On this day, Feb. 18

1819 Pittsburgh Academy was rechartered by the Legislature and renamed Western University of Pennsylvania. It was on Third Avenue. It is now the University of Pittsburgh.

1913 Mexican President Francisco I. Madero and Vice President Jose Maria Pino Suarez were arrested during a military coup. Both were shot to death Feb. 22.

1930 Photographic evidence of Pluto, now designated a dwarf planet, was discovered by Clyde W. Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz.

1961 The ice skating rink at North Park opened.

1995 A funeral was held at St. Paul Cathedral for three Pittsburgh firefighters — Patricia Ann Conroy, 43; Thomas Brooks, 42; and Marc Kolenda, 27 — who lost their lives in a house fire on Valentine’s Day.

2001 Auto racing star Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a crash at the Daytona 500. He was 49. Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin Today’s birthdays: Author Toni Morrison, 88. Singer Yoko Ono, 86. Singer-songwriter Bobby Hart, 80. Singer Irma Thomas, 78. Singer Herman Santiago (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers), 78. Actress Jess Walton, 73. Singer Dennis DeYoung, 72. Actress Sinead Cusack, 71. Actress Cybill Shepherd, 69. Singer Randy Crawford, 67. Rock musician Robbie Bachman, 66. Actor John Travolta, 65. Actor John Pankow, 64. Game show host Vanna White, 62. Actress Jayne Atkinson, 60. Actress Greta Scacchi, 59. Actor Matt Dillon, 55. Rapper Dr. Dre, 54. Actress Molly Ringwald, 51. Singer-musician Sean Watkins (Nickel Creek), 42. Actor Tyrone Burton, 40. Rock-singer musician Regina Spektor, 39. Actor Shane Lyons, 31. Actress Sara Sutherland, 31. Actress Maiara Walsh, 31. Thought for today: “Temperament is temper that is too old to spank.” — Charlotte Greenwood, American actress-comedian (1893-1978)