Charged with having violated the Sunday closing law, Peter Sarantos was arrested by City Marshall Cailler on a warrant sworn out by Daniel W. French, the agent for the Federation of Churches. Sarantos, who is one of the proprietors of the shoe shining parlors on Lisbon street, was arraigned in court and he furnished bonds for his appearance in court when the case will be tried. The complaint charged Sarantos with having kept his place of business open last Sunday.

50 years ago, 1957

• Layoffs at the Androscoggin Division of Bates Manufacturing Co. in Lewiston, which have affected only about 50 employes since the textile firm announced several weeks ago the plant will be shut down in April , will increase sharply next week.

• That bright light in the sky seen by many Twin City residents about 6 p.m. wasn’t a planet after all. It was a weather observation balloon, reflecting the sun’s rays to make it appear like a fast moving planet.

25 years ago, 1982

The “Smokey Bear” police hat, a trademark of sheriff’s departments across Maine, has been placed in mothballs in Androscoggin County where deputies are officially switching over to – yes – baseball caps. “They’re going to go like hotcakes,” predicted Sheriff Joseph P. Laliberte, who purchased 50 of the brown-and-gold caps in a move to save the county almost $30 per hat. The wide-brimmed campaign hats worn by sheriff’s deputies, as well as the Maine State Police, cost approximately $33 apiece, Laliberte said. The baseball caps are a mere $3.75 each. Laliberte said the baseball-style caps, emblazoned with the traditional Sheriff’s Department star, will be more functional than the cumbersome Smokey Bear hats, which were designed “just for looks only.”