Wednesday, August 19th. Day 231 of 2026
It’s Photography Day, Potato Day, Soft Ice Cream Day and National Aviation Day
1692: In present day Salem Massachusetts, five people, one woman and four men, including a clergyman, are executed after being convicted of witchcraft
1848: The New York Herald breaks the news to the East Coast of the United States of the gold rush in California
1909: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway opens
1934: A German referendum approves Adolph Hitler’s appointment as head of state with the title of Führer
1960: Francis Gary Powers, an American U-2 pilot, was convicted of espionage in Moscow
2004: Google Inc. stock began selling on the Nasdaq Stock Market
2016: City of San Francisco unveils a statue of singer Tony Bennett outside the Fairmont Hotel, where he first performed his signature song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1961
2020: Apple Inc. became the first company to be valued at over $2 trillion
News: Alexander County Schools hold Opening Session for teachers and staff on Tuesday…Arrest made into break-in at deceased NASCAR drivers home in Iredell County…Costa Rican national sentenced to federal prison for distributing drugs from Hickory business…Taylorsville man very familiar to local law enforcement back in jail…Burke County man charged with firing weapon while holding 2-year-old child
Weather: Sunny and 92 again. Some storms likely Friday and Friday night (if not before)
Sports: AC Volleyball drops close one against North Wilkes…Cougar Football preview today at 6pm with myself and Jonathan Watts followed by a one-hour conversation with Coach Chris Marshall…NFL will have team abroad according to the commish…Braves bats are in a slump…Phillies are getting closer…
Happy Birthday: Renée Richards, Diana Muldaur , Jill St John, Bill Clinton, Adam Arkin, Anthony Muñoz, John Stamos, Ron Darling, Kyra Sedgwick, Lee Ann Womack, Kirk Herbstreit
ZZ Top’s drummer passes https://apnews.com/article/frank-beard-died-zz-top-obit-72139238d1dbf3d277bdb3b8584eecc9
Word of the Day: carbine [kahr-been -bahyn] a light automatic or semiautomatic rifle. The gas carbine was developed by David Marshall Williams from North Carolina. Williams designed and built four semi-automatic rifles while in prison. All four rifles are part of the permanent David Marshall Williams display in the North Carolina Museum of History. “In 1952, MGM released the film Carbine Williams starring Jimmy Stewart as Williams.”
Quote of the Day: “Pay your people the least possible and you’ll get from them the same.”…Malcolm Forbes (Born this day in 1919)