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Story Credit Lessors - Update
"C" & "D" Lessees, Business Loans, Working Capital

With the topsy-turvy of funders, as well as the changing of credit and industry requirements, story credit lessors and lenders are now more in need than ever.  Here are funders who also may take "A" and "B" rated applicants and more may be more interested not in "application only." Some may become more comfortable learning more, beyond reviewing financial statements and tax returns, additional collateral, learning more about the story behind the business as qualifiers.

To qualify for this list, the company must be a funder (as qualified by Leasing News and on the “Funder List” and not a "Broker/Lessor; notifies lessees in advance when the lease will end and what the residual will be, does not automatically extend the lease or insist that their discounter follow the same policy. We reserve the right to not list a company who does not meet these qualifications.

Funder List “A”
http://www.leasingnews.org/Funders_Only/Funders.htm
We encourage companies who are listed to contact us for any change or addition they would like to make. Adding further information as an "attachment" or clarification of what they have to offer would be helpful to readers is also very much encouraged."

Alphabetical list - click on company name to view more details

Balboa Capital Corp.  Bankers Capital Black Rock Capital Investment BSB Leasing Calfund Dakota Financial

Financial Pacific Leasing Forum Financial Services Gonor Funding Maxim Commercial Capital North Mill Equipment Finance

Pawnee Leasing Corporation P&L Capital Corporation Providence Equipment Finance Quality Leasing Co. Inc. SLIM Capital TEAM Funding Solutions

Full List:
https://leasingnews.org/Story_Credit/Story_Credit.htm

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Help Wanted Ads

It's Called Fishing, Not Catching

The Ultimate Hire by Ken Lubin, ZRG Partners

Have you ever gone fishing? Stood there for hours and hours wondering why the fish aren’t coming to you? And thought, ‘this is dumb, I am either walking away with no fish, or I am going to change my tactics so that I can get a fish.’ 

That why It is called fishing, not catching.

Many hiring managers, HR Professionals, and leaders say they can’t hire anyone good. They complain that they can’t find, attract and hire top talent. What have they truly done to get the best of the best on board, to differentiate themselves.  Using recruiters, job boards, and paying referral fees are great ways to get candidates to interview and hired but what happens next is usually what kills the deal/hire.

Once candidates are in the door, hiring organizations forget that they need keep their sales/recruiting hat on (this is critical). They forget that they need to be showing them how great their company is and how they can make a difference in the world rather than finding fault in the candidate. “A” level candidates know they can do the job, can go anywhere they want, and it is your job to recruit them, not select them out. Chances are candidates aren’t lining up outside the door begging to come to work for you.  Chances are they are they aren’t they aren’t going to take a pay cut, and chances are you aren’t that cool.  You have to differentiate yourself, sell the story, get potential candidates excited and close the deal quickly.

There is bigger and better bait on someone else's fishing pole!

Ken

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

"What is the Ultimate Hire? The Ultimate Hire is the professional that every business, team or leader needs in their organization. This is the high performance individual that always rises to the top, brings the team to the next level and can significantly add to the bottom line. The Ultimate Hire is the person that you can't afford to be without. Finding, Attracting, Hiring and Retaining these professionals is critical to the success of your business. We have identified these traits and can help you find these top professionals."

The Ultimate Hire Collection:
http://leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/ultimate.html

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ZRG Makes No. 9 in
HuntScanlon Top Fifty Recruiters

Hunt Scanlon presents its 2022 roundup of the largest, fastest-growing executive search firms in the Americas. Here, we present the 50 top firms in this dynamic marketplace – ranging from the largest recruiting and talent leadership solutions firms to the leading boutique specialists that dominate the list this year.

ZRG Partners
$124.0 million (+97.0%)
105 Consultants
14 Offices

ZRG Partners is a progressive mid-sized global executive search firm that uses a proven, data-driven approach. For over 22 years clients have trusted ZRG to recruit top talent around the world with offices in the North America, Brazil, Europe and Asia. Recognized as one of the fastest growing executive search firms in the industry, ZRG attributes this to their high integrity and strong client focus.

Larry Hartmann
Chief Executive Officer
ZRG Partners
lhartmann@zrgpartners.com
(201) 560-9900 x222

Larry Hartmann is CEO of ZRG Partners, one of the fastest growing mid-sized global executive search firms in the industry. He is a results-driven leader with a broad business background in executive search as well as in industry. As CEO, Larry is responsible for driving overall growth, client engagement and profitability of the firm. A key focus for Larry is engaging and recruiting top talent to join the firm as well as selectively pursuing additional acquisitions that fit the ZRG culture.

Top 50 Recruiters List:
https://huntscanlon.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ESR_top50_22-2.pdf

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Top Ten Leasing News Read by Readers
April 4 to April 8

(1) Missouri's "Show Me the Disclosures" Bill Advances;
  Are Brokers and Leasing Companies Aloof?
Kenneth C. Greene, Leasing News Legal Editor
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_04.htm#mo

(2) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries Leasing Business
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_08.htm#hires

(3) New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries Leasing Business
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_06.htm#hires

(4) Correction: Wrong Dollar Amount,
Here is Correct Heading
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_06.htm#correction

(5) Funders Taking "New" Broker Business List
Four Do Not Require that Brokers Be Licensed
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_04.htm#taking

(6) Most Influential Women in Leasing and Finance
Updated
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_04.htm#women

(7) Most Popular Cars Fall short of Fuel Economy Standard
Chart Best-Selling Cars in U.S. 2021 (miles per gallon)
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_08.htm#cars

(8) Computing Interest Rates Programs
For Use in New State Commercial Finance Laws
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_08.htm#computing

(9) Bobby Flay's Burger Concept Looks to
Disrupt Franchising Segment
https://www.qsrmagazine.com/exclusives/bobby-flays-burger-concept-looks-disrupt-franchising-segment

(10) Trucking’s Inflation Worries Go Beyond Fuel
By Avery Vise, FTR
https://leasingnews.org/archives/Apr2022/04_04.htm#trucking

Financial and Sales Training
(For our "Lease School/Franchisors" list, please click here)

These individuals act as a consultant in 75% or more of their main business, actually training staff or individuals of a leasing company.

