YEARS AGO

YEARS AGO

Today is Friday, Oct. 16, the 289th day of 2015. There are 76 days left in the year.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

On this date in:

1793: During the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, is beheaded.

1859: Radical abolitionist John Brown leads a group of 21 men in a raid on Harpers Ferry in western Virginia. (Ten of Brown’s men were killed and five escaped. Brown and six followers were captured; all were executed.)

1916: Margaret Sanger opens the first birth-control clinic in Brooklyn, N.Y. (The clinic ended up being raided Oct. 25 by police who arrested Sanger.)

1934: Chinese Communists, under siege by the Nationalists, begin their “long march” lasting a year from southeastern to northwestern China.

1943: Chicago Mayor Edward J. Kelly officially opens the city’s new subway system during a ceremony at the State and Madison street station.

1962: President John F. Kennedy is informed that reconnaissance photographs revealed the presence of missile bases in Cuba.

1968:American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos spark controversy at the Mexico City Olympics by giving “black power” salutes during a victory ceremony after they won gold and bronze medals in the 200- meter race.

1969: The New York Mets cap their miracle season by winning the World Series, defeating the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 in Game 5 played at Shea Stadium.

1978: The College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church chooses Cardinal Karol Wojtyla to be the new pope; he takes the name John Paul II.

1984: Anglican Bishop Desmond Tutu is named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of nonviolent struggle for racial equality in South Africa.

1987: A 581/2-hour drama in Midland, Texas, ends happily as rescuers free Jessica McClure, an 18-month-old girl trapped in an abandoned well.

1995: A vast throng of black men gather in Washington, D.C., for the “Million Man March” led by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

2005: Polish television broadcasts a recorded interview with Pope Benedict XVI, who says that he plans to visit Poland, the homeland of his predecessor, John Paul II.

2010: Iran frees an American businessman jailed in Tehran for more than two years on suspicion of ties to a purportedly violent opposition group.

VINDICATOR FILES

1990: John Zordich, head of the Youngstown Power Advisory Commission, says the city should tap its legislative power to negotiate lower electrical rates with the Ohio Edison Co.

The campaign of state Sen. Lee Fisher returns a $10,000 contribution from Michael I. Monus of Youngstown to Monus because a candidate for attorney general is prohibited from receiving campaign donations from Medicaid providers. Monus is president of Phar-Mor Inc., a growing discount-drugstore chain, which would fill Medicaid prescriptions.

Anthony J. Ross, an executive with the Cafaro Co. of Youngstown, is appointed by Gov. Richard F. Celeste to the board of trustees of Kent State University.

1975: Youngstown City Council delays making a final commitment on establishing a cable-TV system in the city.

Some 4,000 students return to class in Sharon city schools after the Sharon Teachers Association ends its six-week strike, the longest in the history of the school system.

The Ohio Legislature’s Joint Select Committee on Energy issues its final report calling for tighter regulation of Ohio utilities and new laws for determining utility rates.

1965: Susan Hoier of Girard, a senior at Thiel College, reigns over homecoming ceremonies.

A 27-year-old North Benton mother of five children, Belva Sihock of Bandy Road, is trampled to death by a pony kept as a family pet.

Willie Simpson reaches for three touchdowns as Howland whips Springfield Local 34-0.

Some members of the Central Area Development Association voice opposition to the latest proposal for reconstruction of Youngstown Central Square.

1940: Portable lights are set up at Hubbard High School Stadium for its first night football game with Lowellville.

Mayor William B. Spagnola will meet with members of the city law department and the Youngstown Safety Commission in an effort to halt “fixing “ of traffic tickets.

Sharon Steel Corp. reports earnings of $365,975 during the third quarter of the year, making it one of the best third quarters in recent years.