Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1579, Sir Francis Drake claims a land he calls Nova Albion (modern California) for England. In 1775, American Revolutionary War: Colonists inflict heavy casualties on British forces while losing the Battle of Bunker Hill. In 1929, Bud Collins, American journalist and sportscaster (died 2016) was born. In 1929, The town of Murchison, New Zealand is rocked by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killing 17. At the time it was New Zealand's worst natural disaster. In 1933, Union Station massacre: In Kansas City, Missouri, four FBI agents and captured fugitive Frank Nash are gunned down by gangsters attempting to free Nash. In 1958, The Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, in the process of being built to connect Vancouver and North Vancouver (Canada), collapses into the Burrard Inlet killing 18 ironworkers and injuring others. In 1958, Jon Leibowitz, American lawyer and politician was born. In 1965, Dermontti Dawson, American football player and coach was born. In 1972, Watergate scandal: Five White House operatives are arrested for burgling the offices of the Democratic National Committee during an attempt by members of the administration of President Richard M. Nixon to illegally wiretap the political opposition as part of a broader campaign to subvert the democratic process. In 2017, A series of wildfires in central Portugal kill at least 64 people and injure 204 others. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.