WFMJ archives / February 26, 1976 | Two descendants of Revolutionary War figures added to the noteworthiness of the Republican Associates of Mahoning County's presentation of a Bicentennial flag. Youngstown Mayor Jack C. Hunter, left, accepted the flag on the city's behalf from Dr. Keith McKean, a descendant of Thomas McKean, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; Mrs. Anthony Grybos; and Mrs. Howard Welsch, a descendant of George Washington's mother. 

February 28 

2000: Joe Malmisur Jr., principal of Jackson Milton High School, says the district has worked hard to become the third-most improved high school in state proficiency exam results. Gov. Bob Taft will present the district with $50,000 for its efforts.

Tim Joyce, a 1970s Ursuline basketball standout who spent 20 years with Nike, has been named president of Fogdog Sports, an online retailer of sporting goods. He predicts that e-retailers will eventually take 20 percent of sales worldwide but will not put malls out of business anytime soon.

Major League Baseball's umpires have formed a new union and elected John Hirschbeck of Poland, an AL umpire for 17 years, as the first president of the World Umpires Association. 

 

1985: Michael Beers, a fourth-grader at E.J. Blott School in Liberty and a 9-year-old Cub Scout, is awarded Scouting's Medal for Meritorious Service. This recognition of bravery is rarely awarded to Boy Scouts and even more rarely to Cub Scouts. He is credited with saving Stephanie Weirwick, a 6-year-old who fell from an inflatable boat in the family pool.

Work on dismantling blast furnaces at the old Campbell Works has been discontinued due to a dispute between three local unions and Cuyahoga Wrecking Co. of New York, which has the dismantling contract.

Donald T. Duffy, a 36-year-old autoworker at Lordstown, wins $1.7 million in the Pennsylvania Lottery, which he will collect over 20 years. He was one of six people with winning tickets in the $9.9 million drawing on Feb. 19.

 

1975: The Interstate Commerce Commission reports strong opposition to the proposed abandonment of the Baltimore & Ohio rail line linking Warren and Painesville and the Erie Lackawanna line between Niles and Lisbon.

The city of Youngstown begins filling about 35 laborer jobs in several departments, all funded by the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act.

Dr. Arthur Whittaker is appointed director of the newly named Dr. James L. Calvin Cardiovascular Laboratory at North Side Hospital. 

 

1950: Industrial layoffs resulting from the coal shortage boosted unemployment compensation claims in Youngstown to a near-record 8,000, according to A.E. McCulley of the Bureau of Unemployment Compensation.

Youngstown had 979 major offenses in 1949, the first time in many years that the city fell below 1,000, says Police Chief Edward Allen.

District steel operations are expected to plunge to 56 percent of total capacity as the coal shortage cripples plants.