Hello. It is April 1, another beautiful spring day in Ottawa County. We just received word that the Federal Government has determined to reinstate the Erie Army Depot at the Lake Erie Business Park. It will be a smaller version than the one that closed in 1965, but will employ slightly over 1,000 civilians. Conversion work will begin August 15, immediately after the National Rifle Matches are completed. Like I said, Happy April 1!

The Covid 19 death total in Ottawa County is now up to 76 deaths, up only 1 from last week. Also, there were only a total of 17 additional cases in the County in the same time frame. The Ottawa County Health Department reports that nearly 1/3rd of County residents have been vaccinated so far.

Randy Simmons of Sandusky was chosen from among 126 entries who found Wylie hiding in the ad for Otterbein North Shore Retirement Center on page 6B in last week’s Beacon. So, congratulations Randy. 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.

According to the Red Cross, the need for blood is critical right now. They will be sending the Bloodmobile to Ottawa County for the following visits: This Saturday, April 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express on SR 53, just past the Causeway. They will return there on Friday, April 16 from Noon to 6 p.m. Finally, they will be at the Marblehead VFW Hall next Wednesday, April 7 from Noon to 5 p.m.

Administrator Kendra German and her amazing View Crew at Ottawa County’s Riverview Healthcare Campus in Oak Harbor have received national recognition for their handling of the Covid-19 crisis. The recently renovated nursing home has yet to have a a single resident contract Covid-19, putting it among the 1% of nursing care facilities in the United States, according to the well-respected McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.

McKnight’s reported that 99% of nursing homes in America had at least one Covid-19 patient, and more than 80% have had at least one Covid-19 related death.

The Ohio Department of Transportation planned to close State Route 53 on Catawba for culvert replacement from Monday, April 12 through April between Muggy Road and Orchard Isle. This has been postponed until fall 2021.

It’s good to see ODOT tackling a necessary project well before the summer rush fills the Catawba Peninsula with visitors.

The 4th annual Bash on the Bay country music festival on the grounds of the Put-in-Bay Airport on south Bass Island will feature country music stars Blake Shelton and Keith Urban on Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 25-26. Wednesday’s lineup includes Shelton with Cumberland Run, John King, Cale Dodd and Runaway June. Thursday’s lineup includes Urban with The Outliers, Cory Farley, Walker Hayes and Carly Pearce. Tickets went on sale this week at eTix.com. For more information about the event, visit BashontheBay.com.

The Ohio Turnpike kicks off its 2021 construction season this month with a $205 million capital improvement program that includes projects throughout northern Ohio. The focus will be on improving safety and making progress on the modernized Toll Collection System that is scheduled to go live with Open Road Tolling in the spring of 2023 with all gates removed for E-ZPass customers. Identified infrastructure improvements in 2021 include pavement replacement and resurfacing, bridge rehabilitation and construction of a new Toll Plaza in Swanton, Ohio. The Toll Plaza at Milepost 49 will be one of four new or reconstructed Toll Plazas that will serve as the linchpin of the new system.

I received a nice note from former PCHS tennis standout Joe Miller, who has taken over from Lindsay Dunn as the new girls’ tennis coach at Port Clinton. He takes over a program with a long history of competitive success. We wish him the best of luck.

This Sunday is Easter, the holiest observance on the Christian Calendar, the observance of the basis of Christianity, the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead following his crucifixion. It is a wonderful time to enjoy with family.

Otterbein Senior Life resident, Anna Povlich enjoys painting Spring decorations for St Patrick’s Day.