LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE Oak Harbor thespians perform one-act shows this weekend LIVE 9A On sale this week:
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Volume 28 Number 39
www.thebeacon.net
Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010
Standard Mail U.S. Postage Paid Port Clinton, Ohio Permit #80
Family, staff serve soldiers every day BY ANGIE ADAIR Editor De Ann Louk and her family have dedicated their lives to the service of their country. She enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1984 and then in the U.S. Navy Reserves in March 2000. Her husband Tim, who she met in the service, is in Afghanistan serving right now, and soon De Ann will say goodbye to another man in her life. Her son, De Vaughnte Askew, 19, leaves
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director and senior service officer at the Ottawa County Veterans Service for the Marines next month. De Ann’s Office. She accepted the position two daughter Nastashia, 22, is married years ago after working in a similar to a soldier stationed at Fort Hood. post in Cuyahoga County. Since she has been in the county — Even De Ann’s youngest, 10-year-old Joie, shares a birthday with the U.S. now living in Elmore — De Ann has been pushing to get the word out Marine Corps. Though De Ann isn’t currently de- about the benefits and services availployed, her service to her fellow sol- able to area veterans and to gather diers can be seen every day in her Oak Harbor office. She works as executive See VETERANS 7A
Master plan in motion
For information If you are a veteran or the surviving spouse or child of a vet, contact the Ottawa County Veterans Service Office at: 8444 W. Ohio 163, No. 102 Oak Harbor 419-898-2089 www.co.ottawa.oh.us/veterans/
LUCAS OIL PRO PULLING LEAGUE
City hires URS Corp. to build framework
Port Clinton City Council voted five to one to take another step in converting the 14-acre parcel that includes Waterworks Park and the abandoned Waterworks building into a commercially viable development. URS Corp. has been hired to develop a master plan for the area. “Our goal is go give you a framework,” said Tom Evans, a manager with the Cleveland company who was present at the Council meeting Tuesday to answer questions. “We hope this plan will make the city more attractive for developers.” Particulars included in the $35,000 plan are infrastructure needs and what public access to the water might look like. Councilwoman Debra Benko, who voted against the contract, said it’s not the plan that’s the problem, it’s the timing. Another consultant formerly told the group that the plan should in conjunction with a developer not before one has committed, and Benko agreed. “It was my understanding that we would wait,” she said. But her Council counterparts disagree. “You have to know what you need before a developer starts putting money down,” said Councilman Mark Coppeller. The work URS has been contracted to do is the first of a six-step process laid out by city administrators and council to push forward the development. Those following steps are: 2 — To create a Port Clinton with a welldefined sense of place, a year-round environment attracting visitors and retaining residents. 3 — To maintain/retain public access to the waterfront and lake. 4 — To form connectivity between Port
PHOTO BY JULIE OVERMYER
Jeff Hirt drives the tractor Runin’ Bare’ in a Lucas Oil Pro Pulling event. The team is sponsored by Ferris Commercial Mowers, of New York, and Steyer Feeds, of Tiffin.
Locals pull home a national championship By ANGIE ADAIR Editor A local tractor pulling team recently brought home the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League National Points Championship. The season started June 11 and wrapped up Sept. 11 at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. “I just had to show up at the last event,” said driver Jeff Hirt, 30. “We won the first event and were second at the last event.” Hirt started pulling at age 15 but the sport started much earlier for the fam-
Pro Pulling on TV Watch the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling event in Wheatland, Mo., on Versus network at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14. ily. His father, Bill Hirt, who owns Bill’s Implement Sales in Port Clinton, started pulling around 1972. The team — and each of the pulling events around the country — have a real
family feel according to Jeff and his sister, Julie Overmyer. Her husband works with Jeff and her Dad on the team with maintenance of the tractor, keeping the engine up and running and, according to Jeff, “looking for little stupid things that could take you out of the event.” The family travels together throughout the summer to events from New York to North Carolina and Missouri and several stops in between.
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By JOHN SCHAFFNER
Tell Tales
Friends become roofers to show their support The Amish have a nice tradition known as “barn raising,” where a whole bunch of community members help out and they build a barn for a neighbor in one day. The same thing happened on Catawba last Saturday. More than 40 people, organized by Gini and Mark Stevenson, showed up at the home of the late Dr. John Waite to replace the roof. They did it in 9 hours! All of those who contributed, and you know who you are, should be commended. The picture shows Amber and Ashley Waite pounding nails
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attaching shingles. I was unable to do much with the roof project because last Saturday, we held the first annual Holiday Food and Wine event at Bassett’s Market. It was a huge success! The event was sponsored by Bassett’s, along with The Beacon and WPCR online radio. We are already talking about how to make it bigger and better next year!
the ad for Magruder Hospital’s Pain Management Clinic on page 2A last week. Narda wins a $20 gift/gas card from Friendship Convenience Stores. We’ll be hiding Wylie again this week, if you find him, just drop us a note at our office at Beacon Place on Southeast Catawba Road. or click on the Find Wylie icon at www.thebeacon. net.
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Our Find Wylie contest winner this week is Narda Wilburn who found Wylie in
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Port Clinton Councilmen John
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• Business Un e its • Mini-Storag RESERVE NOW! 419-797-6303 • 4789 E. Muggy Rd., Port Clinton, OH • www.catawbaministorage.com
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