The Edge

Today is Friday, Sept. 15, the 258th day of 2023. There are 107 days left in the year.

Today in history

On Sept. 15, 1963, four Black girls were killed when a bomb went off during Sunday services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. (Three Ku Klux Klansmen were eventually convicted for their roles in the blast.)

Also on this date:

In 1776, British forces occupied New York City during the American Revolution.

In 1857, William Howard Taft — who served as President of the United States and as U.S. chief justice — was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1935, the Nuremberg Laws deprived German Jews of their citizenship.

In 1940, during the World War II Battle of Britain, the tide turned as the Royal Air Force inflicted heavy losses upon the Luftwaffe.

In 1959, Nikita Khrushchev became the first Soviet head of state to visit the United States as he arrived at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington.

In 1972, a federal grand jury in Washington indicted seven men in connection with the Watergate break-in.

In 1981, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to approve the Supreme Court nomination of Sandra Day O’Connor.

In 1985, Nike began selling its “Air Jordan 1” sneaker.

Local history

On this day in 1947, The Sarasota (Florida) Herald-Tribune reported that Lewiston “owns one of the best municipal water plants in the world.” ... In 1955, Lewis-Clark Normal School announced that Clark Hall was ready for occupancy in 1955. The dormitory was constructed before the school, then known as North Idaho College of Education, was closed in 1951 and had sat dormant. The new dormitory provided housing for 80 students and a dining hall that sat 140.

Fun fact

Tarantulas can endure up to two years without a meal.

Trending words

“Abstain:” verb; (ub-STAYN). Definition: To choose to not do or have that thing; to choose not to vote.

— Merriam-Webster

Today’s birthdays

Actor Carmen Maura is 78. Writer-director Ron Shelton is 78. Actor Tommy Lee Jones is 77. Movie director Oliver Stone is 77. Rock musician Kelly Keagy (Night Ranger) is 71. Actor Barry Shabaka Henley is 69. Director Pawel Pawlikowski is 66. Rock musician Mitch Dorge (Crash Test Dummies) is 63. Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino is 62. Actor Danny Nucci is 55. Rap DJ KayGee is 54. Actor Josh Charles is 52. Actor Tom Hardy is 46. Actor Marisa Ramirez is 46. Pop-rock musician Zach Filkins (OneRepublic) is 45. Actor Dave Annable is 44. Actor Amy Davidson is 44. Britain’s Prince Harry is 39. TV personality Heidi Montag is 37. Actor Kate Mansi is 36.

The Edge is compiled by Dallas Marshall. She can be contacted at dmarshall@lmtribune.com.