Give your dear mother a real Mother’s Day surprise this year. The Musical Arts Series in Port Clinton will wrap up its season with a Mother’s Day celebration on Sunday, May 8 at 3:30 p.m. at the at the Port Clinton High School Performing Arts Center. Featured are two of the finest artists internationally on cello and piano, Mark Kosower and Max Levinson. And you’ll still have plenty of time to take mom for a nice dinner.

Local business officials should join Shores & Islands Ohio in partnership with the Ottawa County Improvement Corporation to sit in on a panel of regional marketing experts to discuss overall strategies for the coming year. Great suggestions for spending advertising dollars, developing social media, and creating innovative ideas. Head over to the Catawba Island Club on Thursday, May 5 for the 9-11 a.m. program. Registration for the free program begins at 8:30 a.m.

Barb Bobel was selected from 145 entries who found Wylie Walleye hiding in the ad for Ali’s Beauty Charm out of Harborside Salon, which is in the service directory in last week’s Beacon on 5B. She wins a $25 gas card graciously donated by Friendship Stores. Each week we hide Wylie in an ad for our readers to find. When one does, they can log on to our website (thebeacon.net) and let us know!

Want to bet The Ohio State University will be among the top dogs in today’s NFL draft? The first round starts at 8 p.m. on Thursday, and the Buckeyes expect wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, tight end Jeremy Ruckert, tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere and guard Thayer Munford could her drafted. Ohio State has seen 65 of its star players taken in the NFL draft in past years. That’s second only to Alabama, which has had 74 players drafted. The second round on Friday begins at 8 p.m., with the third round kicking off at noon noon Saturday.

The Port Clinton Rotary Club, which had its popular Pizza Challenge return on Monday evening after a two-year absence due to Covid-19, shuffled quite a crowd through Gideon Owen Wine Company, trying to beat the record of 785 pizza lovers. Thanks to Rotary and the Pizza Challenge, four Port Clinton High School seniors were awarded college scholarships at the school’s Performing Arts Center on Wednesday evening. They are Paeja Leow, Andrew Hanson, Katerina Fillmore and Kennedy Adkins. Alexander Frank and Anthony Aukerman of Danbury High School are also receiving Rotary scholarships.

The Sandusky State Theatre has been the center of the arts community in Erie County for almost a century, and also enjoyed by Ottawa County folks as well for all of those years. The iconic theatre seemed down and out after a massive storm came roaring off Lake Erie two years ago. The winds ripped the roof off of the 92-year old building and sent bricks crashing onto the street below.

Thanks to the Erie County Community Foundation, the shows will go on. Last week the foundation voted to approve $250,000 for theatre repairs, the largest gift in the foundation’s 27-year history.

Lake Erie perch, cod and shrimp dinners are back at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church on Friday, May 6 from 4-6 p.m. Lakeview dining and take out dinners are prepared to order. Lake Erie perch are $17; cod or shrimp are $12. Dinners include French fries or pierogi, cole slaw, tartar or cocktail sauce, rolls and butter. No reservations are needed. Homemade baked goods and raffle baskets will also be available to benefit the church. St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church is located at 505. E. Main St., adjacent to the historic Marblehead Lighthouse.

The Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce will have everyone swinging for prizes at its annual summer golf classic at the Catawba Island Club on Monday, June 6. The $140 entry includes greens fees, a golf cart, box lunch and dinner. Send checks to the chamber office at 110 W. Main St., Marblehead, Ohio 43440.

St. Paul Lutheran Church, 9789 W. Oak Harbor Southeast Rd., Oak Harbor, will be hosting their annual pork chop BBQ on Sunday, May 15 at the church. Serving time will be from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. or until sold out. Dinner includes two pork chops, homemade parsley potatoes, coleslaw, bread, homemade pie, and a drink. Cost is $12. Contact any church member or call Twyla at 419-898-2168 to reserve tickets. This event is carryout only. Limited tickets may be available the day of the event.

U.S. health officials on Monday approved the use of remdesivir to treat coronavirus patients who are 12 and younger, extending the use of the treatment to cover children too young to get a vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration’s approval means patients who are at least 28 days old and are hospitalized or at risk of developing severe covid symptoms can be treated with the antiviral injection. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said “covid-19 can cause severe illness in children, some of whom do not currently have a vaccination option.”

Please remember that we at the Beacon want to honor memories of our county, I am hoping that you as a community will take advantage of this and submit historical pictures of any kind to us so we can print them, of course we are asking for sponsor for this section. Thank you in advance.

Let’s remember we all must continue to support one another as small businesses in this wonderful little community of ours. Here’s to a season coming soon.