Today is Friday, June 6, the 157th day of 2025. There are 208 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On June 6, 1944, during World War II, nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy, France, on D-Day as they launched Operation Overlord to liberate German-occupied Western Europe. More than 4,400 Allied troops were killed on D-Day, including 2,501 Americans.

Also on this date:

In 1844, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was founded in London.

Related Articles

Man accused of yelling ‘Free Palestine’ and firebombing demonstrators charged with attempted murder

A Massachusetts student arrested by ICE on his way to volleyball practice has been released

NTSB finds a fuel leak and improperly installed parts in the engine of an airliner that caught fire

Police consider whether ‘King of the Hill’ actor’s sexual orientation played a role in his killing

Welcome to kitten season, when animal shelters need all the help they can get

In 1889, an industrial accident sparked a devastating fire in Seattle, Washington, destroying 120 acres of the city center, including the majority of the city’s commercial district and waterfront.

In 1912, Novarupta, a volcano on the Alaska peninsula, began a three-day eruption, sending ash nearly 19 miles high; it was the most powerful volcanic eruption of the 20th century and the largest ever recorded in North America.

In 1933, the first drive-in movie theater opened, in Camden, New Jersey.

In 1939, the first Little League Baseball game was played as Lundy Lumber defeated Lycoming Dairy 23-8 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

In 1966, civil rights activist James Meredith was shot and wounded by a sniper on the second day of Meredith’s march from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi, which he began to raise awareness of ongoing racial oppression in the South. (Meredith would recover from his injuries and was able to rejoin the march, which had grown from a small group of supporters to 15,000 marchers, the day before the group arrived in Jackson.)

In 2015, American Pharoah became the first horse in 37 years to claim horse racing’s Triple Crown, winning the Belmont Stakes by 5 ½ lengths.

Today’s Birthdays:

Singer-songwriter Gary U.S. Bonds is 86.
Civil rights activist Marian Wright Edelman is 86.
Country musician Joe Stampley is 82.
Olympic track & field gold medalist Tommie Smith is 81.
Actor Robert Englund is 78.
Folk singer Holly Near is 76.
Sen. Sandra Bernhard is 70.
Tennis Hall of Famer Bjorn Borg is 69.
Comedian Colin Quinn is 66.
Music producer Jimmy Jam is 66.
Filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda is 63.
Actor Jason Isaacs is 62.
Actor Paul Giamatti is 58.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is 45.
Actor Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (TV: “Modern Family”) is 18.

Which boat speakers are best?

When the sun is bright and warm and the water is shimmering and cool, it’s time to hit the lake. Grab some friends and family, make some sandwiches, pack an ice chest of drinks and prep your summer playlist. In order to have the best experience with that last point, you’ll need to buy the best boat speakers possible. The Boss Audio Systems Weatherproof Speaker and Stereo Package includes everything you need to pump the best tunes and can connect to your phone over Bluetooth.

What to know before you buy boat speakers

Cone size and shape

The cone is the main piece of the boat speaker and is responsible for volume and bass. Larger cones can produce louder sounds, but this must be balanced against the size of your boat’s speaker holes. Most cones are round, but some are oblong instead. These shapes do have a minimal impact on the sound and its quality, but the average consumer shouldn’t hear much of a difference.

Frame size and shape

There are two boat speaker frame shapes to choose from: circular or box. Both shapes need to have their sizes compared against your boat speaker’s frame size to ensure they’ll fit.

Circular frames are more common to match most boats’ speaker hole shapes.
Box frames are less common and usually require your boat’s speaker holes to be modified to fit them. However, the box design naturally amplifies the cone’s bass.

What to look for in quality boat speakers

Wattage

A boat speaker’s power is given in watts. Higher wattages make louder and less distorted sounds possible without damaging the speaker. Higher wattages are thus more expensive.

Most boat speakers have wattages between 120 and 350. When shopping for boat speakers, ask yourself what situations you’ll be playing music in and purchase accordingly. For example, if you plan to play music only while sitting still on the water, you can save money on a low-wattage speaker. If you want to hear your music while you jet around, you can feel comfortable spending the money on a high-wattage speaker.

Weatherproofing and waterproofing

Most boat speakers have at least some minor weather- and water-resistance. This usually takes the form of ultraviolet light-resistance and a simple splash guard. The best speakers have fully sealed and waterproofed housings, though these aren’t capable of protection should your boat sink.

Tweeters

Tweeters are responsible for the high notes called treble. Most tweeters are made of aluminum for its affordability, but better speakers use titanium instead. Titanium is lighter and less resonant, so it provides less distorted and more accurate tones. However, it costs more.

How much you can expect to spend on boat speakers

Boat speakers typically cost $10-$300, though most cost $20-$100. There are plenty of great options for less than $50, though they won’t have much wattage. The best speakers start at around $125.

Boat speakers FAQ

Can I use car speakers in boats, and vice versa?

A. Many — but not all — boat speakers can be installed in either vehicle. They are only marketed as boat speakers due to their high degree of weatherproofing and waterproofing. A few car speakers can be installed in boats, but it’s never recommended to do so because they’re unlikely to remain usable after a few outings and enough contact with water.

Does my boat stereo’s quality affect my speakers?

