Christmas Gift
Idea - Support the Lake Erie Islands Nature Museum
- The Lake Erie Islands
Chapter of the Black Swamp Conservancy (LEIC-BSC) and the Lake Erie
Islands Historical Society (LEIHS) would like your help with an
opportunity to have a Natural History Museum on the Islands. Also see
the new
Respect the Snake site dedicated to educating people about the
Lake Erie Water Snake (often called LEWS). - December 12, 2007
Judy Hill passed away
Monday afternoon in Canton after a short illness with cancer
- Judy and her husband Brant lived on Middle Bass Island, where
Judy was the dockmaster for the Middle Bass Island Yacht Club. A few months
ago they to temporarily moved back to Canton, their home town, because
of Judy's illness. Services will be Thursday morning, Dec. 13, at 11:00
AM at the Reed
Funeral Home, 705 Raff Rd. SW, Canton, OH 44718. Visitation will be
Wednesday evening from 7 PM to 9 PM and again Thursday at 10 AM and at
the service at 11:00 AM. Rev. Karl Steuk of the Church of Middle Bass will be officiating
the service at 11:00 AM Thursday.
Click here for Judy's obituary. - December 12, 2007
Lifelong love of books led to career spent in libraries
- "Until she was in the
seventh grade, Colleen Carney lived on an isolated island (permanent
population 40) in Lake Erie. Middle Bass Island had a one-room schoolhouse
with eight students in first through eighth grades. 'I had a lot of time to
read, but not a lot of books,' said Carney". Now, she's director of the
York County, South
Carolina Library system. York County, SC is just south of Charlotte, NC. -
Charlotte Observer. December 9, 2007
Middle Bass Paintings on Display at Port Clinton Gallery
- Jim Siemer, whose family
has a cottage on Middle Bass, has painted
many watercolors celebrating life along Lake Erie's coast and its islands.
He will have several Put-in-Bay, Marblehead and Middle Bass Island paintings
on display at Distinct Ohio Creations, 136 Madison St., Port Clinton. His
works can be viewed
here. - Port Clinton News Herald, December 6, 2007
Smoke on Middle
Bass became a problem Oct. 6-8 when a Sandusky contractor burned
piles of brush and construction debris on state-owned land, the
letter said. EPA officials said the open-air burning was illegal
since Poulos & Associates Architects, Inc., of Sandusky, hired
by ODNR, did not have a permit. - Sandusky Register,
December 3, 2007
New Crystal Cave Article in a
Magazine for Young Readers
- The Nov., 2007 edition of
CRICKET Magazine, which is for young readers ages 9 to 14,
discusses the history of Crystal Cave at length in an article with the title
"A Room Full of Crystals". The article also discusses two other caves in
Almeria, Spain and Chihuahua, Mexico. The magazine can be bought
here if you click on the link to "Back Issues Archives" at the bottom of
the page. - December 3, 2007
Islanders are tired of being treated like they live on an island - Construction of a
new marina that will have dock space for 340 boats won't be enough to
develop a local tourism economy, and state officials need to do more, island
residents and local officials said. - Coshocton Tribune, Oct. 29, 2007. Also
in the Port Clinton News Herald
here. - Nov. 28, 2007
Middle, North Bass islands polling precincts could close
- If Middle Bass Island
residents do not volunteer to man the polls during the next election, they
will vote on neighboring South Bass Island, officials said. The board has
been unable to find Middle Bass residents to volunteer for their precinct.
Also see the
longer article from Nov. 21. - Port Clinton News Herald, November 20, 2007
and Nov. 21, 2007
Kimberley Gadd Indicted for Middle Bass Burglaries
- Kimberley Gadd, 48, is
being held in the Ottawa County Detention Facility on two felony counts of
burglary and one misdemeanor count each of receiving stolen property and
theft. Gadd is charged with breaking into two Middle Bass Island homes last
month and stealing items. - Port Clinton News Herald, November 17, 2007.
Posted November 18, 2007
Islanders upset over marina
dredging. Middle Bass
residents worry scooped-up silt could contaminate groundwater.- According
to the article, dredging the marina requires depositing "soil on four Middle
Bass sites, some of which are near homes". The 2-4 foot dirt piles will
cause drainage problems. "Dave Kieffer, project manager for ODNR said 'We
believe that surface drainage will be redirected off our property without
any problems to neighboring properties.'" Well, where I live, surface
drainage redirected to a neighboring property almost invariably leads to
some erosion, and eroding a neighbor's property is illegal under state law.
Sandusky Register, November 14, 2007. Posted November 18, 2007
Ed
Gudenas Loses Euclid Mayoral Race
- From the article: "Ed
Gudenas: We certainly support Mayor Cervenik ... but there's a big group of
residents that are very disappointed. Looking dejected, Gudenas said he
wants to work more on his business and doesn't plan to seek another seat on
council after his term ends next year." For comments from some Middle Bass
residents who wanted Ed to win,
click here. Ed Gudenas is the developer of St. Hazard's Resort on
Middle Bass Island. Posted November 18, 2007
PIB students show Panther Pride
- The Panther Pride
community service program at Put-in-Bay schools is off to a great start.
