(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Aug. 3, 1998
Editor Nila Aamoth penned her “Soapbox” about television over commercialization of just about everything and suggested residents instead enjoy the summer outdoors in wonderful Michigan. She had some choice words for burger wars, noting the arrival of McDonald’s and Burger King in Wayland.
Betty Soulliere wrote a letter to the editor telling citizens they need to pay better attention to local township boards that may not have the best interests of the people at heart in their actions, especially in rezoning matters.
Many in the Dorr community have taken part in an effort to help the family of Jim and Joanna Barth get back on their feet after the home on Ranchero Drive was destroyed by fire on May 19.
Trooper Orville Theaker of Holland has been added to the roster of Michigan State Police at the Wayland post.
Allegan County Sheriff’s deputies busted a suspected meth lab in an inoperable mobile home in Watson Township. The site on 122nd Avenue now is toxic and needs to be cleaned up.
Wayland Summefest co-chair Cheryl Hamilton said the annual festival attracted a smaller crowd this year and she would like to see more food vendors participate. Police Chief Dan Miller said a lack of volunteer help doomed the mud volleyball tournament.
Kevin Miller of Wayland and Maggie Lillie-Smith turned in record times to win the Summerfest five-kilometer race.
John Kubiak has been hired to take over the varsity football program at Martin High School. Kubiak, brother of Bob Kubiak, coach the 1987 state champion Clippers, succeeds Matt Miller, who left to take a teaching and coaching post at Battle Creek Lakeview.
Casey Scully and Andrea Schloop represented Wayland in the annual Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association all-star game in Lansing.
Ninety-three teams competed in six divisions and on 13 diamonds during the Summerfest softball tournament.
Harvey Ponstein and Nancy Cotton were first-place winners in the Wayland Summerfest horseshoe tournament.
50 Years Ago — July 31, 1973
Burrell Stein was elected president of the Hopkins Board of Education, Ronald Bockheim was chosen secretary and William Maher treasurer.
Martin Village voters will choose five members of a special charter revision commission and Hopkins Township will have a special election on approval of a two-mill, three-year tax levy.
Jane Kessler, Lenore Burchardt, Pat DeMaagd, Janis Thomas and Lucinda Grimm are the candidates for the Miss Wayland pageant, which will be held at the high school girls’ gym Saturday evening, Aug. 4. 1972 Queen Mary Kaczanowski will crown the winner.
The Moline Christian school budget has been reported to be $110,923. Tom Evers, George Peereboom, Alvin Elzinga and Wayne Helmholt were elected to board seats.
Members of the Wayland Grange will meet Friday, Aug. 3, to discuss ways the organization can improve and just what its future will be in an age of declining interest.
Wayland High School guidance counselor Patricia Rowley wrote a special feature about the adventures of flying a single engine plane to Canada and back.
Wes Compson, a 1965 Wayland High School graduate and a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, will be special guest speaker Sunday, Aig. 5, at the Wayland Calvary Church.
A public notice paid for the City of Wayland announced that the city received a revenue sharing payment of $29,955 from the federal government, with $2,500 spent for multi-purpose general government and $18,815 for public safety, leaving $7,640 in reserve.
A special feature about Allegan County Commissioner listed his choices for all-time Major League baseball all-stars. They included all old-timers Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth in the outfield, infielders Pie Traynor, Honus Wagner, Rogers Hornsby and George Sisler, catcher Mickey Cochrane and pitcher Walter Johnson.
The Dendels’ Orchard baseball team of Dorr will take part in the Babe Ruth League all-star tournament in Bangor. Managers are Charles Davis and Richard Fischer of Hopkins.
Jim Longstreet, Corbett Rasnake and Doug Goodwin combined pitching efforts to shut out Otsego in a Babe Ruth all-star outing.
In the “Ogre Locals” section, it was reported that Mike Burton collected five RBIs in the latest contest, Sue Hislop became the first female to play and the squad, managed by Ed Buchanan, will take on a group of Dowagiac players on the road, at the behest of coach Jon Gambee.
In another Ogre development, Holden “The Barbarian” Lowing returned from a UP barkeater journey and reported there is no bark on the trees, so the food supply has dwindled.
Jerry Staley of Wayland has graduated from electronics school in Grand Rapids and says he plans to open a shop in the Wayland area.
