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Oregon fields mosquito complaints By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com
A young Justin Gerwin (second from right) and Cris Zimmerman (far right) lead their tug of war team into battle well over a decade ago. (Press file photo by Ken Grosjean)
40th Anniversary
Thousands have braved tug of war Winning the tug of war at the Pemberville Free Fair is about pride — nothing else. There is no huge cash prize, no oversized plastic trophy, and no ticket-tape parade through town for the winners. This year will be the 40th Anniversary of Pemberville’s annual tug of war, and organizers say it is here to stay. It’s just too popular. There have been six different classification winners each year, with 10 members on each winning squad, which equates to 2,400 winners. What they do get is a t-shirt — that’s it. In addition, once your team pulls its opponents across that line, they fall into a water-soaked pit, which no one complains about on a hot, muggy night in August. The only thing hurt might be the losers’ pride. To honor those 40 years and its thousands of participants, a commemorative tug will be held on the Little Portage River, where it all began, from 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, August 15. The Hirzel family is allowing guests to enter on their property at 222 East Front Street. It follows this year’s tug of war, which begins at 5 p.m. in the valley behind Pemberville Elementary. In 1976, Alton Beeker was one of the
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You don’t need to go to Cedar Point and spend $150 to have fun.
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By J. Patrick Eaken Press Sports Editor sports@presspublications.com
original organizers and he was a member of the team that won the heavyweight championship that first year. Alton, now 86, his 83-year-old wife Delores and the late Foster Gerwin and his wife who survives, Mildred “Mick” Gerwin, were the original committee that organized the first tug of war. “It’s always been a lot of good sportsmanship type of thing,” Alton Beeker said. “Win or lose, it’s a game that you play. There’s no big thing you get — you get t-shirts to wear around town, but it’s one of those things.” Alton Beeker still remembers what it is like being in the war pit. He says it’s about technique as much as strength. Over the course of a pull, each team digs a trench and tries to stay put. “Buddy, it’s tough,” Beeker said. “You
don’t have time to think about what you are doing. It’s your strength, but what happens is, you lose your grip, and then all of a sudden the rope starts sliding. You think you’ve got it, but it’s still slipping. Usually, you pull and then everybody jumps. Usually, when you do that, if you can hold them, you’re good. You do it again, but remember, they do that, too, so you are going back and forth. I’ve seen them go all the way over here (motioning), and come right back.” The pull begins with a marker in the middle and lines drawn six feet each direction. Pull the marker past the six feet line, and your team wins. Pulls are limited to five minutes, so judges are on hand to determine a winner if necessary. “If somebody jumps out to a six-inch lead and then locks in and holds, they win after the five-minute time limit because the crowd likes that excitement,” says Pemberville businessman Dennis Henline, this year’s tug of war committee chairman. “The kids dig these holes, and they have learned, ‘Boy it’s really hard to pull somebody out of the hole.’ These guys are dug in and they are here to stay. Tug of war is funny — it’s about technique. Two or three years you end up getting beat, and then you are saying, ‘Yeah, now I’m starting to figure it out,’ Henline continued. He recalls an example of technique over
Some on Oregon City Council said they were getting several calls from the public about mosquitoes and whether The Toledo Area Sanitary District Mosquito Control is spraying enough in their neighborhoods. “With all the rain we’ve been having, a lot of people have been asking me, and complaining about, the mosquitoes. It’s horrible. I know it’s not directly the city’s responsibility,” said Councilman James Seaman. “The kids don’t play outside - not because they want to play on their computers, but they’re getting eaten alive really bad. Even when people take precautions of making sure there’s no standing water, and things like that, the population seems stronger than ever right now. I don’t know what the county does, if they do spray, or what the status of that operation is. But it’s horrible right now.” He asked City Administrator Mike Beazley to contact the Toledo Area Sanitary District to find out which parts of Oregon have been sprayed. Councilman Jerry Peach asked Seaman if he has seen the Toledo Area Sanitary District spray in the neighborhoods. “No I haven’t,” said Seaman. Councilwoman Kathy Pollauf said she has contacted people in the community who have called the District. “They are so backlogged right now. It’s just going to take time to get to everyone,” said Pollauf. “But they are answering and taking notes of who needs more spraying. It’s not only in Oregon. It’s everywhere.” Seaman said he’s had complaints from the public about not being able to reach the Toledo Area Sanitary Sewer District by phone. “Some people call and get a busy signal and can’t get through to anybody,” said Seaman. “I have people tell me that. They cannot get through when they call that number.” “I know people who have gotten through,” said Pollauf. “So I don’t know if they just have to try back again.” “It’s a tough situation,” said Seaman. “But a lot of people are very concerned.” Councilman Tim Zale said he’s seen Continued on page 4
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Al will leave the “comfort of his home” and set out on that “uncertain road.” John Szozda See page 16
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