25 Years Ago — July 14, 1993
The Yankee Springs Township Board, which was being sued by a citizens’ Awareness Committee for adopting fiscal year budget 1993-94 without proper notice, has scheduled a second public hearing on the budget for July 22. The board also voted 3-2 against financially supporting the People Path recreational trail.
The Dorr Township Board voted 3-2 to pay 50 cents per cubic yard for gravel leveling to Allegan County. In support were Supervisor Don Kaczanowski and trustees Larry Dolegowski and Norm Fifelski. Opposed were Clerk Dick Dutkiewicz and Treasurer Joseph Graczyk.
Elane Vandenbergh penned a letter to the editor calling attention to the American Youth Soccer Organization, which plans to have games this fall at Baker Elementary.
Diane Spencer, who was convicted of murdering her infant child in Allegan County, apparently will not face similar charges in Pennsylvania. She is serving a life sentence ordered by Allegan County Circuit Judge George Corsiglia.
Dr. William Howard, director of curriculum at Hopkins schools, has accepted the superintendent’s job at Buckley Community Schools near Traverse City.
James Heth, 31, was killed in a motorcycle accident on 137th Avenue in Leighton Township.
Terry Whitley, a Michigan State Police trooper for 26 years, has decided to retire at the Wayland post. His specialty had been accident reconstruction. He and his wife, Nancy, have two sons and a grandson and they are active in the community.
Competing for the title of Dahlia Festival Queen are Christine Leep, Jolie Mann, Jeana Warning, Tammy Scott, Jennifer Sack, Michelle Roselip, Rebecca Shuck, Julie Martin and Carmen Scheel. Marcia Halloran again is pageant director.
The Fontana Music Society is planning to open the 1993 summer season with a concert dedicated to founder Neill Sanders Sunday in Shelbyville.
The Hopkins High School Student Council has received an award of excellence for the fourth straight year, this time among 17 schools in Michigan. Nancy Manchip is advisor.
Art Shook was elected president and Naomi Martin vice president of the Martin Board of Education.
50 Years Ago — July 10, 1968
Wayland High School graduates Carol Coburn and Kay Shafer were pictured on the front page as recipients of the Wayland Fire Department’s $100 scholarships. Presenting the checks was Russell Hunsberger, department secretary, who was dressed appropriately with mustache and goatee in honor of the upcoming Wayland Centennial celebration.
Ruko Subara, a home economics agent in Brazil, was a special guest in the Wayland home of the David Whittredge family from July 6 to July 27. Her visit is sponsored by the International Farm Youth Exchange program.
The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that the Allegan County Board of Supervisors indeed should be disbanded in favor of the new County Board of Commissioners with 21 districts. It was reported that 37 Republicans and seven Democrats have filed for election to commissioners’ seats.
Judy Powers, 17, of Hopkins, and her 13-year-old brother, Larry, were injured in a traffic accident in Watson Township where the car she was driving collided with a milk truck. They both were treated at Allegan general Hospital and released.
Members of the Brothers of the Brush group promoting proper grooming of facial hair for the centennial, had very prominent appearances in the Wayland and Dorr Fourth of July parades.
U.S. Congressman Edward Hutchinson was scheduled ot be the main speaker at the Allegan County Republican Party Ox Roast July 27 at the Allegan County fairgrounds. Ellis Wykstra of Martin is co-chairman of the event.
A fire at the Hopkins home of Alden Hazen started when a fireworks display dud landed on his roof. Firefighters rushed to the scene and were able to extinguish the problem quickly.
Elizabeth Greeley of Dorr was one of several West Michigan women inducted into the Women’s Army Corps.
The Wayland Globe will sponsor its seventh annual tennis tournament this summer with high school tennis coach Spriggs TeRoller as director.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: Burt Lancaster in “The Scalphunters.”
Dorr native Joseph Harnish, who taught in rural schools in Dorr, Watson and Monterey townships and was a longtime farmer, died at his home. He was 85.
