Autism is defined as a complex developmental disorder distinguished by difficulties with social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and behavioral problems, including repetitive behaviors and a narrow focus of interest. It was initially a very specific diagnosis but by the year 2000, it was determined that autism affects people on a wide range or spectrum. Symptoms or behaviors associated with autism vary greatly from one individual to another making diagnosing and treatment very challenging.
Collins Dictionary of Medicine
January 1
“Happy New Year!” The ball drops in Times Square and the world does not end. Kim and I kiss as do people around the world or at least in our time zone. There’s lots of confetti and celebrating and then a toast or two. Afterward, it’s sleep and then back to the grind.
January 3
The first Monday of the next millennium the Joseph Kavanagh Company is off to a busy start. Not just a busy start but a warm one. We have quite a few copper tubes to bend which must first be annealed. We have three orders for u bends for Eddy and Stambaugh and one heat exchanger to retube for Mercy Medical Center. These add up to about 170 tubes to be annealed with a torch. That’s a lot of tubes so I grab a snapper torch and do some of them myself. The winter is the best time to have such jobs. The burning propane fights off the cold and makes our work much more tolerable.
January 22
I am happy to be indoors on this cold Saturday. The Baltimore area received about an inch or so of snow on Thursday and it’s blowing around outside but none is falling. I’m spending the morning with my boy watching Super Retrovision Saturdaze. I always tell Kim to sleep in on these days while I keep Joe entertained. We watch old cartoons and kids’ shows from my childhood and we play with blocks or cars. Joe is toddling around more on his own and saying a few words now. As we had heard, sometimes the first child is slow to do these things. He’s always a happy boy and we have a great time together. The rest of the day is spent as a family with the three of us happily inside avoiding the cold. Besides our time together, my mind is on the Shop. The place never really leaves my thoughts. I know I have some calls to make on Monday. I have orders ready for two of my favorite customers, Codd Fabricators and R and R Fabrication.
January 30
The St. Louis Rams defeat the Tennessee Titans 23-16 to win the Super Bowl. I watch at home playing with my son. We are getting more winter weather with a mix of snow and ice falling outside my window. I’m focused on my boy. I go over the basic rules of football with him always making it clear to him. Baseball is a better game. Joe’s a sweet boy and every second I can spend with him is fun. He smiles and laughs a lot when we play. He’s still more interested in watching me play with cars and blocks then doing it himself but I think that will change soon enough. He definitely enjoys knocking over the blocks I pile up. That’s his favorite.
February 8
It’s a chilly Tuesday at the corner of Pratt and Central. We’re working on some bent pipes for Turnbull Enterprises and a few other items. The year is off to a busy start and that’s a good thing. Today I receive a fax from Tom Brown at Universal Metal Products. He needs a price on some work but also leaves a nice note on it, hoping Kim and I had a nice holiday. Kim knew Tom from when she worked at Seaboard Steel. It’s always nice when people remember the person and not just the job. I make a point to mention it to Kim when I get home.
February 11
Another week is finished at the Joseph Kavanagh Company. A light rain falls and it has been a cold week but the crew were kept busy with some sign work for Triangle Sign and the usual suspects of our local fabrication customers. We also completed some sculptural parts for Jann Rosen-Queralt. Jann teaches at the Maryland Institute College for the Arts and I’ve known her for years. We’ve done work for her occasionally as we do for other members of the faculty and students. The sculpture work can be challenging but it’s always interesting. The main issue is understanding the artist’s concept and finding the best way to help achieve their vision within the realistic parameters of our skills, our machines and the material itself.
February 22
Today we are bending some pipes for a skate park. This is a new one on me. We’ve never done this sort of thing before but it’s still just rolling and bending pipe so we’ll be good. I’m always surprised to find another industry that requires bent or curved metal.
February 29
It is Leap Day at 201 S. Central Avenue, the extra day we get every four years. Sadly, it’s a Tuesday and not a Saturday so Kavanagh’s and crew are busy processing orders and completing jobs. We finish some sculptural parts for Chas Colburn at Chalco Metal Works, a recurring 1” pipe bending job for Turnbull Enterprises and two aluminum tubes for the Naval Academy which I have no idea how they will be used. That’s often how it goes. Sometimes I have no idea. We just bend it.
