“Pages of history” features excerpts from The News Journal archives including the Wilmington Morning News, The Evening Journal and the Journal – Every Evening.
Jan. 1, 2000, The News Journal
2000: World rejoices; Y2K bug quiet
It was a celebration unlike any other. All over the world and throughout the state, from hour to frantic expectant hour, the arrival of 2000 swept across the planet.
There were parties everywhere – a frenzy of confetti, music and dancing to the backdrop of laser shows and fireworks – amid fears of terrorism and worldwide cyber chaos.
In Delaware, thousands of revelers took to the streets, taking in the sights and sounds of a society celebrating the arrival of a new era. They celebrated in Rodney Square with a mass wedding for almost 200 couples just before midnight, followed by fireworks, and they rejoiced in downtown Dover and along the beaches in Rehoboth….
In New York City, more than 1 million people braved warnings of terrorism to cheer the flashing, glittering crystal ball that dropped in Times Square to usher the United States into 2000….
The celebrations took place with few signs of the computer failures that for years threatened to wreak havoc with every aspect of daily life….
Recent First State news:Wegmans, Boot Barn, hotels: 10 businesses and developments that opened in Delaware in 2022
Jan. 2, 1959, Journal – Every Evening
Rebel troops enter Havana; truckloads of Castro fighters roll into capital
Advance spearheads of Fidel Castro’s revolutionary forces entered the city of Havana today.
Truckloads of bearded guerrilla fighters rolled in over the main central highway from the eastern provinces of Matanzas and Las Villas, and sped along the Malecón Sea Boulevard toward the former military headquarters of deposed President Fulgencio Batista at Camp Columbia.
As the Castro forces advanced, Cuba’s 6,300,000 war-weary people had two provisional presidents. Neither occupied the chair vacated by the dictator Batista, who fled in the darkness in the early morning New Year’s Day.
The streets of Havana were tense and alive with expectation. The triumphant Castro partisans, who had seemed to emerge armed from nowhere yesterday to take over control of the capital, kept a tight lid on the situation to prevent pent-up public emotion from creating a chaotic situation.
Youthful, bearded Castro early today proclaimed ex-judge Manuel Urrutia of Oriente Province as provisional president of the republic with his temporary government in Castro’s native Santiago de Cuba. Castro apparently intends to move the government to Havana….
Jan. 3, 1923, The Evening Journal
Governor for more lawmakers from Wilmington
Gov. William D. Denney this morning read his biennial message to members of the Legislature assembled in joint session, and submitted the customary reports of state departments and commissions….
Gov. Denney came out unqualifiedly for increased representation for Wilmington in the Legislature. He said it was an “admitted right,” because of the population of Wilmington and the importance of the city….
“Taxation without representation is one of the things the city of Wilmington justly complains of,” says the governor.
He urges an amendment in the Constitution that will give Wilmington at least four more Representatives and two additional Senators….
More measles and influenza cases reported
The number of contagious diseases in Wilmington has increased during the past 24 hours, with 19 new cases being reported to the Board of Health….
The cases are as follows: measles, 70; influenza, 34; scarlet fever, 31; chickenpox, 23; whooping cough, 15; diphtheria, 3; total, 186.
Catch up on history:The News Journal archives, week of Feb. 27
Jan. 5, 2007, The News Journal
Bush officials have given up on Iraq war, Biden charges
Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Thursday he believes top officials in the Bush administration have privately concluded they have lost Iraq and are simply trying to postpone disaster so the next president will “be the guy landing helicopters inside the Green Zone, taking people off the roof,” in a chaotic withdrawal reminiscent of Vietnam.
“I have reached the tentative conclusion that a significant portion of this administration, maybe even including the vice president, believes Iraq is lost,” Biden said. “They have no answer to deal with how badly they have screwed it up. I am not being facetious now. Therefore, the best thing to do is keep it from totally collapsing on your watch and hand it off to the next guy – literally, not figuratively.”
Biden made the comments as he outlined an ambitious agenda for the committee, including holding four weeks of hearings focused on every aspect of U.S. policy in Iraq….
Pelosi makes U.S. history as first woman Speaker of the House
Surrounded by children as well as cheering lawmakers, Nancy Pelosi marveled aloud at her long journey “from the kitchen to the Congress.”
Six times a grandmother, now second in line to the presidency, Pelosi said her ascension to become the first female House speaker in history was the culmination of 200 years of struggle for women as well as a personal victory.
“We have made history. Now let us make progress for the American people,” she said.
Pelosi, 66, sought to introduce herself not only as the San Francisco liberal decried by Republicans, but as Nancy D’Alesandro Pelosi, Italian-American Catholic, mother of five and native of gritty Baltimore, where her father was mayor….
Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.
