News Briefs
Utility help deadline
The deadline for utility bill reductions through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is Wednesday, May 31.
Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) HEAP provides a one-time energy credit for utility or bulk-fuel bills, available to Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca, and Wood county households at or below 175 percent of federal poverty guidelines (e.g. $$48,563/household of four).
To apply or for more information, visit glcap.org/heap or call 1-800-775-9767.
Polish Genealogical
Society to meet
The Toledo Polish Genealogical Society will meet Saturday, June 10 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at St. Michaels School Hall, 420 Sandusky St., Toledo.
TPGS members Janice and Joyce Hojnicki will discuss how to use Geneteka, a Polish website featuring nearly 25 million polish vital records that have been indexed by surname and given name.
The public is welcome to attend the meeting. Future meeting dates are Sept. 16, Oct. 21 and Nov. 18.
For updates and more information, visit toledopgs.com and the society’s Facebook page.
WCCOA overseeing
home repair projects
The Wood County Committee on Aging announced that Wood County has been chosen as one of three home repair pilot projects funded by the Ohio Department of Aging supporting minor home repair.
Other participating sites are the O’Neill Senior Center in Washington County and United Senior Services in Clark County. Each pilot has been awarded $115,000 for eligible projects to be completed May 5, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024.
Each project will have a cap of $5,000, including materials and labor, with one repair per household. Priority will be given to those of low to moderate income levels. Eligibility requirement of age 60 and over will be enforced.
For more information on permissible repairs or to apply for assistance, contact the WCCOA Social Services Department at 419-353-5661 or 800-367-4935 or email WCCOA@wccoa.net.
WCCOA is seeking licensed and bonded contractors to complete the repairs on approved projects. This project is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $115,000, with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS.
County seeking
election workers
The Lucas County Board of Elections is in need of Election Day workers, Precinct Election Officials (PEO) and seasonal workers for the Aug. 8 Special Election cycle.
PEO time commitment includes a mandatory training class, the Monday evening set-up prior to Election Day, and work to be performed on Election Day (typically starting at 5:30 a.m. and concluding at 8:30 p.m.). PEOs will be paid a minimum of $185 for training and completion of Election Day work.
Election Day worker hours will be dependent upon job specification. Hours worked will be between two and 15 hours, dependent upon job assignment. Election Day workers are paid between $13 and $19 an hour. Positions available are rovers, riders, hospital patient ballot delivery, sub-station worker and election night tabulation workers. Some jobs require mandatory training at $15 to $25 per class.
Seasonal worker scheduling begins as early as Monday, June 26, and lasts through Saturday, Aug. 12. Positions for seasonal employees are available in the absentee-by-mail department, the Early Voting Center, general office and warehouse. Starting pay is $14.25 an hour.
Qualifications include:
• Must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old and a registered voter in Lucas County.
• Must not have been convicted of a felony and cannot be a candidate for office in the election for which you would be working as a PEO.
• Must have reliable transportation.
To work as a PEO, contact Robert Royster at 419-213-2043 or RJRoyster@lucascountyoh.gov or Veronica Hill at 419-213-2034 or Vrhill@lucascountyoh.gov.
Those interested in Election Day or seasonal positions may contact Pamela Wilson at 419-213-2644 or prwilson@lucascountyoh.gov or Patricia Smith at 419-213-2045 or pasmith@lucascountyoh.gov.
For employment applications, visit lucascountyohiovotes.gov.
Hayes Center
construction
The vehicle entrance and parking at the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums will be closed to the public from Tuesday, May 30 through Friday, June 2 while construction continues on a new drive into the property.
The Hayes Home, museum and presidential library will remain open during this time, but visitors will need to park on the street or in ProMedica Memorial Hospital’s parking lots at Buildings A and B, located at 605 Third Ave., Fremont. Spiegel Grove is a short walk to the east of the hospital parking lots.
Those who need wheelchair access to the property or anyone with mobility issues can be dropped off at the pedestrian gate at the intersection of Hayes Avenue and Jefferson Street on the north side of the museum.
During the four-day vehicle entrance closure, pedestrians are still welcome on the grounds, but are asked to avoid the construction area.
Work on the new entrance, which will improve safety and allow for safer vehicle and pedestrian traffic, began May 22. The entrance will be located on Buckland Avenue just down from the current vehicle access at the corner of Hayes and Buckland avenues, which is also close to the intersection with Rice Street. It should be completed by the end of June, weather permitting.
Several curves in the existing entrance and driveway will be straightened or widened to make it easier for tour and school buses to enter, drop off and pick up passengers and exit the property.
The existing driveways also will be repaved and widened in some areas to allow two cars to pass. This widening will allow vehicles more room to maneuver around pedestrians.
