New Manufacturing Goods Continues Increase
Manufacturing Output Also Up

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The Negative 1.4% Q1 GDP Due Mostly to Trade Deficit,
Not Consumer Confidence

Consumers remain confinement in Q1 of 2022 despite a negative 1.4% headline GDP.  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.

Lower money anxiety boosted confidence, which generated a domestic spending that created a stronger import growth.  As a result, a massive trade deficit of more than $1.5 trillion was created in the first quarter of 2022.

Consumer spending grew at a 2.7% annualized rate, and durable goods spending came in at 4.1% in Q1 2022.

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.

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

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New Hires/Promotions in the Leasing Business
and Related Industries

 

Travis Betenson was hired as Chief Financial Officer, Lease Corporation of America, Park City, Utah. Previously he was at First Electronic Bank, starting April, 2018, as Treasurer, promoted January, 2019, Chief Financial Officer. He joined Alliance Data September, 2010, Senior Financial Analyst, promoted September, 2013, Financial Reporting/Treasury Manager, promoted September, 2015, Senior Treasury Manager. Assistant Treasurer, Community Capital Bank (February, 2015 - September, 2015). He began his career at Chrysalis Enterprises April, 2004 as Residential Manager, promoted January, 2007, Office Manager, promoted April, 2007, Associate Director. Certifications: Certified Treasury Professional, Association for Financial Professionals Issued July, 2017. Expired July, 2020.  Education: University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business, Masters, Business Administration; Finance (2007 - 2009). Southern Utah University, BS, Psychology, Communications. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tbetenson/

Sean Garin was hired as Account Representative, LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc., Orange, California. He is located in Fullerton, California. Previously, he was Account Executive, Partners Capital Group (July, 2021 - April, 2022); Inside Sales Associate Internship, MacArthur Co. (May, 2019 - August, 2019). He was Warehouse Laborer, MacArthur Co. (May, 2016 - August, 2016), (May, 2017 - August, 2017).  Education: California State University, San Marcos, Bachelor of Business Administration, BBA
(2016 - 2020). https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-garin/

Mark L. Grayeck was promoted to National Sales Manager (USA), DLL, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He is located in Boston, Massachusetts.  He joined the firm January, 2020, as Senior Vice President.  He previously was with GE Capital, starting July, 2011 as Senior Collector; promoted October, 2012, Litigation Specialist; promoted November, 2013, Assistant Vice President, Equipment; promoted February, 2016, Senior Vice President. Prior, he was Finance Intern, Alteris Renewables (January, 2011 - May, 2011).  Education: The University of Connecticut. Master of Business Administration (MBA). (2012 - 2016).  University of Rhode Island.  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Economics.  Norwich Free. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-l-grayeck-mba-551b7766/

Mark Jannety was hired as Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Nashville, Tennessee. He is located in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Previously, he was Senior Vice President, Regions Equipment Finance (February, 2018 - April, 2022); Territory Manager, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance (April, 2014 - January, 2018); Vice President, Relationship Manager, Regions Equipment Finance Corp. (April, 2009 - April, 2014). He joined GE Capital, May, 2000, as Associated Sales Representative, Commercial Equipment Financing; promoted September, 2001, Vice President, Sr. Account Manager (September, 2001 - May, 2009).  He began his career as Portfolio Specialist, CIT (May, 1997 - May, 2000). Education: University of Florida, BA, Political Science and Economics (1990 - 1992).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-jannetty-9b022b11/

Brandon Lewmucchi was hired as Account Manager, LEAF Commercial Capital, Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He‎ is located in Downey, California. Previously, he was Senior Account Executive, Partners Capital Group (April, 2021 - April, 2022); Business Development Specialist, Fletcher Jones Motorcars (September, 2020 - August, 2020); Account Manager, Pacific Office Automation (October, 2018 - August, 2020); Sales Supervisor, Sprint (June, 2017 - September, 2018); Front End Lead, Costco Wholesale (May, 2013 - June, 2017); Sales Associate, Big 5 Sporting Goods (June, 2010 - September, 2013). Education: California State University, Long Beach. Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management (2013 - 2016). Cypress College, Associate of Science (2010 - 2013). Rio Hondo College (2009 - 2010). St. John Bosco High School (2005 - 2009). https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-lemucchi-23b429112/

Paul "PJ" McElroy was hired as Vice President, Equipment Finance Officer, KeyBank Commercial, Greater Philadelphia. Previously, he was SVP, Direct Sales, DLL (September, 2019 - April, 2022); Business Development Manager, Siemens (September, 2016 - September, 2019).  He began his career at GE Capital, April, 2004 as Sales Representative, promoted June, 2009, Dealer Support, promoted March, 2011, Senior Vice President. Education: UCONN, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Finance, General (2010 - 2013); Gettysburg College, Bachelor's degree, Business Administration and Management, General (1996 - 2000). Tilton (1995 - 1996). https://www.linkedin.com/in/pjmcelroy/

Michael Orlov was hired as Franchise Division Manager, United Community Bank, Greenville, South Carolina.  He is located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  Previously, he was Vice President, Business Development Officer, Bridge Funding Group, a BankUnited Company (August, 2016 - May, 2021); Vice President, GE Capital (September, 2014 - August, 2016); Senior Vice President of Acquisitions, Landmark Dividend (September, 2011 - September, 2014); Business Manager, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (May, 2010 - September, 2011); Sales Executive, Unison Site Management; Education: University of Arizona, B.A., Communications (1998 - 2002); New York University, College of Dentistry, Certificate Clinical Research (2003 -2004). https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-orlov-2a131b19/

Don Poskus was hired as Vice President of Credit, Triad Financial Services, Inc., ECN Capital, Canton, Georgia. He is located in Acworth, Georgia. Previously, he was Strategic Credit Initiatives Leader, Inventory Finance, Mitsubishi HC Capital America, Inc. 9april, 2021 - April, 2021); Credit Manager, Northpoint Commercial Finance (May, 2012 - April, 2021). He joined Textron Financial December, 2000, as Assistant Vice President; promoted Vice President, January, 2007); Branch Operations Manager, Deutsche Financial Services (f/k/a) ITT Commercial Finance) (January, 1991 - December, 2000). He began his career at ITT Commercial Finance, January, 1981, as Field Service Representative; promoted January, 1983, Account Manager; promoted January, 1994, Senior Account Manager; promoted January, 1985, Portfolio Control Manager; promoted January, 1986, Credit Manager/Account Manager, Special Accounts; promoted January, 1988, District Sales Manager; promoted January, 1989, Area Operations Manager. Education: University of Florida, BS, Business Administration (1975 - 1979).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/donposkus/

Charles Schaper IV was promoted to Regional Sales Manager, Ascentium Capital, Kingwood, Texas. He is located in the San Francisco Bay Area.  He joined Ascentium October, 2020, as Finance Manager.  He continues with his private company, Technology Bin LLC (July, 2019 - Present).  Previously, he was Account Manager, Balboa Capital (June, 2018 - October, 2020); Sales Manager, Transfer Devices, Inc. (January, 2018 - May, 2019). Licenses: Wholesaler, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Issued July, 2019.  Education: Notre Dame de Namur University. Bachelor of Science, Business Administration and Management, General (2014 - 2019).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-schaper-iv-9523a2192/

https://leasingnews.org/Ads/Completed/ali_32022.html

Help Wanted Ads

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Musk Using Tesla As Collateral to Buy Twitter
Here's How He is Doing it

• Elon Musk is buying Twitter for $54.20 per share.
• Financing will be provided by a syndicate of banks led by Morgan Stanley.
• Musk himself will add $21 billion in equity financing and will put up more than 60 million Tesla shares as collateral for a loan.
• Musk is using some of his Tesla shares as collateral for a loan to buy Twitter.

