Today is Sunday, Nov. 30, the 335th day of 2008. There are 31 days left in the year. On this date in

November 30, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

Today is Sunday, Nov. 30, the 335th day of 2008. There are 31 days left in the year. On this date in 1782, the United States and Britain sign preliminary peace articles in Paris, ending the Revolutionary War.

In 1803, Spain completes the process of ceding Louisiana to France, which had sold it to the United States. In 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens — better known as Mark Twain — is born in Florida, Mo. In 1900, Irish writer Oscar Wilde dies in Paris at age 46. In 1936, London’s famed Crystal Palace, constructed for the Great Exhibition of 1851, is destroyed in a fire. In 1939, the Russo-Finnish War begins as Soviet troops invade Finland. In 1962, U Thant of Burma, who had been acting secretary-general of the United Nations following the death of Dag Hammarskjold the year before, is elected to a four-year term. In 1981, the United States and the Soviet Union open negotiations in Geneva aimed at reducing nuclear weapons in Europe. In 1988, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co. is declared the winner of the corporate free-for-all to take over RJR Nabisco Inc. with a bid of $24.53 billion.

November 30, 1983: Mahoning County commissioners urge both sides in the strike by teachers of Mahoning County’s mentally retarded to “act immediately and diligently” to end a strike at Leonard E. Kirtz school.

Ohio Secretary of State Sherrod Brown says there is nothing illegal or unethical about an agreement under which Lt. Gov. Myrl Shoemaker will be paid $15,000 per year from Gov. Dick Celeste’s campaign fund.

Kevin Koken of Cardinal Mooney and Mike Uhlar of Austintown Fitch are named to the first team of the Associated Press All-Ohio football squad.

November 30, 1968: The Ohio Department of Education gives the Youngstown Public Schools $5,948 to cover the cost of busing parochial school students during the three weeks that public schools will be closed.

Dom Rosselli launches his 25th season as head basketball coach of the YSU Penguins in a game against St. Vincent College in the Struthers Fieldhouse.

Santa Claus and TV’s Barney Bean arrive by helicopter at King’s self-service department store stores in Niles, Boardman and Austintown.

The Pennsylvania Bank and Trust Co. of Titusville and the Merchants Bank and Trust Co. of Meadville are approved for merger by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

November 30, 1958: At least $40 million worth of improvements have been made to Youngstown district steel operations during 1958, although output for the year will be less than in 1957 because of business conditions.

David Shepherd, 13, of Southington, an enterprising Vindicator carrier who built his route from 11 subscribers to 73, wins an all-expense trip to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu with carriers from 62 other newspapers that distribute Parade magazine.

A state auditor’s report for city of Youngstown expenditures in 1957 shows shortages of only $756 from budget expenditures of over $13 million The examiner criticized the city for making some purchases before receiving city council authorization.

November 30, 1933: Edgar Moran, reputed head of Youngstown’s bookmaker operations, is acquitted on charges he attempted to bribe an Akron detective during a murder investigation.

Top radio stars are being paid $5,000 per week. Among them are Ed Wynn, Eddie Cantor, Paul Whitman and Will Rogers. Kate Smith is the highest paid woman at $3,000.

Russell Ramage plays the role of August Bancroft, in a three-act comedy, “Kid Calby” being presented by the Youngstown Players in the Youngstown College auditorium.