(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago— June 22, 1994
The Leighton Township Board rejected on a 4-1 vote a tavern license request from Wayland Banquet Enterprises, which is seeking to turn the old Alflen Equipment business building on 10th Street into a banquet and reception facility. Trustee Monte Listopad cast the lone affirmative vote. Supervisor Dar VanderArk explained, “We want to remain a township which doesn’t promote alcohol.”
An Alaskan visitor, Shane Fox, 26, and his passenger escaped serious injury when a Contrail freight train with 41 cars flipped the vehicle he was driving on 129th Avenue in Wayland Township. Both were taken to the hospital and treated for injuries, but their car was totaled.
Gary Marsh wrote a letter to the editor maintaining that junior high students deserve to be included in public celebrations and they should be allowed to “dare to be great.”
Allegan County Road Commission safety director Burl Ghastin is leading an effort for cosmetic improvements at the Gun Lake Park.
Scott Sullivan wrote a feature story about strawberry season and focused on Don Dandrow’s U-Pick farm in the Moline area.
Martin Township Supervisor Bert Schipper has resigned for personal reasons. He was appointed to the post in 1991 after the death of Andrew Leep and was elected to a full four-year term.
Detective Lt. Jim Moeller is leaving the DARE program to join the county’s detective bureau. The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program is provided to fifth- and sixth-graders in 81 of the 83 Michigan counties, reaching more than 100,000 students.
“Country superstar” Holly Dunn and the Williams Family will perform in concert Friday evening, July 1, ahead of the Dorr Fourth of July celebration.
Jeff McElwee, executive director of the Allegan County United Way, was presented with Historical Society of Michigan’s Volunteer Leadership award in Marshall.
50 Years Ago — June 18, 1969
The Wayland Board of Education voted 4-3 to put a $2.5 million bond issue on a special election ballot to build a new high school and fund expansions at the Moline and Dorr elementaries and fund improvements at gymnasiums. Voting in the affirmative were Dorothy DeWeerd, Joe LaValley, Keith McBride and Don Lapham. Wallace Wakeman, who was just re-elected board president, and Gerald VanderVoord and LaVerne Lettinga voted “no.”
The Globe published a front page feature, “It’s Roxie’s Big Week,” highlighting Roxie Greenawalt’s preparations for the Miss Michigan pageant in Muskegon.
Roxie’s brother, Rex, was featured in a story about his return from serving in Vietnam twice wounded. When asked about his views about the controversial war, he commented, “It’s humanitarian (for the U.S.) to be there. After seeing the civilians and seeing the terrorists, I don’t think the Vietnamese could fight the war by themselves. If I didn’t have so much at stake here, I’d go back.” Rex, his father, Fred, and brother Wade hope to continue to keep the local dry cleaning business going.
Congressman Ed Hutchinson did a survey of people in his district about their opinions of the war. A total of 39.8 percent favored getting out as soon as the Vietnamese are able to take over the fighting, 28.8% wanted escalation of the war by the U.S., and 16.6% wanted complete withdrawal of the troops.
Kimberly Haveman, 11, suffered injuries when the bicycle she was riding was struck near Moline. Both of her legs were broken.
Dr. Emil Morlock was elected president of the Wayland Rotary Club and Dr. A. B. Dangremond was elected vice president.
The defeat of the City of Wayland’s sewer proposal has had consequences in the withdrawal of $53,000 in Housing and Urban Development federal funding for the project.
John McCarthy, a Wayland High School graduate, has earned his second athletic award at Grand Valley State College for baseball. He is a catcher and statistician for the squad, coached by Hugo Salazar.
Robert Wagner was elected grand knight of the Hilliards Knights of Columbus organization.
A farewell reception was held at the Church of Christ for retiring pastor the Rev. Fred Dunbar.
Ronnie James Elhert, 17, of Grand Rapids was drowned at Selkirk Lake after riding in a pontoon board and jumping into the water.
Gerrit Baker, 67, owner of the Green Tree Christmas tree farm in rural Wayland, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot would at his home.
The Beatles topped the music charts for the fist consecutive week with “Get Back.”
75 Years Ago — June 23, 1944
Pvt. Les Moore, son of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Moore, was killed in action Italy June 4. He had been a mortar and machine gunner in the infantry. The extended family has been through hard times, as his sister, Mrs. Floy Demarest, was rushed to Osteopathic Hospital in Grand Rapids for a major operation and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Gillispie, lost their only son, Clyde, in World War I.
Mr. and Mrs. Darl Goodspeed received a phone call from son Darl, who has returned to Virginia from the Navy overseas and had not phoned home since Mother’s Day.
Mr. and Mrs. Merle Rairigh have announced their daughter, Beatrice, an employee of the Wayland Globe, is engaged to Jay D. Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Claud Smith of Wayland. The prospective grrom is with the Army Air Corps.
The Hooker School reunion, arranged by Mrs. Ed Eylander and Mrs. Frank Niemchick, attracted 100 people June 17.
Don Noah and Freddie Tolhurst were winners of the derby to collect the most waste paper and are being sent by the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs to Big Star Lake camp.
An electric storm with high winds caused numerous power outages and debris strewn about the village downtown.
Lt. George Cozzens and his wife were in town after he served overseas and spent 11 days at Fort Custer Hospital for treatment for cellulitis.
Charles Ayers has been appointed dealer for the Cities Service oil company, succeeding Mack Short.
Mrs. Ruby Smith provided a reading and discussion was held on the question, “What of the Rural Church?” at the most recent meeting of the Wayland Grange.
Donovan Martin, serving in the Navy overseas, wrote home to his parents in Hopkins.
Among candidates in the July 11 primary election placing advertisements were Register of Deeds Howard C. Strandt and Lee J. Dorman and Sheriff Boyd Veenkant, John Roozenburg and Louis Johnson, all Republicans.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Roy Rogers and Trigger in “The Cowboy and the Senorita.”
- Tom Neal, Hugh Beaumont and Larry Parks in “The Racket Man.”
- Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne and Van Johnson in “A Guy Named Joe.”
- Gene Kelly, Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Peter Lorre in “The Cross of Lorraine.”
100 Years Ago— June 20, 1919
The local chapter of the Order of Eastern Star published a resolution of respect honoring George A. Mosher, editor-publisher of the Wayland Globe, who died June 2.
Allegan County Agriculture Agent Alfred Bentall is urging all area farmers to attend a Michigan Crop Improvement Association meeting June 25 at Michigan State College in East Lansing. He noted, “Allegan County has perhaps more pedigreed grain than any other county in Michigan.”
Lightning struck the barn owned by Thomas Stora, who was unhitching his horses to get inside when the storm arrived. One of his horse was killed the strike and he suffered burns to his arm.
The village water tax for the next four months is due before July 10. The bill is $1.66.
The discussion topic at the most recent meeting of the Wayland Grange was “If a house can afford but one magazine, what would it be?”
George R. Hoerner, 27, died at his Hopkins home. He had lived on the farm for all but two years of his life.
Mrs. Nora Morehouse of Bradley has been transferred from clerking duties in Washington D.C. to Fort Custer in Battle Creek.
Mrs. Bessie Clemence of Shelbyville and her son, Leonard, are making plans to leave and return to England.
Former longtime Wayland physician Dr. Ira Slater, now working for the state, is preparing to move his family from Grand Haven to Highland Park for the summer months.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Barber, Mrs. Caroline Grover and Mrs. Albert Pellen attended the Children’s Day exercises at the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Miss Hazel Peterson has left for Battle Creek to begin training as a nurse.