Musk assembled $46.5 billion to fund his Twitter takeover, with his own assets backing two-thirds of that amount. Musk's portion includes a giant $12.5 billion margin loan secured by his equity stake in Tesla Inc.

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Travel nurse agencies cash in on Stanford strike
and pandemic (Perhaps another reason as they already exist
at Stanford and you should see their Salary and Benefits)

Stanford Hospital signed 2,700 temporary staffers to five-day contracts to help fill 5,000 empty positions as strike replacements. Stanford will rely on replacement nurses and management to fill the gap. Before a strike, agencies fly replacement nurses to their destination and shuttle them to work each morning, where they cross picket lines.

The Mercury News reported "The estimated average hourly rate for strike nurses can reach $216.67, about 2.5 times the average hourly rate of comparable clinical nurses. They do not receive benefits, such as health insurance. By comparison, the average hourly rate of a clinical nurse at Stanford ranges from $87 to 89.50.  Travel nurses are also paid more than staff nurses, although less than strike nurses."

"Crossing the picket lines comes with the promise of up to $13,000 a week in salary ($676.00 per year) plus free food, housing and transportation. And the staffing agencies that hire them, increasingly owned by private equity firms, are reporting record profits."

According to “Stanford Health Care” nurses average $138,555 per year with a low of $69,000 to high of $232,000.

Full Story:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/04/27/travel-nurse-agencies-cash-in-on-stanford-strike-and-pandemic/

 

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

Top Mark First Quarter Continues the Momentum
Breaking Quarterly Performance

Building Team and Focuses on
Aggressive Growth Targets In 2022

ROSEVILLE, Calif., - TopMark Funding, a premier funding destination for commercial vehicle dealerships and small to midsized fleets, produced another record-breaking quarter and is leading the year with a 29.2% gain against its first quarter revenue goals. The company, which closed 2021 with an increased volume (Total Amount Financed) of 2.3 times year over year performance, is confident that the organization is likely to meet or exceed its performance benchmarks in 2022.

As of now, TopMark Funding has set an aggressive annual origination growth target of 57% and is presently out pacing that with Q1 2022 coming in 27% above its annualized 2022 target and is at 268% of Q1 2021’s actual performance.  

Managing Partner and Co-Founder Evan Lang, said, “Each quarter that we continue to see record-breaking growth affirms that our senior sales talent, operational structure and leadership, and our investment in technology are working

“The marketplace continues to see unprecedented challenges but the commitment of the TopMark team is laying the relationship foundation with dealerships across the country and is a critical piece of the company’s continuing growth.” 

In the first three months of the year, TopMark funded a company record of $34.7 million in volume, marking a 242% year-over-year increase from Q1 2021. March fundings of $15.4 million put the company on an annualized run rate of $185 million. The company reported record earnings which exceeded forecast by a factor of 2.5. TopMark continues to focus its primary growth within the dealership marketplace by designing proprietary technology uniquely created for the category-specific funding needs.   

TopMark Funding expects growth for the remainder of 2022 despite any economic challenges in the trucking marketplace. The organization’s approach to curating a top-notch operational process, and a highly skilled sales team with the ability to work remote will continue to be a lynchpin for the company. To meet growing demand, the company expects to add more than 60% to its senior sales team by the end of the year with industry talent who are career oriented and eager to join a company whose focus is on creating opportunities for success.

About TopMark Funding
TopMark Funding, LLC, is a premier funding partner for dealerships, specializes in financing commercial vehicles, and can effectively and efficiently handle dealer transactions. Founded in 2015, the company has a proven track record of helping transportation companies expand by offering strategic funding solutions for growing small and mid-sized fleets. With a laser focus on speed, accuracy, and unmatched customer service, TopMark Funding and its dedicated team assist dealers in financing more than $15 million of commercial vehicles each month.

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

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

DLL reports strong annual results
Net Profit for 2021 U.S. $693 Million

Eindhoven, - DLL, global provider of asset-based financial solutions, delivered strong results for the 2021 business year, highlighted by exceptional net profits. The company recorded both portfolio and income growth during the year, while risk costs improved significantly due to more favorable economic conditions in key markets.

DLL recorded net profits of EUR 586 (USD 693) million for 2021, which represented an increase of 226% from the prior year. This result was positively impacted by a significant improvement in risk costs as economic conditions improved in many key markets. When excluding currency movements, the company’s portfolio balance grew by 3% over the prior year and reached EUR 37.4 (USD 42.3) billion.

Carlo van Kemenade, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board, said, “Consistent with our partnership approach, we have continued to work closely with our customers to overcome the obstacles placed in front of us by the pandemic and other market events. “Our strong financial results are a reflection of this approach and our resilient business model. I am immensely proud of our achievements and want to thank every member of the DLL workforce who contributed to this success.” 

Significant improvement in risk costs further enhance 2021 performance

Due to improved macro-economic conditions in 2021, DLL was able to reverse previously booked provisions that were taken during the height of the pandemic to guard against anticipated future losses. As a result, total risk costs closed the year in a net positive position of EUR 83 (USD 98) million. This exceptional result corresponds to minus 22 basis points of the average loan portfolio and is well below DLL's historical long-term average of plus 52 basis points. 

The underlying financial performance of the portfolio continued to trend positively, with net income totaling EUR 1.545 billion (USD 1.827) million, which represented 3% growth over the prior year. This was supplemented by a strong Asset Management income performance, as shortages on new equipment resulted in higher secondary market values being realized on used equipment sales. 

Marc Dierckx, CFO and Member of the Executive Board, commented, “I am very pleased with these results, which saw improvements across virtually all key financial metrics.” commented. “Excluding the exceptional risk cost result and the significant uplift it had to net profits, the underlying performance of our business model remains robust and continues to provide a solid foundation for future growth.” 

