NEWS: 2000

As 2000 begins, it's clear and 30 degrees F at Baltimore's weather station (at BWI Airport). The wind is calm.

This is Y2K Day, when the last two digits of the year reset to 00 from 99. Although there are a few minor glitches in computer systems worldwide, there are no major computer crashes or other problems associated with the Y2K changeover.

It's the start of the International Year of Thanksgiving, and the International Year for the Culture of Peace, as proclaimed by the United Nations.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Clear, then variably cloudy; High temp. 46 F; Low temp. 24 F; Precipitation: None.  No snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then partly cloudy, then cloudy, High temp. 48 F, Low temp. 21 F, Precip.: None.

Catonsville weather: Partly cloudy, High temp. 66 F, Low temp. 35 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Cloudy, then partly cloudy, then mostly cloudy; breezy in the afternoon; High temp. 68 F; Low temp. 35 F; Precipitation: None.

The final first-run daily "Peanuts" comic strip is published. It runs in about 2,600 newspapers. ("Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz retired from producing the strips; he died on February 12, 2000.)

The high temperature in Baltimore reaches 68 degrees F, which is the record-highest temperature in Baltimore for any January 3rd since recordkeeping began in 1871.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, High temp. 68  F, Low temp. 51 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Mostly cloudy, then cloudy with light rain, then mostly cloudy; High temp. 68 F; Low temp. 56 F; Precipitation: Trace.

The high temperature in Baltimore reaches 70 degrees F, a tie for the highest temperature recorded in Baltimore on any January 4th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871. This high temperature ties the 70 F that was recorded in Baltimore on January 4, 1950.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then rain from mid-afternoon through evening, High temp. 68 F, Low temp. 50 F, Precip.: 0.64 inch.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Mostly cloudy, then cloudy; rain (heavy at times) mid-afternoon through late evening; breezy/windy much of the day (35-mph gust at 9:54 am); High temp. 70 F; Low temp. 46 F; Precipitation: 1.22 inches.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then sunny, windy, High temp. 38 F, Low temp. 28 F, Precip.: None

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Cloudy, becoming clear; breezy/windy until late afternoon (30-mph gust at 8:54 am); High temp. 46 F; Low temp. 27 F; Precipitation: None.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, High temp. 42 F, Low temp. 18 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Clear; High temp. 47 F; Low temp. 22 F; Precipitation: None.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then partly cloudy, High temp. 50 F, Low temp. 24 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Clear, then mostly cloudy, then clear, then mostly cloudy, then clear; breezy/windy from late morning to late afternoon (29-mph gust at 12:54 pm); High temp. 53 F; Low temp. 24 F; Precipitation: None.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then cloudy, High temp. 44 F, Low temp. 18 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Clear, then cloudy; High temp. 44 F; Low temp. 22 F; Precipitation: None.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then light rain shower in afternoon, High temp. 46 F, Low temp. 34 F, Precip.: 0.01 inch.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Cloudy, then mostly cloudy, then cloudy with light rain; High temp. 47 F; Low temp. 36 F; Precipitation: Trace.

Catonsville weather: Rain from morning to mid-afternoon, then cloudy, High temp. 50 F, Low temp. 40 F, Precip.: 0.67 inch.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Cloudy, becoming clear; rain from morning through mid-afternoon; breezy from early afternoon onward (24-mph gust at 2:09 pm); High temp. 52 F; Low temp. 42 F; Precipitation: 0.44 inch.

Catonsville weather: Partly cloudy, windy, High temp. 55 F, Low temp. 40 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Clear, then variable cloudiness with light rain, then clear; windy/breezy form mid-morning onward (30-mph sustained wind and 47-mph gust at 10:54 am); High temp. 54 F; Low temp. 38 F; Precipitation: Trace.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then partly cloudy, then cloudy, High temp. 49 F, Low temp. 26 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Clear; then partly to mostly cloudy, then cloudy; breezy in the early morning; High temp. 50 F; Low temp. 31 F; Precipitation: None.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy with sprinkles, then mostly cloudy, windy, High temp. 55 F, Low temp. 28 F, Precip.: Trace.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Light rain; High temp. 59° F; Low temp. 28° F; Precip.: Trace.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then a few clouds, windy, High temp. 29 F, Low temp. 18 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 31° F; Low temp. 20° F; Precip.: None.

