Correction: Wrong Dollar Amount,
Here is Correct Heading

North Mill Equipment Finance Hits All-Time High
    for Month of March: $49 Million
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_04.htm#nm

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

Positive Employment Situation Boosts Business and
Consumer Financial Confidence in March
By Dr. Dan Geller

The March Money Anxiety Index decreased 2.1 index points from last month to 48.1 and down 38.1 points since the index peaked in the beginning of the pandemic in April of 2020. The decrease in the Money Anxiety Index reflects higher financial confidence stemming from a robust employment market that rose by 431,000 jobs in March.

The Money Anxiety Index is the only financial confidence index that measures actual financial behavior of consumers rather than how they respond to surveys. Since what people say is not always what they actually do with their money, the Money Anxiety Index is the only way to objectively and accurately measure consumers’ financial confidence.

Survey-based financial confidence indices, such as the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, are based on how people respond to their survey, which is very subjective. If the survey is filled out on a “bad-news day,” it is very likely that the response will be bleak and negative and vice versa. Thus, survey-based indices have a response bias and they do not reflect actual financial confidence.

The Money Anxiety Index is a scientific predictor of financial behavior. It is peer reviewed and published in the Journal of Applied Business and Economics. The index is highly reliable because it measures the level of financial anxiety of people based on what they actually do with their money rather than how they respond to consumer confidence surveys.

Dr. Dan Geller
Behavioral Economics
for Financial Services
Analyticom LLC
drgeller@analyticom.com
www.analyticom.com
415-891-3093

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

New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries Leasing Business

Seth Buchanan was hired as Assistant Vice President, CIT Bank, Dover, New Hampshire. Previously, he was Financial Analyst, CIT (June, 2017 - April, 2022); Staff Accountant, Direct Capital Corporation, a CIT company. Licenses and Certifications: Duolingo French Fluency: Advance. Duolingo. Issued March, 2016. No Expiration Date. Education: University of New Hampshire, English Language and Literature/Letters (1999 - 2002). https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-buchanan-7895719/

Kelly Granger was hired as Vice President, Equipment Finance, Fifth Third Bank, Cincinnati, Ohio.  Previously, he was Senior Vice President, Equipment Finance Officer, PNC Equipment Finance, LLC (April, 2008 - March, 2022); Regional Vice President, Warehouse Lending, PCFS Financial Services (June, 1998 - 2008). Education: The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, BSBA, Finance (1979 - 1984). https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-granger-2121979/

Matt Larson was announced as Vice President of Customer Service, The Orion First Team, Gig Harbor, Washington. He joined the company January, 2022.  Previously, he was Call Center Manager, VBee's Plumbing and Heating (August, 2021 - November, 2021); Assistant Call Center Manager, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP (August, 2016 - August, 2020); Assistant Call Center Manager, Director of Client Services, Collection Manager, Alliance One (April, 1999 - July, 2016). Licenses and Certifications: ACA Professional Collection Specialist. Columbia Ultimate Recall and Recall II Certification. FDCPA Certification. Washington Collectors Association Member. Education: Washington State University (1996 -- 1998). Communications.  Tacoma Community College, Public Speaking (1999 - 2000). Gig Harbor High School (1993 - 1996). AP in English and World Literature. Speech and Essay Writing. https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-larson-883b39123

Enrico Mazza has been hired as Senior Equipment Finance Representative, M&T Bank, Buffalo, New York. He is located in West Chester, Pennsylvania.  Previously, he was Territory Manager, Wells Fargo (September, 2014 - April, 2022); Account Executive, De Lage Landen Financial Services (November, 2003 - March, 2014); Risk Manager, GE Capital (1998 - 2003). Volunteer: America's Grow-a-Row (October, 2015 - Present).  Education: Drexel University's LeBow College of Business, B.S., Business Administration (1988 - 1993).  Monsignor Bonner High School (1984 - 1988).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/enrico-mazza-a86360b/

Michael McNeil was hired as Senior Business Advisor, ROK Financial, Great River, New York. He is located in Orange County, New York. Previously, he was Vendor Relations Specialist, Jupiter Financial (February, 2002 - April, 2022); Intendent Finance Agent (Commercial Finance), Equipment Finance and Working Capital (2020 - 2022); Recruiter and Corporate Sales Trainer, Annuva (October, 2018 - 2020); Hiring Manager, Corporate Trainer, Alliance Funding Group (January, 2000 - May, 2018); Territory Team Manager, Security Marketing King (February, 1988 - February, 2000). Education: Walden University (June, 2003). Saddleback College, Business Administration and Management, General.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-mcneil-a73ab7171/

Mark Sutton was hired as Senior Account Manager, Tandem Equipment Finance, Canada.  He is located in Barre, Ontario, Canada.  Previously, he was Leasing Specialist, National Leasing Group (2007 -2022); Leasing Specialist, Commercial Equipment & Software Sales, Identicam (January, 2001 - January, 2003); Leasing Specialist, Office Equipment Sales, Neopost (January, 1996 - January, 2001); Sales, Pitney Bowes (January, 1993 - January, 1996). Education: University of Toronto, Scarborough. Economics (1985 - 1990). https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-sutton-ba586b3/

Lauren (Zabaronick) Timlin, CLFP, promoted to Business Development Manager, Umpqua Bank Vendor Finance, Las Vegas, Nevada. She joined the bank April, 2017, as Vendor Experience Representative. Previously, she was Relationship Support Manager, Hanmi Bank (November, 2016 - April, 2017). She joined at Banc of California, Irvine, California (which was purchased by Hanmi Bank) May, 2014, as Relationship Support Manager, promoted to Senior Funding Coordinator. She was the Owner of Talo Wine Events (January, 2013 - December, 2015). She joined Blue Street Capital, August, 2009, as Credit Manager, and was promoted to Director of Credit and Funding, October, 2011. Prior she was Credit Analyst, Nationwide Funding (2006-2008). Certified Leasing and Finance Professional, 2014.  Education: Arizona State University (2000–2004).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-timlin-clfp-4829725/

Elena Zucchi was hired as Vice President of Sales, Central Region, Channel, Minnetonka, Minnesota. She is located in Greater Philadelphia. Previously, she was Vice President, SLS Financial, Kansas City, Missouri; Vice President, Broke  Relations, East Coast, Centra Funding (August, 2020 - October, 2021); Senior Business Development Manager, Marlin Business Bank (January, 2014 - August, 2020); CFO Total Financial Solutions (2008 - 2010).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-zucchi-339aa619

 

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

Help Wanted Ads

 

Structure Matters

Sales Makes it Happen by Scott Wheeler, CLFP

Successful originators in the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry understand the power of structuring a transaction and meeting the cash flow needs of every client.