Looking ahead with cautious optimism

“With COVID changing how our customers and workforce have conducted business over the past two years, we recognize that DLL needs to continue to evolve and adapt in order to stay positioned for future success.” noted Van Kemenade. “Looking ahead, we have bold plans to refresh our strategy by taking into account emerging trends and aiming for healthy growth, but also being mindful of the geo-political developments and economic environment in front of us. We are moving forward with cautious optimism, and with this solid foundation of performance plus our engaged global workforce, we remain very confident that the future will be bright.”

Russia - Ukraine Conflict

DLL is shocked and saddened to witness the events occurring in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding. Our hearts and thoughts remain with the people of Ukraine and with our work colleagues and customers who have close family and friends impacted by this crisis. DLL has made the decision to permanently cease all new business activities in Russia and our entire focus is now being placed on the rundown of our Russian business. We will continue to implement all required sanctions and are ready to process other measures as they are announced.

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

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

American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers
Announce New Board Members

LOUISVILLE, KY) The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) announces the election of two new members to its Board of Directors and the election of a new Vice President, Roderick Knoll, CLFP, with Marathon Commercial Capital, LLC. Kortney Murray with Coastal Kapital, LLC was elected as a Director at Large and Leslie Brown, CLFP with Mak Global Corporation will serve as the new Secretary/Treasurer. They will begin their service in their new positions in May of 2022, following the 2022 AACFB Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Current AACFB President, Carrie Radloff, announced, “I am excited to welcome these newest members of our Board of Directors. They will both bring valuable perspectives, ideas, and energy to the Board, which will benefit all AACFB members. I also want to thank AACFB Past President, Cindy Downs for her dedication and service to the AACFB as she completes her term on the Board. Cindy has been an outstanding contributor to this association!” 

Please join us in congratulating the 2022-2023 AACFB Board of Directors:
Officers:

• President - Laura Estrada, Preferred Capital Funding, Inc.
• President-Elect - Teresa Thacker, Brahma Lending and Leasing
• Vice President - Roderick Knoll, CLFP, Marathon Commercial Capital
• Secretary/Treasurer - Leslie Brown, CLFP, Mak Global Corporation
• Past President - Carrie Radloff, CLFP, American Financial Partners

Directors-at-Large:

• Michael Hong, Taycor Financial
• Kortney Murray, Coastal Kapital, LLC
• Kalah Sprabeary, CLFP, HUB Funding Solutions

More about the newest board members:
Leslie Brown, CLFP, is owner of Mak Global Corporation and is an 18-year Equipment Finance Professional. She served as an elected member of the CLFP Foundation Board for two years and is also an active member of the AACFB, having served on the Education Committee, and is a staff writer for Commercial Break, the official publication of the AACFB.

Dedicated to active participation in her community, Leslie sits on the Board of Directors as Treasurer for Elm Creek Water Supply Corporation. She is an avid entrepreneur with a penchant for improving lives in the community. She owns a mortgage lending company that provides home ownership opportunities to low income families and a portfolio of long and short-term rental real estate properties throughout Texas and Colorado. She is a published writer and is a guest author for Monitor Magazine.

Kortney B. Murray is the founder of Coastal Kapital LLC, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary in December 2021. Kortney started her leasing career in 2003 in Carlsbad, CA at Innovative Lease. She later moved to Boston to teach a leasing course where she wrote and taught a training manual on how to run a successful business in equipment financing as a broker. Kortney graduated from Northwood University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and an associate degree in Advertising. Throughout college she coached cheerleading at Dow High School for the JV teams, taking them up to a 1st and 2nd place team for competitive cheer.

Kortney has become a big part of the Sarasota, Florida community through local charity work, Chamber of Commerce programs, and participation in helping various local community projects.

About American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB)
The American Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (AACFB) is the premier trade association empowering independent commercial finance brokers. The AACFB represents the expanding interests of its growing membership by providing best practice education and networking opportunities, while promoting a culture of ethics. For more information visit: www.aacfb.org.

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

Watch at Home:
by Fernando Croce

Offering kaleidoscopic nostalgia, dystopian fantasy, erotic suspense and visions both ambitions and modest, this latest batch of streaming releases has something for every kind of audience.

Apollo 10 1/2 (Netflix): Protean director Richard Linklater returns to the animation technique of “Waking Life” and “Through a Scanner Darkly” for another absorbingnetwork of drifting thoughts and images, this time related to his youth in Houstonduring the 1960s. Subtitled “A Space Age Childhood,” it centers on young Stanley (Milo Coy), whose father works at NASA during the epochal first trip to the moon. When not imagining himself as part of a wondrous mission into outer space, Stanley enjoys carefree times with his siblings and Little League friends. Always sensitive to time and its passage, Linklater weaves a rich mosaic of historical events, periodsongsand recreations of personal memories, pinpointing a burgeoning conscience in the midst of a kaleidoscopic period. The results brim with charm and warmth.

Bigbug (Netflix): French visionary Jean-Pierre Jeunet (“Amélie”) brings his distinctive blend of whimsy and darknessto this imaginative tale of futuristic dystopia. In a time when machinery reigns and books are forbidden, the land is ruled by a group of artificial-intelligence beings known as the Yonix. Humanity is represented by a group of outcasts huddled in the home of Alice (Elsa Zylberstein), a suburban mom and would-be artist. While surrounded by hostile automatons, the humans can still count on unlikely allies: Outdated domestic appliances led by an android named Monique (Claude Perron), who offer help while yearning for human emotion. Making kinetic use of claustrophobic space while suggesting a wide world gone awry, Jeunet’s eccentric movieoffers plenty of wild imagination and humor. With subtitles.

Deep Water (Hulu): A potent subgenre during the Eighties and Nineties, the erotic thriller seems to have mostly vanished from cinema’s recent landscape. So leave it for one its most dedicated purveyors, director Adrian Lyne (“Fatal Attraction”), to resurrect it in this enjoyablemarital drama. An adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel, the story centers on millionaire inventor Vic Van Allen (Ben Affleck) and his wife Melinda (Ana de Armas). To spice up their relationship, they have an unspoken arrangement involving Melinda’s philandering and Vic’s voyeurism. Their routinespins out of controlwhen one of her lovers turns up dead at a party, leading to a whirlpool of jealousy and suspicion. In his first film in twenty years, Lyne brings sensualityand sly subversion to a screen dearly in need of it.

Dog (iTunes): Channing Tatum makes his directorial debut in this affable and touching road movie, which he also stars in. He plays Jackson Briggs, a former U.S. Army Ranger muddling through life as he deals with thwarted opportunities and combat-induced migraines. When he learns about the death of a former colleague, he sets out on a trip to his funeral in Arizona. Along for the ride is an unexpected companion: Lulu, his late friend’s military companion dog. What sounds like a hackneyed excuse for slapstick shenanigans and canine reaction shots actually turns out to be a humble, honest look at the lives of veterans, done with empathy and genial humor. Having learned from the capable filmmakers he’s worked with, Tatum serves up a disarming charmer.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (Vudu):As befits the title, this bewilderingly original existential comedy feels like it reaches in a hundred different directions in its search for the main character’s sense of self. Evelyn Wang (a superb Michelle Yeoh) is a laundromat owner facing all sorts of inner chaos while dealing with her life and family. Facing an unloved daughter (Stephanie Hsu), a husband on the verge of divorce (Ke Huy Quan), and an ailing father (James Hong), her mind is thrust into parallel worlds where they all appear as martial-arts superheroes. Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert use this as an opportunity to experiment wildly with different tones and styles, fusing them into a metaphysical meditation on identity. While not for everybody, the film is a boldly unique experience.

