Area history, April 23, 2014

Today is Wednesday, April 23, 2014. Here are news reports from this date 100, 50 and 15 years ago.

In 1914: The largest class ever finishing at Champaign High School — 77 students — will have its commencement exercise on Friday, June 6, which also is the last day of school. There are 47 girls and 30 boys in the graduating class.

In 1964: Negotiations between Plumbers and Steamfitters Union 149 and the Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors Association of Central Illiois appeared to be at a standstill Thursday as the union members were in their second day of picketing at a half-dozen offices in Champaign-Urbana. The union members rejected a revised offer of 15-cent hourly raises for each of the next two years. They are seeking a 25-cent raise over the old contract base rate of $4.22, for each of the next two years.

In 1999: Roger Ebert opened his first Overlooked Film Festival Thursday with a moving tribute to his fallen comrade, Gene Siskel. Siskel died earlier this year of a brain tumor. Ebert said Siskel had a part in the selection of the 10 films that make up the festival, if only by their shared enthusiasm during the TV show. Ebert said Siskel used to say that a bad movie "took two hours of precious life away from me." But the 10 films selected enriched life, Ebert said.