(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — May 15, 1996
Eighteen hot air balloons were spotted flying over Wayland during the past weekend during the annual Dahlia Springfest. Festival chairman Jeff Salisbury was treated to his first ride.
Area officials are cautioning residents to get permits first before putting up illegal signs on roadways and yards.
The Wayland City Council approved a rezoning request to clear the way for a 17-unit apartment complex on Mill Street.
Vandals defaced the junior high school exterior and local authorities are seeking help with information leading to their apprehension.
Editor Nila Aamoth quoted Yankee Springs Township Zoning Administrator Jim Spykerman, who said the purpose of zoning is to “create a buffer to separate unlike and incompatible land” for the benefit of residents and their neighbors.
A phone-on bomb threat routed officials in the Allegan County courthouse. It was believed the culprit wanted to cancel a hearing in circuit court that day.
The Yankee Springs Township Board reject ted a rezoning request from Middleville Tool & Die, setting the stage for a primary election battle for supervisor between George London and Ken Worsham.
The Martin track team will put its undefeated dual meet record on the line at Lawton this week. The Clippers set up the showdown by edging Marcellus on the strength of the 1600-meter relay team of Robert Mitchell, Matt Martin, Matt Talsma and Richie Guerrant winning the last event of the day.
Tasha Phillips scored two goals and Gina Garza, Margie Reurink and Brooke Warner each added another as the Wayland’s girls’ soccer team scored its second victory of the season.
The Hopkins softball team is 5-1 in O-K Silver Conference play and 15-3 overall, sparked by the pitching of Toni Newell and the hitting of Jessica Gilder and Chris Belka.
Hopkins baseball team is 11-5 overall, but only 1-3 in the Silver. Regardless Jerry Funk tossed a two-hitter and struck out 12 in a victory over Saugatuck.
Kimberly Leep crowned Juli Martin as Springest queen.
Otto Beard, owner of Beard’s Berry Farms in Dorr for more than 30 years, died at age 77.
Freshman Amanda Dzierzyc has thrown three one-hitters this spring for Wayland softball, which is 4-1 in the O-K Gold and 10-6 overall.
Harold Lenhart, a 1965 graduate of Hopkins High School, was scheduled to be guest speaker for Michigan State University commencement for its College of Human Medicine.
50 Years Ago — May 12, 1971
Mrs. Ervin Shafer of Wayland, a cook at Baker Elementary, has been selected Mother of the Year by the WAOP radio station. All four of her children are Wayland High School graduates.
Mrs. Gary Mihalek and Mrs. JC Clyma will direct the junior and senior high school choirs in their spring concert, “Let There Be Music,” at the girls’ gym.
Five Wayland High School students earned all-As for the fifth marking period — Louise Sykes, Alan Steines, Paul Heckert, Mary Lautenschleger and Linda Shoemaker.
Recent Western Michigan University graduate Kay Shafer, a Wayland High School alumn, has been selected to finish the academic year succeeding Mrs. Sharon Keyzer.
The Wayland Board of Education announced it has approved expanding academic courses next fall to include Building and Trades with instructor Vern Becker.
Wayland High School graduate Kathy Jo Smith has been elected to the Mortar Board women’s honorary organization as a student at Hope College.
The Wayland Lions Club presented its annual Citizen of the Year award to John L. Gurney, longtime owner of Gurney’s IGA, county commissioner, former village council member and associate of the Chamber of Commerce, VFW and Rotary.
Wayland City Manager John Hefner has been elected secretary regional secretary for Region One of the Michigan Municipal League.
The City of Wayland will be paired with Allegan in the annual Michigan Week Mayor Exchange Day. Officials from the two cities will meet in the evening at the Red Brick Tavern north of Plainwell with guest speaker former Grand Rapids Mayor Chri Sonnevelt.
Sheri Nakken of Hopkins graduated from the Bronson Hospital School of Nursing and served as co-edior of the yearbook and second vice president of the student council. She will serve in the pediatrics and adolescent department at the hospital before enrolling next fall at Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College.
