(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Jan.10, 2000
The Globe’s front page photo was of Linda Burns filling her bird feeder at her rural home out side of Wayland. She and husband Tom have eight bird feeding stations on their property.
Barry County safety personnel performed some falling through ice practice drills at Baker Lake.
Cleanup efforts at the Sunrise Landfill on the south edge of town have begun. The site was formerly the village dump. Anna Rybicki of Wayland is project manager.
The water tower project at Moline has been delayed while the state sets the regulations.
An anonymous donor has given $5,000 in a financial gift to the Dorr Township Fire Department.
Members of the Gun Lake Tribe are disputing acreage near historic Bradley graves.
Editor Nila Aamoth asked about the millennium bug in her Soapbox, “Was the world greatly changed as the sun set on the westernmost coast of America? Not likely. But the dawning of the millennium should serve as a reminder of the changes that have taken place, sunset after sunset.”
Wayland Township Supervisor Jose Blanco continues to press his colleagues to expand the number of planning commission members from six to seven, insisting the latter number is more democratic.
Betty Kaechele penned a letter to the editor suggesting that local senior citizens deserve better treatment by city and township governments.
The Dorr Township Board has granted final site plan approval for a proposed condominium project on 18th Street near Dorr Elementary.
Alex Liceaga, mayor of Gun Lake for the past eight years, is facing competition this year from Joan Weick and Linda Rough in the election at the Winterfest celebration.
Wayland High School senior Matt Tuinstra will attend the National Young Leaders Conference Jan. 18-23 in Washington D.C.
Martin, Wyoming Park and Wayland shared titles in the Wayland Wrestlemania tourney.
The Wayland High School volleyball team got off to a fast start in O-K Gold Conference action, defeating defending league champion Forest Hills Northern and Cedar Springs. Leading the way were the usual suspects, Kara Potter, Nicki Merchant and Jessie Merchant.
Led by junior guard Jamie Brown, Wayland has jumped out to a 2-0 record in the O-K Gold Conference.
Pat Staley and Megan Strong of Grand Rapids Baptist High School wrote a feature story about two local centenarians Olive Grinage, 104, and Leo Grinage, 102.
50 Years Ago — Jan. 7, 1975
The Wayland City Council is investigating prospects for bringing in cable television services and members are studying a proposed cable ordinance.
Wade Greenawalt is taking over management of the longtime Wayland Cleaners business that has been operated by Fred and Effie Greenawalt since 1934. The couple has declared intentions to retire. Wade is a 1963 graduate of Wayland High School and has a degree from Tri-State College of Angola, Ind. He has been active in the community.
An unknown number of thieves broke in to Dick’s Standard gas station on North Main Street and took cigarettes and money.
Motorist Charles Scobey crashed his vehicle into utility pole. He told city police his steering locked up and caused the crash.
Dr. Dale Kuiper of Wayland has been appointed assistant clinical professor of the laboratory division of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University.
Mimi Moulenbelt, in her Hopkins Schools column, said, “(FFA Advisor) Roy Miller is certainly at the top of the list of teachers who has spent many hours of his own time to put Hopkins on the map in agriculture.”
Wayland Community Education and Recreation is sponsoring a three-session winter tennis clinic.
The Wayland High School basketball team has hit a bad patch with four consecutive losses, the latest 78-58 to Hudsonville. On the plus side, sophomore forward Rod Mauchmar had his first double figures scoring game.
Sports writer David T. Young penned a column calling for ambulance services to be available at wrestling matches. He noted that Archer-Hampel should send at least one representative vehicle, just like it does for football.
Wyoming Lee staged an upset victory over the Wayland wrestling team in its O-K Blue Conference dual match season opener.
75 Years Ago — Jan. 13 1950
Vincent Pawloski’s work at the four corners downtown is well under way. He is enclosing a porch and installing a storefront at the hotel.
Dr. Bert E. Paul of Dowagiac, formerly of Wayland, died of a heart attack after being in poor health for several years. He had been postmaster at Dowagiac.
Arnold’s Jewelry has moved to a new location on West Superior, the former site of Dr. E. O. Hanlon’s practice.
Grace Jackson will interview Winona Calkins at the next Wayland Grange meeting on some of the basic facts that affect the daily lives of everyone.
A dance is planned at the Gun Lake Catholic Parish Hall Saturday night with music by Charles Kuhtic.
Mary Ann Fletcher of the Grand Rapids Herald will be speaker at the next Ladies Library Club meeting on the subject of “The effect of women in the news.”
The adult homemaking class will be given “Tips for decorating cakes” by Miss Virginia Benson Monday night. The class reported the last meeting attracted a record-breaking 47 attendees.
The Wayland varsity basketball team lost 34-12 to Caledonia, its third loss in the Bar-Ken-All League. The annual Bar-Ken-All tournament this year will be at Middleville welcoming Wayland, Caledonia, Middleville, Hopkins, Martin and Byron Center.
Edwin L. Becker, head of the national Committee on Town and Country churches, was guest speaker at the Church of Christ in Wayland.
The local Methodist Church will present next Sunday the film “Reaching from Heaven.”
The Gun Lake Chamber of Commerce had a lively discussion about fishing problems at the lake with Wayne Blanchard, office manager of the Conservation Office in Plainwell.
Merle Rairigh, International Harvester dealer, will have a family party at the Wayland High School auditorium Saturday night. Featured will be color movies, magicians, the Patsy Kelly Trio and Ross & Ross Musical Comedy.
Rep. John Lewinsky of Detroit has been accused by Congressman Clare Hoffman in a $50,000 libel suit and has asked for a change of venue to another county.
Allegan County schools were set to receive two more carloads of free apples.
Now Showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Yvonne DeCarlo, Scott Brady and Charles Coburn in “The Gal Who Took the West.”
- Betty Hutton and Victor Mature in “Red, Hot and Blue.”
- Bob Hope and Rhonda Fleming in “The Great Lover.”
100 Years Ago — Jan. 9, 1925
Several local stores have decided to close Wednesday evenings in January, February and March because of the poor conditions of the roads. However, they will remain open for Saturday evenings. Area public safety officials have said roads in Allegan County too often are nearly impassable when snow covered.
The number of divorces in Allegan County dropped by 5 percent in 1924 from 1923.
The number of automobiles traveling Allegan County Roads have nearly doubled in just one year.
The Ladies Library Club had programs remembering the life and death of Joan of Arc in France.
A total of 33 Michigan communities now have city managers.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: Gloria Swanson in “Bluebeard’s 8th Wife.” Alice Calhoun and Cullen Landis in “Pioneer Trails.”
Harrison Jackson Jr., infant son of Mr. And Mrs. Harrison Jackson, though frail, “seemed to be doing well until he fell asleep and passed away on Dec. 29, 1924.”
New dome light fixtures have replaced the old chandeliers at the Henika Public Library.
A carload of cinders has been put on the road one mile north of the Frohm Schoolhouse in southeast Dorr.
The Ladies Five Hundred Club entertained their husbands with a chicken dinner New Year’s Night at the home of Mr. And Mrs. L.A. Carter. They spent the evening after dinner playing Five Hundred.
The Wayland High School debate team is preparing for a contest against Plainwell Thursday evening, Jan. 15. Beforehand, the local group has defeated Zeeland and Hopkins.
Wayland and Martin residents are urged to fill out their farm schedules sent to them by the government and then submit them to the enumerator.
Gus Kolbivz, a cook at a restaurant in Allegan, was struck by a car and was thrown with great force, causing severe bruising to his head. He was still unconscious as late as Saturday night.
