Today is Wednesday, July 16, the 198th day of 2008. There are 168 days left in the year. On this

Today is Wednesday, July 16, the 198th day of 2008. There are 168 days left in the year. On this date in 1945, the United States explodes its first experimental atomic bomb, in the desert of Alamogordo, N.M.

In 1790, the District of Columbia is established as the seat of the United States government. In 1862, David G. Farragut becomes the first rear admiral in the United States Navy. In 1935, the first parking meters are installed, in Oklahoma City. In 1957, Marine Maj. John Glenn sets a transcontinental speed record flying a jet from California to New York in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 8 seconds. In 1958, the science-fiction film “The Fly” opens in San Francisco.

July 16, 1983: The proposed home-rule charter for Mahoning County is near death, lacking 2,359 of the 10,165 signatures that are needed to put the issue on the November ballot, with only two days remaining before the petitions must be submitted to the board of elections.

Youngstown Risk Manager John Franken says that if Sheriff James A. Traficant wants copies of city insurance records dating to 1976, he should bring a check for $786 to City Hall to cover the cost of copying.

July 16, 1968: By a 5-1 vote, the Youngstown Board of Education approves an agency shop for service employees, agreeing to a contract with Local 1143 of the Public Employees Union. Atty. Jay C. Brownlee voted against the proposal.

Joey Heatherton, star of “The Golddiggers,” summer replacement for the Dean Martin TV show, heads the cast of the Cole Porter musical “Can Can” at the Kenley Players in the Packard Music Hall in Warren.

Advertisement: Sears Cycle Sale: Compact 59cc scooter, $199; 106cc Super Sport, $399, and high performance 250cc motorcycle with a top speed of 80 mph and 88 miles per gallon, $566 (regularly $599).

July 16, 1958: Shenango River flood waters cover most of Sharon’s main business district and force 75 families to evacuate their homes in the worst flooding in the city since the disaster of 1913.

A Youngstown sailor helped land the vanguard of 5,000 U.S. Marines in Lebanon and at least three Youngstowners are assigned to Marine units in the Mediterranean area and could be among the troops who took over Beirut’s airport. They are Seaman Richard Hart, Marine Cpl. Paul H. Cress Jr., 20; Cpl. John E. Kohl, 20, and Pvt. Martin A. Miller, 17.

Pilots and planes of the 79th Fighter Group at Youngstown Municipal Airport are ordered on “five-minute alert” by the Strategic Air Command in response to the crisis in Lebanon.

July 16, 1933: Youngstown has submitted $3.2 million in projects to the public works administration, including sewer construction, street construction, park buildings and repairs to the Milton Dam.

Every reservation at the Stambaugh Boy Scout camp has been filled for the week. Scouts will have ample opportunity for advancement in second and first class tests.