The north

10 years ago

May 16, 1998:One of the first businesses to move into the Massena Industrial Development Park when it opened in 1984 has been sold, and operations there will cease by the end of the month. David M. Copeland, president of River Road Coffee, confirmed he has sold his wholesale specialty coffee business to Chock Full o' Nuts Coffee Inc., New York City.

25 years ago

May 16, 1983:New York state has given $1.29 million to install high-band police radio systems in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

50 years ago

May 16, 1958:Watertown businessmen, along with out-of-town retailers doing business in the city, will be required to register with the city treasurer in June, preparatory to the July 1 inauguration of the sales tax collection. Similarly, operators of restaurants, bars, cafes and liquor stores will have to be licensed under the sales tax law next month.

75 years ago

May 16, 1933:The House today passed the Snell bill to create a St. Lawrence bridge commission for the purpose of constructing a span across the international stream at or near Ogdensburg. Construction of the bridge, because it would be an international structure, would be subject to the approval of the proper authorities in the Dominion of Canada.

100 years ago

May 16, 1908:Maj. Thomas H. Slavens will assume charge of the preparations for the arrival of the government troops who will be concentrated at Pine Plains on June 15 for Army maneuvers. Some day next week, from 200 to 250 soldiers will arrive at the Plains to engage in the establishment of the camp. It has been definitely decided that the camp will be located near Deferiet.

125 years ago

May 16, 1883:The billiard halls of Ogdensburg have commenced to charge by the hour for playing. Fifty cents per hour is the charge. There is not quite so much playing done under the "new code."

The world

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Today is Friday, May 16,the 137th day of 2008. There are 229 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 16, 1929, the first Academy Awards were presented during a banquet at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The movie "Wings" won best production, while Emil Jannings and Janet Gaynor were named best actor and best actress.

On this date:

In 1946, the Irving Berlin musical "Annie Get Your Gun," starring Ethel Merman as Annie Oakley, opened on Broadway.

In 1948, the body of CBS News correspondent George Polk was found in Solonica Harbor in Greece, several days after he had left his hotel for an interview with the leader of a Communist militia.

In 1960, a Big Four summit conference in Paris collapsed on its opening day as the Soviet Union leveled spy charges against the U.S. in the wake of the U-2 incident.

In 1975, Japanese climber Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled that police can search discarded garbage without a search warrant.

In 1988, Surgeon General C. Everett Koop released a report declaring nicotine was addictive in ways similar to heroin and cocaine.

Ten years ago:Real Quiet added a victory in the Preakness to his win in the Kentucky Derby. (However, Real Quiet later failed to capture the Triple Crown, losing the Belmont Stakes to Victory Gallop by a nose.)

Five years ago:President Bush launched his re-election campaign. The Senate committed $15 billion to fight global AIDS. In Casablanca, Morocco, five simultaneous suicide attacks claimed the lives of 33 victims, in addition to a dozen suicide bombers.

One year ago:Anti-war Democrats in the Senate failed in an attempt to cut off funds for the Iraq war. Britain's army reversed course and announced that Prince Harry would not be sent to Iraq with his regiment due to "specific threats" from insurgents. (The prince did end up serving in Afghanistan for 10 weeks, until word of his deployment got out.) British Prime Minister Tony Blair paid a farewell visit to President Bush at the White House. Nicolas Sarkozy took over from Jacques Chirac as France's president.

Today's Birthdays:Author Studs Terkel is 96. Actor George Gaynes is 91. Actor Harry Carey Jr. is 87. Jazz musician Billy Cobham is 64. Actor Bill Smitrovich is 61. Actor Pierce Brosnan is 55. Actress Debra Winger is 53. Soviet-born gymnast Olga Korbut is 53. Actress Mare Winningham is 49. Rock musician Boyd Tinsley (The Dave Matthews Band) is 44. Rock musician Krist Novoselic is 43. Singer Janet Jackson is 42. Country singer Scott Reeves (Blue County) is 42. Actor Brian F. O'Byrne is 41. Rhythm-and-blues singer Ralph Tresvant (New Edition) is 40. Actor David Boreanaz is 39. Political correspondent Tucker Carlson is 39. Actress Tracey Gold is 39. Tennis player Gabriela Sabatini is 38. Country singer Rick Trevino is 37. Musician Simon Katz is 37. Actress Tori Spelling is 35. Actress Melanie Lynskey is 31. Actress Megan Fox is 22. Actor Marc John Jefferies is 18.

Thought for Today:"Ideas won't keep; something must be done about them." — Alfred North Whitehead, English philosopher-mathematician (1861-1947).