Adrian Miller	Institute For Personal Developement
Open Advance	Wheeler Business Consulting, LLC
InSource Learning Academy

Several hold classes and most will travel to their client's premised.

These are not schools or franchisors which can be viewed by click below:
http://leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/School-Franchisors.htm

Many of the associations also have financial and sales training classes for their members and non-members with a higher fee: http://leasingnews.org/associations.htm

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2022 First Quarter Certified Lease & Finance Professional Circular
Report from President, "Value of Portfolio Purchases & Sales"

Full Circular
https://leasingnews.org/PDF/2022CLFPQ1Circular.pdf

 

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

Star Hill Financial Announces
Record Fundings in First Quarter

Fairfield, CT. - Star Hill Financial LLC, a certified Women Business Enterprise based in Fairfield, Connecticut, announced its first quarter fundings totaling over $26.0 million across its Equipment Finance and Franchise Finance division.

Keith Smith, Star Hill’s President of Equipment and Franchise Finance, said, “After building out our team and processes for most of 2021, we are now in the position to execute and service our expanding client base.

“Our record quarter is a direct result of our team’s hard work and responsiveness.  We are well situated as an independent commercial Finance business to support both equipment and franchise finance.” 
Star Hill’s Equipment Finance Division has a focus on middle market to large corporate entities. With a broad investment mandate, the division has provided financing for a wide array of equipment from food processing equipment, forklifts to office technology.  The division goes to market through partnerships with captives and finance companies and directly through master lease programs with end users looking to expand their ESG initiatives.  

Star Hill’s Franchise Finance Division is focused on tier one and tier two quick service restaurants as well as tier one personal services. It provides funding for refinance, acquisitions, remodels, new builds and real estate purchases for franchisees.  Clients range from entrepreneurs to private equity firms. 

About Star Hill LLC
Star Hill Financial LLC is certified Women Business Enterprise and independent equipment and franchise finance and company based in Fairfield, Connecticut. Star Hill develops customized financial products in conjunction with its business partners. Core partnerships for Star Hill are across three segments: public companies end users, financial institutions, and independent and captive equipment finance companies.  Star Hill believes in a hands-on approach that delivers value by providing financial solutions tailored to our partner’s organizational objectives.

Star Hill’s business is divided into Equipment Finance, Franchise Finance and Advisory Services. 
For more information on Star Hill Financial, visit www.starhillfinancial.com or call 203.883.6060.

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

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

Orion First to provide servicing to Universal Finance Corp
"premier lender to the construction industry."

 

Orion First has begun servicing contracts for Universal Finance Corp.

Massachusetts-based Universal Finance has over the last forty years established itself as a premier lender to the construction industry. The company now serves clients in a wide range of other industries, including transportation, restaurants, and medical equipment suppliers. As it's grown from a regional to a national business, Universal has wanted to expand product lines and operate more efficiently. Limitations of its current systems had restricted them, however.

Dan Robinson, a Partner at Universal Finance Corp., said, "Outsourcing our servicing enables us to focus on sales and credit underwriting, which is what we do best."

Robinson led the search for a servicing partner. "Orion was clearly the top choice. No one else has the kind of performance and savvy that Orion does. They outperform everyone else, and they have two rare commodities: broad knowledge and deep history."

Orion EVP Quentin Cote, commented, "Like us, they're really all about helping small businesses succeed. It's exciting to see them building a world-class organization."

Cote believes it's natural for growing finance companies to seek servicing partners. "Visionary leaders recognize that originations and credit are key differentiators, while the back office can often be a drag on success.  Partnering with Orion ensures world-class performance, insight, and borrower experience."

ABOUT ORION FIRST
Orion First, founded in 2001, is a full-service commercial loan and lease portfolio servicer which provides a suite of services and products to manage the complete life cycle of a borrower. Orion's product suite includes commercial loan and lease servicing and collection, portfolio management technology with client portal, data management, business analytics, and backup servicing. By delivering better technology, professional expertise, and deep experience, Orion empowers clients to focus their entrepreneurial energy on their greatest value—funding small businesses.

ABOUT UNIVERSAL CORP
With more than 35 years of experience and located just north of Boston, in Reading, Massachusetts, Universal Finance Corp. is a direct funding source. It has been a premier lender for the construction industry as part of a "One Stop Shop" for New England's finest contractors since the early 1980s. Universal's extensive experience in the construction industry gives it a unique edge when relating to customers.

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

Labrador Retriever Mix
Lodi, New Jersey  Adopt-a-Dog

Biscuit

Female
Puppy - 3 months old
Coat Length: Short
Health:
Vaccinations up-to-date
Good in a Home with
Other dogs, cats, children

Meet Biscuit
Biscuit is part of a litter dubbed the "Breakfast" pups. This 3 month old, mixed breed came into the rescue with her four littermates from rural Alabama. Based on her age and physical appearance, we expect her to be large-sized at maturity.

Biscuit is a lively puppy. She enjoys exploring outside, playing with her doggie friends, and tossing around her toys. Biscuit gets along beautifully with other dogs and is currently fostered in a home with older children. She is working on basic training and progressing nicely with housebreaking. As with any dog, Biscuit would benefit from a structured daily routine and continued training once she settles into her new home.

In order to be considered as a potential adopter, we will need you to complete our online application at www.arrus.org. Should we choose to move forward with your family, you will be notified via email within the week. Due to the large volume of applications received, we are no longer able to respond to each and every applicant. We apologize in advance for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.

Additional information and/or medical records for this rescue pet are available and will be reviewed in person should we choose to move forward in scheduling a meet n’ greet. In the meantime, please feel free to follow us on follow us on Instagram (animal_rescue_r_us) and visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/arrusadopt for more pictures and posts from his/her foster family.

Petfinder Quiz for Match:
https://www.petfinder.com/user/profile/create/

Animal Rescue ''R" Us
https://www.arrus.org/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/arrusadopt

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State Law Compendium at ELFA Knowledge Hub
(Compendium open to non-members on state laws)

This is part of the information ELFA provides, primarily for members (an excellent reason to become a member to have access to all information available. Editor.