I recently spoke with a relatively new originator who lost a transaction which she felt her company was highly aggressive with pricing. However, a competitor had beaten her with a significantly lower monthly payment. She didn't understand how her competitor could be so much lower in payment than what she had proposed. I asked her:

• How was her competitor's structure different?
• What was the competitor requiring upfront and in what form (advance payments, security deposits, down payment)?
• What was the competitor's term?
• Was the competitor asking for additional collateral?
• What were the competitor's end of term options?

Unfortunately, the originator had assumed that her competition was proposing the same structure as her. She assumed that her client was comparing similar structures (apples to apples). Our discussion led the originator to follow up with the end-user (even though the transaction had already been funded through her competitor). The originator discovered that her competitor had won the transaction with more money upfront, a slightly longer term, and a purchase option at the end of the lease. The competitor's structure realized a higher yield than what she had originally proposed by 150 basis points. She had lost the transaction because of structure.

The originator's lessons learned were:

• Structure matters.
• Even slightly different structures can significantly change monthly payments.
• Questions about a competitor's structure need to be asked upfront, not after a transaction has been lost.
• The lowest yield isn't always a winning proposition.
• Understanding your customer's cash flow needs and structuring a transaction to meet those needs is a powerful tool in winning more transactions.

Order via Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Call-Action

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.htm

 

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

In a quarter marred by supply chain interruptions and a brief factory closure in Shanghai due to China’s strict zero-COVID policy, Tesla managed to avoid a production slump in the first three months of 2022. The world’s largest electric car maker built 305,407 vehicles last quarter, up 68 percent from Q1 2021 and virtually unchanged from Q4 2021.

It was an “exceptionally difficult” quarter for Tesla according to CEO Elon Musk, who thanked the Tesla team and key suppliers for saving the day. In fact, Tesla delivered a record number of 310,048 vehicles during the first three months of 2022, just beating its previous best of 308,600 set in Q4 2021.

Tesla ramped up its production capabilities significantly over the past few years. Having built 254,530 cars in 2018, the company looks certain to pass the one million milestone this year after missing it by 70,000 cars in 2021.

By Felix Richter, Statista

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

IRS Increases Audits of Cannabis Businesses
After Lull Caused by Pandemic

The IRS has increased its audits of cannabis businesses after a long hiatus brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Tax experts in the marijuana industry expect a new wave of audits to be conducted that target cannabis companies and their 2019 returns to be conducted, which may result in additional tax bills for these companies.

Rachel Gillette, a tax attorney in Denver, states that the pandemic caused the IRS to slow down but now with things picking back up, the federal tax agency is running more audits in different parts of the country, particularly in places where marijuana is legal. Gillette noted that she has observed a considerable increase in notification letters for audits being sent to cannabis companies that are her clients. She added that she’d heard of other companies in the states of Colorado, as well as Massachusetts, Michigan, Florida and California, who had also been issued with audit letters.

The federal tax agency may also be broadening its focus to include forms needed for cash transactions of $10,000 and above, which cannabis companies must file with the agency.

Source: Cannabisnewswire.com

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

Quality Leasing Posts Unprecedented
102% Q1 Growth Year over Year

With 1Q22 Funding Volume More than Double 1Q21,
 Quality Team Breaks 65-Year Record

CARMEL, Ind. – Quality Leasing Co., Inc. (QL) announces a 102.2% increase in funding volume for Q1 2022 over Q1 2021. With a 70.5% increase in the number of transactions booked and average contract size rising 21.4% to just under $100,000.00, Quality’s Q1 2022 performance broke 65 years of company records across the board.

Year over Year KPI upsurges were also seen in the number of asset classes funded, industries served, and repeat customer fundings. Additionally, average guarantor FICO scores jumped to 724—demonstrating positive borrowing trends across the U.S. commercial
equipment finance market.

Quality Leasing Managing Director, G. Paul Fogle, CLFP, remarked, “2021 was a year of big changes at Quality. We grew our sales, administrative, and leadership teams; re-structured operations and management in our Carmel headquarters and 7 satellite offices; and we implemented a number of new technologies with efficiencies to speed up everything from deal submissions and underwriting through back-end contract servicing.”

The organization now boasts utilization of tech platforms including: DocuSign for all contracts, E-Notarize for POAs, EOS for management productivity, and Salesforce for company-wide CRM and contract management. While making sweeping changes had its complications, Fogle noted the overall results were well worth the time and effort. He went on to acknowledged, “I would be remiss if I didn’t attribute some of our growth to U.S. economic trends like increases in equipment prices due to inflation and supply chain challenges or the large number of Americans leaving the traditional workforce to start their own businesses, Fogle said. “However, capitalizing on these trends was only possible with the hard work of the entire Quality team.”

Quality Leasing continues to serve myriad U.S. industries and companies of all sizes including start-up business owners with experience.

Beginning with October 2021, the operation has now achieved six consecutive months of record-breaking funding with March 2022 posting the highest monthly funding volume in the company’s 65-year history.

Quality Leasing Sales Manager, Bradon Marshall, explained, “It sounds counterintuitive, but the technology has driven our focus back to the people. We are constantly striving to create a better customer service experience for our TPOs, referral partners, and borrowers.”

Q3 2021 saw the successful rollout of Quality’s new quarterly commission bonuses for high-volume third party originators, a program Marshall believes was also a driver of the Q1 22 growth.

 He added, “This week Quality is starting a new insurance offering  that will facilitate faster funding; we’re adding downloadable partner resources to our website, and we’ve got more exciting news coming down the line!”

Fogle, Marshall, and the Quality leadership team are expecting continued growth throughout Q2 2022.

About Quality Leasing Co.
For more than 65 years, Quality Leasing Co., Inc. has offered business owners across the U.S. commercial equipment financing with flexible terms, convenient structures, and personalized service. Funding equipment from aesthetic lasers to titled vehicles—and everything in between—Quality focuses on A- to C credit transactions from $30,000 up to $3,000,000.

