July 2019 News New Walking Tours Share History, Ghost Stories
A new addition to this summer’s activities at Put-in-Bay is a walking tour of the village being hosted by Viktoriya Zakharova and William G. Krejci. Two different tours will be offered throughout the July 2019 News season. The Historic Put-in-Bay Village Walk, featuring tour guides dressed in 19th Century attire, will be conducted on Tuesday afternoons at 1 and 4. The Haunted Put-in-Bay Ghost Walk, a spooky lantern tour of the village, steps off at 7:30 on Friday evenings. Both tours depart from The Boardwalk Dock and the cost to attend is $15. Children 12 and under are free but must be accompanied by an adult.
Another Reason for Slow Business Season
A North Royalton woman was recently sentenced to prison for embezzling $1.1 million from the company in the Cleveland area she worked for. Prosecutors said the woman detailed the transactions in a folder on her computer labeled “Do Not Use,” and found some of the ill-gotten money was used to live it up at Put-in-Bay. Obviously, there is more than the rain and cool temperatures to blame for the poor business so far this season.
West Shore Sayonara and Welcome Resident July 2019 News
Roger and Maura McIntyre packed up and left their cottage after selling it this spring to Mark and Lisa Berens from Defiance, Ohio. Maura had enjoyed Put-in-Bay since her Aunt Mary “Sis” McIntyre purchased the cottage in 1963. We’re sad to see Maura and Roger leave, but are happy to welcome Mark and Lisa to the island.
They’ve Been Traveling
Dave and Linda Frederick from the West Shore were out west seeing the sights early in June with daughter Christy and her husband Ben Bykowski and grandkids. Paul Jeris was in Spain and Alaska. Also in Alaska were Mary Ann and Berni Meyers, Brad Ohlemacher and his son Jack, and Rob Stolph and his son Colby. Melinda Myers from the Crew’s Nest visited France, Germany, and Holland with her sister Mary McCann, mother Maryann McCann and daughter Erin Urge.
July 2019 News Random Items
Joe Bodenbender has purchased Bodee’s Bungalow Guesthouseon Doller Ave. and is no longer working as a bartender at Mojito Bay! John Ballas and his daughter Michelena from Chapman Rd. raced together in last month’s Mills Cup Race. Michelena is a hostess at the Goat this season. Did you know that on Scott Market’s birthday the sun can be viewed from Put-in-Bay sitting right between the two stacks in Monroe, Michigan at the west end of the lake?
Going Back a Few Years
Jeff Koehler and Bill Jellison from Toledo Ave. were reminiscing about the old days at Put-in-Bay and discovered their first time on the island was in 1945. Jeff was a newborn on his first visit to his maternal grandmother, Helen Traverso. Bill came for the Regatta and while he was here, the first atomic bomb which led to the end of World War II was dropped on Japan.
Record-Breaking Water Levels Predicted
Jeff Reutter, the retired director of Ohio Sea Grant, is predicting that after the new record high average water level in Lake Erie was set in May, there is a good likelihood that new record water levels will be set each month through September and maybe longer. You may have seen photos of the high water in the Island June 2019 Events.
Council accepts Deputy Chief’s resignation
The Put-in-Bay Village Council accepted the resignation of Deputy Chief Doug at its June meeting. Miller, who came from a department
on the east side of Cleveland, was with the department for the last couple of seasons and was Chief Riddle’s, right-hand man. Council then gave approval for the police department to hire a replacement for Miller.
Anne Auger tagged for Position
Mayor Dress recommended Acting Village Administrator Anne Auger for the permanent position of the Village Administrator for the Village of Put-in-Bay with a salary of $62,000.00 per year; starting June 12th, 2019. Anne has been acting Village Administrator since last fall. Council voted to approve the appointment.
Found on Facebook
“Love how some people never bother with you for years!!! Kid Rock is coming and they need a place to stay. Good luck!!!”
Coast Guard training
On Thursday, May 30th, the U.S. Coast Guard conducted its annual training with the ferry boats in the Lake Erie Island area. The training began after ferries rendezvoused at the Jet Express dock Put-in-Bay in the early morning. The exercises are designed to help train the Put-in-Bay ferry captains, their crews and the Coast Guard. The crews know how to communicate with, approach, board and remove the threat from each of the ferries, should the need ever arise This year’s exercises were conducted aboard the Miller ferry, the Jet Express, the Kelleys Island Ferry and The Good Times. During the drills, there was support from the Marblehead Auxiliary Flotilla, the Port Clinton Police Department and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department.
