They are the champions, my friend. A trio of Wayland female athletes proved they are worthy and brought a lot of glory and positive attention for this community in 2018. Their combined stories merged to make it the No. 1 story of the year now just about dearly departed.
The threesome includes Central Michigan University senior Presley Hudson, Davenport University senior Mallory Teunissen and Mount Mercy College freshman Sydney Urben.
Hudson already has set CMU women’s basketball records for career three-point field goals and assists and she’s a solid bet to become the school’s all-time scoring champion. She also has swished more threes than any other woman in the history of the Mid-American Conference.
Perhaps her biggest thrills came early in 2018 with the MAC championship, an NCAA post-season district championship and her 28 points helped the Chippewas upset Ohio State in the tourney en route to the Sweet 16.
Hudson, a 2015 Wayland High School graduate, was all-state and runner-up in the balloting for Miss Basketball.
Teunissen likewise has broken a slew of pitching records such as wins and strikeouts at Davenport and was named all-conference and all-region in post-season action.
Another 2015 WHS grad, Teunissen earned all-state honors while leading the Wildcats to the state championship and was selected the state’s top pitcher.
Urben, who now leads the Mount Mercy Mustangs on the lanes in Iowa, captured the individual state championship in Division 2 last winter. She was state runner-up as a sophomore two years earlier.
There were other women who earned accolades closer to home.
Meghan Schulz of Hopkins was second team all-state in basketball and she was regional champion in the shot put and discus. She is a member of the crew at Michigan State University.
Wayland’s Chanlynn Commons was named to the Division 2 all-state softball team.
WHS graduate Sierra Mutschler broke the Hope College school record for career home runs with 28.
There were other significant developments in this area during 2018:
Martin School District goes green
Voters in the Martin school district approved a bond project to make it the first school in Michigan to employ a solar panel system for its energy needs. The project went hand in hand with the district’s renaissance in athletics and its new wrestling, basketball, football and baseball facilities.
Construction began in late summer for the new addition to Wayland Middle School in a voter-approved project to help alleviate overcrowding of elementary students.
Gun Lake Tribe, Casino’s year is a mixed bag
The Gun Lake Tribe once and for all was pleased to have the pesky David Patchick lawsuit dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court. But troubles continued in relations with neighboring Hopkins Township, which took umbrage with the tribe’s request to the U.S. Department of Interior to take a 130-acre parcel next to Arnsman Equipment on 12th Street into a trust, and therefore off the tax rolls.
Meanwhile, local tax revenue sharing receipts continue to grow, to as much as $36,000 a year for neighboring townships and more than $1.5 million annually for Wayland Union Schools.
Economic growth continues for Dorr, Wayland
The City of Wayland is welcoming a carpenters and millwright training school near the U.S.-131 expressway in the industrial park. Also being welcomed is the city’s first franchise hotel, a Best Western, located next to Family Farm & Home adjacent to the freeway.
And more apartments are being planned for construction near Forrest and Oak streets.
A huge apartment complex is planned for the corner of 142nd Avenue and 14th Street, despite concerns about congested traffic on 142nd. The developer has been granted an extension for a site plan.
And 18th Street, widened to three lanes between 142nd Avenue and the Kent County line, last summer was opened to the public.
In Leighton Township, a 21-unit residential complex is beginning to take shape just north of Dahlia Street in Wayland. Case farm machinery business is nearly ready near the corner of 142nd Avenue and Division. And the long-standing, but troubled Airport Lanes establishment was purchased by the Lannon family and renovated as the new Rock ‘N Bowl.
In Martin Township, Weick’s Foodtown on 124th Avenue was purchased by Town & Country. And Bay Pointe Restaurant and Hotel was granted permission to expand its facility in Orangeville Township.
Lumberyard loses round one, but gets a 2nd chance
Rural events facilities, growing in popularity in these parts, even were proposed for the City of Wayland with the Lumberyard Events Center at the corner of Maple and Railroad Streets, at the site of the more than 100-year-old Smith Lumber business.
The city, however, noted the owners failed to present a site plan as agreed by Aug. 1 and the application process for meeting parking requirements has begun again.
Coming and going in the City of Wayland
Though the Henika Library developed a reputation for its directors serving a long time, only four in the first 98 years, it has gone through three in the last four years. Molly Walker left last spring to take a post in Alaska and was succeeded by Nicole Gray in July.