March 10
This Friday I’m sitting at my desk in the upstairs office of the Shop and giving some thought to next week’s schedule, but mostly I’m anxiously waiting to go home. It has been a long and busy week. We finished a fountain job for Fountaincraft, some set work for the movie Blair Witch 2, and St. Agnes Hospital needed a replacement set of gaskets for a heat exchanger. We made the exchanger and evidently they lost the gaskets. That’s unusual. The Blair Witch 2 pipes will be used as a large bay window in the film. I remember seeing the original Blair Witch in the theater. The handheld cameras and constant motion gave me a headache but it was a fun movie. Kim liked it more than I but she’s more into horror and creepy things then I am. I told her we were doing work for the sequel and we plan on seeing this one too.
March 14
Today an order is picked up for the Kreeger Museum which is a modern art museum in Washington, D.C. We rolled some pipes for Sam Holmes who is a local artist/sculptor. We’ve worked with Sam a couple times and these parts will be used as guards or some form of protection around exhibits. We also complete a few rings for Bill Powell. He’s a designer and is working on a large coil whose application I do not know. Very typical at the Shop.
March 23
Spring is finally here but you can’t tell it by working in the Shop. It’s still the chilly icebox it can often be. The cold lingers in the building especially on a foggy dreary day like today. The boys knocked out a wide range of jobs this week. The most interesting is probably a set of rods rolled into rings for John Ruppert. John is an art teacher at the University of Maryland and also a sculptor. We have worked for him a few times in the past. He uses these rings as a top and bottom for his sculptures. The shape is made from mesh which he contours as he needs and attaches to the rings. It has something to do with negative space or some such thing.
April 3
The Orioles host the Cleveland Indians on Opening Day in Baltimore but lose 4-1. It rains off and on through the day but they get the game in. Bartolo Colon out duels Mike Mussina. I watch from home after we close a little early because of the Birds. You can’t win them all. That’s true even on Opening Day but I’m still confident the team will have a good year. We’re not that far removed from 1997’s Eastern Division title. We’ll have to see how the season plays out.
April 12
I’m standing in the front of the Shop staring out at Central Avenue. The big garage door is open and I watch the traffic go by. I’m amused by a new customer. We have a job for Company X and I can’t help but love that name. I have no idea what they do but we’re bending some pipes for them and in my mind, I assume they are a group of secret agents or something. I expect to call Boris or Natasha on the phone but that’s not how it is. I smile then walk to the back of the building and hand out job cards to a couple of the boys. We’ve stayed steady to busy so far this year and I’m hoping for more of the same.
April 15
Saturday night I’m home watching the Orioles play the Twins in Minnesota. Cal Ripken Jr. hits three singles and joins the 3000 hit club. He becomes only the 7th player to have 3000 hits and over 400 home runs. He’s greeted at first by coach and former teammate Eddie Murray who happens to be one of the other 7. I’m excited to see it and happy for Cal and all his fans. It’s a big number and is very much the cherry-on-the-top of a great career. I’m also happy the Birds win this game 6-4 and move one game above .500. It’s not a great start to the season but I’ll take it.
April 20
Today one of my favorite customers comes in to pick up some parts. Bob Machovec is a sculptor and welder. I’ve known Bob almost since the day I started at the Shop. He worked for his Dad as did I so we had that in common to start. Plus, he’s a guitarist. He’s picking up some rings for table tops. He makes furniture and sculpts, often using found objects. He’s talented but mostly he’s my friend. It’s always good when he visits.
April 21
The Washington Capitals are eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the first round and to add insult to injury, it is the Pittsburgh Penguins who beat them. The Caps were the # 2 seed in the Eastern Conference but it makes no difference and we are out of the playoffs early. It’s another bitter defeat at the hands of the Penguins. Jack takes it in stride again but I know he’s getting tired of these Pittsburgh/DC match ups.
April 26
Today is mostly a truck day at the Shop. A truck day is a day when the bulk of the time, the crew are loading or unloading trucks. It’s usually a bit of bad luck when five or more trucks pull in at nearly the same time but sometimes it’s due to one large load. That’s the case today as we have another big order of playground equipment ready for Playworld Systems. In merely two years, Playworld has become a very reliable customer with often big jobs for us. I hope it continues but in our game, you never really know how long this kind of run will last.
