First Quarter 2021 Quarterly Banking Profile
 
Quarterly Net Income Increased 29.1 Percent from Fourth Quarter 2020: Net income totaled $76.8 billion, an increase of $17.3 billion (29.1 percent) from fourth quarter 2020. Aggregate negative provision expense bolstered both quarterly and annual net income growth. Three-fourths of all banks (74.8 percent) reported annual improvements in quarterly net income, and the share of unprofitable institutions dropped from 7.4 percent a year ago to 3.9 percent. The banking industry reported an aggregate return on average assets ratio of 1.38 percent, up 1 percentage point from a year ago and up 28 basis points from fourth quarter 2020.

Net Interest Margin Contracted Further to a New Record Low: The average net interest margin contracted 57 basis points from a year ago to 2.56 percent—the lowest level on record for the Quarterly Banking Profile. Net interest income fell by $7.6 billion (5.6 percent) from a year ago. The year-over-year reduction in yields on earning assets outpaced the decline in average funding costs, both of which are at record lows. Despite the aggregate decline in net interest income, which was driven by the largest institutions, more than three-fifths of all banks (64.4 percent) reported higher net interest income compared with a year ago.

Community Banks Reported a 77.5 Percent Increase in Quarterly Net Income Year-Over-Year: Community banks reported annual net income growth of $3.7 billion, supported by an increase in noninterest income and a decline in provision expense. Higher revenue from loan sales (up $1.3 billion or 126.4 percent) supported a 45 percent increase in noninterest income. Provision expenses declined $1.4 billion (78.4 percent) from a year ago, and $826.2 million (67.9 percent) from the previous quarter.

Nearly three quarters (73 percent) of the 4,531 FDIC–insured community banks reported higher quarterly net income. However, the net interest margin for community banks continued to narrow to the lowest level on record for the Quarterly Banking Profile, with a decline of 27 basis points to 3.26 percent, as the continued reduction in average earning asset yields outpaced the decline in average funding costs.

Loan Volume Continued to Contract, Driven by a Reduction in Credit Card Balances: Total loan and lease balances contracted $38.7 billion (0.4 percent) from the previous quarter. A reduction in credit card balances (down 7.4 percent) drove the quarterly decline in loan volume.

Compared with the year ago quarter, total loan and lease balances declined $136.3 billion (1.2 percent). This was the first annual contraction in loan and lease volume reported by the banking industry since third quarter 2011. Reduced commercial and industrial (C&I) loan (down 12.8 percent) and credit card balances (down 3.7 percent) drove the annual decline in loan volume.

Unlike the banking industry as a whole, community banks reported a 1.4 percent increase in loan balances from the previous quarter, led by strong C&I growth through participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Annually, total loans and leases increased 10.8 percent—also led by loans originated through the PPP.

Asset Quality Improved: Loans that were 90 days or more past due or in nonaccrual status (noncurrent loans) declined $5.9 billion (4.6 percent) from fourth quarter 2020. The noncurrent rate for total loans declined 5 basis points from the previous quarter to 1.14 percent. Net charge-offs declined $5.4 billion (36.8 percent) from a year ago. The total net charge-off rate dropped 20 basis points to 0.34 percent.  

The Deposit Insurance Fund’s Reserve Ratio Declined from the Previous Quarter to 1.25 Percent:

The Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) balance was $119.4 billion as of March 31, up $1.5 billion from the end of the fourth quarter. However, the reserve ratio declined four basis points to 1.25 percent, solely because of strong insured deposit growth.

Three New Banks Opened During the Quarter: Three new banks opened, and 25 institutions merged in first quarter 2021. No banks failed during the quarter.

Charts:
https://www.fdic.gov/analysis/quarterly-banking-profile/qbp/2021mar

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

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Fernando's Reviews
Special Memorial Day Edition
by Fernando Croce

For this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, check out these patriotic classic—ranging from harrowing to sensitive to irreverent—for a cinematic celebration of the courage and resolve of the men and women protecting country and freedom.

Pride of the Marines (Delmer Daves, 1945): John Garfield delivers a vivid performance in this sensitive portrait of the difficult recuperation period for veterans after the war. Garfield plays real-life U.S. Marine Al Schmid, a former steel worker who falls in love with Ruth (Eleanor Parker), whom he plans to marry until their plans are put on hold after the Pearl Harbor attack. While stationed on the island of Guadalcanal, he’s blinded by a grenade blast while fighting against Japanese forces. Sent back home to Philadelphia, he’s awarded the Navy Cross for bravery but struggles with his new condition, angrily rejecting Ruth in fears that she will only pity him. Acknowledging that battles continue long after veterans return home, director Delmer Daves’ tale of regeneration is intense, moving, and ultimately full of hope.

Patton (Franklin J. Schaffner, 1970): George C. Scott scored a Best Actor Oscar for his stirring portrayal of contentious WWII General George S. Patton in this muscular biopic directed by Franklin J. Schaffner ("Planet of the Apes"). Following the colorful tank commander across a series of campaigns, the film kicks off with a famous speech in front of a vast American flag and picks up Patton's career in North Africa, which will continue into Europe and build towards the Normandy Invasion in 1944. Watching him through his ups and downs, victories and defeats, glories and contradictions, is his second-in-command, General Omar Bradley (Karl Malden). Capturing Patton's bluster as well as his vulnerability, Scott's powerhouse performance carries Schaffner's blockbuster (also a Best Picture Oscar winner) from beginning to end.

The Big Red One (Samuel Fuller, 1980): A legendary director of wild and gritty crime stories, Samuel Fuller was also a WWII veteran whose dream project was to film the story of his wartime experiences. He finally made that dream a reality in this heartfelt personal epic, which follows a group of young soldiers as they venture on a mission into perilous European territory. Among them is Griff (Mark Hamill), Zab (Robert Carradine) and Vinci (Bobby Di Cicco), all of them led by a gruff, nameless sergeant (played by vintage tough-guy Lee Marvin). Of Fuller’s war films (“The Steel Helmet,” “Fixed Bayonets,” “Merrill’s Marauders”), this is his most reflective. Chronicling the characters’ encounters and skirmishes with the director’s customary gusto, this twilight masterpiece is rough, often lyrical and funny, and always moving.