Jack Bredeweg and his family, missionaries at Sao Paulo, Brazil, will be guest presenters this Sunday evening at the Wayland Baptist Church.
Herb Alpert continued to hold the No. 1 slot in the land with “This Guy’s in Love with You.”
75 Years Ago — July 16, 1943
Wayland Rotary President Rollo G. Mosher said the club’s annual fish dinner was moved from Wednesday noon to Thursday evening to enable local anglers to provide enough dinner fare from Gun Lake. The result was 100 fish being cooked by Rotarians and a visit from State Senator Bud Tripp.
The Wayland Village Council has ordered out door grills and fire pits for use in the city park.
Plans are in place to halt evening traffic light operations at Main and Superior streets and have it replaced by an amber light to save energy.
The Gun Lake Protective Association has announced that a total of 83,350 blue gills and bass have been planed and raised by the organization over the last year.
Dr. A. L. Larsen was elected without opposition to a another term on the Wayland school board in the annual school election.
Pfc. Wilmer Morris Timmer has graduated from B-24 Liberator bomber mechanics school in Biloxi, Miss.
James L. Dean of Wayland is engaged in pre-flight training at the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center.
A two-man Japanese suicide submarine will be on display from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 20 in Kalamazoo and it will pass through Wayland at about 3:30.
Local Victory harvesters have canned more than 185 quarts of peas and beans for hot lunches over the next academic year at the schools in efforts to save on costs of food.
Pfc. Dean Gurnsey has received the expert rifleman designation in Marines training in San Diego.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher, in his weekly column, insists that the local community band, under the direction of John Tiefenthall, is getting better all the time and the only thing missing for the Wednesday night concerts is better crowds.
Now playing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Joe E. Brown and Judy Canova in “Chatterbox.”
- Chester Morris and Jean Parker in “High Explosives.”
- Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea and Charles Coburn in “The More, the Merrier.”
- Alan Ladd in “Hitler, Beast of Berlin.”
100 Years Ago — July 12, 1918
Mrs. Samuel Damoth, 41, was killed in a tragic accident on the Interurban just south of Wayland depot. She was driving a truck that crossed the path of the train. She panicked, shut down the engine and stayed frozen to the wheel when her husband tried to rescue her. He was able to jump out of the truck in time, but she perished about 15 minutes afterward at the scene.
L.D. Chapple and A.J. Bowman were elected trustees on the board for Wayland District No. 2.
Clyde Gillispie, 23, died of pneumonia while serving in France in the war. He had married Nina Elizabeth Cooper, one of West Michigan’s first war brides, just after enlisting in April 1917. He had been employed as a machine hand for Grand Rapids Street Railway.
Marshal George Ryno and a couple of comrades were able to nab a thief who took $5 from the Haveman Bros. store in town. The accused, who identified himself as Mr. Kibler, was sentenced to 60 days in jail by Judge David Stockdale because “he is a bad character to have at large.” His brother, believed to be an accomplice, was taken by detectives to Grand Rapids as a suspect in other crimes.
There will be no more Sunday evening movies until Sept. 1.
“The government asks that all babies between the ages of three months and six years be weighed, measured and registered. The committee will be at the Wayland library for that purpose.”
George Renaud and W.J. Hayward are shipping a carload of war horses by rail to Chicago for inspection. They will be considered for sale to the U.S. Army.
The Red Cross auction at Green Lake took in about $200.
The Ford car owned by Reuben Smith was stolen outside the courthouse in Kalamazoo while he was visiting. Authorities have not been able to find a trace of the vehicle or thieves.
T.H. Lukins was elected to succeed J.E. Adams on the school board at Shelbyville.
Almira Lester, 84, died on the farm where she had lived over the past 50 years. Her first husband, Martin Jones, was killed in the Stone River Battle in the Civil War.
The Green Lake store formerly owned by Arthur Hooker was burned to the ground on the Fourth of July.