SPINACH TOWNS REMEMBER CARTOON HERO

Chester, Ill., dedicated a Popeye statue in 1977 to honor hometown hero Elzie Segar, creator of the cartoon character. The town even has an annual Popeye picnic. But Alma, Ark., goes a step further, calling itself the “Spinach Capital to the World.” The town is home to Popeye Brand Spinach, and its Popeye statue stands in front of the Chamber of Commerce building. Not to be outdone, Crystal City, Tex., has two statues of Popeye.

Dr. Seuss’ first book for children, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” was rejected by almost 30 publishers before it finally found a home in 1937 at Random House.

The U.S. Nuclear Weapons Cost Study Project — completed in 1998 — reported that, from 1951 to the study’s release, the nation produced at least 67,500 nuclear missiles.

Almost 70 million U.S. citizens identify themselves as Roman Catholic.

Susan B. Anthony’s image was chosen for the one-dollar coin, minted in 1979, which made her the first woman, other than a mythical figure, to appear on U.S. currency.

The minting of each U.S. penny costs roughly 0.81 cent.

The Macadamia, an Australian native, was first introduced in Hawaii in 1881 as an ornamental plant and for reforestation of the islands.