Catonsville weather: Partly cloudy to mostly cloudy, High temp. 33 F, Low temp. 13 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 34° F; Low temp. 17° F; Precip.: None.

Catonsville weather: Mostly cloudy to partly cloudy, High temp. 58 F, Low temp. 27 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 59° F; Low temp. 29° F; Precip.: None.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then partly cloudy, windy, High temp. 27 F, Low temp. 14 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 29° F; Low temp. 16° F; Precip.: None.

Catonsville weather: Partly cloudy, then cloudy, snow flurries, High temp. 18 F, Low temp. 7 F, Precip.: Trace. No snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Snow flurries; High temp. 22° F; Low temp. 11° F; Precip.: Trace (liquid).  No snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then sunny, then cloudy, High temp. 34 F, Low temp. 12 F, Precip.: None.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: A trace of snow; High temp. 38° F; Low temp. 14° F; Precip.: Trace (liquid).  No snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Snow -- 6 inches, from mid-morning through afternoon, then partly cloudy, High temp. 32 F, Low temp. 21 F, Precip.: 0.42 inch (liquid). 6 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore receives 5.7 inches of snow from a storm that lasts from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Snow (5.7 inches); High temp. 32° F; Low temp. 23° F; Precip.: 0.26 inch (liquid).  4 inches of snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then cloudy and windy, snow flurries, High temp. 22 F, Low temp. 10 F, Precip.: Trace. 6 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 23° F; Low temp. 11° F; Precip.: None.  4 inches of snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then cloudy, High temp. 23 F, Low temp. 5 F, Precip.: None. 4 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 22° F; Low temp. 9° F; Precip.: None.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy with snow flurries, High temp. 26 F, Low temp. 16 F, Precip.: Trace. 3 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Snow flurries; High temp. 28° F; Low temp. 21° F; Precip.: Trace (liquid).  3 inches of snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then mostly cloudy, High temp. 36 F, Low temp. 23 F, Precip.: None. One inch of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 39° F; Low temp. 27° F; Precip.: None.

Baltimore (BWI Airport) gets 14.9 inches of snow from a storm that begins in mid-morning and lasts the rest of the day.

BWI Airport gets 14.9 inches of snow, the greatest snowfall on one day for BWI Airport in 2000.

Catonsville weather: Snow -- 12 inches, High temp. 29 F, Low temp. 22 F, Precip.: 1.61 inches (liquid). 12 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Snow (14.9 inches); High temp. 32° F; Low temp. 24° F; Precip.: 1.04 inches (liquid).  15 inches of snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Sunny to mostly cloudy, High temp. 30 F, Low temp. 16 F, Precip.: None. 11 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 32° F; Low temp. 19° F; Precip.: None. 15 inches of snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Mostly cloudy, then sunny and windy, High temp. 24 F, Low temp. 14 F, Precip.: None. 10 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 24° F; Low temp. 11° F; Precip.: None.  12 inches of snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, High temp. 28 F, Low temp. 9 F, Precip.: None. 9 inches of snow on the ground,

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 30° F; Low temp. 9° F; Precip.: None.  11 inches of snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, High temp. 36 F, Low temp. 7 F, Precip.: None. 7 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: High temp. 37° F; Low temp. 8° F; Precip.: None.  6 inches of snow on the ground.

In Super Bowl XXXIV, the St. Louis Rams defeat the Tennessee Titans, 23 to 16. The game is played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. Kurt Warner, quarterback of the Rams, is named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player.

This year's Super Bowl is the first network telecast to be in HD (high definition). It is broadcast by ABC and has an estimated 88.5 million TV viewers. The cost of a 30-second commercial during the game is $1.9 million.

Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the Ivory Coast, shortly after takeoff from Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, Abidjan, Ivory Coast.  The crash of the Airbus A310-300 plane kills 169 of the 179 people on board.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then a mixture of freezing rain and snow, then all snow -- 3 inches of snowfall, High temp. 29 F, Low temp. 15 F, Precip.: 0.82 inch (liquid). 10 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Snow (2.5 inches) and freezing rain; High temp. 30° F; Low temp. 7° F; Precip.: 0.68 inch (liquid).  5 inches of snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Mostly cloudy, then clear late, High temp. 35 F, Low temp. 20 F, Precip.: None. 10 inches of snow on the ground.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Snow flurries; High temp. 37° F; Low temp. 23° F; Precip.: Trace (liquid).  5 inches of snow on the ground.

The total precipitation for January 2000 at BWI Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 3.64 inches, including melted snow and ice, above the normal amount of 3.08 inches. The average daily high temperature for Baltimore during January 2000 is 41.4 degrees F, below the normal of 43.2 degrees.  The average daily low temperature for Baltimore during January 2000 is 23.5 degrees F, below the normal of 25.4 degrees.  A total of 23.1 inches of snow falls at Baltimore's official weather station at BWI Airport during January 2000, well above the normal amount of 6.4 inches.

Charles M. Schulz, creator and author of the "Peanuts" comic strip, dies at his home in Santa Rosa, California at age 77. He was born on November 26, 1922, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, High temp. 34 F, Low temp. 20 F, Precip.: None. A trace of snow on the ground,

The final first-run "Peanuts" comic strip is published in Sunday newspapers.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then rain showers, High temp. 36 F, Low temp. 24 F, Precip.: 0.02 inch. No snow on the ground.

Catonsville weather: Clear, High temp. 56 F, Low temp. 27 F, Precip.: None

The total precipitation for February 2000 at BWI Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 2.01 inches, including melted snow and ice.

A triple homicide occurs in the community of Bowley's Quarters in the Baltimore suburb of Middle River, an area not accustomed to violent crime. George and Gloria Shenk, ages 49 and 50, respectively, and their neighbor, David Meyers, aged 42, are shot to death as 31-year-old Joseph Palczynski kidnaps his estranged girlfriend, Tracy Whitehead, age 22, and drives away with her in his mother's car. The Shenks had sheltered Whitehead, who had accused Palczynski of abusing her. She had recently left him and planned to move into her own apartment from her parents' house, where she had been living. (For ten days following the triple shooting, Palczynski is the subject of an intense manhunt involving every available law enforcement unit. The officers, using the latest technology and all available equipment, form barriers with roadblocks and other borders, surrounding the area where they believed Palczynski had been. On two occasions, Palczynski was able to penetrate the barriers and evade capture. It is believed that he was trying to contact longtime friend Kevin Massengill.)

Catonsville weather: Clear, then variable cloudiness, High temp. 66 F, Low temp. 27 F, Precip.: None

During the evening, Joseph Palczynski attempts to hijack a car. Jennifer Lynn McDonel (or McDonell), age 36, the pregnant mother of a 2-year-old girl, is fatally wounded from being hit by a ricochet bullet in front of her family during his unsuccessful carjacking attempt in Chase, Maryland. Palczynski later carjacks an 81-year-old woman, who is not injured. Following this incident, Palczynski takes Whitehead to the El Rich motel on Pulaski Highway. Palczynski sees McDonel's death and the carjacking reported on the news in the motel room, and realizes his guns are in the vehicle which he had just stolen, and which police are looking for. He goes outside with Whitehead to retrieve them. As they step outside, Whitehead sees a police car, which she runs to, and Palczynski flees into the nearby woods. (See March 10, 2000.)

The high temperature in Baltimore reaches 83 degrees F, the highest temperature in Baltimore on any March 8th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1870.

Catonsville weather: Clear to partly cloudy, High temp. 82 F, Low temp. 46 F, Precip.: None

Catonsville weather: Variable cloudiness, High temp. 75 F, Low temp. 40 F, Precip.: None

Joseph Palczynski, who committed four recent murders, flees to Virginia, where he kidnaps William Louis Terrell and orders him to transport him back to eastern Baltimore County. Palszynski is believed by investigators to have hitched a ride on a train to Virginia. He tells Terrell he had paid a woman to transport him there. During the kidnapping, he orders Terrell to drive to a shopping center on Campbell Boulevard in the White Marsh area, which included a Best Buy and a Target. He order him to purchase food and various survival equipment, as well as a battery-operated television with cash given by Palczynski. He threatens to shoot "whoever was around" if Terrell does not comply.

