The Peter White Public Library is shown. (Journal file photo)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by the reference staff at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

MUNISING — Larry and Deanna Kouw didn’t rely on any fancy marketing studies before moving their downstate video store to Munising. “I love to hunt and fish, and Deanna lived here when she was a girl,” Larry said. “So one day during a big blizzard in January we jumped in the car and took a tour up here.” When they found the town had no video store and saw a vacant storefront for rent in the center of downtown, their minds were made up, he said. Express Video opened its doors Feb 25 at 114 Elm Ave. in Munising, and Kouw said he already feels at home. “I’m getting to know a lot of people – everybody up here has been so friendly.” Express Video boasts some 3,000 movie titles, and Kouw said he’ll order any titles people request, even older movies like “Jaws.” A free bag of fresh popcorn is offered to every customer. The Kouws are running a special of three movie rentals for three days for $3.33 to acquaint customers with the business. But according to Larry, patrons seem to have found the store already. In addition to movies, Express also rents video games and hardware. They stock some 250 Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and Genesis game titles and rent the game systems for $7 per day and $14 for three days, including one game. They also rent VCRs for $5 per day and $10 for three days. Kouw also plans to stock sport fishing supplies beginning April 15.

60 years ago

MARQUETTE — The possibility of merging the Upper Peninsula Adult Mental Health Clinic and the U.P. Child Guidance Clinic was indefinitely postponed at a special session of the executive committees of both organizations, held yesterday. Spokesmen for the two agencies expressed the opinion that the question of merger, which had been considered intermittently in the past year, should be shelved until such time as both clinics are completely staffed. Neither is operating with a full complement of professional people, at present. Also resulting from yesterday’s lengthy discussion, which followed a luncheon n the Northern Michigan University Student Center, was a motion in reference to Senate Bill 1074. The executive committees of both clinics went on record in opposition to the bill, which provided for eventual total local support of community mental health service programs. Consensus among those attending was that the Upper Peninsula, at present, is not in a position to provide such financial backing; nor is development of its mental health services far enough along to “go it alone.” As a result, both groups moved to oppose the bill and its provisions, at least at this time.