Historic news in 2009 touched lives in Tyler County
As 2009 winds down we note the many historic happenings in the U.S. and the world which peaked our interest and sometimes touched our own lives here in Tyler County:
Most likely the biggest historic event taking place during MMIX took place on Jan. 20, Inauguaration Day when Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th and first Africian-American President of the United States. George W. Bush left Washington, D.C. for his home in Texas as a private citizen. Joe Biden, the United States Senator from Delaware was sworn in as Vice President, the first Delawarean and first Roman Catholic to become Vice President.
New York Senator, Hilary Clinton, was confired as Secretary of State by the United States Senate on Jan. 21.
On Feb 1, 2009 Super Bowl XLIII (43) was played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 to achieve the win. Pittsburgh receiver, Santonio Holmes, was named the Super Bowl MVP.
The Taliban released a video on Feb. 8 of Polish geologist Piotr Staczak, whom they had abducted a few months earlier, being beheaded. It was the first killing of a Western hostage in Pakistan since American journalist Daniel Pearl was executed in 2002.
NASA’s Kepler Mission, a space photometer which will search for extrasolar planets in the Milky Way galaxy, was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida on March 7.
The second G-20 summit, involving state leaders rather than the usual finance ministers, met on April 2 in London. Its main focus was the ongoing global financial crisis.
On April 24 the World Health Organization expressed concern at the spread of influenza from Mexico and the United States to other countries. International cases and resulting deaths are confirmed.
The Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup defeating the Detroit Red Wings four games to three.
On June 11 the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza strain, commonly referred to as “swine flu”, was deemed a global pandemic, becoming the first condition since the Hong Kong flu of 19671968 to receive this designation.
The death of American entertainer Michael Jackson on June 25 triggers an outpouring of worldwide grief. Online, reactions to the event cripple several major websites and services, as the abundance of people accessing the web addresses pushes internet traffic to potentially unprecedented and historic levels.
The Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Orlando Magic four games to one to win the 2009 NBA Championship. The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant is named Finals MVP.
A public memorial service is held for musician Michael Jackson on July 7. It is regarded as one of the most prominent funerals of all time.
On Aug. 4 North Korean leader Kim Jong-il pardons two American journalists, who had been arrested and imprisoned for illegal entry earlier in the year, after former U.S. President Bill Clinton meets with Kim in North Korea.
United State Senator Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy, from Massachusetts died of brain cancer on Aug. 25. At the time of h is death, Kennedy was the second most senior member of the Senate, after President pro tempore Robert Byrd of West Virginia.
At the G-20 Pittsburgh summit on Sept. 25, world leaders announce that the G-20 will assume greater leverage over the global economy, replacing the role of the G-8, in an effort to prevent another financial crisis like that in 2008.
At the end of Oct./Nov. The New York Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies four games to two to win their 27th World Series championship. The Yankees Hideki Matsui is named World Series Most Valuable Player.
Nov. 13 Having analyzed the data from the LCROSS lunar impact, NASA announces that it has found a “significant” quantity of water in the Moon’s Cabeus crater
Jimmie Johnson became the first driver ever to win four consecutive Cup Series titles on Nov. 22 in the Sprint Cup Series championship.