The north

10 years ago

May 8, 1998:The city plans to turn its dog control business over to Jefferson County by the end of the year, City Manager Jerry C. Hiller said following a meeting with county officials. The county embarked last month on major renovations to the dog pound, which is next to the Jefferson County Highway Department complex in Glen Park.

25 years ago

May 8, 1983:The congregation of Stone Presbyterian Church, 140 Chestnut St., Watertown, will dedicate their new building May 22. Following the October 1981 fire that damaged their church on Stone Street, the congregation had retained the name Stone Street Presbyterian Church until voting about two weeks ago to change its name. The fire-damaged church was later demolished and the new one built.

50 years ago

May 8, 1958:Detective Chief John L. Touchette, with one school damage case behind him in the arrests of two local boys, 14 and 16, has recommended in his report to Chief of Police Edward J. Curtin that in the future the board of education should stagger its janitorial services to give school property nighttime protection.

75 years ago

May 8, 1933:While officials of the Concordia-Gallia Silk Co., Philadelphia, Pa., owners of the Watertown silk plant, 203 N. Hamilton St., could not be reached, it was learned on good authority that the company had leased the local plant to a silk manufacturing company. The Concordia-Gallia company closed the local plant last June.

100 years ago

May 8, 1908:Yesterday was the demolition of one of the oldest landmarks in Carthage, the stone house at 21 Alexandria St. It was constructed more than 90 years ago, having been built in 1818. It was in a very good state of preservation and would have stood for many years to come. The present owners did not like the combination of stone with the frame addition that had been added and decided to tear down the stone part and erect a modern home.

125 years ago

May 8, 1883:The steam yacht E.A. VanHorne passed down the St. Lawrence. She will commence running on the Alexandria Bay and Cape Vincent route today.

The world

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Today is Thursday, May 8,the 129th day of 2008. There are 237 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On May 8, 1945, President Truman announced in a radio address that World War II had ended in Europe.

On this date:

In 1958, Vice President Richard M. Nixon was shoved, stoned, booed and spat upon by anti-American protesters in Lima, Peru.

In 1970, antiwar protests took place across the United States and around the world; in New York, construction workers broke up a demonstration on Wall Street.

In 1973, militant American Indians who'd held the South Dakota hamlet of Wounded Knee for 10 weeks surrendered.

In 1978, David R. Berkowitz pleaded guilty in a Brooklyn courtroom to murder, attempted murder and assault in connection with one of the "Son of Sam" shootings that had terrified New Yorkers.

In 1988, science-fiction author Robert A. Heinlein died in Carmel, Calif., at age 80.

Ten years ago:Big Tobacco settled with the state of Minnesota for $6.6 billion as the state's lawsuit was about to go to a jury; Minnesota became the fourth state to settle with the tobacco industry over the costs of treating smoking-related illnesses.

Five years ago:The Senate unanimously endorsed adding to NATO seven former communist nations: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. A federal grand jury indicted Chinese-born California socialite Katrina Leung on charges that she'd illegally taken, copied and kept secret documents obtained from an FBI agent. (A federal judge later dismissed the case against Leung, rebuking prosecutors for misconduct.) A Russian-built cargo plane lost a door over Congo, hurling more than 100 Congolese soldiers and their families to their deaths.

One year ago:The Pentagon announced that it had notified more than 35,000 Army soldiers to be prepared to deploy to Iraq beginning in the fall. Bitter enemies from Northern Ireland's bloody past joined forces atop a new Northern Ireland government.

Today's Birthdays:Comedian Don Rickles is 82. Naturalist Sir David Attenborough is 82. Singer Toni Tennille is 68. Actor James Mitchum is 67. Country singer Jack Blanchard is 66. Jazz musician Keith Jarrett is 63. Singer Philip Bailey (Earth, Wind and Fire) is 57. Rock musician Chris Frantz (Talking Heads) is 57. Rockabilly singer Billy Burnette is 55. Rock musician Alex Van Halen is 55. Actor David Keith is 54. Actor Stephen Furst is 54. Actress Melissa Gilbert is 44. Rock musician Dave Rowntree (Blur) is 44. Country musician Del Gray is 40. Rock singer Darren Hayes is 36. Singer Enrique Iglesias is 33. Singer Ana Maria Lombo (Eden's Crush) is 30. Actress Julia Whelan is 23.

Thought for Today:"What you see is news, what you know is background, what you feel is opinion." — Lester Markel, American editor (1894-1977).