Event Calendar

Cinco de Mayo, (Spanish for "Fifth of May") is a national holiday in Mexico commemorating the Mexican Army's defeat of French forces on May 5, 1862, in the Batalla de Puebla (Battle of Puebla). During the battle, General Ignacio Zaragoza led the vastly outnumbered Mexican army to victory over the French forces of Emperor Napoleon III. The triumph of Mexican forces at the Battle of Puebla became a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. Today it is not only celebrated in Mexico but also regions across the United States with sizable communities of Mexican origin. Particularly well known is the celebration in Los Angeles, California, on the streets outside City Hall. Festivities often include sports events, parades, mariachi music and dancing, picnics featuring Mexican food, and more.

John F. Kennedy signed the bill into law on October 1, 1962, when Congress asked the president to designate May 15 to honor peace officers. To pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and to voice our appreciation for all those who currently serve on the front lines of the battle against crime, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962 (75 Stat.676), has authorized and requested the President to designate May 15 of each year as "Peace Officers Memorial Day," and the week in which it falls as "National Police Week" and by Public Law 103-322 (36 U.S.C. 175) has requested that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers' Memorial Day. Amended in 1994, Bill Clinton, through Public Law 103-322, directed that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on May 15. According to a proclamation by George W. Bush in 2002, "Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week pay tribute to the local, State, and Federal law enforcement officers who serve and protect us with courage and dedication. These observances also remind us of the ongoing need to be vigilant against all forms of crime, especially to acts of extreme violence and terrorism." Let's take a moment to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifices, for their legacy will endure.

Armed Forces Day is a day to salute all of the men and women in all branches of the service who protect our country. They can be called upon at a moment's notice to perform a risky and perilous mission for freedom and country. They train diligently both physically and mentally so they will be prepared to prevail in any mission they face. Just how did it all begin? Well, each branch of the military had their own day of celebration. But, on August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day. President Harry Truman also announced the holiday in a presidential proclamation on February 20, 1950. All branches of the military were asked to celebrate on this day and they complied on the first Armed Forces Day which was held the following year on May 20, 1950.

A full moon is a lunar phase that occurs when the geocentric apparent longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180 degrees; the Moon is then in opposition with the Sun. At this time, as seen by viewers on Earth, the hemisphere of the Moon that is facing the earth (the near side) is fully illuminated by the Sun and appears round. Only during a full moon is the opposite hemisphere of the Moon, which is not visible from Earth (the far side), completely unilluminated. As a lunar month is about 29.531, the period between full moons can be either 29 or 30 days.