Handsome Dog
Redwood City, California, Adopt-a-Dog

Delilah

Female
Estimated Age: 1 Year
Size: 63 lbs.
Location: Redwood City
Fee: $150

This beautiful, energetic dog is ready to tackle the world with an equally active family. Delilah loves people and is eager to make as many human friends as possible. She is an option for homes with kids. Since she is very treat-motivated, she will easily pick up both basic and complex commands.

Delilah will thrive in a home that can provide her with consistent positive reinforcement training and enrichment to keep her mind healthy and sharp. She loves to sniff all the sniffs and go on lots of adventures. This overgrown lap dog enjoys the outdoors, but nothing will beat curling up next to you.

The Fine Print
No resident dogs
Homes with cats or small animals must exercise caution.Delilah has a wonderful Bay (baying)

History
Delilah was transferred to Pets In Need from one of our partner shelters in the Central Valley.

Pets in Need
871 5th Avenue
Redwood City, CA 94063
(650) 367-1405
info@petsinneed.org
https://www.petsinneed.org/

Hours:
Tues-Fri: Noon-5:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Sun-Mon: Closed

Application:
https://form.jotform.com/PetsInNeed/adoption-application-2022

Application Process:
https://www.petsinneed.org/adoptionprocess

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"The Wine Foley" Magnum Edition: The Master Guide
By Kevan R. Wilkinson, Leasing News Wine Reviewer

The week before last, my wife Ana and I were in Paso Robles, California, for a week's vacation. I wrote about Daou 2019 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the trip for the Wine Review. 

While on vacation in Paso Robles, I saw a book called “Wine Foley" at a winery for $40. When we got back, I went on Amazon and saw it for sale at $19.79. So I ordered it. I started to read it right after dinner.

It was not just the price that I ordered, but Amazon noted the ratings had 5,969 "five star" ratings. I have Kindle and could have bought it for $18.99, but I thought when I finished it, we might give it as a gift to my father-in-law, a wine connoisseur, and collector.

The book was co-written by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack,

Amazon notes:

"The expanded wine guide from the creators of Wine Folly, packed with new information for devotees and newbies alike...."

"  •  more than 100 grapes and wines color-coded by style so you can easily find new wines you'll love;
•  a wine region explorer with detailed maps of the top wine regions, as well as up-and-coming areas such as Greece and Hungary;
•  wine labeling and classification 101 for wine countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Austria;
•  an expanded food and wine pairing section;
•  a primer on acidity and tannin--so you can taste wine like a pro;
•  more essential tips to help you cut through the complexity of the wine world and become an expert.

“Wine Folly: Magnum Edition is the must-have book for the millions of fans of Wine Folly and for any budding oenophile who wants to boost his or her wine knowledge in a practical and fun way. It's the ultimate gift for any wine lover."

I really recommend this book.  For yourself, for a gift. Type this in the browser to find the book: “Wine Folly.” 

It also available in paperback, along with Tasting Journals and there is a Spanish version.

Kevan R. Wilkinson | Digital Content Manager | BALBOA CAPITAL | kevanrw@balboacapital.com| www.balboacapital.com

Previous Wine Reviews
https://leasingnews.org/Pages/wine_reviews.html

News Briefs---

Feds Report: 10% Merchant Cash, 8% Leasing, 4% Factoring
   72% Loan or Line of Credit Report
https://debanked.com/2022/04/ten-percent-of-small-businesses-that-sought-financing-in-2021-applied-for-a-merchant-cash-advance/

Southwest Airlines’ quarterly loss totals $278 million,
    but sees smooth skies ahead
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2022/04/28/southwest-airlines-quarterly-loss-totals-278-million-but-sees-smooth-skies-ahead/

These are the 10 highest paying jobs in the Portland area
    that require only a high school diploma
https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2022/04/these-are-the-10-highest-paying-jobs-in-the-portland-area-that-require-only-a-high-school-diploma.html

Intel earnings report
https://www.wsj.com/articles/intel-intc-q1-earnings-report-2022-11651117004?mod=hp_lista_pos1

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You May Have Missed---

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/28/us/politics/ukraine-lend-lease-arms.html

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Sports Briefs---

NFL draft order for 2022: Where every team will make
     picks over seven rounds, 262 picks
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2022/04/25/nfl-draft-order-2022-full-list-picks-all-seven-rounds/7326489001/

 

Saints willing to move up or down in first round
https://www.theredzone.org/Blog-Description/EntryId/22570/Saints-willing-to-move-up-or-down-in-first-round

George Kittle on SF 49ers trade rumors involving
    Deebo Samuel, workout plans with Trey Lance
https://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/Q-A-with-SF-49ers-star-George-Kittle-17134377.php?IPID=SFGate-HP-CP-Spotlight

Nevius: Starter or not, Stephen Curry knows
    how to close for Warriors
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/sports/nevius-starter-or-not-stephen-curry-shows-why-hes-warriors-closer/

Oakland A’s face fan malaise in effort to boost attendance,
    build stadium (in Oakland or Vegas)
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/28/oakland-as-face-fan-malaise-in-effort-to-boost-attendance-build-stadium-in-oakland-or-vegas/

Warriors eliminate Nuggets with hard-fought fourth quarter
https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/04/27/warriors-eliminate-nuggets-with-hard-fought-fourth-quarter/

GM believes 49ers have massive asking price
     for Deebo Samuel
https://larrybrownsports.com/football/gm-49ers-massive-asking-price-deebo-samuel/595795

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California Nuts Briefs---

Ron DeSantis’ feud with Gavin Newsom ramps up
     amid San Francisco ‘dumpster fire’ insult
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Ron-DeSantis-dumpster-fire-comments-about-San-17131152.php

The Camp Fire took their homes. But they had more
     to lose in the rebuilding process
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article258990543.html#storylink=mainstage_lead

PG&E Reports 1st Quarter 2022  $475 Million
https://www.pgecurrents.com/2022/04/28/pge-corporation-reports-first-quarter-2022-financial-results/

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"Gimme that wine"

Placing a Bet on Italian Grapes in California
https://www.nytimes.com/section/food?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage

Video: Patriots owner Robert Kraft visits Drew Bledsoe’s winery
https://www.patspulpit.com/new-england-patriots-social-media-video-podcasts/2022/4/27/23045517/video-patriots-owner-robert-kraft-visit-drew-bledsoe-winery

