Hello. Welcome to your Saturday and the weekend!
The week can sometimes feel long and heavy. Which is why we like to start your Saturday morning with a short and lighter “scroll down memory lane.”
It’s just a way to look back and see some of the events that have happened on this day over the years, before we jump into the new day ahead. So, snag your favorite sippin’ drink and let’s take a peek back into the history pages.
Today is Saturday, April 17th, the 107th day of the year. There are 258 days until the end of the year.
On this day:
In 1790, legendary American statesman Benjamin Franklin died at the age of 84.
In 1860, it became law in New York City that tenement houses be equipped with fire escapes.
In 1969, Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of assassinating Senator Robert F. Kennedy. He was originally sentenced to death, but the sentence was reduced to life in prison after California abolished the death penalty.
In 1970, the damaged Apollo 13 module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
In 1993, a federal grand jury in Los Angeles convicted two former police officers, Stacey Koon and Laurence Powell of violating the civil rights of beaten motorist Rodney King. Two other officers were acquitted.
In 1996, businessman Don Clayton died at the age of 69. He opened the first Putt-Putt miniature golf course and is considered the Father of Putt-Putt Golf and Games.
In 1998, singer, photographer Linda McCartney, wife of former Beatle Paul McCartney, died after a bout with cancer. She was 56.
In 2001, Mississippi residents voted to keep the Confederate emblem on their state flag.
In 2006, former Illinois Governor George Ryan was found guilty on all charges in his federal corruption trial in Chicago. A one-time Nobel Prize nominee, Ryan received international attention in 2003 when he commuted the death row sentences of 167 Illinois prisoners.
In 2008, in an unscheduled meeting during his five-day visit to the U.S., Pope Benedict met with a group of people who say they were sexually abused by priests. The group prayed with the pontiff and he then listened to their personal accounts of what they went through.
In 2013, an explosion at a fertilizer plant north of Waco, Texas resulted in 15 deaths and numerous injuries.
In 2016, “Everybody Loves Raymond” actress Doris Roberts died at the age of 90. Roberts was nominated for eleven Emmys in her career with four wins for playing Raymond’s mother, Marie Barone, and one win for a guest role on “St. Elsewhere.”
In 2016, WWE legend Chyna died. The former actress and body builder whose real name was Joanie Laurer was 45 years old.
In 2018, Former First Lady Barbara Bush died at the age of 92. She was remembered as a woman dedicated to her family and her country.
In 2019, research published by “Nature” said pigs brains were partly brought back to life at Yale University.
And that brings us here, to today. So, whatever plans you have ahead, here’s hoping you make some memories along the way for the pages of your own personal history books.
Thanks for stopping by.
