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In the news on this date: July 26

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Local history

50 years ago: 1973

Girlhaven Inc. home for troubled girls outside Hollidaysburg, the Rev. James C. Allen director, made a number of changes suggested by the state Welfare Department, including better social, psychological and medical services.

25 years ago: 1998

Brittany Crawford, 11, Hollidaysburg, organized a backyard carnival that raised over $100 for Easter Seals. Some of the children attending were members of the Goodwill Ambassador Team for Easter Seals.

10 years ago: 2013

Altoona City Manager Joe Weakland was retiring after 40 years of city service. Formation of a Keystone Opportunity Zone, new planning code, Penn State expansion downtown and keeping Altoona out of Act 47 were some of his accomplishments.

-- Compiled by Tim Doyle

World history

Today is Wednesday, July 26, the 207th day of 2023. There are 158 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On July 26, 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated for president by a major political party at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

On this date:

-- In 1775, the Continental Congress established a Post Office and appointed Benjamin Franklin its Postmaster-General.

-- In 1847, the western African country of Liberia, founded by freed American slaves, declared its independence.

-- In 1863, Sam Houston, former president of the Republic of Texas, died in Huntsville at age 70.

-- In 1945, Winston Churchill resigned as Britain's prime minister after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labour Party. Clement Attlee succeeded him.

-- In 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, which reorganized America's armed forces as the National Military Establishment and created the Central Intelligence Agency.

-- In 1956, the Italian liner Andrea Doria sank off New England, some 11 hours after colliding with the Swedish liner Stockholm. At least 51 people died, from both vessels.

-- In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act.

-- In 2002, the Republican-led House voted to create an enormous Homeland Security Department in the biggest government reorganization in decades.

-- The Associated Press

Starting at /week.