Good morning.

Whitewater has a beautiful Sunday ahead, with sunny skies, a high of eighty-three, and light winds from the northwest at 5 to 10 m.p.h. Sunrise was at 5:16 a.m., and sunset will be at 8:36 p.m. The Moon is in its first quarter.

Today in 1884, a first for America:

On this day in 1884, the first roller coaster in America opens at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. Known as a switchback railway, it was the brainchild of LaMarcus Thompson, traveled approximately six miles per hour and cost a nickel to ride. The new entertainment was an instant success and by the turn of the century there were hundreds of roller coasters around the country.

In Wisconsin history, on this day in 1845,

First [Superficially] Free Public School Opened in Wisconsin
On this date the first free public school in Wisconsin was opened in Southport (now Kenosha). Michael Frank, a member of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature, introduced bills authorizing the establishment of a Wisconsin public school system in 1843, 1844, and 1845. These attempts were failures so Frank sponsored a bill authorizing Southport to establish a public school supported by property tax dollars. [Source: Wisconsin Mosaic]

Good morning.

Saturday brings a day of scattered showers and a high of seventy-eight to Whitewater.

On this day in 1215, King John affixes his seal:

Following a revolt by the English nobility against his rule, King John puts his royal seal on the Magna Carta, or “Great Charter.” The document, essentially a peace treaty between John and his barons, guaranteed that the king would respect feudal rights and privileges, uphold the freedom of the church, and maintain the nation’s laws. Although more a reactionary than a progressive document in its day, the Magna Carta was seen as a cornerstone in the development of democratic England by later generations.

Here’s a link to the text as it remains in force to this day, from the United Kingdom’s legislative website, a service of the British government’s National Archives.

He’s used up one life, but he has eight left — cat survives boa constrictor (with help):

On this date in 1832, The Black Hawk War gets a new commander:

1832 – General Winfield Scott Ordered to Assume Command in Black Hawk War

On this date General Winfield Scott was ordered by President Andrew Jackson to take command at the frontier of the Black Hawk War. Scott was to succeed General Henry Atkinson, thought to be unable to end the war quickly. General Scott moved rapidly to recruit troops and obtain equipment for his army. However, while in New York, the troops were exposed to an Asiatic cholera. Just outside of Buffalo, the first cases on the ships were reported and death often followed infection.

By the time the ships reached Chicago, the number of soldiers had dropped dramatically from 800 to 150, due to disease and desertion. Rather than going on to the front, Scott remained with his troops in Chicago, giving Atkinson a brief reprieve. [Source: Along the Black Hawk Trail, by William F. Stark, p. 90-91]

Good morning.

It’s a beautiful end to the week, with mostly sunny skies, and a high near 75.

On this day in 1777, Congress chooses a flag for the new nation:

During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress adopts a resolution stating that “the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white” and that “the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” The national flag, which became known as the “Stars and Stripes,” was based on the “Grand Union” flag, a banner carried by the Continental Army in 1776 that also consisted of 13 red and white stripes….

On June 14, 1877, the first Flag Day observance was held on the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes. As instructed by Congress, the U.S. flag was flown from all public buildings across the country. In the years after the first Flag Day, several states continued to observe the anniversary, and in 1949 Congress officially designated June 14 as Flag Day, a national day of observance.

Puzzablity has a new weekly theme for June 10-14: “Paternity Test
There’s a bit of a generation gap this Father’s Day week. Each day’s clue is a series of words, each with one letter replaced by a dash. Fill in the missing letters one way to get the first (or only) name of a famous father, real or fictional, then fill them in another way to get the name of a child of his.”

Example:
ADO-E / HO-SEFLY / PA-PER / CHE-K / CHE-RY
Answer:
ADOBE HORSEFLY PAUPER CHECK CHEERY
ADORE HOUSEFLY PAMPER CHEEK CHERRY
Bruce & Rumer (Willis)

Here’s June 14th’s puzzle, the final one in the current series:

RE-ORDING / S-RED / SWE-TER / F-AGRANT / ENTIT-ES / M-SSAGE / WHI-PERING

Good morning.

It’s a mostly sunny Thursday with a high of seventy-four ahead for Whitewater. Sunrise was at 5:16 a.m., sunset will be at 8:35 a.m., and the Moon is a waxing crescent with 22% of its visible disk illuminated.