The Quality team strives to make the financing process fast and easy for every customer, every time. How do we do it? By adhering to Quality's core values of being passionately driven, staying humbly confident, showing uncompromising integrity, and maintaining a sincere desire to help others.

For more information, please visit us at www.qualityleasingco.com.

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

 

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

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

Amur Achieves Record-Breaking First Quarter,
Achieving 100% Year-over-Year Growth

GRAND ISLAND, NE – – Amur Equipment Finance, Inc. (“Amur”) is proud to announce the results of its record-breaking first quarter, which established new benchmarks for both application and origination volume and represented a year-over-year growth rate of 100 percent compared to Q1 2021. At the current annual run rate, Amur expects to surpass its target of $1.5Bn in origination volume for 2022 and to achieve a 100 percent-plus growth rate for the second consecutive year.

Amur Senior Vice President, Head of Commerce, and Strategic Partnerships, Todd Wainwright, said, “Our outstanding first-quarter results would not have been possible without our uncompromising service and dedication to our hundreds of thousands of small-business customers and our deep relationships with all our partners.

 “These relationships reflect the commitment and trust we have built with our partners through years of differentiated service, and for that, we are grateful.”

Amur’s record growth can also be attributed to its dedication to the well-being of its customers and its employees.

Ken Karpel, Senior Vice President, Sales, and Retention, commented,  “We are passionately committed to helping our customers realize their business aspirations.  Customers come back to us time and time again, year after year because they know we are devoted to their success.

 “Additionally, our continuous push for ensuring a culture of personal risk-taking with ample leadership opportunities for our people bodes well for the future,” he added.    

And yet this growth would not be possible without Amur’s robust and scalable proprietary tech-enabled platform that allows it to keep pace with Amur’s growing originations and positions it to capture even greater volumes in the years to come.

Amur Senior Vice President, Head of Technology, Jeremy Gillam, declared, “We have the industry’s most inclusive platform, which allows us to serve all industries and credit profiles in record time.

He added, “Our platform offers us a highly stable and scalable environment to continuously implement innovative technology and processes that allow Amur to offer tremendous service to our customers and partners.”

About Amur Equipment Finance, Inc.
We’re Big on Small.  Amur is one of the largest commercial equipment finance providers serving small businesses nationwide and a certified Great Place to Work®, dedicated to ensuring that its customers and employees are equipped to grow and succeed.  Amur has 9 offices across the nation dedicated to championing the financial needs of small businesses every day.  We have served over 500,000 small businesses and helped them thrive in the world’s most essential industries – from transportation and technology to manufacturing and medicine.

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

 

 

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

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

ZRG Acquires RoseRyan
Major Finance and Accounting Consulting Firm

New York, NY, — ZRG, a rapidly growing global talent advisory firm, today announced its acquisition of RoseRyan, Inc., a Silicon Valley-based provider of finance and accounting consulting solutions.

Since 1993, RoseRyan has engaged over 1,000 clients on projects including outsourced accounting for start-ups, corporate governance, interim solutions, and strategic projects such as IPO readiness, SEC reporting, financial planning and modeling, technical accounting, audit support and mergers and acquisitions. The addition substantially expands ZRG’s consulting capabilities, adding to their West Coast presence and breadth of solutions for their clients.

Kathy Ryan, Founder and Chair of RoseRyan, said, “We’re excited to join the growing family at ZRG. Joining a global network of over 400 employees worldwide will help our team stretch further. We in turn will provide additional depth to ZRG, which means better results for RoseRyan and ZRG clients alike.”

ZRG CEO Larry Hartmann commented, “The nature of the workforce has evolved and having even greater bandwidth in the finance and accounting consulting sector through RoseRyan is fantastic.

 “This complements our current interim team, led by Mark Viner, and also adds important consulting capability to allow us to service a wide range of clients, who need support in accounting and HR.”

RoseRyan CEO David Roberson said, “RoseRyan is known for guiding companies to greatness, and that’s what we’re bringing to ZRG as well. We’re looking forward to growing our capabilities by partnering with ZRG as we continue to deliver excellent solutions when our clients need them most.”

Mark Viner, President of ZRG Interim Solutions, said: “It is a great win to add the experienced team at RoseRyan to ZRG. They bring an established, trusted, brand and a strong team. We are very happy to be working together to bring our clients the best possible service and talent.”

About ZRG
ZRG is a global talent advisory firm that is changing the way companies hire and manage talent. ZRG’s data-driven approach to executive and professional search has been changing the way clients think about how to find top talent. The company’s digital Zi platform combines talent intelligence, candidate insights, and process improvement to dramatically deliver executive searches quicker and with proven better results.

Today, with the help of private equity investor RFE Investment Partners, ZRG is among the fastest growing firms in the search industry and provides a full suite of retained search, on-demand talent, and consulting and advisory solutions across the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Australia.

About RFE Investment Partners
Founded in 1979, RFE Investment Partners is a private equity investor with a long-standing small buyout heritage and a time-tested strategy for growing businesses. RFE equips companies with the capabilities and resources to scale by leveraging the extensive operational expertise, financial acumen, and broad business network of the RFE team. Through over 75 small buyout transactions, RFE has consistently guided portfolio companies through multiple business cycles while driving value creation. RFE invested in ZRG Partners in December 2018, providing the tools and guidance needed to expand the capabilities and product offerings of the company, as well as grow the business on an international scale.

About G2 Capital Advisors
G2 Capital Advisors provides M&A, capital markets, and restructuring advisory services to the middle market. We offer integrated, multi-product, and sector-focused services by pairing highly experienced C-level executives with specialist investment bankers. We aspire to be the trusted advisor of choice to our clients including corporations and institutional investors

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

German Shepherd
Fremont, California  Adopt-a-Dog

Rocky
Male
Age unknown
117 lbs.
At Shelter since March 18, 2022

Shelter Staff made the following comments about this animal:

"Hi my name is Rocky! I am an older adult German Shepherd. I came into the shelter as a stray roaming the streets of Newark. Did great for my vaccinations, staff says I am a gentle giant. I am also a great walker on leash. I love to roam the main lobby and relax on a nice bed. If you are wondering I do enjoy greeting people and other dogs, not shy at all!"

