25 Years Ago — July 31, 1991
Wayland City Councilman Robe
rt Genther was accused in a Grand Rapids Press story of larceny of less than $100 from the Wyoming Department of Public Works, but later the charges were dropped when it was determined the development was the result of a disgruntled employee. Genther said his reputation unfairly has been maligned and he is weighing legal action.
Four of 26 Yankee Springs Township water wells tested by the Michigan Department of Public Works have been found to have contaminents, three of them only trace amounts. The one found to have above trace amounts was the Hovinga well on Chief Noonday Drive.
Michigan State Police’s Operation HEMP came up with a harvest of 591 marijuana plants in an Orangeville Township cornfield. Authorities said 332,101 plants were confiscated statewide in 1989.
Globe Editor Nila Aamonth wrote an editorial supporting non-partisan elections at the local level. She wrote, “Candidates for local office have expressed the opinion that such positions ought to be non-partisan. They implore voters to elect them on the basis of their merits, not on the basis of the letter after their names.”
Peter DeKraker, Kenneth Fein and Virginia Holbrook filed as Republican candidates for the late Ralph Sytsma’s seat on the Allegan County Board of Commissioners. Holbrook had been appointed temporarily to the post earlier in the year. The only Democrat in the race is Wallace Pitsch.
Michael Cook of Dorr was sentenced to 10 dais in jail and a $100 fine for assaulting Wayland Middle School Principal Jon Jensen in May.
Attorney Kevin Cronin has taken over the job of Hopkins Township Supervisor, succeeding the resigned Bill Punches.
Wayland Police Chief Dan Miller has indicated his department is trying out video cameras mounted on patrol cars, especially for drunken driving arrests and high-speed chases. Miller said he believed the devices may save the courts and police departments some in money in the long run.
The annual Wayland Summerfest celebration was reported to be a huge success by Chairman Burrell Stein and Dennis Reno from the Downtown Development Authority said the Art Train traveling mobile museum attracted sizable crowds.
50 Years Ago — July 27, 1966
James Thomas was elevated to the Wayland schools superintendent’s position by unanimous vote of the Board of Education. Thomas, who has been high school principal over the past three years, succeeded Dr. Carl Bergstrom, who left to take the superintendent’s post at McHenry, Ill.
Twenty-nine local citizens filed to run for city positions in the Sept. 12 election, but none will be seated unless voters approved the proposed home-rule charter. One candidate, Donald Shafer, had his petition turned away as invalid.
Troopers Arnold Schilling and George Beck are the newest additions at the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police.
Wayland High School senior Richard Blok, son of Mr. and Mrs. David Blok of Moline, has returned from a Citizenship Seminar held near Tustin and sponsored by the Rotary Club.
Wayland Township Supervisor Clayton Jackson is facing opposition in the Aug. 2 primaryelection from James Ward. Basil Teed and Willis Riksen will vie for the supervisor’s job in Monterey Township.
Editor-Publisher Orvin P. Helmey wrote an editorial backing Allegan County’s request for one mill for five years to repair, replace and improve bridges in the August primary.
Dennis Zuidema, 16, of Hopkins, was killed on a one-vehicle traffic accident on 142nd Avenue west of Dorr.
Wayland High School for the first time in its history will field a freshman football team, with Bobby Kerley as coach.
Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris were starring in “The Heroes of Telemark” at the Wayland Theatre.
Sidewalk Days were scheduled for the downtown on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 5 and 6.
John Hooker was selected master and Charles Fisher lecturer for the Leighton Community Grange.
The No. 1 song in the land this week was “Wild Thing” by the Troggs.
75 years Ago — Aug. 1, 1941
Wayland Township’s new fire truck will not be delivered until the end of August because of the increasing orders for defense.
A hen somehow found her way under the hood of a car driven by Mrs. Ruth Cooper, who during a trip reported a very sluggish engine. When the hood was opened, they found the hen still alive and two farm fresh eggs.
The Wednesday evening entertainment program featured the Wayland Old-Time Orchestra and the Wayland Dance Orchestra together for a combined performance, assisted by Dennis Nagle. Directors of the groups are Everett Ewing and Ray Fox.
Among the Allegan County young men listed as being drafted into military service were Stanley Bennett of Bradley; Charles Leep, Ken Pardee and Lewis Schipper of Shelbyville; Clarence Paffouse and Clarence Stickley of Dorr, and Clifford Aubil, Anthony Nagurski, Ted Niemchick, Steven Lapeakes and Kenneth Kugelard, all of Wayland.
Two longtime local rtesidents, Mrs. C.C. McClintock, 42, and Walter Lee Lewis, 67, have died. Lewis was longtime supervisor of the Leighton Phone Co.
The Allegan County Social Welfare program is taking bids for building a new addition to the County Infirmary Hospital.
An aluminum drive has been launched by Wayland Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts for America’s defense.
The Ford Rodeo Boys from Detroit will appear for a final summer entertainment presentation Saturday, Aug. 30.
Movies this week at the Wayland Theatre:
- Clark Gable, Rosalind Russell and Peter Lorre in “They Met in Bombay.”
- The Marx Brothers and Tony Martin in “The Big Store.”
- Hugh Sinclair and Sally Gray in “The Saints Vacation.”
- George Montgomery and Osa Massan in “Accent on Love.”
100 years Ago — July 28, 1916
Three staff members in the Wayland Globe office joined about 150 other members of the West Michigan chapter of the Michigan Press Association in a train tour of northern Michigan. They visited Howard City, Reed City, Osceola County, Cadillac and Traverse City.
The Village Council has ordered that all lawn sprinkling be confined to between 6 and 7 p.m. daily. The explanation was that “a number of patrons have been riding a free horse to death” and water in the summer dry months needs to be conserved for the fire department.
Joe Fisher fell from a load of hay to a wood platform and injured his back and ribs.
A lecture by John W. Gray of Wayland was scheduled at the Bradley United Methodist Church. His speech was titled, “What a 13-year-Old Boy Saw on a Mission Field.”
John Stromberg, 30, formerly of Wayland, was electrocuted in a work accident in Akron, Ohio. He was born in Yankee Springs Township and had moved to Akron only two years previous.
L.W. Morford, ice cream manufacturer, has donated a five-gallon can to all local church societies for their social events.
A silent traffic officers has been established at the four corners of downtown Wayland. ”There are also other places in the village that a like dummy should be placed.”
Editor Rollo Mosher penned, “With this issue closes the 32nd volume of the Wayland Globe. Through this long period, the paper has been conducted by the present publisher with the exception of one short interval when Fay C. Wing was at the helm… Only a few of the old business places are still standing as monuments of 1884.”
Local undertaker F. C. Wing “has taken a progressive step in purchasing an automobile hearse, the first of its kind in the county.”
The Martin livery barn caught fire and was virtually destroyed. The local bucket brigade was able to save the surrounding business block.
Ross Hager, 14, of Grand Rapids, suffered serious injuries when a firearm he was handling accidentally discharged at the farm of F.D. Cutler east of the village. He was reported to be in critical condition at Blodgett Hospital in Grand Rapids.
PHOTO: The Dorr Sawmill, circa 1901.