25 Years Ago — July 25, 1990
Ray and Gerald 
Page of Middleville have announced plans for renovations at their Gun Lake resort, just south of the Yankee Springs State Park entrance. They intend to clear out apartments and trailers to construct 22 condominiums.
Despite a number of local residents’ complains Thompson-McCulley Excavating was granted approval for an extension of a permit to continue to mine gravel at a 2.5-acre site near Payne Lake.
Recent Western Michigan University graduate Michel Door of Wayland is involved in a solar-powered car competition known at the General Motors Sunrayces.
Wayland Fire Chief Hugh DeWeerd and longtime firefighter Earl Miller both wrote letters to the editor vigorously defending personnel of the Wayland Area Emergency Services ambulance as much better than “Band-Aid,” as charged in a recent story of a Dorr Township Board meeting.
Robert J. DeHaan wrote a letter to the editor expressing his displeasure with the Fuzzy’s Video business in Leighton Township renting pornographic videotapes.
Mary Beecher of Wayland, a dog handler, and her Kerry Blue Terrier captured first place honors in a national Purina Invitational Dog Show.
Doris J. Bell, matriarch of the family that brought the Dog ‘N Suds restaurant and later Bell’s Family Restaurant to Wayland on South Main Street, died of cancer at her home in Wyoming.
Longtime local farmer and furniture craftsman E. J. Munroe, 81, and his wife, Blanche, have announced they plan to retire and move to western New York,
New Wayland High School head varsity basketball coach Jim Orlowski has announced there will be a summer basketball camp Aug. 6-10 for grades fifth through eighth.
Rhonda Nowakowski and George Blanco both recorded holes in one this month at the Hidden Valley Golf Course. It was the second ace of Blanco’s amateur golfing career.
Paul Jackson, sports editor, wrote an extensive feature story with photos about Bob Munger of Gun Lake, sidekick of legendary international big game archer Fred Bear, telling many tales of big game hunts all over the globe.
The annual Wayland Summerfest celebration was set to take place the following weekend with a street dance, Larry and His Larks Polka Band, food booths, a Ronald McDonald magic show, lip sync contest and parades.
50 Years Ago — July 21, 1965
The four local businesses devastated by the huge fire downtown on July 14 have vowed to continue and three already have set up shop at other locations. Herb’s Auto Sales is operating out of just north and across the street on North Main, Mutschler Electric is doing business out of the family home and Dewey Brothers are operating out of a location on West Superior. Owners of Auntie Ruth’s Restaurant are looking for a new location.
Ron Stehouwer, a 1955 graduate of Wayland High School, has announced his retirement from professional football. He was an offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers for five seasons, but spent much of the 1964 campaign hampered by injuries, He has accepted a post with Kaiser Aluminum out of Spokane, Wisc.
Erwin Doublestein, 17, a senior at Wayland High School, was lauded by local authorities for saving the life of a 15-year-old Chicago boy who nearly drowned at Gun Lake. Doublestein jumped into the water from a pontoon boat and pulled out the boy, who then was revived by a nearby firefighter.
Second Lt. James Parmalee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Parmalee of Hopkins, was killed in action in Vietnam. Parmalee, a 1960 graduate of Hopkins High School, had been a star athlete and he played football for Wheaton College (Ill.) before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
The Wayland Village Council has decided to charge local residents $15 and reimbursement for costs of the water to fill up swimming pools at their residences. The council also adopted an ordinance amendment aimed at the illegality of motor vehicle operators to use sidewalks and pedestrian right of ways.
Becky Hudson and Mrs. Sam Robinson both were $100 winners in a special Harding’s Market contest.
John Wayne was starring in “Circus World” at the Wayland Theatre.
Sally Ann Beaver, 16, who will be a senior this fall at Hopkins High School, has just returned from the national convention of the Future Homemakers of America in Philadelphia. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Beaver of Hopkins, she earned the right to attend the convention by being elected parliamentarian of the Michigan chapter.
