Today is Saturday, Jan. 3, the third day of 2009. There are 362 days left in the year. On this date

January 3, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

Today is Saturday, Jan. 3, the third day of 2009. There are 362 days left in the year. On this date in 1959, Alaska becomes the 49th state as President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a proclamation.

In 1521, Martin Luther is excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Leo X. In 1777, Gen. George Washington’s army routs the British in the Battle of Princeton, N.J. In 1868, the Meiji Restoration re-establishes the authority of Japan’s emperor and heralds the fall of the military rulers known as shoguns. In 1909, Danish-American comedian Victor Borge is born in Copenhagen. In 1938, the March of Dimes campaign to fight polio is organized. In 1947, congressional proceedings are televised for the first time as viewers in Washington, Philadelphia and New York get to see some of the opening ceremonies of the 80th Congress.

January 3, 1984: Boardman’s Bernie Kosar leads the University of Miami Hurricanes to a 31-30 defeat of the No.1-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl.

Councilman Herman P. Starks is re-elected chairman of Youngstown City Council’s powerful Finance Committee and is also re-elected president pro tem of council.

A local ballerina, Stephanie Dabney of Liberty, appears on the nationally televised Tournament of Roses Parade, dancing on the Avon Products float, which was based on Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.”

January 3, 1969: Complaints by downtown Youngstown property owners about excessive evaluation bring an additional decrease in the total tax valuation of Youngstown real estate by $15 million.

Atty. Paul H. Smith of Canfield is elected president of the Mahoning County Board of Education, succeeding Harold Ohl.

January 3, 1959: Youngstown police are on the lookout for any big shot gamblers who fled to the United States in the wake of the successful Cuban revolt.

An Air Force pilot from the Youngstown jet base carefully aims his disabled fighter plane at an unpopulated area near Kinsman and safely bails out, landing near the wreckage. Capt. John B. Holmberg of Howland reported hydraulic failure on his Convair F102a Delta Dagger.

The Warren Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol reports 3,179 citations during 1958, including 805 that were tied to accidents.

January 3, 1934: Myron G. Williams, councilman from the Fifth Ward, is elected president of Youngstown City Council, the last president to be elected by his colleagues. Under a charter amendment, the next president will be elected by the people.

Although there are over 10,000 dogs in Mahoning County that must be licensed, the county auditor reports only 1,700 licenses have been issued to date. The fee is $1 for males and $3 for females.