Local history

50 years ago: July 9, 1976

Gov. Milton J. Shapp declared June as Laurel Month in Pennsylvania in honor of the state flower, the Mountain Laurel, and had two laurels planted at the Governor’s Mansion, an idea of Rep. John P. Milliron of Altoona. Laurel Bank, named for the flower, participated in the laurel ceremonies.

25 years ago: July 9, 2001

Work was underway at Penn State Altoona for a new soccer field and track. Sports Information Director Brent Baird hoped it would help players stay all four years at the Altoona Campus instead of transferring to State College their last two years.

10 years ago: July 9, 2016

The Blair County Law Enforcement Association placed a wreath at the “Called to Duty” memorial at the Blair County Courthouse to honor five policemen shot and killed by a sniper in Dallas, Texas. The gunman was also killed.

— Compiled by Tim Doyle

World history

Today is Thursday, July 9, the 190th day of 2026. There are 175 days left in the year.

Today’s highlight in history:

On July 9, 1868, the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting citizenship and “equal protection under the laws” to anyone “born or naturalized in the United States,” including formerly enslaved people.

On this date:

In 1850, President Zachary Taylor died of gastrointestinal illness after consuming a large amount of cherries and iced milk on a hot day five days earlier; Vice President Millard Fillmore was sworn in as president the following day.

In 1896, William Jennings Bryant delivered his famous “Cross of Gold” speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In 1918, 101 people were killed in a train collision in Nashville, Tennessee, in the deadliest US rail disaster in history.

In 1937, a fire at 20th Century Fox’s storage facility in Little Ferry, New Jersey, destroyed most of the studio’s silent films.

In 1943, during World War II, the Allies launched Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.

In 1965, the Sonny & Cher single “I Got You Babe” was released by ATCO Records.

— The Associated Press