Leo Doxey, 78, died at Grand Rapids Osteopathic Hospital. He was retired foreman at Hooker Motor Freight and was grandfather to basketball star Ron Kidney.
Joe Koperski threw a two-hitter against Comstock Park to lift the Wildcat baseball team to a 4-2 record in the O-K Blue Conference. Junior varsity pitcher Gib Goodwin tossed a no-hitter at Wyoming Lee and now has three shutouts on the season.
Jim Graham set the school record in the two-mile run at 10:54, Dan Hall set the record in the shot put at 49-1 1/2 and Brent Irwin swept firsts in the low hurdles, long jump and 100- and 220-yard dashes. The Wildcats defeated Middleville and Caledonia.
Hopkins teacher-coach and Martin Superintendent Albert Deal has been named commissioner of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).
Jim Hendrixson and Mike Comrie are undefeated in tennis singles competition in the O-K Blue and both are 9-1 overall.
75 Years Ago — May 17, 1946
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher said in his weekly column he had a disappointing effort on trout season opening day, but made up for it by visiting the editors of the Baldwin and White Cloud newspapers and raved about a steak dinner at the Bungalow Restaurant. “Where they get those prime beefsteaks in this meat shortage must be a military secret.”
The new Wayland Calvary Church will be located ion the west side of South Main Street, the former site of the Pines Lunch after purchase from Mr. and Mrs. Fred Zellings.
Veterans of Foreign Wars posts are being organized in Wayland and Hopkins. The Wayland post will be commanded by Raymond Smith and Hopkins by Albert Deal.
George Volk died May 1 at the farm homestead of his daughter, more than two years after he suffered a stroke that left him an invalid.
Capt. Harold Briggs of Shelbyville has been award a Legion of Merit from U.S. Navy Secretary James Forrestal after serving for four years as assictant director of the production division, Bureau of Ordinance.
“Fire believed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion, and antiseptic material, destroyed a brooder house at the farm of John Lotz southeast of the village. The chickens, however, were spared.
The Republican primary election next month for state representative will be interesting with candidates Ed Hutchinson and Frederick Miles.
An advertisement announcing “a new modern grocery store” at Barlow Lake purports to be open early and open late, offering a wide variety of groceries, dairy, meats, produce, notions and candy and pop.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Burgess Meredith in “Ernie Pyle’s Story of G.I. Joe.”
- Joan Davis, Jack Haley and Gene Krupa in “George White’s Sandals.”
- Gene Tierney, Vincent Price and Walter Huston in “Dragonwyck.”
100 Years Ago — May 13, 1921
Wool will be pooled this year at the Martin Farm Bureau facility. The wool will be graded and weighed by State Farm Bureau teams.
Campaigns are continuing to promote increase of milk consumption, particularly in school lunch programs.
Eighth-grade examinations to enter high school will be given Thursday and Friday to 22 students.
Children from the primary room are leaning how to wind the May pole.
Road work west of Bradley commenced this week and the lowering of Indian Hill is proceeding nicely. “Lovers of Kodak views should visit and take pictures of it while they are at work there.”
A Mother’s Day celebration at the home of Mrs. E. Overmire was attended by 30 children and grandchildren. “Mrs. Overmire is 69 years old and is as spry as some girls.”
Mrs. John Hallman, 78, died at her home May 5. A member of the United Methodist Church and Order of Eastern Star, “she was loved and respected by all who knew her.”
Margaret Wintringer, national known lecturer, will be in Wayland the afternoon and evening of June 12.
The Wayland Fire Co. engaged in a practice run downtown in the village to “lay the dust on the streets” of the business district.
Postmaster J.C. Yeakey was back on the job after being idled by an illness, the first time he’s missed work since starting the job six years ago.
Now showing at the Regent: Marguerite Clark in the peppy comedy-drama “Widow by Proxy,” Bert Lytell in “The Misleading Lady” and Elaine Hammerstein in “The Point of View.”
New steel markers have been installed along Dixie Highway from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids to help motoring tourists not lose their way.