(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago— Feb. 23, 1998
First Lt. Mike Olson is leaving his position as commander of the Michigan State Police post at Wayland to take the head job at Niles. Interim commander will be Det. Sgt. Ken Daniel.
Rookus Estates near the line between the City of Wayland and Wayland Township has become the first subdivision in the history of latter, not far from 133rd Avenue.
The Globe published a front page photo of Wayland High School wrestler Jake Gless battling Middleville’s Israel Rosales. The Trojans, 30-2 on the dual match season, ended the Wildcats’ best dual meet season in the districts.
The Martin Board of Education has shown reluctance to commit money to buy new uniforms for the marching band.
Wayland city officials have approved the first step in granting a tax abatement for SPX Automotive Diagnostics.
In a classic “grip and grin” photo, David Low of the American Legion presented assistant Fire Chief Joe Miller with a $2,000 check to help the department buy an infrared imaging device.
Tonya Schaendorf and Grace Hitt will vie for the village clerk’s post being vacated by Sandra Morris in the Hopkins Village election March 9, as determined by one of the few remaining village caucuses in the state.
The Leighton Township Fire Department is offering first responder services to motorists.
April Whip, 16, of Hopkins, was listed in critical condition at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids after the car she was driving struck a tree near her home on 138th Avenue.
The Allegan County Board of Commissioners has agreed to accept Internet services through the Allegan County Intermediate School District by paying a one-time fee of $3,300 and a $382 monthly maintenance fee.
The Hopkins Board of Education will pay nearly $300,000 for electronic cabling and data, phone and video services at Sycamore Elementary and the new Hopkins High School building.
Martin’s Rick Mena will enter the post-season individual wrestling tournament with a record of 46-1 at 125 pounds.
Jason Hilaski drilled a bunch of threes and had 22 points, but Wayland came up short against O-K Gold leader Forest Hills Northern. The ‘Cats are 3-12 for the season.
Kara Potter, Andrea Schloop and Kelli Schumaker led the Wayland volleyball team to victory over East Grand Rapids, avenging a loss earlier in the season in a tournament.
The Hopkins volleyball team edged closer to winning its first-ever O-K Silver Conference volleyball crown, led by Wendy Schrock’s 13 consecutive service points.
Brian Maher scored the first eight points of the game and settled for 10 in the end as Hopkins defeated Gobles.
Longtime Wayland Cleaners owner Fred Greenawalt, who once was school board president and member of many local fraternal organizations, died at age 88. He operated the cleaning business for more than 50 years.
50 Years Ago — Feb.20, 1973
The Allegan County Road Commission is promising a massive road building program this year and Commissioners Dennis Nickels, Ralph Sytsma and Anthony Wykstra are elated with prospects for the east side of the county.
The relatively new chapter of the Wayland Jaycees have elected Bill Conwell president and chosen Bob Lindgren as Jaycee of the Month.
The Wayland City Council continues to grapple with problems with the landfill on the south edge of town because of changing laws.
Martin High School students Louise Fenner, Stella Bellgraph, Joy Johnston and Al Kurtsman were selected to the Greater Michigan All-Star Band.
The Hopkins PTA will have a meeting welcoming the FFA, the Young Homemakers of America, the Language Club and Varsity Club.
Ed Nickels and Dan Fifelski won individual titles in the O-K Blue Conference wrestling tournament and the Wildcats finished fourth.
David Young wrote a column about the recent rise of Hopkins basketball successes and optimistic prospects because most of the top players are juniors, including the Smith brothers, Mike and Rick, Kelly McEwen and Dennis Kiser.
Mary Shoemaker swished the winning free throw with 12 seconds left to lead Martin to a 30-29 win over Wayland in girls’ basketball.
Despite the absence of O-K Blue leading scorer Bob Lehocky, Wayland’s varsity basketball team beat Galesburg-Augusta 57-51. Twins Randy and Rick Mauchmar led the way with 24 and 13 points, respectively. Lehocky, averaging 21.1 points per game, is out with an ankle injury.
Lyle Johnson of C & L Farm Equipment of Moline won a trip to Cologne, Germany, in a contest sponsored by Deutz Tractor Corp.
The Hopkins Board of Education voted to seek renewal of four mills in the June 11 annual election.
Cathy LaValley of Wayland has been named co-chair of the Allegan County Young Republicans.
