Ottawa County is still at level 3 (red) for Covid 19 cases. There will be a testing station set up at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds tomorrow, Friday Nov. 13 from Noon to 6 p.m.

Who’s the Biggest Turkey in and around Port Clinton?  Well, the members of Port Clinton’s Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions clubs and the Women’s Club are all hoping they are!  Members of these service organizations have partnered with the United Way of Ottawa County and Bistro 163 to help offset the cost of the annual Community Thanksgiving Meal.

For several decades this free family-style Thanksgiving feast, with all the trimmings, was organized and prepared by the parishioners of Trinity United Methodist Church in Port Clinton. Recently, the United Way of Ottawa County and Bistro 163 collectively picked up the gravy ladle to insure that everyone that wants a Thanksgiving meal in Ottawa County can have one free of charge.

In the age of COVID, the family style dining experience will be suspended in lieu of curbside pick-up or, if needed, limited home delivery. Please call the United Way of Ottawa County at 419-734-6645 to offer a monetary donation to support the Community Thanksgiving Meal or to sign up for curbside pickup / home delivery.

Notice the water levels along the Lake Erie shoreline along Ottawa County seem to be a little lower these days? Lake Erie water levels declined 4.3 inches from September to October, report officials, which is 0.40 inches more than the normal decline. Lake St. Clair, while not a Great Lake on its own, flows down the Detroit River and into Lake Erie, and has also had record water level issues. Lake St. Clair dropped 5.4 inches in the past month, an even more significant 1.8-inch drop over the typical September to October decline.

Donna Bockwich was chosen from among 132 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for the Otterbein Senior Living on Page 6B in last week’s Beacon. So, Donna 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 bells are ringing! The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle volunteer bell ringers began their Christmas season on Monday at the Friendship Food Stores in Port Clinton and Catawba. The bells will be ringing at the Miller Market in Genoa and the Community Market in Oak Harbor on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Port Clinton bell ringers are set to go at Walmart on Saturday, Nov. 21, and the Red Kettles will be ready at Krogers on Friday, Nov. 27. The bell ringers are manning the Red Kettles every day but Sunday.

I just learned Monday morning of the passing of Fred Ignello, a longtime member of the Port Clinton Knights of Columbus. He moved away from his beloved Catawba Island seven years ago to Brighton, Mich. Whenever he approached you while he lived here, you knew he had K of C Charity raffle tickets to sell. He was a gifted ticket seller and a truly nice man.

It was a very good call by the City of Port Clinton to propose joining the Ohio WARN Program. The city will enter into an Ohio Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network Mutual Aid Agreement that has Ohio WARN Program members share resources and assist each other in the form of personnel, equipment, materials and supplies in the event of emergencies that disrupt utility services. While emergency assistance can be requested from other members, the response from members is voluntary.

This is your chance to win $10,000! Danbury PTCO and the Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce are having their 1st annual Reverse Raffle Fundraiser this Saturday, Nov. 14. Only a few of the $125 tickets are left, and each includes one dinner and dessert. Extra dinners are $25. Tickets can be mailed out to you by calling the Marblehead Chamber office at 419-702-7492. A delicious dinner is being provided by 1812 Food & Spirits with drive through pickup at the Danbury School Bus Garage from 5-6:30 p.m.  A MEGA 50/50 raffle will be offered for $5 per ticket at the drive through.

The Virtual Live Feed Raffle will begin at 7 p.m. to watch at home. If you would like to reserve a table at Erie Social Shuffleboard Club to watch on the big screen, please call Teri at the Chamber to make a reservation. You will be able to bring your 1812 catered meal in with you.

Trish McCartney of Trish McCartney State Farm Insurance Agency Inc. has been awarded $6,163 from the Port Clinton Revolving Loan Fund by Port Clinton City Council to make improvements to the exterior of her building at 315 Lincoln Dr. in Port Clinton. I keep wanting to go there to buy donuts!

The Port Clinton Lions Club will be holding a Poinsettia Sale until Dec. 1. The 6-1/2 inch pots are in red, white, pink or marbled, and will go for $8.50. The 8-1/2 inch pots will sell for $16.50 in red, white or pink. Order from any Lions Club member or call Lorna Garber at 630-881-8230.

Joan Harris an Otterbein Senior Life resident in Marblehead gets in the Halloween spirit by painting a pumpkin.