Area women are invited to a “Let’s Have Tea” luncheon and program sponsored by the Toledo East Women’s Connection May 13 at the Bayside Boardwalk, 2759 Seaman St., Oregon.

Doors will open at 11:45 a.m., with the luncheon and program beginning at noon.

Rebecca Jaessing will discuss Clara J’s Tea Room in Maumee, and Letitia Hicks, of Stoutsville, Ohio, will present, “Rule #1 – Plan Well; Rule #2 – Have a Back-up Plan; and Rule #3 – Be Flexible.” Linda Conti will provide vocal music.

The cost is $10.50, all-inclusive. For reservations, call Dorothy Francis at 419-691-9611.

Free boat inspections
In observance of National Safe Boating Week, May 22-28, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft will offer free boat safety equipment inspections May 23 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Anchor Point (Lucas County ramp); and May 24 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Maple Street ramp in Perrysburg.

For more information, call the Maumee Bay Watercraft Office at 419-836-6003.

Indicted
After a recent session of the Ottawa County Grand Jury indictments have been returned against the following individuals:

• Alisa L. Minarik, 21, whose last known address is 2997 Downing Rd., Genoa, has been indicted on one count of Failure to Appear, a felony of the fourth degree, after she failed to attend a court hearing on another indictment earlier this month.

• Joe L. Allen, 35, 427 Water St., Oak Harbor, has been charged with one count of Improper Handling of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle, a felony of the fourth degree. According to Ohio Highway Patrol reports, troopers found Allen’s truck abandoned after a collision in Harris Township in February. Upon checking the interior, troopers found a loaded handgun in the truck.

• Timothy J. Mann, 23, of 7485 W. Carlton Ave., Port Clinton, has been indicted on two counts of Forgery, both felonies of the fifth degree, along with misdemeanor Marked Lanes traffic violations, Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Driving Under Suspension, Open Container, and Furnishing False Information. The charges are the result of a traffic stop earlier this month by the Ohio State Highway Patrol during which Mann misrepresented himself, police said.

• Richard G. Bragg, 55, 1109 Ohio St., Port Clinton, was indicted on one count of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, a felony of the third degree, and one count of Driving Under Suspension, a misdemeanor of the first degree. The indictment alleges that Bragg has previously been convicted of a felony charge of OVI, due to his numerous prior convictions. He was stopped by Ottawa County Sheriff’s deputies April 18 in Portage Township after reports that he was driving erratically.

Warrants have been issued for Minarik and Bragg. An indictment is a formal charge in the Common Please Court and does not denote guilt or innocence, Ottawa County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Mulligan said.

Safe-T-City enrolling
The Toledo Police Department is accepting applications from parents wishing to enroll their children in the 2010 summer Safe-T-City program.

The free program is open to children living in the City of Toledo and who are entering kindergarten in the fall. The first of five eight-day sessions will begin June 9. Parents may choose morning or afternoon classes.

The course will include discussions of important safety issues by police officers, guest speakers and classroom teachers.

Applications are available at the school office where children are scheduled to attend, at district police stations, or at www.toledopolice.com. Call Sgt. Bonner at 419-936-2933 for more information.

Pavilion dedication
On Saturday, an outdoor pavilion will be dedicated on the grounds of Bittersweet Farms May 8 at 11:15 a.m.

The 25 by 40 foot wood-framed pavilion was constructed with the goal of enriching therapeutic outdoor programming at Bittersweet Farms by providing a safe protected outdoor area for a variety of programs.

Bittersweet, Inc. is a private not-for-profit organization located on 80 acres in Whitehouse. For more than 25 years, Bittersweet has focused on a mission of maximizing opportunities for people with autism. Other locations include Bittersweet Pemberville and Betty’s Farm, Lima.

The pavilion is located in the middle of a one-quarter walking track that participants use every day. The addition of the pavilion will encourage more outdoor programming in a natural setting, which has shown to be therapeutic for persons with autism, and also offers a good place for family and friends to gather for picnics and other outdoor activities.

In addition to the dedication, Bittersweet will host a Mother’s Day cook-out immediately following the ceremony at the pavilion. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase annuals, hanging baskets and vegetable plants from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, visit www.bittersweetfarms.org or call 419-875-6986, ext.1241.

More than 500 helped
A total of 542 households within the WSOS four-county service area received emergency assistance in March with heating bills totaling $110,638.

These households were assisted through the Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (EHEAP), which ended March 31. EHEAP is administered by WSOS Community Action Commission.

The $110,638 was allocated among the four counties in the following amounts: Ottawa County, 64 households for a total of $17,036; Sandusky County, 150 households for a total of $32,849; Seneca County, 107 households for a total of $21,690; and Wood County, 221 households at a total of $39,063.

Applications were finalized up to April 15, so final numbers for the 2010 EHEAP program are still not available, according to WSOS Basic Needs Specialist Tony Lindenberger.

To date, 2,654 households in the service area have been approved for the program’s one-time assistance with their heating bills. This number will increase by April 30 when final numbers are tallied. In the 2009 program, 2,823 households received assistance.

WSOS continues to enroll Columbia Gas, First Energy and AEP customers in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP), which allows customers to pay their utility bills according to their income. Also, customers of Columbia Gas of Ohio and the First Energy Company can get additional help with their heating bills and electric bills as long as they meet the companies’ requirements and as long as funding is available.

For more information, call 419-353-7407 (Wood County); 419-734-2652 (Ottawa County); or 419-334-5126 (Sandusky County).

Master Gardener series
The Lucas County Master Gardener Speakers’ Bureau will hold its third and final session May 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Terrace Room at Toledo Botanical Garden’s Conference Center.

