Alan Pedersen is a bereaved father, nationally recognized inspirational speaker on grief and loss, award winning singer/songwriter, and successful recording artist. He will be performing at Lakeview Park in Port Clinton at The Compassionate Friends’ Children’s Memorial on Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m.

In August of 2001 Alan’s only daughter Ashley was killed in an automobile accident in Colorado. This tragedy took his life in a direction he never imagined. His pain and journey toward finding joy again have been the subject matter for four highly acclaimed CD’s of original songs.

Spring is the start of many activities in the Village of Marblehead and around the region. With spring and warmer weather come construction and street projects. Currently the Streets Committee is working hard to drive every street and determine what projects are of the highest priority and will fall within the budget set for fiscal year 2013.

The second annual Civilian Marksmanship Program Lighted Boat Parade at the Walleye Festival is scheduled for Friday, May 24, at 9:30 p.m.  A rain date is scheduled for Sunday, May 26, at 9:30pm.  Applications are available now at the Main Street Port Clinton office.

Boats will be assembling on the Portage River, traveling under the Lift Bridge, past Waterworks Park and the Walleye Festival to Lake Erie and then returning to the Portage River.

One Saturday, May 18, the Port Clinton Artists’ Club is offering a class with renowned watercolorist Charles Rowland. A watercolor artist for over 25 years, he is both an active artist and teacher. His work has won many awards in Ohio area exhibitions and can be found in private and corporate collections throughout the United States. Rowland will be teaching students how to combine shapes to give their painting a more interesting look, hard and soft edges, lost and found edges and color mixing. “Charles is an excellent instructor and always comes prepared to teach something new,” said Kathie Widing, program chair. The class will be held at the Sutton Center, 1854 Perry St. in Port Clinton. The cost is $45. Contact Kathie Widing for more information at 419-341-0817.

Several Boy Scouts and leaders of the Marblehead Troop #331 provided a Service Project on Saturday, April 20, for The Benajah Wolcott Keepers House.  The boys stacked a large pile of firewood left over from the War of 1812 Reenactment last September.  They also picked up the many pine cones and branches scattered over the lawn from the winter winds and raked the stones that were scattered on the lawn left by the snow plow.

The Lakeside Annual Plant Sale will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 11, on the front steps of Hoover Auditorium, 115 W. Third Street. There are no gate pass admission fees for this event.

The plant sale will feature a variety of annuals, perennials, herbs, ground covers and small nursery stock for purchase. All proceeds from the Lakeside Annual Plant Sale will used to help keep the Lakeside Chautauqua grounds beautiful throughout the summer season.

Now that the 2012 tax season is in the rear-view mirror, it’s a good time for small business owners to reassess their company’s financial health and their relationship with their bank.  The American Bankers Association offers the following tips to help small business owners enhance their current banking relationship or choose the best bank for their needs.

Oak Harbor FFA students and Ottawa SWCD Staff packed tree seedlings for the Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District at Moore Orchards. The annual tree sale program has been offered to landowners for over 40 years. Offered are varieties of small seedlings, shrubs and larger hardwoods. Native plant seed packets were also available.