Page 11 - Wayne Dispatch Pages

The Wayne Dispatch - The people behind the paper

Welcome back to another Spot-
light Series with Sarah!
The series where the writer gets
to know the city more personally,
while the readers get to know the
writer better in the process.
This month marks one entire
year since I started my column, and
next month will be four years since I
started writing for The Wayne Dis- ceived a lot of feedback and people
patch. are interested.”
Because of this column, I have Moll does special lectures on
experienced so many things in the Eloise (in Wayne and surrounding
city of Wayne over the last year that I cities) to a packed house.
probably wouldn't have otherwise. “For the series, I had to stretch it
I’ve tasted yummy food and sweet out and give people the history who
treats, designed the best T-shirts for have not attended the lectures,” said Memory Lane writer Tyler Moll, Publisher John Rhaesa, Graphic Designer Natalie
my best friend’s bachelorette party, Moll. If you missed Moll’s Eloise se- Rhaesa and staff writer Sarah Shurge. Photo by John Mills
got a new tattoo and piercing, experi- ries, you can visit thewaynedis- I really enjoy diving into it,” said they decided to start their own paper
enced Holiday Night in Wayne for the patch.com and search “Eloise” to Moll. together, it wasn’t very difficult for
first time with my best friend’s kids, read them all. Continuing with history in Wayne, them.
thrifted some workout clothes, got If you’re interested in Moll’s The Wayne Dispatch was printed “We had newspaper experience
manicures with my mom, my mom’s monthly history lectures at the mu- until 1972. Then the first issue of from The Eagle together and John
car got fixed, and I did volunteer seum, be sure to check the Wayne The Wayne Dispatch that John and ran the production department so he
work with my brother, Solomon. Historical Society’s facebook page Natalie Rhaesa started was pub- knew the different elements,” said
If you’ve been keeping up with my for updates at facebook.com/wayne- lished in November 2008. Natalie. “We’re both graphic design-
column over the last year then you’ve historicalsociety. John and Natalie’s vision for The ers, so that helps too because we can
hopefully learned a lot about me and Moll’s other favorite column was Wayne Dispatch was a monthly pub- bounce ideas off each other.”
my life, but there are obviously other on how the roads in Wayne got their lication that will be your source for Every great idea needs a name,
people that make The Wayne Dis- name. “People thought that was inter- positive community news. and when it came to their paper,
patch happen. esting too,” said Moll. You can read “We decided if we had our own John and Natalie wanted to pick the
This month I thought it would be that piece as well by visiting the- newspaper, we would want it deliv- perfect name. “We were looking at a
fun to shine a spotlight on the other waynedispatch.com and searching ered to all houses in the city,” said couple different names and they
people behind the paper, so you can “roads.” Natalie. “Direct mail to make sure it were doing the mural on the State
get to know them better too. Aside from writing for The Wayne gets into the hands of everyone in the Wayne at the time. We picked ‘Wayne
I write my column and many of Dispatch, Moll has worked for the city and the advertisers get the best Dispatch’ because of the paperboy
the other articles you read in the Wayne Historical Society for about bang for their bucks.” on the mural. The paperboy is the
paper, however, the paper wouldn’t eight years. He holds the title of mu- Since 2008, John and Natalie reason for the name,” said John.
be complete without Memory Lane seum curator. have been able to provide The Wayne The first time the paper was seen
by Tyler Moll. Moll received his Master’s in His- Dispatch at no cost to the residents, was at the mural unveiling, and the
Memory Lane was originally torical Preservation at Eastern Michi- still on newsprint, and it is available cover story of the first issue featured
started by Darlene Hawley, a mem- gan University. He worked restoring online for our online readers. Their Joshua Winer and David Fichter, the
ber of the Historical commission, to buildings when he discovered that he success comes from years of experi- muralists who painted the mural on
educate the community on the his- liked museums. Moll has worked at ence. And more importantly, experi- the side of the State Wayne Theater.
tory of our city. the Dearborn Historical Museum for ence together. Now The Wayne Dispatch has
Moll took over the Memory Lane six years and he continues his Natalie and John met when a mu- published 197 issues. Their 200th
column about two years ago, but had restoration work. tual friend introduced them. That issue will be in June which is also
submitted some articles once in a Moll has used his passion for same friend knew Natalie had stud- when John and Natalie’s 30th an-
while to The Wayne Dispatch a few buildings for the good of the city of ied graphic design in college and was niversary is.
years before that. “My favorite part is Wayne. “I like finding out things that looking for an internship, and got “Time has flown by so fast,” said
that I get freedom to choose what people haven't found out before. We her an interview at The Wayne Eagle, Natalie. “We were able to publish
topic I want to write about. It could have thousands of pictures and where John happened to work as Art every month, even through the pan-
be something I've been researching many don't have anything on the Director. demic, even through my cancer treat-
that month or something I find inter- back - no information. I’m good at Natalie started working at The ments. It’s pretty cool that we’ve
esting,” said Moll. “The freedom to identifying houses and buildings,” Wayne Eagle in the fall of 1993. John been able to keep up with the same
choose is nice.” said Moll. Moll has identified thou- and Natalie got married on Saturday, quality of work and we haven't
In February, Moll just completed sands of buildings. June 3, 1995, and moved into their missed a month.”
an eight-part series on the history of If you’d like to see some of the current home in Wayne in the spring If you’re curious what happens
the Wayne County Poorhouse and history that Moll writes about, you of 1996, one week before their first each month, Moll and I write the sto-
Asylum, later known as Eloise. can visit the Wayne Historical Society wedding anniversary. ries, both John and Natalie do pho-
“There was a lot of history to cover. at 1 Towne Square St, from 10 a.m. They continued to work together tography, Natalie builds the ads, and
It’s a subject people go nuts for - 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. and shared an office at The Wayne
around this area,” said Moll. “I’ve re- Wayne has some interesting history, Eagle until the fall of 2002. So when See Spotlight, page 13
The Wayne Dispatch · March 2025 · 11