Today In History: Great Smoky Mountains National Park established
Today is Sunday, June 15, the 166th day of 2025. There are 199 days left in the year. This is Father's Day.
Today in history:
On June 15, 1934, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the United States, was established by Congress.
Also on this date:
In 1215, England's King John placed his seal on Magna Carta ('the Great Charter'), which curtailed the absolute power of the monarchy.
In 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to appoint George Washington head of the Continental Army.
In 1864, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton signed an order establishing a military burial ground which became Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
In 1895, a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake struck the coast of northeastern Japan with waves reaching a height of 125 feet, killing more than 22,000 people.
In 1904, more than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat PS General Slocum in New York's East River; it remained the deadliest individual event in the New York area until 9/11.
In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an act making the National Guard part of the U.S. Army in the event of war or national emergency.
In 1938, Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds became the only baseball pitcher to toss two consecutive no-hitters, leading the Reds to a 6-0 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers in the first night game at Ebbets Field, four days after no-hitting the Boston Bees by a score of 3-0.
In 1991, Mount Pinatubo in the northern Philippines exploded in one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions of the 20th century, killing more than 800 people.
In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court, with a 6-3 vote in its Bostock v. Clayton County decision, ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment.
Today's Birthdays: Baseball Hall of Famer Billy Williams is 87. Former MLB player and manager Dusty Baker is 76. Actor Simon Callow is 76. Singer Russell Hitchcock (Air Supply) is 76. Chinese President Xi Jinping is 72. Actor-comedian Jim Belushi is 71. Actor Julie Hagerty is 70. Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs is 67. Actor Helen Hunt is 62. Actor Courteney Cox is 61. Rapper-actor Ice Cube is 56. Actor Leah Remini is 55. Actor Neil Patrick Harris is 52. Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Madison Kocian is 28.
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Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Thankful for my dad's failings this Father's Day
The last Father's Day I got to spend with my dad was 17 years ago. I watched Tiger Woods contend for his third U.S. Open Championship, sitting in the family room with the man who taught me how to play golf when I was ten years old. It was a special day. My dad died less than five months later. As this Father's Day approaches, I find myself in a reflective mood thinking about the things my dad did and didn't do. The more I reflect, the more I find myself focusing on his failings. My dad failed when it came to not influencing me to believe in God. While some dads believe they should leave the choice of faith up to their kids, my father was convinced it was his responsibility to pass on to his children their need of a Savior. As Dad and I watched the 2008 Summer Olympics, we groaned in unison as the U.S. men's 4x100 meter relay team dropped the baton and failed to qualify for the finals. My father contrasted the dropped baton to what happens in a family when parents fail to pass on spiritual faith to their progeny. My dad failed to put time with my brother and me ahead of time with our mom. His relationship with his wife always came first. But, I didn't mind. I loved seeing my parents' love grow. It gave me a sense of security. In the process of prioritizing his marriage, my dad showed me by personal example how to remain true to one's wedding vows and invest in a growing romance. My dad failed at keeping his promises. On more than one occasion when I was misbehaving, he promised that he would renege on taking me to a special event on which I had my young heart set. But, when I showed a repentant heart and asked for forgiveness, he failed at following through on his declared discipline. His willingness to give me grace provided me a picture of my Heavenly Father's love. My dad failed to brag about what he did in World War II. As part of the 'Greatest Generation,' he kept quiet about his life as a Marine. The sacrifices he made and the horrors he witnessed were not to be trivialized by casual conversation. His service to his Uncle Sam was not viewed as heroic. He saw it as his grateful duty. Only near the end of his life did he share aspects of his experiences he wanted his family to know. My dad failed to keep the name he was given at birth. While he was humble when it came to his contribution to protect our freedoms in combat, my father was quite proud of his Greek ancestry. Although he understood why his immigrant father had taken an American name (Smith) upon becoming a citizen, Dad didn't want his Greek name to be lost forever. In 1969 he petitioned the courts to take Asimakoupoulos back. I will forever be grateful for that action. My dad failed to model the popular notion that claims grown men don't cry. I saw my dad shed a tear on multiple occasions. A tender heart beat within his Semper Fi physique. His willingness to show his emotions gave me permission to acknowledge my feelings without fear for what other would think. My dad failed getting me to join him and my brother in the family business. Fortunately, my father was aware of my call to pastoral ministry. He could tell that my gifts would not be best utilized in property management and maintenance. Affirming my skill set, he released me to follow my heart even though it meant I would live at a distance from my folks. It meant a great deal to me that he celebrated my calling. As you can clearly see, I had a failure for a father. But I'm hardly sorry. I hope that my kids will come to the same conclusion about me one day when I am gone. Pastor Greg Asimakoupoulos is a retired minister and chaplain and a descendant of one of the founding families in Poulsbo. He writes an occasional column for the Kitsap Sun. This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Remembering my dad's failings on Father's Day | Opinion
