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Today in History: EPA bans use of pesticide DDT

Today in History: EPA bans use of pesticide DDT

Chicago Tribune14-06-2025
Today is Saturday, June 14, the 165th day of 2025. There are 200 days left in the year. This is Flag Day.
Today in history:
On June 14, 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered a ban on domestic use of the pesticide DDT, to take effect at year's end.
Also on this date:
In 1775, the Continental Army, forerunner of the United States Army, was created by the Second Continental Congress.
In 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the design of the first 'stars and stripes' American flag.
In 1846, a group of U.S. settlers in Sonoma proclaimed the breakaway state of the California Republic, declaring independence from Mexico.
In 1919, British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown embarked on the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1940, German troops entered Paris during World War II; the same day, the Nazis transported their first prisoners to the Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.
In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, ruled 6-3 that public school students could not be forced to salute the flag of the United States or recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill adding the phrase 'under God' to the Pledge of Allegiance.
In 1982, Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.
In 1993, President Bill Clinton announced his nomination of Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 2005, Michelle Wie, 15, became the first female player to qualify for an adult male U.S. Golf Association championship, tying for first place in a 36-hole U.S. Amateur Public Links sectional qualifying tournament.
In 2017, fire ripped through the 24-story Grenfell Tower residential building in West London, killing 72 people.
In 2018, a Justice Department watchdog report on the FBI's handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe criticized the FBI and its former director, James Comey, but did not find evidence that political bias tainted the investigation.
Today's Birthdays: Actor Marla Gibbs is 94. U.S. President Donald Trump is 79. Olympic speed skating gold medalist Eric Heiden is 67. Jazz musician Marcus Miller is 66. Singer Boy George is 64. Tennis Hall of Famer Steffi Graf is 56. Classical pianist Lang Lang is 43. Actor J.R. Martinez is 42. Actor Lucy Hale is 36. Actor Daryl Sabara is 33. Rapper Gunna is 32.
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What to know about Fourth of July holiday origins and traditions

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What to know about Fourth of July holiday origins and traditions

St. Louis -- The Fourth of July is Americana at its core: parades and cookouts and cold beer and, of course, fireworks. Those pyrotechnics also make it an especially dangerous holiday, typically resulting in more than 10,000 trips to the emergency room. Yet fireworks remain at the center of Independence Day, a holiday 247 years in the making. Here are five things to know about July Fourth, including the origin of the holiday and how fireworks became part of the tradition. The holiday celebrates the Second Continental Congress' unanimous adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, a document announcing the colonies' separation from Great Britain. One year later, according to the Library of Congress, a spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia marked the anniversary of American independence. But across the burgeoning nation, observations didn't become commonplace until after the War of 1812. It quickly took off: The Library of Congress notes that major historic events in the 19th century, such as groundbreaking ceremonies for the Erie Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, were scheduled to coincide with Fourth of July festivities. The display of pyrotechnics has been a big part of Independence Day from the outset. Founding Father John Adams saw it coming. Commemoration of America's independence 'ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more,' Adams wrote in a letter to his wife, Abigail, dated July 3, 1776. Fireworks were around centuries before America became a nation. The American Pyrotechnics Association says many historians believe fireworks were first developed in the second century B.C. in ancient China by throwing bamboo stalks into fires, causing explosions as the hollow air pockets overheated. By the 15th century, fireworks were widely used for religious festivals and public entertainment in Europe and early U.S. settlers carried on those traditions, the association said. Presidents from George Washington to Donald Trump have celebrated the nation's birth on the Fourth of July, with one exception: Adams. His letter to his wife aside, Adams refused to celebrate the holiday on July 4 because he felt July 2 was the real Independence Day. Why? It was on July 2, 1776, that the Continental Congress voted in favor of the resolution for independence, though the Declaration of Independence wasn't formally adopted until two days later. Adams was so adamant that he turned down invitations to festivals and other events, even while serving as the nation's second president. Ironically, Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, both died on the 50th anniversary of the document's formal adoption, July 4, 1826. Consumer sales of fireworks have grown rapidly over the past two decades. Statistics from the American Pyrotechnics Association show that in 2000, American consumers spent $407 million on fireworks. By 2024, that figure rose to $2.2 billion. The biggest jump came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public fireworks displays were shut down. Consumer sales jumped from $1 billion in 2019 to $1.9 billion in 2020. The cost of fireworks could soar if the trade war between the U.S. and China continues — most aerial shells, paper rockets and sparkly fountains that transfix the eyes of Americans every Fourth of July are imported from China. A 90-day pause on Trump's hefty tariffs on Chinese imports brought some temporary relief, but industry experts are uncertain as they watch for an agreement. Despite widespread education efforts, thousands of Americans are badly injured by fireworks each year. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that in 2024, 11 deaths were blamed on fireworks, up 38% from 2023. An estimated 1,700 people were treated at emergency rooms for sparkler-related injuries and 14,7000 people were injured from fireworks — a 52% increase compared to 2023. Burns were the most common injury. People hurt their hands and fingers most often, and head, face and ear injuries were frequent, too. For those planning to shoot off fireworks, experts urge finding a flat, hard, level surface away from structures and other things that could catch fire. The person responsible for the fireworks should avoid alcohol. Children should never ignite them. Experts have also encouraged having a bucket or hose nearby in case of fire or explosion. Shoot off one at a time and walk away quickly after igniting, she said, and never relight or handle a malfunctioned firework. When done, shovel up the remains and soak them before disposing.

