25 Years Ago — May 5, 1992
Steve Lawrence, 36, and wife Candy Lawrence, 34, were bound over in Barry County District Court on charges in connection with the suspected arson death of Willard Lawrence, 74, of Gun Lake, retired president of the Felpausch Food Centers. Steve was bound over on a charge of murder, but Candy will face only a charge of being an accessory.
Officials from MichCon have indicated they natural gas services will be available to Wayland Township residents within the next two years.
Betty Sue Betterly of Hopkins penned a letter to the editor warning Hopkins School District parents about outcome-based education and ideas coming from the 2000 Global Citizenship Project.
Department of Natural Resources officials have told Wayland Township Board members one of the top priorities of the agency this year will be the cleanup of the Sunrise Landfill.
Expansion of the Leighton-Dorr Township sewer project is expected to cost affected residents about $6,000 per household, Leighton Township Supervisor Dar VanderArk has announced.
Wayland Township residents will be asked to approved a proposed half mill levy for the Henika Library in the August primary. The township in past years has chipped in only $500 per year.
Wayland High School student Stacie Bratsburg was selected as the outstanding page for the first year of the Model Judicial Program in Allegan County.
The Rev. Keith Dragt has been announced as the new pastor at the Gun Lake Community Church.
Jenny Fearnow fired a no-hitter at Kenowa Hills in five innings and the streaking Wayland softball team won its own invitational, lifting its season record to 11-4.
Though the Wayland High School baseball team has lost four straight, it set a record of 98 stolen bases for the season. Robert Moore leads the way in that department for the Wildcats, who now are 9-7 for the overall season.
Sean Talsma pitched a two-hitter for Martin in a victory over Fennville, keeping the Clippers unbeaten in six games of Southwest Athletic Conference play.
Coach Mark Austin’s Hopkins baseball team extended its winning streak to a dozen games, thanks to some timely pitching and hitting by Kelly Reynolds, Zack Wilson and offensive fireworks from Lance Markoski.
However, the Lady Vikings softball team suffered a 25-15 setback at the hands of Tri-Unity Christian because of a bewildering 33 walks. It was coach Mick Francis’ ballclub’s first loss of the season.
The Wayland girls’ track team lost a 66-62 dual meet showdown to Hudsonville and it appears the O-K Gold championship will come down to the conference meet at Forest Hills Northern.
50 Years Ago — May 3, 1967
Five hundred trees were planted on school property as part of Arbor Day observances by students at Steeby and Baker elementaries.
Former Hopkins Principal and coach Al Deal was guest speaker at the school’s athletic banquet. Deal, at the time superintendent of the Wyoming Rogers school district, later became commissioner of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).
Pauline Fifelski, a junior at Western Michigan University and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Fifelski of Dorr, is one of 25 WMU students chosen to take part in a three-and-a-half month tour of Japan and India in the Asia Humanities Seminar.
Niki Morrell was named valedictorian and Cynthia Young salutatorian for the Martin High School Class of 1967. Morrell plans to attend Michigan State University and Young, who also won the DAR Award, will go to Alma College.
Wayland State Bank has purchased Farmers State Bank of Alto to increase its loan capacity. It now operates three other branches, in Hopkins, Dorr and Clarksville.
Hopkins voters will decide on a four-mill proposal for six years in a special election May 8.
The City Council was told by Don Mann that he and his neighbors on the northeast side of the city have been having many troubles with sewer and water. Local officials and engineers Williams and Works and studying the matter.
Ambulance service in Wayland and environs has been restored for now, but Chairman Grover Grigsby and the Allegan County Board of Supervisors still have work to do.
“Operation Junction City,” the largest military effort thus far in the Vietnam War, includes Wayland soldiers Bob Brevitz and Dale Thompson. Meanwhile Pfc. Dennis Ward is serving in central Vietnam in the first air cavalry.
Jerome LaValley and Don Lapham are the two incumbents in next month’s annual school board election in Wayland.
LaVerne Lussenden will be master of ceremonies for the spring musical festival at the Hopkins High School gym. Featured will be a local Dixieland combo and a “mystery clarinetist.”
The local Rebekahs were hostesses for the district meeting of the organization at the VFW Hall. Mrs. Roger Blain is president.
