Years ago

Today is Sunday, July 4, the 185th day of 2010. There are 180 days left in the year. This is Independence Day.

Associated Press

On this date in:

1776: The Declaration of Independence is adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

1802: The United States Military Academy officially opens at West Point, N.Y.

1894: The Republic of Hawaii is proclaimed. (Hawaii was annexed by the United States four years later).

1910: In what is billed as “The Fight of the Century,” black world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson defeated white former champ James J. Jeffries1939: Baseball’s “Iron Horse,” Lou Gehrig, afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, delivers his famous farewell at New York’s Yankee Stadium.

1946: The Philippines become independent of U.S. sovereignty.

1959: America’s 49-star flag, honoring Alaskan statehood, is officially unfurled.

1960: America’s 50-star flag, honoring Hawaiian statehood, is officially unfurled.

1976: Israeli commandos raid Entebbe airport in Uganda, rescuing passengers and crew of an Air France jetliner seized by pro-Palestinian hijackers.

2005: President George W. Bush urges resolve in the war in Iraq.

Vindicator files

1985: Norma J. Higgins, who began working as a secretary in the Youngstown police department in 1954 and was sworn in as a policewoman in 1958, is retiring. She is the first woman to serve as police chief, if only for a day in 1974 when she filled in for Chief Donald Baker who returned to his rank of captain for a day to fulfil Civil Service requirements.

A 150-year-old carriage house on the campus of Youngstown State University is being remodeled for use by the campus security department.

Westone Johnstone, president of the Youngstown Area Chamber of commerce for 13 years, says he will retire, and the chamber announces a search for his successor.

1970: Youngstown police seek an increase of $2,048 in base pay, which would give police a base annual salary of $10,000.

Mahoning County Coroner Dr. David Belinky says that only uninterrupted grounded electric cords should be used around home swimming pools to avoid tragedies such as that in which a 3-year-old Youngstown girl was electrocuted by an extension cord powering a filter pump.

Maj. Fred Johnson, a Youngstown native, is returning to Vietnam for his fourth tour of duty.

1960: Youngstown police crack down on illegal sales or possession of fireworks and arrest seven men and two youths.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol adds two airplanes to its fleet to police speeders from the sky.

Youngstown area motorists will receive their first cut in auto insurance premiums, a break of 2.5 percent, since 1955.

1935: A half-ton of dynamite is used to blast away more than 11,000 tons of rock from Honeymoon Point at Niagara Falls that was deemed to be unsafe.

Dr. J.I. Moore, pastor of Tabernacle U.P. Church, says Mayor Mark E. Moore is exaggerating when he says city police are bearing down on vice and crime in the city.

Youngstown Park Commissioner Lionel Evans says city parks are looking neglected as maintenance work is three weeks behind after labor crews were laid off June 1.

Two “bug” operators are fined $200 by Justice of the Peace Robert Raymonds and 13 others arrested in raids by Sheriff Ralph E. Elser are fined $1 and court costs.

Sheriff Elser and four crews of deputies find 300 cars in Petersburg, North Jackson, Berlin Center and Sebring with faulty lights. They are given warnings and orders to make repairs.