Years ago

February 24, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Today is Wednesday, Feb. 24, the 55th day of 2010. There are 310 days left in the year. On this date in 1868, the House of Representatives impeaches President Andrew Johnson following his attempted dismissal of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton; Johnson is later acquitted by the Senate.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII issues a papal bull, or edict, outlining his calendar reforms. (The Gregorian Calendar is the calendar in general use today.) In 1803, in its Marbury v. Madison decision, the Supreme Court establishes judicial review of the constitutionality of statutes. In 1821, Mexican rebels proclaim the “Plan de Iguala,” their declaration of independence from Spain. In 1863, Arizona is organized as a territory. In 1920, the German Workers Party, which later becomes the Nazi Party, meets in Munich to adopt its platform. In 1942, the Voice of America goes on the air for the first time. In 1946, Argentinian men go to the polls to elect Juan D. Peron their president. In 1980, the U.S. hockey team defeats Finland, 4-2, to clinch the gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. In 1983, a congressional commission releases a report condemning the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II as a “grave injustice.” In 1990, magazine publisher Malcolm Forbes dies in Far Hills, N.J. at age 70. Fifties balladeer Johnnie Ray dies in Los Angeles at age 63.

February 24, 1985: Ohio school districts will have to pay higher starting salaries if they want to compete for a shrinking pool of teachers, says a Broward County, Florida, school official in the area to recruit teachers.

Students throughout the area are writing letters to Roger B. Smith, chairman of the board of General Motors Corp., urging him to choose the Mahoning Valley as the site of the new Saturn Corp. plant.

The Youngstown State Penguins hold off Middle Tennessee to win 82-76 at Murfreesboro, Tenn., to keep YSU’s hopes alive for an Ohio Valley Conference basketball championship.

February 24, 1970: Mahoning Count residents using Youngstown water are besieging the Youngs-town Water Department with complaints about the newly imposed sewer tax, which appeared for the first time on the quarterly water bills. The new system of collecting sewer taxes was actually imposed by the county, but appears on the water bills mailed by the city.

An 18-year-old South High senior is charged with assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor for his participation in two vicious attacks by teenagers on pedestrians leaving a basketball tournament at the South High Fieldhouse.

Youngstown State University, still hoping for a postseason NCAA tourney spot, and two games away from equaling the school’s best cage mark in history, seeks its 22nd win of the season against Steubenville at Austintown Fitch High School.

February 24, 1960: About 2,800 people help get the 6th annual Youngstown Jaycees Boat and Sports show off to a good start on opening day at the Idora Park Ballroom.

More than $33 million in gifts are received by 48 colleges and universities, a report by the Council for Financial Aid to Education shows. Youngstown University received $310,395.

“Patsy,” holder of the world’s record for milk production, has her fifth calf on Breezewood Farm, operated by Herman and Henry Gelbke in Vienna Township, Trumbull County.

February 24, 1935: Judge Clif–ford M. Woodside and Councilman M.J. Kirwan are the principal speakers at the first annual banquet of the Central Powers Veterans Association at the Youngstown Maennerchor.

U.S. Rep. John G. Cooper of Youngstown introduces a bill in the House designed to throw the federal government behind the drive to stop lynching. It provide criminal penalties for any local police official found guilty of neglect that results in a lynching.

The Department of Commerce reports a broad array of American products are being exported to foreign countries, from lipstick, to lawn mowers, pickles, pianos, playing cards, nightshirts and shoes. Other exports include bathtubs, toy balloons and chewing gum.