(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — July 12, 1999
A tornado warning was issued for Allegan and Barry counties early Friday morning during a nasty summer rain and wind storm, but there was no touchdown. Heaviest hit area was northeastern Allegan County.
Editor Nila Aamoth penned an editorial in favor of recycling, insisting, “reducing solid waste is not a luxury, it is a covenant. Meeting that obligation ought to be at least a paltry percentage of the total township budgets.”
Jonathan Schaefer of Dorr wrote a letter to the editor praising the efforts of the local fire department during the recent storm while meteorologists at area TV stations were showing off their fancy and colorful technology that signified virtually nothing.
The Globe published a photo of youngsters R.J. Thebo and Neil Phillips cleaning up the City Park as part of a United Methodist Youth Team project.
Yankee Springs Township is at a standstill in negotiating a new contract with Thornapple Emergency Services.
The Allegan County Sheriff’s Department is offering a citizens’ police academy for people to better understand the daily activities and tasks of deputies.
The Wayland Township Board has decided against absorbing the full costs of maintaining a recycling site at Weick’s Food Town on 124th Avenue, Gun Lake. Meanwhile, Yankee Springs Township is considering sharing some of those costs.
The Henika District Library is asking for local funding support of up to 1.5 mills in a special election July 27. The library plans an open house July 17 as part of its observance of 100 years serving the City of Wayland and Wayland Township. The library has had only four directors over the 100 years. At issue in the vote is the library remaining as a district facility.
First Lt. Frank Saucedo is leaving the Wayland post of the Michigan State Police to take a position as commander of the Oakland County Narcotics Team in Pontiac.
Ampro Industries in Bradley is welcoming the arrival of WeedWizard, a manufacturer of weed trimmers, which bought out Ampro’s consumers products division.
The annual Wayland 5K run will add a mile run and walk to its activities at the Summerfest celebration July 24. Proceeds will go to help the cross-country program at Wayland High School. Defending champ in the 5K is Kevin Miller, who completed the course in 16:24 in 1998.
Tom Rook has announced he is stepping down after 18 years as director of the Gun Lake Sewer Authority to pursue a career in engineering.
Well known Wayland Township resident Thomas Stora died at his home on the Fourth of July. He was 89.
Bill Niemchick, patriarch of an athletic family at Wayland High School, died at the age of 72.
50 Years Ago — July 9, 1974
Karen Sebright was chosen Miss Hopkins at the annual queen pageant at the Fourth of July celebration.
Donald Lapham was re-elected president of the Wayland Board of Education at its annual reorganizational meeting.
The school board also voted to allow residents outside the local district to enroll in adult education classes. Members also hired five new teachers, Andrea Matthews, Suzanne Coleman, Joan Collier, Terry Tooker and librarian Jane Brainard.
Fernando Negreiros, a foreign exchange student at Martin from Brazil, will return to his native country July 24. He has been living with Mr. and Mrs. Homer McAllister of Shelbyville.
Christian Mathew Schmitt Jr., 22, was killed in a traffic crash on 30th Street near Monterey when his vehicle collided with a car driven by Emil Thompson of Lansing. Schmitt, a Hopkins High School graduate, only recently had been discharged from the U.S. Army.
Editor-Publisher Irvin P. Helmy reiterated the Globe’s long-standing policy of not accepting anonymous letters to the editor.
Former Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher took part in a family reunion July 5 at Ideal Park.
Mrs. Rudolph Cernkovich, brother Steve and Mrs. John Arbanas, all of Wayland, attended a Croation Music Concert in Detroit. Mrs. Cernkovich’s late husband was a composer of music from his native land.
It was reported that more than 150 people attended the Wayland Recreation Department’s concert in City Park by the “Wizards,” a high school ensemble that specialized in interpreting the sound of the group “Chicago.” The next concert will feature caller Jack Cook and dancers from Kelloggsville demonstrating western style square dancing.
Dorr Baptist Church will have a banquet to launch its bond sale campaign to finance a 5,500-square-foot addition to its facilities to include a parsonage and parking lot.
Rob Brenner of the Jackson’s Little League team struck out all nine hitters he faced in a game against the Paramount Dilleys.
The Wayland Jaycees’ best-ball tournament at Yankee Springs Golf Course attracted 300 participants. Bob Johnston and Dave March of Grand Rapids captured first place.
The Globe published a photo of Scott Beltman, who was shown holding a huge bullfrog he caught near Monterey.