Rescue Dawn (Werner Herzog, 2006): The embodiment of the filmmaker as fearless adventurer, legendary German director Werner Herzog (“Aguirre: The Wrath of God”) ventures surprisingly into the mainstream with this inspiring, true-story war drama. Set in the late 1960s, the story follows German-American U.S. Navy pilot Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale), whose plane was shot down over Laos territory during the Vietnam War. After enduring torture from his captors, Dengler and fellow prisoners Duane (Steve Zahn) and Gene (Jeremy Davies) manage to escape, only to confront the ruthless jungle surrounding the camp. What follows is a harrowing struggle for survival that tests the friendship between the desperate men, and a visceral tribute to courage in the face of overwhelming challenges. Also don’t miss Herzog’s documentary on the subject, “Little Dieter Needs to Fly.”

Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009): For a more irreverent Memorial Day epic, nothing beats this smashingly satisfying World War II vision from brilliant filmmaker Quentin Tarantino ("Pulp Fiction"). Set in France during the Nazi occupation, the plot follows several characters as they come together in a daring plan to overthrow Hitler. There are the "basterds" of the title, a group of guerilla soldiers (led by a hilariously gruff Brad Pitt) who specialize in terrorizing the enemy, but there's also a young Jewish girl (Melanie Laurent) who's planning revenge for the murder of her family at the hands of an SS officer (Best Supporting Actor Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz). Beautifully combining dialogue and action, humor and suspense, this is the kind of genre-mixing opus that only a passionate movie lover like Tarantino could deliver.

Cute Dog
Indianapolis, Indiana  Adopt-a-Dog

Luke

ID: 47681190
Male
Age: 7 years
54 lbs.
Color: White/Chestnut
Neutered
Location: Foster Home
Adoption fee: $175.00

I'm the kind of dog who loves to go for a walk around the neighborhood or take a hike through the woods, but I'm also okay just hanging out around the house with you. We'll have fun no matter what we do!

* Very people oriented boy, all wiggles, loves to be near *
* Fun boy, likes to play with toys *
* Looking for a home without cats, may pair well with another social dog *

Thank you for your interest in adopting a new family member from IndyHumane. If you are interested in adopting this animal, please copy and paste the following link to fill out an adoption application:
https://indyhumane.wufoo.com/forms/r8liz4l0pjyw4l/

Indy Humane
7929 N. Michigan Road
Indianpolis, Indiana
https://indyhumane.org/

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Ken Lubin Introduces Video on
"Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career"

Recently, I watched one of the most provocative TED talks that I have ever seen. It was done by Larry Smith, Economist and it hits the nail on the head of why many don't have the careers that they want. It all comes down to fear!

In listening to this. it got my mind spinning and I started to question every career decision that I have ever made. Most of us are looking for the comfort of good pay, health benefits and a level of security in our careers.

Is that who we really are, a robot that just goes to the office and does the same thing day in and day out? We are taught at a young age to go from box to box to then being buried in a box; I don't like boxes. They are confining, brown, and overall, not very pleasant. When I die, I don't want to be in a box but that is for another post.

Each and every day, I ask myself. “What can I do to be better than I was yesterday. Hopefully, when all those little changes add up, I will have created my own box or my own great career!

Don't get me wrong, I love my job and my career.  I get to meet and speak with the most amazing people each and every day. I get to help people change their lives and I get to make many new friends, but I want to do be able to do it better!

I don't want to fail to have a great career! And you shouldn't either.

Don't settle for the mediocrity of the daily grind. Overcome your fears and make your career better. If you don't like your job, change your attitude. I am not saying that you need to pack up and quit and be left on the street with no money, benefits, and a spouse that wants to kill you, what I am saying is that in one second, one minute, or one hour in your current role, you can change it for the better. Change your attitude and overcome your fear and you will not fail to have a great career!
​

Ken Lubin
Managing Director
ZRG Partners, LLC
Americas I EMEA I Asia Pacific
klubin@zrgpartners.com
C: 508-733-4789
https://www.linkedin.com/in/klubin

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Secured Finance Network Announces
77th Annual Conference, November 3- 5, 2021

Rich Gumbrecht, Chief Executive Officer, Secured Finance Network announces:

“We’re back live!

“I couldn’t be more excited to confirm that SFNet’s 77th Annual Convention will be held in-person at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, AZ, November 3-5, 2021. The venue is fabulous and affords plenty of outdoor gathering space as well as world-class golf and recreation. For those who are not ready to interact face-to-face, or not yet able to travel, we’ll provide a virtual attendance option supported by our SFNet Connect platform. With a hybrid structure, we’re poised to have the most inclusive convention ever.

“As many of our members expressed over this past year, there’s no real substitute for live interaction. However, we managed to stay connected through our socially distanced environment. Having a strong community to rely on in good times and challenging times is vital. SFNet has had thousands of members participate in our virtual events, our Crucial Conversations Webinar series, our virtual education and on-demand courses, as well as our discipline-specific, peer group Member Forums. We’re a resilient bunch who found creative ways to keep business moving forward despite the challenges that a global pandemic presented.

“This year’s convention theme is “Adapt. Renew. Grow.” which sums up our community’s response to the roadblocks that we all faced and our resolve to thrive as we move forward. The live conference will feature new formatting to allow unprecedented time for networking and deal making in the perfect Arizona weather. Our convention agenda and registration will be available soon, so keep an eye out for additional communications from SFNet Events.

“I look forward to seeing you in November.”

