News Briefs

Camera Club to meet
TOPICS Camera Club, a non-profit organization open to everyone, will hold its monthly meeting Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 6?30 p.m. at the Monclova Community Center, 8115 Monclova Rd. The September emphasis will be on photographs of macro flowers.

Autumn Brew Hop
Enjoy an evening of brews, food, shopping, live entertainment, and children’s activities in downtown Pemberville on Saturday, Sept. 16 as Pemberville hosts its second annual Autumn Brew Hop from 6-9 p.m.
Participants can purchase a commemorative “Autumn Brew Hop” mug for $15 and receive a ticket that entitles them to enjoy a non-alcoholic brew sample from more than 10 participating businesses.
Stroll the various downtown shops and boutiques while sampling hand-crafted brews at each location. Food, as well as alcoholic beverages (in a designated area) will also be available for purchase.
Frobose Meat Locker/Frobose Market IGA is sponsoring the live entertainment, Ground Chuck, a cover band known for their party rock style. Live entertainment will run from 7-11 p.m.
Mugs are available for purchase at several downtown Pemberville businesses including Baker’s Insurance Agency, Beeker’s General Store, Country Cupboard, Belle Fleur & The Thirsty Thistle, and Comfy Cactus. Purchases can also be made online at https://store.ortinauart.com/pemberville_brew_hop/shop/home and picked up prior to the event at Baker Insurance Agency or at the registration table on Sept. 16. A limited supply of mugs will be available to purchase at the event.
The Pemberville Independent Merchants Association, American Legion Post 183, Pemberville Freedom Fire Department Association, and Village of Pemberville are sponsoring the family-friendly event.

Hard Hat Tours
The National Museum of the Great Lakes will offer another round of Hard Hat Tours on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Participants will have the opportunity to visit spaces typically off limits to visitors during an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, the Museum Tug Ohio and the St. Marys Challenger
Pilothouse.
Each tour will last approximately two hours. Tours will be offered at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Space is limited to eight individuals per group, so advance registration is encouraged.
Admission is $50 for Great Lakes Historical Society/NMGL members and $65 for nonmembers.
Additional Hard Hat Tours are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 21.
For more information, visit nmgl.org/events or call 419-214-5000.

Chili Dinner Fundraiser
Oregon Senior Citizens Supporting Senior Services will present a Chili Dinner Fundraiser Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. at the Oregon Senior Center, 4350 Navarre Ave., Oregon.
Dinner will include chili or chili mac, cornbread, a side salad and dessert. The donation is $12 per person, with all funds raised going to support the Senior Levy on the ballot in November.
Call 419-698-7078 to RSVP.

Sept.11 ceremony
The Village of Gibsonburg will again hold a Remembrance Ceremony on Sept. 11 at 4 p.m. at the Public Safety Service Memorial in Williams Park.
Lt. Governor Jon Husted will join with the community as it remembers Sept. 11, 2001.

Funds available
for RR crossings
Governor Mike DeWine has announced the availability of $100 million in funding to help local communities eliminate dangerous railroad crossings.
Ohio has approximately 5,700 railroad grade crossings, which are locations where roadways intersect with railroad tracks. Funding from the Ohio Rail Crossing Elimination Program will support the work of local communities to engineer construction projects to eliminate these crossings and pay matching funds that are required for additional support from the Federal Railroad Administration.
“To compete for federal grants, communities need the resources to develop the projects, prepare federal applications, and commit matching funds to make Ohio’s grant applications competitive,” said Governor DeWine. “Railroad grade projects can be complex and expensive, and without state assistance, most communities do not have the resources to develop them. This program will provide support to get these projects moving in the right direction."
Since the Federal Railroad Administration began collecting blocked crossing data in late 2019, more than 10,500 reports of blocked crossings in Ohio have been filed.
Municipalities can submit railroad crossing elimination projects to the Ohio Rail Development Commission, which will identify the projects with the best opportunities for federal funding and assist in developing these locations into competitive federal grant applications.
“Eliminating grade crossings has a ripple effect on safety for motorists, train operators, and first responders who are often delayed by blocked crossings. We’ll work with local communities in Ohio to ensure we maximize federal investment in Ohio,” said Scott Corbitt, Chair of the Ohio Rail Development Commission.
More information about the program can be found at rail.ohio.gov/crossingelimination.

Tips sought on apartment complex fire

Investigators with the Division of State Marshal Fire & Explosion Investigation Bureau (FEIB) are investigating multiple arsons that occurred early Sept. 4, at the Brandon Manor Apartment Complex in Perrysburg Township.
The Perrysburg Township police and fire departments were called to the Brandon Manor Apartment Complex, 7406 Lunitas Lane in Perrysburg, at approximately 3:30 a.m. on a report of a structure fire in the multi-unit apartment building.
When firefighters arrived, they found a dumpster fire in the parking lot of the complex, along with a fire inside the hallway of one of the buildings. Firefighters quickly extinguished both fires; no one was injured, and the damage was contained.
Investigators with FEIB, along with the township fire and police department determined the fires were intentionally set.
A Blue-Ribbon Arson Reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the fires.
The public is encouraged to call the tip line at 800-589-2728 with any information that could assist the investigation.