Ottawa County is now up to 67 deaths determined to be the result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Slightly over 3,200 have been infected (including myself). The Ottawa County Health Department is moving forward with distributing the vaccine. By the end of this week, there will be over 5,000 local residents vaccinated. For up-to-date information on Covid in Ottawa County, check out their website ottawahealth.org.

It was just about a year ago when we first learned about this virus. I can tell you that, based on hundreds of conversations our staff has had with local businesses, the impact has been dramatic. I just read a press release this week from Larry Fletcher, Director of Lake Erie Shores and Islands. It was about this time last year when he and his staff had to scrap all of the planning they had done and go into “Emergency Mode.”

I, for one, never believed that this thing was going to last an entire year, but it has. So please . . . BUY LOCAL . . . whenever you can.

Phillip Rauscher was chosen from among the 110 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for The Que on Page 3A in last week’s Beacon. So, congratulations Phillip. 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.

Looking ahead to the summer months, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has announced it will welcome competitors back to Camp Perry for the 2021 National Matches rifle and pistol events at the historic Camp Perry National Guard Training Base in Port Clinton. The 2020 National Matches were cancelled due to Covid-19, a major blow to tourism all around Ottawa County. The month-long National Matches bring thousands of shooters, friends and families to the area for the pistol, rifle, smallbore and long range events, as well as within the indoor events at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. The traditional First Shot Ceremony is Tuesday, July 13.

This Wednesday, March 10, the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its annual Job Fair live on its Facebook page at noon. Employers from the Port Clinton area will be joining them to talk about their businesses, open positions and how to apply. Play back of the Job Fair will be available on the chamber’s website and YouTube channel. If you’re an employer looking to participate in this virtual Job Fair, call 419-734-5503 or email admin@portclintonchamber.com.

Monday, March 15 will be a REMOTE Day for all B-C-S students, which means that students will be learning from home. There will be no Acorn Alley that day. Principals and teachers will be communicating the procedures and expectations for learning on that day soon. Teaching and learning will be going on!

This remote day is being done because B-C-S staff will be having their second Covid-19 vaccine shot on Friday, March 12. There could be side effects (chills, fever, aches, etc.) for some following the second shot that could last a few days. That is why they are taking the precaution of not having in-person school on Monday, March 15.

The Red Cross Bloodmobile is visiting our area today (Thursday, March 4) at the Holiday Inn Express on SR 53, just east of SR 163. They will be there today from Noon to 5 p.m.

Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton will be closed throughout March, putting off its re-opening this year until Friday, April 9, when the museum will be open Friday through Sunday. In May, the museum will return to being open seven days a week. Guests or groups are welcome to call to schedule private tours. The museum can be reached at marketing@libertyaviationmuseum.org or by calling 419-732-0234.

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.

Put-in-Bay has a new Chamber of Commerce Director. Her name is Wendy Chambers who has served the last several years as the Visitor’s Center Director in Bowling Green. Welcome!

Former Bay Township volunteer fireman John Royster, sidelined by illness, discovered last Saturday he has lots of friends ready and willing to help him out. Royster was faced with township problems due to the appearance of his yard on West Oak Harbor Southeast Road. A batch of Bay Township’s newly appointed volunteer firemen — Mel McCord and his son, Kyler, Rick Kreutzfeld, Derrick Gottron and Josh Zetzer — quickly volunteered to handle Royster’s property problems and had things ship shape in just a few hours.

Otterbein Senior Life residents Bud and Shirley Engle enjoy a wonderful meal in the Bistro at Otterbein.