May 3
Some set pieces for the John Waters’ film Cecil B. Demented are picked up today by One Line Productions. I always love doing work for movies and television shows. It certainly makes the day a bit more interesting. When John Waters or Barry Levinson make a movie, it’s pretty common for us to get some set work from it. I know a lot of the production folks even if the name of the company is different. I know the people and they know me so we usually get something. This has been a busy week and will continue that way as we have a good mix of work including a job for the City of Bowie Water Plant to finish in the next two days.
May 30
Today is the Tuesday after Memorial Day and we are back to work on Central Avenue. This is the unofficial start to summer for many folks and we’re no different at the Shop. This is when the heat really kicks in and sweaty days are ahead. It’s also one of the markers in the baseball season. Unfortunately, May was not kind to the Orioles and they’ve dropped below .500 again. Let’s hope June is better. The crew bangs out jobs for Anderson Industrial Contracting, Codd Fabricators and Structural Steel Fabricators who are all long term local customers.
June 14
It is Hump Day meaning we are smack dab in the middle of the week. The Shop has finished a couple of jobs for Gable Signs and Graphics. This is a large sign company and when we get orders from Gable, they are usually pretty big jobs. I call and let them know they can pick up. A few other items are finished today as well. I look forward to getting home. It’s Kim’s birthday and we are going to the Boulevard Diner for dinner. The diner is close to home in Dundalk and we love the food. This will be Little Joe’s first trip. I’m sure he’ll like it.
June 28
During the 9 am coffee break, Jack and I are talking to the crew about the Orioles. They are in Boston and though they won last night, they are mired in 4th place and 12 games under .500. I’m starting to think this may not be a successful season for the Birds. They don’t look like a playoff team. Jack and the guys in our crew agree with me. We can only hope the Orioles will get super hot after the All-Star break. Anything is possible. Soon, the crew are back at it and I’m on the phone quoting some more work and not thinking about baseball.
July 4
It is a Tuesday and Independence Day. My family and I spend the day with my in-laws, Anthony and Linda. There are burgers, hot dogs and much more to eat. We watch an afternoon ballgame between the Orioles and the Yankees in New York. Our Birds win but not until after the Yanks storm back in the 9th inning, scoring 3 runs. We hold on to win 7-6 but are still stuck in 4th place. In the evening, Woodall Street offers a great view of the fireworks downtown and we watch with neighbors and Kim’s family. It’s a fun day. Joe loves it though the fireworks are a bit loud for him. We drive home and my mind is on the Shop. We have a lot to finish up this week including some channels for Anchor Fence, some u bends for Eddy and Stambaugh and a bent tube for furniture and architectural designer Eric Gronning.
July 19
It’s a very rainy day at the corner of Pratt and Central. It pours all day which does cool the place off. Next month we take our week’s vacation so late July is always a busy time. Today a very large order for Anchor Fence is picked up and jobs for R and R Fabrication, Anderson Contracting and J.C. Pardo are finished.
July 28
As we get closer and closer to August, the crew are pounding out work. No one wants anything to threaten our vacation. A particularly big Bengies job is finished. It’s heavy structural stuff and loading the truck takes over an hour but it gets it out of here. We also have several sets of u bends for Eddy and Stambaugh, another fountain job and a few others. Everyone is focused on that week off work coming up.
August 4
Vacation begins after pickups for Belsinger Sign and Codd and a set of tubes are shipped to Maxatrax Systems. Just after lunch, a thunderstorm hits and breaks up some of the humidity which I appreciate. At the end of the day, employees and owners alike are thrilled to walk out the door and drive home. On Friday, that week off looks like an eternity. Of course, by Wednesday of next week, it will feel like it flew by.
August 16
We have returned to the Shop and are back to work. There’s some grousing about it but mostly everyone catches up on how the week went. The consensus every year is it was too short and went too fast. I suspect this thinking is not unique to the Joseph Kavanagh Company. We have a full slate of work to deal with and the boys start on jobs for Fabritek, Capital Exhibit Services and several others.
August 30
The end of August means the end of the “dog days” of summer and it’s good riddance from me. I’ve never been a fan of hot weather but it’s insufferable at the Shop. As if to emphasize this coming to an end, it rains all day. I look forward to the cool fall approaching as I sit in the office writing out delivery tickets for Blair, Inc. and several other customers.