A. Yes. Your stereo is the system by which you feed your intended sounds to your speakers for them to amplify said sounds. If your stereo is low quality, it will feed in low-quality signals no matter how high quality the source is.

Do boat speakers need to be installed professionally?

A. They don’t need to be, though many find that the professional installation process is the way to go. Most speakers do include the instructions needed to install them on your own, but you still need to have the proper tools, time and patience. If you don’t have the tools or are simply nervous you’ll make a mistake, shop around for a professional with a good rate.

What are the best boat speakers to buy?

Top boat speakers

Boss Audio Systems Weatherproof Speaker and Stereo Package

What you need to know: This is the ultimate starter package.

What you’ll love: The stereo has multiple connection methods, including Bluetooth, USB and a standard auxiliary jack. The USB port can even charge your devices. It can also connect to AM/FM radio stations and the NOAA weather band. Most were happy with the volume levels.

What you should consider: A few consumers reported that the speakers aren’t as weatherproof as they could be, and some issues with rusting were mentioned.

Top boat speakers for the money

Pyle 6.5-inch 120-watt Dual Marine Speakers

What you need to know: These are perfect for playing music while you cruise.

What you’ll love: These can be used in both boats and cars and have a good-quality sound. The exterior is built tough to resist moisture and dirt as well as prevent them from getting inside to the speaker’s components. They’re available in black and white.

What you should consider: Some shoppers found installation to be difficult. Others had rare issues with durability. They aren’t loud enough to blast your music over a roaring engine.

Worth checking out

Pyle 6.5-inch 250-watt Dual Water-Resistant Speakers

What you need to know: These powerful speakers have excellent volume.

What you’ll love: They have titanium dome tweeters with a 65-hertz to 20,000-kilohertz frequency response and 250 watts of power to blast your music as you please. It also has a 4-ohm impedance to reduce any distortion for a clearer sound.

What you should consider: Their weatherproofing and waterproofing aren’t strong enough to use outside, making them best suited for below-deck rooms. A few purchasers had issues with these speakers requiring larger-than-expected holes.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France — Veterans gathered Friday in Normandy to mark the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings — a pivotal moment of World War II that eventually led to the collapse of Adolf Hitler’s regime.

Along the coastline and near the D-Day landing beaches, tens of thousands of onlookers attended the commemorations, which included parachute jumps, flyovers, remembrance ceremonies, parades, and historical reenactments.

Many were there to cheer the ever-dwindling number of surviving veterans in their late 90s and older. All remembered the thousands who died.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commemorated the anniversary of the D-Day landings, in which American soldiers played a leading role, with veterans at the American Cemetery overlooking the shore in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer.

The June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France used the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to breach Hitler’s defenses in western Europe. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself.

In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle — and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities — killed around 20,000 French civilians between June and August 1944.

The exact German casualties are unknown, but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone.

“The heroism, honor and sacrifice of the Allied forces on D-Day will always resonate with the U.S. Armed Forces and our Allies and partners across Europe,” said Lt. Gen. Jason T. Hinds, deputy commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. “So let us remember those who flew and fell.

“Let us honor those who survived and came home to build a better world. And let us ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain by meeting today’s challenges with the same resolve, the same clarity of purpose, and the same commitment to freedom.”

Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on D-Day.

Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with Gen. Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces.

More than 2 million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day.

Related Articles

Today in History: June 6, Allies land in Normandy on D-Day

WWII vets are rock stars in France as they hand over the duty of remembering D-Day

Private lunar lander from Japan falls silent while attempting a moon touchdown

Israel strikes Beirut’s suburbs to target what it says is Hezbollah drone production

Russian strike kills 5 in Ukraine, including a 1-year-old, hours after Trump-Putin call

Several agencies responded to a water-rescue call in Stillwater on Thursday afternoon after the Stillwater Lift Bridge tender called authorities to report that a group of young women thought they had seen a young man go into the St. Croix River and not surface.

Law enforcement officers searched the river in boats using sonar scanners, and divers from the Washington County Fire Rescue Dive Team searched the bottom of the river, but no one was found, said Washington County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kevin Jadwinski.

The initial report, which came in around 4:40 p.m., said the young man was thought to have gone into the river from the undercarriage of the pedestrian bridge, just east of the bridge tender’s building, Jadwinski said.

“Boats with scanning technology searched the river for about two hours and did not see anything,” he said. “Divers were in the river searching the bottoms of the river for 30 to 40 minutes, and they didn’t find anything.”

In addition, crews from the Minnesota Department of Transportation scanned footage from cameras located at the top of the bridge and the bottom of the bridge “going back 30 minutes prior to the call coming in and never located anyone falling or jumping off the bridge,” Jadwinski said.

Law enforcement cleared the scene at 6:36 p.m., he said.

“We always take these types of calls seriously,” Jadwinski said. “We are going to throw all the resources that we have at it if it means saving someone’s life until we can deem that no one is in the water.”

Related Articles

East Metro Softball Player of the Year: Forest Lake’s Avery Muellner

Retiring Woodbury city administrator says over 21 years, he’s watched the city grow

DOC commissioner asks for patience from Stillwater prison families, dismisses idea of reopening Appleton prison

Obituary: Col. Thomas Simonet helped lead I-35W bridge collapse response — and umpire vintage baseball

Woodbury City Council announces new city administrator