If you are looking for a dog like me do not hesitate to fill out an adoption form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScKmx_mAaM22rWb7a

For more information about this animal:
Contact the Shelter to schedule an appointment
Fremont Animal Services at (510) 790-6640

TriCityAnimal Shelter
950 Stevenson Boulevard
Fremont, CA 94538
Hours
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM Tuesday-Saturday

News Briefs---

Banks vie for share of trillion-dollar
    equipment finance market (may need free guest account)
https://www.americanbanker.com/news/banks-vie-for-share-of-trillion-dollar-equipment-finance-market

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) is hurting a small number of people
    who are of lower income and lower credit scores.
https://debanked.com/2022/04/bnpl-survey-says-25-of-customers-are-financially-vulnerable-struggling-to-make-payments/

Light rail projects set to receive billions in federal funding
    "seven new rail and bus rapid transit (BRT) projects"
https://www.rtands.com/passenger/light-rail-projects-set-to-receive-billions-in-federal-funding/?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=31686

Elon Musk will join Twitter's board.
    Will users finally get an edit button?
https://www.npr.org/2022/04/05/1091007749/elon-musk-twitter-board-edit-tweets

Hertz to buy up to 65,000 electric vehicles
    from Polestar in Sweden
https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-hertz-polestar-20220405-gxglotsxyfebfple6ojqk6mi7a-story.html

GAO: Federal government may need more
    than 100,000 charging stations
https://www.stltoday.com/business/local/gao-federal-government-may-need-more-than-100-000-charging-stations/article_0c7a17f4-79f3-5413-a142-c5515c1cd199.html

A’s slammed with second lawsuit against $12 billion
     waterfront ballpark project in Oakland
https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/article/A-s-slammed-with-second-lawsuit-against-12-17056990.php

Bobby Flay's Burger Concept Looks to
     Disrupt Franchising Segment
https://www.qsrmagazine.com/exclusives/bobby-flays-burger-concept-looks-disrupt-franchising-segment?utm_campaign=20220405&utm_medium=email&utm_source=jolt

Oakland 'Jeopardy!' champ Amy Schneider
     visits the White House
https://www.sfgate.com/streaming/article/Amy-Schneider-visits-White-House-17049484.php

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

You May Have Missed---

Fast Food history
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-04-05/southern-california-history-fast-food-mcdonalds-in-n-out-taco-bell

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

Sports Briefs---

Tiger Woods plans to play in the Masters 14 months
    after his horrific car accident
https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-04-05/tiger-woods-plans-to-play-in-masters-14-months-after-horrific-car-accident?utm_id=52108&sfmc_id=1646692

Ranking the Top 10 Golfers Ahead of the 2022 Masters
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2954837-ranking-the-top-10-golfers-ahead-of-the-2022-masters

Bill Self Cemented as the 'Greatest of Right Now'
with Championship Win over UNC
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2955063-bill-self-cemented-as-the-greatest-of-right-now-with-championship-win-over-unc

Rams weren't looking for a linebacker, but chance
to add Bobby Wagner was eye-popping
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/sports/rams-werent-looking-for-a-linebacker-but-chance-to-add-bobby-wagner-was-e/

Bruce Arians denies rift with Tom Brady,
says coaching retirement about 'succession'
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/buccaneers/2022/03/31/bruce-arians-retires-tom-brady-tampa-bay-buccaneers/7232696001/

Pete Carroll called out owners on hirings, source says
https://www.theredzone.org/Blog-Description/EntryId/22144/Pete-Carroll-called-out-owners-on-hirings--source-says

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

California Nuts Briefs---

San Francisco leads the nation in no one wanting to
   work in an office, and it's costing the city
https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/San-Francisco-return-to-office-data-17056580.php

These are the most expensive San Francisco Bay Area
private schools, where tuition tops $50,000
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Here-s-how-much-Bay-Area-private-school-tuition-17050137.php

Sonoma County supervisors unanimously oppose
Koi Nation’s casino
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/news/sonoma-county-supervisors-unanimously-oppose-koi-nations-casino/

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

"Gimme that wine"

Nonalcoholic Wine is Gaining Traction with Consumers
https://www.fsrmagazine.com/beverage/nonalcoholic-wine-gaining-traction-consumers?utm_source=Menu%20It&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20220405

Napa Valley winery Rombauer buys 154 vineyard acres
in Sonoma, Amador counties
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/industrynews/napa-valley-winery-rombauer-buys-154-vineyard-acres-in-sonoma-amador-count/

Wine of the week: Pellegrini, 2019 Russian River Valley,
Sonoma County Unoaked Chardonnay
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/wine-of-the-week-pellegrini-2019-russian-river-valley-sonoma-county-unoa

Cline Family Cellars Celebrates 40 Years
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/257515

How a Napa Valley-Paso Robles Collab
Produced California’s Boldest Red Blend Yet
https://robbreport.com/food-drink/w

