Vindicator file photo / September 31, 1967 | Idle Youngstown police and firemen congregate outside the FOP Hall on Poland Avenue, 55 years ago, waiting for an offer that might end their strike for higher wages. Later in the day, they accepted an offer by the city for an immediate 26-per-month pay raise, with an additional $74 contingent on city voters approving a tax issue.

September 11 

1997: Heather Busin, a graduate of Poland Seminary High and a student at Grove City College, is representing Pennsylvania in the Miss America pageant. 

The Mahoning County Board of Elections deadlocks 2-2 on whether to place a recall of Mahoning County's sales tax on the November ballot after board employees find 4,861  of the 12,481 signatures on the petition invalid, seeming to leave the petitions 900 signatures short of what's required.

Columbiana County Dog Warden Barbara Derringer tells county commissioners that layoffs are looming because her department is running out of money. 

1982: Higbee employees say an early-morning announcement by Herbert E. Strawbridge that their store would close at the end of the day hit them  "like a bomb." The store will reopen in a week for a liquidation sale. 

Youngstown Mayor George Vukovich suggests that Youngstown State University take over the Higbee building after the department store closes, providing a link between downtown and the main campus. 

The Alliance of Guardian Angels Inc., a volunteer citizen's safety patrol, signs a memorandum of understanding with the city of Youngstown, making Youngstown the first city in Ohio and fifth in the nation to work out an agreement between the organization and the police department. 

1972: Seven Greenville, Pa., families that were evacuated from their homes when water wells in the neighborhood began pumping gasoline are allowed to return.  The gasoline came from a ruptured service statin tank. 

An arson fire set off the explosion of three bags of flammable liquid, injuring three Youngstown firemen at the Lime Lighter Lounge on E. LaClede. Fireman Paul Chicone, Engineer George Bode, and Engineer Leo Asimakopoulas were treated at South Side Hospital. 

About 200 people attend the dedication of the Child and Adult Mental Health Center at 1001 Covington St. in Youngstown.

1947: An architect tells Mahoning County commissioners that trying to repair the jail to meet the demands of judges would cost $235,000 and be a terrible mistake. 

Akron officials consider spraying the entire city with DDT in an effort to arrest an outbreak of polio that has reached 239 cases, including eight in 24 hours.  

Youngstown will go coast-to-coast for a half-hour Saturday night when WFMJ broadcasts local talent on the "This Is for You" variety show.