Wikipedia:Today's featured list/October 2020
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October 2
There are 41 branches of the Hennepin County Library, which serves Hennepin County, Minnesota. The branches are spread across 24 cities and towns. Fifteen of the libraries are located in Hennepin County's largest city, Minneapolis, and were originally part of the Minneapolis Public Library, which was founded in 1885 to serve the city. Hennepin County established a library service of its own in 1922 and took control of some of the county's smaller towns' libraries. Hennepin County and Minneapolis first discussed the idea of merging their systems in 1967, but the merger debate ended in 1974. In 2007, the merger was revisited and the Minneapolis Public Library officially joined the Hennepin County Library system at the beginning of 2008, creating the current 41-branch system. Four branches were founded as Carnegie libraries. (Full list...)
October 5
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American actress Sigourney Weaver first began acting in plays in the early 1970s. Throughout her career, she has acted in 37 stage productions. She made her film debut with a minor role in the Woody Allen–directed Annie Hall (1977). Her breakthrough role was as Ellen Ripley in the Ridley Scott–directed Alien (1979). She reprised the role in Aliens (1986), this time helmed by director James Cameron. Her performance netted her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She would reprise the role in two more sequels: Alien 3 (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997), both of which were not as well received. Although originally written as a man, Ripley is now regarded as one of the most significant female protagonists in cinema history, and consequently, Weaver is considered to be a pioneer of action heroines in science-fiction films. (Full list...)
October 9
The U.S. state of Washington has thirty-nine counties. The Provisional Government of Oregon established Vancouver and Lewis Counties in 1845 in unorganized Oregon Country, extending from the Columbia River north to 54°40′ north latitude. After the region was organized within the Oregon Territory with the current northern border of 49° north, Vancouver County was renamed Clarke, and six more counties were created out of Lewis County before the organization of Washington Territory in 1853; twenty-eight were formed during Washington's territorial period, two of which only existed briefly. The final five were established in the 22 years after Washington was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889. King County, home to the state's largest city, Seattle, holds 30 percent of Washington's population (2,252,782 residents of 7,614,893 in 2019), and has the highest population density, with more than 1,000 people per square mile (400/km2). Garfield County is both the least populated (2,225) and least densely populated (3.1/sq mi [1.2/km2]). (Full list...)
October 12
Documented deaths of competitive cyclists date to when the safety bicycle was invented in the late 19th century. Cycling as transportation and as sport became more popular (including bicycle racing). Accidents on velodromes date back to cycling's early days and were sometimes fatal. Various health issues for competitive cyclists including performance-enhancing attempts and cardiac events have also been part of cycling's history. From the 1890s until the present era, at least 100 professional or competitive amateur cyclists have died during races – usually from accidents but sometimes from various health conditions – and in that same timeframe over 30 cyclists have died in accidents while training on open roads. Many of these cyclists are remembered in museums, and with roadside memorials, plaques, statues, and shrines. (Full list...)
October 16
Mephitids are members of Mephitidae, a family of mammals, comprising the skunks and stink badgers, in the order Carnivora. The skunks of the family are widespread across the Americas, while the stink badgers are found in the Greater Sunda Islands of southeast Asia. The species inhabit a variety of habitats, though typically grassland, forest, and shrubland. Most mephitids are 20–50 cm (8–20 in) long, plus a 10–40 cm (4–16 in) tail. The twelve species of Mephitidae are split into four genera: the monotypic Conepatus, hog-nosed skunks; Mephitis, skunks (species pictured); Mydaus, stink badgers; and Spilogale, spotted skunks. Mephitidae was traditionally a clade within the family Mustelidae, with the stink badgers combined with other badgers within the genus Melinae, but more recent genetic evidence has resulted in the consensus to separate Mephitidae into its own family. (Full list...)
October 19
American country music singer Justin Moore has released five studio albums, two extended plays, and seventeen singles. Moore signed with Valory Music Group in 2007, and his first single, "Back That Thing Up", entered the Hot Country Songs chart in 2008. The next year, his second single, "Small Town USA", became his first (and highest-charted) single to enter the Billboard Hot 100. Moore released his first extended play, The "You Asked for It" EP, in 2009. His self-titled debut album was released later that year; it produced the singles "Back That Thing Up", "Small Town USA", "Backwoods", and "How I Got to Be This Way", and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Eight of Moore's singles have reached the number-one position on Billboard's Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts. Three of these have been certified platinum by the RIAA. (Full list...)
October 23
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English actress Emilia Clarke has been nominated for and won multiple awards for her film and television work. She was named as a Star of Tomorrow by film magazine Screen International for her role in the Syfy television film Triassic Attack (2010). Clarke rose to international prominence for her role as Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO fantasy drama television show Game of Thrones (2011–2019). She received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations, three for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and one for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the final season. For her charitable work, Clarke won a Shorty Award. Time named her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019. (Full list...)
October 26
As of 2020, there are seven World Heritage Sites in Finland. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Finland accepted the convention on 4 March 1987, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. The first two sites added to the list were Old Rauma and the Fortress of Suomenlinna (pictured), both in 1991, at the 15th Session of the World Heritage Committee. Six of Finland's sites are classified as cultural sites according to the UNESCO criteria, while one, the High Coast / Kvarken Archipelago, is a natural site. This is a transnational site and is shared with Sweden. In addition to its World Heritage Sites, Finland also maintains six properties on its tentative list. (Full list...)
October 30
In Major League Baseball, the 300-win club is the group of pitchers who have won 300 or more games. Twenty-four pitchers have reached this milestone. The New York Gothams/Giants/San Francisco Giants are the only franchise to see three players reach the milestone while on their roster: those players are Mickey Welch, Christy Mathewson, and Randy Johnson. The first player to win 300 games was Pud Galvin in 1888. Seven pitchers recorded all or the majority of their career wins in the 19th century: Galvin, Cy Young (pictured), Kid Nichols, Tim Keefe, John Clarkson, Charles Radbourn, and Mickey Welch. Four more pitchers joined the club in the first quarter of the 20th century. Young is the all-time leader in wins with 511, a mark that is considered unbreakable. Since 1990, only four pitchers have joined the 300-win club: Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Johnson. (Full list...)