12/26/1968 – State Police and municipal law enforcement officers foiled an attempted burglary at Agway Company in the Pittsburgh-Shawmut Railroad yard at the bottom of the West Kittanning hill on Christmas Eve. State Police Corporal William Balchunas said he saw a shadow move in the window of the Agway building while patrolling the area. Sheriff Joseph Frick said town police and Chief William Evans of East Franklin Township were called to the scene to help surround the building because of its many escape exits. Two men, William Ross Bowser, 30, of Kittanning RD2, and James Jay Edwards, 32, of Ford Street Ford Ciyt, were arrested and charged with burglary.
12/26/1967 – Kittanning Borough Council made recommendations concerning the Kittanning Bridge spanning the Allegheny River. In a letter to Senator Albert Pechan, council stated: In light of the tragedy which occurred recently on the Point Pleasant bridge connecting West Virginia and Ohio, the borough council of Kittanning wishes you to consider some recommendations.” Those recommendations were to invoke weight limits, reduce speed for all vehicles, and perform quarterly inspections. The bridge carries all through traffic east and west for Route 422 and Route 28 along with local commuter traffic.
12/26/1967 – Governor Raymond Shafer talked about the possibility of boosting state sales tax from 5 to 6% in order to raise more than $65 million needed in the state budget.
12/26/1967 – Tom Lynch, 44, a radio broadcaster, collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack at the microphone during the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game. He worked for WPSL in Monroeville.
12/26/1967 – Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Summerville of Cadogan celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary yesterday at an open house. They were married on December 25, 1917 by the late W. V. McLean in Rimersburg.
12/26/1963 – An early morning fire in Distant destroyed a barn on the Marce Welker farm. The blaze killed a pony and a cow, and destroyed a combine and power mower.
12/26/1957 – Richard Livengood, son of Mr. & Mrs. L. L. Livengood of Manorville, has seen action in four of the first five games played by Thiel Tomcat cagers this winter.
12/26/1957 – Boys and girls of Armstrong County have been invited to enter their Lionel or American Flyer trains in the first annual train races to be held at Kittanning Junior High School gym. It is sponsored by the YMCA.
12/26/1958 – About 100 persons enjoyed a full-course Christmas Day dinner sponsored by the Helping Hand Volunteers. William Gareis, president of the charity group, said 35 needy families received food baskets.
12/26/1958 – Plant Manager J. George Brown of Pittsburgh Plate Glass Industries at Ford City will end his employment with the concern January 1. Brown began by carrying water to the men at Works Five Casting Hall 52 years ago.
12/26/1953 – State Police at Kittanning spent a peaceful Christmas although the holiday got off to a tragedy-packed start with three bad Christmas Eve accidents. A family of three was hospitalized as a result of one wreck, and a recently discharged soldier was killed in the second. A third crash caused no injuries to occupants of the vehicles involved.
12/26/1953 – The annual basketball battle between Kittanning and Ford City High School alumni will be staged tomorrow afternoon at Cicero’s Rollercade. Ford City holds a 4-3 edge in the seven games played to date.
12/26/1952 – An East Brady soldier, Cpl. Delmar L. Hollobaugh, has been wounded in combat in Karea, the Department of Defense announced.
12/26/1938 – Mr. & Mrs. R. M. Boarts of Worthington enjoyed a telephone conversation on Christmas morning with their daughter, Mrs. Howard P. Moore, of Manila, Philippine Islands.
12/26/1933 – Many Die in Yuletide Accidents. Traffic Smashes Take Heaviest Toll of Lives Over Holiday. State is Hard Hit by Death. Over Score Lost Lives Over Pennsylvania – 17 Killed in Auto Wrecks.
12/26/1933 – Incendiarism was hinted in the mysterious firing of two frame homes, property of Milbar Coal Company, within a few hours of each other at Cowansville.
12/26/1933 – Snow, beginning to fall at 3AM today, furnished a “White Christmas” just one day behind schedule.
12/26/1928 – Mrs. Susan Harper, Mother of the Reverend E. P. Harper, died at the First Methodist Church parsonage on Christmas night.