Today is Wednesday, Feb. 23, the 54th day of 2005. There are 311 days left in the year. On this date

Today is Wednesday, Feb. 23, the 54th day of 2005. There are 311 days left in the year. On this date in 1905, the first Rotary Club service organization is founded in Chicago by Paul Harris.
In 1822, Boston is granted a charter to incorporate as a city. In 1836, the siege of the Alamo begins in San Antonio. In 1847, U.S. troops under Gen. Zachary Taylor defeat Mexican Gen. Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista in Mexico. In 1861, President-elect Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington to take office, an assassination plot having been foiled in Baltimore. In 1870, Mississippi is readmitted to the Union. In 1945, during World War II, U.S. Marines on Iwo Jima capture Mount Suribachi, where they raise the American flag. In 1965, Stan Laurel -- the "skinny" half of the Laurel and Hardy comedy team -- dies in Santa Monica, Calif. In 1981, an attempted coup begins in Spain as 200 members of the Civil Guard invade the Parliament, taking lawmakers hostage. (However, the attempt collapses 18 hours later.) In 1995, the Dow Jones industrial average closes above the 4,000 mark for the first time; administration officials say President Clinton will review dozens of affirmative action programs; former U.S. President Jimmy Carter arrives in Haiti to help prepare for peaceful elections. In 1997, scientists in Scotland announce they have succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, producing a lamb named "Dolly." (Dolly, however, is later put down after a short life marred by premature aging and disease.) In 2000, Carlos Santana wins eight Grammy awards, including album of the year for "Supernatural," tying the record set by Michael Jackson in 1983 for most trophies in one night.
February 23, 1980: The appointments of as many as 300 Youngstown employees to civil service positions could be challenged as a result of the Vukovich administration's plan to review appointments made since 1978.
About 400 employees in the car plant at the Lordstown General Motors complex will be recalled when the assembly line speeds up its output from 80 cars per hour to 90.
President Carter invites the U.S. Olympic hockey team to the White House for a "couple of cases of Coke" after they hand the powerful Russian hockey team its first loss since 1968 while playing in the opening game of the medal round at the Lake Placid Olympic Games.
February 23, 1965: Sharon Steel Corp. announces a $50 million expansion program, the biggest in the company's history. Donald W. Frease, chairman and president, says a 60-inch hot-rolling mill and 60-inch cold rolling mill will be installed in the Farrell Works within 18 months.
The Boardman Spartans live up to their rating as the top-rated team, beating the Liberty Leopards, 53-49, in a thrilling opening round game in the Class AA district basketball tournament.
Al Wagner sells the assets of his Lincoln-Mercury dealership at 726 Wick Ave. to Hugh G. Kroehle of Warren.
Felix Frankfurter, who came to the United States as an immigrant boy and rose to Supreme Court justice, dies at 82 of a heart attack. He was hailed as one of the greatest jurists of all times when he stepped down in 1962.
February 23, 1955: The statue of a Civil War soldier, known affectionately as the "Man on the Monument," will be back in Central Square by Memorial Day, thanks to an anonymous donation of $1,000 from a Youngstown businessman. The marble statue, damaged during preparations for Memorial Day 1951, will be repaired by Bertolini Bros. Co.
James D. Welsh, the "outside man" in the escape of Canton slayer Pat McDermott in November, is found hanged in his Ohio Penitentiary cell. The FBI says the death of Welsh, a Youngstown ex-convict, is a blow to their search for McDermott.
An injunction is filed in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court seeking to restrain Police Chief Paul H. Cress from stationing police at the RACE club on Poland Avenue, which the chief says is a cheat spot.
February 23, 1930: Peter Langilotta, 54, is shot down by two unidentified men as he was closing his grocery store on the Sharon Line. Police say there was no sign of a robbery and believe the killing was an execution, possibly tied to the Black Hand.
Carl Berger, 15, of Ashtabula drowns while trying to save his dog, which fell through a hole in the ice on Lake Erie. Another boy, Howard Kennedy, also fell in during the rescue attempt, but he and the dog managed to pull themselves out of the water and onto the ice.
Temperatures in the Youngstown area reach an unofficial high of 72 degrees and local fire departments report being called out to extinguish 18 grass fires.