Bob Adams, in a letter to the editor, expressed his appreciation to the Globe for publishing a feature story earlier in the month about the now-defunct Page School. He said, “I do wish more people could sit down and recall so me of the past history of your area. I think it would give your paper something more.”
The Rolling Stones topped the nation’s music charts for the second straight week with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”
75 Years Ago —July 19, 1940
Last Saturday noon this writer (Rollo Mosher), with Naman E. Frank and Russell Rugaber, were guests of radio station WKZO in Kalamazoo to put on a 15-minute “Salute to the Cow Town of Michigan.”
Mosher wrote: “There is a little more to broadcasting even such a short talk as we gave than merely getting up before the mike and reciting your piece, as we found out after being notified that we were scheduled to go on the air a week in advance. In the first place, broadcasting rules require that all talks must be typed and filed with the station, I suppose some objectionable stuff will be eliminated. Next, all programs must be timed.
“On arriving home, we were informed that Tom Bennett had taken down the program on his Recordio and so we were permitted to listen to the talks via the phonograph.”
The county tax allocation committee has set the millage rate for the county on 1940 taxes. Most of the townships will have a one to one and one-half mill rate for the township expense, with the rate for the county set at six mills.
The fast and flashy Moline Cubs will play the Edings V-8s, who are tied for first place in the Wayland Softball League. The Cubs have a complete new uniform and make a colorful looking team on the field. They have been hitting hard in the Cutlerville league and are at the top.
Lily White. The flour the best cooks use — from the heart of Michigan’s golden wheat belt.
Attention men! We want you to come in and see our Men’s Bib Overall at 98 cents. A value that will surprise you. Malmstone’s closing out sale.
100 Years Ago — July 23, 1915
Secretary A. E. Weaver announced his surprise resignation as secretary of the Wayland Board of Education at the annual school meeting. He will be replaced by Charles Clark.
Two women, Mrs. Elizabeth Clark and Mrs. Lillian Buskirk, were chosen as trustees of the Wayland Board of Education, though it would be five more years before they could legally vote. The board also agreed to pay teachers an annual salary of $3,445 and the janitor $288.
Mrs. Sophia Buskirk, reported by the Globe as “a Hopkins pioneer,” died at her home at age 89. Among those attending her funeral was Dr. T.C. Buskirk of Portland.
Albert Blystone, believed to be about 40 years old, was electrocuted on the interurban when the trolley cable line he was grasping came into contact with a brake wheel on top of a box car near the depot. Efforts to notify next of kin were unsuccessful.
Ten members and six visitors for the Bradley Thimble Club were reported to be in such a festive mood at Renauds Grove that they accomplished very little in getting work done.
There was a large dance at the new house of Thomas Tobin, who rebuilt quickly after his home in Leighton Township burned down the previous March.
The Improvement League met at Bowens Mills in Yankee Springs Township with Mrs. Clyde Holmes. Then they had their summer picnic at Barlow Lake.
Erastus Jordan visited Syracuse, Geneva and Auburn, N.Y., on his way to a reunion with his Civil War regiment.
Albert J. Dann, publisher of the Lake Odessa Wave, stopped in at the Globe office for a visit.
The Wayland Athletes will take on Grand Rapids Oakdale at 2:30 Saturday at Ryno Park. The Wayland Military Band will be on hand to furnish music.
A cufflink button was found inside the gills of a huge muskie caught on Gun Lake by A. Groskpf and Clarence Willis of Hopkins Township. The cufflink belonged to Jay L. Smith, who had lost it while fishing on Gun Lake two years earlier.
C.A. Ryno, billed as “a man who built more houses than any one person in town is still at it. He has commenced the foundation of another nice residence on West Superior Street.”
Harold Chapple was taken to Dr. Welch’s hospital in Grand Rapids to have a growth of adenoids removed from his throat.