"Old times there are not forgotten"
NASA's Huygens space probe landed on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. North Korea proclaimed possession of nuclear weapons. Saudi Arabia held municipal elections for the first time in its history - women were not allowed to vote. The so called BTK serial killer was arrested in Wichita, Kansas 31 years after his first murder. The United States Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional for juveniles who committed their crimes before age 18. A judge, a court reporter and a deputy sheriff were shot and killed by an escaped inmate in the Fulton County Courthouse in Alanta, Georgia. Ten students and adults were killed in a high school massacre on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota. Pope John Paul II died. He was replaced by Pope Benedict XVI. Kuwaiti women were granted the right to vote. Deep Throat of the Watergate Era was identified as W. Mark Felt, former assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A record 704 million shares of common stock were traded on the New York Stock Exchange during its first hour of trading on June 17 - 1.92 billion shares traded during the full day's session. American Lance Armstrong won a never before seventh consecutive Tour de France championship. Terrorist attacks on the London public transportation system resulted in 56 fatalities and 700 injuries. The Space Shuttle Discovery made the first launch into space since the breakup of the Space Shuttle Columbia 2 1/2 years previous. Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the Gulf Coast in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, all but wiping the City of New Orleans off the map when the levees broke - more than 1,836 fatalities. New Orleans lower ninth ward re-flooded when Hurricane Rita struck the following month. The largest United Nations World Summit to date was held in New York City. Worldwide protests against the Iraq War included 150,000 protesters in Washington, D.C. John G. Roberts was confirmed and sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States following the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. The first tiral of Saddam Hussein convened in Bagdad, Iraq. The Chicago White-Sox swept the Houston Astros four games to none to win their first World Series Championship since 1917. It was the first World Series appearance for the Astros. Belguim, the Netherlands, Spain and South Africa recognized same-sex marriages. A North Carolina inmate became the 1,000th execution in the United States following the return of capital punishment in 1976. The U.S. death toll in the invasion and occupation of Iraq surpassed 2,000 military personnel - U.S. Army desertions amounted to 2,543 for the year. One second, called a leap second was added at the close of the year.
New book titles: The Broker, Honeymoon, The Rising, No Place Like Home, True Believer, 4th of July, The Closers, The Mermaid Chair, The Historian, Eleven On Top, Lifeguard, Chill Factor, Point Blank, Polar Shift, Anansi Boys, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, The Lincoln Lawyer, Knife of Dreams, At First Sight, Predator, A Feast For Crows, Mary, Mary and "S" Is For Silence.
At the movies: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, War of the Worlds (2005), King Kong (2005), Wedding Crashers, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman Begins, Madagascar and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
On stage: Spamalot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Light in the Piazza, Doubt, Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Glengarry Glen Ross, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Pillowman, Gem of the Ocean, Pacific Overtures, The Rivals, 700 Sundays, Back with a Vengeance!, Democracy, Laugh Whore, Reckless and Sight Unseen.
Emmy Awards: James Spader for Boston Legal, Patricia Arquette for Medium, William Shatner for Boston Legal, Blythe Danner for Huff and Deadwood for best drama series.
January 1
West Virginia University lost to Florida State University by the score of 30-18 in the Gator Bowl, played in Jacksonville, Florida.
January 17
Classmate Phillip Rex Munsey died in Daytona Beach, Florida. We are left without details of Phil's life as an adult or his death.
June 13
Classmate James Curtis Francisco's path on Earth ended at the Charleston Area Medical Center. He had been diagnosed with cancer the previous fall. J.C. had been employed as a sales representative for two food companies before becoming a tavern keeper. He eventually purchased his own establishment in Stanaford known as J.C.'s Club. Eulogized by Dr. George Arnold as the most popular boy in our class, J.C. left behind a wife and one son.
August 15
Classmate Howard McRay Campbell died in Forest Hill. "Sonny" as he was known, worked as an electrician in building construction. He was survived by his wife, one daughter and one son.
August 23
Former U.S. Army private Jessica Lynch began classes at West Virginia University utilizing a full scholarship honoring her military service.
August 18
Classmate Linda Carroll Lawson-Riffe-Clark died in Rockdale County, Georgia. Linda was one of the original Honey Dancers when the outdoor drama Honey in the Rock opened at Grandview State Park. Educated in Library Science, Linda devoted most of her working life to animal care and control leadership. Linda was survived by her husband and two daughters.
September 22
Classmate Sharon Jeanette Goodman-Cassity died in Beckley following a long illness. Sharon was survived by her husband and one daughter.
December 3
Classmate Mainard Franklin Hicks died in Grafton, Ohio. After serving in the United States Army, Mainard worked in sales, including becoming the sales manager for redio station WOBL in Oberlin, Ohio. He spent his last 12 working years owning and operating his own Insurance Agency. Mainard left a wife, one daughter and two sons.
December 4
Classmate Janet Elouise Bennett-Grecco died at Pinecrest Hospital in Beckley. Janet had been a long time employee in the trust department of the Raleigh County Bank. Janet was survived by one daughter and one son.