3 ) ▁ ▁Events ▁ ▁January ▁▁▁ ▁January ▁ 1 ▁– ▁A ▁black ▁mon ol ith ▁meas uring ▁ ▁tall ▁appears ▁in ▁Seattle ' s ▁Magn us on ▁Park , ▁placed ▁by ▁an ▁anonymous ▁artist ▁in ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁mon ol ith ▁from ▁the ▁movie ▁ 2 0 0 1 : ▁A ▁Space ▁Od ys sey . ▁ ▁January ▁ 2 ▁– ▁S ila ▁Cal der ón ▁becomes ▁the ▁first ▁female ▁governor ▁of ▁US ▁territory ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁ ▁January ▁ 1 0 ▁– ▁Nev ada ▁County ▁shoot ings : ▁In ▁Nev ada ▁County , ▁California , ▁ 4 0 - year - old ▁Scott ▁Har lan ▁Thor pe ▁k ills ▁three ▁people ▁in ▁a ▁shooting ▁sp ree . ▁He ▁is ▁later ▁found ▁in comp et ent ▁to ▁stand ▁trial ▁and ▁declared ▁not ▁guilty ▁by ▁reason ▁of ▁ins an ity . ▁ ▁January ▁ 1 1 ▁– ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Federal ▁Trade ▁Commission ▁appro ves ▁the ▁mer ger ▁of ▁America ▁Online ▁and ▁Time ▁Warner ▁to ▁form ▁A OL ▁Time ▁Warner . ▁ ▁January ▁ 1 6 ▁President ▁Bill ▁Cl inton ▁awards ▁former ▁U . S . ▁President ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t ▁a ▁post hum ous ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁for ▁his ▁service ▁during ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War ; ▁ 1 1 ▁of ▁Ro ose vel t ' s ▁descend ants ▁accept ▁on ▁his ▁beh alf . ▁A ▁man ▁drives ▁a ▁semi - tra iler ▁tr uck ▁into ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁State ▁Capit ol ▁building , ▁killing ▁the