Catonsville weather: Clear, then mostly cloudy, High temp. 66 F, Low temp. 41 F, Precip.: None

Police find William Louis Terrell in his pickup truck at 3:30 in the morning after Joseph Palczynski releases him. Terrell says he had relied on his "faith" during his ordeal. He had been keeping his promise not to call police. Terrell is among several people whom Palczynski had encountered since the first incident on March 7, 2000, and who was not harmed. (See March 17, 2000.)

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then early-afternoon thunderstorm, then cloudy, High temp. 56 F, Low temp. 43 F, Precip.: 0.54 inch

Joseph Palczynski (who recemtly committed four murders) penetrates police barriers in Middle River, Maryland and reaches nearby Dundalk, going to the home of his estranged girlfriend Tracy Whitehead's mother Lynn, her boyfriend Andrew McCord, and their 12-year-old son, Bradley McCord. Bradley lets him into the house, as he does not understand the danger Palczynski poses. (For the following 97 hours, nearly four days, Palczynski holds the family hostage in their home, ignoring the requests of law enforcement and negotiators to release them, and occasionally firing shots. During the hostage standoff, no one is permitted to enter the neighborhood of the hostage situation, an area that police define as an "inner perimeter." All area residents are asked to stay at a shelter that is set up at a nearby elementary school. Several people who violate the police perimeter are arrested. The Baltimore County Tactical Squad requisitions a nearby house, in which there is a barking dog. The Tactical Squad shoots and kills the dog. Palczynski makes one demand to officers throughout the ordeal: to speak with Whitehead. Police deny this request. Afterward, they justify their decision, saying that it was his only request, and they feared that if they granted it, he might have killed Whitehead's mother and the other hostages while Tracy listened on the phone. Later it is reported that he also wanted to speak with his own mother, Pat Long. During this time, police keep Whitehead at an undisclosed location, under 24-hour police guard. Afterward it is revealed that they had her in a room at a Holiday Inn. See March 21, 2000.)

Catonsville weather: Morning rain showers, then mostly cloudy and windy, then clear, High temp. 56 F, Low temp. 31 F, Precip.: 0.10 inch

In the evening, the two adult hostages of Joseph Palczynski, who had recently committed four murders and who is in the process of holding three hostages in a house in Dundalk, Maryland, for nearly four days, take matters into their own hands. They lace a glass of iced tea with Xanax, and after Palczynski drinks it, he falls asleep. Andrew McCord flees out the front window, alone. Although he makes a lot of noise in his panicked escape, Palczynski does not wake. Lynn, the mother of Palcynski's estranged girlfriend Tracy Whitehead, also escapes. They leave behind their son Bradley, who is sleeping on the kitchen floor; they expect police to rescue him. Fearing for the boy's life, officers break into the home. Palczynski sits up and reaches for a weapon. Police officers shoot him numerous times, killing him. While the events are shown live on television from a perimeter outside the house, viewers do not see the fatal shooting of Palczynski.

1.77 inches of precipitation falls in Baltimore, the most in Baltimore on any March 21st (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

Catonsville weather: Rain all day with heavy rain at midday, High temp. 40 F, Low temp. 36 F, Precip.: 2.02 inches.

Baltimore weather: Cloudy with rain all day; breezy/windy until evening (23 mph sustained wind and 28 mph gust at 4:54 am); High temp. 42 F; Low temp. 41 F; Precip.: 1.77 inches.

In the first Major League Baseball season-opening game to be played outside the U.S. or Canada, the Chicago Cubs defeat the New York Mets 5-3 in front of 55,000 fans at Tokyo Dome in Japan. Sammy Sosa goes 2-for-3 with a double for the Cubs and Mike Piazza goes 2-for-4 with a 2-run homer for the Mets.

Catonsville weather: Variable cloudiness, then clear, High temp. 55 F, Low temp. 38 F, Precip.: None

The New York Mets defeat the Chicago Cubs, 5-1 in 11 innings at Tokyo Dome in Japan. The go-ahead hit is a grand slam by Benny Agbayani in the top of the 11th inning.

