Years Ago

Today is Wednesday, June 6, the 158th day of 2012. There are 208 days left in the year.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

On this date in:

1844: The Young Men’s Christian Association is founded in London.

1912: The greatest volcanic eruption of the 20th century takes place as Novarupta in Alaska begins a series of explosive episodes over a 60-hour period.

1925: Walter Percy Chrysler funds the Chrysler Corp.

1932: The Senate approves, and President Herbert Hoover signs, a Revenue Act containing the first federal gasoline tax, which is 1 cent per gallon.

1934: The Securities and Exchange Commission is established.

1944: During World War II, Allied forces storm the beaches of Normandy, France, on “D-Day,” beginning the liberation of German-occupied western Europe.

1966: Black activist James Meredith is shot and wounded as he walks along a Mississippi highway to encourage black voter registration.

VINDICATOR FILES

1987: Hot rods from across the nation are on display at the Canfield Fairgrounds. Boardman police respond to impromptu drag races that break out on a section of Route 224 in the area of the A&W Drive-in restaurant.

Lt. Gov. Paul R. Leonard speaks at a session of the Mayors Association of Ohio at the Avalon Inn in Howland Township. Leonard says reports about Gov. Richard F. Celeste’s womanizing capture public attention because “we are in a People magazine society, and people like to read that kind of thing.”

1972: While conducting a hearing on the transfer of a Hayes School teacher, Judge Sidney Rigelhaupt rebukes Youngstown teachers, the Board of Education and agitators in the dispute over school discipline for losing sight of the children, who should be their main interest.

A $50,000 contract between Model Cities and Trumbull Baptist Association will proved summer employment for 111 youths.

1962: A 26-year-old former mental patient from Girard is arrested following a months-long investigation into 40 car and truck fires in Youngstown. He confesses to setting the fires as part of a grudge he held against Youngstown police.

Mrs. Pauline Taylor of Youngstown is one of seven witnesses called to testify before the House un-American Activities Committee. She was questioned about alleged Communist attempts to infiltrate churches in the Youngstown area.

1937: Warren police and Trumbull sheriff’s deputies organize flying squadrons to respond to reported threats against the families of steelworkers who remain working in the Republic Steel Corp. plant.

Two Struthers men arrested with a crowbar and pipe wrench in hand walking away from a Pennsylvania Railroad switch that was damaged near the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. mill may face federal charges.

Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Lynn B. Griffith issues an order that restrains pickets “from interfering with free access of the employees” to Republic Steel plants in Warren and Niles.