Midweek in Whitewater will be partly cloudy with a high of twenty-eight. Sunrise is 6:48 and sunset 5:29, for 10h 40m 58s. The moon’s a waxing gibbous with 73.4% of its visible disk illuminated.
The Aquatic Center Board meets today at 7 AM, the Tech Park Board at 8 AM, and the TID 5 Joint Review Board at 3 PM.
On this day in 1801, after three dozen votes, the House of Representatives elects Thomas Jefferson President of the United States:
Portrait of Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale.
Republicans ultimately won more electoral college votes, but Jefferson and his vice-presidential candidate Aaron Burr unexpectedly received an equal total. Due to the tie, the election was decided by the Federalist-dominated House of Representatives.[105][g] Hamilton lobbied Federalist representatives on Jefferson’s behalf, believing him a lesser political evil than Burr. On February 17, 1801, after thirty-six ballots, the House elected Jefferson president and Burr vice president.[106]
The win was marked by Republican celebrations throughout the country.[107] Some of Jefferson’s opponents argued that he owed his victory over Adams to the South’s inflated number of electors, due to counting slaves as partial population under the Three-Fifths Compromise.”[108] Others alleged that Jefferson securedJames Asheton Bayard‘s tie-breaking electoral vote by guaranteeing the retention of various Federalist posts in the government.[106] Jefferson disputed the allegation, and the historical record is inconclusive.[109]
The transition proceeded smoothly, marking a watershed in American history. As historian Gordon S. Wood writes, “it was one of the first popular elections in modern history that resulted in the peaceful transfer of power from one ‘party’ to another.”[106]
2.17.2002 was a very good day for a Wisconsin skater:
2002 – Wisconsin Skater Takes Gold
On this date West Allis native Chris Witty won a gold medal in speed skating’s 1000 meter at the Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. She broke the world record with a time of 1:13.82, even though she was recovering from mononucleosis. Before Witty competed in ice staking, she was a professional bicyclist. [Source: US Olympic Team]
Wednesday’s JigZone puzzle is of a shell: