▁ ▁February ▁ 1 8 ▁ ▁NAS C AR ▁legend ▁D ale ▁E arn hardt ▁dies ▁in ▁a ▁last ▁lap ▁crash ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 3 rd ▁annual ▁Day ton a ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁ ▁F BI ▁agent ▁Robert ▁Hans sen ▁is ▁arrested ▁and ▁charged ▁with ▁sp ying ▁for ▁Russia ▁for ▁ 1 5 ▁years . ▁ ▁February ▁ 1 9 ▁– ▁An ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁bomb ing ▁museum ▁is ▁dedicated ▁at ▁the ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁National ▁Memorial . ▁ ▁February ▁ 2 3 ▁– ▁Is la ▁V ista ▁mass acre : ▁In ▁Is la ▁V ista , ▁California , ▁David ▁Att ias ▁drives ▁a ▁car ▁into ▁five ▁ped est ri ans , ▁killing ▁four ▁and ▁crit ically ▁inj uring ▁one . ▁He ▁is ▁later ▁conv icted ▁of ▁murder ▁and ▁declared ▁leg ally ▁ins ane . ▁ ▁February ▁ 2 8 ▁– ▁The ▁ 6 . 8 ▁ ▁N is qu ally ▁earth qu ake ▁shook ▁the ▁Pu get ▁Sound ▁region ▁of ▁western ▁Washington ▁with ▁a ▁maximum ▁Mer cal li ▁intensity ▁of ▁VIII ▁( S ever e ), ▁causing ▁ 1 ▁death , ▁ 4 0 0 ▁inj uries , ▁and ▁ 1 ▁to ▁US $ 4 ▁billion ▁in ▁losses . ▁ ▁March ▁▁ ▁March ▁– ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁enters ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁re cess ion ; ▁the ▁un emp loyment ▁rate ▁r ises ▁to ▁ 4 . 4 %. ▁ ▁March ▁ 2 5 ▁– ▁The ▁ 7 3 rd ▁Academy ▁Awards , ▁hosted ▁by ▁Steve ▁Martin