100 years ago, 1917
The Japanese chef employed by William P. Gray, theatrical manager, at his Lake Auburn cottage was stunned by a bolt of lightning which splintered a big pine near the Gray cottage during an electrical storm last evening. Dr. W. H. Hawkins was summoned. He made a record run to the lake and after working over the victim for half an hour succeeded in reviving him. Some of the electrical displays were accompanied by high winds. Car service was interrupted for about an hour and a half. When the bolt struck the large pine near Gray’s cottage the Lake Grove show was on, and for a time few realized that lightning had struck.

50 years ago, 1967
Shepard Lee of Lewiston, who represented the commercial and business interests on the Maine Partners of the Alliance Team which returned home last weekend after two weeks visiting Brazil, said Sunday there are many fields in which Maine can participate in the development of northeastern section of that country. Lee, who serves on the National Small Business Administration Council, met with leading businessmen at Rio Grande do Norte, the part of Brazil most like Maine.

25 years ago, 1992
Hot dogs cost five cents and the special was six for a quarter when the Simones’ family business started in downtown Lewiston 84 years ago. But things have changed since 1908, though the restaurant, Simones’ Hot Dog Stand, remains very much the same. Today, a hot dog costs 95 cents and the restaurant on the corner of Park and Chestnut streets is in a different location from where it started out. It was moved once about 25 years ago, but only across the street. Three generations of Simones have run the restaurant and a fourth generation, 12-year-old George and 8-year-old Melissa, are learning the trade. Their parents, Jim Simones and his wife Linda, own the restaurant which was passed down from his mother and father, George and Helen Simones, who still work there. This week the Simones family held a three-day birthday party for the business.

The material in Looking Back is reproduced exactly as it originally appeared, although misspellings and errors made at that time may be corrected.