Years Ago

Today is Sunday, Aug. 14, the 226th day of 2011. There are 139 days left in the year.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

On this date in:

1908: A race riot erupts in Springfield, Ill., as a white mob begins setting black-owned homes and businesses on fire; at least two blacks and five whites are killed in the violence.

1909: The newly opened Indianapolis Motor Speedway holds its first event, a series of motorcycle races.

1935: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law.

1945: President Harry S. Truman announces that Japan has surrendered unconditionally, ending World War II.

1969: British troops go to Northern Ireland to intervene in sectarian violence between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

1981: Pope John Paul II leaves a Rome hospital, three months after being wounded in an attempt on his life.

VINDICATOR FILES

1986: Four Mahoning County men are among those indicted on federal child pornography charges as a result of a five-month investigation by the U.S. Postal Service.

First Lady Nancy Reagan’s personal maid of five years is placed on administrative leave after being charged with aiding and abetting the illegal export of 22-caliber ammunition to Paraguay.

Facing the loss of $864,054 in tax revenue due to the LTV Steel Corp. bankruptcy, the Warren Board of Education begins making budget cuts.

Domestic auto sales increase in early August, but General Motors’ share drops to 51.5 percent, compared to 58 percent a year earlier.

1971: The Mass Transit Authority gives Campbell and Struthers a week to commit themselves to requesting subsidies or face an end to bus service.

Six Youngstown area players will play in the Ohio All-Star game at Fawcett Stadium in Canton: Andy Kuchmaner and Bob Alleman, both of Austintown Fitch, Van DeCree of Warren Reserve, Jeff Cranston of Niles, Ray Tesner of Warren Harding and Frank Rossi of Campbell.

Four Franciscan priests join the faculty of John F. Kennedy High School: the Rev. Bonaventure Midili, the Rev. Jude Molnar, the Rev. Edward Sabo and the Rev. Rodney Schindle.

1961: President John F. Kennedy sends a message of greeting to the Jewish War Veterans, opening their 60th annual national convention in Baltimore with Mahoning County Welfare Director I.L. Feuer presiding as national chairman.

Youngstown Mayor Frank R. Franko and City Engineer J. Phillip Richley will go to Washington, D.C, to work out problems with expressway bridges that might someday interfere with the proposed Lake Erie-Ohio River canal.

The owner of a Parkman tavern faces nine charges of selling liquor to minors, including two who were involved in an accident in which Gary D. Hunter, 16, of Chardon was killed.

1936: Faced with a rapidly shrinking fund, the Mahoning County Building Commission orders a halt on all labor paid out of county funds on the tuberculosis hospital. Commissioners will go to Washington to seek $50,000 in WPA funds for construction of a nurses’ home at the hospital.

Lodge Napoleone Coiaianni No. 858, Sons of Italy, protests the ban on fireworks in Youngstown, saying only a few residents near Idora Park have complained about the displays.

Ohio Edision Co. offers Youngstown a rate pact that would run for 20 years and which it says would save city customers $200,000 a year.

A crowd of 15,000 turns out in Owensboro, Ky., for the hanging of Rainey Bethea, 22, convicted murderer of Eliza Edwards, 70. Hot dog and lemonade vendors hawk their wares as Bethea mounts the steps to gallows erected on a vacant lot.