This Day in History

By The Standard Staff - 06/28/2008

Today Sunday, June 29, is the 181st day of 2008. There are 185 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight On June 29, 1776, the Virginia state constitution was adopted, and Patrick Henry made governor.

On this date: In 1767, the British Parliament approved the Townshend Acts, which imposed import duties on certain goods shipped to America. (Colonists bitterly protested, prompting Parliament in 1770 to repeal the duties on all goods — except tea.) In 1946, authorities in British-mandated Palestine arrested more than 2,700 Jews in an attempt to stamp out extremists.

In 1958, a bomb exploded at the Bethel Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala.; there were no injuries.

In 1972, the Supreme Court, in Furman v. Georgia, ruled the death penalty, as it was being meted out, could constitute “cruel and unusual punishment.” Birthdays Actor Gary Busey is 64. Comedian Richard Lewis is 61. Actor-turned-radio personality Fred Grandy is 60. Rock musician Ian Paice (Deep Purple) is 60. Singer Don Dokken (Dokken) is 55. Rock singer Colin Hay (Men At Work) is 55. Actress Maria Conchita Alonso is 51. Actress Sharon Lawrence is 47. Actress Amanda Donohoe is 46. Actress Melora Hardin is 41. Country musician Todd Sansom (Marshall Dyllon) is 30.

Worth repeating ...

“Sin ... has been made not only ugly but passe. People are no longer sinful, they are only immature or underprivileged or frightened or, more particularly, sick.” — Phyllis McGinley, American poet (1905-1978)