ROSS SIMPSON

President George W. Bush announced that U.S. forces had launched
a strike against "targets of military opportunity" in Iraq. The attack,
using cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs, were aimed at
Iraqi leaders thought to be near Baghdad.

On this day in 1987, Televangelist Jim Bakker, shown with wife
Tammy Faye, resigned from the PTL due to a scandal involving
model Jessica Hahn (below).

Jim Bakker turned 78 January 2.

Jessica Hahn will be 59 July 7.

The state of Nevada legalized gambling on this day in
1931.

Bob Dylan released his self-titled debut studio album on this day
in 1962. It was produced by Columbia’s legendary talent scout
John H. Hammond, who signed Dylan to the label, the album
features folk standards, plus two original compositions,
"Talkin’ New York" and "Song to Woody".

Bob Dylan (Robert Allen Zimmerman) will be 77 on May 24.

MIKE GRACIA

Bishop Patrick, St. Patrick, died on this day in 461 A.D. in the village
of Saul. Ireland celebrates this day in his honor.

St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in New York City for the first time
on this day in 1756. The event took place at the Crown and Thistle Tavern.

In a televised address to the American people on this day in 2003, President George W. Bush issued Saddam Hussein and his sons  
an ultimatum: leave the country in 48 hours or face war.

Saddam Hussein (center) poses with his sons Uday (left) and
Qusay.

Future President Franklin D. Roosevelt married Eleanor on this
day in 1905.

In order to pressure major league baseball to toughen its policy against
steroid use, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
held an 11-hour hearing on March 17, 2005, during which seven former
and current baseball players are questioned. In response to Rep. Henry
A. Waxman’s accusation that all the players must have known about
steroid use in the club houses, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro offered
denials, Jose Canseco provided confirmation without a doubt and Curt
Schilling was on the fence.

SANDY KOZEL

In a Cambridge University laboratory on this day in 1953, scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick discovered the double-
helix structure of DNA.

On this day in 1993, U.S. Federal agents raided the compound of an armed religious cult in Waco, TX. The ATF had planned to arrest
the leader of the Branch Davidians, David Koresh, on federal
firearms charges. Four agents and six Davidians were killed and
a 51-day standoff followed.      

Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated in Stockholm
on this day in 1986. He was 59.

Blood on a street in downtown Stockholm, Sweden, after the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme.

Album released on this day in 1983. It became groups first number-
one album in the UK.

U2

(Fox News) – Archaeologists in Israel say that they have found
a clay seal mark that may bear the signature of the Biblical
Prophet Isaiah.

The 2,700-year-old stamped clay artifact was found during an
excavation at the foot of the southern wall of Jerusalem’s
Temple Mount. In ancient times a seal stamp, or bulla, was
used to authenticate documents or items. 

A painting of the Prophet Isaiah.

William Franklin Graham Jr.  (November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018)

Billy Graham, who transformed American religious life through his preaching
and activism, becoming a counselor to presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, died Wednesday. He was 99.