15 Sonoma Wineries to Visit if You Love Zinfandel
https://www.sonomamag.com/sonoma-wineries-to-visit-if-you-love-zinfandel/

A Wine-Lover’s Perfect Day Trip to Bodega Bay
https://www.sonomamag.com/a-wine-lovers-perfect-day-trip-to-bodega-bay/

“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

     1749 - Benjamin Franklin on the banks of the Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, PA, became the first person to cook by electricity. He wrote: “A turkey is to be killed for our dinner by the electrical shock and roasted by the electrical jack, before a fire kindled by the electrified bottle.”
    1845 - Macon B. Allen and Robert Morris, Jr., become the first African-American lawyers admitted to the bar in Massachusetts.
http://www.jtbf.org/inter_fed_jud.htm
    1852 - Peter Roget's Thesaurus was published for the first time.  The original edition had 15,000 words and each new edition has been larger.  The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum houses the original manuscript in its collection.
    1854 - The first college for African-American students was the Ashmun Institute, Chester County, PA. It was named after Jeshudi Ashmun, the reorganizer of the colony of Liberia. In 1966, the college name was changed to Lincoln University.
http://www.lincoln.edu/
    1861 – The Maryland House of Delegates voted against secession from the Union.
    1863 – Publisher William Randolph Hearst (d. 1951) was born in San Francisco.  He built the nation's largest newspaper chain and whose methods profoundly influenced American journalism.  Hearst entered the publishing business in 1887 after taking control of The San Francisco Chronicle from his father. Moving to New York City, he acquired The New York Journal and engaged in a bitter circulation war with Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World that led to the creation of yellow journalism—sensationalized stories of dubious veracity. Acquiring more newspapers, Hearst created a chain that numbered nearly 30 papers in major American cities at its peak. He later expanded to magazines, creating the largest newspaper and magazine business in the world. 
    1873 - Eli Hamilton Janney of Alexandria, VA, obtained a patent on an “improvement in car-couplings.” Eventually every railroad coupler with which every railroad car in the United States, Canada, and Mexico was equipped with his invention.  
http://www.sdrm.org/history/timeline/
    1899 - Jazz pianist, composer and bandleader Edward Kennedy (Duke) Ellington (d. 1974) was born in Washington, DC. He made his first professional appearance as a jazz pianist in 1916, and two years later formed his first band. After appearances in Harlem nightclubs, Duke Ellington's orchestra became one of the most famous jazz bands and remained so for more than 50 years. Some of Ellington's best-known songs include "Take the A Train," "Mood Indigo," "Solitude" and "Sophisticated Lady." He also wrote a number of concert works including "Creole Rhapsody" and "Black, Brown and Beige." Ellington made hundreds of recordings before his death in 1974.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr29.html
http://www.dukeellington.com/ 
    1901 - For the first and only time, the Kentucky Derby was run in April instead of May. The winning cold was “His Eminence,” ridden by Jimmy Winkfeld. Sannazarro finished second, a length-and-a-half back.
    1902 – Baltimore Orioles infielder John McGraw was hit five times but home plate umpire Jack Sheridan refused to allow him to take first base. In the 9th inning, McGraw was hit again and sat down in the batter’s box in protest. American League president Ban Johnson suspended McGraw for five games. 
    1910 - The temperature at Kansas City, MO, soared to 95 degrees to establish a record for the month of April. Four days earlier the afternoon high in Kansas City was 44 degrees, following a record cold morning low of 34 degrees.
    1913 - The zipper was invented about 1906 by Gideon Sundback of Hoboken, NJ, an inventor of Swedish ancestry, who obtained a patent on this day for his “separable fasteners.” His design consisted of two flexible tapes, each of which carried a row of metal teeth with tiny hooks, and a slider that locked the two rows of hooks together. This fastener was improved upon by later patents on March 20 and October 16, 1917, which were assigned to the Hookless Fastener Company of Meadville, PA, under the name “Talon.” The first manufactured garments to incorporate zippers were rubber boots made by the B.F. Goodrich Company in 1923. Prior to this, all clothes used buttons exclusively. The term “zipper” was coined by the English novelist Gilbert Frankau, who saw the device at a promotional luncheon and explained “Zip! It's Open! Zip! It's closed!” The first fashion designer to use zippers was Elsa Schiaparelli, who added them to garments in her 1930 collection.
http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa082497.htm
    1918 - Ace of Aces, Captain Edward Vernon Rickenbacker’s, of Columbus, OH, first victory took place in the Baussant region, in the Toul sector, France. He was credited with 26 victories, including 22 airplanes and four balloons.
http://www.lib.auburn.edu/archive/flyhy/101/eddie.htm
    1918 – Pro football coaching legend George Allen (d. 1990) was born in Nelson County, VA.   Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002, Allen coached the LA Rams and Washington Redskins over 17 years, compiling a .712 winning percentage that included 1972 NFC Championship.  Edward Bennett Williams, the Redskins' president, once famously said, "George was given an unlimited budget and he exceeded it." In ending Allen's second stint as the Rams' head coach after only two preseason games in 1978, Carroll Rosenbloom said, "I made a serious error of judgment in believing George could work within our framework." and "He got unlimited authority and exceeded it.”
    1923 – The Yankees signed 20-year-old prospect Lou Gehrig to a contract paying him a salary of $2,000 and a bonus of $1,500. Yankees scout Paul Krichell had watched the Columbia University 1B blast a 450-foot home run against NYU one day earlier. 
    1927 - Birthday of tenor saxophone Big Jay McNeely (d. 2018), born Cecil James McNeely, Watts, Ca.
http://www.electricearl.com/dws/bigjay.html
http://www.soul-patrol.com/randbfoundation/jay.htm
http://www.123posters.com/bigjay.htm
http://www.greenmanreview.com/rawblues.html
   1929 – Singer April Stevens was born Carol LoTempio in Niagara Falls, NY.  She is best known for her 1963 recording of "Deep Purple" with her brother Antonino LoTempio (singing under the name Nino Tempo). It reached #1 on the Hot 100 on 16 November 1963, and No.17 in the British charts. The song won the 1963 Grammy Award for Best Rock and roll Recording.  It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.
    1931 - British skiffle musician Lonnie Donegan (d. 2002) birthday, born Anthony James Donegan in Scotland.  His biggest North American hit was 1961's "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Over Night)." 
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/donegan_lonnie/bio.jhtml
    1933 - Birthday of guitarist Willie Nelson, Abbott, TX.  Musician, singer, songwriter, author, poet, actor, and activist.  The critical success of the album “Shotgun Willie” (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of “Red Headed Stranger” (1975) and “Stardust” (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana.
http://www.willienelson.com/
    1934 - Guitarist Otis Rush (d. 2018) was born Philadelphia, MS.
http://www.blueflamecafe.com/index.html
http://www.concertedefforts.com/Otis%20Rush.htm
    1941 - The Boston Bees agreed to rename the National League team the Braves, the name they used prior to 1935.
    1943 – Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys was born in Lamar County, TX.
