Years Ago

Today is Monday, Jan. 11, the 11th day of 2010. There are 354 days left in the year. On this date in 1935, aviator Amelia Earhart begins an 18-hour trip from Honolulu to Oakland, Calif., that makes her the first woman to fly solo across the Pacific Ocean.

In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaims the Grand Canyon National Monument (it becomes a national park in 1919). In 1913, the first sedan-type automobile, a Hudson, goes on display at the 13th National Automobile Show in New York. In 1942, Japan declares war against the Netherlands, the same day that Japanese forces invade the Dutch East Indies. In 1943, the United States and Britain sign treaties relinquishing extraterritorial rights in China. In 1964, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry issues the first government report that says smoking may be hazardous to one’s health. In 1977, France sets off an international uproar by releasing Abu Daoud, a PLO official behind the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

January 11, 1985: Harold Nichols, shop chairman of IUE Local 717 at the Packard Electric Division of General Motors in Warren, says he believes Packard has a good shot at providing products for GM’s new Saturn line of moderately priced small cars.

Television breaks the $1 million- per-minute mark with ABC charging that amount for a one-minute commercial on the Super Bowl broadcast.

January 11, 1970: Youngstown public school pupils can be excused to attend commemoration services for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, says Woodrow W. Zinser, school superintendent.

Fourth Ward Councilman William Shranko says he was misinformed by the Jack Hunter administration when he alleged that outgoing mayor Frank R. Franko padded the city payroll with 31 new hires before leaving office. Nine of those hired were in the Model Cities program and had to be hired to meet a federal deadline and two were firefighters.

January 11, 1960: Two gunmen threaten 12 employees of the Mahoning National Bank’s Boardman Branch, herd them into a back room and flee with an undetermined amount of money.

Boardman High School’s debate team carries off the rotating trophy by posting a 6-0 record among 63 teams at the eighth annual debate tournament sponsored by the Cuyahoga Falls Jr. Chamber of Commerce.

January 11, 1935: Republic Steel Corp. lights its third blast furnace at Haselton and expects to be producing iron there in a matter of days.