(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library i9n downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — July 20, 1994
Allegan County Clerk-Register of Deeds Joyce Watts has filed a complaint against the County Board of Commissioners over its demand that she leave a closed session evaluating the county administrator. Watts has insisted it is her duty to sit in on the meeting to take minutes.
The Hop In gas station and convenience store on South Main Street received a bomb threat in the wake of selling a $25 million winning Lottery ticket to a local couple. The threat turned out to be hoax.
A collapse road bank in Watson Township nearly buried an Ameritech cable installer worker. Mickey Huizenga of Dowagiac was working his partner on the project when the dirt gave way. His partner was able to call 911 and Earl Wykstra and Mark Gilson of Martin Fire Department and Rescue helped dig him out of a pile that went as high as his neck.
Hopkins Township Supervisor Kevin Cronin, in a guest editorial, outlined his reasons for opposing the Hopkins District Library’s request for a half-mill levy for 10 years and he urged local residents to vote it down at the Aug. 2 primary election.
Martin Township has been promised eight hours per week of extra patrol duty in the Lake 16 area from an Allegan County Sheriff’s deputy. The move is the result of a number of complaints from residents about motorists’ excessive speeding.
Resident Zeb Hempen told the Martin Township Board he suspects favoritism to be factor in the choice of improving and paving Fourth Street this year.
Kelloggsville High School Principal George Stamos has been selected as new superintendent for Hopkins Public Schools, succeeding James Cooper, who took the school chief’s job at Harbor Springs. Stamos, 48, promised to help bring the community together on building projects.
Scott Sullivan penned a feature story about longtime Gun Lake resident Percy Ross, 90, who claimed to have come to the area in 1911.
Elise Stephans has been chosen Dorr Lions Club Citizen of the Year for 1994.
Martin Township Trustee Jim Brenner expressed great displeasure publicly after learning the board, in his absence, adopted a budget that included raises for each local official. The supervisor and clerk now will make $8,900 a year, the treasurer $8,380 and trustees $1,713 annually with the increases. Brenner contended officials earlier had agreed not to accept pay raises this year.
50 Years Ago — July 16, 1969
With an American flag above the name plate on the front page, the Globe posted “God Speed, U.S. Moon Men.” The successful landing on the moon and the historic visit by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin occurred four days afterward.
The Wayland Board of Education agreed to trim the amount of a bond request for a new high school and renovations at other buildings from $2.5 million to $2.19 million. The special millage election will be held sometime in September.
Three 15-year-old boys were apprehended in connection with a break-in at Wayland High School. Superintendent James Thomas said they removed a screen to gain entry and stole a radio.
Msgr. Adelbert Radowski resigned his post as Diocese Director of the Society of Propagation for the Faith Pontifical Association of the Holy Childhood after 22 years, citing his increasing responsibilities with the St. Therese Parish in Wayland.
Carl Sholander of the Wayland post and Robert Pizidi of L’Anse have exchanged State Police post assignments as troopers.
The Allegan County Board of Commissioners has established a Board of Public Works and approved the Allegan County Medical Care facility.
James Gilder Sr. was pictured on the front page because his 120-Holstein dairy farm and that of Ray Brenner of Shelbyville were to be two stops on the Michigan State University Farm Tour Aug. 7.
Mrs. Gerald VanderVoord has been hired to teach sixth grade at Wayland, succeeding the resigned Mrs. Mary Lou Ball. Her husband, a local physician, has just stepped down as a member of the Board of Education.
Pfc. Gordon Grevenstuk, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Grevenstuk of Shelbyville, has been assigned to the First Infantry Division in Vietnam.
The annual Wayland Sidewalk Days observance was being advertised heavily for Friday and Saturday.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: Jerry Lewis in “Hook, Line and Sinker.”
Defending champions this year in the eighth annual Wayland Globe tennis tournament are Jim Hendrixson, Robert and Thomas Ayers, Fred Polhemus, Rich Frank, Mike Comrie, Hal Brocker and Kathy Worfel.
