Today in history

Today is Wednesday, January 24, the 24th day of 2018 and the 35th day of winter.

On this date in the SCV: In 1989, The Signal reported that five members of the College of the Canyons basketball team were charged with assaulting police officers following a fight outside a Hamburger Hill fast-food restaurant. The five who were charged were all black. Several white team members who were with them were not charged, prompting allegations by players, their families and friends of police racism. However, sheriff’s deputies claim they were attacked by the black COC basketball players outside the restaurant and only arrested those who violated the law. The case appeared to be one on both sides of mistaken identity. Deputies originally thought the players were members of a violent Los Angeles-based gang. And, the players contended they initially did not know the men they encountered were off-duty sheriff’s deputies. Those arrested included COC’s leading scorer, a 6-3 freshman guard, and the team’s leading rebounder, a 6-7 sophomore center.

Today’s Highlights in History: In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, setting off the California Gold Rush. In 1984, the first Apple Macintosh

computer went on sale. In 1995, the O.J. Simpson murder trial began as the prosecution made its opening statement. In 2003, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge was sworn in as the first secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Today’s fact: The first Apple Macintosh computer had a 9-inch monitor and 128 kilobytes of RAM. It was priced at $2,495.

Today’s sports: In 1980, Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday bought the New York Mets for an estimated $21.1 million, at the time the most ever paid for a baseball franchise.

Today’s number: $81 million – estimated value (not adjusted for inflation) of the gold extracted from California in 1852, the peak year of the California Gold Rush.

Today’s moon: First quarter moon

(Jan. 24).