Mary Mutschler, 18, and Roger Wiersma, 20, both were injured in a motorcycle accident at Johnson Park, Wyoming.
Edward B. Schantz of Moline, a retired track foreman for Pennsylvania RR, died of a heart attack. He was 71.
Former Wayland teacher James T. Ledden, 53, died in California, where he had been head of the Gavilan College Theater Department.
Navy Seaman Eugene Wright of Dorr was involved in a mine sweeping operation in North Vietnam.
75 Years Ago — Aug. 6, 1948
Bernadette Opperman, 16, drowned in the Kalamazoo River near Saugatuck while trying unsuccessfully to save her 11-year-old niece, Barbara Blood.
The Pet Milk Company is adding a new plant in Cedar Springs, according to Manager J. R. Rugaber.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher insisted in his Observations column that Wayland needs a zoning ordinance because choice locations in town could be practically worthless in the future if nothing is done. He said restrictions and rules should be made on types of buildings that can be erected in the village.
The city has leased the McNally lot at the corner of Forest and East Superior Streets to ease the lack of parking issues.
Gottlieb Miller, 65, a prominent Salem Township farmer, died at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.
Edings continues to cling to a one-half game lead over the American Legion in the summer softball standings.
An ice cream social will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church of Leighton at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8. The church grounds are located near the Allegan-Barry County line.
A $25 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whomever is turning in false fire alarms.
The Village of Hopkins has announced it has eight oil wells operating inside its borders.
James Hoeksema performed a saxophone solo at the Moline Congregational Church. He was accompanied by his sister, Marlene, at the piano.
Former Wayland physician Dr. I.L. Slater, now of Long Beach, Calif., stopped in Wayland for a visit. He will see friends in New York and then return to California.
Miss Dorothy Tusch of Grand Rapids will give a presentation on “Fall Planting of Bulbs for Spring Blooms” to members of the Wayland Garden Club.
Mr. and Mrs. John Rawlinson, nee Ruth Kinney, are parents of a baby girl born in Liberia, where John is a superintendent for the Firestone Rubber Plantation.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Willard Parker and Edgar Buchanan in “The Wreck of the Hesperus.”
• Charles Starrett and Smiley Burnette in “Last Days of Boot Hill.”
• Paulette Goddard and McDonald Carey in “Hazard.”
• Pat O’Brien, Darryl Hickman and Myrna Dell in “Fighting Father Dunne.”
100 Years Ago — Aug. 3, 1923
The East Wayland Community Club will meet at the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. Vanderhoff on Aug. 8.
Miss Florence Delp is getting a reputation as quite an entertainer, as she just returned from four singing engagements at Rochester, Ind.
Dr. Jennings of Grand Rapids isfilling in for Dr. I.L. Slater, who is vacationing with his family in Canada, northern Michigan and Wisconsin.
Morris Frank won the “hot dog prize” at the L.S. Greenwood Co. picnic at Streeter’s Landing, Gun Lake. The shop is closed for two weeks vacation.
Wayland is getting a reputation as intolerant of speeders who go too fast through the town. Rollo G. Mosher opined, “village and county officials should not countenance speeders.”
Ted Tobin of Allegan was credited with helping to save a small group of boaters on Gun Lake during a severe storm. Three of the five were children.
The Wayland School Board rejected all bids for construction of a new school, maintaining all of them were too high. Another meeting will be held Tuesday, and if electors are not willing to pay more money, it is likely the project will not proceed.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre: Anita Stewart in “The Woman He Married.” Round Two of “Fighting Blood,” six more rounds of the actual prize fight. Jane Novak and Roy Stewart in “The Snowshoe Trail.”
Miss Kohler of East Wayland has been hired to teach at the Hooker School this fall.
Twenty-two members of the Allegan County Blacksmith’s Association met at the Bradley Congregational Church and were treated to dinner supplied by the Ladies Aid Society of the church.
A counterfeit $5 bill was passed at a local business recently, and Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher warned local citizens to be on the lookout.
The 71st annual Allegan County Fair is scheduled for Aug. 28-31. Highlights will include Blanche McKinney Hunter Chariot Races, the Voltaires from Europe, high wire daredevil Gus Henderson, horse races and a variety of other amusements.
