This day in history

[February 04, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, Jan. 16, the 16th day of 2010. There are 349 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Jan. 16, 1920, Prohibition began in the United States as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect, one year to the day after its ratification. (It was later repealed by the 21st Amendment.)

On this date:

In 1547, Ivan IV of Russia (popularly known as "Ivan the Terrible") was crowned czar.

In 1883, the U.S. Civil Service Commission was established.

In 1919, pianist and statesman Ignacy Jan Paderewski became the first premier of the newly created republic of Poland.

In 1935, fugitive gangster Fred Barker and his mother, Kate "Ma" Barker, were killed in a shootout with the FBI at Lake Weir, Fla.

In 1942, actress Carole Lombard, 33, her mother and about 20 other people died when their plane crashed near Las Vegas while returning from a war-bond promotion tour.

In 1944, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower took command of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in London.

In 1969, two manned Soviet Soyuz spaceships became the first vehicles to dock in space and transfer personnel.

In 1978, NASA named 35 candidates to fly on the space shuttle, including Sally K. Ride, who became America's first woman in space, and Guion S. Bluford Jr., who became America's first black astronaut in space.

In 2003, the space shuttle Columbia blasted off under extremely tight security; on board was Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon. (The mission ended in tragedy when the shuttle broke up during its return descent, killing all seven crew members.)

In 2007, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., launched his successful bid for the White House.

Ten years ago: Ricardo Lagos was elected Chile's first socialist president since Salvador Allende.

Five years ago: The U.S. military freed 81 detainees in Afghanistan, ahead of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha. Golden Globes were awarded to "The Aviator" as best movie drama and "Sideways" as best movie musical or comedy.

One year ago: President-elect Barack Obama made a pitch for his massive economic stimulus plan at a factory in Bedford Heights, Ohio, saying his proposal would make smart investments in the country's future and create solid jobs in up-and-coming industries. Painter Andrew Wyeth died in Chadds Ford, Pa., at age 91. John Mortimer, the British lawyer-writer who'd created the curmudgeonly criminal lawyer Rumpole of the Bailey, died in the Chiltern Hills, England, at age 85.

Today's birthdays: Author William Kennedy is 82. Author-editor Norman Podhoretz is 80. Opera singer Marilyn Horne is 76. Hall of Fame auto racer A.J. Foyt is 75. Singer Barbara Lynn is 68. Country singer Ronnie Milsap is 67. Country singer Jim Stafford is 66. Talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger is 63. Movie director John Carpenter is 62. Actress-dancer-choreographer Debbie Allen is 60. Comedian Robert Schimmel is 60. Singer Sade is 51. Rock musician Paul Webb (Talk Talk) is 48. R&B singer Maxine Jones (En Vogue) is 44. Actor David Chokachi is 42. Actor Richard T. Jones is 38. Actress Josie Davis is 37. Model Kate Moss is 36. Rock musician Nick Valensi (The Strokes) is 29. Actress Yvonne Zima is 21.

Thought for today: "Goodwill is the only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy." -- Marshall Field, department store founder (1834-1906)

[Associated Press]

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