deputy dead. March 21 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the government lacks authority to regulate tobacco as an addictive drug, throwing out the Clinton administration's main anti-smoking initiative. March 26 – The 72nd Academy Awards, hosted by Billy Crystal, are held at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Sam Mendes' American Beauty wins five awards out of eight nominations, including Best Picture and Director. The telecast garners over 46.5 million viewers. March 27 – The Phillips explosion of 2000 kills one and injures 71 in Pasadena, Texas. April April – The unemployment rate drops to a low of 3.8%, the lowest since December 1969. April – The labor force participation rate hits a historical peak of 67.4%. April – The employment-population ratio reaches an all-time high of 64.8%. April 1 The 2000 United States Census determines the resident population of the United States to be 281,421,906. Boomerang, a secondary digital Cartoon Network channel, debuts. April 3 – United States v. Microsoft: Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust laws by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors. April 22 – In a predawn raid, federal agents seize 6-year old Elián González from his relatives' home in Miami, Florida and fly him to his Cuban father in Washington, DC, ending one of the most publicized custody battles in U.S. history. April 25 – The State of Vermont passes HB847, legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples. April 28 – Richard Baumhammers begins a two-hour racially motivated shooting spree in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, leaving five dead and one paralyzed. May May 3 – In San Antonio, Texas, computer pioneer Datapoint files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. May 16 – The Federal Reserve raises its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point to 6.5 percent, the first increase of more than a quarter point since February 1995. May 19 – Walt Disney Pictures' 39th feature film, Dinosaur, is released. May 24 – Five people are shot and killed during a robbery at a Wendy's in Queens, New York. May 28 – The comic strip Bringing Up Father ends its 87-year run in newspapers. May – Northern Lights Local Exchange Point is founded. June June 1 – Expo 2000, the world's fair in Hanover, Germany, begins without the attendance of the United States. June 5 – 405 The Movie, the first short film widely distributed on the Internet, is released. June 7 –