From The Clarkston News archives

25 years ago – 1999
City council finds humor in zoning ordinance draft: In its second look at a proposed zoning ordinance, the Clarkston City Council found things that just didn’t jive. At its regular meeting, the council plowed through several more chapters of the 25-section ordinance and had a little fun with some of the contradictions and inapplicable terms and definitions used in the draft. Among the humorous findings included provisions for airports located in the city. Council member Anne Clifton, who had several inconsistencies marked with bright red tabs, pointed out commercial vehicles provision that didn’t allow truck over a ton to be on a piece of property less than five acres in size. “What is this city, one acre total,” she asked.
Redistricting plan still needs work: Clarkston schools officials continued to tweak the elementary school redistricting plan. Following over an hour of discussion at the regular Clarkston Community Schools board meeting, trustees decided to consider a request by city residents to have all children in the city attend Clarkston Elementary.
Cagers notch first two league wins: The flight pattern for the Clarkston Boys Varsity Basketball team all season had been turbulent, with several bumps and wind shears along the way. But the Wolves’ game at Rochester Adams restored some stability to the team’s plane ride through the season with a 71-57 win. They also defeated Pontiac Central, 61-56, putting their overall record 5-3 and 2-2 in the OAA Division 1.

50 years ago – 1974
Signs of the times for January ‘74: Michigan State Police Lt. Ray Hoopengarner, commander of the Pontiac post, surveyed I-75 traffic with an eye to the likelihood that a 55-mile per hour limit would be imposed by the state in support of federal guidelines. Over on Dixie Highway, Darrol Conley was among the Kayo attendants at the 6550 Dixie Highway gas station, keeping busy pumping gasoline for motorists attracted to the independent company’s price of 40.9 cents a gallon for regular.
Construction lags in Independence: There was less money spent in construction in Independence Township during 1973 than all of 1972. Building permit applications showed $7.1 million for 1973 and $7.9 millions for the previous year. There were 164 homes put under construction in 1973 as compared to 176 the year before.
Springing up: Diane Ash, a junior at Clarkston High School, was back from an exciting trip to Europe. Diane, traveling with her grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Gould, spent two weeks in Amsterdam, Germany and Austria. In Germany, their personal tour guide was Army Colonel Jim Love, Diane’s father’s cousin. Jim and his family were stationed in Germany at the time.

75 years ago – 1949
Clarkston takes league lead: Clarkston Boys Varsity Basketball took their third consecutive league victory and the lead in the league when they defeated Country Day, 46-28. The Wolves, led by John Adams and Donny Dubats, rushed out in front with a 15-point first period plunge.
Rotary Club news: Through the courtesy of the Burroughs Adding Machine Company, the members of the Clarkston Rotary Club and guests enjoyed the motion picture film, “In Balance” at the Monday meeting.
The Hilltopper: In fifth grade news, the class dramatized the story “Good Neighbors” in English class. They thought they had a lot of good neighbors in Clarkston. They also made snowmen in art class and mounted them on black paper for a border in their classroom. There were 22 students who received E’s in spelling on Friday. In sixth grade news, the class was studying teeth in health. The students wrote poems about teeth.