Years Ago

Today is Wednesday, May 9, the 130th day of 2012. There are 236 days left in the year.

Associated Press

On this date in:

1945: U.S. officials announce that a midnight entertainment curfew is being lifted immediately.

1962: Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology succeed in reflecting a laser beam off the surface of the moon.

1974: The House Judiciary Committee opens public hearings on whether to recommend the impeachment of President Richard Nixon.

1980: Thirty-five people die when a freighter rams the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay in Florida, causing a 1,400-foot section of the southbound span to collapse.

2002: Following the example set by Illinois, Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening suspends executions in his state pending a study on whether the death penalty is enforced in a racially discriminatory way.

Vindicator files

1987: The withdrawal of U.S. Sen. Gary Hart from the Democratic presidential primary fuels speculation that two Ohioans, U.S. Sen. John Glenn and Gov. Richard F. Celeste, may enter the race.

Ursuline High School’s social awareness class joins the Youngstown Peace Council in dedicating a Peace Pole in Wick Park, which displays the message “May Peace prevail on Earth” in English, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.

1972: A mother and son, Anna G. Bailes, 56, and David R. Bailes, 21, of Darlington, Pa., are killed when their car crashes into the rear of a semitrailer on Route 14 at the Erie Lackawanna Railroad crossing near the Canfield Fairgrounds.

Wesley Brian Dunlap, a 15-year-old Austintown Fitch sophomore, is one of 25 finalists in the nation for suggesting an experiment for NASA’s Skylab Project.

General Motors Corp. announces that it is recalling 350,000 Chevrolet Vegas to correct a problem that could cause the throttle to stick open.

1962: U.S. Rep. Michael J, Kirwan, who has represented the 19th Congressional District since 1936, wins renomination by over 20,000 votes over three challengers. He will face Republican William V. Williams in November.

Atty. Sidney J. Rigelhaupt wins the Republican primary for Common Pleas Judge and will face Youngstown Municipal Judge Don L. Hanni Jr., in the general election.

1937: Atty. John W. Ford of the law firm of Manchester, Ford, Bennett & Powers, is elected president of the Mahoning County Bar Association.

The Youngstown Sheet & Tube chorus splits the first place award with Homestead, Pa., in the industrial chorus competition at the seventh annual Trumbull eisteddfod in Warren. The Youngstown “Y” Male chorus, directed by W. Gwynne Jenkins, wins for male chorus.

Marjorie Wighton is elected queen of the Junior Prom at Youngstown College held at Stambaugh Auditorium.