“Gimme that Wine”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnQoi8DSE8

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

      6 BC - Many Biblical scholars believe this date to be the actual date of the historical birth of Jesus Christ. The actual day of the month has never been declared, although many believe it is the 6th day of April, due to the many changes in what we now have as the present-day calendar. Most scholars believe the correct year is 6BC. This is also the week of Jewish Passover. It should also be noted the Bible (John 18:28; 19:31) indicates that Christ was crucified on the eve of a Passover and we know that it was sometime around the year AD 30. The Roman Catholic Church has March 25 and that is the accepted tradition, based primarily with many customs from non-Christian festival (Roman Saturnalia, Mithraic sun’s birthday, Teutonic Yule, Druidic and other winter solstice rites). The Greek Orthodox Church and other orthodox churches celebrate on January 7 based on the old Julian calendar.
http://www.alphalink.com.au/~sanhub/jcbirth.htm
http://www.holidays.net/passover/story.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~jptandy/tandyland/jesusbth.htm
    610 - Lailat-ul Qadar: The night that the Koran descended to Earth. Muhammad is believed by his followers to have had a vision of Gabriel. The angel told him to recite in the name of God. Other visions are supposed to have Gabriel lead Muhammad to heaven to meet God, and to Jerusalem to meet Abraham, Moses and Jesus. These visions convinced Mohammad that he was a messenger of God.
    1712 - The first rebellion of African American slaves in a colony occurred in New York City. Six whites were killed. The militia was called out to suppress the revolt. Twenty-one African American slaves (some accounts say 12) were executed by hanging, and six committed suicide. Three decades later, in 1741, a rash of suspicious fires caused fears of another slave rebellion to sweep the city. Although no conclusive evidence of a slave conspiracy was uncovered, several slaves were coerced into confessing and implicating others. By the time the hysteria died down, thirty-one slaves and four whites had been hanged.
In the years after the American Revolution, the state of New York enacted legislation to gradually emancipate its slaves. By the first decade of the nineteenth century, the institution of slavery had ceased to exist in New York and most other northern states.
    1830 - James Augustine Healy (d. 1900), the first black Roman Catholic bishop in America, was born to an Irish planter and a slave on a plantation near Macon, Georgia.
http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/website/features/healy0805.htm
http://www.famousamericans.net/jamesaugustinehealy/
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bhealy.html
    1735 - The first Moravians from Europe arrived in America. Invited by colonial governor James Oglethorpe, ten males of the "Unitas Fratrum" landed in Savannah, Georgia after sailing from England in February.
http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/mora-toc.htm
http://www.moravian.org/history/
    1777 - The first Marine officer killed in service was John Fitzpatrick, a second lieutenant in the Continental Marines, who was killed when the Alfred, a 24-gun frigate under command of Captain Samuel Nicholas, was attached off Block Island, RI, by the 20-gun H.M.S. Glasgow.
    1786 - Birthday of Sacagawea (d. 1812 or 1884), American explorer, a legend as the reason of the success of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition.  She was born into the Agaidika or Lehmi Shoshone near Salmon, ID.  At age 16, met and helped the Expedition in achieving their chartered mission objectives by exploring the Louisiana Territory.  Sacagawea traveled with the expedition thousands of miles from North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean, helping establish cultural contacts with Native American populations in addition to her contributions to natural history.  She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2003 after having been inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 1959.  The Sacagawea dollar (also known as the "golden dollar") is a United States dollar coin first minted in 2000, although not minted for general circulation from 2002 to 2008 and again from 2012 onward.
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/saca.html
    1830 - Under the leadership of Joseph Smith, Jr., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded with six members in a log cabin at Fayette, NY. The event occurred in the home of Peter Whitmer. Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, declared that an angel of God had shown him gold plates of which was engraved a divine scripture, The Book of Mormon, which he has translated. The official title of the Mormon Church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
    1846 - Dred Scott claims freedom. Scott, a slave, files a declaration according to which, two days earlier, his owner had "beat, bruised, and ill-treated him" and imprisoned him for twelve hours. Scott adds that he claims to be a free man by virtue of his past residence in free territories.  In March of 1857, Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, a staunch supporter of slavery, wrote the "majority opinion" for the court. It stated that because Scott was black, he was not a citizen and therefore had no right to sue. The decision also declared the Missouri Compromise of 1820, legislation which restricted slavery in certain territories, unconstitutional. While the decision was well-received by slaveholders in the South, many northerners were outraged. The decision greatly influenced the nomination of Abraham Lincoln to the Republican Party and his subsequent election, which in turn led to the South's secession from the Union.
Peter Blow's sons, childhood friends of Scott, had helped pay Scott's legal fees through the years. After the Supreme Court's decision, the former master's sons purchased Scott and his wife and set them free. Dred Scott died nine months later.
    1853 - The City of Portland, Oregon, known as the “City of Roses,” was established.
    1862 - Battle of Shiloh. General Ulysses S. Grant’s Union forces at Shiloh, or Pittsburgh Landing, TN, were attack by a large force under General Albert Sidney Johnston. After heavy fighting, the first day of the battle ended without a conclusive victory for either side. Grant was reinforced before the Confederates on the second day and Confederate General Beauregard, in command after Johnston’s death the previous day, ordered a retreat to Orinth, MS, leaving the Federal troops in a stronger position in Tennessee than before the battle. Losses on both sides totaled more than 23,000.
    1865 - EDDY, SAMUEL E., Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private, Company D, 37th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and date: At Sailors Creek, Va., 6 April 1865. Entered service at: Chesterfield, Mass. Birth: Vermont. Date of issue: 10 September 1897. Citation: Saved the life of the adjutant of his regiment by voluntarily going beyond the line and there killing one of the enemy then in the act of firing upon the wounded officer. Was assailed by several of the enemy, run through the body with a bayonet, and pinned to the ground, but while so. situated he shot and killed his assailant.
    1865 - At the Battle of Little Sailer's Creek, one fourth of Lee's army is cut off by Union troops pursuing him to Appomattox.
http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/va093.htm
http://www.historynet.com/magazines/civil_war_times/3036776.html
    1866 - Birthday of Joseph Lincoln Steffens (d. 1936), San Francisco.  Journalist and famous muckraker.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Steffens
