"Old times there are not forgotten"
The population of the United States reached 300 million according to a Census Bureau projection. Samuel Alito was worn in as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. United Airlines emerged from bankruptcy after the longest such filing in history. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter entered Mars orbit. The United States struck its two remaining battleships, the U.S.S. Iowa and U.S.S. Wisconsin from the Naval Vessel Register, bringing the age of the battleship to an end. Japan defeated Cuba in the first World Baseball Classic held in San Diego, California. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was removed from office in Israel after spending four months in a coma. Massive anti-war demonstrations in New York marked the end of the third year of combat in Iraq. President Fidel Castro of Cuba temporarily relinquished power to his brother Raúl prior to surgery. Mass protests followed a lecture by Pope Benedict XVI in Germany in which he quoted a criticism of the Islam faith. Spinach contaminated with E-coli killed one person and poisoned 100 more in 20 of the United States. Merger of the WB and UPN television operations created the WB Television network. North Korea claimed successful completion of its first nuclear test. The United Nations agreed to sanction North Korea for the testing and development. The last Ford Tarus was assembled in Atlanta, Georgia. Saddam Hussein and two of his senior associates were sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. He was hanged in Bagdad. Robert Gates replaced Donald Rumsfeld as United States Secretary of Defense. Hawaii banned the smoking of tobacco products in all enclosed public buildings. Microsoft released its Vista operating system for personal computers. The first night launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery took place at the Kennedy Space Center. The U.S. death toll in the invasion and occupation of Iraq reached 3,000 military personnel - U.S. Army desertions amounted to 3,196 for the year.
New book titles: The Hostage, Cell, The 5th Horseman, The House, Gone, Two Little Girls In Blue, Beach Road, At Risk, The Husband, Twelve Sharp, Angles Fall, Phantom, Judge and Jury, Rise and Shine, The Book of Fate, The Thirteenth Tale, For More Than One Day, Lisey's Story, Dear John, and Cross.
At the movies: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Night at the Museum, Cars, X-Men: the Last Stand, The Da Vinci Code, Superman Returns, Happy Feet, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Casino Royale and The Pursuit of Happiness.
On stage: The History Boys, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Rabbit Hole, Shining City, The Color People, The Drowsy Chaperone, Jersey Boys, The Wedding Singer, The Woman in White, Awake and Sing!, The Constant Wife, Edward Albee's Seascape, The Pajama Game, Sweeney Todd, The Threepenny Opera, Faith Healer, Souvenir, Well and Three Days of Rain, Bridge and Tunnel.
Emmy Awards: Kiefer Sutherland for 24, Marsiska Hargitay for Law & Order, Alan Alda for The West Wing, Blythe Danner for Huff, and 24 for best drama series.
January 2
West Virginia University defeated the University of Georgia by a score of 38-35 at the 72nd Sugar Bowl. Due to damage from Hurricane Katrina, the came was played in Atlanta, Georgia instead of the bowl's New Orleans, Louisana home.
January 2
A mine explosion at the Sago Mine near Buckhannon, West Virginia took the lives of 12 coal miners reminding us that mining coal is still a dangerous business. Randal McCloy Jr. became a household name after surviving 41 hours in a carbon monoxide filled chamber surrounded by his deceased co-workers.
September 9
Classmate John Gray Pruett died in Ocala, Florida following a short bout with cancer. John took a job with the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Beckley upon graduation from Woodrow in 1958. He was in the advertising department putting up signs and such. He moved to Florida in 1960, found employment at an A&P grocery store and stayed on - rising to store manager. John purchased his own super market in Dunnellon, Florida in 1982. He sold the store in 1992 and entered retirement. John left a wife and at least one child, a son.
September 12
Classmate Delmer Ray Worley died in Amelia, Virginia, where he resided. We are left without details of his adult life or his death except he was survived by his wife and one son. Another son preceded Delmer in death.
September 17
Classmate William Stewart (Bill) Harsanyi died in Ocala, Florida. We are left without details of his adult life or his death.
December 12
The world premier of the movie We Are Marshall took place at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center in Huntington, West Virginia.