25 Years Ago — Sept. 11, 1991
Thompson-McCully’s gravel min
ing operation was shut down by Yankee Springs Township because of violating terms with the special use permit had been granted by the township in July.
Michigan Gov. John Engler plans to stop in at Wayland Junior High School to visit with students and staff, Principal Jon Jensen has reported.
Shannon VanPutten of Dorr was first runner-up in the Allegan County Harvest Queen pageant the county fair. The winner was Marcia Mullen of Plainwell.
A $25 per household annual surcharge for recycling services will be tacked on the tx bills in Wayland Township, beginning in October.
Wayland Township has joined other municipalities on Allegan in insisting all houses have very visible numbers for emergency personnel to see.
Richard Tuinstra, 70, of Martin was killed when the tractor-loader he was operating flipped into Pratt Lake.
Allegan County officials have been told the courts that if they want to collect on any of the bankruptcy of Kessler’s of Wayland it will have to foreclose on the building and have it sold on the market. Co-owners Tom and Donna White declared bankruptcy the previous year, even though the Allegan County Promotional Alliance secured a grant of $750,000.
Jeff Spruitt of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, wryly said the bureaucracy of state government was moving about as fast as the leaking tanks at the Sunrise Landfill on 132nd Avenue in Wayland Township. Payment for cleanup from a $5 million fund still was being delayed.
Linda Hutchings, in a feature story, suggested that fresh homemade food these days at county fairs was about as scarce as hen’s teeth.
The Ebersole Center on Second Street has installed solar panels for the environment and in an attempt to perhaps save on future energy costs.
In football season openers, Hopkins blanked Kelloggsville 28-0, Martin hammered Saugatuck 84-0 and Wayland trounced Calvin Christian 33-12.
Coach Zack Moushegian’s Lady Wildcats absorbed two defeats, to West Catholic and Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Meanwhile, Hopkins beat Martin 31-24 but dropped contests with Byron Center and Hamilton.
50 Years Ago — Sept. 7, 1966
It will be a lively election Sept. 12 when voters in the Village of Wayland will decide for a second time on a proposed city charter, elect city council members if the charter is approved and choose two representatives from the city on the Allegan County Board of Supervisors.
Editor-Publisher Irvin P. Helmey, in commentary on the front page, noted that state law insists municipalities vote three times on charters, said approval would save money, give impetus to positive economic growth and provides an excellent document to rule the city.
The Hopkins Library Board has purchased the former Hopkins Lumber Co. building at Main and Cherry for a new library facility. The librarian is Mrs. Robert Hoffmaster.
Hopkins schools reports record enrollment of 806 for students K-12. However, Sycamore Elementary has decided to eliminate kindergarten because of overcrowding. Sycamore was not yet a part of the Hopkins system. Mrs. William Fein will return to Sycamore to teach after a family leave.
The Village of Wayland is studying the possibility of adopting a junk car ordinance.
Among the new faculty members at Hopkins High School are new head football and baseball coach David Dagley, who teaches science and biology; Dave Nelson, junior varsity basketball coach and and physical education and general math teacher; Stanley Armstrong, high school principal, and Bruce Moulenbelt, social studies. Nelson has coached and taught in Wayland during the 1964-65 academic year.
The gory thrillers “Two Thousand Maniacs” and “Blood Feast” were showing at the U.S.-131 Drive-in Theatre.
Unusual attractions were touted for the Allegan County Fair, including country star Minnie Pearl, Red Blanchard and a revamped midway.
Bette Hunderman of Shelbyville, a 1966 Wayland High School graduate, won the blue ribbon for a two-piece suit she submitted at a 4-H competition at Michigan State University.
Donovan took over the No. 1 slot among the nation’s top 40 tunes with “Sunshine Superman.”
75 Years Ago — Sept. 12, 1941
Local photographer Ivan D. Smith won a first and a third prize in an amateur photo contest in Grand Rapids. His winning entry, “Bad Times,” a depiction of birds, was published on the front page of the Globe.
Editor-Publisher Rollo Mosher reported there has been a lot of discussion lately about limiting gas stations to being open only between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily to cut down on use of lights, labor and fuel.
Mosher was special gust of Harvey Zeerip and the Ford Motor Co. for a special Ford gala celebration in Detroit. He was able to take in the Tigers’ doubleheader with Cleveland and watched pitcher Bobo Newsome tame the Tribe.
There were 181 students reported attending Wayland High School and 390 in grades K-8.
Wayland High School’s first football game will be against Kelloggsville, with admission 75 cents.
The big features this year for the Allegan County Fair are Jimmie Lynch and the Death Dodgers, Happyland shows on the midway, Kids’ Day, Grange Day, a daily “Cavalcade of Hits,” horse team pulling contests prize animal exhibits and Allegan Day.
Wayland Village Treasurer Elizabeth M. Clark has reported she has collected 97.3% of the local tax levy for 1941.
At the movies this week at the Wayland Theatre:
- George Murphy, Ann Southern and Robert Sterling in “Ringside Maisie.”
- Wallace Beery, Marjorie Main and Leo Carillo in “Barnacle Bill.”
- A double feature — Leon Errol in “Hurry, Charlie, Hurry” and Victor McLaglen in “Broadway Limited.”
The local Garden Festival is scheduled to be held Friday and Saturday with flowers and plants to be judged at the auditorium.
100 Years Ago — Sept. 8, 1916
John Kidney, 57, died at his home near Wayland after suffering “three weeks of overheat and other lingering diseases.” He came to the village in 1893 with his two children, one of who is Artie of Bradley.
The Baker family held its fifth annual reunion. Charles Ackerson was elected president of the group.
More than 40 nominations have been received for the Miss Wayland queen contest for the Fall Festival. There is a large call for voting coupons at a variety of downtown businesses.
Among the big plans for this year’s Allegan County Fair are horse races, vaudeville attractions, displays of fruits and vegetables, politicans, exhibits, all under the supervision of C. Lloyd Goodrich.
While plowing his field, Charles Harrington found a Sunday School centenary given at Albion College to celebrate 100 years of Methodism in America.
The Wayland Military Band performed in downtown Middleville at the behest of local business men.
Enrollment at the high school is 94 students. The football team is beginning practices and is reported to be bigger and faster than ever before.
Warren Rankin, manager of the Wayland Milk Condensary, has just bought a new Ford Sedan, complete with self-starter and electric lights.
Farilla Tenney, last lving member of her big family, has “passed to the great beyond” on Sept. 1 at age 84. She was born in Ontario, N.Y., in 1831.
August Dorman of Leighton Township lost three cows who were struck by lightning in a storm. One was reportedly worth $400.
