The Oak Harbor FFA Chapter will play host to the annual fishing derby during Sunday, July 22, during the Ottawa County Fair. All kids ages 12 and under are invited. The event will take place at the race track infield pond and will begin promptly at scheduled times: the 0-5 age group will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by the 6-12 age group starting at 11 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to the boys and girls of each class for the most fish caught (ties broken by total weight of the catch), largest fish caught (by weight) or smallest fish caught (by weight). There is also a guaranteed prize for every contestant that registers before July 18.   

David R. Bush, PhD., Heidelberg University, Tiffin, will present a program at 7 p.m. July 16 at the Ida Rupp Public Library covering his archeological work at the Johnson’s Island Confederate Prison and Cemetery.
Bush began his archeological study of the Johnson’s Island site in 1989. Professor Bush’s research has yielded many significant finds on the Island, including the location of Fort Hill, Fort Johnson (the prison stockade) and the dock area. Excavations and “digs” have been used to study several of the sinks (latrines), the powder magazine for Fort Hill, a prison well and portions of two prison blocks.

Each year the Meeting Professionals International Ohio Chapter recognizes chapter members who exemplify the finest in the meetings and hospitality industry. These awards officially recognize planners and suppliers who have made significant contributions to the chapter and the industry. The Lake Erie Shores & Islands Group Sales Team was recently recognized by MPI Ohio as “Supplier of the Year.” Group Sales Manager Amanda Smith Rasnick accepted the award at the organization’s annual banquet. Also nominated for Supplier of the Year were representatives from the Columbus Convention Center, Thirty One Gifts, and the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza Hotel. This award was made possible by the cooperation of many Lake Erie Shores & Islands industry partners and their willingness to work together for the good of the destination. Smith Rasnick has been selling and promoting Lake Erie Shores & Islands as a meeting destination since 2008.

Enjoy a day of stirring music, ice cream and desserts and local history Saturday, July 14, at the Wolcott Keeper’s House, 9999 E. Bayshore Road in Marblehead.
Tours of the 1820s stone house of Marblehead Lighthouse’s first keepers, Benajah and Rachel Wolcott, begin at 10 a.m. Ottawa County Historical Society volunteers will offer desserts and Toft’s ice cream from 11 a.m. and dulcimer performer Tracie Henson will perform traditional music from noon to 2 p.m. The 65-piece North Coast Concert Band will perform at 2 p.m. in the natural amphitheater behind the house, featuring rousing marches, dazzling soloists and contemporary arrangements.

EHOVE Adult Career Center celebrated its 17th graduation ceremony for the Certified Surgical Technology program on June 28. Seven graduates — including Nicole Koester from Port Clinton — attended the 10-month full-time program at EHOVE.
Class speaker Noelani Brown started off the ceremony: “We started out as bartenders, factory workers and stay-at-home moms, and now we stand before you as proud surgical technologists.”
“This program lives up to its reputation,” she said. “We were told we would be given the fundamentals and tools that would change our lives. We now possess them.”

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science issued the first-ever seasonal harmful algal bloom forecast for Lake Erie at an all-day press event Thursday at Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory. The forecast predicts a mild bloom, similar to conditions last seen in 2007 and about one-tenth the size of last year’s bloom.
“A mild bloom is great news for this year,” said Dr. Jeffrey Reutter, Director of Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory. “But this is happening because we’re in a drought, not because phosphorus loading to Lake Erie has improved. If we have a real wet spring in 2013, we could be right back to where we were.”

Have you been noticing giant black plumes of smoke in the sky around Lake Erie lately? The local Pheasants Forever chapter and the Ottawa Soil & Water Conservation District have been conducting prescribed burns as a fundamental part of the Lake Erie Cooperative Weed Management Area program. This program aims to protect, restore, and enhance the Western Lake Erie Basin landscape and wetlands by coordinating efforts to identify, prevent and control invasive species.

President Barack Obama made two unannounced stops in Ottawa County Thursday during the first day of his “Betting on America” bus tour.
Valerie Winterfield was at Kozy Corners with her kids on Thursday when Secret Service agents announced the President’s plan to stop there for lunch. She said they searched the restaurant and the diners and brought a dog through to sweep the place. Then in walked the President.
“He sat down and ate lunch right next to us,” she said. “He was really down to earth. Almost to the point where you didn’t realize it was the President.”
According to Winterfield, nobody talked politics but instead Obama patiently made his way to everyone in the restaurant, shaking hands, posing for pictures and asking the locals how the summer was going. He even shared his pie with Winterfield’s 8-year-old son, Mason.

The Benton Carroll Salem School Board has completed the superintendent’s search and chosen an energetic leader for the district. The board started with a field of more than 25 candidates and finished by conducting extensive background and reference checks consisting of phone conversations and district visits. The result of the board’s exhaustive search is the hiring of Dr. Guy Parmigian as the district’s next superintendent. 

The First Annual Marblehead Summerfest will include a full schedule of activities. The fun-filled event will take place in James Park, Marblehead, and will begin Friday, July 6 and end on Sunday, July 8.

D&R Shows will bring in 10-14 amusement rides. There will be rides for everyone including kiddie rides and high thrill rides. They will also bring a midway of games and prizes.

Bar-B-Que Traveler will prepare chicken and ribs at the shelter house. Carry-out will be available. Other foods will include summertime favorites such as: brats and sauerkraut, hot dogs, pierogi, French fries, nachos, funnel cakes, fried cheese, cotton candy, hand-dipped corndogs, taffy and more.