Here's a quick overview of our top stories for Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026:
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TOP HEADLINES:
Virginia City businesses fight state lease increases, some close doors amid legal battle
Montana Resources sees unprecedented prices as electric vehicle demand drives copper prices to historic highs
Yellowstone reveals new details on proposed north entrance road replacement
Bridger Ski Foundation adapts programming as unusually warm January leaves trails bare
THAT’S INTERESTING:
Major Historical Events for January 15th
Ancient & Medieval Times:
- 69 AD - Otho seizes power in Rome, proclaiming himself Emperor of Rome (though his reign lasted only three months)
- 1559 - Elizabeth I is crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey, beginning her legendary 44-year reign
Modern Era:
- 1759 - The British Museum opens its doors to the public for the first time in London
- 1831 - Victor Hugo completes writing "Notre Dame de Paris" (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) after finishing it in just four months
- 1919 - The Great Molasses Flood devastates Boston, Massachusetts, when a storage tank bursts, releasing over 2 million gallons of molasses into the streets, killing 21 people and injuring 150
20th Century:
- 1919 - Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, prominent German communist leaders, are murdered by Freikorps members during the Spartacist uprising
- 1929 - Martin Luther King Jr. is born in Atlanta, Georgia (his birthday is celebrated as a national holiday on the third Monday in January)
- 1967 - Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl I
- 1968 - Bill Masterton of the Minnesota North Stars dies from a head injury sustained during an NHL game - the only death from a game injury in NHL history
- 1970 - Muammar Gaddafi is proclaimed Chairman of Libyan Revolutionary Command Council
21st Century:
- 2001 - Wikipedia launches, revolutionizing how we access and share information
- 2009 - "Miracle on the Hudson": Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger successfully lands US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River after bird strikes disabled both engines, saving all 155 people aboard
- 2016 - World Health Organization declares the Zika virus a global health emergency
Notable Births
Historical Figures:
- 1671 - Abraham de la Pryme, English archaeologist and historian
- 1866 - Nathan Söderblom, Swedish archbishop and Nobel Prize laureate
- 1929 - Martin Luther King Jr., American civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner
Contemporary Figures:
- 1942 - Stephen Hawking, renowned theoretical physicist
- 1970 - Regina King, Academy Award-winning actress and director
- 1975 - Drew Brees, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback
- 1977 - Giorgia Meloni, current Prime Minister of Italy
Notable Deaths
- 2008 - Robert V. Bruce, American historian and author
- 1919 - Rosa Luxemburg, German revolutionary and communist leader
- 1919 - Karl Liebknecht, German communist politician and revolutionary
Special Observances
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Federal holiday in the United States (celebrated on the third Monday in January, often falling on or near January 15th)
- National Hat Day - Unofficial U.S. holiday celebrating headwear
- National Bagel Day - Unofficial U.S. holiday
- Pongal - South Indian harvest festival honoring the Sun God
Parts of this story were adapted for this platform with AI assistance. Our editorial team verifies all reporting across all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