Browse this 50-state guide to compliance with selected state statutes and regulations.

Note: The content provided on this website is not intend­ed to constitute legal advice and is for general informational purposes only.

The 50-state guide highlights unique legal issues you need to be aware of when doing business in each state.

Highlights:
Search by state or legal issue to view selected statutes and regulations for various commercial jurisdictions.

What's the State Law Compendium?
https://www.elfaonline.org/docs/default-source/data/khubstatelaw.pdf?sfvrsn=d020520c_4

Join for Knowledge and Growth, plus support your industry:
https://www.elfaonline.org/membership/membership-home

News Briefs---

Banks' Q1 earnings will reflect strong consumer,
    weak equity capital markets
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3822135-banks-q1-earnings-will-reflect-strong-consumer-weak-equity-capital-markets

Judge: California legislators went too far
    in requiring diversity on corporate boards
https://legalnewsline.com/stories/622797525-judge-california-legislators-went-too-far-in-requiring-diversity-on-corporate-boards

Smart TV Ownership Rises to
    76% of TV Households
https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/the-smart-tv-ownership-rises-to-76-of-tv-households.

Some of the Biggest Brands Are Leaving Russia
    Others Just Can’t Quit Putin. Here’s a List
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/04/07/opinion/companies-ukraine-boycott.html

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You May Have Missed---

7 hidden Gmail tricks everyone should know
including how to unsend an email
https://nypost.com/2022/04/10/seven-hidden-gmail-tricks-everyone-should-know/

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Sports Briefs---

A secret plan, a bombshell lawsuit, and a soccer match:
     Inside Tom Brady’s un-retirement
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/04/08/sports/inside-tom-bradys-un-retirement-how-brian-flores-soccer-match-were-among-key-factors/  

Tiger Woods' comeback at Masters ends following
incredible display of grit and determination
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/10/golf/tiger-woods-2022-masters-final-round-spt-intl/index.html

Florida police issue details on Dwayne Haskins’ death
https://larrybrownsports.com/football/florida-police-issue-details-on-dwayne-haskins-death/594884

Why Colts are confident they can mold offense
for new QB Matt Ryan
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2022/04/06/indianapolis-colts-confident-they-can-mold-offense-matt-ryan/9483399002/?gnt-cfr=1

Denver beats Minnesota St 5-1, claims 9th NCAA hockey title
https://www.9news.com/article/sports/du-wins-national-hockey-championship/73-1f1ad7b8-50b9-46f5-a12d-a7467fc81c84

My Bookie Oddsmaker Makes Betting Picks
and Predications for 2022 MLB Season
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mybookie-oddsmaker-makes-betting-picks-and-predictions-for-2022-mlb-season-301520522.html

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California Nuts Briefs---

New Hyatt Hotel Opens In Santa Clara
https://www.svvoice.com/new-hyatt-hotel-opens-in-santa-clara/

Dying Silicon Valley mall is bought,
life sciences conversion beckons
https://www.record-bee.com/2022/04/09/dying-mountain-view-palo-alto-mall-develop-tech-biotech-real-estate/

‘Heartbreaking’: Iconic Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant
Alioto's to close after 97 years
https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/SF-Aliotos-Restaurant-to-close-17069430.php?IPID=SFGate-HP-CP-Spotlight

One of San Francisco's most sought-after burgers returns
for Japantown's Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/SF-Japantowns-tastiest-street-foods-Cherry-Blossom-17062960.php?IPID=SFGate-HP-Editors-Picks

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"Gimme that wine"

Winners announced for the 10th
    California North Coast Wine Challenge
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/winners-announced-for-the-10th-north-coast-wine-challenge/

Napa Valley Micro Winery Ordinance Receives Final OK
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/257660

Constellation’s Sales Hit $8.8 Billion In Full Fiscal Year
https://www.shankennewsdaily.com/index.php/2022/04/07/30771/constellations-sales-hit-8-8-billion-in-full-fiscal-year/

Weekend at a Winery: See the Vineyards Sidecar
Style in Napa & Sonoma
https://patch.com/california/napavalley/weekend-winery-see-vineyards-sidecar-style-napa-sonoma

May 1 Wine Week  3-6pm Santa Cruz, Ca
At Check-in Receive Glass and Map for Pouring
https://mailchi.mp/ediblemontereybay.com/spring-wine-walk-special-offer-for-emb-readers?e=836bafba54

