Today is Monday, June 5, the 156th day of 2017. There are 209 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On June 5, 1967, war erupted in the Middle East as Israel, anticipating a possible attack by its Arab neighbors, launched a series of pre-emptive airfield strikes that destroyed nearly the entire Egyptian air force; Syria, Jordan and Iraq immediately entered the conflict. (By the time fighting ended on the sixth day, Israel had captured the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.)
On this date:
In 1794, Congress passed the Neutrality Act, which prohibited Americans from taking part in any military action against a country that was at peace with the United States.
In 1884, Civil War hero Gen. William T. Sherman refused the Republican presidential nomination, saying, “I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected.”
In 1917, about 10 million American men between the ages of 21 and 31 began registering for the draft in World War I.
In 1933, the United States went off the gold standard.
In 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall gave a speech at Harvard University in which he outlined an aid program for Europe that came to be known as The Marshall Plan.
In 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Henderson v. United States, struck down racially segregated railroad dining cars.
In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated after claiming victory in California’s Democratic presidential primary; gunman Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was arrested.
In 1976, 14 people were killed when the Teton Dam in Idaho burst.
In 1986, a federal jury in Baltimore convicted Ronald W. Pelton of selling secrets to the Soviet Union. (Pelton was sentenced to three life prison terms plus ten years.)
In 1997, former CIA officer Harold J. Nicholson was sentenced to 23 1/2 years in prison for selling defense secrets to Russia after the Cold War.
In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her Salt Lake City home. (Smart was found alive by police in a Salt Lake suburb in March 2003; her kidnappers, Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, are serving prison sentences.)
In 2004, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, died in Los Angeles at age 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Ten years ago: Vice President Dick Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, was sentenced to 2ฝ years in prison for lying and obstructing an investigation into the exposure of CIA operative Valerie Plame. (President George W. Bush later commuted the sentence.) A fourth suspect in an alleged plot to destroy New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport surrendered to police in Trinidad.
Five years ago: Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker beat back a recall challenge, winning both the right to finish his term and a voter endorsement of his strategy to curb state spending. Jury selection began in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in the trial of Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant football coach charged with child sexual abuse. (Sandusky was later convicted of 45 counts and sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.) Science-fiction author Ray Bradbury, 91, died in Los Angeles.
One year ago: Hillary Clinton overwhelmed Bernie Sanders in Puerto Rico’s Democratic presidential primary, putting her within striking distance of capturing her party’s nomination. David Gilkey, a veteran news photographer and video editor for National Public Radio, and an Afghan journalist (Zabihullah Tamanna) were killed in an insurgent ambush while on assignment. Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) became the first man in nearly a half-century to win four consecutive major championships and finally earned an elusive French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, beating Andy Murray 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. Army reservist Deshauna Barber from the District of Columbia was crowned Miss USA at the pageant in Las Vegas.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor-singer Bill Hayes is 92. Broadcast journalist Bill Moyers is 83. Former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark is 78. Author Margaret Drabble is 78. Country singer Don Reid (The Statler Brothers) is 72. Rock musician Freddie Stone (AKA Freddie Stewart) (Sly and the Family Stone) is 70. Rock singer Laurie Anderson is 70. Country singer Gail Davies is 69. Author Ken Follett is 68. Financial guru Suze Orman is 66. Rock musician Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) is 65. Jazz musician Peter Erskine is 63. Jazz musician Kenny G is 61. Rock singer Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs) is 61. Actress Beth Hall is 59. Actor Jeff Garlin is 55. Actress Karen Sillas is 54. Actor Ron Livingston is 50. Singer Brian McKnight is 48. Rock musician Claus Norreen (Aqua) is 47. Actor Mark Wahlberg is 46. Actor Chad Allen is 43. Rock musician P-Nut (311) is 43. Actress Navi Rawat (RO’-waht) is 40. Actress Liza Weil is 40. Rock musician Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) is 38. Rock musician Seb Lefebvre (Simple Plan) is 36. Actress Chelsey Crisp (TV: “Fresh Off the Boat”) is 34. Actress Amanda Crew is 31. Actress Sophie Lowe is 27.
Thought for Today: “A lie has no leg, but a scandal has wings.” — Thomas Fuller, English clergyman (1608-1661).
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