The current main entrance at Buckland and Hayes avenues, which does not allow for two cars to pass, will be turned into a pedestrian entrance.
“This project has been in the works for many years, and we’re thrilled to see it come to fruition,” said Christie Weininger, Hayes Presidential executive director. “It was a challenge to design a new entrance that addressed every concern, but we believe this is the option that best improves safety and accessibility while also blending well with the historic and natural elements of the grounds.”
Construction updates will be posted at rbhayes.org.
Museum offering free
admission for veterans
The National Museum of the Great Lakes will offer free admission to veterans and active military members on Memorial Day weekend (Saturday, May 27-Monday, May 29).
The free promotion includes admission to the museum and the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio. Reserved tickets are not required but are available online.
The National Museum of the great Lakes is located at 1701 Front St., Toledo. Call 419-214-5000 or visit nmgl.org for more information.
VanSickle homecoming
Genoa Civic Theatre will welcome Rusty VanSickle for two shows Friday, June 2 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, June 3 at noon. Tickets are available at genoacivictheatre.com.
VanSickle, who grew up in Martin, is an acoustic guitar player and background vocalist for country artist John Michael Montgomery. A 1994 Genoa High School graduate, he loved participating in events like the school talent show. It wasn’t long before his talent was recognized and he was off to Tennessee, where he was hired to play acoustic guitar and sing background vocals for country singer Doug Stone.
He performed with Stone for several years before landing his current gig with Montgomery.
When he isn’t on tour, VanSickle loves being at home with his wife Kara and their son Whitley. He has also been busy working on a new album of his own.
The theatre is located in the Genoa Town Hall, second floor, 509-1/2 Main St.
British Returning
to Fort Meigs
A field full of classic British cars and motorcycles will be at Fort Meigs in Perrysburg for the 24th annual The British Return to Fort Meigs car show Sunday, June 4. Show hours are 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Hosted by the Lake Erie British Car Club, this show draws participants from a three-state region vying for awards in specific categories unique to British vehicles. Spectators will see MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars, Austin Healeys, Lotuses, and other British vehicles dating from the mid-20th century to the present.
The show will also include parts and memorabilia vendors and food and ice cream trucks.
Admission is free. Those interested in showing a vehicle can find a registration form and additional information online at lebcc.org. Day-of-show entries are welcome.
The Fort Meigs Historic Site is located at 29100 W. River Rd.
Contact the Lake Erie British Car Club at LakeErieBrits@gmail.com or 419-855-8567.
Cars, Cops, Fire
and community event
On Sunday, June 4, Oregon-based State Farm agent Dan Calmes, along with Mike Stancati, of Hannon’s Block Restaurant; Rob Dabish, of The Blend and Stephen Laing, of Rider Coffee, will host the second annual Cars, Cops, Fire and Community event Sunday, June 4 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Starr Square, 460 S. Wheeling St., Oregon.
“We welcome the public to come out to this free classic car show to see a great collection of over 100 unique and vintage vehicles and to meet members of the Oregon Police and Fire Departments who will be on hand and with fire trucks, police cruisers and emergency response vehicles for up-close, interactive viewing,” Calmes said.
Hamburgers, coffee and ice cream will be provided for first responders and will also be available for the public. Cruisin Zeake will provide music for the show.
Calmes partnered with Oregon Police Chief Brandon Begin and Oregon Fire Chief Clayton O’Brien to coordinate the event. “I believe one-on-one community interaction with our police and fire department members builds relationships that make our community a stronger and better place to live,” he said. “It also shows we appreciate what they do 24-7, 365.
“The purpose of the event is to show community appreciation to our first responders for all they do to keep our community safe,” Calmes said.
Groundbreaking for
Lake school held
Parents, students and residents gathered at the Lake schools campus May 21 for a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new 110,000-square-foot, two-story elementary school building.
Superintendent Jim Witt told the crowd that the new building marks the district’s effort to provide an education for students that is “safe, current, and healthy.”
“This building will meet all three of those standards and it will also complete a campus-wide upgrade of facilities that began over 20 years ago,” he said.
The new school is expected to be completed by the start of the 2024 school year. The current school will be demolished when the new school opens.
The new building will have 49 classrooms to accommodate pre-school through the sixth grade classes.
The new construction is funded by a bond issue approved by voters in 2021.
Body identified
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office has identified a body found floating in the Portage River as that of Robert Sabin, 74, of Oak Harbor.
Sabin’s body was recovered from the river near the downtown area of Oak Harbor May 19 at about 2 p.m.
Investigators found no evidence of foul play but the results of an autopsy by the Lucas County coroner’s office are still pending, the sheriff’s office said.
The Oak Harbor Police Department, Ottawa County coroner’s office, Mid-County EMS, and Portage Fire Department assisted the sheriff’s office.