Rich Gumbrecht
Chief Executive Officer
Secured Finance Network
Richard_Gumbrecht@SFNet.com
SFNet
370 7th AVE suite 1801
NEW YORK, New York 1000

News Briefs---

Carriers bet on Capacity-as-a-Service
    Trucks move from products to outcomes, invest in future offerings
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/carriers-bet-on-capacity-as-a-service

Credit Karma to Put East Coast Headquarters in Charlotte
     Will create 600 new jobs
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/north-carolina/articles/2021-05-25/credit-karma-to-put-east-coast-headquarters-in-charlotte

States to Give Out Prizes for Getting Vaccine Shots
    California, Oregon, New Jersey, New York and More
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/05/27/covid-gov-newsom-to-unveil-new-vaccine-effort-to-boost-vaccination-rate/

Meet the Ohio vaccine lottery’s $1 million winner:
     A 22-year-old who ‘thought it was a prank.’
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/27/us/ohio-vaccine-lottery-winner.html

 

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You May Have Missed---

San Jose shooting: VTA gunman was ‘highly disgruntled,’
     had 32 illegal high-capacity magazines
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/27/vta-mass-shooting-sheriff-says-gunman-had-2-semi-automatic-handguns/

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Sports Briefs---

Alex Smith Uses 1 Word to Describe Aaron Rodgers Situation
https://thespun.com/nfl/nfc-north/green-bay-packers/aaron-rodgers-green-bay-packers-situation-alex-smith-colin-cowherd-fs1-patrick-mahomes-jordan-love

Big heart, big arm, laser-focused: Carson Wentz drawing
     rave reviews from Colts early
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2021/05/26/carson-wentz-drawing-rave-reviews-indianapolis-teammates/7440519002/

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California Nuts Briefs---

CA Offers $116M in Prizes for Getting Vaccinated
https://patch.com/california/saratoga/s/hleso/ca-offers-116m-in-prizes-for-getting-vaccinated?utm_source=alert-breakingnews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alert

Californians could win up to $1.5 million
    as Gavin Newsom announces COVID vaccine lottery
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article251711088.html

San Jose’s mass shooting marks the deadliest in
      the Bay Area. What we know the day after
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/27/heres-what-we-know-about-the-san-jose-railyard-shooting-the-day-after/

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“Gimme that Wine”

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

How California Wineries Are Preparing
    for the 2021 Wildfire Season
https://vinepair.com/articles/california-wineries-2021-wildfire-season/

Schug Carneros Estate Winery Releases
    White Pinot Noir
https://www.winebusiness.com/newreleases/?go=getArticle&dataId=246115