    1945 - The 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, part of the most decorated regiment in the history of the U.S. military (the 442nd regimental combat team), added another first to the history books. They liberated the remaining prisoners of the infamous Nazi death camp, Dachau. The 522nd was made up entirely of second-generation Japanese-Americans (Nisei).
    1946 – The International Military Tribunal for the Far East convenes in Tokyo and indicts former Prime Minister of Japan Hideki Tojo and 28 former Japanese leaders for war crimes on 55 separate counts encompassing the waging of aggressive war, murder and conventional war crimes committed against prisoners-of-war, civilian internees and the inhabitants of occupied territories. The defendants included former prime ministers, former foreign ministers and former military commanders. During the proceedings, the court ruled that 45 of the counts, including all the murder charges, were either redundant or not authorized under the IMTFE Charter.  Two defendants died during the proceedings and one was ruled unfit to stand trial. Chief of the Navy General Staff Admiral Toyoda was acquitted. All remaining defendants were found guilty of at least one count. Sentences ranged from seven years' imprisonment to execution.  The tribunal was adjourned on November 12, 1948.
    1947 - Tommy James was born Thomas Gregory Jackson in Dayton, OH.  Musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, widely known as leader of the 1960s rock band Tommy James and The Shondells.  Hits included “Hanky, Panky,” “I Think We’re Alone Now," “Mirage,” “Draggin’ The Line,” "Crimson and Clover," “Sweet Cherry Wine,” and “Crystal Blue Persuasion.”   
    1947 – Golfer Johnny Miller was born in San Francisco.  He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s. He was the first to shoot 63 in a major to win the 1973 US Open, and he ranked second in the world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. Miller won 25 PGA Tour events, including two majors, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1998.  He was the lead golf analyst for NBC (1990-2019). He is also an active golf course architect.  
    1947 – Jim Ryun was born in Wichita, KS.  He won a silver medal in the 1500m at the 1968 Olympics and was the first high school athlete to run a mile in under four minutes. He is the last American to hold the world record in the mile run. Ryun later served in the House from 1996 to 2007, representing Kansas’ 2d district as a Republican.  
    1948 – Israel Independence Day celebrates the proclamation from British mandatory rule by Palestinian Jews and established the state of Israel.  The provisional government was established two weeks later.
    1951 - Marguerite Higgins won the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting and Journalism. Her book, “War in Korea,” became a best-seller.  Among the many newspaper articles she wrote were the first report of the German death camps at the end of World War II, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism in 1951. She was the first American to enter the Dachau death camp on 04-29-1945, in advance of military troops. From her dispatch filed that day: "Tattered, emaciated men, weeping, yelling and shouting ‘Long Live America' (in about 16 languages) swept toward the gate in a mob. Those who could not walk limped or crawled... at least a thousand prisoners were killed the night before... the barracks like those at Buchenwald (which she had also entered early) had the stench of death and sickness... the starving and dying lay virtually on top of each other in quarters where 1,200 men occupied a space intended for 200...in the crematorium itself were hooks on which the S.S. men hung their victims when they wished to flog them or to use any of the other torture instruments... Many of the living were so frail it seemed impossible they could still be holding on to life." More women were killed by the Germans in the concentration camps than men - and women were subjected to rape and other sexual tortures as well. So many of the Nazi doctors seemed fascinated by women's reproductive abilities and performed unspeakable horrors on pregnant women. She died in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 1966 of a disease which she apparently contracted while in Vietnam. On September 14, 2002, a stamp was issued to commemorate her life.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/mhiggins.htm 
http://www.unicover.com/EA1CCJH8.HTM 
    1951 - Top Hits
“If” - Perry Como
“Mockingbird Hill” - Patti Page
“Would I Love You” - Patti Page
“The Rhumba Boogie” - Hank Snow
    1952 - Birthday of Dale Earnhardt (d. 2001), stock car racer, Kannapolis, NC. He was one of NASCAR's most popular personalities, winning the Winston Cup seven times. He was killed while driving in the Daytona 500 at Daytona Beach.
http://www.daleearnhardt.net/ 
    1953 - "Coke Time with Eddie Fisher" began its TV and radio run on NBC-TV and Mutual radio. Fisher, a popular performer, was seen and heard on more TV and radio stations in 1954 than any other entertainer. 
    1954 - Ernest Borgnine made his network television debut in "Night Visitor" on "Ford Theatre" on NBC-TV. The versatile film ("Marty") star would later become a sitcom sensation in "McHale's Navy" with comedian Tim Conway on CBS and, later, as a helicopter owner in "Airwolf."
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Borgnine,+Ernest
    1954 - Miles Davis Sextet records “Walkin'” (Prestige)
http://www.milesdavis.com/ 
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/2822/miles_davis.html
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~losinp/music/miles_ahead.htm
http://www.jan-lohmann.com/
http://home.snafu.de/miles/music/missing.htm
    1954 – Comedian Jerry Seinfeld was born in Brooklyn.  Actor, writer, producer, and director, he is known for playing a semi-fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom “Seinfeld,” which he created and wrote with Larry David. The show aired on NBC from 1989 until 1998, becoming one of the most acclaimed and popular sitcoms of all time. Comedy Central named him the "12th Greatest Stand-up Comedian of All Time." 
    1957 – Sir Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis, three-time Academy Award winner, was born in London.  Day-Lewis won the statues for “Lincoln,” “There Will be Blood,” and “My Left Foot.” He is the only male actor to have three wins in the Best Actor category and one of only three male actors to win three Oscars.  In June 2014, Day-Lewis was knighted for services to drama. 
    1958 - Ted Williams becomes the tenth Major Leaguer to get 1,000 extra-base hits.
    1958 - "The Witch Doctor" goes to No.1 on Billboard's pop charts. The singer's voice was recorded at various speeds, mainly very fast. Songwriter and singer Ross Bagdasarian (who recorded under the name David Seville) topped the charts again at the end of the year with "The Chipmunk Song," sung by his dubbed voice at very fast speed, and this time the singers were the Chipmunks.
    1959 - Top Hits
“Come Softly to Me” - The Fleetwoods
(“Now and Then There's”) ”A Fool Such as I” - Elvis Presley
“Guitar Boogie Shuffle” - The Virtues
“White Lightning” - George Jones
    1959 - UNIVAC, the electronic computer that was the size of a house, actually picked four out of six winners at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. The electronic brain set a record for right choices in horse races. Of course, the winners all paid 2-1 or even odds, so it didn't win much. But, most of us don't...