Remember Father Nick?
Father Nicholas Cunningham, the longtime priest at Mother of Sorrows on the island celebrated his 40th year of priest ordination on June 9th, 2019. Father Nick is now the Pastor at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in New Bavaria, Ohio.
Put-in-Bay Township Requesting High Water Photos
If anyone has pictures or video of the high water damage on Middle Bass, could you send copies to Put-in-Bay Township at pibtwp@cros.net. Please indicate the location of the picture or video. The township will be using this information in the FEMA Disaster Mitigation Grant application. Call the township at 419- 285-2292 with questions. Thank you.
Fun Things To Do
Island guests can visit the Aquatic Visitors Center on Peach Point (at the west end of the harbor at Put-in-Bay) Wednesdays through Saturdays until August 24th. You can explore the center’s history as a former state fish hatchery, and meet some of Lake Erie’s inhabitants. Admission is free. Due to the high water levels on Lake Erie, fishing off the pier at the center is on a day-to-day basis. Fun Fact Lake Erie is holding 5.2 trillion (5,200,000,000,000) gallons more water than usual. It is estimated that if the outflow of water over Niagara Falls were doubled from its normal 681,750 gallons per second, it would take 79 days to bring the lake’s level back to normal. The math is a little simpler to draw the comparison to the state of Ohio. Lake Erie, at 9,910 square miles, is less than a fourth of the size of Ohio. So if you could
somehow pump out the 30 extra inches of water depth in Lake Erie and dump it across Ohio’s nearly 45,000 square miles, it would cover the state with about 6.5 inches of water.
Reports Premature
Recent reports that funding has been acquired for the repair of the seawall at Perry’s Monument is a bit premature. It is true that the funding was approved in a House Committee, but it still has to be approved by the full House and Senate and signed by the President. If all goes well and funding is passed, it is hoped that work could begin in 2021 according to July 2019 News.
New Adventure
Nikki Karr Fain (Put-in-Bay High School Class of 2004) has been living in Southern Ohio for the last several years. Now she, her husband
Dylan and two sons, Austin and Ryker, are moving to Uganda to teach at a Christian school and carry out God’s work to further the Kingdom. We know they will have a wonderful experience and look forward to hearing more about their bold adventure.
July 2019 News: Algae Bloom Forecast A Bummer
The excessive rain isn’t hurting just farmers or businesses at Put-in-Bay. It is predicted by NOAA that algae blooms in Lake Erie are going to be much higher this year. The annual, in-depth scientific forecast for the summer will be announced July 11 at Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island. In the latest pre-forecast, the agency puts the severity of this summer’s algal bloom at greater than seven on a scale of 10 — much more severe than 2018. Runoff caused by rain is the biggest driver of algal blooms, and more heavy storms appear on the horizon.
Hotel Victory Exhibit
One of the things Put-in-Bay is celebrating this year is the 100th anniversary of the burning of the Hotel Victory in August 1919, the world’s largest wood structure summer resort hotel that was located where the South Bass Island State Park is today. The story of the hotel is fascinating and is told in a wonderful display at the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society. Stop by the museum located just behind the Put-in-Bay Town Hall. The museum is open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Put-in-Bay Yacht Club Annual Fundraiser
The Put-in-Bay Maritime Society will have a fundraiser at the Yacht Club Saturday, July 20th, from 5 p.m. to close. After all the
nor’easter winds this spring, the fundraiser has appropriately been themed “The Northern Tropics”. The fundraiser actually begins at 8 a.m. with 9 holes of golf at Saunder’s Resort golf course. It’s $50 per person. At noon, there will be drinks at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club Bayview Room with awards presented for the best team score, closest to the hole, straightest shot and hole in one. Contact the PIBYC Office at (419) 285-4505, or Brian Leonard at BL43204@hotmail.com or (614) 404-3055. Reservations are required.
Then in the evening at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club, there will be a Reverse Raffle and dinner. Things start off at 5 p.m. with happy hour drink specials and hors d’oeuvres. Dinner will be at 6 p.m. Dinner and reverse raffle ticket cost $60; reverse raffle only is $40. For tickets contact the PIBYC office or any board member. A ticket is required. There will be dancing with DJ Thorny and drink specials from 8 to 11 p.m. Members and guests are welcome. That’s all for July 2019 News
