Today’s highlight

On Feb. 28, 1993, a gun battle erupted at a religious compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on weapons charges; four agents and six Davidians were killed as a 51-day standoff began.

On this date

1844: A 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded as the ship was sailing on the Potomac River, killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Navy Secretary Thomas W. Gilmer and several others.

1849: The California gold rush began in earnest as regular steamship service started bringing gold-seekers to San Francisco.

1911: President William Howard Taft nominated William H. Lewis to be the first Black Assistant Attorney General of the United States.

In 1975, 42 people were killed in London’s Underground when a train smashed into the end of a tunnel.

Today’s birthdays

Architect Frank Gehry is 94. Singer Sam the Sham is 86. Actor-director-dancer Tommy Tune is 84. Hall of Fame auto racer Mario Andretti is 83. Actor Kelly Bishop is 79. Actor Stephanie Beacham is 76. Writer-director Mike Figgis is 75. Actor Mercedes Ruehl is 75. Actor Bernadette Peters is 75. Former Energy Secretary Steven Chu is 75. Actor Ilene Graff is 74. Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman is 70. Basketball Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley is 68. Actor John Turturro is 66. Rock singer Cindy Wilson is 66. Actor Rae Dawn Chong is 62. Actor Maxine Bahns is 54. Actor Robert Sean Leonard is 54. Rock singer Pat Monahan is 54. Author Daniel Handler is 53. Actor Tasha Smith is 52.