    1960 - Dick Clark told a House of Representatives investigating committee looking into the payola scandal that he, the host of "American Bandstand," never took payola for records featured on his daily TV show. Clark would, however, relinquish rights to music publishing that he owned. The value of those rights, Clark indicated 30 years later, amounted to about $80 million.  Clark’s early career was nearly derailed but he avoided trouble by also selling his stake in a record company and cooperating with authorities.  Prosecution for payola in the 1950s was in part a reaction of the traditional music establishment against newcomers.   Hit radio was a threat to the wages of song-pluggers. Radio hits also threatened old revenue streams; for example, by the middle of the 1940s, three-quarters of the records produced in the USA went into jukeboxes.   Still, in the 1950s, independent record companies or music publishers frequently used payola to promote rock and roll on American radio; it promoted cultural diversity and disc jockeys were less inclined to indulge their own personal and racial biases.  In 1960, payola was made illegal. Alan Freed, a disc jockey and early supporter of rock and roll (and also widely credited for actually coining the term), had his career and reputation greatly harmed by a payola scandal.  Freed was uncooperative and was fired as a result.  In 1962, Freed pleaded guilty to two charges of commercial bribery, for which he received a fine and a suspended sentence.    
http://www.history-of-rock.com/clark.htm
http://www.dickclarkproductions.com/
    1961 - “Spanning the globe ... to bring you the constant variety of sport, the constant variety of human competition, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. This is ABC's Wide World of Sports.” A Saturday afternoon sports program began its long run on ABC-TV. The show, featuring Jim McKay as host, along with Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, Al Michaels, Jack Whitaker, Heywood Hale Broun and others, was not an immediate hit. Although Roone Arledge's vision of a worldwide window on televised sports got off to a slow start, "ABC's Wide World of Sports" became one of TV's most popular and enduring programs.
    1963 - Andrew Loog Oldham signed the Rolling Stones to a management contract. He had seen them perform the previous night at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond, England.
    1967 - Top Hits
“Somethin' Stupid” - Nancy Sinatra & Frank Sinatra
“A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” - The Monkees
“Sweet Soul Music” - Arthur Conley
“Need You” - Sonny James
    1967 - Aretha Franklin's "Respect" is released.
    1967 - Cindy Birdsong makes her stage debut with The Supremes at The Hollywood Bowl, replacing the increasingly unreliable Florence Ballard.  Since 1963, she had been with Patty LaBelle and The Bluebells. Starting in mid and late 1966, Birdsong began to appear as a stand-in vocalist for Ballard when Ballard's bout with alcoholism caused her to miss important gigs. 
    1967 - Muhammad Ai was stripped of his world heavyweight boxing championship when he refused to be inducted into military service. Said Ali, “I have searched my conscience, and I find I cannot be true to my belief in my religion by accepting such a call.” He had claimed exemption as a minister of the Black Muslim religion. Convicted of violating the Selective Service Act but the Supreme Court reversed this decision in 1971.
http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/10/25/specials/ali.html
    1968 - "Hair" made its way from Greenwich Village to Broadway. The show certainly opened eyes. It was the first time that actors appeared nude in a Broadway musical. "Hair" ran for 1,844 shows on and off Broadway. It was even more successful in its London run later. Big songs from the show: "Hair" (The Cowsills) and "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" (The 5th Dimension).
http://www.cowsill.com/cowsills/discography/music-hair.html
http://www.orlok.com/hairpages/hairfaq.html
    1969 - Sir Duke, Duke Ellington, celebrated his 70th birthday. He was honored with the presentation of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S. government's highest civilian honor.
    1970 – Birthday of tennis champion Andre Agassi, Las Vegas, NV.  Former world #1 whose career spanned from the late 1980s to the early 2000s.  In singles, Agassi is an eight-time Grand Slam champion and a 1996 Olympic gold medalist, as well as being a runner-up in seven other Grand Slam tournaments. 
    1971 - Bill Graham declared his intention to close down the East and West Coast versions of his "rock ballroom," The Fillmore. 
    1972 - A Detroit, Michigan band called Gallery enters the Billboard Hot 100 with "Nice To Be With You," which will rise to #4 during its 13 week run. They will follow with two more Top 20 hits, "I Believe In Music" (#22) and "Big City Miss Ruth Ann" (#23) over the next eight months.
    1973 - More than 15,000 people attending a Rock concert by Elvin Bishop, Canned Heat, Buddy Miles and Fleetwood Mac are routed from a baseball stadium in Stockton, California, by police firing tear-gas canisters. More than 80 people, including 28 police officers, are hurt and fifty arrests are made. 
    1973 - The Mississippi River reached a crest of 43.4 feet, breaking the previous record of 42 feet established in 1785.
    1974 - Phil Donahue's TV show was on the move. "Donahue" was moving to Chicago, IL, where it would remain until 1985. The show was originally based in Dayton, OH. Following more than a decade in the Windy City, the show again moved, this time to New York City. During its stay in Chicago, "Donahue" earned nine Emmy Awards.
    1974 – President Nixon announces the release of edited transcripts of White House tape recordings relating to the Watergate scandal. After a series of court battles, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the president was obligated to release the tapes to government investigators. The tapes revealed that Nixon had attempted to cover up activities that took place after the break-in, and to use federal officials to deflect the investigation.  Nixon resigned the presidency on August 9, 1974, preventing the House from impeaching him. 
    1975 - Operation Frequent Wind, the largest helicopter evacuation on record, begins removing the last Americans from Saigon.
    1975 - Top Hits
(“Hey Won't You Play”) “Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” - B.J. Thomas
“He Don't Love You” (“Like I Love You”) - Tony Orlando & Dawn
“Supernatural Thing” - Ben E. King
“Blanket on the Ground” - Billie Jo Spears
    1976 - After performing a show in Memphis, Bruce Springsteen caught a cab to Elvis Presley's mansion, Graceland, and when he was turned away at the gates, being a Jersey guy, he scaled a wall in an attempt to meet the icon. Elvis isn't home, however, and Bruce was escorted off the property without incident. 
    1979 - Van Halen's "Dance the Night Away" single is released
    1980 - Black Sabbath began their first tour with vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who had replaced Ozzy Osbourne. 
    1981 - Steve Carlton, the Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, became the first left hander in the Majors to get 3,000 career strikeouts. He fanned Montreal Expos' Tim Wallach in the first inning of a game that saw the Phillies beat the Expos 6-2. Carlton was only the sixth Major Leaguer to strike out 3,000 batters. He finished with 4,136.
    1983 - Top Hits
“Come on Eileen” - Dexys Midnight Runners
“Beat It” - Michael Jackson
“Der Kommissar” - After the Fire
“American Made” - The Oak Ridge Boys
    1985 - “Challenger” was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, piloted by the first African-American to enter outer space, Col. Frederick Gregory, who became a veteran of three space missions, logging in 455 hours. This flight had a crew of seven and a full animal menagerie of monkeys and other animals to learn about the effects of space. After 111 orbits of Earth, Challenger landed on May 6, 1985, at Edwards Air Force Base, Ca.
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/gregory-fd.html