September 3
I’m watching from Charlesmont Road as the Baltimore Ravens begin their fifth season in the NFL by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-0 on the road. In years past, the Baltimore Colts had a strong rivalry with the Steelers. The Pirates beat the Orioles twice in the World Series which is something I can never forget. I was at Game 7 in 1979, in fact. In hockey, our Capitals have a constant rivalry with the Penguins and now, the same intensity is developing between these two football teams. I don’t quite know what it is between Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Anyway, it’s always good to start with a win but a win in Pittsburgh is even sweeter.
September 15
The Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia begin on this Friday night. Kim and I are excited to watch. We’ve found we both share a love for and an interest in the Games. I am also going over the Shop’s week in my head. We finished some set work for Center Stage and an oddball aluminum tube job for Oceaneering, a big company which seems to specialize in Naval work. Kim encourages me to forget about work and enjoy the Opening Ceremonies which are always elaborate and a great way to start the Games. For the next two weeks after work, it’s what’s on the television, unless the Birds or Caps are on and then I flip. We watch as much as we can. I find myself interested in some new events and sports each time the Olympics are held. I suppose that’s part of the goal besides the sense of global unity and humanity. That’s all good stuff too.
September 29
Friday is here and we’ve reached the end of another week of work. I’m ready to rush home and watch the last weekend of the Olympics with Kim. The more we watch the more we seem to like it. The crew spent time today on some pipes for U.S. Aluminate, tubes for Maxatrax and a couple of other orders for our regulars. A few minutes before 4 p.m., we head out the door and it’s the weekend.
October 1
The Orioles season comes to an end with a win over the Yankees but we finish 74-88. The Birds miss the playoffs yet again but I knew that weeks ago. It became painfully obvious through the summer. A rebuild of the team seems in order. This evening the Summer Olympics ends with a large closing ceremony. As they open the games by marching in as countries, they end them by marching in as one group. The idea of the Olympics is the notion of sport uniting the world and focusing on our similarities for a chance and not our differences. I like the idea even if it’s only for two weeks every other year. The Olympics say goodbye to Australia and prepare for the next Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2002. Kim and I do the same. We’ll be watching.
October 2
It is my Joe’s 3rd Birthday and we celebrate but with a decidedly smaller affair than his first two years. We take him to Friendly’s Ice Cream Parlor and eat burgers and ice cream. He gives it the thumbs up so he must like it. One of Joe’s habits is the thumbs up as a sign of approval. We’ll spend this upcoming Saturday at my in-laws and they will have their opportunity to spoil the birthday boy.
October 6
The Washington Capitals open their season at home against the Los Angeles Kings. LA wins 4-1 but the Kavanagh’s are big fans and we are undaunted. Jack and the rest of us keep the hope alive for a successful season, a long playoff run and some day, the Cup itself.
October 13
Another week comes to an end and we’ve slowed down a bit as far as the volume of work goes. That’s not always a bad thing. We are able to catch up on some cleaning, organizing our tools and putting stock material on racks. Shop work is what we call that and it does need to be done. Brief lulls in jobs give us time to do these things. As long as we have some work to do and the lull isn’t too long. In addition to our Shop work, jobs are finished for Codd Fabricators and R and R Fabrication.
October 21
It’s a very exciting day for the Kavanagh’s. My parent’s first grandchild is getting married. Maura Kavanagh O’Neill is marrying Sean Deeley. Maura is my sister Nancy’s daughter and she’s only ten years younger than I am. For a few months when she was three or so, all of them lived with us on Lakewood Avenue. I was thirteen or fourteen and Maura and I would watch cartoons together especially the Super Friends. Maura is a big Wonder Woman fan. I know her parents, Jim and Nancy, are very proud of her and my Mom and Dad are just as thrilled. Kim, Joe and I drive to St. Joseph’s Monastery for the ceremony then on to Overhills Mansion for the party. The place is packed as Sean comes from a big family as well. The food is good and a good time is had by all. My Joe looks around in wonderment for most of the party. He has fun but this is very new to him. For my part, I’m very happy for Maura or Murray as I called her when we were both younger. She’s a good person and has her head on straight. In addition, I am very impressed by her husband. To get married in the year 2000? This man will never have to guess how many years he’s been married. He’s clearly brilliant and one step ahead of most husbands out there. I tip my cap to him.
October 26
The New York Yankees beat the New York Mets to win the World Series in five games. It is the first “Subway Series” with both AL and NL Champions from New York since the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. I never want to see the Yanks win a championship but it happens. I’m also disappointed in the Birds season but that also happens.
