News Briefs

Quilt Regatta
The Ohio Star Quilters Guild will present a Quilt Regatta July 19 and 20 at Peace Lutheran Church, 900 Jefferson St., Port Clinton. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $5. Free parking will be available.
The event will feature more than 100 quilts and needle arts items, vendors, raffles and door prizes. Scissor sharpening will also be available.

Commission to meet
The Ottawa County Budget Commission will meet Tuesday, July 9, at 10 a.m. in the Prosecutor’s Office on the second floor of the Ottawa County Courthouse, 315 Madison St., Port Clinton.

Ladies’ Formal Tea
Tickets are on sale for the Oregon-Jerusalem Historical Society’s Ladies’ Formal Tea, set for Tuesday, Sept. 17 from noon-2 p.m. at Brandville School Museum.
Local actress Lisa Gordon will portray Penny Chenery, owner of the 1973 Triple Crown winner, Secretariat. Attendees will hear Chenery’s story and enjoy a Kentucky Derby-inspired tea and lunch. The cost is $28 per person. RSVP by calling 419-902-5149. Payment is due with RSVP.

Park District
seeking input
The Park District of Ottawa County has released a survey to garner public input for two of its properties located on Catawba Island Township. The survey, managed by Environmental Design Group, seeks opinions for West Harbor Preserve and Islander Woods and Trailhead.
West Harbor Preserve occupies a 12-acre parcel located on the Inner Harbor connected to Lake Erie. The Black Swamp Conservancy donated the parcel to the Park District of Ottawa County (PDOC) in December 2023 and it became the first park area owned by PDOC.
The preserve occupies a broad marsh and a quarter-mile of shoreline on Lake Erie’s West Harbor and provides opportunity for public access, including a kayak launch, bird observation amenities, trails, habitat restoration and fishing. Development will take up to two years.
Islander Woods and Trailhead comprises seven acres on NW Catawba Road and was purchased with funds received from the Clean Ohio Fund and local matching funds. The site will provide opportunity for passive recreation, including picnicking, walking and birdwatching and could include amenities like picnic tables, open play areas, benches, and fishing access.
Owned by the same family for more than 50 years, it contains an undeveloped wooded tract with a scenic pond. The site may be connected to other areas as part of the Catawba Islander Trail and Greenway Phase One Master Plan.
The Park District will strive to open Islander Woods and Trailhead to the public in 2025. The survey is accessible at surveymonkey.com/r/ParkDistrictofOttawaCountySurvey and will be available through July 12.

Board to seek
levy renewal
The Genoa school board has approved a resolution to proceed with seeking the renewal of a levy on the November ballot.
The emergency levy was originally passed by voters in 2015.
Bill Nye, school district treasurer, said the original levy amount passed was $1.02 million.

Fatal crash in
Gibsonburg

The Fremont Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash in the Village of Gibsonburg in Sandusky County.
On June 30, at approximately 10:23 p.m., a 1997 Jeep Wrangler was traveling westbound on W. Stevenson Street and approaching North Patterson Street in the village of Gibsonburg. The driver lost control of the vehicle and traveled off of the north side of the roadway, striking a tree. Both occupants were ejected from the vehicle.
The driver, Andrew Widmer, Gibsonburg, was utilizing his seatbelt at the time of the crash. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The passenger, Emilio Chavez from Woodville, was not utilizing his safety belt and was also pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Sandusky County Coroner’s Office, Sandusky County Sheriff’s Department, Gibsonburg Police Department, Gibsonburg Fire Department, and Sandusky County EMS.