James Coburn was starring in “Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round” at the Wayland Theatre.
The physical education classes of Lyle Berry and Eugene Knobloch put on a demonstration tournament in front of about 200 curious observers who want to learn more about the sport.
The Wayland tennis team remains atop the Expressway League standings. Team members include Robert Ayers, Bill Carpenter, Scott Chestnut, Steve Smith, Frank Taylor, Christer Persson, Rich Blok, Mick Mutschler and Howard Thomas.
75 Years Ago — May 8, 1942
Robert W. Gardner was killed when his tractor overturned and pinned on his farm east of Bradley. Onoy 35 years old, he was a 1926 graduate of Wayland High School and a lifelong resident and farmer. He leaves a wife, Barbara, and three children.
Wayland is one of a few schools in Michigan that has successfully organized a community Victory Garden and it’s the only one in Allegan County. The project’s motto is “Vitamins and vegetables for our school children and victory for our country.” Heading up the project are local home economics teachers Queen Ward and Violet Jankovich, Daryl Goodspeed and Don Wobma from the agriculture department, Superintendent R.J. Steeby, Margaret Stanton and J.A. Prescott. Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher said, “Everyone is encouraged to help… many hands make light tasks.”
The local war bond sales will get under way next Monday.
Georga Manning and Zeba Collings will be in charge of the American Legion Feed Night next Tuesday.
The Wayland schools’ annual skip day will be an education trip to Chicago May 14 and 15.
Mrs. Stocking’s second-graders enjoyed a special walk into the Panyrek Woods to learn about safety and conservation.
Warren Clay suffered bruises and cuts when his car overturned on the gravel road at the Jackson Curve east of Wayland.
Kim Sigler of Hasting sent a letter to the editor introducing himself and announcing his plans to run for Michigan Senate in 1942 as a Republican.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Claudette Colbert and John Payne in “Remember the Day.”
- Albert Dekker, Joan Davis and Eddie Foy Jr. in “Yokel Boy.”
- Carole Lombard and Jack Benny in ”To Be or Not to Be.”
- Chester Morris and Harriet Hilliard in “Confessions of Boston Blackie.”
- Lynn Bari and Joseph Allen Jr. in “The Night Before the Divorce.”
100 Years Ago — May 4, 1917
Civics class at Wayland High School is studying the new government of the Grand Rapids City Commission, which went into effect May 1.
Sophomores took to the stage for their first time in the famous withches’ cauldron scene from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”
The basketball team lost to Plainwell 23-14 and the baseball team was edged 11-10.
Howard Calkins, Lellwyn Anway, Harold Johnson and Roy Jones took part in the interscholastic track meet in Kalamazoo.
Wayland captured 11 firsts and eight second prizes in the annual Wayland Township School Meet, which attracted about 300 students. Some of the winners included Leona Rankin, spelling bee; Leon Anway, ciphering; Frank Esty, paper cutting; John Miklusicak, free hand drawing; Myron Wilde, Allegan County map; Eva Suchoosky, written letter; Iva Gilbert, relief map; Clara Snell, original story; Lela Ehle, essay on “How to Keep Well”; Pauline Howarth, penmanship; Mamie Lewis, best johnnie cake; Louise Wait, best loaf of bread; Wilma Keith, best cake, and Mable Newkirk, best fancy work.
The Bradley Thimble Club welecomed 10 members and five guests and Mrs. Clyde Holmes of Bowens Mills prepared the luncheon.
Dick Haydenberk enlisted in the U.S. Army and left for Columbus, Ohio. He was given a going away gift of a fine gold watch.
The eighth grade exam will be given May 10-11. The seventh grade exam will focus on physiology and geography.
The Rev. D.C. Paxson died at his Gun Lake home, with his funeral taking place in Bradley.
A runaway milk wagon was caused by horses frightened by woven wire fencing being loaded on a wagon on East Superior Street. The wagon was owned by Mrs. Sukorski and milk cans were strewn all over the street.
Alfred Bentall, county agricultural agent, spoke to Wayland High School students about “Agricultural Resources in Allegan County” and The Farmer’s Part in the Present Crisis.”