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Five soulful recipes to make for Juneteenth
Growing up, my family didn't celebrate Juneteenth. But when I think back on our summer gatherings — usually kicked off on Father's Day weekend and lasting through Labor Day — the spirit of the holiday feels ever-present. Juneteenth, also known as Liberation Day and Emancipation Day, celebrates the end of slavery in America. A portmanteau of the words 'June' and 'nineteenth,' the holiday marks June 19, 1865, the day that Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform all enslaved people within the state, estimated to be 25,000, that President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation had freed them, nearly 2 ½ years after the order was given. The first Juneteenth celebrations were recorded in Texas the following year, and eventually spread across the South, Midwest, to both coasts and in pockets of northern Mexico. Treated as an Independence Day that acknowledges the lived reality of African Americans who were still enslaved on July 4, 1776, festivities involved church services, picnics, fish fries, barbecues and even beauty pageants. Though Juneteenth stands out as the longest-running African American holiday, it wasn't until 2021 that it was federally recognized and its history more widely shared. 'Homecoming, church picnics, fish fries — they all share the same music, food and cadence as Juneteenth,' said Nicole Taylor, author of 'Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations,' the first Juneteenth cookbook released by a major publishing house. And as I began to celebrate Juneteenth more formally, I realized that the essence of the holiday had long been present at my family gatherings. A tradition I've adopted is the sharing of red-colored foods such as watermelon, fried chicken and fish, and red velvet cake. There are different theories around the significance of eating red foods on Juneteenth. Some believe that early celebrants simply worked with easily accessible and in-season ingredients that happened to be red: watermelon, strawberries, beans and fried or smoked meats. Others say that it honors the bloodshed and suffering of enslaved ancestors. 'Growing up, the pews in my church were red. All of the women that I admired, they were members of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and their color was red. There was so much red around me, and it always meant power,' Taylor said in an interview. 'Even going back to West Africa, the transatlantic slave trade brought the ritual of drinking sorrel, or what some people would call hibiscus. For Black people across the diaspora, that ritual has been with us forever. It's inside of us,' Taylor said. And Juneteenth celebrations don't have to be limited to just one day. 'Anytime you're intentional about not working, about turning your phone off and playing music — you're bringing the Juneteenth spirit,' Taylor said. Whether you decide to make these red-colored recipes this week or later in the summer, as long as you do so with an air of relaxation and contentment, you're honoring this holiday that's rooted in freedom. Eating out this week? Sign up for Tasting Notes to get our restaurant experts' insights and off-the-cuff takes on where they're dining right now. This simple dessert from Taylor's 'Watermelon & Red Birds' cookbook involves lighting a whiskey, tangerine and cherry sauce on fire and pouring it over honey vanilla ice cream. Dating back to Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in the late 1800s, Taylor recommends using Bing, sour or Rainier cherry varieties for the boozy the recipe. Cook time: 20 minutes. Serves 4. One of the star dishes from the dinner menu at now-closed Post & Beam, this fried jerked catfish is perfect for Juneteenth picnics. Feel free to use frozen, thawed fillets if you can't find fresh ones and plan to marinate them for two to four hours before the recipe. Cook time: 1 hour. Serves 8 to 10. This recipe from former cooking columnist Ben Mims adds red miso to barbecue sauce for a burst of umami that counteracts the sweetness of ketchup and honey. The sauce can be made up to five days in advance and refrigerated until you're ready to use the recipe. Cook time: 45 minutes. Serves 4 to 6. Chef Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill, Socalo and Alice B. says the trick to making these ribs is 'planning and patience.' They require 24 hours of curing with a dry rub and you'll have to turn them often when you roast and glaze them on the barbecue, but the end result is an addictive main course for your next summer the recipe. Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus overnight curing time, makes 1 rack of ribs. This nonalcoholic drink is from actor-turned-restaurateur Danny Trejo, who's been sober for over 50 years. Ripe strawberries get a kick thanks to charred red bell pepper, which you can throw on the grill or straight on the burner of your stove to release its smoky sweet flavors. Get the recipe. Cook time: 50 minutes. Serves 4.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Dads can get paid time for Father's Day
With Father's Day just around the corner, DECKED is launching something special: the Dad Time Off (DTO) campaign. It's a chance for working dads across the U.S. to take a day off, on the house, and create some much-needed memories with their kids. Here's how it works: anyone can nominate a dad (or dads) who deserves a break from the grind. DECKED will select 100 lucky dads and reimburse a day's worth of lost wages, giving them a guilt-free opportunity to spend time with family. This campaign comes with eye-opening data from a survey of over 1,000 dads. The results? Many fathers are struggling to balance work and family life. A few key findings: 65% of dads have missed important moments with their kids due to work commitments. 43% feel financial stress when taking time off. 60% agree that more PTO or flexible hours would make it easier for their kids to be present. DECKED is stepping up to help dads reclaim their time this Father's Day. Nominate a dad today! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
