25 Years Ago — Sept. 18, 1991
Dennis Roxbury, 41, of Hopkins, was shot and killed by state troopers in downtown Hopkins after authorities received a complaint he was brandishing a rifle in the open and was intoxicated. Lt. Steve DeBoer, commander of the Michigan State Police Post, insisted Roxbury was ordered to drop his firearm twice and did not, but them seemed to point it in the officers’ direction when they opened fire. He later was determined to have a .29 blood alcohol level, nearly three times the legal limit and he was widely regarded to be suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) after serving in Vietnam. Some Hopkins residents organized a protest at the Allegan County Courthouse, asserting police used excessive force.
Gov. John Engler visited Wayland Junior High School. Student Gina Garza indicated she believed it was the first time a Michigan governor had visited the school, but Gov. George Romney made a stop in the fall of 1964.
Dorr Township Clerk Dick Dutkiewicz, writing on behalf of the Township Board, asserted, “There is no economic or political advantage to centralize the control of county government in fewer hands.” The letter was in opposition to recommendations to reduce the number of county commissioners from 13 to nine.
The Wayland City Council joined Wayland Township in adopting an ordinance requiring visible numbers in front of all residences in the interests of aiding emergency services in locating them.
Wayland city residents are expected to begin receiving curbside recycling services in November after passage of the $25 per household per year surcharge. Van Dyken Disposal is handling the service.
The Dorr Township Board has approved a proposed site near the Hungry Horse Campground to serve as a place for composting leaves. Officials hope to reduce burning of leaves by having them instead dropped off at the site.
Leighton Township is the latest local municipality to consider switching inspection services from Michigan Township Services to Professional Code Inspections of Dorr.
Grand Rapids South Christian defeated Wayland 16-8 on the gridiron, Hopkins handily got past Watervliet 32-8 and Martin posted its second straight shutout with a 33-0 romp over Lawton.
The Martin girls’ basketball team, coached by Robert VandenBerg, evened its season record at 2-2 after a bit of a rough start.
50 Years Ago — Sept. 14, 1966
Wayland citizens voted 312 to 213 to approved the new city charter, thereby giving their blessing to a changeover from a village of a city, effective Oct. 1. Phil Reno was elected first mayor. The first City Council will include Arnold Wilde, Marshall Towne, Hugh DeWeerd, Walt Gurney, Richard Wilson and William Conwell. Ernie Martin was elected assessor and Rose Marie Feldwisch treasurer. Elected representatives of the city to the Allegan County Board of Supervisors were William Mauchmar and John L. Gurney.
Wayland High School senior Sharon Bezmek wrote a letter to the editor describing her experiences over the summer as a foreign exchange student to Denmark.
Leslie Ann Pandel of Fennville was chosen Allegan County Harvest Queen. Rita Belka was Wayland’s representative on the court.
Jerry Dean of Dorr earned his black belt as a judo instructor.
Lt. Gov. William Milliken visited Wayland and officially was greeted by the local “Romney Girls” Beth Kessler, Mary Torrey, Lesley Wakeman, Bobbie LaValley, Cheryl Brower, Jan Hendrixson, Debbie Ward and Linda Feldwisch.
Mayor Phillip Reno has been awarded a lifetime membership in the Michigan Municipal League.
The Wayland school district enrollment leaped by 475 students to 1,954, mostly as a result of the state-wide reorganization of school districts. Hooker school voters decided to agree to splitting up the region with a majority of students attending Wayland schools and the remainder Thornapple Kellogg.
Wayland was scheduled to begin its football season Friday night, Sept. 16, with Plainwell paying a visit.
Phyllis Diller, Bob Hope and Elke Sommer were starring in “Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number” at the Wayland Theatre.
The Hopkins FFA received a Gold award for being one of the top 29 chapters in Michigan. Shown sharing the plaque were Russ Hansen and Russell Coffey.
The Supremes topped the music charts in the land this week with “You Can’t Hurry Love.”
75 Years Ago — Sept. 19, 1941
Jerry Mulder, director of the Wayland Municipal Band, has reported that his other ensemble, the American Legion Band, earned first place in a competition in Milwaukee.
Editor-Publisher Rollo Mosher expressed his displeasure with the new federal defense tax law expected to raise $4 billion for the war effort if it is necessary. He maintained, “Prices already have begun to skyrocket… many staple food items are becoming hard to get.”
The comedy “Bubbling Over” will be presented Sept. 25 at the Wayland High School auditorium. Miss Freda Foster and Miss Neely Dickson, both of Kansas City, Mo., are coordinating the production, which will include local talent. Proceeds will benefit the area Children’s Billet.
The Wayland Garden Club has announced its recent garden festival was the best ever because of the larger space provided by the new high school auditorium.
Plans are being made to launch a Rotary Club in Wayland. Local businessmen heard a special presentation from District Gov. “Stub” Beaman of St. Johns at the Doll House Restaurant.
Mrs. Laverna Hilbert has been appointed to a seat on the Henika Library Board, succeeding the late Leon B. Mason.
Lowell Wilson, secretary of the Allegan County Draft Board, reported 28 men from Wayland have been classified as 1-A. One man may be inducted later, but is serving in the Grand Rapids jail for petty larceny.
The local Standard Oil gasoline station is undergoing renovations and improvements under the ownership of A.E. Chapman and management of Barney Nicolai.
Showing this week at the Wayland Theatre:
- Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Faye Holden and Ann Rutherford in “Life Begins for Andy Hardy.”
- Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall in “Aloma of the South Seas.”
- A double feature, Jane Barwell, Brenda Joyce and Sheldon Leonard in “Private Nurse” and Clive Brook in “Convoy.”
100 Years Ago — Sept. 15, 1916
Wayland High School is counting 105 students and an additional 115 in grades K-8, and officials report the high school is crowded to capacity.
Prof. Lloyd Manley of Western State Normal has consented to being the director of the high school orchestra and Mrs. Elizabeth Clark is choral director.
The Wayland High School football team, which is averaging a hefty 145 pounds per player, will take on Fennville on the home field (“Sandburr Stadium”) Sept. 23.
Frances Presley is captain of the girls’ basketball team, which is getting ready for its season.
Beulah Fox, Genevieve Allen and Leona Steeby, all 1916 WHS grads, now are at Kalamazoo State Normal School studying to be teachers.
Andley Calkins, a 1910 graduate, stopped in at the high school. He is teaching at Scottville.
The Wayland Grange meeting this week will include a presentation by D.G. Clack on “Economy on the Farm” and Mrs. Glen Fales will offer a program on “Modern Housekeeping.”
A “Reo Six” auto driven by A.J. Boucher was driven into a ditch south of the village by a fierce storm. He and his family as passengers sustained bruises and cuts.
Wayland Postmaster John C. Yeakey is attending the Allegan County Democratic Convention.
The Henika Library has secured the services of Fannie Hoyt as its first librarian. She will be at Henika on Wednesday evenings.
William Jones captured a mammoth owl on his farm and later released it near its habitat at Indian Lake. The creature had been scooping up his chickens.
David Stockdale of Wayland and E.S. Allen of Bradley have been selected as delegates to the Republican Party Convention in Saginaw.
A poultry show will be featured in the Wayland Fall festival next month, including competitions in the fowl, rabbit, pigeons, guinea pigs and even eggs.
PHOTO: In honor of Austin Wrobleweski’s dramatic winning field goal with no time left on the clock last Friday, here’s Chad Kraai holding and Jeff Martin kicking a winning field goal for the Clippers in the 1987 post-season playoffs to take a 3-0 overtime victory over Schoocraft.
