(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Nov. 9, 1994
Allegan County grant writer Brian Dilworth, who resigned his job with the Alliance, has been accused of writing two bogus grants, one of $212,000 and another for $153,000. The news of loss of grants adversely affects Dorr Township’s plans for park renovations.
Fein/Miller Gravel has sold its business to Roger Smith after winning Martin Township voters’ approval for a gravel mining operation through a referendum.
Jerry Slagter wrote in a letter to the editor, “Please take down the sign that says ‘drug free school zone’ because it’s a lie.”
Karen DeVries of Shelbyville wrote, “Whatever happened to going to policemen (for help) because they are our friends?”
State Rep. Paul Hillegonds told members of the Wayland Township Board that Michigan is 46th among the 50 states in gasoline tax revenue and making matters worse is that more fuel efficient cars are on the horizon.
Mary Martin of Moline is suing the Probate Judge campaign of Chris Anderson, specifically mentioning John Tuinstra and Rusty Dutkiewicz of Dorr and Mary Schumaker of Hopkins, for slander after they made very public comments about her request to have the feeding tube for her disabled husband removed. She particularly was upset about suggestions she was seeking money from Conrail.
Jan Westendorp, in a nod to Veterans Day, wrote a feature story about Frank Doezema of Shelbyville , who was killed in Vietnam early in 1968 during the Tet Offensive.
Terry Keltsch of Windsor Woods made three complaints to the Wayland City Council about the surroundings of a building he owns on Railroad Street.
The Martin girls’ varsity basketball team completed the regular season with a 20-0 record after a grueling 46-43 victory over Decatur. Millie Kruzel and Michelle Mazei sank clutch free throws down the stretch, though the Clippers made only 7 of 21 attempts.
The Hopkins girls now stand at 7-12 after a couple of victories, the latest featuring double figures scoring from Katie Kloska, Karen Schwartz and Teresa Glupker.
Super sophomore Angie Farmer swished 19 points, Mindy Sikkema had 14 and Jessie McEwen and Jill Chrisman a dozen apiece as the 12-7 Wildcats defeated Hudsonville 67-63.
Pam Graczyk set the school record in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:07.59.
Joe Piatt has decided to auction three of his paintings and give the proceeds to Wayland Area Emergency Services because of their prompt and professional services when he was in a motorcycle accident in 1989.
50 Years Ago — Nov. 5, 1969
A veterans Day Freedom Rally has been scheduled at the Wayland High School girls’ gym Tuesday morning, featuring the local VFW color guard and speeches by a VFW representative and Supt. James Thomas. Students Neil Ellinger and Greg Dandrow organized the event in response to Wayland faculty sponsored Vietnam War Moratorium Oct. 15.
Hopkins school district voters turned down a $1.285 million bond request to build a new elementary school by a small margin, 353 to 340. It was the second time in a year the proposition was defeated.
Wayland City Council was told that the dump on the south edge of town may have to be closed soon. Some councilmen said the site easily could be converted into a recreation park.
Wayland City Police Chief Forrest Reichenbach was recognized once again as the youngest living World War I veteran. As a 15-year-old bot in Otsego, he lied about his age when he enlisted in 1918.
Wayland High School teacher-coach Lyle Berry has earned his master’s degree from Central Michigan University.
Local police reported a relatively quiet Halloween, but one prankster set fire to a bale of hay in an alley just east of downtown.
Mrs. Frederic Hilbert was injured in a two-car traffic crash just north of the Northway Grill in Leighton Township. She was taken to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, as was the driver of the other vehicle.
Four Wayland students were recognized for earning perfect 4.0 grade point averages — Juniors Tom Lanning, Paul Calkins and Louise Sykes and seventh-grader Darlene Lohroff.
Margaret Rutz of Germany was visiting Wayland as a guest of her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kaminski.
Barry Brower, in the latest installment of his “Vietnam Diary,” said the country was blessed with great beauty and lovely sunsets. “Vietnam would be a most interesting place to vacation at another time in history.”
Mrs. Clifford Holbrook wrote a letter praising Editor-Publisher Irv Helmey’s editorials on the Vietnam war protests.
