Weather

A look at Calhoun County's weather forecast

Expect sun, sun, and more sun today with a high near 96 degrees. East southwest wind will blow through at around 5 mph.

In our community

What's happening in Calhoun County today

Gubernatorial elections are less than a week away! Alabama’s Runoff election between Bradley Byrne and Robert Bentley is set for July 13th.

Be sure to catch Eric Traynor’s adaptation of The Little Mermaid at JSU before time runs out. The production, which is being held at JSU’s Ernest Stone Performing Arts Center, will be showing at 2 p.m. everyday through Friday. After Friday, the group will travel to Santa Rosa County, Fla. to perform. Tickets are $5, to make reservations call 782-5648.

Sports spotlight

Sporting events taking place today

Only 59 more days until the September 4th start of the 2010 college football season.

In today's paper sure to check out a few tips for taking on all three courses at the Sunny King Charity Classic — whether you’re at the Anniston Country Club, Silver Lakes, or Cider Ridge.

Thought for today “It takes people a long time to learn the difference between talent and genius, especially ambitious young men and women.” — Louisa May Alcott, American author (1832-1888).

Today in history

The Star's Bill Edwards takes a look back at previous July 7s:

July 7, 1935, in The Star: The South’s first air-conditioned, stream-lined train, employing the latest innovations in passenger comfort, will be displayed at the Piedmont railroad station on July 16, it was announced today. It will operate on the Gulf, Mobile and Northern railroad tracks. A photograph accompanying the article shows a very impressive machine. Also this date: Anniston Star paper boxes of this era are orange with black letters, we learn in Arthur Phillips’ “Along Country Lanes” column.

July 7, 1985, in The Star: “We’re going to open the bank first thing Monday morning, and if a customer had a good balance in his account Friday, he’ll have a good balance Monday.” Those were the words of reassurance to the Jacksonville community from Robert Baird, president of AmSouth Bank in Anniston and now also president of the new AmSouth Bank in Jacksonville — the reconstituted version of the venerable First National Bank of Jacksonville. FNB Jacksonville was embezzled out of existence last week, seized by the FDIC and yesterday morning was sold to AmSouth, one of four bidders for the property. Jacksonville businessman and historian Jack Boozer called the abrupt turn of financial events “a tragic blow. AmSouth is a very fine bank, but there is a lot to be said for locally owned banks.” Also this date: A skyline image of Anniston, taken from a vantage point in the construction zone of the new Alabama 202, graces the top of today’s Page One. Additionally: An Anniston man of letters, Ret. Lt. Col. Doug Wilson, 74, is busily editing an authoritative edition of all the published works of philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. The Ivy League English professor is working on the fourth volume of the compilation out of his home on Christine Avenue.

On this date in national and world events: 1846 U.S. annexation of California was proclaimed at Monterey after the surrender of a Mexican garrison.

1865 Four people were hanged in Washington, D.C. for conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.

1908 The Democratic national convention, which nominated William Jennings Bryan for president, opened in Denver.

1919 The first Transcontinental Motor Convoy, in which a U.S. Army convoy of motorized vehicles crossed the United States, departed Washington, D.C. (The trip ended in San Francisco on Sept. 6, 1919.)

1969 Canada’s House of Commons gave final approval to the Official Languages Act, making French equal to English throughout the national government.

Wednesday’s birthdays: Blues musician Pinetop Perkins is 97. Musician-conductor Doc Severinsen is 83. Country singer Charlie Louvin is 83. Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough is 77. Rock star Ringo Starr is 70. Singer-musician Warren Entner (The Grass Roots) is 66. Rock musician Jim Rodford is 65. Actor Joe Spano is 64. Pop singer David Hodo (The Village People) is 63. Country singer Linda Williams is 63. Actress Shelley Duvall is 61. Actress Roz Ryan is 59. Actor Billy Campbell is 51. Rock musician Mark White (Spin Doctors) is 48. Singer-songwriter Vonda Shepard is 47. Actor-comedian Jim Gaffigan is 44. Rhythm-and-blues musician Ricky Kinchen (Mint Condition) is 44. Actress Jorja Fox is 42. Actress Cree Summer is 41.