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

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

This Day in History

     1539 - Hernando DeSoto sailed from Cuba to Florida with 13 pigs to help sustain his 700 men on his gold-hunting expedition.  He trades with Indians, bringing pigs to America. 
    1664 – The first Baptist Church was organized, in Boston.
    1732 - Protecting the environment and particularly the fishing industry is not new. New York City enacted a law for “preserving fish in fresh water ponds...Fishing by hoop-net, draw-net, purse-net, catching-net, cod-net, bley-net or with any other engine machine, arts, or ways and means whatsoever, other by an by angling with angle-rod, hoot, and line, was subject to a fine of 20 shillings.”
    1754 - The first bloodshed in the French and Indian War occurred on an isolated mountainside a few miles east of Uniontown, PA. Lieutenant Colonel George Washington, at the head of several companies of Virginia militia, reached the Monongahela River and overtook a French reconnoitering party from Fort Duquesne (the site of present-day Pittsburgh). In a surprise attack, the Virginians killed 10 French soldiers from Fort Duquesne, including the French commander, Coulon de Jumonville, and took 21 prisoners. Only one of Washington's men was killed. The French and Indian War was the last and most important of a series of colonial conflicts between the British and the American colonists on one side, and the French and their broad network of Native American allies on the other. From this base, Washington ambushed an advance detachment of about 30 French, striking the first blow of the French and Indian War. For the victory, Washington was appointed a full colonel and reinforced with several hundred Virginia and North Carolina troops. On July 3, the French descended on Fort Necessity with their full force, and after an all-day fight, Washington surrendered to their superior numbers. The disarmed colonials were allowed to march back to Virginia, and Washington was hailed as a hero despite his surrender of the fort. The story of the campaign was written up in a London gazette, and Washington was quoted as saying, "I have heard the bullets whistle; and believe me, there is something charming in the sound." Reading this, King George II remarked, "He would not say so if he had been used to hear many." In October, 1754, Washington resigned his commission in protest of the British underpayment of colonial offices and policy of making them subordinate to all British officers, regardless of rank. With the signing of the Treaty of Paris in February 1763, France lost all claims to the mainland of North America east of the Mississippi and gave up Louisiana, including New Orleans, to Spain. Fifteen years later, French bitterness over the loss of their North American empire contributed to their intervention in the American Revolution on the side of the Patriots, despite the fact that the Patriots were led by one of France's old enemies, George Washington.    .
    1759 – Birthday of William Pitt (d. 1803), Hayes, Kent, England.  British Prime Minister from 1783-1801 and 1804-06.  The city of Pittsburgh is named for him.
    1807 - Birthday of Louis Agassiz (d. 1873) at Motier, Switzerland. Professor of zoology and geology at Harvard, he was a major influence in spawning American interest in natural history and helped to establish the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology. “The eye of the trilobite,” Aggassiz wrote in 1870, “tells us that the sun shone on the old beach where he lived; for there is nothing in nature without a purpose and when so complicated an organ was made to receive the light, there must have been light to enter it.”
    1814 - Birthday of Daniel Reaves Goodloe (d. 1902) in Louisburg, NC. Emancipist who wrote “A Crusading Abolitionist in Reconstruction North Carolina.”
http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/goodloe/title.html
http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/goodloe/menu.html
http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/g/Goodloe,Daniel_R.html
    1818 - Former president Thomas Jefferson set forth in a letter to a Jewish journalist his opinion of religious intolerance: “Your sect by its sufferings has furnished a remarkable proof of the universal point of religious insolence, inherent in every sect, disclaimed by all while feeble and practiced by all when in power. Our laws have applied the only antidote to this vice, protecting our religions, as they do our civil rights, by putting all on equal footing. But more remains to be done.”
    1818 – Confederate General P.T. Beauregard (d. 1893) was born in St. Bernard Parish, LA.   A graduate of West Point, Beauregard served with distinction as an engineer in the Mexican-American War.  Following a brief appointment as superintendent at West Point in 1861, after the South seceded, he resigned from the US Army and became the first Brigadier General in the Confederate Army.  He commanded the defenses of Charleston at the start of the Civil War at Ft. Sumter on April 12, 1861. Three months later, he won the First Battle of Bull Run.  It was largely on his advice that Confederate President Jefferson Davis was convinced to bring the Civil War to a close.      
    1830 - The Indian Removal Act was signed by President Andrew Jackson. It called for resettlement of all Indians east of the Mississippi River to lands west of it. The sum of $500,000 was appropriated by Congress to compensate Indians and pay the cost of resettlement.
    1831 - Birthday of Eliza Ann Gardner (d. 1922), New York City.  Underground railroad conductor, known as the “Julia Ward Howe of the Negro race.” 
http://digilib.nypl.org/dynaweb/digs-b/wwm97253/@Generic__BookTextView/2438
    1851 - The Ohio Woman's Rights Convention met in Akron, an historic meeting of women calling for equal rights.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/may28.html
    1855 - Abby Leach’s (d. 1918) birthday, Brockton, MA.  She was one of the first females to attend Harvard.  She was a teacher whose profound knowledge of Greek impressed Harvard professors enough to open their doors a crack in 1879 for women through what they called the Harvard Annex. It would become Radcliffe College.
http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/macurdyperformance.html
http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/life.html
http://www.radcliffe.edu/quarterly/199902/rad_har-5.html
    1858 - Lizzie Black Kander’s (d. 1940) birthday in Milwaukee, WI.  U.S. philanthropist. Thousands of immigrants and poor in the Milwaukee area received help because of this remarkable woman. Starting with organizations that distributed food and clothing to needy immigrants, she helped form and headed the city's first settlement house (1900-1918). As a 1901 fund-raiser, she supervised the printing of a cookbook. She expanded it and used the profits for charity. Still in print many years after Lizzie's death in 1940, “The Settlement Cook Book, Treasured Recipes of Seven Decades,” sold more than a million copies in 23 editions.
http://search.eb.com/women/articles/Kander_Lizzie_Black.html
http://www.jsonline.com/Entree/cooking/apr01/settle18041601.asp
http://www.uwm.edu/Library/arch/jews/image7.htm
    1863 - The 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the most famous African-American regiment of the war, leaves Boston for combat in the South. For the first two years of the war, President Abraham Lincoln resisted the use of black troops despite the pleas of men such as Frederick Douglass, who argued that no one had more to fight for than African-Americans. Lincoln finally endorsed, albeit timidly, the introduction of blacks for service in the military in the Emancipation Proclamation. On May 22, 1863, the War Department established the Bureau of Colored Troops to recruit and assemble black regiments. Many blacks, often freed or escaped slaves, joined the military and found themselves usually under white leadership. Ninety percent of all officers in the United States Colored Troops (USCT) were white. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the idealistic scion of an abolitionist family, headed the 54th. Shaw was a veteran of the 2nd Massachusetts infantry and saw action in the 1862 Shenandoah Valley and Antietam campaigns. After being selected by Massachusetts Governor John Andrew to organize and lead the 54th, Shaw carefully selected the most physically fit soldiers and white officers with established antislavery views. The regiment included two of Frederick Douglass's sons and the grandson of Sojourner Truth.