The Hopkins FFA Ag Mechanics Team of Pat Rakowski, Scott Miller and Phil Lenhart won the state contest in Lansing and will be entered in the national competition at Kansas City, Mo.
The baseball showdown between the Ogres and the Wayland Jaycees is set to commence July 13 at the Wayland High School diamond. Dave Young has been named starting pitcher and Jon Gambee catcher for the Ogres by General Manager Ed Buchanan.
David Blain, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roger Blain of Wayland, was the local 4-H representative at the Michigan Milk Producer Association tour in Detroit.
Newcomer Ed Fredricks of Holland had a huge advertisement published in the Globe to introduce himself as a Republican Party primary candidate for state representative from the 54th District.
Richard “Dick” McBride, 45, a 1947 graduate of Hopkins High School, died in Portage. He had been a member of the Blue Devils’ state quarterfinal basketball team.
Robert Grafford, a 1973 graduate of Wayland High School, received a citation for his work on energy at Dartmouth University in Hanover, N.H.
Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Schwartz retired at Wayland Livestock after working for 38 years. Clifford also recently retired after working for 41 years at Pet Incorporated.
David Low of Wayland was a delegate at the International Management Council in Chicago and received an award for outstanding programming.
Korean War veteran and St. Therese Church member Frank Kovac Jr. died at Kent Community Hospital. He was only 45.
Rep. James Damman, a candidate for Lt. Gov., will be guest speaker at the Allegan County GOP chicken barbecue at the Allegan County fairgrounds.
George McRae held down the No. 1 slot among the nation’s tunes with “Rock Your Baby.”
75 Years Ago — July 15, 1949
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher said though attendance at the Wenesday night entertainment programs has been splendid, coordinators have decided to start the program later, now from 8:30 to 10 p.m.
An unnamed visitor from New York was reported to have caught a mammoth 36-pound muskellunge last weekend at Gun Lake. His identity is unknown.
Mrs. Pauline Nowakowski, a native of Poland, died after a lingering illness. She was 71.
Hundreds were reported to have attended the chicken dinner and festival at the new kitchen inside St. Therese Church.
Social welfare relief costs continue to rise, Director Ted Hicks has reported, pegged at $3,000, compared to $2,400 the year before.
The Party Line Extension Club held its weiner roast at Selkirk Lake with between 60 and 70 in attendance.
In the Gun Lake Waves column, a number of people were reporting sightings and evidence of bears being present in the area.
Mrs. Gladys TerBeek narrowly escaped drowning Thursday at Green Lake. It was reported she went down for a third time when a young man came to her rescue. She now is convalescing at home.
The little son of Mr. and Mrs. John Bredeweg has spent some time in the hospital because of burns he suffered on his feet after spillage of hot tar. He also suffered lock jaw.
The Mexicans have arrived from Texas towork in the cucumbers field for the Walker Pickle Co. in Bradley.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Scott Brady in “In This Corner.”
• Tim Holt in “Brothers in the Saddle.”
• Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray in “Family Honeymoon.”
• Dana Andrews, Maureen O’Hara and Dame Sybil Thorndyke in “The Forbidden Street.”
100 Years Ago — July 11, 1924
The 1924 Chautauqua series is showing promise as “on a par with any that has been presented to Wayland audiences.” The four-day program will commence today, with programs to be held in the big tent in the Village Park.
Western State Normal College plans to build a new $228,000 men’s gymnasium in Kalamazoo. President Dwight B. Waldo promises that it will be “the finest normal college gym in the country.”
The Northeast Hopkins Community Club held a meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clell Bennett. The group next will meet July 24 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Archie Hendrixson.
Wayland Grange members were to answer roll call with “One thing I have learned about the care of a car” for the men and “Favorite supper dishes recipes” for the women.
Editor Rollo G. Mosher, in an editorial, quoted the Milton Gazette saying, “The most unselfish business carried on in any community is the newspaper business… The editor has demands made upon his time and space, which is only stock in trade, that is wholly out of proportion. To that given by any other business or profession in the community.”
The Rev. and Mrs. Selkirk Sprague are going to Indiana, where he was scheduled to give an Independence Day address.
Emma J. Bush Pierce, who was born in Martin Township in 1860, died June 26. The Globe reported, “Mrs. Pierce was a kind and loving mother, a good neighbor and a friend to all.” She was a loyal member of the Congregational Church in Hopkins.
Lenore Halloran Arnold died July 4 at Nichol’s Hospital in Battle Creek. She was only 24 and had married the previous October.