Catonsville weather: Partly cloudy, High temp. 60 F, Low temp. 35 F, Precip.: None

Catonsville weather: Clear, High temp. 58 F, Low temp. 26 F, Precip.: None

The total precipitation for March 2000 at BWI Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 4.35 inches.

This is Census Day in the United States. The population of the United States is 281,421,906 -- an increase of 13.15 percent since 1990. The population of Maryland is 5,296,486 -- an increase of 10.77 percent since 1990. The population of Baltimore (city) is 651,154 -- a decrease of 11.5 percent since 1990.  The population of Baltimore County is 754,292 -- an increase of 9.0 percent since 1990. The population of Catonsville is 39,820 -- an increase of 13.0 percent since 1990.

Catonsville weather: Clear, then partly cloudy, High temp. 65 F, Low temp. 28 F, Precip.: None

The Savannah State University Tigers baseball team sets an NCAA record for consecutive victories. The Tigers (of Savannah, Georgia) beat Claflin University (of Orangeburg, South Carolina) 8-0 and 21-1, extending their streak to 42 wins and eclipsing the record of 40 wins set by Marietta College of Ohio, a Division II school, in 1999.

Andres Galarraga hits a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning that lifts the Atlanta Braves over Colorado 2-0 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. Galaragga had been out all last season, recovering from back surgery to remove a cancerous tumor.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, High temp. 72 F, Low temp. 54 F, Precip.: None

The NASDAQ Composite stock index falls 9 percent, ending a week in which it falls a total of 25 percent. The "dot-com bubble" is bursting.

Catonsville weather: Mostly cloudy to cloudy, High temp. 58 F, Low temp. 29 F, Precip.: None

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then mostly cloudy, then sunny, windy in afternon, High temp. 70 F, Low temp. 45 F, Precip.: None

The total precipitation for April 2000 at BWI Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 5.06 inches, including melted snow and ice.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez strikes out 17 Tampa Bay Devil Rays batters in the Red Sox' 1-0 loss. His pitching opponent, Tampa Bay pitcher Steve Trachsel, strikes out eleven Red Sox. Both pitchers pitch complete games.

Catonsville weather: Partly cloudy, then clear, then cloudy, High temp. 89 F, Low temp. 60 F, Precip.: None.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez strikes out 15 Orioles in the Red Sox' 9-0 victory.  He ties the major-league record for pitching the most strikeouts over two games, with 32, previously set by Luis Tiant of Cleveland in 1968. (Pedro Martinez had struck out 17 batters in his last appearance on May 6 against Tampa Bay.)

Catonsville weather: Variable cloudiness, High temp. 85 F, Low temp. 61 F, Precip.: None

The U.S. Supreme Court decides 5-4 that rape victims cannot sue their attackers in federal court, thus throwing out a provision of the Violence Against Women Act.

Catonsville weather: Variably cloudy, High temp. 72 F, Low temp. 39 F, Precip.: None

At Wrigley Field in Chicago, a fan runs off with Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Chad Kreuter's cap, prompting some Dodgers players to go into the stands and fight with some fans, delaying the game by nine minutes. The Dodgers win the game 6-5.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then partly cloudy, then cloudy, High temp. 70 F, Low temp. 37 F, Precip.: None

Rickey Henderson of the Seattle Mariners becomes only the third player in major-league history to hit home runs in four different decades, joining Ted Williams and Willie McCovey.

Catonsville weather: Morning rain showers, then cloudy, High temp. 55 F, Low temp. 50 F, Precip.: 0.12 inch

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then partly cloudy, then clear, High temp. 70 F, Low temp. 44 F, Precip.: None

The total precipitation for May 2000 at BWI Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 2.82 inches.

Catonsville weather: Clear, then partly cloudy, High temp. 79 F, Low temp. 55 F, Precip.: None

The total precipitation for June 2000 at BWI Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 5.54 inches.

Keith McDonald of the St. Louis Cardinals becomes the second player in major-league history to hit home runs in his first two major-league at-bats. The Cardinals lose the game 12-6 to the Cincinnati Reds. Bob Nieman of the St. Louis Browns was the first player to hit home runs in his first 2 major-league at-bats, on September 14, 1951.