“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

      1617 - Pocahontas, the daughter of Native American King Powhatan, dies on a ship returning from England to Virginia. She leaves an infant son. School children are fed the romantic tale of Pocahontas' encounter with Captain John Smith but the truth is that English settlers in Jamestown held her captive to force concessions from her father. Then Colonist John Rolfe married the captive Pocahontas, changed her name to Rebecca Rolfe, dressed her in English finery, and took her to England for Queen Elizabeth's amusement. He invented the story that the Indian woman had saved him, which made her the toast of the town. The myth was then propagated to promote the welcome of the white man to the Indian world.
http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html
    1783 - After receiving a copy of the provisional treaty on 13 March, Congress proclaims a formal end to hostilities with Great Britain.
    1803 - In one of the great surprises in diplomatic history, French Foreign Minister Charles Maurice de Talleyrand makes an offer to sell all of Louisiana Territory to the United States. Talleyrand was no fool. As the foreign minister to French Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte, he was one of the most powerful men in the world. Three years earlier, Talleyrand had convinced Napoléon that he could create a new French Empire in North America. The French had long had a tenuous claim to the vast area west of the Mississippi River known as Louisiana Territory. In 1800, Napoléon secretly signed a treaty with Spain that officially gave France full control of the territory. Then he began to prepare France's mighty army to occupy New Orleans and bolster French dominion. When President Thomas Jefferson learned of Napoléon's plans in 1802, he was understandably alarmed. Jefferson had long hoped the US would expand westward beyond the Mississippi, but the young American republic was in no position militarily to challenge France for the territory. Jefferson hoped that his minister in France, Robert Livingston, might at least be able to negotiate an agreement whereby Napoléon would give the US control of New Orleans, the gateway to the Mississippi River. Napoléon seeing a war with England about to happen and not wanting to divide his navy to the United States, told his emissary to sell it all. After months of having fruitlessly negotiated over the fate of New Orleans, Livingston again met with Talleyrand on this day in 1803. To Livingston's immense surprise, this time the cagey French minister coolly asked, "What will you give for the whole?" He meant not the whole of New Orleans, but the whole of Louisiana Territory. Quickly recognizing that this was an offer of potentially immense significance for the US, Livingston and Monroe began to discuss France's proposed cost for the territory. Several weeks later, on 30 April 1803, the American emissaries signed a treaty with France for a purchase of the vast territory for $11,250,000. A little more than two weeks later, Great Britain declared war on France. With the sale of the Louisiana Territory, Napoléon abandoned his dreams of a North American empire, but he also achieved a goal that he thought more important. "The sale [of Louisiana] assures forever the power of the United States," Napoléon later wrote, "and I have given England a rival who, sooner or later, will humble her pride."
    1816 - Richard Allen became the first African American Methodist Episcopal Bishop being elected at the church’s founding convention in Philadelphia, PA, when 16 delegates from five independent churches met to form an African-American denomination based on the principles of Methodism. The earliest African-American Methodist organization, the African Union Methodist Church, was founded in 1813 by the Reverend Peter Spencer in Wilmington, DE.
    1841 - A big April snowstorm in the northeast dropped 12 inches at New York City, 24 inches in New Jersey, and 18 inches in Massachusetts. The "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too" victory parade was impeded and the Marshall died of pneumonia. People went to the New York City polls through snow on the 13th.
    1864 - Birthday of Lizzie “Lillie” Bliss (d. 1931), born at Boston, MA. She was one of the three founders (all women) of the Museum of Modern Art at New York City in 1929.
    1865 - Birthday of Mary White Ovington (d. 1951), Brooklyn.  White woman who helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), served as chair of its board from 1919-1932 and became its treasurer. Acting many times as a mediator between factions within the organization, she found herself in later years at odds with W. E. B. Du Bois who favored limited integration while Ovington favored full integration and was active in the fight for school desegregation. She wrote several books on black leaders and several novels.
http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/ovington.html
    1873 - Captain Jack and his Modocs lure General Canby and others to their encampment to discuss peaceful surrender. The truth is that the Modocs had lost all faith in the U.S. negotiators and were hearing rumors about the whites planning to kill them. The Modocs surprise and kill General Canby, the only U.S. General killed during an Indian War, and Reverend Eleasar Thomas who was part of Canby's peace commission
    1881 - Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia was opened in 1881 with the funding from the Rockefeller family "with the purpose of educating young African-American women." This college was to become known as "the Radcliff for Negro Women."
    1899 - Drummer/Bandleader Nick LaRocca (d. 1961) birthday, New Orleans.
http://www.redhotjazz.com/larocca.html
http://members.aol.com/ODJBjazz/jazz.html
    1899 - Percy L. Julian (d. 1975) born, Montgomery, AL.  African-American chemist whose research helped create drugs for the treatment of arthritis.
http://www.blackinventor.com/pages/percyjulian.html
    1907 – New York Giants catcher Roger Bresnahan wore shin guards for the first time in a Major League game. The leg guards came come in handy, protecting Bresnahan from a 5th-inning foul tip. Other catchers will soon follow Bresnahan's lead and wear similar shin guards.
    1908 - Birthday of Jane Matilda Bolin (d. 2007) at Poughkeepsie, NY.  She was the first black woman to graduate from the Yale School of Law (1931) and went on to become the first black female judge in the United States. She served as assistant corporation counsel for the city of New York before being appointed to the city’s Domestic Relations Court and the Family Court of the State of New York.
    1911 - The U.S. Navy acquires its first submarine.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr11.html
    1917 – The Red Sox’s Babe Ruth pitched a three-hitter in shutting down the New York Yankees on Opening Day. Ruth went on to win 24 games this year, while leading the American league with 35 complete games.
    1933 - The Dorsey Brother Orchestra along with the Boswell Sisters, record “Shuffle Off to Buffalo.”
    1935 - Birthday of vocalist and song writer Richard Berry (d. 1997), Extension, LA.  He performed with many Los Angeles doo-wop and close harmony groups in the 1950s, including The Flairs and The Robins.  He is best known as the composer and original performer of the rock standard "Louie, Louie." The song went on to be a hit for The Kingsmen, becoming one of the most recorded songs of all time.
http://www.louielouie.net/R_Berry.html
