25 Year
s Ago — April 18, 1990
Byron center developer Klaus Knoll was turned down in his second attempt to have an agricultural parcel rezoned to residential in Hopkins Township.
More than 100 petitioners have asked Leighton Township officials to regulate more strictly the operations of Smith Sand and Gravel on Patterson Avenue north of 135th Avenue. Residents want the hours, noise and dust limited.
Barbara Merchant, 50, was charged with accessory after the fact and obstruction for her alleged role in her husband, James’ embezzlement of more than $100 from Martin United Methodist Church.
Martin schools plan to ask voters to approve a one-mill request for three years for maintenance of buildings and equipment.
The Wayland City Council approved plans for a new professional building behind the site of the old Farm House Restaurant that burned down in 1987. Developers are Dennis Reno, Bruce Sexton and Pete Howard.
Martin Township joined the consortium of municipalities served by the Wayland Area Ambulance Service by submitting its annual contribution of $1,000.
Leighton Township Supervisor Dar VanderArk said the Township Board plans to ask voters for a one-mill increase worth about $80,000 in tax money to help fund the purchase of a new fire truck for $126,000.
Hopkins Township and Village will ask voters in the August primary to increase property taxes by three-quarters of a mill over 10 years to fund construction of a community center to house township and village offices and the fire station. The millage would raise about $18,000 per year.
Yankee Springs Township residents are complaining that Thompson McCully Gravel Co. is not adhering to guidelines agreed to in February for a special use permit for 60 days on a 38-acre agricultural parcel.
New Michigan State Police troopers welcomed were Jim Paul, a transfer from Detroit, and new recruit graduates Robert Hendrix and Michael White.
Southpaw Paul Omness hurled a two-hit shutout in Wayland’s 9-0 baseball victory over Middleville Thornapple Kellogg.
Wayland more than doubled the point totals of all other schools competing in the Middleville Coed Relays.
Coach Mick Francis and his Hopkins girls’ softball team whipped Martin 18-3 and edged Byron Center 7-6. Mandy Buskard threw a one-hitter at the Clippers.
Miss Wayland contestants include Kelly Nieuwenhuis, Sharice Beale, Sally Muczynski, Carmen Scheel, Angela Mayberry and Becky Ferguson.
50 Years Ago — April 14, 1965
The Dorr area was reeling from the effects of a deadly Palm Sunday tornado that killed one woman living in a trailer on 142nd Avenue. Mrs. Loren S. (Esterline) Short died during the storm while at home alone while her husband was working. The Globe had three front-page pictures showing extensive commercial, agricultural and residential damage. Barns were blown down and animals and livestock perished in the massive storm.
In a quirk for upcoming elections, Wayland Township voters will have only until April 19 to register for the June school election. This is the result of the special election May 18 on Wayland changing from a village to home rule city. Registration deadline customarily would have been May 17.
Osborn Brown has announced he will not seek re-election to the Wayland Board of Education after serving for seven years.
Superintendent Carl Bergstrom told the school board he has offered a contract to Eugene Knobloch of Hopkins to teach physical education and social studies and to Susan Breyer to replace Marsha Martin, resigned, in English, journalism and speech at the high school.
Bergstrom also said the contracts offered to Jon Carroll and James Lynette have not been returned, so their positions are regarded as open. Lynette has been varsity basketball coach.
The Globe this week focused on three more candidates for the nine Charter Commission seats that must be filled if the home rule city question is favorable on the May 18 special election. High school social studies teacher Bob Kerley, Dale Hall and Richard Wilson were among the 21 who filed.
Otsego defeated Wayland 3-2 in 12 innings on a balk as darkness was setting in on the diamond. Terry DuMond suffered the hard-luck loss on the mound, walking three, striking out nine, yielding eight hits and one earned run.
The Wildcat tennis team lost 4-3 to Cedar Springs. Winners were Mike Crum, Tom Tarnutzer and freshman Robert Ayers.
Ron Smith, a 1950 Hopkins High School graduate, was to be keynote speaker for a special Hopkins Athletic Banquet April 26. Smith was assistant sports editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer and his story, “The Coach Who Thinks Like a Comic,” was a finalist for True Magazine’s best sports stories of the year.
The Wayland Theatre was showing “First Men in the Moon” and the award-winning cartoon, “The Pink Phink.”
The Hopkins FFA, led by Eldon Taylor, placed second in the state-wide broiler feeding contest that featured 53 entries.
Norm Fifelski was pictured on the front page of the Globe receiving the coveted Lou Japinga Award from Lou’s son, Michigan State football team co-captain Don Japinga.
“I’m Telling You Now,” by Freddie & the Dreamers enjoyed its second week at No. 1 among the nation’s top tunes.
75 Years Ago — April 12, 1940
The township board has posted notices calling for a special election of the qualified voters of Wayland Township’s newly elected consolidated school district for the purpose of electing five new school officers who will look after the school interests of the entire township district.
Last Sunday afternoon fire destroyed the house on the old Shinville place one mile south and one mile east of Shelbyville. The Wayland Fire Department made the run and helped in saving other buildings. Neighbors helped in saving a part of the household goods. It is believed that the blaze was caused by an incubator becoming overheated.
David Zeerip celebrated his first birthday Monday, on the same day Henry Ford turned out his 28,000,000th Ford.
Edythe Frank Andrus, poet and author, native of Wayland and resident of Jackson, Mich., has become one of the outstanding women in that city by virtue of her work as chairman of the Clean Reading Campaign Committee. This committee is composed of five prominent Jackson women and was appointed by Mayor Bengel to take definite substantial steps to eliminate undesirable reading and lascivious pictures, which have a tendency to corrupt the morals of youth.
Irving J. Steeby, teacher of the Hooker School in Leighton, drove into town Wednesday with a load of his scholars, 24 in number, in his big Buick touring car. It presented a novel scene.
Supt. G.V. Fales has commenced the erection of a large porch at the front of his residence on East Superior Street.
A.D. Barnes, who has an office in Grand Rapids for the sale of creamery butter made by Jankowski and Barnes at Lake City, was here last Friday night and made the boys band a visit. He was the founder of the Wayland military band and its instructor for some time.
Clarence A. Ryno is now erecting another new residence house on West Superior Street. He has the credit of building more houses in Wayland than any other person, and the one now under construction is the 16th one besides one large farm house and several other smaller buildings, barns, etc.
Fred Leggett is the new night watchman at the condensery, commencing the service this week.