From The Clarkston News archives

25 years ago – 1998
Shanks elected president of school board: The leadership of Clarkston Community Schools Board of Trustees changed hands. Kurt Shanks was elected president at the board’s organizational meeting. Shanks and former president, Karen Foyteck, were nominated for the position, and Shanks won by one vote. Shanks, who was treasurer for the previous two years, said he was interested in running for president because of the financial challenges facing the district.
Slow down, there!: One of the Springfield Township Board of Trustees’ biggest pet peeves at the time had been developments getting off to too fast of a start. Township supervisor Collin Wallis said the problem had become enough of a issue that he and the board decided to pursue the adoption of a soil extraction ordinance to prevent such things from happening.
Cool jazz: Singer Niki Pearse and the Paul Ventimiglia quintet entertained about 250 audience members with jazz numbers like “Route 66”and “The Girl from Ipanema,” July 10. It was the second of five free concerts in Depot Park, sponsored by the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce.

50 years ago – 1973
New restaurant to open: Joseph Gulash and Gene Hargraves were aiming to fill a need in downtown Clarkston with their Ole Village Inn Coffee House. The need they saw was a restaurant which served breakfast and sandwiches. Their new enterprise was located at 10 S. Main Street, formerly a Richardson’s Farm Dairy branch.
Road improvement plan set: The Independence Township Board gave the go-ahead for some $190,000 worth of road improvements, $20,000 of which would be paid for by the township. Largest of the projects would be the widening of Sashabaw Road along the Pine Knob ski resort-music theater complex. Owner of the complex, Indusco Corp., agreed to pay up to $120,000 to add one northbound lane on Sashabaw Road between I-75 and Clarkston-Orion Road.
Springing up: Gladys Bump, of Console Street, with her son and daughter, Max and Joyce, returned home from a four-and-a-half week vacation in the western and southern states. Highlights from the trip included the 17th International Rally of the Wally Byam Caravan Club in Bozeman, Montana, Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore, and a stop in Atlanta, Georgia to visit relatives.

75 years ago – 1948
Faculty completed for coming year: Superintendent W. A. Ridgley announced the faculty for the local school had been completed for the upcoming year. It was shared books and other supplies were being received quite promptly. It was asked all persons who had rooms available for teachers to contact Mr. Ridgley.
Interest shown in summer theatre: Quite a number of interested people attended the first meeting of the Summer Theatre in the Green Acres barn. A committee was named to plan the pattern of progress. It was decided a play should be selected and cast chosen very soon. While rehearsals are going on another committee would be fixing barn, doing scenery, lights and more.
Clarkston locals: Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Collins with their son and daughter, Jim and Carol, returned from a trip into northern Michigan. They visited the Sault and came back by way of Charlevoix and Petoskey. Then, attended the Cherry Festival at Traverse City. As for Mrs. Iva Miller, she believed in the old saying “Always bring home the bacon.” It paid off as she won a beautiful new electric stove at the Ortonville Centennial.

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