Today in history

Today is Friday, March 27, the 86th day of 2009. There are 279 days left in the year. On this date in 1977, 583 people are killed when a KLM Boeing 747, attempting to take off, crashes into a Pan Am 747 on the Canary Island of Tenerife.

In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sights present-day Florida. In 1836, the first Mormon temple is dedicated, in Kirtland, Ohio. In 1884, the first telephone line between Boston and New York is inaugurated. In 1958, Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet premier in addition to First Secretary of the Communist Party. In 1964, Alaska is hit by a powerful earthquake and tsunamis that kills about 130 people. In 1979, the Supreme Court rules 8-1 in Delaware v. Prouse that police cannot stop motorists at random to check licenses and registrations unless there is reason to believe a law has been broken.

March 27, 1984: A 28-year-old Youngstown man surprised by Austintown police during a stakeout at the Wedgewood Plaza shoots himself in the head after being wounded by police. He is in critical condition in St. Elizabeth Hospital.

Citing escalating operation costs and reduced income, the Youngstown Hospital Association is laying off 89 service workers, nurses and administrators.

March 27, 1969: More than 2,000 people brave bad weather for the opening night of the Mahoning Valley Home and Garden Show at the Idora Ballroom.

Ezell L. Armour, assistant Mahoning County welfare director, is named director to succeed James E. O’Brien, who took a social work position in Pittsburgh.

Ralph Sherman of Princeton Junior High School wins first place in the annual oratorical contest sponsored by the Youngstown Optimist Club.

March 27, 1959: A “gas war” in Youngstown brings another two cent per gallon cut. Regular gas is selling at 26.9 per gallon.

Heavy demand for all of Youngstown’s steel products means local mills will be operating at 93 percent of capacity.

March 27, 1934: After balking on authorizing Mayor Mark E. Moore to put most of the city’s employees on half time for April and May, council leaders declare they were willing to go along with the mayor provided the cut applies to executives and employees alike.

Warren is operating on a 50 percent basis, including the police and fire departments, each of which has lost 14 men.

The Wick estate on Logan Road is being surveyed as the possible site of a state hospital for the insane in northeastern Ohio.