Put-in-Bay Island Diary: April 2021

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Island Diary April 2021

Thu., April 1st – There’s a surprise 60th birthday party for Caroline Conrad which includes wine at Heineman Winery and a freezing ride around the island with partygoers on the Tour Train with Chip Duggan at the wheel. The Miller Boat Line’s new ferry, Mary Ann Market, is moved from the small drydock to the large one at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisconsin.

Fri., April 2nd – Justine Cultice is busy getting the kitchen ready at Cameo Pizza in Mr. Ed’s. Paul Jeris is the first to use the Venmo app on his cellphone to purchase a Put-in-Bay Gazette from newstands.

Sat., April 3rd – The PIB Recreation Committee is unable to host the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, as in previous years. Instead, it hosts a bunny hop trail allowing for ages birth to sixth grade to make stops at designated locations to receive goodies and then an additional stop to have a meet and greet with the Easter Bunny! A group of guys take a polar bear plunge into the 36-degree lake water at the Bathing Beach at the end of Delaware Ave. Commodore Marcia Ashley and a group outside the Yacht Club draw the week’s winning number for the Rolling Raffle. Lucky Laureen Mooney wins for the second time.

Sun., April 4th – Mother Mary from St. Paul’s conducts sunrise services at the seawall on the south side of Perry’s Monument. Rob Stacey enjoys a little fishing. The orange sky at sunset is beautiful over the flat lake.

Mon., April 5th – Julene Market is hunting salamanders with her nephew Liam Market. PIBVFD announces the date for their 45th Clam Bake Dinner will be September 18th from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Tues., April 6th – PIB Village Council meets in a special session and votes on the recommendation from Mayor Dress that Interim Chief Jim Kimble be hired as the permanent Chief of Police. The PIB Twp. Trustees hold a public hearing for a zoning change for property owned by Dan and Valerie Kowalski on Mikes Dr.

Wed., April 7th – Richard Warren’s new Cigar Ambassador address sign goes up at the front of his property on Langram Rd. thanks to the help of Monk Nemec. Sue Ferguson is helping clean up the beaches at Scheeff East Point Preserve. Jill Warga is secretly hunting beach glass after being called out by Justin Curtice in the April Letter to the Editor. The PIBVFD is practicing at the new ice ramp on West Shore Blvd. at sunset. The lake is flat as the sun goes down. New dart league champs are crowned at Topsy’s. This years champions are Lance Saunders, Madeline Pugh and Doc.

Thu., April 8th – The island is filled with fishermen from all over the country. License plates we’ve spotted so far include North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana and even Oregon. Cameo Pizza opens for the season in the afternoon.

Fri., April 9th – Pelee Islanders awake to the news that Prince Phillip has passed away at the age of 99. Ray Fogg takes his first bike ride for the season on South Bass Island.

Sat., April 10th – Bobbi Dobos is a happy camper. Not only does the Dobos boat get in the water, but she also catches three walleye. Ray Fogg also puts his boat in for the season. The Middle Bass General Store sets up a pizza delivery for those on South Bass Island. JR Domer, Postmaster and PIB volunteer fireman is attending a “Heavy Rescue 101” training class in Norwalk. The Village Pump on Kelleys Island has its Early Bird Party.

Sun., April 11th – Barry Koehler, PIBHS Class of 2000, celebrates his 39th birthday with his wife Phoebe in Las Vegas. There are loads of fishermen on the lake. Simona, Emma and Emil Michael are pulling invasive garlic mustard in Cooper’s Woods.

Mon., April 12th – Put-in-Bay Daily™ resumes publication after taking an Easter break. The April Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce Meeting takes place via Zoom. The PIB High School sailing team is practicing in the Bay at the same time a Coast Guard boat is setting buoys marking the harbor channel. The Goat Soup & Whiskey in the Virgin Islands holds a closedown party in St. Croix. Bobbi Dobos photographs a stunning orange-sky sunset over Green Island with her father Gary’s fuel boat, Cantankerus, going by in Lake Erie’s still waters. JR Domer takes a photo of the same sunset from the end of East Point and the sky is a beautiful yellow.

Tue., April 13th – A crew is working on getting the Boat House ready for the season. After 40 years of public service as the village clerk and as a councilman, Kelly Faris submits a letter of resignation from Council. Patrick and Tina Rogers from PIBEMS meet with the PIB Girl Scout Troop to talk about first aid.