Herbert Stark suffered a heart attack while working at Kessler’s and died at age 60.
John A. Watts was admitted to the bar and will join the law practice of Edward Read Barton in Wayland Plainwell and Allegan.
Roberta Flack scored her second No. 1 hit of her recording career with “Killing Me Softly with His Song.”
75 Years Ago — Feb. 27, 1948
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher, in his “Observations” column, noted the head of the Department of Fisheries spoke at the most recent meeting of the Rod & Gun Club, about the future prospects of pan fishing in lakes.
Edith Dean and Donna Carey of Wayland have been elected to the council of presidents of off-campus residences at Western Normal College of Kalamazoo.
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Kidney had a special birthday dinner for their two children, twins Art and Alice.
Prompt action by the Hopkins Fire Department was credited with saving a barn roof at the farm of George Barnhardt.
Mrs. Lena Martin, Hopkins correspondent, wrote in her column, “Car owners should see that their cars are locked when parked. It is much better to lock the barn before the horse is stolen.”
The Hopkins Blue Devils annexed their second straight Barkenall Conference basketball title by beating Martin, pushing its overall record to 18-1 and 9-1 in the league. The girls captured their third straight conference crown. The boys’ district tournament will be at Allegan with Hopkins, Martin, Gobles and Saugatuck taking part.
The Hopkins Ladies Library Club will meet with representatives from the Grange, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, village and schools to discuss “How to Improve Our Town.”
The fire departments of Moline, Wayland Dorr put out a fire at the W.J. Buer house in Dorr, home of Ted Fishbeck. It was “the first use of our Dorr firemen, but the situation was handled like veterans.” Smoke damage was extensive and it claimed the life of the family bulldog. Assistant Chief Reinder Hoeksema was praised for his performance under duress.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Ernest Tubb and Lori Talbott in “Hollywood Barn Dance.”
• Ralph Byrd and Kay Christopher in “Dick Tracy’s Dilemma.”
• Larry Parks, Ellen Drew, George MacReady, and Edgar Buchanan in “The Swordsman.”
• James Stewart and Jane Wyman in “Magic Town.”
100 Years Ago — Feb. 23, 1923
The Wayland High School junior class play “Mother Mine” will be performed at the Regent Theatre Thursday and Friday. Ollie Tooker, Robert LaTourette and Jerry McConnell have starring roles.
Mrs. Agnes Leggett was to make a presentation to the Wayland Grange on “Do Children Have Enough Time for Quiet Thinking These Days?”
Mrs. Eleanor Mosher has on display in the post office window a rare edition of the New York Herald from April 15, 1865, with the headline story about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
Phillip S. Rose, in an article in “The Country Gentleman,” insists that the business of electricity is beginning to reach out to rural areas and farmers.
The Wayland homes of Naman Frank and John Dorman were burglarized on a Tuesday evening while the occupants were away at a Ladies Library Club banquet. The LLC was having its “Winter Picnic.” The Farm Bureau warehouse was struck as well, but in all cases nothing was missing, but all were ransacked.
“Michigan blizzards and sickness do not combine to help with the publishing and distribution of the country newspapers.” A storm had struck the previous week, making delivery very difficult in the Wayland to Middleville areas.
The Ladies Aid Society members of Leighton Township were treated to a traditional dinner served by the men.
Mrs. Harriet A. Lee, director of the YWCA in Grand Rapids, will be guest lecturer at the Henika Library with a presentation on “The Real Problem Before Us Today.”
The Home Economics Club at the high school served 44 students meat, potatoes, bread, butter and pudding during the snowstorm.
Alanson Immel and Mr. Ingham have returned from the Athletic Association meeting to report the annual field day will be held May 19.
Howard Milheim badly burned his right hand after dropping a test tube of sulfuric acid during a scientific experiment at the high school.
First-graders are looking for advertisements for six slogans in magazines that promote good health habits.
Attendance at the high school was down to 59 percent because of the winter snowstorm.
Mrs. Lucetta Hall, who lived with her husband in the Wayland area from 1863 to 1915, died in Grand Rapids.
The Robbins School at West Gun Lake has been closed temporarily because of an outbreak of the flu.
Mrs. Francis Fox of Bradley suffered a stroke during the recent blizzard while feeding her chickens and has remained in serious condition.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: Zane Grey’s “The Gray Dawn” and Frank Mayo in “Afraid to Fight.”
