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Local history
50 years ago: Aug. 17, 1976
Mary A. "Grandma" (Russell) Gates, 109, the oldest resident of Blair County, died Aug. 16 at the Hollidaysburg United Presbyterian Home. She was born in the Gospel Hill area of Altoona and was survived by a daughter. She was one of the first women hired by the William F. Gable Co. store when it opened in 1884.
25 years ago: Aug. 17, 2001
The Ames Department Store chain, based in Connecticut, announced the closing of 47 stores, including Johnstown, Clearfield and Ebensburg, leaving them with about 400 still open, including one in Altoona because it was a "large producer."
10 years ago: Aug. 17, 2016
The all-volunteer Altoona Community Band, Daniel Klingbell of the 28th Infantry Division Band directing and David Bailey assisting, was holding a free concert at First Baptist Church in downtown Altoona.
-- Compiled by Tim Doyle
World history
Today is Monday, Aug. 17, the 229th day of 2026. There are 136 days left in the year.
Today's highlight in history:
Today in history: On Aug. 17, 1998, President Bill Clinton gave grand jury testimony via closed-circuit television from the White House concerning his relationship with Monica Lewinsky; he then delivered a TV address in which he admitted his relationship with Lewinsky was "wrong" but denied previously committing perjury.
On this date:
– In 1807, Robert Fulton's North River Steamboat made its first voyage, heading up the Hudson River on a successful round trip between New York City and Albany.
– In 1863, federal batteries and ships began bombarding Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor during the Civil War.
-- The Associated Press