News May 2012

Put-in-Bay News May 2012

Put In Bay News reports that The first “reality TV show,” the Great Food Truck Race, will be coming to Put in Bay the first week and the second weekend of June to film an episode. The program is one of the series on the Food Network and involves competitors who visit various locations, primarily cities, around the country. Each week one of the competitors is eliminated, and the winner of the two competitors left in the final episode walks off with a big cash prize. The winner of the second season walked off with a $100,000 prize, so things are a bit serious for the competitors.

The goal of each episode is for the trucks to win by having the highest sales total. The food truck that makes the least money is eliminated and must return home while the remaining trucks advance to the next city. As part of the competition, the food truck contestants must create a menu and find a location to sell their goods. It takes a lot of people to make a program like this tick, so look for cameras, crew, and participants during the days they are on the island filming.

There should be a lot of activity around the Put in Bay Resort and Conference Center where they will all be staying. Filming a program like this for a national television show is excellent publicity for the island. You can’t buy publicity like this for any price.

Put In Bay News reminds you all are welcome to the Annual Goat Trash Pick-Up Party to be held Tuesday, May 15th. Meet at the Goat at 10 a.m for coffee. BBQ and Beer provided by the Goat for volunteers after the pickup! And don’t forget, The Goat opens on Friday, May 25th, for the 2012 season.

Mike “Mad Dog” Adams begins their 33rd year at Round House Bar Put In Bay! After a rigorous winter playing engagements in Ohio,
Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Cancun, Mexico, Riviera Beach, Islamorada, Key West, and headlining the Tampa Bay Comedyfest, “Mad Dog” returns to his summer home at the Round House Bar for another season of conch-blowing, chicken chokin’, ziggy zaggyin’, fun, laughs and songs.

“It’s just so good to come back and be part of the island for another season to perform for all our friends,” Mike told Put In Bay News. “It’s always a challenge to find the right balance of old and new material to perform. We have generations of folks who have been coming to see me at the Round House, and everyone has their favorite songs, jokes or routines they would like me to do. It makes their trip special. And, of course, we have a regular clientele who visit many times throughout the season and look forward to hearing new material.

That’s why hitting the road in the winter is so important. It gives you an opportunity to work up a few fresh bits for the summer.”
“I was just 23 years old when I started here,” recalls Mike, now 56. “Since then, I’ve performed throughout the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean, and, frankly, I think Put in Bay is one of the best tourist destinations in the world. I love to promote the island wherever I go because we all work hard to make sure folks have a good time. Being a part of Put in Bay for so long gives me a sense of pride. Hey, and, what could be better than an afternoon at The Round House Bar with a big red bucket of beer, smiling, singing and enjoying an island party!”

Golf cart renters, be aware!! Visitors to the Put In Bay who rent Put in Bay golf carts on the island are warned not to let their kids drive their golf carts. It is a dangerous practice and will be dealt with appropriately by the Put in Bay Police Department. Consequences of letting kids drive include stiff fines and possible jail time, plus delays for kids when they go to get their driver’s licenses. Also, renters are warned not to drink and drive. The same rules apply to golf carts as to automobiles. You can get a DUI if caught driving a golf cart under the influence.

Put In Bay News reports John Foran has been named to replace Jeff Herold as one of Put in Bay’s four full-time policemen. At a special meeting on Wednesday evening, April 18th, Put in Bay Police Chief Ric Lampela asked for approval of Foran’s hiring by the Put in Bay Village Council. Foran, who first visited the island in 2008, was a summer officer on the department last season.

His father was an FBI agent so moves around the country included being born in Las Vegas, moving to Washington, D.C, and finally settling in Bay Village on the west side of Cleveland. He graduated from Bay Village High School and went on to Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA, where he received a bachelor’s degree in intelligence with a minor in Spanish. John says his ability to speak Spanish came in handy last summer on several occasions when he encountered people who wanted to play the language card, pretending not to speak English.

Foran has been a fireman and EMT since 2008. He was a member of the Kuhlhose Volunteer Fire Dept. in Erie, PA, and is still on the roster of the North Randall Fire Dept. just east of Strongsville. He received his officer training at OPOTA in Lorain. In his spare time, he enjoys weight training, running, and firearms. He also describes himself as somewhat of a “geek” when it comes to reading and interpreting the Ohio Revised Code.