What to know about Fourth of July holiday origins and traditions
What to know about Fourth of July holiday origins and traditions

San Francisco Chronicle​

time5 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

What to know about Fourth of July holiday origins and traditions

St. Louis (AP) — The Fourth of July is Americana at its core: parades and cookouts and cold beer and, of course, fireworks. Those pyrotechnics also make it an especially dangerous holiday, typically resulting in more than 10,000 trips to the emergency room. Yet fireworks remain at the center of Independence Day, a holiday 247 years in the making. Here are five things to know about July Fourth, including the origin of the holiday and how fireworks became part of the tradition. WHAT'S THE ORIGIN OF INDEPENDENCE DAY? The holiday celebrates the Second Continental Congress' unanimous adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, a document announcing the colonies' separation from Great Britain. One year later, according to the Library of Congress, a spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia marked the anniversary of American independence. But across the burgeoning nation, observations didn't become commonplace until after the War of 1812. It quickly took off: The Library of Congress notes that major historic events in the 19th century, such as groundbreaking ceremonies for the Erie Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, were scheduled to coincide with Fourth of July festivities. HOW DID FIREWORKS BECAME A JULY FOURTH TRADITION? The display of pyrotechnics has been a big part of Independence Day from the outset. Founding Father John Adams saw it coming. Commemoration of America's independence 'ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more,' Adams wrote in a letter to his wife, Abigail, dated July 3, 1776. Fireworks were around centuries before America became a nation. The American Pyrotechnics Association says many historians believe fireworks were first developed in the second century B.C. in ancient China by throwing bamboo stalks into fires, causing explosions as the hollow air pockets overheated. By the 15th century, fireworks were widely used for religious festivals and public entertainment in Europe and early U.S. settlers carried on those traditions, the association said. HAS A PRESIDENT EVER REFUSED TO CELEBRATE? Presidents from George Washington to Donald Trump have celebrated the nation's birth on the Fourth of July, with one exception: Adams. His letter to his wife aside, Adams refused to celebrate the holiday on July 4 because he felt July 2 was the real Independence Day. Why? It was on July 2, 1776, that the Continental Congress voted in favor of the resolution for independence, though the Declaration of Independence wasn't formally adopted until two days later. Adams was so adamant that he turned down invitations to festivals and other events, even while serving as the nation's second president. Ironically, Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, both died on the 50th anniversary of the document's formal adoption, July 4, 1826. HOW POPULAR ARE FIREWORKS? Consumer sales of fireworks have grown rapidly over the past two decades. Statistics from the American Pyrotechnics Association show that in 2000, American consumers spent $407 million on fireworks. By 2024, that figure rose to $2.2 billion. The biggest jump came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public fireworks displays were shut down. Consumer sales jumped from $1 billion in 2019 to $1.9 billion in 2020. The cost of fireworks could soar if the trade war between the U.S. and China continues — most aerial shells, paper rockets and sparkly fountains that transfix the eyes of Americans every Fourth of July are imported from China. A 90-day pause on Trump's hefty tariffs on Chinese imports brought some temporary relief, but industry experts are uncertain as they watch for an agreement. ARE FIREWORKS DANGEROUS? Despite widespread education efforts, thousands of Americans are badly injured by fireworks each year. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that in 2024, 11 deaths were blamed on fireworks, up 38% from 2023. An estimated 1,700 people were treated at emergency rooms for sparkler-related injuries and 14,7000 people were injured from fireworks — a 52% increase compared to 2023. Burns were the most common injury. People hurt their hands and fingers most often, and head, face and ear injuries were frequent, too. For those planning to shoot off fireworks, experts urge finding a flat, hard, level surface away from structures and other things that could catch fire. The person responsible for the fireworks should avoid alcohol. Children should never ignite them. Experts have also encouraged having a bucket or hose nearby in case of fire or explosion. Shoot off one at a time and walk away quickly after igniting, she said, and never relight or handle a malfunctioned firework. When done, shovel up the remains and soak them before disposing.

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