On May 28, 1863, the new regiment marched onto a steamer and set sail for Port Royal, South Carolina. The unit saw action right away, taking part in a raid into Georgia and withstanding a Confederate attack near Charleston. On July 16, 1863, Shaw led a bold but doomed attack against Fort Wagner in which he and 20 of his men were killed. The story of Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts was immortalized in the critically acclaimed 1990 movie “Glory,” starring Mathew Broderick, Denzell Washington, and Morgan Freeman.
http://www.54thmass.org/
    1875 - Birthday of American composer Fred Jewell (d. 1936) in Worthington, IL. Over the next two decades, he rose through the ranks of the circus composers and bandmasters, becoming the Music Director of the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth in 1908. His circus career ended in 1917, and he moved to Oskaloosa, IA to assume the conductorship of the Iowa Brigade Band. There he started his own publishing company, which moved with him back to Worthington in 1923. He served as the high school band director, conductor of the Murat Temple Shrine Band and the Sahara Grotto Band in Indianapolis, and he continued to compose music for bands. His most famous marches are “E Pluribus Unum” (1917), “Quality-plus” (1913), “Supreme Triumph” (1920) and “The Old Circus Band” (1923).
    1877 - A "terrific" two-day long sandstorm blasted Yuma, AZ. (28th-29th)
    1879 - Illinois prohibited employment of women in coalmines in their state.  This was the first law enacted in the United States to protect women in employment.
    1880 - Savoy, Texas was hit by an F4 tornado. 14 people were killed and 60 were injured. It leveled the entire business and northeast residential sections. The tornado was described as "a funnel blazing with balls of fire".
    1887 - Birthday of James Francis “Jim” Thorpe (d. 1953) at Prague, OK. Olympic gold medal track athlete, baseball player and football player, the Greatest Athlete of the first half of the 20th Century.  A Native American of the Sac and Fox Nation, he won the pentathlon and the decathlon of the 1912 Olympic Games, but later lost his medals when Olympic officials declared a stint as a minor league baseball player besmirched his amateur Thorpe’s medals were returned to his family many years after his death when the earlier decision was reversed.
He later played professional baseball and football. From 1920 to 1921, Thorpe was nominally the first President of the American Professional Football Association which would become the National Football League in 1922.  
http://www.yvwiiusdinvnohii.net/history/ThorpeAthleteOfTheCentury.htm
http://www.alphacdc.com/necona/athlete_of_the_century.html
(lower half of: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/may28.html )
    1892 - The Sierra Club was founded by famed naturalist John Muir. The Sierra Club promotes conservation of the natural environment by influencing public policy. It has been especially important in the founding of and protection of our national parks. www.sierraclub.org
    1898 - Birthday of great bandleader Andy Kirk (d. 1992) in Newport, KY.
http://www.redhotjazz.com/cloudsofjoy.html
    1900 - Birthday of trumpet player Tommy Ladnier (d. 1939) in Mandeville, LA. 
http://www.redhotjazz.com/Ladnier.html
http://atj.8k.com/noartist/atjladnier.html
    1900 – A fire in the grandstand nearly destroyed the Cincinnati Redlegs’ ballpark.
    1908 – “Bond, James Bond.”  Author Ian Fleming (d. 1964) was born in Mayfair, London.  Fleming came from a wealthy family connected to a merchant bank and his father was a Member of Parliament from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Fleming moved through several jobs before he started writing.  While working for Britain's Naval Intelligence Division during the Second World War, Fleming was involved in planning Operation Goldeneye and in the planning and oversight of two intelligence units, 30 Assault Unit and T-Force. His wartime service and his career as a journalist provided much of the background, detail and depth of the James Bond novels.  Fleming wrote his first Bond novel, “Casino Royale,” in 1952. It was a success with three print runs being commissioned to cope with the demand. Eleven Bond novels and two short-story collections followed between 1953 and 1966.   The Bond stories rank among the best-selling series of fictional books of all time, having sold over 100 million copies worldwide. The Bond franchise in film has grossed over $7 billion since “Dr. No” premiered in 1963.  Fleming also wrote the children's story “Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang” and two works of non-fiction. In 2008, The Times ranked Fleming 14th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945."
    1910 - Birthday of singer/pianist/song writer Aaron Thibodaux “T-Bone” Walker (d. 1975), Linden, TX. 
http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=206
http://bluesnet.hub.org/artists/tbone.html
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/articles/late0202.htm
    1917 - General John Joseph Pershing lead members of the American Expeditionary Force to fight in Europe, America’s first entrant into this war. The group included 40 regular army officers, 17 reserve officers, 2 Marine Corps officers, 67 enlisted men, 36 field clerks, 20 civilians, 3 interpreters, and 3 news correspondents. They left New York City on the “Baltic” and arrived in Liverpool England, on June 8, and reached Paris on June 13. The United States had been in a state of war with Germany since April 6, 1917, when it became the 13th national to declare war against the Central Powers.
    1922 - Otto Krueger conducted the Detroit News Orchestra, the first known radio orchestra, which was heard on WWJ Radio in Detroit, MI. The "Detroit News" owned the radio station at the time. 
    1928 - Walter P. Chrysler merged his Chrysler Corporation with Dodge Brothers, Inc. The Dodge Motor Car Company had been purchased several years earlier, from the widows of the two founders, by Clarence Dillon's banking firm for $148 million. The merger of Chrysler and Dodge, the largest automobile industry merger in history at the time, placed the newly consolidated firm third in production and sales, just behind General Motors and Ford Motor Company. Their vehicles have always been popular with law enforcement, the Blues Brothers, and my son drives a Dodge truck, which he swears is the best made in the industry.
    1929 - Warner Brothers debuted the first all-color talking picture. The film debuted at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City. Ethel Waters, Joe E. Brown, Betty Compson and Arthur Lake starred in "On with the Show," based on a story by Humphrey Pearson.
    1931 - Birthday of guitarist Sonny Burgess (d. 2017), Newport, AR.
http://www.deltaboogie.com/deltamusicians/burgess.htm
    1931 - WOR radio in New York City premiered "The Witch’s Tale." The program was broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System (of which WOR was the flagship station) where it aired until 1938. My late father, Lawrence Menkin, started out as a radio writer, and wrote many of these and soap operas. In the late 1940’s, he became general manager of WOR-TV, producing the first early television drama’s, such as “Harlem Detective,” “Hands of Murder,” and the first “Captain Video,” all shows he created, wrote, produced and directed.