Police Chief Steve Harper decided to step down after serving for six years and the search for his successor continues.
Welcomed was Joshua Eggleston, who took over as city manager last February for interim Manager Larry Nielsen in the wake of the resignation in 2017 of Tim McLean.
There were changes on the City Council as well. Tracy Bivins resigned for health reasons and John Sloan decided against seeking re-election. Their posts were filled by Joe Kramer and Abe Garcia. It was unusual that Mayor Tim Bala was opposed for the first time on the ballot since 2012, but he survived handily.
Martin Township mourned the passing of longtime Trustee Jim Brenner, who was succeeded by former Fire Chief John Schipper.
Elections provide plenty of interesting fodder
The mid-term elections arrived in the August primary and November general. The most visible contest was a referendum on a proposed air strip in Leighton Township that was approved by the Township Board. The ayes carried the day in August.
Dorr Township voters turned down a millage request for the local library, leaving local officials scrambling in the next two years to find a way to make the service financially solvent.
Allegan County defied state-wide voting trends, rejecting winning candidates Gretchen Whitmer for governor, Dana Nessel for attorney general, Joceyln Benson for secretary of state and U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, all Democrats. Allegan County voters also tuned down all three state-wide ballot proposals that were approved throughout Michigan by significant margins.
Many local municipalities already have voted not to permit marijuana dispensaries within their borders, though the state referendum show support 56% to 44%.
And the lame duck Republican State Legislature after the general election crafted controversial legislation to make ballot initiatives more difficult and to overturn a ballot proposal for a minimum wage increase, through enough petition signatures were gathered to have it in the Nov. 6 election.
80th District State Rep. Mary Whiteford, who represents most of Allegan County in Lansing, at a candidate forum in October, said sometimes lawmakers have to serve as a check on voters, and this was a solid example.
Chickens don’t rule the roost in Wayland
When Eggleston came on board, he insisted the City Council once and for all take up a request for an ordinance permitting and regulating raising of chickens. Pointing to a turkey processing facility on 136th Avenue, council members used a recommendation to vote the suggestion down.
Dorr Township Board political troubles continue
Though things weren’t as hot as they have been in other recent years, the Dorr Township Board found a way to make what usually is a routine reappointment to the Planning Commission into a controversy and an extra meeting.
The proposed reappointment of Larry Dolegowski was deadlocked at 3-3, the same as what happened the year before to Chairman Robert Wagner. It was the usual suspects who voted in the negative, with Trustees John Tuinstra and Terri Rios and Clerk Debbie Sewers. The deadlock was broken in a special meeting, when Trustee Josh Otto cast the deciding vote to keep Dolegowski on the commission, as he had done the year before on behalf of Wagner.
Local zoning enforcement under fire
Martin Township got burned in the pocketbook just by enforcing its local zoning laws against a business operation by Nathan Knight. Allegan County District Court ruled Knight must comply with the local rules, but declined to allow the township to recoup its costs.
In Watson Township, a mine graveling operation was taken to task for operating past the deadline without reapplying for a permit.
More on the athletic and awards fronts
Hopkins and Martin football teams regained their chops by making it to the post-season playoffs, Martin for the first time since 2007.
The Lady Vikings won the O-K Silver Conference basketball crown and again was tops in the league track derby. Viking cross-county junior ace Todd Henley broke the school record in the 5,000-meter race, flirting with breaking the 16-minute barrier.
The Wayland boys’ golf team qualified to the state tournament and finished ninth.
Hopkins’ Brenden Gossman rolled a perfect 300 game and was named to the all-state team in Division 3.
The Wayland Robotics team finished third in the “World” competition.
Mike Miklusicak passed the 2,000-yards rushing in the fourth year of his career at Hope College.
Ashton Ordway, Josh Butler, Seth Sevenski-Popma and Caleb Wolf were all-state in the 400-meter relay and sprinter Brittney Houseman did the same in the 100.
The Wayland boys’ varsity basketball team, despite getting decimated the previous year by graduation losses, found a way to win a district title.
The battle against cancer continues in Hopkins
On a more sober note, the community of Hopkins continues to be watchful and hopeful for two coaches, Mick Francis and Glenn Noble in football, and Board of Education member Karen Ryan, as they still face challenges with cancer. Some would say it’s more than the school district’s fair share.
