InkFreeNews photo by Lasca Randels

By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Today is the first day of the shortest month of the year. 

The only month to have less than 30 days, February usually consists of 28 days, except for leap years, when it has 29 days.

Here’s a look at some events taking place, along with trivia and special days related to this month.

SPECIAL DAYS THIS MONTH:

• Feb. 2 — Groundhog Day
• Feb. 11 — Super Bowl Sunday 
• Feb. 14 — Valentine’s Day

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY:

• Feb. 1, 2003 — Sixteen minutes before it was scheduled to land, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart in flight over west Texas, killing all seven crew members. The accident may have resulted from damage caused during lift-off, when a piece of insulating foam from the external fuel tank broke off, piercing a hole in the shuttle’s left wing that allowed hot gases to penetrate the wing upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. This was the second space shuttle lost in flight. In January 1986, Challenger exploded during liftoff.
• Feb. 1, 1960 — In Greensboro, N.C., four African-American students sat down and ordered coffee at a lunch counter inside a Woolworth’s store. They were refused service but did not leave. Instead, they waited all day. The scene was repeated over the next few days, with protests spreading to other southern states, resulting in the eventual arrest of over 1,600 persons for participating in sit-ins.
• Feb. 15, 1898 — In Havana, the U.S. Battleship Maine was blown up while at anchor and quickly sank with 260 crew members lost. The incident inflamed public opinion in the U.S., resulting in a declaration of war against Spain on April 25, 1898, amid cries of “Remember the Maine!”

ENTERTAINMENT FEBRUARY 1980:

U.S. Top 40 Singles For Week Ending Feb. 16, 1980:

1.  “Do That to Me One More Time” — Captain and Tennille
2.  “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” —Queen 
3.  “Coward of the County” — Kenny Rogers 
4.  “Cruisin’” — Smokey Robinson 
5.  “Rock With You” — Michael Jackson 
6.  “Yes, I’m Ready” — Teri DeSario with K.C. 
7.  “Sara” — Fleetwood Mac  
8.  “Longer” — Dan Fogelberg 
9.  “On the Radio” — Donna Summer 
10.  “Desire” — Andy Gibb

Domestic Box Office Movies February 1980:

1. American Gigolo
2. Hero at Large
3. The Last Married Couple in America
4. Kramer vs. Kramer
5.  Jaws 2

Top Rated Television Shows:

1. Dallas
2. The Dukes of Hazard
3. 60 Minutes
4. M*A*S*H
5. The Love Boat
6. The Jeffersons
7. Alice
8. Three’s Company
9. Little House on the Prairie
10. One Day at a Time

THIS MONTH IN SPORTS:

• Feb. 1, 1956 — Hayes Alan Jenkins leads the only U.S. sweep of Olympic men’s figure skating medals at the Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Games; Ronald Robertson wins silver with the bronze going to Jenkins’ younger brother, David.
• Feb. 1, 1964 — French sisters Christine Goitschel (gold) and Marielle Goitschel (silver) become first female siblings to win Olympic gold and silver in the same event when they dominate the slalom in Innsbruck.
• Feb. 1, 1992 — Slugging outfielder Barry Bonds signs highest single year contract in MLB history, $4.7 million with Pittsburgh Pirates.

EVENTS:

• Feb. 3 — The Valentine’s Market, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kosciusko County Fairgrounds, Warsaw. 
• Feb. 3 — Hiking- Hot Chocolate & Headlamps, 7 p.m., 100 Publisher’s Drive, Winona Lake.
• Feb. 17 — Winter Throws Clinic, 10 a.m., Edgewood Middle School, 900 S. Union St., Warsaw.
• Feb. 24 — Java, Jive and Pie, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Center Lake Pavilion, 301 Canal St., Warsaw.