So sorry to learn of the untimely passing of my good friend Barb Chrysler. She was the rock of South Bass Island. She just retired as the manager of the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club at the end of the season. I have so many memories, I can’t mention them all here. I can just say that Barb was the best.

I was also saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Kasper. He was a super guy and a super auctioneer. In college, my glee club performed at the seminary in Bardstown, KY. Bob was there, but I didn’t know it at the time. Our finale was “There is Nothing like a Dame” from South Pacific, and I remember getting a standing ovation from the seminarians!

Bob didn’t become a priest, but always remained a great individual.

Just for fun, I drove by Dock’s Beach House Saturday evening and the traffic was crazy. Is the Burning Snowman a successful promotion? I think so.

Shawn Lester of Fremont was selected from among 117 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for Marblehead Galley on Page 8 in last week’s Beacon. So, congratulations to Shawn, 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 Port Clinton Chamber and Main Street Port Clinton will be holding a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the official grand opening of The Brick House on Friday, March 4 at 2:30 p.m. The Brick House is located at 111 Madison Street.

Director Jonathan Head of the the Oak Harbor Middle School Instrumental Band and his band students were the highlight of a recent Benton-Carroll-Salem Schools Board of Education meeting. Head had created “Band Karate,” for his students, a new fun, motivational technique aimed at helping students improving their musicianship. The technique is encourages students to earn different “belts,” much like karate students, based on the skill level each has attained.

The timing of the Ohio Department of Transportation in replacing a bridge over Cedar Creek on State Route 2 could be better for the Black Swamp Bird Observatory and its celebration of the Biggest Week in American Birding. It’s going to mean a detour on Route 2 during the extremely popular birding week from May 6-15 on the very busy highway on the Ottawa-Lucas county border. The ODOT detours: I-280 or SR 2 to SR 51 to SR 579 to SR 2.

The Port Clinton Lighthouse Conservancy will be hosting the fourth Lighthouse and Maritime Festival on Saturday, Aug. 20, at Waterworks Park on Perry Street. As in past years, this year’s festival will feature music, great food, events for the kids, demonstrations, free lighthouse tours, historical talks, and storytelling.

New this year will be plein air painting hosted by the Great Port Clinton Area Arts Council, an on-land boat show, and kite flying. Vendors will be displaying their nautical-related wares. The Lighthouse Conservancy is calling on members of the community to step forward and offer their talents. Volunteers should send an email to contact@portclintonlighthouse.org.

Congratulations to the following local students who earned dean’s list recognition at Ohio University for the fall semester:

College of Arts and Sciences student Taylor Beard of Oak Harbor; College of Arts and Sciences student Gabbie Buhay of Port Clinton; College of Arts and Sciences student Anna Zeitzheim of Oak Harbor; Scripps College of Communication student Alaina Dackermann of Port Clinton; Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education student Ryan Gwin of Port Clinton; Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education student Jade Nickel of Port Clinton; Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education student Annie Tibbels of Marblehead; College of Fine Arts student Daniel Bollin of Oak Harbor; College of Fine Arts student Emma Zeitzheim of Port Clinton; College of Health Sciences and Professions student Kalee Rakosky of Lakeside Marblehead; College of Health Sciences and Professions student Kennedee Weirich of Oak Harbor; College of Health Sciences and Professions student Katy Wiewandt of Port Clinton; and Honors Tutorial College student Hannah Moore of Port Clinton.