    1868 - Mormon church leader Brigham Young, 67, married his 27th and last wife, Anna Eliza, who wound up suing him for divorce.(In all, Brigham Young's wives bore him 47 children., and was married 27 times, according to a source considered by historians as “accurate;” however, others believe she was his 18th wife.) “Eliza soon dropped from the role of ordinary wife to that of neglected wife; and finally, July 28, 1873, she sued Brigham for divorce, and demanded a substantial share of his fortune. It is necessary to pause here for a moment to repeat a caution given several times before. Ann Eliza Webb posed as Brigham's nineteenth wife, and custom has fixed that as her number. There is just as good warrant for calling her the twenty-ninth, or the hundred and nineteenth. At the time of her marriage there were known to be eighteen other women with whom Brigham had sustained or was sustaining marital relations. Careful search probably would have doubled the number, and not even Brigham could have told to hove many women he had been "sealed." The marriage ceremony was sufficient to cover cohabitation in every case; and no domestic census-taker could have drawn the line between the three sorts of spouses. Brigham’s answer to this divorce suit was a bit startling. He pleaded that there was no marriage between himself and the plaintiff which the laws of the United States recognized; and therefore, there was no occasion for divorce. Judge McKean was plainly embarrassed by the situation, yet quite as plainly determined to use it to the injury of the Mormon emperor. On February 25, 1875, McKean ordered Brigham to pay Ann Eliza $3,000 for attorney's fees and $500 per month alimony pending a final decision. Brigham's attorneys took an exception and prepared to appeal to the supreme court of the territory. The delay thus occasioned did not suit judge McKean. On March 8, he cited Brigham to appear before him, and show cause why he should not be punished for contempt of court in not having paid the required money. Brigham appeared in court three days later, and after a short argument by his attorneys, was sentenced to pay a fine of $25 and to be confined one day in the penitentiary. He was taken to his home by the deputy marshal, and after dining and being supplied with some clothing, was driven to the jail. Here, he was locked for a short time in a cell, and then allowed to pass the night in a room opening off the warden's office. The following day, March 12, 1875, he walked out free, into the arms of a worshipping crowd who had assembled to do him homage.
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/young.htm
http://www.helpingmormons.org/mormon_empire.htm
http://www.helpingmormons.org/mormon_empire.htm
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/young.htm
    1882 - Birthday of Rose Schneiderman (d. 1972), at Saven, Poland. A pioneer in the battle to increase wages and improve working conditions for women. Her family immigrated to the US six years later. At age 16, she began factory work in New York City’s garment district and quickly became a union organizer. Opposed to the open-shop policy, which permitted nonunion members to work in a unionized shop, Schneiderman organized a 1913 strike of 25,000 women shirtwaist makers. She worked as an organize for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGUW) and for the Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL), serving as president for more than 20 years. During the Great Depression President Roosevelt appointed her to his Labor Advisory Board, the only woman member.
    1883 - Vernon Dalhart (d. 1948), the first singer of country songs to gain national attention, was born Marion Try Slaughter in Jefferson, Texas. Dalhart was not really a country singer. He began his career singing pop songs and light opera selections. But it was when he turned to hillbilly songs in 1925 that Dalhart made music history. His recording of "The Prisoner's Song" and "The Wreck of the Old 97" was the biggest-selling non-Christmas hit of the pre- rock 'n' roll era. Dalhart recorded for more than 30 labels and under dozens of pseudonyms.
    1892 – Lowell Thomas (d. 1981) was born in Woodington, OH.  A world traveler, reporter, editor, and radio newscaster, his newscasts spanned more than half the 20th century.  His newsreels were often the first thing moviegoers saw in theaters.
    1896 - The first modern Olympics formally opened at Athens, Greece, after a 1,500-year hiatus. There were 311 competitors, all men, representing 13 nations. The very first race was the opening heat of the 100 meters, won by Francis Lande of the US. He finished fourth in the final won by another American, Thomas Burke. The first Olympics were funded by the sale of commemorative stamps and medals and by a gift of one million drachmas from George Averoff, an architect.
    1900 - Jim Jeffries, 250 pounds, knocked out Jack Finnegan, 180 pounds, in 55 seconds of the first round at Detroit, MI, to win the heavyweight boxing championship title. It is the first, and only bout, won in under one minute.
    1904 - The Fidelity Contract Company, Rochester, New York, became the first installment finance company to purchase installment contracts from retail dealers. They eventually became the Bankers Commercial Corporation of New York City.
    1907 - The War Department has decided to retain the military prison at Alcatraz and not transfer it, as it was proposed, to Angel Island or the Presidio. Officials contend that Alcatraz affords the best opportunity for taking care of prisoners and preventing their escape. The battalion consisting of companies E, F, G and H, 22nd Infantry, will withdraw from the Island, and permanent prison guard will be substituted.
    1909 - The St. Canadian Credit Union of Massachusetts, NH, was charged with the help of Alphonese Desjardins, Canadian credit union pioneer, and became the first credit union in the United States.
    1909 - Robert E. Peary reached the North Pole after several failed attempts. The team consisted of Peary, leader of the expedition: Matthew A. l-Jenson, a black man who had served with Peary since 1886 as ship’s cook, carpenter and blacksmith, and then as Pear/s co-explorer and valuable assistant and four Eskimo guides—Coquesh, Ootah, Eginwah and Seegloo. They sailed July 17, 1908, on the ship Roosevelt, wintering on Ellesmere Island. After a grueling trek with dwindling food supplies, Henson and two of the Eskimos were first to reach the Pole. An exhausted Peary arrived 45 minutes later and confirmed their location. Dr. Frederick A. Cook, surgeon on an earlier expedition with Peary, claimed to have reached the Pole first, but that could not be substantiated and the National Geographic Society credited the Peary expedition.
    1917 - The US enters World War I, which began in 1914. Two days after the US Senate voted eighty-two to six to declare war against Germany, the US House of Representatives endorses the declaration by a vote of 373-50, and the US enters World War I. Four days earlier, President Woodrow Wilson, who initially sought a peaceful resolution to the war in Europe, appeared before a joint session of Congress and urged a declaration of war, citing Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare against US vessels traveling in the Atlantic.  The first US “Doughboys” landed in France June 27, 1917.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr06.html
    1924 - Tenor Sax player Charlie Rouse (d. 1988) born, Washington, DC
http://www.eyeneer.com/Reviews/Current/yeah.html
    1927 - Baritone sax player Gerry Mulligan (d. 1996) born at New York, NY. He performed with many great jazz musicians including Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Chet Baker and Duke Ellington, and is credited with helping create the cool-jazz movement with Miles Davis.
    1928 - Birthday of James Watson, discoverer (with Francis Crick) of the structure of DNA, born Chicago, IL
    1929 - Birthday of pianist, composer, conductor Andre Previn (d. 2019), born Berlin, Germany.
http://www.cdandlp.com/item/2/0-1601-14-1-0/1318764_Andre_Previn_Shelly_Mann.html
    1930 – Continental Baking manager James Dewar created the Twinkie in River Forest, IL. 
    1931 - Nine black youths, known as The Scottsboro Boys, went on trial at Scottsboro, AL, accused of raping two white women on a freight train. All were convicted in a hasty trial, but by 1950 were free by parole, appeal or escape.
    1936 - A massive pair of tornadoes, rated F4 on the Fujita scale, killed 203 persons, injured 1600, and caused over 13 million dollars damage in Gainesville, Georgia. The business district of the town was almost entirely destroyed as the tornado left a 4-block wide path of destruction in its wake. The largest death toll in one building in US history from a single tornado occurred when then Cooper Pants factory collapsed and caught fire. 70 people were killed.
    1937 - Guitarist/songwriter Merle Haggard (d. 2016) born Bakersfield, CA.
http://rollingstone.com/artists/bio.asp?oid=3135&cf=3135
http://www.merlehaggard.com/
    1938 - Teflon invented. Polytetraflouroethylesne reside was invented by Roy J. Plunkett while he was employed by E.I. Du Point de Nemours & Co. Commonly known as Teflon, it revolutionized the cookware industry. The substance or something similar coat three-quarters of the pots and pans in America at the time of Plunkett’s death in 1994.
    1939 - Harry James records “Two O’Clock Jump” Brunswick 8337.
    1940 - Duke Ellington Band records, “Jack the Bear, “KoKo.”
   
