Tuesday, August 18th. Day 230 of 2026
It’s Couple’s Day
Happy Fajita Day ! I can hear the sizzle
1868: French astronomer Pierre Janssen discovers helium
1920: The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing women’s suffrage
1963: James Meredith becomes the first African American to graduate from the University of Mississippi
1990: The first shots were fired by the U.S. in the Persian Gulf Crisis when a U.S. frigate fired a round across the bow of an Iraqi oil tanker
1991: An unsuccessful coup was attempted in against Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev. Gorbechev and his family were effectively imprisoned for three days while vacationing in Crimea
1992: Larry Bird, after 13 years with the Boston Celtics, announced his retirement
2005: Dennis Rader is sentenced to 175 years in prison for the BTK (Bind, Torture, Kill) serial killings in Sedgwick County, Kansas
2020: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill becomes the first US college to send students home and convert to online classes after 135 cases of COVID-19 are diagnosed
News: All County Fire Departments and Alexander Rescue get #20,000 checks to purchase equipment…Open House today at Alexander Central…Will town in Wilkes County resolve their charter ?…Taylorsville man busted on felony drug charge…One of Burke County’s Most Wanted nabbed in traffic stop
Weather: HOT ! High 93
Sports: AC Volleyball wins at Newton Conover…Cougar Football down to 3 practices before Friday’s opener…Area QB commits to Tennessee…AP releases Pre Season College Football Poll…Braves lose in Twin Cities…Dodgers get a win
Happy Birthday: Elayne Boosler Denis Leary, Madeleine Stowe, Bob Woodruff, Edward Norton, Andy Samberg
The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest is over and the winner is https://apnews.com/video/worlds-ugliest-dog-contest-is-held-in-santa-rosa-california-d442c6fd653640a6911e5f822285edc2
Word of the Day: slumgullion [sluhm-guhl-yuhn] slang term for an inexpensive stew, refuse from processing whale carcasses. Often used as a way of expressing something rather unpleasant, a mishmash. Word likely was developed from slum or slime in the late 1800’s. “ The slumguillion legislation passed, that should say a lot.”
Quote of the Day: “Sport is a wonderful metaphor for life. Of all the sports that I played, skiing, baseball, fishing , there is no greater example than golf, because you’re playing against yourself and nature.”…Robert Redford (Born this day in 1936)