    1935 - Birthday of guitarist Johnnie Billington (d. 2013), Crowder, MS. http://www.arts.state.ms.us/crossroads/music/music1.html
http://www.pbs.org/riverofsong/artists/e3-johnnie.html
http://www.bluesed.org/
    1944 - MICHAEL, EDWARD S. (Air Mission) Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 364th Bomber Squadron, 305th Bomber Group. Place and date: Over Germany, 11 April 1944. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 2 May 1918, Chicago, Ill. G.O. No.: 5, 15 January 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as pilot of a B17 aircraft on a heavy-bombardment mission to Germany, 11 April 1944. The group in which 1st Lt. Michael was flying was attacked by a swarm of fighters. His plane was singled out and the fighters pressed their attacks home recklessly, completely disregarding the Allied fighter escort and their own intense flak. His plane was riddled from nose to tail with exploding cannon shells and knocked out of formation, with a large number of fighters following it down, blasting it with cannon fire as it descended. A cannon shell exploded in the cockpit, wounded the copilot, wrecked the instruments, and blew out the side window. 1st Lt. Michael was seriously and painfully wounded in the right thigh. Hydraulic fluid filmed over the windshield making visibility impossible, and smoke filled the cockpit. The controls failed to respond and 3,000 feet were lost before he succeeded in leveling off. The radio operator informed him that the whole bomb bay was in flames as a result of the explosion of 3 cannon shells, which had ignited the incendiaries. With a full load of incendiaries in the bomb bay and a considerable gas load in the tanks, the danger of fire enveloping the plane and the tanks exploding seemed imminent. When the emergency release lever failed to function, 1st Lt. Michael at once gave the order to bail out and 7 of the crew left the plane. Seeing the bombardier firing the navigator's gun at the enemy planes, 1st Lt. Michael ordered him to bail out as the plane was liable to explode any minute. When the bombardier looked for his parachute he found that it had been riddled with 20mm. fragments and was useless. 1st Lt. Michael, seeing the ruined parachute, realized that if the plane was abandoned the bombardier would perish and decided that the only chance would be a crash landing. Completely disregarding his own painful and profusely bleeding wounds, but thinking only of the safety of the remaining crewmembers, he gallantly evaded the enemy, using violent evasive action despite the battered condition of his plane. After the plane had been under sustained enemy attack for fully 45 minutes, 1st Lt. Michael finally lost the persistent fighters in a cloud bank. Upon emerging, an accurate barrage of flak caused him to come down to treetop level where flak towers poured a continuous rain of fire on the plane. He continued into France, realizing that at any moment a crash landing might have to be attempted, but trying to get as far as possible to increase the escape possibilities if a safe landing could be achieved. 1st Lt. Michael flew the plane until he became exhausted from the loss of blood, which had formed on the floor in pools, and he lost consciousness. The copilot succeeded in reaching England and sighted an RAF field near the coast. 1st Lt. Michael finally regained consciousness and insisted upon taking over the controls to land the plane. The undercarriage was useless; the bomb bay doors were jammed open; the hydraulic system and altimeter were shot out. In addition, there was no airspeed indicator, the ball turret was jammed with the guns pointing downward, and the flaps would not respond. Despite these apparently insurmountable obstacles, he landed the plane without mishap.
    1945 - Allied Troops entered Buchenwald, north of Weimar, Germany. It was the first of the Nazi concentration camps to be liberated. It had been established in 1937, and about 56,000 people died there. The camp held thousands of prisoners, mostly slave laborers. There were no gas chambers, but hundreds, sometimes thousands, died monthly from disease, malnutrition, beatings, and executions. Doctors performed medical experiments on inmates, testing the effects of viral infections and vaccines. Among the camp's most gruesome characters was Ilse Koch, wife of the camp commandant, who was infamous for her sadism. She often beat prisoners with a riding crop, and collected lampshades, book covers, and gloves made from the skin of camp victims.
Soon after the takeover, General Dwight Eisenhower, commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, arrived. "I have never felt able to describe my emotional reaction when I came face to face with indisputable evidence of Nazi brutality and ruthless disregard of every shred of human decency," he wrote. "Up to that moment I had only known about it generally, or through secondary sources. I am certain, however, that I have never at any time experienced an equal sense of shock.”
http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/camps/buchenwald/buchenwald-01.html
    1947 - Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era when he played first base in an exhibition game as a Brooklyn Dodger against the New York Yankees. In the course of the season, he hit 12 home runs, stole 29 bases, and was voted Rookie of the Year. He won the Most Valuable Player in 1949. His success opened the racial integration of other baseball teams.
    1949 - Top Hits
“Cruising Down the River” - The Blue Barron Orchestra (vocal: ensemble)
“Sunflower” - The Russ Morgan Orchestra (vocal: The Skylarks)
“Red Roses for a Blue Lady” - Vaughn Monroe
“Candy Kisses” - George Morgan
    1951 - General Douglas MacArthur is removed from his command for unauthorized policy statements. The dismissal followed MacArthur's public disclosure of Truman's refusal to allow him to bomb Chinese bases in Manchuria. MacArthur returned to the United States to a hero's welcome. Parades were held in his honor, and he was asked to speak before Congress (where, on 19 April 1951, he gave his famous "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away" speech). Public opinion was strongly against Truman's actions, but the President stuck to his decision without regret or apology. Eventually, MacArthur did "just fade away," and the American people began to understand that his policies and recommendations might have led to a massively expanded war in Asia. Though the concept of a "limited war," as opposed to the traditional American policy of unconditional victory, was new and initially unsettling to many Americans, the idea came to define the US Cold War military strategy.
    1956 - Elvis Presley reached the top spot on the "Billboard" music chart with his first double-sided hit. The disk featured "Heartbreak Hotel" and "I Was the One." The RCA Victor record stayed at number one for eight weeks. Elvis also made the country and R&B charts, as well.
    1956 - The man later known as Soul Brother Number One, James Brown, has his first chart entry when "Please, Please, Please" debuts on the R&B chart.
    1957 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: “All Shook Up,'' Elvis Presley. Billboard ranks the single as the No. 1 song of 1957, the second year in a row that Elvis has the top single of the year.
    1957 - Top Hits
“All Shook Up” - Elvis Presley
“Little Darlin’” - The Diamonds
“Party Doll” - Buddy Knox
“Gone” - Ferlin Husky
    1961 - Carl Yastrzemski replaced Ted Williams in left field for the Boston Red Sox. ‘Yaz’ was just 21 years old and had but two years’ experience in the minor leagues when he was called up. In his first at-bat, he got a hit off Kansas City’s Ray Herbert. Yastrzemski retired in 1984, having played his entire Major League career in a Boston Red Sox uniform.
