Our communities collectively have gone through a terrible tragedy in the past several weeks. Once again, we have witnessed some incredible “speculation” on social media locally. Commentary has ranged from positive and supportive of the family and of law enforcement…to just plain mean and uninformed. As most of you know, The Beacon doesn’t generally cover crime stories locally. However, we do support our local law enforcement agencies. I am quite positive that the search for Harley Dilly kept a lot of them up at night, particularly Port Clinton Police Chief Rob Hickman. I hope all can simply move on and remember Harley as a sweet young man who made a very bad decision that cost him his life.

Port Clinton Mayor Mike Snider is hosting a meeting this Saturday at the Middle School in an effort to get feedback from the community as to what should be the strategic direction the City should take. Meeting starts at 9 a.m. and is scheduled to go all day. If you plan to attend, RSVP to 419-734-5522.

Judy Kiser of Marblehead is the winner this week in our “Find Wylie” contest. Judy was chosen from among 67 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for Erie Cottage Tracing Co. on page 5B in last week’s Beacon. So, Judy wins our weekly $25 gas card graciously donated by Friendship Stores. Each week we hide Wylie Walleye in an ad and our readers, when one of them finds him, can either bring in a contest entry cut out of the paper or log onto our website … www.thebeacon.net … and let us know where he is, thus entering, and possibly winning our weekly contest.

The Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Member Dinner will be held on Jan. 31, at 6 p.m. at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds Hall located on SR 163 just east of Oak Harbor. The evening will kick off with social hour, followed by a hot buffet dinner, a short business meeting, followed by entertainment, and a Chinese Auction throughout the night! Tickets are $15.00 each, and may be purchased by calling the chamber office at 419-898-0479. Deadline to RSVP is Monday, Jan. 27.

The Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for their annual awards which will be held this spring. The award categories are: Lighthouse Award (business that has made an outstanding contribution in their field); Beautification Award (A business that has contributed to the aesthetic enhancement of the community either at their place of business or elsewhere in the area; New Business (best new business launch for 2019); Outstanding Citizen (individual who has contributed to the citizens and/or the well-being of the local business community); finally the Chamber Member of the Year.

Otterbein resident Beth and Otterbein activity coordinator Daniel, enjoy the 1st potluck lunch of the 2020 season at Lakeside Chautauqua. Otterbein’s Chef Andy provides the main course and the Lakeside residents bring a dish to share.

A big “Welcome to the Community” goes out to Rev. Dr. Douglas Williamson, the new Pastor of First United Church of Christ in Marblehead. He hails from the Boston, MA area and most recently was interim pastor in St. Marys, Ohio.

Tickets are still on sale for the Marblehead Purse Bingo event on Saturday, March 7 at Danbury School. The event is hosted by the Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and the Danbury Parent Teacher Organization.

Annie Quisno of Port Clinton, a graduate of Oak Harbor High School majoring in exercise science, has been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2019 semester at Baldwin Wallace University, according to Provost Stephen D. Stahl.

The American Red Cross is in need of blood and will have a blood drive in the Magruder Hospital Conference Center this Friday, Jan. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4p.m. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter sponsor code: MAGRUDERHOSP, or call Rachel at 419-732-4061.

Following several years of extensive planning the reconstruction of the Elmore bridge is set to begin. Even though the bridge is on the list of historic places, however, it was found to be too deteriorated for rehabilitation. The cost of the project is $4.5 million.