Tuesday Open Line

In Spanish, today’s date is Cinco de Mayo, and celebrations will be held in many cities across the U.S., as well as Mexico. These events mark the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla in 1862, when outnumbered Mexican troops defeated the invading French forces of Napoleon III. Over the years, the celebration has evolved from one of military victory to a colorful and vibrant event, celebrating Mexican culture. Appropriately, this is also National Salsa Month. There are nearly 35 million people of Mexican descent in the U.S., or about 11 percent of the total population. Some 21 million of these live in either California or Texas. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>.