    1934 - The Dionne quintuplets were born near Callender, Ontario to Oliva and Elzire Dionne. They were the first quintuplets to survive infancy. This increase in Canada’s population became known as Marie, Cecile, Yvonne, Emilie and Annette. All five survived into adulthood, Cecile, Annette, Yvonne, Emilie and Marie. Their father, Elzire, signed to have them exhibited at the Chicago World's Fair only hours after they were born without permission from their mother. The Ontario provincial government intervened on behest of the doctor who delivered them. The government took custody of the children in what has been described more as a political move than a humanitarian one, and yet, at the time, it was a popular decision because of the family's poverty and the father's willingness to exploit the children in unsafe ways. The doctor became a wealthy man acting as their caretaker as he, as the government's representative, housed them in a modern home (across the road from the Dionne home) and showed them to the public from the porch. He and the government used their names and celebrity status in various ways to make millions. Hardly anyone around these children acted in their interest.  It took until 1997 for the surviving sisters to win monetary awards from the Canadian government for its exploitation of them. Their mother was not allowed any more intimacy with them than a tourist and she had no legal rights to claim them under the church dominated laws of the time in that area.  Emilie died in 1954, Marie in 1970, Yvonne in 2001.
http://www.city.north-bay.on.ca/quints/digitize/dionne.htm
    1935 - John Steinbeck’s “Tortilla Flat” is published. The novel's endearing comic tone captured the public's imagination, and the novel became a financial success. Steinbeck's next works, “In Dubious Battle” and “Of Mice and Men,” were both successful, and in 1938, his masterpiece “The Grapes of Wrath” was published. The novel, about the struggles of an Oklahoma family who lose their farm and become fruit pickers in California, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1939. Steinbeck's work after World War II, including “Cannery Row” and “The Pearl,” became more sentimental. He also wrote several successful films, including “Forgotten Village” (1941) and “Viva Zapata!” (1952). He became interested in marine biology and published a nonfiction book, “The Sea of Cortez,” in 1941. His travel memoir, Travels with Charlie, describes his trek across the U.S. in a camper. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize in 1962 and died in New York in 1968.
    1938 - Benny Goodman records “Big John Special.” Two points if you know who “Big John” was.  Other sites about the “King of Swing,” who also was a fine symphonic clarinetist.
http://www.nw-cybermall.com/JazzWorld/goodman.htm
    1938 - Birthday of former coach and basketball Hall of Fame guard Jerry Alan West, Chelyan, WV.  His silhouette is incorporated into the NBA logo. West’s NBA career was highly successful. He was voted 12 times into the All-NBA First and Second Teams, was elected into the NBA All-Star Team 14 times, and was chosen as the All-Star MVP in 1972, the same year that he won the only title of his career. West holds the NBA record for the highest points per game average in a playoff series with 46.3. He was also a member of the first five NBA All-Defensive Teams (one second, followed by four firsts), which were introduced when he was 32 years old. Having played in nine NBA Finals, he is also the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team (1969). West was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980 and voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. After his playing career, West was head coach of the Lakers for three years, leading Los Angeles into the playoffs each year and earning a Western Conference Finals berth once. Working as a player-scout for three years, West was named GM of the Lakers prior to the 1982-83. Under his reign, Los Angeles won six championship rings. In 2002, West became general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and helped the franchise win their first-ever playoff berths. For his contributions, West won the NBA Executive of the Year twice
    1939 - Helen Hadassah Levinthal (d. 1989) became the first Jewish woman to receive a degree from a Jewish college of theology. She received a Master of Hebrew Literature from the Jewish Institute of Religion.
    1941 - Frank Sinatra joined Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra in recording "This Love of Mine" for Victor Records. 
    1942 - The rest of the Japanese forces directed at Midway set out. Admiral Yamamato, commanding the operation overall, believes that, if the plan to invade the island succeeds, the American fleet can be forced into a decisive engagement and that their defeat will force a truce before American production can swamp the Japanese war effort.
    1944 - Birthday of Rudolph Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City, born Brooklyn, NY. 
    1944 - Gladys Knight, singer, born Atlanta, GA. The first hit was in 1961 with "Every Beat of My Heart." Her group continued to record hits throughout the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. Among their best-known songs are "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (1967), "Midnight Train to Georgia" (1973), and "Love Overboard" (1987).
    1944 - DAVILA, RUDOLPH B., Medal of Honor
Staff Sergeant Rudolph B. Davila distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action, on 28 May 1944, near Artena, Italy. During the offensive which broke through the German mountain strongholds surrounding the Anzio beachhead, Staff Sergeant Davila risked death to provide heavy weapons support for a beleaguered rifle company. Caught on an exposed hillside by heavy, grazing fire from a well-entrenched German force, his machine gunners were reluctant to risk putting their guns into action. Crawling fifty yards to the nearest machine gun, Staff Sergeant Davila set it up alone and opened fire on the enemy. In order to observe the effect of his fire, Sergeant Davila fired from the kneeling position, ignoring the enemy fire that struck the tripod and passed between his legs. Ordering a gunner to take over, he crawled forward to a vantage point and directed the firefight with hand and arm signals until both hostile machine guns were silenced. Bringing his three remaining machine guns into action, he drove the enemy to a reserve position two hundred yards to the rear. When he received a painful wound in the leg, he dashed to a burned tank and, despite the crash of bullets on the hull, engaged a second enemy force from the tank’s turret. Dismounting, he advanced 130 yards in short rushes, crawled 20 yards and charged into an enemy-held house to eliminate the defending force of five with a hand grenade and rifle fire. Climbing to the attic, he straddled a large shell hole in the wall and opened fire on the enemy. Although the walls of the house were crumbling, he continued to fire until he had destroyed two more machine guns. His intrepid actions brought desperately needed heavy weapons support to a hard-pressed rifle company and silenced four machine gunners, which forced the enemy to abandon their prepared positions. Staff Sergeant Davila's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.
    1944 - Singer Billy Vera is born William Patrick McCord, Riverside, CA.
    1945 - Birthday of guitarist/song writer John Fogerty, Berkeley, CA 
He was listed on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Songwriters (at number 40) and the list of 100 Greatest Singers (at number 72).  His songs include “Proud Mary,” “Down on the Corner,” “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” “Centerfield,” “Bad Moon Rising,” "Green River, “Fortunate Son.”
    1946 – Yankee Stadium held its first night game…Senators 2, Yanks, 1.
    1948 - Top Hits
“Nature Boy” - Nat King Cole
“Now is the Hour” - Bing Crosby
“Baby Face” - The Art Mooney Orchestra
“Texarkana Baby” - Eddy Arnold
    1951 - After failing to get a hit in his first three Major League games, Willie Mays of the New York Giants broke his 0-for-12 skein by hitting a home run off Warren Spahn of the Boston Braves.
    1951 - U.N. Forces drove the communists back across the 38th parallel on most of the Korean battlefields.
    1951 - Eighth Army took Hwachon and Inje. 
    1952 - *KELLY, JOHN D., Medal of Honor 
