Today in History: August 29, Katrina strikes Louisiana

Today in History Today is Monday, Aug. 29, the 241st day of 2022. There are 124 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast near Buras, Louisiana, bringing floods that devastated New Orleans. More than 1,800 people in the region died. On this date: In 1632, English philosopher John Locke was born in Somerset. In 1814, during the War of 1812, Alexandria, Virginia, formally surrendered to British military forces, which occupied the city until September 3. In 1862, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing began operations at the United States Treasury. In 1944, 15,000 American troops of the 28th Infantry Division marched down the Champs Elysees (shahms ay-lee-ZAY’) in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis. In 1957, the Senate gave final congressional approval to a Civil Rights Act after South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond (then a Democrat) ended a filibuster that had lasted 24 hours. In 1958, pop superstar Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana. In 1966, the Beatles concluded their fourth American tour with their last public concert, held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. In 2008, Republican presidential nominee John McCain picked Sarah Palin, a maverick conservative who had been governor of Alaska for less than two years, to be his running mate. In 2009, funeral services were held in Boston for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was eulogized by President Barack Obama; hours later, Kennedy’s remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington. In 2013, in a sweeping new policy statement, the Justice Department said it would not stand in the way of states that wanted to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana as long as there were effective controls to keep marijuana away from kids, the black market and federal property. In 2018, Sen. John McCain was remembered as a ‘œtrue American hero’� at a crowded service at the North Phoenix Baptist Church after a motorcade carried McCain’s body from the state Capitol. Kanye West apologized on a Chicago radio station (WGCI) for calling slavery a ‘œchoice.’� In 2019, President Donald Trump said the United States planned to withdraw more than 5,000 troops from Afghanistan, and would then determine future drawdowns. Ten years ago: Seizing the Republican National Convention spotlight in Tampa, Florida, vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan promised Mitt Romney would ‘œnot duck the tough issues’� if he were to win the White House and that their party would move forcefully to solve the nation’s economic woes. Hurricane Isaac sidestepped New Orleans, sending the worst of its howling wind and heavy rain into a cluster of rural fishing villages. Five years ago: North Korea flew a ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan, likely the country’s longest-ever launch; President Donald Trump said ‘œall options’� were on the table for a U.S. response. Federal and local agencies said they had lifted more than 13,000 people out of the floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey in the Houston area and surrounding cities and counties. Comedian Kathy Griffin retracted her apology for posing with what appeared to be the severed head of President Donald Trump, saying the anger against her was overblown.