    1961 - The Los Angeles Angels, an American League expansion team, played their first regular season game, beating the Orioles in Baltimore, 7-2. The Angels finished the 1961 season in eight place with a record of 70-92. Renamed the California Angels in 1966, they won their first division title in 1979.  They are now known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, having played their entire existence in Anaheim.
    1961 - Bob Dylan made his first professional appearance at Gerde's Folk City in New York's Greenwich Village, sharing the bill with bluesman John Lee Hooker. Dylan sang an arrangement of "House of the Rising Sun" and his own composition, "Song to Woody," a tribute to Woody Guthrie. Dylan took much of his inspiration from Guthrie, whom he had visited in a New Jersey hospital soon after he arrived in the New York area in early 1961. From his traditional folk music beginnings, Dylan went on to become one of rock music's superstars.
    1961 – The trial of Adolf Eichmann before the Jerusalem District Court began.  The legal basis of the charges against Eichmann was the 1950 Nazi and Nazi Collaborators (Punishment) Law, under which he was indicted on 15 criminal charges, including crimes against humanity, war crimes, crimes against the Jewish people, and membership in a criminal organization.  In his testimony throughout the trial, Eichmann insisted he had no choice but to follow orders, as he was bound by an oath of loyalty—the same defense used by some defendants in the 1945–1946 Nuremberg trials.  Eichmann asserted that the decisions had been made not by him, but Müller, Heydrich, Himmler, and ultimately Hitler.  His defense also proposed that decisions of the Nazi government were acts of state and therefore not subject to normal judicial proceedings.  The verdict was read on 12 December, wherein the judges declared him not guilty of personally killing anyone and not guilty of overseeing and controlling the activities of the Einsatzgruppen.  He was deemed responsible for the dreadful conditions on board the deportation trains and for obtaining Jews to fill those trains.  He was found guilty of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes against Poles, Slovenes and Gypsies. He was also found guilty of membership in three organizations that had been deemed criminal at the Nuremberg trials: the Gestapo, the SD, and the SS.  When considering the sentence, the judges concluded that Eichmann had not merely been following orders, but believed in the Nazi cause wholeheartedly and had been a key perpetrator of the genocide.  On 15 December 1961, Eichmann was sentenced to death by hanging which occurred on June 1, 1962. 
    1962 - The New York Mets, a National League expansion team, played their first regular season game, losing 11-4, to the Cardinals in St. Louis. The Mets lost eight more games before winning one, and they finished the year in 10th place with a record of 40-120.The Mets won their first division title in 1969 and went on to stun the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series.
    1963 - Jack Nicklaus, 23 years old, shot an even par 72 in the final round to finish a 2-under-par 286 and win the Masters by one stroke over Tony Lema. Nicklaus’s green jacket was his first of a record six, with his other victories coming in 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975 and 1986.
    1963 – The Milwaukee Braves’ Warren Spahn became MLB’s all-time winningest lefty. Spahn's 6-1 victory over the New York Mets was his 328th win, moving him ahead of Eddie Plank.  He finished with 363, good for 5th best all-time.
    1965 - Top Hits
“I’m Telling You Now” - Freddie & The Dreamers
“The Birds and the Bees” - Jewel Akens
“Game of Love” - Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
“King of the Road” - Roger Miller
    1965 - President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Federal aid program for primary and secondary schools. This act allocated $1.34 billion for school districts based upon the number of needy children they contained and included fund for parochial and private schools.
    1965 - The "Palm Sunday tornadoes," a particularly vicious outbreak, tore paths of devastation through Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. 255 people were killed and 3331 were injured. 37 tornadoes were rated F2 or greater with 18 rated F4 and 2 maximum intensity F5 tornadoes.
    1966 - *PITSENBARGER WILLIAM H., Medal of Honor
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Airman First Class Pitsenbarger distinguished himself by extreme valor on 11 April 1966 near Cam My, Republic of Vietnam, while assigned as a Pararescue Crew Member, Detachment 6, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. On that date, Airman Pitsenbarger was aboard a rescue helicopter responding to a call for evacuation of casualties incurred in an ongoing firefight between elements of the United States Army's 1st Infantry Division and a sizeable enemy force approximately 35 miles east of Saigon. With complete disregard for personal safety, Airman Pitsenbarger volunteered to ride a hoist more than one hundred feet through the jungle, to the ground. On the ground, he organized and coordinated rescue efforts, cared for the wounded, prepared casualties for evacuation, and insured that the recovery operation continued in a smooth and orderly fashion. Through his personal efforts, the evacuation of the wounded was greatly expedited. As each of the nine casualties evacuated that day was recovered, Airman Pitsenbarger refused evacuation in order to get more wounded soldiers to safety. After several pick-ups, one of the two rescue helicopters involved in the evacuation was struck by heavy enemy ground fire and was forced to leave the scene for an emergency landing. Airman Pitsenbarger stayed behind on the ground to perform medical duties. Shortly thereafter, the area came under sniper and mortar fire. During a subsequent attempt to evacuate the site, American forces came under heavy assault by a large Viet Cong force. When the enemy launched the assault, the evacuation was called off and Airman Pitsenbarger took up arms with the besieged infantrymen. He courageously resisted the enemy, braving intense gunfire to gather and distribute vital ammunition to American defenders. As the battle raged on, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to care for the wounded, pull them out of the line of fire, and return fire whenever he could, during which time he was wounded three times. Despite his wounds, he valiantly fought on, simultaneously treating as many wounded as possible. In the vicious fighting that followed, the American forces suffered 80 percent casualties as their perimeter was breached, and Airman Pitsenbarger was fatally wounded. Airman Pitsenbarger exposed himself to almost certain death by staying on the ground, and perished while saving the lives of wounded infantrymen. His bravery and determination exemplify the highest professional standards and traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Air Force.