Catonsville weather: Clear, then partly cloudy, High temp. 82 degrees F, Low temp. 57 F, Precip.: None

New York Yankees pitchers Dwight Gooden and Roger Clemens both defeat the New York Mets by identical 4-2 scores in the first double-ballpark doubleheader since 1903. After the opening game, played at Shea Stadium before a sellout crowd of 54,165, the teams (and many of the fans) immediately head over to Yankee Stadium for the second game, where the attendance is 55,821.

Tennis player Venus Williams defeats Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 7-6 for her first Wimbledon women's tennis singles title and her second Grand Slam title. She's the first Black female champion at Wimbldeon since 1958, when Althea Gibson won the championship.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 53 degrees F, the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any July 8th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

Catonsville weather: Partly cloudy, High temp. 80 F, Low temp. 47 F, Precip.: None

The Seattle Mariners' 13-5 win against the Texas Rangers is interrupted for 54 minutes when a rainstorm drenches fans at Safeco Field in Seattle and the stadium's roof is unable to close due to a computer problem. The roof finally begins closing about 20 minutes later.

Catonsville weather: Mostly cloudy, High temp. 80 F, Low temp. 59 F, Precip.: None

Ryan Klesko of the San Diego Padres hits a game-tying solo home run in the 9th inning and then a 2-run homer in the 10th inning to lift the Padres over the Colorado Rockies 6-4.

Catonsville weather: Mostly cloudy, then cloudy, High temp. 79 F, Low temp. 57 F, Precip.: None

Eddie Taubensee hits a game-tying home run with two outs in the ninth inning and homers again in the 11th inning to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Expos.

Catonsville weather: Partly cloudy to cloudy, High temp. 83 F, Low temp. 62 F, Precip.: None

Catonsville weather: Cloudy with an afternoon thunderstorm, High temp. 86 F, Low temp. 70 F, Precip.: 0.22 inch

The total precipitation for July 2000 at BWI Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 5.64 inches.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 51 degrees F, a tie for the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any August 21st (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871. This low temperature ties the 51 degrees F that was recorded in Baltimore on August 21, 1984.

Catonsville weather: Clear, High temp. 78 F, Low temp. 44 F, Precip.: None

Catonsville weather: Partly cloudy, then cloudy, then afternoon and evening showers and thundershowers, High temp. 80 F, Low temp. 70 F, Precip.: 0.26 inch

The total precipitation for August 2000 at BWI Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 3.18 inches.

THe U.S. Government approves use of the abortion pill RU-486.

Catonsville weather: Clear, then partly cloudy, High temp. 72 F, Low temp. 43 F, Precip.: None

Catonsville weather: Clear, then partly cloudy, then clear, High temp. 65 F, Low temp. 35 F, Precip.: None

The total precipitation for September 2000 at BWI Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 5.55 inches.

The Orioles' designated hitter Albert Belle hits a home run in his last major-league at-bat as the Orioles defeat the New York Yankees 7-3 in Baltimore. Albert Belle had 381 home runs in his major-league career.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy with a light afternoon rain shower, High temp. 71 F, Low temp. 43 F, Precip.: Trace

Pitcher Rick Ankiel of the St. Louis Cardinals throws five wild pitches, all in the third inning, but the Cardinals defeat the Atlanta Braves 7-5 in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. The five wild pitches in one inning is a major-league record.

Catonsville weather: Clear, High temp. 82 F, Low temp. 53 F, Precip.: None

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung is named the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Catonsville weather: Clear, High temp. 75 F, Low temp. 35 F, Precip.: None

Elton John performs at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. He tells the sellout crowd that he will retire by the end of 2001. He tells the crowd, "One more album and I'm done."

Ali Mohamed, a former U.S. Army sergeant and lieutenant in Osama bin Laden's terror army, enters a guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, New York City, before Judge Leonard Sand. Mohamed admits to plotting to kill American soldiers and civilians in several countries including Kenya, Somalia and Saudi Arabia.