On 6.13.1966, the U.S. Supreme Court hands down the Miranda decision:

On this day in 1966, the Supreme Court hands down its decision in Miranda v. Arizona, establishing the principle that all criminal suspects must be advised of their rights before interrogation. Now considered standard police procedure, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can, and will, be used against you in court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you,” has been heard so many times in television and film dramas that it has become almost cliche.

On 6.13.1923,

1923 – Platteville beaten by Chicago Union Giants
On this date, Platteville’s baseball team was defeated by the Chicago Union Giants, a member of the Negro League. The team, known at this time as the Gilkerson Union Giants, toured Wisconsin and the upper midwest each summer, playing local teams from small towns. The team was so good “that beating them made the season for local teams.” [Sources: Wisconsin Stories and Negro League Baseball Players Association]

Puzzablity has a new weekly theme for June 10-14: “Paternity Test
There’s a bit of a generation gap this Father’s Day week. Each day’s clue is a series of words, each with one letter replaced by a dash. Fill in the missing letters one way to get the first (or only) name of a famous father, real or fictional, then fill them in another way to get the name of a child of his.”

Example:
ADO-E / HO-SEFLY / PA-PER / CHE-K / CHE-RY
Answer:
ADOBE HORSEFLY PAUPER CHECK CHEERY
ADORE HOUSEFLY PAMPER CHEEK CHERRY
Bruce & Rumer (Willis)

Here’s June 13th’s puzzle:

-INX / OVERT-RE / CA-TOR / CONV-CTION / UP-IGHT / -ERILY / W-ISTBAND

Good morning.

Wednesday will be a day of showers and thunderstorms in the Whippet City, with a high of seventy-nine. New rainfall will amount to between three-quarters and one inch.

On this day in 1987, Pres. Reagan challenges Soviet ruler Gorbachev:

…in one of his most famous Cold War speeches, President Ronald Reagan challenges Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin Wall, a symbol of the repressive Communist era in a divided Germany….

With the wall as a backdrop, President Reagan declared to a West Berlin crowd in 1987, “There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace.” He then called upon his Soviet counterpart: “Secretary General Gorbachev, if you seek peace–if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe–if you seek liberalization: come here, to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Reagan then went on to ask Gorbachev to undertake serious arms reduction talks with the United States.

Most listeners at the time viewed Reagan’s speech as a dramatic appeal to Gorbachev to renew negotiations on nuclear arms reductions. It was also a reminder that despite the Soviet leader’s public statements about a new relationship with the West, the U.S. wanted to see action taken to lessen Cold War tensions. Happily for Berliners, though, the speech also foreshadowed events to come: Two years later, on November 9, 1989, joyful East and West Germans did break down the infamous barrier between East and West Berlin. Germany was officially reunited on October 3, 1990.

On June 12th 1899, a devastating tornado in Wisconsin:

On this date the worst tornado disaster in Wisconsin history occured. The storm virtually leveled New Richmond on the day the Gollmar Brothers Circus came to town. At the time, New Richmond was a prosperous town of 2500 people and one of the most scenic places in Wisconsin. On the day of the storm, the streets were filled with residents and tourists waiting for the afternoon circus parade. Shortly after the circus ended, the tornado passed through the very center of town, completely leveling buildings. Over 300 buildings were damaged or destroyed. Massive amounts of flying debris resulted in multiple deaths in at least 26 different families. In all, the storm claimed 117 lives and caused 150 injuries. [Source: National Weather Service]

Puzzablity has a new weekly theme for June 10-14: “Paternity Test
There’s a bit of a generation gap this Father’s Day week. Each day’s clue is a series of words, each with one letter replaced by a dash. Fill in the missing letters one way to get the first (or only) name of a famous father, real or fictional, then fill them in another way to get the name of a child of his.”

Example:
ADO-E / HO-SEFLY / PA-PER / CHE-K / CHE-RY
Answer:
ADOBE HORSEFLY PAUPER CHECK CHEERY
ADORE HOUSEFLY PAMPER CHEEK CHERRY
Bruce & Rumer (Willis)

Here’s June 12th’s puzzle:

YO-EL / CONF-RM / SHRI-K / CLE-TS / SPI-L / ENCO-E