October 31
It’s a Tuesday and also Halloween so I am anxious to get home and celebrate with Joe and Kim. The Shop bangs out a couple of orders for Playworld Systems and a sign job for Belsinger. We also finish another job for a skate park ramp. This is the second one this year so maybe we’ll do more of these. Once I’m home and it’s dark enough, I take Joe trick or treating. It’s a first for me and I enjoy it. Joe doesn’t seem to grasp the concept yet but he does understand candy. Kim is a big Halloween fan which is the opposite of me. When I was a kid, we really didn’t do much on this day. Kim decorated the house well and the number of trick or treaters must be in the hundreds. Our neighborhood is very much kid friendly on this day.
November 7
Today is Election Day and per my tradition since 1988, I vote for myself. I do so with very little confidence I’ll win but as has always been the case, neither candidate, George W. Bush or Al Gore, appeals to me. The strangest part of this election is when I go to bed, the winner is not determined. When I wake up tomorrow, it still will not be determined. It’s a close race and comes down to Florida. Florida will take some time to recount dangling chads and other things. It’s a head scratcher for me. Apparently, Florida election protocols are lacking.
November 21
I’m sitting at my desk filling out delivery tickets. We have pick ups today for Codd Fabricators and Miscellaneous Metals. I’m distracted though because Kim took Joe to our pediatrician this week and the doctor recommended he be evaluated for some developmental delays. The doctor was quite calm but did seem concerned. We have noticed Joe was slow to talk and walk but chalked it up to being a first child. Kim has made an appointment for this evaluation on December 1. We’re sure it won’t be anything major but we will do as the doctor says. If there is some issue, then we’ll know and deal with it.
November 23
Thanksgiving is here and we spend the day with Kim’s family. This is my favorite holiday. Family, food and now football are the focus of the day. We feast on turkey, dressing and more while I alone partake of some parsnips. The long standing tradition of Kavanagh’s eating parsnips on Thanksgiving is continued even if it’s just me at our dinner. I enjoy watching some football with my father-in-law. I must admit my enthusiasm for the sport has increased with the return of the NFL to Baltimore even more so this season, as the Ravens are playing well. Their defense is stifling and keeps them in every game. We’re coming off a 27-0 shut out of the Cowboys and stand 8-4 at this point. A run to the playoffs is very possible.
November 26
It’s a Sunday night and I am doing something I used to do all the time. I’m at a concert with my friends, Tim Heaps, Ray French and Dave Muelberger. We drove up to Philadelphia to see King Crimson at the Theatre of Living Arts. Before my marriage, I attended concerts and shows all the time but not so much anymore. I had to make an exception to see Crimson, a band I admire and have wanted to see for years. I’ve had the good fortune to meet the two guitarists, Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew. My friends and I shared a beer with Belew at Max’s on Broadway one night and I spent four days in 1988 learning from Fripp and his League of Crafty Guitarists. The show is incredible but the ride home seems longer than I expected. When I get home, I’m very tired. I may still be a rocker but I am definitely getting older.
December 1
Kim and I are very nervous because Joe will be evaluated today for his apparent behavioral delays. We take him to Battle Monument School and he spends almost an hour playing with a specialist/therapist. Afterward, we meet and talk. She diagnoses Joe with autism. She tells us he will need some speech therapy, play therapy and a few other things. They don’t really know what his limitations may be at this time. It’s a long process and she is confident Joe being diagnosed early is a good thing. We listen more than we talk but tell her we’ll do whatever it takes. When we leave, Kim and I sit in the front seat of our car with Joe in the back in a car seat. Quickly, we’re both crying and I have never felt so lost in my life. We hold each other and promise to get Joe the help that will make the difference. Still deep inside, I think we know this is a serious and possibly life-altering thing. For his part, Joe glances from Kim to me from the backseat. I suppose he can’t sort out why we’re upset or crying. I look at him and I see the same smiling happy boy. From this day forward though, everything is different. Everything and every thing.
December 2
Today is a Saturday and I spend it with Kim and Joe. We’re still reeling from the news but we’re trying to absorb it all. Kim called her parents last night to tell them and they were absolutely great about it. They will be as loving and supportive as we expected. Today I call my parents in Ocean City and tell my Mom about Joe’s diagnosis. He has autism and we know it’s a serious thing but not much else.