    1966 - *ROBINSON, JAMES W., JR. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 11 April 1966. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 30 August 1940, Hinsdale, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Company C was engaged in fierce combat with a Viet Cong battalion. Despite the heavy fire, Sgt. Robinson moved among the men of his fire team, instructing and inspiring them, and placing them in advantageous positions. Enemy snipers located in nearby trees were inflicting heavy casualties on forward elements of Sgt. Robinson's unit. Upon locating the enemy sniper whose fire was taking the heaviest toll, he took a grenade launcher and eliminated the sniper. Seeing a medic hit while administering aid to a wounded sergeant in front of his position and aware that now the 2 wounded men were at the mercy of the enemy, he charged through a withering hail of fire and dragged his comrades to safety, where he rendered first aid and saved their lives. As the battle continued and casualties mounted, Sgt. Robinson moved about under intense fire to collect from the wounded their weapons and ammunition and redistribute them to able-bodied soldiers. Adding his fire to that of his men, he assisted in eliminating a major enemy threat. Seeing another wounded comrade in front of his position, Sgt. Robinson again defied the enemy's fire to effect a rescue. In so doing he was himself wounded in the shoulder and leg. Despite his painful wounds, he dragged the soldier to shelter and saved his life by administering first aid. While patching his own wounds, he spotted an enemy machinegun which had inflicted a number of casualties on the American force. His rifle ammunition expended, he seized 2 grenades and, in an act of unsurpassed heroism, charged toward the entrenched enemy weapon. Hit again in the leg, this time with a tracer round which set fire to his clothing, Sgt. Robinson ripped the burning clothing from his body and staggered indomitably through the enemy fire, now concentrated solely on him, to within grenade range of the enemy machinegun position. Sustaining 2 additional chest wounds, he marshaled his fleeting physical strength and hurled the 2 grenades, thus destroying the enemy gun position, as he fell dead upon the battlefield. His magnificent display of leadership and bravery saved several lives and inspired his soldiers to defeat the numerically superior enemy force. Sgt. Robinson's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, at the cost of his life, are in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon the 1st Infantry Division and the U.S. Armed Forces.
    1966 – Emmet Ashford became the first African-American to umpire in the Majors, at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC in Cleveland’s 5-2 win against the Senators. 
    1968 - Major call-up of reserves for duty in Vietnam
    1967 - The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the Easter Conference Finals, 140-116, to advance to the NBA finals. Philadelphia thus ended Boston’s eight–year streak of NBA titles and went on to beat the San Francisco Warriors for the championship, four games to two. The 76ers had won 68 games in the regular season and, in 1980, were voted the greatest team in NBA history.
    1968 - The Civil Rights Act of 1968 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, one week after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Criticized for the Viet Nam war effort that he was confused by the military, Johnson was a great national president who achieved many reform measures. Upon signing this law into effect, he said, "...the proudest moments of my presidency have been times such as this when I have signed into law the promises of a century."
    1969 - The Seattle Pilots, an American League expansion team, played their first regular season game, defeating the Chicago White Sox, 7-0, at Seattle’s Sick’s Stadium. The pilots finished the year in sixth place in the AL West and left Seattle in 1970 to become the Milwaukee Brewers.
    1970 - Apollo 13, the third manned lunar landing mission, was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying astronauts James A. Lovell, John L. Swigert, and Fred W. Haise. Two days later, on 13 April, disaster struck 300'000 km from earth when liquid oxygen tank No. 2 exploded, disabling the normal supply of oxygen, electricity, light, and water. A moment later Swigert reported to mission control: "Houston, we've had a problem," and minutes later the lunar landing was aborted. The crippled spacecraft continued to the moon, circled it, and began a long, cold journey back to earth.  The astronauts and mission control were faced with enormous logistical problems in stabilizing the spacecraft and its oxygen supply, and providing enough energy to the damaged fuel cells to allow successful re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. n 17 April, with the world anxiously watching, tragedy turned to triumph as the Apollo 13 astronauts touched down safely in the Pacific Ocean.
    1970 - Paul McCartney announced what he called a temporary break with the Beatles. But the split proved to be permanent. McCartney cited personal differences, which were later revealed to be disapproval of Yoko Ono, John Lennon's wife, and of Beatles' financial adviser Allen Klein. A week after McCartney's announcement, he released his first solo album, spelling the end of the Beatles.
    1970 - Guitarist and vocalist Peter Green, one of the founders of Fleetwood Mac, announced he was leaving the group to follow his religious beliefs. Green's departure put an end to Fleetwood Mac's blues leanings, and the band turned to a more melodic rock sound. Green stayed out of music until the late '70s, when he made two solo LP's.
    1973 - Top Hits
“The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” - Vicki Lawrence
“Neither One of Us” (“Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye”) - Gladys Knight & The Pips
“Ain’t No Woman” (“Like the One I’ve Got”) - Four Tops
“Super Kind of Woman” - Freddie Hart & The Heartbeats
    1979 - In Uganda, Tanzanian troops and forces of the Uganda National Liberation Front (with alleged support and supplies from the United States) captured the capital of Kampala, driving Ugandan dictator Idi Amin into a permanent exile. In 1971, Major General Idi Amin, commander-in-chief of Uganda's armed forces since 1966, staged a successful military coup against Ugandan President Milton Obote. Amin's regime initially faced substantial opposition within the army by officers and troops loyal to Obote, but by the end of 1971, he was in firm control of both the army and the country. During 1972, Amin, a Muslim, strengthened ties with Libya and other Arab nations and launched a genocidal program to purge Uganda of its Lango and Acholi ethnic groups.  It is estimated that up to three hundred thousand Ugandans were killed during Idi Amin's eight years of rule. Amin found sanctuary in Saudi Arabia.
    1981 - Eddie Van Halen and actress, Valerie Bertinelli of "One Day at a Time" (CBS-TV) were married in Los Angeles, California. Van Halen, who was born in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, moved to Pasadena, CA in 1968. David Lee Roth was a member of the group, as was rocker, Sammy Hagar, who replaced Roth in 1981. The group was founded in 1974. On the Van Halen hit list, these toe tappers: "Jump," "Dance the Night Away," "(Oh) Pretty Woman," "Why Can’t This Be Love," "Dreams" and "When It’s Love."
    1981 - Top Hits
“Kiss on My List” - Daryl Hall & John Oates
“Just the Two of Us” - Grover Washington, Jr./Bill Withers
“Morning Train” (“Nine to Five”) - Sheena Easton
“You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” - David Frizzell & Shelly West
    1983 - Harold Washington was elected the first black mayor of Chicago. Of the city's 1.6 million voters, a record 82 percent voted. Washington won 51%, was reelected in April, 1987, and unfortunately died seven months later while in office.
