Today In History
Today is Tuesday, Oct. 26, the 299th day of 2021. There are 66 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT
› 2001: President George W. Bush signed the USA Patriot Act, giving authorities unprecedented ability to search, seize, detain or eavesdrop in their pursuit of possible terrorists.
ON THIS DATE
› 1774: The First Continental Congress adjourned in Philadelphia.
› 1825: The Erie Canal opened in upstate New York, connecting Lake Erie and the Hudson River.
› 1861: The legendary Pony Express officially ceased operations, giving way to the transcontinental telegraph. (The last run of the Pony Express was completed the following month.)
› 1881: The “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral” took place in Tombstone, Arizona, as Wyatt Earp, his two brothers and “Doc” Holliday confronted Ike Clanton’s gang. Three members of Clanton’s gang were killed; Earp’s brothers and Holliday were wounded.
› 1965: The Beatles received MBE medals as Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
› 2010: Iran began loading fuel into the core of its first nuclear power plant.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS
Actor Jaclyn Smith is 76. TV host Pat Sajak is 75. Hillary Rodham Clinton is 74. Musician Bootsy Collins is 70. Actor James Pickens Jr. is 69. Rock musician David Was is 69. Rock musician Keith Strickland (The B-52s) is 68. Actor Lauren Tewes is 68. Actor D.W. Moffett is 67. Actor-singer Rita Wilson is 65. Actor Patrick Breen is 61. Actor Dylan McDermott is 60. Actor Cary Elwes is 59. Singer Natalie Merchant is 58. Actor Steve Valentine is 55. Country singer Keith Urban is 54. Actor Tom Cavanagh is 53. Actor Rosemarie DeWitt is 50. Actor Anthony Rapp is 50. Writer-producer Seth MacFarlane (TV: “Family Guy”) is 48. TV news correspondent Paula Faris is 46. Actor Lennon Parham is 46. Actor Florence Kasumba is 45. Actor Hal Ozsan is 45. Actor Jon Heder is 44. Singer Mark Barry (BBMak) is 43. Actor Jonathan Chase is 42. Olympic silver medal figure skater Sasha Cohen is 37. Rapper Schoolboy Q is 35. Actor Beulah Koale (TV: “Hawaii Five-0”) is 30.