    1945 - Two US destroyers, two ammunition ships and a tank-landing ship were sunk off the coast Of Okinawa when the Japanese Air Force launched 355 kamikaze (suicide) pilots against the Allied fleet in Operation Floating Chrysanthemum.
    1947 - The American Theatre Wing bestowed the first annual Tony awards for distinguished service to the theater.
    1952 - Top Hits
Wheel of Fortune - Kay Starr
Anytime - Eddie Fisher
Please, Mr. Sun - Johnnie Ray
(When You Feel like You’re in Love) Don’t Just Stand There - Carl Smith
    1954 - TV Dinner is first put on sale by Swanson & Sons.
http://www.fiftiesweb.com/pop/tv-dinner.htm
http://www.cnn.com/FOOD/news/9903/31/tv.dinner/
    1956 - Paramount Pictures signed Elvis Presley to a three-picture contract only five days after his first screen test. The test was at the suggestion of producer Hal Wallis who had seen Presley on the Dorsey Brothers' TV show. Elvis was to be paid $100,000 for his first movie, $150,000 for the second and $200,000 for the third.
    1956 - Capitol Tower, the home of Capitol Records in Hollywood, CA, was dedicated. The building was the first circular office tower designed in America. It is 13 stories tall and 92 feet in diameter. At night, a light at the tip of the tower blinks the letters "H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D" in Morse Code.
    1956 - The Beach Boys record "California Girls," which will reach number three in the US by August.
    1957 - Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" is released.
    1957 - The Toronto quartet, The Diamonds, peak at #2 on the Billboard chart with "Little Darlin'."
    1957 - Perry Como's "Round and Round" hits #1.
    1958 - Arnold Palmer won his first major pro golf tournament by capturing the Masters in Augusta, GA (and the coveted green jacket). Palmer defeated defending champion Doug Ford for the honor. Palmer was 28 years old and had been a pro since 1954 after he won the National Amateur title.
    1959 - Hal Holbrook opened in an off-Broadway, critically acclaimed, presentation of "Mark Twain Tonight." Quotes include: “It is best to read the weather forecast, before we pray for rain;” “The more things are forbidden, the more popular they become;” “Modesty died when clothes were born;” “Be good and you will be lonesome;” and “Familiarity breeds contempt - and children.”
    1959 - Bruce Johnston joins the Beach Boys as permanent replacement for Brian Wilson. My high school friend and piano player for my band often called on me as a replacement for "gigs" he got for groups. He is perhaps best known as the composer and songwriter of "I Write the Songs," made famous by Barry Manilow.
    1959 - America’s funny men, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis and Mort Sahl, and comedic actor Tony Randall, along with the Great Britain’s outstanding actors, David Niven and Laurence Olivier, entertained the guests of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science at the 31st Annual Academy Awards ceremony. The audience filled the RKO Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles with applause for the Best Picture of 1958: "Gigi" (Arthur Freed, producer). "Gigi" also won Oscars for Best Director Vincente Minnelli; for Frederick Loewe’s (music), and Alan Jay Lerner’s (lyrics) for the Song, "Gigi;" for Best Music/ Scoring of a Musical Picture (André Previn); for the Best Writing/Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Alan Jay Lerner); for Best Cinematography/Color (Joseph Ruttenberg); for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration/Black-and-White or Color (William A. Horning, E. Preston Ames, Henry Grace, F. Keogh Gleason); for Best Costume Design/Black-and-White or Color (Cecil Beaton); and for Best Film Editing (Adrienne Fazan). One would think there weren’t any awards leftover for any other movies but the Best Actor award went to David Niven for "Separate Tables" as did the Best Supporting Actress Oscar (Wendy Hiller). Susan Hayward was honored for her Best Actress role in "I Want to Live!" and Best Supporting Actor was Burl Ives in "The Big Country." Other notable movies of 1958 ... some award winners, some not ... "Auntie Mame," "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "The Old Man and the Sea," "Some Came Running,” "Teacher’s Pet," "South Pacific," "The Young Lions," "Bell, Book and Candle," "Vertigo," "Damn Yankees," "Marjorie Morningstar," and "The Defiant Ones."
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0148765.html
    1959 - Fabian's "Turn Me Loose" enters the Billboard Pop chart, where it will eventually reach number 9
    1960 - Top Hits
The Theme from "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith
Puppy Love - Paul Anka
Sink the Bismarck - Johnny Horton
He’ll Have to Go - Jim Reeves
    1963 - The Kingsmen record "Louie Louie."
    1965 - The Beach Boys record "California Girl."
    1968 - Oakland Police raid the Black Panthers. Eldridge Cleaver arrested with a bullet-shattered leg. Bobby Hutton shot and killed.
    1968 - Top Hits
(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Young Girl - The Union Gap
La - La - Means I Love You - The Delfonics
How Long Will My Baby Be Gone - Buck Owens
    1969 - Aum, Flying Burrito Brothers and the Grateful Dead Concert at the San Francisco Avalon Ballroom
    1971 - Carly Simon is introduced to James Taylor backstage after her concert at Los Angeles' famous Troubadour nightclub. Instantly smitten, they would marry in November of 1972, divorced in 1983.
    1971 - Willie Mays, a month shy of his fortieth birthday, homers on Opening Day and will hit home runs in the next three games to tie a Major League record.
    1971 - Rolling Stone Records formed to promote The Rolling Stones' hits. The Stones' trademark, the infamous licking-tongue-and-lips logo designed by John Pasche, began seeing wide use. "Brown Sugar" was the Rolling Stones' first on the new label, followed by "Wild Horses," "Tumbling Dice" and Bill Gates’ favorite song, "Start Me Up."
    1973 - Designated Hitter Introduced: following a rules change approved in January, Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees became the first designated hitter in the American League in their Opening Day game against the Boston Red Sox. Blomberg came to bat for the first time with the bases loaded in the first inning and walked. The Red Sox won, 15-5.
    1973 - On Opening Day at Three Rivers Stadium in front of record crowd of 51,695, the Pirates retire Roberto Clemente's uniform number 21 posthumously. The Pittsburgh right fielder died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve attempting to bring relief aid to earthquake-stricken Managua, Nicaragua.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, becoming both the first Latin American and Caribbean player to be enshrined. His untimely death established the precedent that, as an alternative to the five-year retirement period, a player who has been deceased for at least six months is eligible for entry into the Hall of Fame.
    1973 - The Stylistics received a Gold record for their hit, "Break Up to Make Up."