Wed., April 14th – Bob Stausmire and Tommy Chrysler head out to the west basin on the M/V Islander to set the Camp Perry firing range buoys with the boys from Rescue Marine on the mainland. With the help of the local moving companies Cape Coral has, a new house is brought to the island for The McGahee family off of Portsmouth Rd.

Thu., April 15th – The weather station at the South Bass Island Lighthouse, Station SBIO1, has now been out of order with no reports for three and a half months. There’s a beautiful rainbow over the islands after the rain.

Fri., April 16th – Pasquale’s opens for the season. Frosty Bar opens with half priced food rather than the traditional pizza buffet keeping in mind the concerns of the Covid pandemic. Tina Rogers and Wendy Chambers officially open the Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce office for the season. There’s a weather forecast that includes snow for Tuesday after the weekend. The first official boat of the season docks at the DeRivera Park’s B-Dock.

Sat. April 17th – A crew is taking off the thatch roof at Mojito Bay. The theme for the opening at the Round House is “Winter Wonderland.” If today is a preview of things to come this summer, we’re going to be in for a very busy summer.

Sun., April 18th – Island Hardware starts seven-day-a-week hours. The Round House is hopping as Ray Fogg officiates over the turning on the “Whiskey Light.”

Mon., April 19th – The Village Council holds a committee meeting to discuss the sewer line options with Sybil Blvd. residents. The Crew’s Nest crew is busy getting the club’s grounds ship shape for the season.

Tue., April 20th – The day is somewhat gloomy as a cold front begins to come through the island area. Cameo Pizza says goodbye to their beloved Smart Car after an over 10 year run as their delivery car. During a wintery mix of weather, Renee Market hosts Trivia Night at Topsy Turvey’s in the evening. If you haven’t participated in a Trivia Night emceed by Renee, you haven’t played trivia.

Wed., April 21st – There’s snow overnight for parts of the island, plus a couple of brief snow squalls late in the day. The white stuff is gone by dinner time.

Thu., April 22nd – On Delaware Ave., workers put in the planters in front of the Beer Barrel. Miller Boat Line and the Jet Express are working together in a “Mutual aid” exercise drill in the morning. It’s Earth Day and a group is in Cooper’s Woods eradicating garlic mustard weed. The Butterfly House gets its first shipment of chrysalis from Costa Rica.

Fri., April 23rd – The Village Council meets in a short special session and votes to have street striping and painting done. Fox’s Den opens for the season. Tipper’s opens for the season with a perch dinner special and half price pizza. Allie Market and the Rockers are at The Beer Barrel Saloon in the evening!

Sat., April 24th – Funeral services are held for Pam Niese Hughes at Mother of Sorrows. A celebration of life reception is held at the Niagara Event Center. On Middle Bass there is a celebration of life for Gerry Sheller at the General Store. The PIB High School Sailing Team is one of 21 teams competing at Hoover Reservoir in Westerville, Ohio, in the High School State Sailing Championship.

Sun., April 25th – At the Islander Inn, there are open interviews for hiring a variety of positions: bartenders, servers, front desk, cooks, security, housekeeping, golf cart rentals , front of the house manager and pizza shop manager. PIBYC Commodore Marcia Ashley and club manager CC Wiesnewski draw the next number for the club’s weekly Rolling Raffle.

Mon., April 26th – Workers at Mist pool bar are working hard to get the pool ready for the incoming heat wave. A fresh coat of bright blue paint is being applied to the pool in the afternoon. Topsy Turvey’s is packed at dinner time. It’s the only restaurant open on the island.

Tue., April 27th – The Ottawa County Health Dept. is back on the island at the fire station giving covid vaccine shots to residents, seasonal workers and high school students 16 and over. It’s a nice warm spring day on the island. Workers continue putting the new thatched roof on at Mojito Bay.

Wed., April 28th – The PIB Township Board of Trustees holds a public hearing in the evening at the Township Hall to address a zoning change application from R-2 to R-1 submitted by Raymond Ebersole for his lot 29 on Airline Dr. in Airport Subdivison No. 4.

Thu., April 29th – While the NFL Draft is taking place in downtown Cleveland, islanders gather at Mr. Ed’s to watch the picks come in.

Fri, April 30th – Put-in-Bay‘s Arbor Day Celebration tak.es place by the post office near village housing. A hophornbeam tree (Ostrya virginiana) and spicebush (Lindera benzoin) are planted. Spring Fling begins at the Island Club. The Spring Fling party has been going on for more than two decades.

The Put-in-Bay Island Diary is published every month in the Put-in-Bay Gazette, the Lake Erie Islands’ only independent newspaper. Support the Gazette in their important work at putinbay.news!