A baseball game beats boring meetings: Today in Triangle history

A daily look at some of The News & Observer headlines on this date in past years.

On this day in 2009, North Carolina consumers scored a rare windfall from the auto insurance industry: a whopping $50 million in refunds.

More than 1 million policyholders qualified after insurers settled with the state government, and the typical payout came to roughly $100.

A certain gecko had no comment.

Other notable moments on July 16 through the years:

Thousands filed into a North Raleigh church for a somber funeral service for Raleigh Police Detective Paul Hale, fatally shot while trying to arrest a murder suspect.

More than 100 Raleigh police officers revolted by jamming into a City Council meeting and demanding that Chief Robert Goodwin resign or be fired.

Morale issues concerned low pay.

In 1926, 80 farmers from Wake, Franklin and Vance counties arrived in Washington, D.C., for two days of agricultural education but quickly declared the event too boring and skipped out to watch Walter “Old Barney” Johnson pitch for the Senators that day.

What headlines should we look up on upcoming dates? Send your ideas to metroeds@newsobserver.com.

A rum ship & this piggy goes to market — Today in Triangle history

Stanley Cup beer & a tall pageant queen: Today in Triangle history

A bootlegger’s fine & 4,990 sweatbands — Today in Triangle history

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