Her reply is pretty simple. “It won’t matter, Joe. No matter what his issues or challenges are, they won’t matter. We’ll still love him just the same. No matter what. That’s all that matters. The Love. The rest of it? Well, we’ll figure it out.”
“You’re right. You are right.” I reply as her words sink in. “He’s my boy and that’s what’s most important and always will be.”
“That’s it. That’s right. Now, we’re all going to learn about autism. We’re going to learn all we can and it’s going to be fine. One way or another. I’m sure of it.” Mom’s voice through the phone was every bit as honest and caring as in person. I know she’s right and I feel comforted as if she were here in the room with me.
I take a breath then answer. “Yes, Mom. We’ll learn. We’ll learn and we’ll get Joe whatever help he needs. Whatever has to be done, will be done.”
“That’s right, my darlin’. Don’t worry. Joe will be fine. Now you get some rest and I’m going to the library and the book store tomorrow to get some books about this. I’ll let you know what I find.” Mom reassures me then says goodbye and I do the same.
I tell Kim about the call and she agrees. Mom’s right. The love is what matters. Tomorrow my mother will find several books to buy and send to us. The learning and the work begins.
December 7
The Shop is already in end of the year rush mode. We have a little over two weeks until we shut down between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s always a bit of a mad month. Today we ship out two more big orders for Playworld Systems, a job for Arundel Recycling Center and several others.
December 13
The US Supreme Court halted a recount in Florida yesterday and this extra inning election is finally over. Al Gore concedes today and George W. Bush is declared President-Elect of the United States. The whole thing seemed ridiculous to me with debates about whether a dangling chad nullifies a vote or not but at least we now have a President-Elect.
December 22
The last working day of the year is here and our enthusiasm is boundless. It even snows. The sidewalk is lightly dusted by mid-morning. It puts everyone in more of a Christmas mood. Both Miscellaneous Metals and R and R Fabrication have multiple orders to pickup. Once those trucks are loaded, it’s the holidays and we leave.
December 25
Christmas comes to Woodall Street and we celebrate with my in-laws. Their front room is crammed with gifts and most of them are toys for Joe. Kim’s grandmother and her brother Paul and his wife Fran join us. It’s a joyous occasion and not at all tempered by Joe’s diagnosis. It’s on our minds and we will get used to it always being on our minds but we focus on the holiday and each other. Joe entertains us and we entertain him. This is what parenting is about and pretty much what family is about.
December 31
As the year comes to an end, there is playoff football in Baltimore this New Year’s Eve. This is the first NFL playoff appearance for our City since the Colts in 1977. The Ravens host the Denver Broncos and win handily 21-3. It’s onward to Tennessee to meet the Titans in the next round of the playoffs. Ravens mania is reaching a fever pitch. After the game, Kim and I prepare for a quiet New Year’s Eve with our boy. This year has been good at the Shop but not so good on the personal side. The Shop had a strong year and we did quite a bit of the fun stuff, sculptural and film work and even two skate parks. The stuff that makes the job more interesting. After the autism diagnosis, we are learning all we can about autism, reading everything we find about it. We’re hoping Joe will be fine. His development is delayed but with services and help, he can grow and catch up to the other kids. At least that is our hope. There is so much we do not know. He’s our boy and that will never change. He’s our Joe and we love him. He’s quiet and smiling most of the time, so unaware of this problem that will try and try to define him. One of the few things we are sure of is, it won’t.
Bill Clinton is the President of the United States. George W. Bush is President-Elect. America Online purchases Time Warner for 162 Billion Dollars in what is the largest corporate merger ever. The United States 2000 Census sets American population over 281 million. Microsoft releases Windows 2000. The International Space Station receives its first crew of astronauts. The final Peanuts Comic is published after the death of creator Charles M. Schulz. Hillary Clinton becomes the first First Lady to hold public office when she’s elected to the Senate from New York. After 128 years in business, Montgomery Ward closes. The films “X-Men,” “the Patriot” and “Gladiator” are released. “Dora the Explorer” and Clifford the Big Red Dog” premier on television. Walter Matthau, “Screamin’ Jay” Hawkins, Steve Allen, Nancy Marchand and Bob Lemon die.
There are 50 states in the Union.
To read prior years, click on the Table of Contents link below:
The Shop - A History of the Joseph Kavanagh Company 