50 years ago: 1975 — The local Peoples Natural Gas Co. was to purchase part of nine ship loads of liquid natural gas that was being shipped from Algeria to Texas on new Super-Tanker ships that had a capacity of 785,000 barrels, the equivalent of 2.5 cubic feet.

25 years ago: 2000 — Fourteen Japanese students and three chaperones from a town called Matsuida were enjoying an eight day trip to Altoona under a program called the Cultural Homestay International.

10 years ago: 2015 — The Blair County Planning Commission was applying to the state’s Growing Greener Program for a grant to do streambank restoration work on Spencer Run (Allegheny Township), Poplar Run (Blair Township) and Spring Run (Altoona).

World History

Today is Friday, Aug. 1, the 213th day of 2025. There are 152 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Aug. 1, 1981, MTV began its American broadcast; the first music video aired on the new cable TV network was “Video Killed the Radio Star,” by The Buggles.

On this date:

–In 1876, Colorado was admitted as the 38th state in the Union, less than a month after the US Centennial (earning it the nickname “the Centennial State”).

–In 1907, a week-long boys’ camping event began on Brownsea Island in southern England, organized by Robert Baden-Powell; the event is now marked as the beginning of the Scout Movement.

–In 1944, an uprising broke out in Warsaw, Poland, against Nazi occupation; the revolt lasted two months before collapsing.

–In 1957, the United States and Canada announced they had agreed to create the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD).

–In 1966, Charles Joseph Whitman, 25, went on an armed rampage at the University of Texas in Austin that killed 14 people, most of whom were shot by Whitman while he was perched in the clock tower of the main campus building.

–In 2001, Pro Bowl tackle Korey Stringer, 27, died of heat stroke, a day after collapsing at the Minnesota Vikings’ training camp on the hottest day of the year.