Friday / Weekend Open Lines


Friday, January 1st. The place where many of our ancestors first stepped ashore when they came to America seeking a new life opened on this date in 1892 — Ellis Island in New York Harbor. The very first immigrant processed at the new facility was a 15-year-old Irish girl named Annie Moore. Over the course of more than 60 years, some 12 million people flowed through the center. Some sources say the number is considerably higher. The peak year was 1907, when just over a million immigrants came to Ellis Island. The complex now belongs to the National Park Service and is visited by several million people a year. In 1910, the foreign-born represented nearly 15 percent of America’s population. Now, after falling through 1970, that figure sits at 12.9 percent. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

Saturday, January 2nd. When Prohibition ended in 1933, the sale of alcoholic beverages resumed in the U.S. but was subject to a patchwork of differing regulations. Local options mean that some counties remain dry. Some states regulate the alcoholic content of beer sold at supermarkets and gas stations. In a few states, beer, wine and liquor may be sold practically anywhere. And in 17 states, liquor wholesale supplies are controlled, and the majority of sales are through government or contracted outlets. These are usually called ABC stores, for alcoholic beverage control. The first ABC liquor stores opened in Pennsylvania on this date in 1934. There are nearly 22,000 beer, wine and liquor stores in the U.S. today, ABC stores included. The $43 billion a year business employs over 157,000 people. Profile America is in its19th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sunday, January 3rd. Many causes are being celebrated this month, some ridiculous, some serious. In the serious category are two linked together — National Eye Care Month and National Glaucoma Awareness Month. Regular eye examinations should be part of everyone’s health care regimen, especially those age 40 and over. It’s estimated that there are 2.7 million Americans age 40 and older who suffer from glaucoma, with nearly half unaware they have the disease. Helping keep track of our eye health are 102,000 optometrists in 21,600 locations. Additionally, there are nearly 19,000 ophthalmologists among America’s 853,000 physicians and surgeons. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy, from the American Community Survey, at <www.census.gov>.