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Korea, 28 May 1952. Entered service at: Homestead, Pa. Born: 8 July 1928, Youngstown, Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a radio operator of Company C, in action against enemy aggressor forces. With his platoon pinned down by a numerically superior enemy force employing intense mortar, artillery, small-arms and grenade fire, Pfc. Kelly requested permission to leave his radio in the care of another man and to participate in an assault on enemy key positions. Fearlessly charging forward in the face of a murderous hail of machine gun fire and hand grenades, he initiated a daring attack against a hostile strongpoint and personally neutralized the position, killing 2 of the enemy. Unyielding in the fact of heavy odds, he continued forward and single-handedly assaulted a machine gun bunker. Although painfully wounded, he bravely charged the bunker and destroyed it, killing 3 of the enemy. Courageously continuing his 1-man assault, he again stormed forward in a valiant attempt to wipe out a third bunker and boldly delivered pointblank fire into the aperture of the hostile emplacement. Mortally wounded by enemy fire while carrying out this heroic action, Pfc. Kelly, by his great personal valor and aggressive fighting spirit, inspired his comrades to sweep on, overrun and secure the objective. His extraordinary heroism in the face of almost certain death reflects the highest credit upon himself and enhances the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
    1952 - CHAMPAGNE, DAVID B., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company A 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date. Korea, 28 May 1952. Entered service at: Wakefield R.I. Born: 11 November 1932, Waterville, Md. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a fire team leader of Company A, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Advancing with his platoon in the initial assault of the company against a strongly fortified and heavily defended hill position, Cpl. Champagne skillfully led his fire team through a veritable hail of intense enemy machine gun, small-arms, and grenade fire, overrunning trenches and a series of almost impregnable bunker positions before reaching the crest of the hill and placing his men in defensive positions. Suffering a painful leg wound while assisting in repelling the ensuing hostile counterattack, which was launched under cover of a murderous hail of mortar and artillery fire, he steadfastly refused evacuation and fearlessly continued to control his fire team When the enemy counterattack increased in intensity, and a hostile grenade landed in the midst of the fire team, Cpl. Champagne unhesitatingly seized the deadly missile and hurled it in the direction of the approaching enemy. As the grenade left his hand, it exploded blowing off his hand and throwing him out of the trench. Mortally wounded by enemy mortar fire while in this exposed position, Cpl. Champagne, by his valiant leadership, fortitude, and gallant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death, undoubtedly saved the lives of several of his fellow marines. His heroic actions served to inspire all who observed him and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country. 
    1953 - The first 3-D (three-dimensional) cartoon world premiere at the Paramount Theatre in Hollywood, California and downtown Paramount Theatre, LA. The production, a Walt Disney creation/RKO picture, was titled, "Melody." 
    1955 - Birthday of Ronald Lawrence “Ron” Wilson, hockey coach, born, Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
    1955 - "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" is the most popular song in the United States. Billboard refers to the tune as "disc entity" and reports if the sales of the other versions were all added up, including the original done by Fess Parker, more than 18-million copies have been bought in six months.
    1956 - Top Hits
“Heartbreak Hotel/I Was the One” - Elvis Presley
“The Wayward Wind” - Gogi Grant
“The Happy Whistler” - Don Robertson
“Blue Suede Shoes” - Carl Perkins
    1956 – Dale Long of the Pittsburgh Pirates set a Major League record when he hit a HR in his eighth consecutive game.
    1957 - National League club owners voted to allow the Brooklyn Dodgers to move to sunny Southern California and said that the New York Giants baseball team could move with the Horace Stoneham family to Northern California. The teams went on to establish themselves in Los Angeles and San Francisco, respectively. 
    1957 - The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) was established. This is the organization that brings us the Grammy Awards for all forms of musical entertainment each year.
    1957 – One of the greatest World Series HRs in LA Dodgers history was hit by Kirk Gibson, born in Pontiac, MI.  In the opening game of the 1988 World Series against the heavily-favored Oakland A’s of Tony LaRussa, Mark McGwire, Dave Stewart and Jose Canseco, Gibson was sent up in the bottom of the 9th to pinch hit against A’s closer Dennis Eckersley, at the time, the premier closer in the Majors.  Having injured both legs during the NLCS, Gibson was not expected to play at all. With an awkward, almost casual swing, Gibson used pure upper-body strength to smack a 3–2 backdoor slider over the right-field fence. He hobbled around the bases and pumped his fist as his jubilant teammates stormed the field. The Dodgers won the game, 5–4, and would go on to win the World Series, four games to one.
    1958 – In Cuba, Fidel Castro’s 26th of July Movement, heavily reinforced by Frank Pais Militia, overwhelm an army post in El Uvero.
    1959 - Abel and Baker were two one pound monkeys, one a rhesus, the other a spider monkey that survived a 15-minute flight trip into space in separate containers in the nose cone of Jupiter rocket launched at Cape Canaveral, FL. The cone was shot 300 miles into space and was recovered about 90 minutes later off the island of Antiqua, about 1,500 miles away, by Navy frogmen from the tug Kiowa. A previous attempt made on December 13, 1958, has been unsuccessful.
    1960 - Elvis Presley visits Vegas, and his entourage is for the first time dubbed the "Memphis Mafia" in the local media, due to their penchant for wearing long coats and dark glasses.
     1963 - Medgar Evers gets agreement of negotiations in the All-American city of Jackson, Mississippi — which is then withdrawn.  Four students and a professor were harassed during a sit-in at Woolworth's lunch counter. A few days earlier, the garage of his house was bombed and on June 12, a few hours after President John F. Kennedy had made an extraordinary broadcast to the nation on the subject of civil rights, Medgar Evers was shot and killed in an ambush in front of his home. Byron de La Beckwith, a white segregationist, was charged with the murder. He was set free in 1964 after two trials resulted in hung juries but was convicted in a third trial held in 1994.
    1964 - Top Hits
“My Guy” - Mary Wells
“Love Me Do” - The Beatles
“Chapel of Love” - The Dixie Cups
“My Heart Skips a Beat” - Buck Owens
    1964 – The Palestine Liberation Organization was formed.
    1966 - Percy Sledge hit number one with his first -- and what turned out to be his biggest -- hit. "When a Man Loves a Woman" would stay at the top of the pop music charts for two weeks. It was the singer’s only hit to make the top ten and was a million seller. 
    1966 - Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" is released. It stays on the chart for four weeks and reaching as high as #88. The record's producer Phil Spector considers the song the high point of his legendary production career and is so embittered by it not doing well in America that he would go into seclusion for two years.
    1966 - The Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" is released and enters the Hot 100, where it will stay for thirteen weeks, peaking at #13. It will later be covered by the Rolling Stones on their album "It's Only Rock n' Roll,” and will be a hit for them as well.
    1966 - Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass set an American record when they had four albums in the US Top Ten. The four were "What Now My Love," "South of the Border," "Going Places" and "Whipped Cream and Other Delights." After falling off the charts a couple of years later, Alpert would return with a solo hit called "Rise" in 1979 and again in 1987 with "Diamonds." 
    1967 - The Association makes their television debut, performing "Along Comes Mary" on CBS-TV's “Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.”
