The Covid-19 death total in Ottawa County is now up to 75, up only two from last week. Also, there were only a total of six additional cases in the county in the same time frame. The incidence of the virus is over 20% lower here than in the rest of Ohio. The Ottawa County Health Department reports that 27% of County residents have been vaccinated so far.

We’re coming up on Holy Week next week. In the Catholic faith, this Sunday is Passion Sunday, which reenacts the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ. I am enjoying the homilies of Father John Wight, the Port Clinton native and now Pastor of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Port Clinton. This will be his first Easter back home in Port Clinton.

Jack Lautermilch of Marblehead was chosen from among 115 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for America’s Boating Courses on Page 1B in last week’s Beacon. So, congratulations Jack. You are 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.

The Schedel Arboretum & Gardens, one of Ottawa County’s treasures located in Elmore, opens April 1. They are also pleased to announce the opening of the Blair Museum of Lithophanes. The collection is the largest in the world, consisting of some 2,300 pieces and is the only lithophane museum in the United States.

Originally donated by collector Laurel Blair to the City of Toledo in 1993, the collection was housed in Blair’s Old West End Toledo home until his death. In July 2020, the collection was donated to the gardens. Lithophanes are three-dimensional translucent porcelain plaques which when back-lit reveal detailed images.

The Marblehead Peninsula Lions Club will host an Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt this year in lieu of their traditional Easter Egg Hunt, announced President Tod Kelly. Six area merchants have graciously stepped up to serve our community. They are The Marblehead Galley, The Marblehead Soap Co., Martha and Molly’s, The Pink Perch, Teriyaki Designs and Village Pro Hardware.

Each business has been given a basket of 100 eggs to distribute and each business has a specific color egg. Children and their parents (grandparents or guardians) have already begun to set off to “collect the rainbow” by visiting each business to get all six different colored eggs.

Each egg is filled with candy and a raffle ticket. (No purchase is necessary to receive an egg and it is not necessary to collect eggs from all businesses.) According to event co-chairs Heidi Gast and Marla Hirt, the club will draw one winning ticket from each participating business on Saturday, March 27, at 2 p.m. The drawing will be held via Facebook. Each winning child will receive a $20 Walmart gift card, and, in addition, each winner’s parent will receive a $10 gift certificate to the local business. For more information, contact Heidi Gast at (419) 341-2206 or hgast812@gmail.com or Marla Hirt at (419) 341-0828 or mkhirt125@gmail.com.

The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be making another visit to the area next week (Monday, March 29), at the Port Clinton Elks Lodge on Buckeye Blvd in Port Clinton. They will be there from Noon to 6 p.m. Also, there will be another bloodmobile at 50 NE Catawba Rd. on Saturday, April 3 from 9 a.m. to Noon.

Who remembers March 20, 2010? That was the day the Port Clinton boys’ basketball team punched their ticket to the state tournament in Columbus. We all had quite a shock coming home from Bowling Green only to find Mayhew’s Restaurant burned down that same day.

The Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt this Saturday, March 27 at 2 p.m. at Adolphus Kraemer Park. The event is for children 12 and under. Attendees must follow the current guidelines for masks and social distancing.

We have told you about the Lenten Fish Fries at St. Mary’s in Marblehead and at the Denny Bergeman K of C Hall in Port Clinton. We wanted you to know that St. Boniface in Oak Harbor is also holding weekly Friday Fish Fries.

The Ottawa County Drug-Free Collaborative presents “Street Smart: Ohio” on Tuesday, April 20 at both Port Clinton (1-4 p.m.) and Oak Harbor High Schools (6-9 p.m.) The program is a collaborative effort between DARE and the Sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit for anyone with a connection with children.

You are encouraged to register today as seating is limited to 15% at both locations. All attendees must wear a mask and practice social distancing. Registration is at: www.forms.gle?/zf3bdyDnhhu5nAFU6.

Otterbein Senior Life resident, Donna Drusbacky is hoping for a little Irish luck by creating a Leprechaun of her own.