On this day

December 3, 1999

Revisit the music, news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Headlines from December 3, 1999

Will Pickups Come to the Parkways?

By Marcia Biederman

WITH the New York City region poised to join, quite belatedly, the nation's pickup-truck party, can Long Islanders look forward to a time when Ford F-150's with shotgun racks join the traffic jams on the Southern State Parkway? Will Dodge Dakotas duel with cabs on the F.D.R. Drive? Will manure-crusted Chevy Silverados go mano a mano with well-groomed Range Rovers on the Hutch? The answers may come early next year, when New York's strict laws on pickup registrations are likely to be loosened. For decades, apparently on the assumption that only workmen drove trucks, the state has required pickups to display commercial license plates unless they have camper tops and other modifications. Those rules have remained in place even as trucks have become popular in most of the country for personal and family transportation.

Automobiles1019 words

As Camby Adds Spark, Knicks Get A Victory

By Selena Roberts

An almost carbonated Marcus Camby, bubbling with energy, spun and dipped into the paint only to find himself fenced in like a bucking horse in a rodeo chute. Frantic in his response, Camby leaped sideways and whipped a wild hook shot over his shoulder that landed softly in the net as he crashed to the floor on his bad knee near the end of the third quarter. He winced and limped and, suddenly, Camby's often-questioned pain threshold was being tested.

Sports Desk980 words

U.S. EFFORT TO ADD LABOR STANDARDS TO AGENDA FAILS

By Steven Greenhouse and Joseph Kahn

Clinton administration fails to rally broad support among nations to add labor standards to World Trade Organization agenda, threatening its most important goal at Seattle meeting that has been plagued by sometimes violent protests; struggles to work out compromise that would have trade organization set up study group on labor standards; Pres Clinton stuns delegates when he says trade group should use sanctions to enforce labor rights around world (M)

Foreign Desk1354 words

NORTHERN IRELAND PICKS UP THE REINS OF ITS GOVERNMENT

By Warren Hoge

Northern Ireland gains right to be master of its political fate, no longer ruled directly from London or subject to territorial claims of Dublin; enters era of hoped-for stability during round of meetings and treay signings in Belfast, Dublin and London; under April 1998 peace agreement that goes into effect, home-rule powers move from London to Belfast, Ireland strikes from its Constitution wish to include North, and Protestant and Catholic rivals exercise authority in government jointly for first time; photo (M)

Foreign Desk1159 words

G.O.P. Figure In Suffolk Is Convicted

By John T. McQuiston

John Powell, former leader of Suffolk County Republican Party, is found guilty of conspiracy and extortion for taking $20,000 in bribes from a trucking company owner, Michael Cholowsky, in exchange for preferred access to Town of Brookhaven landfill; co-defendant, Dominic Testa, is acquitted of witness tampering charges; Powell still faces charges in a separate indictment for his alleged part in a truck-theft scheme; photo (M)

Metropolitan Desk997 words

Music on My Birthday

Billboard 200

The Top 50 albums for the chart week of December 1, 1999, covering December 3, 1999.

1
Issues
Korn
Last week
—
Peak
1
Weeks
1
2
Dr. Dre -- 2001
Dr. Dre
Last week
—
Peak
2
Weeks
1
3
All The Way...A Decade Of Song
Celine Dion
Last week
—
Peak
3
Weeks
1
4
Supernatural
Santana
Last week
3
Peak
1
Weeks
23
5
Willennium
Will Smith
Last week
—
Peak
5
Weeks
1

Notable Deaths

1999John Archer, American actor (born 1915)^[†]

John Archer was an American actor.

1999Scatman John, American singer-songwriter and pianist (born 1942)^[†]

John Paul Larkin, known professionally under the alias Scatman John, was an American musician. A prolific jazz pianist and vocalist for several decades, he rose to prominence in 1994 through his fusion of scat singing and dance music. He recorded five albums, which were released between 1986 and 2002.

1999Madeline Kahn, American actress, comedian, and singer (born 1942)^[†]

Madeline Gail Kahn was an American actress, comedian, and singer. She was known for her comedic roles in films directed by Peter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooks, including What's Up, Doc? (1972), Young Frankenstein (1974), High Anxiety (1977), History of the World, Part I (1981), and her Academy Award–nominated roles in Paper Moon (1973) and Blazing Saddles (1974).

1999Horst Mahseli, Polish footballer (born 1934)^[†]

Horst Lothar Mahseli was a Polish footballer who is best remembered for his 1950s performances in both Legia Warsaw and the Poland national team.

1999Jarl Wahlström, Finnish 12th General of The Salvation Army (born 1918)^[†]

Jarl Holger Wahlström was the 12th General of The Salvation Army (1981–86).

Historical Events

1999NASA loses radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander moments before the spacecraft enters the Martian atmosphere.^[†]

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the United States's civil space program, aeronautics research and space research. Established in 1958, it succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to give the American space development effort a distinct civilian orientation, emphasizing peaceful applications in space science. It has since led most of America's space exploration programs, including Project Mercury, Project Gemini, the 1968–1972 Apollo program missions, the Skylab space station, and the Space Shuttle. Currently, NASA supports the International Space Station (ISS) along with the Commercial Crew Program and oversees the development of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System for the lunar Artemis program.

1999In Worcester, Massachusetts, firefighters responded to a fire at the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Co. facility, which takes the lives of 6 firefighters.^[†]

Worcester is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city had 206,518 people at the 2020 census, also making it the second-most populous city in New England, after Boston, Massachusetts. Worcester is about 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston, 50 miles (80 km) east of Springfield, Massachusetts, and 40 miles (64 km) north-northwest of Providence, Rhode Island. Because it is near the geographic center of Massachusetts, Worcester is known as the "Heart of the Commonwealth"; a heart is the official symbol of the city. Worcester is the historical seat of Worcester County.

Historical Context for December 3, 1999

In 1999, the world population was approximately 6,089,006,339 people^[†]

Headlines from December 3, 1999

Will Pickups Come to the Parkways?

As Camby Adds Spark, Knicks Get A Victory

U.S. EFFORT TO ADD LABOR STANDARDS TO AGENDA FAILS

NORTHERN IRELAND PICKS UP THE REINS OF ITS GOVERNMENT

G.O.P. Figure In Suffolk Is Convicted

Issues

Dr. Dre -- 2001

All The Way...A Decade Of Song

Supernatural

Willennium

Notable Deaths

Historical Events

Historical Context for December 3, 1999