    1983 – The 55th Annual American Academy Awards were held at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. Hosts were Liza Minnelli, Dudley Moore, Richard Pryor, and Walter Matthau. Those who voted for Best Picture had to choose between "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," "Missing," "Tootsie," "The Verdict" and "Gandhi." "Gandhi" (Richard Attenborough, producer) was the winner of this Oscar and seven more including Best Director Richard Attenborough; Best Actor Ben Kingsley; Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Stuart Craig, Robert W. Laing, Michael Seirton); Best Cinematography (Ronnie Taylor, Billy Williams); Best Costume Design (Bhanu Athaiya, John Mollo); Best Film Editing (John Bloom); Best Writing/Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (John Briley). Believe it or not there were some Oscars leftover for other deserving folks. The Best Actress golden statuette was awarded to Meryl Streep for "Sophie’s Choice" while Jessica Lange received her Best Supporting Actress award for "Tootsie" and Louis Gossett, Jr. picked up his Best Supporting Actor award for "An Officer and a Gentleman." "An Officer and a Gentleman" was honored again for Best Music/Song: "Up Where We Belong" (Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie [music], Will Jennings [lyrics], with "Victor/Victoria" winning the category of Best Music/Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score (Henry Mancini, Leslie Bricusse). Other movies mentioned were "Poltergeist," "Annie," "Rocky III," "Blade Runner," "Das Boot," "Diner," "The World According to Garp."
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0149550.html
    1987 - Ten days of flooding in the northeastern U.S. finally came to an end. Damage from flooding due to rain and snow melt ran into the billions of dollars. The collapse of the New York State Thruway Bridge over Schoharie Creek claimed ten lives.
    1988 - 16 cities in the western part of the country, including 9 in California, reported new record high temperatures for the date. Afternoon highs of 95 degrees at Sacramento, California and 96 degrees at Bakersfield, California were their warmest of record for so early in the season.
    1988 - The 60th Annual Academy Awards were held at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. Chevy Chase was the host. Cher won the Oscar for Best Actress ("Moonstruck"), over the likes of Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Sally Kirkland, and Holly Hunter. "Moonstruck" struck gold again as Olympia Dukakis picked up the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and John Patrick Shanley won for Best Writing/Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. Almost all of the other awards (9) that evening were won by "The Last Emperor" (Jeremy Thomas, producer) including Best Picture, and Best Director (Bernardo Bertolucci), except for Michael Douglas who received the Best Actor award for his performance in "Wall Street," Sean Connery for his Best Supporting Actor role in "The Untouchables," and "Dirty Dancing" which had the winning Music/Song, "(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life" (music: Frank Previte, John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz, lyrics: Frank Previte). Funny man hosted the fun-filled event. Note: "The Last Emperor" won in every category in which it was nominated.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0149707.html
    1989 - Goalie Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers scored an empty-net goal against the Washington Capitals as the flyers won, 8-5. For Hextall, it was the second goal of his career and the first scored by any goalie in a Stanley Cup playoff game.
    1989 - Top Hits
“The Look” - Roxette
“She Drives Me Crazy” - Fine Young cannibals
“Like a Prayer” - Madonna
“I’m No Stranger to the Rain” - Keith Whitley
    1989 - Forty-four cities in the south central and eastern U.S. reported new record low temperatures for the date. Lows of 25 degrees at Conway, AR, 29 degrees at Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, and 22 degrees at Ozark, AR, were April records. Lows of 26 degrees at Hot Springs, AR and 31 degrees at Shreveport, LA equaled April records.
    1990 - While showers produced heavy rain over much of the northeastern U.S., heavy snow blanketed northern Maine, with 13 inches reported at Telos Lake. Strong southwesterly winds accompanying the rain and snow gusted to 68 mph at the Blue Hill Observatory in Massachusetts. Rainfall totals of 1.04 inch at Pittsburgh, PA and 1.52 inch at Buffalo, NY on the 10th were records for the date.
    1991 - Persian Gulf War ends. United Nations Security Council Resolution 687, calling for an official cease-fire in Iraq, was declared in effect by the Security Council five days after Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein reluctantly accepted its terms. On 02 August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait, its tiny, oil-rich neighbor, and within hours, Iraqi forces had occupied most strategic positions in the country. One week later, Operation Desert Shield, the American defense of Saudi Arabia, began as US forces raced to the Persian Gulf. On 29 November, 1990, the UN Security Council passed a resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq if it failed to withdraw from Kuwait by 15 January 1991. At 16:30 Eastern Standard Time on 16 January 1991, Operation Desert Storm, a massive US-led offensive against Iraq, began as the first fighter aircraft were launched from Saudi Arabia and from US and British aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf. On 06 April, Iraq accepted the resolution, and on 11 April, the Security Council declared it in effect; although in later years Saddam Hussein frequently violated the terms of the peace agreement. One hundred and twenty-five American soldiers were killed in the Persian Gulf War, with another twenty-one reported as missing in action.
    1991 - Broadway's most expensive musical, "Miss Saigon," opened at the Broadway Theatre in New York. The budget was a record $10-million and front-row seats went for $100, also a Broadway first. "Miss Saigon" had already played in London for two years, and its success led to $35-million in advance sales in New York, another Broadway record. The show, which tells the love story of an American Marine and a Vietnamese prostitute, prompted protests by Asian-American groups and Actors Equity. They were upset with producer Cameron McIntosh's decision to cast British actor Jonathan Pryce in a Eurasian role. McIntosh threatened to cancel the Broadway run, and the actors' union relented.
    1993 - 450 prisoners rioted at the Southern Ohio Correctional facility and continued to do so for ten days, citing grievances related to prison conditions and the forced vaccination of Nation of Islam prisoners (for tuberculosis) against their religious beliefs.
    1995 - Peter, Paul and Mary release their 17th album, “LifeLines.''
    1998 - History's great thumb picking guitarists have their day when Grandpa Jones, Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, Ike Everly, Kennedy Jones, Arnold Shultz, Lightnin' Chance, Mose Rager and Laverda Rager are named charter inductees in the National Thumb Pickers Hall of Fame.
    2015 - President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro met at the Summit of the Americas in Panama for talks aimed at thawing relations.  The meeting was the first interaction in decades between top leaders of the two nations.

Stanley Cup Champions:
1936 - Detroit Red Wings