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$1,000 Reward!
Spearheaded by Karen Wilhelm of the Erie Islands Library and with a great deal of community support and enthusiasm, StoryWalk® was created in the Dodge Woods Preserve of the Put-in-Bay Township Park District. StoryWalk® is a series of 17 stands displaying pages of a children’s book. StoryWalk® is designed to encourage children’s appreciation for reading and the environment.
Over the last few weeks, Put-in-Bay Township Park District unfortunately – and sadly – has experienced cases of vandalism.
In early July, an individual, or individuals, sawed through a 4″ metal post and removed one of the StoryWalk® signs at the Dodge Preserve. The stand and frame were donated to the Erie Islands Library by the Put-in-Bay Post of the American Legion. Replacement cost for a stand and page frame is approximately $525.00.
AND IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. In the evening of July 29th, another StoryWalk® sign was destroyed!
A $1,000.00 reward is offered for the arrest and prosecution of the vandals.
All Park District Preserves and the parking lots of the Preserves are closed at night. Anyone who sees activity at night in the preserves or in the parking lots of the Preserves is asked to call the Put-in-Bay Police (419) 285-3962.
Random Thoughts
There is no doubt there is at least one knucklehead around South Bass Island. That’s the one who sawed off the top of one of the StoryWalk posts in the Dodge Woods Preserve, and pulled down a second one a few days later. The posts were sponsored by the American and the Senior Center. Check out the article by Kelly Faris on page 27 of this issue for the full story.
As of Saturday, July 31st, fewer than fifty percent of Ohioans have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and hospitalizations and deaths have been ticking up where vaccination percentages are low. There is apparently a smaller number of people who have had Covid and naturally have the antibodies against virus. When you look at the two categories, it just makes one wonder about all the people visiting the island this summer. Ninety-nine percent plus of them aren’t wearing masks. Does that mean the unvaccinated aren’t coming to the island? Being a numbers person, we’re thinking there are still a lot of island visitors who are spreading the virus, so be safe and protect yourself by wearing a mask and social distancing when conditions are crowded.
FWGC is spreading. You ask, “What is FWGC?” That’s “Frustration with Golf Carts,” i.e. too many carts, too many bad drivers, too many kids and drunks driving them, etc. You get the message, but what can be done about it? Dave Schafer from Ashley’s Island House has been working with the others to help address golf cart problems. If you’ve got solutions, please contact him.
We’ve never seen anything like the shortage of workers island businesses have been experiencing this summer. With very few foreign students coming to work on island due to Covid, plus other area attractions offering $20 per hour wages, plus bonuses, it has been a real problem serving the record crowd of visitors. Along with the employee shortages have come the closing of some businesses to close a day or two a week and/or the curtailing of hours just to give workers a break.
With record visitation, even weekdays have become like Saturdays. That means more traffic on island roads. Personally, we’ve had times this summer when the traffic on Langram Rd. coming in from the island was busier than in all the years we’ve lived on the island.
Look for a bit more commentary on Bass Island life next month.
A Lakeside and Put-in-Bay Love Story
Join the Lakeside Heritage Society’s Sunday Lecture Series on Sunday, August 15th, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Lakeside Orchestra Hall for a lecture about an 1887 Lakeside and Put-in-Bay Love Story presented by Gretchen Curtis. Ms. Curtis will describe details of life in Lakeside, Put-in-Bay and the Detroit area as described in love letters dated 1886-1887 exchanged between Libbie Magle, a Put-in-Bay resident whose father was a ship captain and Alex Bruce who worked in Lakeside. Gretchen will continue the known story of these young lovers who are buried in a Sandusky cemetery. The seminar will conclude with highlights of Lakeside love stories from the latter half of the 20th century through 2020.
The following piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please click here.
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