Allegan County Sheriff’s deputy Ted McCarn was to be guest speaker for a meeting of the Wayland Grange after members gathered for a potluck in the City Park.
75 Years Ago — July 21, 1944
A terrible tragedy occurred at Gun Lake, where a young bride who had been married only the night before was drowned in an accident. Dorothy Maki, who married Leo Maki, 22, the night before, fell out of a boat after high winds and large waves helped capsize the vessel. They couple were on their honeymoon and had rented a cottage on the lake.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher, in response to complaints about low voter turnout in the recent school election, said voters should be allowed to vote past the 8 p.m. deadline like the good old days.
RGM also opined, “Just about every fisherman raves about these speedboats, which many claim are ruining the fishing on Gun Lake.” He insisted Gun Lake is a fishing lake, not a recreational lake for boats.
Pfc. L.V.J. White, husband of the former Hazel Frank of Wayland, earned his silver wings as an aerial gunner in the war overseas.
Air Force Second Lt. Jerrod P. Chrisman of Wayland was awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster and Distinguished Flying Cross for his outstanding service in the Pacific Theatre. He and old pal Bud Malmstone of Wayland met up and enjoyed a couple of days of rest and relaxation.
A fire of undetermined origin destroyed the Martin Farmers Cooperative building. Loads of wheat, a variety of grains, coal and lumber were lost. Manager J.B. Hogeboom said the building was insured.
Dyer J. Ide, 79, a lifetime resident of the Byron center area, died.
The Wayland Village Council voted to blacktop all existing asphalt streets, except those that had been handled only recently.
War Food Assistant Mrs. Mary Payne gave a locked freezer presentation at Wayland School on preservation of fruits and vegetables.
Army Air Force Staff Sgt. Donald Cram of Hopkins has returned from a two-year tour of duty in Alaska and is awaiting further instructions on where to serve. As a civilian, Cram, 26, was a carpenter in Wayland.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Jane Frazee, Tex Ritter and Charles Starrett in “Cowboy Canteen.”
- John and Margo Carradine in “Gangway for Tomorrow.”
- Dana Andrews, Richard Conte and Farley Granger in Darryl F. Zanuck’s “The Purple Heart.”
- Merle Oberon and George Sanders in “The Lodger.”
100 Years Ago — July 18, 1919
Allegan County Farm Bureau Ag Agent Alfred Bentall noted two community meetings in Hopkins and Leighton townships were organized by local farmers themselves. They were held at the homes of a Mr. Vreeland and Ernest Ring.
Cora May Haley, only 34, a native of Leighton Township, died. She and her husband, James E. Halloran, had six children, one of whom died in infancy. She was the granddaughter of Mary Corning.
George W. Barnes, 61, who came to Wayland in 1869 at age 11, died at his home after a lengthy illness.
G.A.C Tillotson, a newspaper man from Detroit stopping to the Glove office for an amicable visit.
Mrs. George Mosher, widow of the late editor and publisher of the Globe, reported her son, Rollo, is now stateside and is being processed for discharge after serving in France. He is awaited eagerly to take over the reigns of his father’s business.
Herbert Smith of Hopkins reportedly was stricken with paralysis and died July 16. The funeral was to be held in a church in Hopkinsburg.
Miss Natalie Tarnutzer, who works at the Kalamazoo State Hospital, was in Wayland to visit with parents Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Tarnutzer. She will begin duties soon at the Fairmount Sanitarium.
Harold Chapple is the new agent at the Interurban here and Francis Hooker has taken the same post in Lansing.
Miss Edith Frank has taken a position as a telephone operator in Kalamazoo.
Miss Fronia Smith has left for Otsego, where she will take a job as a bookkeeper for the Yeakey Goshen Auto Co.
Mrs. C. T. Haywood, 76, died at John Robinson Hospital in Allegan. Her husband and son were not with her because it was believed her condition was not serious.
William Miller lost his home to a fire thought to have been started by threshing machine nearby.