    1985 - George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees, fired manager Yogi Berra. Berra was canned after only 16 games into the young baseball season. In his place, Steinbrenner brought Billy Martin back ... for the fourth time.  Berra was named Yankee manager before the 1984 season. Berra agreed to stay in the job for 1985 after receiving assurances that he would not be terminated, but the impatient Steinbrenner reneged.  Moreover, instead of firing him personally, Steinbrenner dispatched Clyde King to deliver the news for him.  The incident caused a rift between Berra and Steinbrenner that was not mended for almost 15 years, when Yankees radio sportscaster Suzyn Waldman brought them together at the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center on the campus of Montclair State University in NJ. 
    1986 - Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox set a Major League Baseball record by striking out 20 Seattle Mariner batters on the way to a 3-1 win. This record for the Red Sox hurler surpassed the 19 strikeouts for a nine-inning game held by Nolan Ryan when he pitched for the California Angels. Tom Seaver of the New York Mets and Steve Carlton of the St. Louis Cardinals also held a piece of the previous 19-KO record.
    1987 - A storm off the southeast coast of Massachusetts blanketed southern New England with heavy snow. Totals of three inches at Boston, 11 inches at Milton, MA, and 17 inches at Worcester, MA, were records for so late in the season. Princeton, MA was buried under 25 inches of snow.
    1988 - Top Hits
“Wishing Well” - Terence Trent D Arby
“Anything For You” - Gloria Estefan
“Angel” - Aerosmith
“Where Do Broken Hearts Go” - Whitney Houston
“Pink Cadillac” - Natalie Cole
    1988 - The 1988 Baltimore Orioles finally won a game after losing the first 21 games of the season. They beat the Chicago White Sox, 9-0, on a combined four-hitter by pitchers Mark Williamson and Dave Schmidt. The Orioles' streak, lasting from April 4 to 28, set an American League record but fell two losses short of the National League mark.
    1988 - Thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds throughout central Texas with baseball size hail reported at Nixon, Texas and wind gusts to 70 mph recorded at Cotulla, Texas. In contrast, a late winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow over northern West Virginia and western Maryland.
    1989 - Porter Wagoner joined Dolly Parton on stage for the first time since Parton split with her mentor in 1976. The duet sold out four shows at Parton's Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. 
http://www.porterwagoner.com/ 
    1990 - A storm system crossing northern New Mexico blanketed parts of the Rocky Mountain Region and the Northern High Plains with heavy snow and produced blizzard conditions in central Montana. Much of southern Colorado was buried under one to three feet of snow. Pueblo tied an April record with 16.8 inches of snow in 24 hours. Strong canyon winds in New Mexico, enhanced by local showers, gusted to 65 mph at Albuquerque. Afternoon temperatures across the Great Plains Region ranged from the 20s in North Dakota to 107 degrees at Laredo, TX
    1990 - The TV movie “Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys” airs on ABC. 
    1991 - Top Hits
“Baby Baby” - Amy Grant
“Joyride” - Roxette
“I Like the Way” (“The Kissing Game”) - Hi-Five
“Down Home” – Alabama
    1992 - A jury in Simi Valley, CA, failed to convict four Los Angeles police officers accused in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, providing the spark that set off rioting, looting and burning at South Central Los Angeles, CA, and other areas across the country. The anger unleashed during and after the violence was attributed to widespread racism, lack of job opportunities and the resulting hopelessness of inner-city poverty.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0429.html#article
    1992 - State Farm Insurance was ordered to pay $157 million to hundreds of California women who were not offered or given jobs as State Farm agents because of their gender. It was the largest sex-discrimination settlement in US history to that time. The settlement was shared by more than 814 women. The case that began in June, 1979 when Muriel Kraszewski sued because she was turned down repeatedly for agent jobs at State Farm offices in southern California because she was a woman. As a result of the suit, the ratio of women agents with State Farm has increased from less than 1% in 1979 to more than 50% today. Women make up more than 50% of the population.
    1995 - Severe thunderstorms moved across Tarrant County in Texas. Hail up to 3.5 inches in diameter did an enormous amount of damage. 100 aircraft were damaged at DFW airport. Damages in the county totaled $220 million. This was the second major hailstorm to hit the area in a month.
    1996 – Mets lefty John Franco becomes the first left-hander in Major League history to record 300 saves, exactly 12 years after he gained his first save with the Cincinnati Reds.  He ended his career with 1,119 games pitched - the second highest total ever, and 424 saves, placing him third on the all-time list, and first among left-handers. 
    1997 - The US House of Representatives voted to bestow Congress's highest civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal, on Frank Sinatra. In 1985, President Ronald Reagan had presented the singer with the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the US.
    1997 - Craig MacTavish, the last player to go without a helmet, retired from the National Hockey League. The NHL mandated helmets at the start of the 1979-80 season but allowed players then active to refrain by signing a waiver absolving the league of responsibility in case of head injury. MacTavish was the last remaining player of those who signed the waiver. He retired from the St. Louis Blues after a 16-year career during which he scored 213 goals. Despite his personal choice, he admitted, “Certainly, it's very dangerous out there without a helmet.”
    1998 - Top Hits
“Too Close” - Next
“You’re Still The One” - Shania Twain
“Let’s Ride” - Montell Jordan Feat. Master P
“All My Life” - K-Ci 
    2004 – Dick Cheney and George W. Bush testified before the 9/11 Commission in a closed, unrecorded hearing in the Oval Office. They were not sworn.
    2007 - Nancy Sinatra made a rare TV appearance in an episode of The Sopranos where she sang "Bossman" to a small gathering of the main characters
    2013 - Prosecutors for Boston Marathon bomber and Islamic terrorist Dzhokar Tsarnaev discuss a plea deal to avoid the death penalty in exchange for life in prison without parole.  The bombings killed three people and injured approximately 280 others.  The trial began on January 5, 2015; Tsarnaev pleaded not guilty to all thirty charges against him.  On April 8, 2015, Tsarnaev was found guilty on all thirty counts of the indictment. The charges of usage of a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death, in addition to aiding and abetting, made Tsarnaev eligible for the death penalty.  On May 15, 2015, the jury recommended that Tsarnaev be sentenced to death by lethal injection on six of 17 capital counts.  He awaits appeal in the US Penitentiary, Terre Haute, IN, where male death row inmates are normally held. Tsarnaev was transferred to the US Penitentiary in Colorado because of "unique security management requirements." According to “The Guardian,” in June 2016, Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri issued a threat to the United States of the "gravest consequences" if Tsarnaev should be harmed.
       2015 – The Orioles won a game in eerie silence, defeating the White Sox, 8-2 at Camden Yards. No fans were present due to the persistent rioting in Baltimore that demanded security personnel there instead of at the ballpark.