So sorry to learn of the passing of Jerry Rusk. He was a very successful businessman from the Toledo area who moved here, I think in the 1990s, with his wife Kathy. Jerry was an avid waterfowl hunter, and always wanted to live on a marsh.

He found a great waterfowl hunting marsh south of Port Clinton and bought it. He became very active in the community the minute he arrived. He was a genuinely nice person and will be missed.

The amazing streak of the Port Clinton Redskins’ football team finally ended last Friday night in Euclid. It was so neat to help the team leave town last Friday afternoon given a full procession of Port Clinton Fire Engines. This is what Coach Beau Carmon had to say: “After some time to reflect, I just wanted to say thank you for the unbelievable support the PC community gave our young men this fall. Friday nights in True-Lay are special and our boys take a tremendous amount of pride representing Port Clinton.

Please carry that energy over for our winter sports athletes! Go Skins!”

We’ve had a bit of a spike in reported Covid-19 cases in Ottawa County. There were 160 cases reported during the week ending last Monday, Nov. 29. There were two deaths reported and two people were hospitalized.

Greg Holewinski from the Cleveland area was selected from among 121 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for Resort at Erie Landing on Page 6A in last week’s Beacon. So, congratulations to Greg, the winner of 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.

Katie Reinhart has come home, and she’s already in business in downtown Port Clinton.

The daughter of Stewart Brand and granddaughter of Daryl and Connie Brand of Brand’s Marina, Reinhart had worked in marketing at The Toledo Blade and has been a clothing retailer for four years at Lateral Gig in downtown Toledo.

“It’s great to be back in my home town, and we’re almost ready to open our doors in what was the Put-in-Bay T-Shirt Company (117 East 2nd St., Port Clinton), which I’d purchased,” said Reinhart. “My new store is called ‘Spreading Local Feels,’ and we’re creating custom apparel for businesses and the community.”

Welcome home, Katie!

Tradition counts in this area, and the return of Santa Claus and Ms. Claus to The Island House on Saturday, Dec. 4, for Community Christmas has delighted families with small children. The jolly couple will slip in from the North Pole at 3-5 p.m. to visit with the kids, and then take a short ride around downtown in a Port Clinton Fire Truck in the annual Lighted Christmas Parade.

Santa and Ms. Claus will wrap up their celebration at Adams Street, where Santa will flip the switch on the Christmas Tree.

Some of the tastiest chili in Ottawa County will be featured at the 10th annual Community Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 4, with a few dozen local businesses vying for the local title in the 6th annual Chili Tasting Competition. Not surprisingly, some of the chili chefs are at establishments that also sell cold beer, which is legal to sip while holiday celebrants wander around the downtown shops.

The traditional Lights of Spiegel Grove return to the Hayes Museum in Fremont on Thursday, Dec. 9, an evening of holiday fun, including lighting the Presidential Library & Museums’ indoor large Christmas tree and a gingerbread house contest. Horse-drawn sleigh rides by South Creek Clydesdales and Christmas-themed Hayes Home tours are offered for a fee. Carolers also will be singing throughout the event from 6-8 p.m.

And speaking of that, the annual Gift of Lights decorations of Christmas Trees for charity will be fired up this week, and businesses and organizations may purchase a tree for a $35 donation, a check made payable to the Port Clinton Recreation Department. The trees will be located at Adams Street Park in downtown Port Clinton. People will vote for their favorite or best-decorated tree for a $1 donation. Organizations and businesses must complete their trees by Friday, Dec. 3.

Voting begins on Saturday, Dec. 4. Ballot boxes will be available at the Main Street Port Clinton and Port Clinton Chamber office, City Hall, Coffee Express, Lilly & Gerts, Slater’s Madison Street Pub, and the Ala Carte Café. The deadline to vote is Friday, Dec. 17 at noon.

The Friends of Magee Marsh will host their 14th annual Holiday Open House this Sunday, Dec. 5 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Migratory Bird Center. Twelve vendors, including artists, woodworking, ceramics, jewelry and craftsmen will have unique items for sale and the gift shop will be open. There will also be live music, a warm fire refreshments and activities for the kids. It’s all FREE!

The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be coming to our area again on Thursday, Dec. 16 from 1-6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express just north of the SR 163 and 53 intersection. To make a reservation, contact Kim Bartish at 419-732-7322.

One of our most favorite holiday traditions here at The Beacon is our annual Mitten Tree which is up and waiting for your donations-decorations. We load up the tree every year with mittens, gloves, scarves, and caps to help keep heads, hands and hearts warm for the winter. We are located at the Beacon Place business center off State Route 53 next to Goodwill. Thank you in advance for your contributions.

Class A Performing Arts is proudly presenting The Nutcracker 2021 at the Oak Harbor High School Theater on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. Ticket sales are going on now. Call the box office at 419-341-9007. Tickets are $18 per person for reserved seating.

The Salvation Army’s “Coats for Families” program will run through January 2022.  This program is based on donations from the general public new coats only. Last year, The Salvation Army collected and distributed over 570 coats to local families in Ottawa County.

This is the 27th year this program has been providing coats to the local residents. Collection areas for new coats is at The Salvation Army’s office. If you would like to donate new coats or are in need of a new winter coat, please call The Salvation Army at 419-732-2769.

The Marblehead Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Director’s Meeting and Christmas Party on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Canoe Club Wine Bar, 5831 E. Harbor Rd., Marblehead. Tickets are $30. To RSVP call 419-702-7492 or email: info@themarbleheadpeninsula.com.