From The Clarkston News archives

25 years ago – 1997
Owner of unfinished Main St. house receives ultimatum: The Independence Township Board of Trustees voted 7-0 at their July 1 meeting to have the township attorney draft a document, ordering township Bob Martin to complete exterior construction on his Main Street home within 30 days or they will serve him a court order. According to Bev McElmeel, township building director, Martin who owns the first township parcel on the east side of Main Street, just south of Waldon and the village, violated two township ordinances – weed ordinance because he had not kept lawn growth to under 12 inches, and property maintenance ordinance, because no work was done to the exterior of his building for over a year.
Storm skips over Independence: The severe storms which hop scotched around the metro Detroit area on July 2 ignored the Clarkston area when it came to severe damage. Independence Township Fire Department reported no calls regarding severe damage, injuries, trees or wires down were reported. The department did however come to the aid of Groveland Township. In Springfield Township, one person was killed when a tornado hit a mobile home park and a gas station was reported flattened in Holly.
One final firecracker: One new events at the Fourth of July festival at Clintonwood Park was a Civil War encampment. A group of dedicated re-enactors set up camp on the front lawn of the Senior Center and hourly blasted off an antique cannon.

50 years ago – 1972
We got problems – Pine Knob traffic “horrendous”: What was described as a “horrendous traffic jam” as thousands of people made their way to Pine Knob to hear The James Gang was given impetus to some traffic flow improvements. Supervisor Gary Stonerock said cars were lined up on I-75 back to Baldwin from the Sashabaw exit. Sheriff’s department officials said 500 vehicles had been abandoned as occupants made their way on foot to the outdoor concert. Plus, accidents littered the roads.
She’s really a lifeguard: Jane Richard, 20-year-old lifeguard at Deer Lake Beach, was credited with saving the life of a 3-year-old toddler. Richard said she saw the toddler follow two older sisters into the water. When the youngster was no longer able to touch the bottom and fell forward, it appeared for a moment to swim. Richard, who had been keeping an eye on things, saw the child was in trouble and moved as fast as she’s ever been able to get the child out of the water and start mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the spot. Richard said she was glad she was there, sharing it wasn’t her night to work, she was substituting for another lifeguard.
Around the township: Joseph Madison, of Roselawn Avenue, was reported as the first local winner in Standard Oil’s contest to give away 1,000 free gallons of gas.

75 years ago – 1947
Experimental farm opens in Clarkston: The Ford tractor with its numerous attachments was officially presented to the press and radio of the nation at the Deer Lake Hills Farm on Miller Road. The farm is the educational experimental farm of the Dearborn Motors Corporation.
Afternoon tea honors Betty Clark: Mrs. Joseph Hubbard entertained a tea at her home honoring Betty Clark, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Clark, whose marriage of John G. Vickers of Detroit was to be the event August 30 at Clarkston Methodist Church.
4-H girls leave: Five members of the Clarkston Station Go-Getters 4-H Club left on Sunday to attend the Oakland County 4-H camp located on Island Lake, between New Hudson and Brighton. The girls were Evelyn McCrum, Joann and Marie Orr, and Dorothy and Ruth Berry. The girls have each completed two years of food preparation, two years of sewing and one year of canning were then enrolled in canning and food preparation.

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