(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — July 27, 1998
Wayland State Police from the Hastings post nabbed Mark Koernke, “Mark of Michigan,” in Hope Township. He was wanted by the FBI.
Michigan State Police dispatcher Jackie Straub was honored for her work at the Wayland post with the Award of Professional Excellence. Specifically, she was feted for her efforts in dispatching in the Benton Harbor area.
Wendy Stoken and Barb Davis, both Leighton Township residents, have opened their Sunfish Bay restaurant near Green Lake.
Editor Nila Aamoth insisted the power companies haven’t done much in the way of making progress since providing electricity to rural area in the 1930s, suggesting they instead have been using “Pony Express” technology. Her comments were timely, coming after another severe wind and thunderstorm struck Martin and Gun Lake, leaving plenty of damage in its wake.
Katie Laisure of Wayland performed in the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre production of “Godspell.”
Crews were installing a traffic light at the intersection of Windsor Woods and West Superior, also offering access to Reno Drive to the east and the new industrial park. It was the first traffic light in Wayland other than the one at the intersection of Main and Superior downtown.
City Assessor Jeannie Franck is making the rounds visting 223 local homeowners and residents to examine properties and homes.
The second annual Hopkins High School alumni basketball game will be held Aug. 8, with proceeds going to the track and football field.
Del Farnsworth, an investigator of old schoolhouses in Allegan County, visited the Then & Now Genalogical Society to pick up information about Sproat and Sodum schools.
Longtime Bradley resident Jenny Tolhurst died at her home. She was 88.
50 Years Ago — July 24, 1973
Lt. William Monroe has been named new commander of the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police, succeeding the retired Lt. Harold Ernst, who now is Wayland’s police chief.
Dennis Reno of Wayland was appointed to a seat on the Allegan County Planning Commission. Ellis Wykstra of Martin was appointed to the Region Eight planning unit.
Lester Collick, Clare Colvin, Mary Kent, Klaus Tanis, Douglas VanderMeulen and Patty Jean Young are the six candidates for the Charter Revision Commission for Martin Village. The vote will be in the August primary.
Kenneth Walters has been hired as high school principal at Martin, succeeding Leon Hausler. He had been junior high principal at Howell.
The Wayland Grange chapter No. 37, is observing its 100th anniversary. Special guest for its celebratory meeting was “Mrs. Tonto,” Mrs. Joseph Bauer of Chicago, who was the widow of the man who portrayed Tonto on the “Lone Ranger” radio series, Scott Williams, who is buried in the Indian Cemetery in Bradley.
The last “Showmobile” program of the summer at the city park will be held July 26. The band concert will be in the girls’ gym in case of rain.
The annual Miss Wayland pageant will be held Aug. 4 in the girls’ gym at Wayland High School.
Assistant Hopkins varsity football coach Tom Atkinson has left to take the head varsity post at Johannesburg-Lewiston. Steve Dragoo, who guided the junior varsity to a 9-0 record the previous fall, will take over the assistant job for the Vikings’ head coach, Jim Newell. Meanwhile, Mick Francis has been elevated to the jayvee post.
Pat Rowley is inviting all high school girls to show up for pre-season sessions to learn the new rules that now apply to girls’ basketball.
Martin has decided to leave the the A-O Conference in favor of joining the Southwest Athletic Conference. The A-O now has only four schools, Hopkins, Allendale, Fennville and Saugatuck.
Trooper Howard Lee is retiring from the Wayland State Police post and will take a job with the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department.
Carl Lodenstein, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Lodenstein, drowned in an accident on Lake Superior. He was 30 years old.
75 Years Ago — July 30, 1948
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher reported in his weekly column that 14-year-old Dick Lucht received a 5-year-old pony as a present for his birthday.
Mosher also noted that the funeral of Lawrence Benedict brought many people to Wayland from other communities.
A group of 35 enjoyed a potluck dinner of the Dorr Farmers Club at the farm of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hammerstrom. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert of Moline were welcomed back to the club after an absence of 24 years.
The summer softball league has started up for its second season, with Eding’s and the American Legion winning their first two games to take the early lead in the standings.
Bert Eager, 76, died of a heart attack. He and his wife were parents of 13 children, but only eight survived infancy.
Mrs. Bertha Loew, 81, who lived in Moline for 67 years, died at the Shadylawn Nursing Home in Bradley.
The farm home of Ernest Bullock west of town was destroyed by fire that started in a stove that exploded. All family members escaped without serious injuries.
Several area scouts attended Camp Ottawa, including Lee Greenawalt, Robert Gardner, Dale Jones, Lawrence Perry, Kenneth Martin, Robert Roback and Gerald Fish.
The Howard Green Aviation Service was offering flight training service at Wayland’s new municipal airport.
Mr. and Mrs. Hans Herbert have sold all their possessions at auction and plan to make a trip to live in Alaska. They will take a year’s worth of provision with them.
Judge Irving Tucker of Allegan gave an interesting talk about “Delinquent Children” at the Wayland Grange meeting Tuesday evening.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Lynn Roberts and Donald Berry in “Lightnin’ in the Forest.”
• Allen Lane and Bob Steele in “Bandits of Dark Canyon.”
• Victor Mature and Coleen Gray in “Fury at Furnace Creek.”
• Red Skelton and Janet Blair in “Fuller Brush Man.”
100 Years Ago — July 27, 1923
Mrs. Eunice Everhart, a former Wayland Township resident, died. She was 86.
Norine Mary Weidenfeller, who moved with her parents to California in July 1922 in hopes of better coping with serious health issues, died at age 11.
Lewis Medewis of Bradley, who converted to being an Indian minister 34 years prior, died after his horse and buggy were struck in a traffic accident.
Hopkins farmer Frank Bellgraph was arrested by the Allegan County Sheriff, Leo Hare, and charge with the illegal manufacture of alcohol (moonshine) and placed in the county jail. He was fined $200 and order to spend six months in jail. He told officers he “had to do somethings to make a living.”
Rensla Likert of Ann Arbor will give a presentation on Congregational Extension at the Moline Congregational Church.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: “Penrod,” with Freckles Barry. “Prize Fight,” featuring six rounds of the real ring stuff. “The Son of the Wolf.”
Dale Frank, 5, stepped on an articial minnow at Gun Lake and had to be taken to Wayland to have the hooks removed by Dr. Arnold.
Mrs. Hugh Shattuck has gone to Grant, MI, to seek relief for rheumatism.
A speeder who was a member of church picnic party was fined $2 after being brought before Justice S. B. Smith under the new Uniform Traffic Law.