The American Legion, Post 542 has informed Put In Bay News it will again conduct a graveside re-dedication and memorial service for our fallen veterans at 12 noon, at Maple Leaf Cemetery, Put in Bay, Memorial Day, Monday, May 28th. Annually, two of our island World War II veterans, Bob Schmidt and Louie Heineman, lead a walking tour of the grave sites and give a short remembrance and sometimes interesting anecdotes of the veteran. Then, at 2 p.m., the Legion will lead the Memorial Day antique car parade through our historic downtown area and around the park.

And, lastly, at 6 p.m., the Legion will have its annual steak dinner and picnic at the State Park pavilion. This picnic dinner is open to all veterans and family members. The donation is $5 per meal, and a covered dish or dessert is requested. Bring your own place setting and silverware. Thank you, Troops and Veterans! “For God and Country”

PUT IN BAY, Ohio – Wyland Gallery at Put-in-Bay, scheduled to open for the season Saturday, May 19, at 495 Catawba
Ave. will feature artist Steven Quartly at its first gallery show. Put In Bay News has learned that While the gallery will be open seven days a week starting May 19, Quartly’s appearance is set for Friday through Monday, May 25-28. Wyland Gallery at Put in Bay showcases Wyland’s own paintings and sculptures of whales, dolphins, reef fish, manatees, and endangered species, as well as the work of other leading artists.

They include fantasy artist and surrealist Jim Warren, tropical visionary Steve Barton, romantic realist Walfrido, master glass sculptor David Wight, hyperrealist Adam Rote, evocative painter Stephen Muldoon, and Quartly. Quartly’s paintings feature colorful landscapes, seascapes, and urban street scenes, many of them inspired by his extensive travels in Europe,
the Caribbean, and Hawaii. During his Put-in-Bay show, Quarterly will introduce impressionistic scenes of intimate sidewalk cafés, waters-edge vistas, and peaceful landscapes, each one enticing viewers to imagine themselves in the world of the painting. He will be on hand daily and by appointment to meet gallery visitors and share insights into his work. Don’t miss the chance to discover Wyland Gallery at Put in Bay beginning May 19, and meet impressionist Steven Quartly May 25-28. For more information, call (419) 285-2233

Put in Bay News and the Lake Erie Islands Browns Backers will hold a  Rib Burn Off, June 16, 2012, from 11-5 pm at the Sand Bar, 380 Main St., Put in Bay, Ohio. Entry Fee for Rib Burn Off contestants is $15.00 per team. Must hold or be sponsored by a food-licensed provider. Admission for the public is $5 for adults, $3 kids 6-10, with kids five and under free. Admission includes the chance to win a door prize, meet and get autographs from Cleveland Browns players/coaches, viewing of Silent Auction items and option to bid, entertainment and option to buy meals. Ribs, side dishes, desserts, and beverages sold separately. The media and the general public will judge ribs. For further information please contact Lake Erie Islands Browns Backers Club.

Join Put in Bay News to bless the fishing and transportation vessels each spring to keep their friends and loved ones safe while on the water. On May 8, ferry boats, water taxis, rescue vessels, commercial watercraft, commercial aircraft and medical helicopters servicing Put in Bay Ohio will be blessed for the 2012 season by clergy representing the island’s three congregations from Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and St. John’s Lutheran Church. Put-in-Bay School Choir will perform. The program begins at 11 a.m. Coffee, hot chocolate and cookies served on the dock.

Put in Bay News update – If you were not already aware, “3 Whiskey 2 Pilots Association,” an association of local pilots, was formed on January 4, 2012. The association currently has seventeen pilot members! The story behind the name of the organization
Island pilots form pilots association is the official FAA abbreviated designation for our airport which is 3W2 (pronounced three-whiskey-two in pilot language). You can draw your own conclusion on why the word “whiskey” is the only word spelled out in the new group’s name!

The purpose of the Association is to: a. Cultivate, promote, and encourage enthusiasm for private and recreational aviation, b. Foster and promote a positive awareness of the benefits of the Put in Bay Airport, and c. Advise the Put-in-Bay Port Authority and others on matters involving the Put-in-Bay Airport and the interests of pilots. Elected as the initial officers are Ray Fogg as President, Mark Friebel as Vice President and Karen Fredrick as Secretary (all residents of Airline Drive). One of the main goals of the “3 Whiskey 2 Pilots Association” is to cultivate a positive collaboration between local pilots and the Port Authority Board to achieve the best interests of the Put-in-Bay Airport and the island community. In the spirit of that goal, their first official act was the donation of a basic weather station. That station is now based at the airport and its data can be accessed by anyone via the internet. The link to the station is: http://www.weatherlink.com/ user/putinbay/ “3 Whiskey 2 Pilots Association” looks forward to continuing to contribute positively to the community for years to come!