    1974 - After initially arguing with his record company about releasing it as a single ("it's the same thing over and over"), Billy Joel gets his first Top 40 hit with "Piano Man."  Based on Joel's real-life experiences as a lounge musician in Los Angeles from 1972–73, which he had decided to pursue in an effort to escape his contracted New York City-based record company at the time, Family Productions, following the poor commercial performance of the album “Cold Spring Harbor.” Joel describes various characters, including a bartender named John and a "real-estate novelist" named Paul, all based on real-life individuals. Joel's first major hit and his signature song, "Piano Man" peaked at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1974.  One of the more memorable renditions of the song occurred at Shea Stadium in June, 2008, in Queens at a Joel concert, the last event prior to the stadium’s demolition.  With over 100,000 in attendance, “Piano Man” closed the concert with the crowd singing along with Joel in a raucous rendition.  In 2015, the Library of Congress selected "Piano Man" for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its "cultural, historic, or artistic significance."
    1974 - California's biggest annual rock concert, the California Jam, has its debut in Ontario, CA, featuring performances by The Eagles, Earth Wind and Fire, Seals and Crofts, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Emerson Lake and Palmer, and Black Oak Arkansas performing.
    1974 - Blue Swede's "Hooked on a Feeling" hits #1
    1975 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Philadelphia Freedom,'' Elton John.
    1976 - Top Hits
Disco Lady - Johnnie Taylor
Let Your Love Flow - Bellamy Brothers
Sweet Thing - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
You’ll Lose a Good Thing - Freddy Fender
    1977 - The Seattle Mariners, an American League expansion team, made their regular season debut, losing to the California Angeles, 7-0, at the Seattle Kingdome. Seattle’s previous AL team, the Pilots, played on the 1969 season before moving to Milwaukee and becoming the Brewers. The Mariners won their first AL West division title in 1995.
    1977 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “Dancing Queen,'' Abba. This is the only No. 1 song by the international phenomenon.
    1978 - President Jimmy Carter nominated the first US marine female general, Margaret Ann Brewer. She was sworn in on May 11, 1978, as director of the division for information.
    1979 - The punk/new wave group Blondie has its first big hit in the U.S. with "Heart of Glass." The tune goes platinum on this date, two months after it hit Number One.
    1981 - “Private Benjamin“ premiered on television, modeled after the Goldie Hawn movie of the same name.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0081918/combined
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/EpisodeGuideServlet/showid-2452/
Private_Benjamin/
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-2452
    1982 - The "Great Blizzard of April '82" struck New England, New York and Pennsylvania and dumped 1 to 2 feet of snow. Many places had their greatest April snowstorm ever. Winds frequently gusted to 70 and 80 mph. There was an exceptionally high frequency of simultaneous thunderstorms and heavy snow with numerous lightning strikes reported. Record cold poured in the wake of the storm and many spots were 25 degrees colder than normal the day after the storm. The freak heavy spring snow storm brings subfreezing temperatures across the northeast and Midwest and causes the postponement of home openers for the Yankees, Tigers, White Sox, Brewers, Indians, Phillies and Pirates.
    1984 - Top Hits
Footloose - Kenny Loggins
Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurythmics
Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) - Phil Collins
Let’s Stop Talkin’ About It - Janie Fricke
    1985 - Country musical group, Alabama went five-for-five as their album, "40 Hour Week," took the top spot on the "Billboard" country chart. For each of the past five years, the group had a number one album. The quartet's popularity continues today. Three of the four are cousins from Fort Payne, Alabama.
    1988 - A powerful storm produced wind gusts to 75 mph in the Chicago area and wind gusts to 92 mph at Goshen, Indiana. The high winds created 25-foot waves on Lake Michigan.
    1989 - Dodger hurler Orel Hershiser's scoreless-inning streak ends at 59 in the first inning of a 4-3 loss to the Reds.
    1989 - Unseasonably hot weather prevailed in California. Afternoon highs of 91 degrees in downtown San Francisco, 93 degrees at San Jose, 103 degrees at Santa Maria, 104 degrees at Riverside, and 106 degrees in downtown Los Angeles established records for the month of April.
    1992 - “Barney and Friends” premiered on TV. Although most adults find it hopelessly saccharine, this PBS program is hugely popular with preschoolers. Purple dinosaur Barney, his pal, dinosaur Baby Bop and a multi-ethnic group of children sing, play games and learn simple lessons about getting along with one another. "Bedtime with Barney" was a 1994 prime-time special.
    1996 - The First Korean Victory in baseball. Pitching in relief, Chan Ho Park of the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first Korean to win a Major League baseball game. Park pitched four scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs, allowed three hits and struck out four. The Dodgers won, 3-1
    1996 - Major League Soccer Debuts: Trying to capitalize on the momentum of the 1995 World Cup, held in the US, Major League Soccer, a new American professional league made its debut. The San Jose Clash defeated DC United, 1-0, on a goal by Erick Wyanalda. The game was played in San Jose before a capacity crowd of 31,683.
    1998 - The Dow-Jones Index of 30 major industrial stocks topped the 9,000 mark for the first time.
    1999 - Microsoft's digital download technology, MS Audio 4.0, is unveiled.
    2000 - Elian's dad comes to the US.  After months of keeping Juan Miguel Gonzalez in Cuba for a successful propaganda campaign, dictator Fidel Castro correctly decides that now his propaganda is best served by sending the man to the US, not to go to Miami to see his son, but to attract more media attention before bringing home the 6-year-old survivor of the shipwreck that claimed the life of his mother, who was fleeing Cuba in hopes of a better life in the United States.
    2003 - Country star Shania Twain picks up the Artist of the Year Award along with the Fan Choice Award at the sold-out 32nd annual Juno Awards, held in Ottawa and televised live nationally. The two awards were added to her Country Recording of the Year nod, given out the day before.
    2011 – Jeffrey Skilling, former Enron CEO, lost his appeal against his fraud conviction.  A key reason for his appeal was his assertion that although he earned his MBA from Harvard, he knew little of the accounting issues cited in his crimes.
    2015 – Duke defeated Wisconsin, 68-63, for its fifth NCAA Men’s Basketball championship, all under Coach Mike Krzyzewski.