Greg Doty of Wayland is serving aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise, which has just completed four tours of duty in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Wayland turned in a lackluster performance in a 13-0 loss to Jenison and now stands at 1-6 for the season overall. The freshman and junior varsity teams are unbeaten.
Wayland High School graduate and former MSU football co-captain Don Japinga now is the color man for the WILX radio broadcasts of the Spartans’ games.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: “Run Wild, Run Free.”
The Fifth Dimension made Elvis Presley’s return to No. 1 short lived by taking over the top spot with “Wedding Bell Blues.”
75 Years Ago — Nov. 10, 1944
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to an unprecedented fourth term as president, but Wayland went solidly for Republican Thomas E. Dewey, 649 to 308. GOP Congressman Clare Hoffman also was re-elected with more than 60 % of the vote.
Second Lt. Henry Morrill of Shelbyville now is listed by the War Department as a prisoner of war in Germany.
Sgt. Harris Brower, a 1938 Wayland High School graduate, narrowly escaped a German ambush at a camp on an Italian mountainside.
Sgt. Donald Siefert of Moline wrote to the Globe from France, where he has recovered from a wrist injury in combat action.
Anna Smith was elected president of the local VFW Auxiliary and Ermabelle Hawkins was chosen first vice president.
Dick Hiemstra of Wayland has been promoted to private first class while serving in the South Pacific.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher reported statistics show 25,000 more deer killed in Michigan during hunting season than in 1925.
The local American Legion is planning an Armistice Day program and dedication exercises Friday, Nov. 10, and immediately afterward there will be the unveiling of the Service,men’s Honor Roll at Henika Library.
Staff Sgt. Elwyn Reynolds of Hopkins was killed in action on Palau Island and his memorial service will be held here this weekend.
Mrs. Louvia Fox, conductress of the statewide Rebekah Assembly, was special guest of honor at her local lodge in Moline. Mrs. Etta Smith served as toastmistress.
All area ladies are invited to the homemaking room at Wayland High School for weekly classes on gift making for Christmas.
Chester Calkins led a discussion at the Wayland Grange on “Are we receiving full value for the taxes we pay?”
Lt. Doris Rantz of Martin, a 1939 graduate of Martin High School, is on duty as a nurse in the 200-bed surgical ward at a Hospital in France.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Phil Baker and Edward Ryan in “Take It or Leave It.”
- Tom Conway and Barbara Hale in “The Falcon Out West.”
- Joel McCrea, Harry Carey and Betty Field in “The Great Moment.”
- Eddie Cantor, George Murphy and Joan Davis in “Show Business.”
100 years Ago — Nov. 7, 1919
The Globe has announced a few changes in that it is adding three “departments” or featured pages, one for women, one for agriculture and one for state, national and foreign news digests.
“Basketball girls are out for practice, though the weather isn’t very promising.”
Seventh-graders put together a surprise Halloween party for Iva Gilbert. Leila Ehle provided the entertainment as a fortune telling witch.
President Fanny Hoyt told members of the Ladies Library Club she saw Susanna Cockroft in Grand Rapids and described her in glowing terms as a “wonderful example of the good from physical training.” LLC members held their meeting despite threats from “Squaw Winter,” (early onset of cold and snow).
In the wedding announcement for Beulah Mae Hooker and Earl Fisher: “Beulah and Earl have spent their lives up to the present in this vicinity. They are possessed of those sterling characteristics that make good manhood and womanhood.”
Some rags and shavings ignited at the Hughes factory, but quality firefighting efforts early avoided serious damage.
Chester Grandy has purchased the 80-acre farm of Alfred Nelson, northeast of Wayland.
An advertisement for Bold’s Poultry Laying Tonic appeared to promote hens laying eggs.
Authorities reported local Halloween activities were absent of destruction opf property and soaping of windows.
A Miss Abbott, a 17-year-old area girl, was injured be a self-inflicted gunshot while sitting in her car. The bullet lodged just below her heart and Dr. E. C. Hanlon rushed her to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, where she is recovering.
The Globe insisted there are two recent examples of the effectiveness of advertising. Claude H. Smith sold his house just two days after publication and the Christian Church special evening was sold out.