Years Ago

May 14, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Today is Friday, May 14, the 134th day of 2010. There are 231 days left in the year.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

On this date in:

1610: King Henry IV of France is stabbed to death while riding in his carriage in Paris by a religious fanatic, Francois Ravaillac, who is executed within two weeks.

1796: English physician Edward Jenner inoculates 8-year-old James Phipps against smallpox by using cowpox matter.

1804: The Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the Louisiana Territory as well as the Pacific Northwest leaves camp near present-day Hartford, Ill.

1900: The Olympic games open in Paris, held as part of the 1900 World’s Fair.

1942: Congress votes to establish the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps.

Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” is first performed, by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

The sitcom “Seinfeld” airs its final NBC episode.

VINDICATOR FILES

1985: In a circular distributed to its creditors, Sharon Steel Corp. says it may be forced to file for protection under federal bankruptcy law.

The Lordstown Board of Education approves a three-year contract for Supt. James Hall that will continue his $43,000 salary for the life of the contract.

1970: The Ohio Supreme Court reverses the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals on its formula for distributing local government funds, restoring $326,558 to the Mahoning County treasury, and taking $576,511 from the city of Youngstown.

About 300 students march on the campus of Ohio University to protest the suspension of seven students; Gov. James Rhodes orders National Guard units to duty, but troops aren’t sent immediately.

1960: More than 1,800 boys and girls in the safety patrols of Youngstown and Mahoning County schools leave Youngstown by train for a day-long outing to a Cleveland Indians game.

Marion Minghetti of Struthers is crowned Youngstown University’s May Queen by Joan Melek, the 1959 queen.

1935: The life of Betty Shutrump. 12, is saved through the heroic action of Robert Gerdes, 22, who dove into the pool below Lanterman Falls and rescued her after she had fallen into the rain-swollen creek and been carried over the falls. The incident happened during a neighborhood picnic.

A bird’s nest in the cornice of the Youngstown Hospital nurses home on Warner Street catches fire, apparently after a bird carried a lighted cigarette into the nest. Damage is slight.