This session will focus on water features in the garden, and preparing beds for spring plantings. The registration fee is $15 and may be made the evening of the event.

Reservations are required and may be made by calling OSU Extension Lucas County at 419-578-6783, or e-mailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
 

Fellowship Day
Ottawa County Church Women United will celebrate its annual May Fellowship Day May 14 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Genoa Trinity United Methodist Church, located on the corner of 4th and Main streets in Genoa.

All are invited to come and enjoy the friendship while “Living the Vision” and partaking in the “Celebration of the Least Coin.” Brunch will be served approximately one hour before the end of the service.

Estate planning seminar
The Wood Lane Foundation will host a special-needs estate and futures planning seminar May 5 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Wood Lane Industries, located at 1921 East Gypsy Lane Rd., Bowling Green.

Special-needs estate planning attorney Nic Thakur will address some of the unique issues that face families that have a loved one with a disability.

The seminar is free and open to the public. A map to Wood Lane is located on the web at www.woodlane.us.

Spay/neuter event
Thanks to a grant from PetSmart Charities and the Kenneth Scott Foundation, Humane Ohio will be able to spay/neuter 2,600 free-roaming cats in Toledo’s 43609 zip code for free.

Cats must come from the 43609 zip code and cannot be owned (must provide proof of residency).

“We are focusing our grant money on the 43609 zip code because statistics from local animal shelters and rescue groups show that the greatest number of cats surrendered to their shelters come from that neighborhood,” said Humane Ohio Clinic Director Lisa Hochradel. “Free-roaming cats are city-wide, but we believe we can make a bigger impact if we concentrate on one specific area at a time.”

Working with neighborhood residents who are already feeding stray cats, Humane Ohio will spay/neuter and vaccinate the cats against rabies at no cost. They also will give caregivers free cat food when available through the Humane Ohio Pet Food Bank, and will offer free training sessions to teach residents about Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and to provide helpful information and tips to caregivers.

While this is a special limited-time grant, Humane Ohio always offers low-cost spay/neuter to pet owners in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, and offers a special, even lower rate for people on federal assistance and for people caring for free-roaming cats (Humane Ohio’s normal price to spay/neuter a free-roaming cat is $25).

Call 419-266-5607 or visit www.humaneohio.org for more information. Residents or business owners in the 43609 zip code should ask for extension 111 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information on the 43609 free-roaming cat project, or to request flyers or a poster to help spread the word.

People who would like to volunteer to help trap or distribute flyers are also welcome to contact Humane Ohio to lend their support to the project.

Open house set
Bay Park Community Hospital Women’s Services in Port Clinton will hold an open house May 12 to celebrate renovations at the Sutton Center, 1854 E. Perry St. in Port Clinton.

Free blood pressure, bone density, cholesterol, colon cancer and glucose screenings will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. The community can tour the new facility from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided.

Bay Park Women’s Services Certified Nurse Midwives have advanced degrees specializing in women’s health care from accredited universities and are certified through the American College of Nurse Midwives. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information or to schedule an appointment call 419-734-8080.

Nursing Home Week events
Riverview Healthcare Campus will observe National Nursing Home Week with a variety of special programs and events. The schedule includes:

• May 9: Mother’s Day Tea, 3 p.m., featuring entertainment from the Smith Family, of Genoa.

• May 10: Cinco De Mayo x 2, 2 p.m., music with Dr. Robert Nehls, of Catawba; 5:30 p.m., Family Potluck with entertainment by Jerry & Marie Wittman (RSVP to 419-898-2851).

• May 11: German Fest Day, 2 p.m., featuring music with Beth Witt, former Oak Harbor band director; 4 to 7 p.m., Relay For Life Chicken BBQ benefiting the Riverview All Stars Relay for Life Team. Half-chicken dinner available for $7. Call 419-898-2851 for advance tickets. Afterward, it’s American Idol Night – come watch Crystal Bowersox at 8 p.m.

• May 12: Year of the Tiger Celebration, 2 p.m., featuring a sushi-rolling demonstration by Nagoya Japanese Restaurant; 6:30 p.m., Taylor’s  Tae Kwon Do demonstration.

• May 13: Italian Day, 2 p.m., featuring Dave Ninke singing Italian love songs; 6:30 p.m., The Bruns Band.

• May 14: Veteran’s Celebration, 10 a.m., Legislative Breakfast for federal, state and local government officials;

1 p.m., Veterans Ceremony with guest speaker Jim Tischy and music from the Oak Harbor Jazz Band.

Riverview is located at 8180 W. SR 163 in Oak Harbor. Call 419-898-2851 or visit www.riverviewhealthcare.com for more information.

Brown to address graduates
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown will be the speaker at the 41st annual commencement ceremony May 7 at Terra Community College.

A native of Mansfield, Ohio, Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and a Master of Arts degree from The Ohio State University.

He served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1975 to 1983 and then was Ohio’s Secretary of State from 1983 to 1991. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1993 and served until the end of 2006. He took his seat in the U.S. Senate in 2007.

The commencement ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. May 7 in the Student Activities Center.
 

About Boating Safely
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will offer its “About Boating Safely” course May 14, 21 and 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops, 10000 Bass Pro Blvd., Rossford.

The eight-hour NASBLA-approved course covers basic safety practices as well as state and federal regulations. Many insurance agencies offer discounts for boaters who successfully complete the course.

The cost is $35 per person. Group discounts are available. To register or obtain more information, call Michael Beers at 419-726-5427 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Lake Schools forum
Lake Local Schools will hold a public forum May 6 at 6 p.m. in the middle school library to discuss financial issues.

Following the public meeting, the board will hold a workshop to decide how to proceed with the two renewal levies that will soon be due and to discuss when a new levy should be placed on the ballot.

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