IDOL WINNER?
The latest on Crystal Bowersox online www.beacon.net On sale this week:
Pork ibs Baby Back R
$ 99 lb.
2
FREE
Volume 28 Number 15
www.thebeacon.net
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Standard Mail U.S. Postage Paid Port Clinton, Ohio Permit #80
Brush Wellman celebrates new facility BY JOHN SCHAFFNER Brush Wellman celebrated another Elmore milestone Monday with the ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Beryllium Pebble Plant. The facility is the result of some $90 million in publicprivate investment between the company and the U.S. Department of Defense to ensure a sustainable domestic supply of beryllium. The element is a critical component to what was described by company officials as
“our country’s strategic interests.” Attending the event on Monday were Dick Hipple, president, chairman and chief executive officer of Brush Engineered Materials, the parent company of Brush Wellman; 9th District Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur; and 5th District Congressman Bob Latta. All three made remarks regarding the expansion which has been under construction for almost two years. Manpower peaked at nearly 150
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Brush Wellman executive Kieth Smith and President/CEO Dick Hipple get ready to cut the ribbon officially opening the plant.
in the construction phase. The plant will create 25 new jobs and will allow Brush to retain over 100 existing jobs. According to Ottawa County Workforce Development Specialist Denise Ventrone, employment at the Elmore plant is now at approximately 635. In his remarks, while thanking numerous local officials, Hipple pointed out how focused Ot-
PHOTO BY JOHN SCHAFFNER
See BRUSH 2A
MEMORIAL DAY 2010
Salute the Troops at Put-in-Bay
The Knit-Wits are Beth Akins (front left), Karen Schiewe, Ruby Ann Kyle, Patty Aumann (back left), Janey Melle, Mary Chochenour, Luella Krynock and Susan Smith. Snow Birds not pictured are LeAnne Caswell, Alice Duterman, Janine Dress, Edie Greber, Carol Kubit, Alana Martin, Sandy Peinta, Marie Ripich, Rose Marie Shinde, Linda Snyder, Brandi Taylor, Linda Teen, Jayne Thompson, Ann Wagnitz and Maxine Wilson.
Knit Wits send love overseas
Group makes homemade goods for soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq BY JOHN SCHAFFNER A group of local ladies have been sewing their fingers to the bone over the winter months to help American Troops in Iran and Afghanistan. The group, known as the “Knit Wits,” has been knitting key clothing items to help keep troops warm in that rather desolate part of the world. According to spokesperson Karen Schiewe, the group knitted approximately 50 helmet liners for the troops to wear under their Kevlar helmets as part of Operation Santa. They are made from 100 percent wool, which is flame retardant.
They also made some 50 neck coolers and scarves. A few of the ladies knitted afghans for the wounded soldiers. They were knitted in red, white and blue. This group has been doing good works with their hands and knitting needles for many years. They have made special caps and sweaters for premature infants, sending them to Bellevue Hospital. They have made more than 100 caps and sent them to Firelands Hospital to be handed out to children that need them from the hospital’s emergency room. They also knitted some 40 sweaters for victims of floods,
hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes. They made more than 100 dish cloths that were sent to India. The group later found out that the materials were never used for their intended purpose, but for head dresses because the recipients thought they were so pretty. They have also made items for cancer victims including covers for people who have tracheotomies. More than 40,000 hours of service was donated by volunteers toward sewing, knitting and quilting efforts through Operation Santa, based in Peoria, Ill.
Tell Tales
Welcome Memorial Day where, you can thank a veteran and take the time to remember “some gave all, all gave some.” nnn
Joanne Englebeck, who was the lead surgical nurse at Magruder Hospital for many years, is having a birthday May 31. We can’t say how many, of course. Joanne is a very, very nice lady! Happy Birthday and many more.
INSIDE RECORDS 2A
Various Sizes Available
contest last week. Our winner is Sonya Webster, of Port Clinton, who found Wylie in the Fairway Villas ad on page 3B last week. Sonya wins a $20 gift card from Friendship Convenient Stores. We’ll hide Wylie again this week. If you find him, drop us a note at our office … or click on the Find Wylie icon online at www.thebeacon.net. nnn
The Oak Harbor Area Cham-
nnn
We had 87 correct entries in our Find Wylie n
BEACON BITS 4A
See TELL TALES 2A n
See TROOPS 9A
Memorial Day events For a complete list of Memorial Day ceremonies, see Page 9A. For a complete schedule of events for this year’s Walleye Festival, check out Northcoast Live inside.
Home sales go up
By JOHN SCHAFFNER
Welcome to the Memorial Day Weekend 2010. There will be tons of activities going on this weekend, the Walleye Festival, boating, some great Walleye fishing, a special Blessing of the Fleet at Catawba Island Club … just all kinds of outdoor activities. Please remember what the real purpose of this weekend is: to remember our fallen soldiers who gave their lives to defend the freedoms we all enjoy today. So, if you can fish, golf or hop on a boat and go some-
PUT-IN-BAY — This year’s annual Memorial Day ceremony on Saturday, May 29, at Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial will pay tribute to America’s Armed Forces and their families through the eyes of area youth, according to Superintendent Blanca Alvarez Stransky. The entire “Kids Salute the Troops” event will feature youth 21 and under. “We are literally turning over our stage to America’s younger generation and they will lead our visitors in honoring our military. We felt it was important to give area youth an opportunity to express their sense of patriotism and remember our nation’s servicemen and women who have fought and died for peace,” said Stransky. The event is also a way for Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial and the Put-in-Bay community to say thanks to local military families who endure the hardships associated with the deployment of a loved one. “Every year, the Put-in-Bay community pulls together and offers military families special discount coupons as a way of saying thanks. The first 50 people who contact the Memorial will receive free transportation to the ceremony via the Island Tour Train,” said Put-in-Bay Chamber Executive Director Maggie Beckford. Military families planning to attend the event may call Park Ranger Nichole Fifer at 419-285-2184 or e-mail her at Nichole_Fifer@nps.gov. “Kids Salute the Troops” begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 29. The program in-
SCHOOLS 5A
n
BY JOHN SCHAFFNER Home sales activity continued its surge in April as many buyers flocked to the market to take advantage of the federal home buyer tax credit program that expired at the end of the month, according to Ohio Association of Realtors President Douglas McCloud. Those trends held true locally as the number of units sold in April of 2010 went up by nearly 11 percent compared to a year ago. That was, however, well below the state average increase of more than 32 percent in April. The dollar volume in April of 2010 went up 11.5 percent over April of 2009, indicating a slight increase in the
BOOMERS 6A
n
CATAWBA MINI STORAGE YOUR EXTRA ROOM!
Hours: 8:00 - 4:30 Monday - Friday • Heated Boat Storage • Mini-Storage • Business Units •
average sales price. For the year, the Firelands Association of Realtors is showing a 1.4 percent increase over comparative levels of last year, but dollar volume is up 13.5 percent and average sales price is up nearly $11,000 per unit. According to former FAOR President Len Partin, activity in Ottawa County has been excellent in the first 3 1/2 weeks of May. There are seven pending sales in the Port Clinton area, eight pending on Catawba, five pending in Danbury Township and four pending in the Oak Harbor market area. That totals 24 pending sales in the first 24 days of May.
CALENDAR 2B 4789 E. Muggy Rd. Port Clinton, OH
www.catawbaministorage.com
n
REAL ESTATE 8B