    1968 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit:  “Mrs. Robinson,” Simon & Garfunkel.
    1968 - The American League announced that it would split into two divisions for the 1969 season. Teams in the AL East included the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Red Sox, the Cleveland Indians, the Detroit Tigers, the New York Yankees and the Washington Senators. The AL West was comprised of the California Angels, the Chicago White Sox, the Kansas City Royals, the Minnesota Twins, the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Pilots.  The San Diego Padres were granted a National League franchise.
    1969 - A People's Park Bail Ball benefit was held at Winterland in San Francisco. Aum, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Elvin Bishop Group, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Santana all played at Winterland. 
    1972 - Top Hits
“Oh Girl” - Chi-Lites
“I’ll Take You There” - The Staple Singers
“Look What You Done for Me” - Al Green
“(Lost Her Love) On Our Last Date” - Conway Twitty
    1975 - The Doobie Brothers went gold with the album, "Stampede." The group, formed in San Jose, CA, recorded 16 charted hits. Two made it to number one, becoming million-selling, gold record winners: "Black Water" [March, 1975] and "What a Fool Believes" [April, 1979]. 
    1977 - In Southgate, KY, the Beverly Hills Supper Club was engulfed in fire, killing 165 people inside.
    1978 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit:  “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late,'' Johnny Mathis/Deniece Williams.
    1980 - Top Hits
“Call Me” - Blondie
“Funkytown” - Lipps, Inc.
“Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer” - Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes
“Starting Over Again” - Dolly Parton
    1982 - The legendary train, "Orient Express," made popular through Agatha Christie’s thrilling mystery novel, "Murder on the Orient Express," was reborn. The 26-hour train trip resumed across the European continent after a long respite. While I have never had the pleasure, I am told by people who rode it, it was a great trip. I know several chefs on the West Coast who said they learned to cook on this train, where food and wine was “the best.”
    1984 - President Reagan led a state funeral at Arlington National Cemetery for an unidentified American soldier killed in the Vietnam War. 
    1985 - Gay Mullins, a retiree from Seattle, WA, founded Old Cola Drinkers of America. This was an effort to bring back the original Coca-Cola, instead of the New Coke that the Atlanta-based company had foisted on the American cola-drinking market. By July of 1985, with arms firmly twisted behind their backs, Coca-Cola Company executives relented, kept the new formula on the market, but returned with: Classic Coke. 
    1985 - "Vanity Fair" magazine, with a picture of President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy kissing on the cover, went on sale. Whether you are a Republican or Democrat, their “love affair” was genuine, as expressed
in this book, “I Love You, Ronnie.”
http://www.amazon.com/Love-You-Ronnie-Letters-Ronald/dp/0375505547/190-4600090-8446337?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&ref_=pm_dp_ln_b_6&s=books
    1986 - Viewers of Dick Clark's "America Picks the #1 Songs" chose Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock," "Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and Lionel Richie's "All Night Long" as the greatest hits of the rock era.
    1987 - Thunderstorms produced torrential rains in Oklahoma and Northern Texas. Lake Altus, Oklahoma was deluged with 9 inches of rain. Up to 8 inches of rain drenched Northern Texas and baseball size hail was reported north of Seminole and at Knickerbocker. 10-13 inches of rain inundated central Oklahoma over the last 5 days of the month resulting in an estimated 65 million dollars damage. Flooding forced several thousand people to evacuate their homes, many by boat or by helicopter.
    1988 - Top Hits
“One More Try” - George Michael
“Shattered Dreams” - Johnny Hates Jazz
“Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)” - Samantha Fox
“Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses” - Kathy Mattea
    1989 - Unseasonably hot weather continued in Florida. Five cities reported record high temperatures for the date. The record high of 98 degrees at Lakeland, FL, was their fifth in a row. Thunderstorms produced severe weather in Florida late in the day, with golf ball size hail reported at Kissimmee.
    1990 - Two to five inches of rain over southeastern Ohio on the 28th and 29th capped an exceptionally wet month of May and triggered widespread flooding. Flooding which resulted claimed three lives and caused millions of dollars damage. Numerous roads in southeast Ohio were flooded and impassable, and many other roads were blocked by landslides.
    1996 - In a 12-8 win at the Kingdome, Orioles' third baseman Cal Ripken has his first career three-homer game and collects a career-high eight RBIs.
    1996 - President Clinton's former business partners in the Whitewater land deal, James and Susan McDougal, and Arkansas Gov. Jim Guy Tucker, were convicted of fraud. Tucker was charged with creating a sham bankruptcy to avoid paying taxes on profits from a sold cable TV company in which he was a partner. Tucker resigned after the verdict. He briefly reversed his decision, but finally stepped down in July. In 1998, Tucker pleaded guilty to a felony charge of fraud and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors of independent counsel Kenneth Starr.
    1998 - Elton John and Bernie Taupin's global hit "Candle in the Wind '97" is a double winner at the Ivor Novello Awards held at London's Grosvenor House Hotel. The song, commemorating the late Princess Diana, wins best-selling U.K. single and international hit of the year. Accepting the award, John calls his victory "bittersweet," noting, "I wish this record had never had to be made."
    1998 - First Hawaiian Inc. and BancWest Corp. joined forces to create a $14 billion banking major banking entity based in the western United States. The merger, which cost around $1 billion, gave First Hawaiian's stockholders a small majority stake in the new institution.
    2000 - The Angels, for the first time in franchise history, hit four home runs in one inning. Anaheim goes yard four times in the fifth inning with Darin Erstad, Mo Vaughn, Tim Salmon and Garret Anderson supplying the fireworks in the 11-4 victory.
    2002 - The last steel girder was removed from the World Trade Center site. Cleanup duties officially ended with closing ceremonies at Ground Zero in Manhattan.
    2003 - When Rafael Furcal, Mark DeRosa and Gary Sheffield all go deep off Reds' Jeff Austin in the bottom of the first inning, the Braves become only the second team in big league history to begin a game with three consecutive home runs. 
    2005 - In the eighth inning of the Red Sox's 17-1 rout over the Yankees in New York, the largest margin of victory the team has ever enjoyed against their rivals, the stadium scoreboard goes blank for a few moments when the operator cannot keep up with the Boston barrage. The BoSox’s 27 hits, one shy of a Bronx Bomber record for hits allowed, are the most collected by the club since tying the team record of 28 in June of 2003, ironically in a game also started by Carl Pavano as the opposing pitcher, but in a Marlin uniform.
    2006 - At AT&T Park, Barry Bonds passes Babe Ruth the all-time home run list taking sole possession of second place as he hits the 715th homer of his 21-year big league career. The historic homer, which comes off a 90-mph fastball thrown by Byung-Hyun Kim of the Rockies, makes the Giants outfielder the most prolific left-handed slugger in baseball history.
    2014 - Music curator and headphone maker Beats Electronics was acquired by Apple, Inc. who will pay $3 billion for the music company, started by music producer Jimmy Iovine and rap artist Dr. Dre.
    2019 - Johnson & Johnson went on trial in Oklahoma accused of deceptively marketing painkillers and downplaying risks of addiction helping create "opioid epidemic", first of 2,000 cases against US pharmaceutical firms.