Chicago (Fox news) – Demolition reportedly began Tuesday on the Chicago
apartment building where President Ronald Reagan lived briefly as a child.

Chicago’s DNAInfo.com website said crews from Heneghan Wrecking Co.
began tearing down the Hyde Park building at 832 E. 57th St., where the
40th U.S. president lived from ages 2 to 3 with his parents on the first floor 
in 1914 and 1915. 

The University of Chicago purchased the building in 2004 as part of an effort
to buy all residential property immediately north of the hospital. It plans to
install a plaque at the site to commemorate Washington’s connection.

Preservationists had tried to save the building, the website reports, but those
efforts were unsuccessful. The university said it had no immediate plans to
build on the property.

“In the short term, the site will be part of a construction staging area, to be
used for the new Center for Care and Discovery Hospital and for construction
of a new parking garage for the medical center,” university officials said in a
statement.

Despite persistent rumors, university officials have repeatedly said the site
will not be used for a Barack Obama presidential library.

Ronald Reagan, (with “Dutch” haircut) Neil Reagan, and
parents Jack and Nelle Reagan. Family Christmas card
around 1916-17.

President Ronald Reagan

 
Dr. Martin Cooper, one of the inventors of the first cell phone

NEW YORK (AP) — A cell phone was first used exactly 40 years ago.

On April 3, 1973, the first handheld portable phone was demonstrated
for reporters by Motorola executive Martin Cooper (pictured) on a New
York City street corner.

Cooper contacted Joel S. Engel, of Bell Labs, using a Motorola device
that looked like "a small, domesticated version of military walkie-talkies,"
according to an Associated Press report at the time.

The device weighed just under three pounds. The iPhone 5 weighs just
under 4 ounces. 

 
The Motorola DynaTAC and a current Samsung Galaxy S3.

Singer Doris Day (Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff) began her career as a big
band singer in 1939. Her popularity began to rise after her first hit single, "Sentimental Journey", in 1945.

Day has since retired from acting and performing, but has continued her
work in animal rights causes and animal welfare. She currently lives in
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

.

Jim and Jane Henson in the 1950s 

            Jane Henson (Nebel; June 16, 1934 – April 2, 2013)

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Jim Henson Co. says Henson’s partner in
marriage and Muppets has died.

The company says Jane Henson died Tuesday at her Connecticut
home following a battle with cancer.

She and Jim Henson met in a University of Maryland puppetry class
in the mid-1950s, and they became creative and business partners
in the development of the Muppets.

The Henson’s married in 1959 and had five children: Lisa, Cheryl,
Brian, John and Heather. The pair separated in 1986, and Jim
Henson died in 1990.

In 1992, Jane Henson created and funded The Jim Henson Legacy
to preserve his artistic contributions.

A memorial Mass is planned next week.

Jane and Jim with a member of the Muppet family

Sandy Kozel