Eleven Palestinians are killed in clashes in the West Bank,  the worst fighting there in two weeks. Israel calls a "time out."

Catonsville weather: Clear, High temp. 70 F, Low temp. 36 F, Precip.: None

Baltimore weather: Clear; High temp. 72 F, Low temp. 41 F; Precip: None.

Catonsville weather: Clear, High temp. 60 F, Low temp. 36 F, Precip.: None

October of 2000 is a very dry month in Maryland and surrounding states. Only 0.17 of an inch of rain falls in Catonsville and only 0.08 of an inch of rain falls at BWI Marshall Airport (Baltimore's official weather station). And just 0.02 of an inch of rain falls at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.

Pets.com goes out of business only 9 months after its initial public offering of stock. It is one of many "dot-com companies" to fail during 2000 and 2001 as the "dot-com bubble" bursts.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then late-afternoon and evening rain showers, High temp. 65 F, Low temp. 52 F, Precip.: 0.22 inch

Baltimore gets a trace of snow, the greatest snowfall for Baltimore on any November 16th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy High temp. 52 F, Low temp. 20 F, Precip.: None

Catonsville weather: Clear to partly cloudy and windy, High temp. 45 F, Low temp. 35 F, Precip.: None

The total precipitation for November 2000 at BWI Marshall Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 1.73 inches, including melted snow and ice.

After losing the 2000 U.S. presidential election, Al Gore seeks to have a recount of votes in four counties in Florida: Volusia, Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade.

George W. Bush says “I’m soon to be the president.” He meets with Republican Congressional leaders.

Gail Fisher dies at age 65 in Culver City, California.  She was among the first black actresses to play substantive roles on televsion.  She was best known for playing the role of secretary Peggy Fair on the television detective series Mannix from 1968 through 1975, a role for which she won two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award; she was the first black woman to win either award.  She was born on August 18, 1935 in Orange, New Jersey.

Catonsville weather: Clear, then partly cloudy, then clear, High temp. 38 F, Low temp. 23 F, Precip.: None

Gwendolyn Brooks dies at age 83 in Chicago, Illinois.  She was an American poet, author, and teacher. Her work often dealt with the personal celebrations and struggles of ordinary people in her community. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry on May 1, 1950, for "Annie Allen", making her the first African American to receive a Pulitzer Prize.  She was born on June 7, 1917 in Topeka, Kansas.

Catonsville weather: Clear, then partly cloudy, High temp. 34 F, Low temp. 14 F, Precip.: None

AltaVista shuts down its free Internet service permanently. Three million customers are affected.

Catonsville weather: Cloudy, then light rain and snow in the afternoon and early evening, then cloudy, High temp. 36 F, Low temp. 17 F, Precip.: 0.06 inch.  No snow on the ground.

U.S. President-elect George W. Bush selects Colin Powell to be the next U.S. Secretary of State, the first Black person to hold this office. He will take office on January 20, 2001, the same day Geoge W. Bush becomes President.

Catonsville weather: Rain and showers from early morning through the rest of the day, High temp. 44 F, Low temp. 23 F, Precip.: 0.45 inch

The Ravens win their American Football Conference wild-card game, 21-3, over the Denver Broncos at PSINet Stadium in Baltimore.  Attendance is 69,638 on a 37-degree (F), windy day.  Jamal Lewis of the Ravens runs one yard for a touchdown; later he runs 27 yards for another touchdown. Shannon Sharpe takes a deflected Ravens' pass 58 yards for a third Ravens touchdown.  It is the first time the Broncos do not score a touchdown in a postseason game, a span that goes back three decades.

Catonsville weather: Sunny, then mostly cloudy, windy, High temp. 32 F, Low temp. 18 F, Precip.: None

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Clear, then partly to mostly cloudy, then clear; windy/breezy until evening (30-mph sustained wind and 40-mph gust at 12:54 pm); High temp. 37 F; Low temp. 21 F; Precipitation: None.

The total precipitation for December 2000 at BWI Marshall Airport (Baltimore's official weather station) is 2.31 inches, including melted snow and ice.

Total precipitation for Baltimore in 2000 is 41.91 inches, almost exactly normal.

For drivers: Drive less by combining errands whenever possible.