Some students have been earning their service hours by being a runner for
the Middle Bass Town Hall fundraiser and assisting at the garage sale for
Nature Camp. - Port Clinton News Herald, November 8, 2007. Posted November
18, 2007
Election Results -
Middle Bass Island --
Kathryn Schneider and Lawrence Sheller were write-in candidates. No totals
are available. North Bass Island -- Ruth Ann Stonerook was a write-in
candidate. No totals are available. Port Clinton News Herald, November 7,
2007. Posted November 18, 2007
Voter turnout was lower than expected - A private boat
scheduled to carry ballots from Middle Bass and South Bass islands precincts
to the mainland could not run because of weather conditions, So the results
were phoned in. A poll worker who volunteered to work on Middle Bass Island
also had to spend Tuesday night there. - Port Clinton News Herald, November
7, 2007. Posted November 18, 2007
Additional
Development Urged at Middle Bass State Park
- A 340-slip marina is under
construction and scheduled to open for the 2009 boating season, but local
officials and islanders are troubled that the state has no further plans to
develop Middle Bass State Park. - Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 28, 2007
Baumgartner Prosecutor Reversed on Free Speech Case Instigated by Middle
Bass Resident -
Kathleen Gatto had been
arrested on Aug. 5, 2006 after George Weisenbach of Middle Bass asked police
to file a complaint against her for coarsely abusive language. She was
convicted and fined $50, but her conviction was recently reversed on appeal.
You can read the entire Sept. 7, 2007 decision
here. - October 20, 2007
Man on trial for death of friend on Lake Erie
-
Scott Speer, an Akron-area man charged with killing his best friend by
pushing him off a boat in August 2002, will stand trial next week. Speer is
charged with shoving James Barnett, 34, of Akron, into Lake Erie near Mouse
Island. Also see
Court TV news links, some with video, below. - October 12, 2007,
Oct. 17,
Court TV Oct. 17,
Court TV Oct. 18
Port Clinton Fire Dept. Donates Fire Truck to Middle Bass
- Council members approved a
motion donating the truck to the other department, after having received a
letter stating the Middle Bass Island department would not hold Port Clinton
liable for anything which might happen after it is received. - October 10,
2007
Its
sewage treatment facility has repeatedly clogged and
overflowed. Some of the mobile homes where the resort
staff lived had holes in the roofs and walls, allowing
bugs and rodents to crawl in and out. And in August
health inspectors shut down the hot tub. Cleveland Plain
Dealer, - Originally published around 10AM. Link updated
to point to a different version of the story at 3:45PM - October 10, 2007
Beginning of the State Park (Lonz) Marina
Renovation- The
renovation of the Middle Bass Island State Park Marina, which will include
all of the former Lonz Marina, Roesch's Marina and Middle Bass Island Yacht
Club areas when it is completed, has started. - October 7, 2007
The
first person to identify the picture wins a signed copy of "Lonz of
Middle Bass". And there may be a second prize. Click on the above
link for details. - September 26, 2007
Coast Guard suspends search for 2 fishermen in Lake Erie
- The Coast Guard suspended its search yesterday afternoon for two fishermen
from the Wooster, Ohio, area who are missing near Kelleys Island and is
investigating whether debris found lodged in a tug-and-barge is from their
fishing boat, spokesmen said. - Toledo Blade, September 6, 2007
MBI Yacht Club Meeting and Pig Roast a Big Success
- MIDDLE BASS Island Yacht Club was the place
to be Saturday for the annual meeting, pig roast, dinghy poker run, and a
wake in honor of the closing of Middle Bass parks until spring, 2009. -
Toledo Blade, September 3, 2007
Plain Dealer Article
About Ed Gudenas of St. Hazards Resort
- Euclid -- City Council
President Ed Gudenas, blamed by some for the city's costly and futile
defense of a discriminatory elections system, now might need to defend
himself against accusations from his own Building Department that his home
is unfit for habitation.
- August 30, 2007
New
Lake Erie Islands Bookstore
at Amazon.com
- If you'd like to see what island books are
available at Amazon.com, click on the above link. It will take you to the
new Lake Erie Islands bookstore, and also provide a link to lots of
island-based mysteries and thrillers. - August 29, 2007
Responses to the
"Rumor-Confirmation Needed Request" Below
- One reader was kind enough to send us the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services 2006
Biological Opinion (PDF, 800K) on how to deal with the Lake Erie
Water Snake during marina construction. One suggestion in the document is
that all the snakes be removed by hand by Kristin Stanford before
construction begins. The study also contains detailed marina plans. This reader also stated
that
"this impact study is being reviewed and re-issued end of August. The
re-issued study will determine if the increase in "take" numbers for the
LEWS will be great enough to stop/delay construction. The marina project
grew to 320 slips not based on usage requirements but due to the fact that
it was necessary to drive down the cost per slip as much as possible to
obtain the Federal Fish and Wildlife grant, which was a competitive
process. For some reason, The lower the cost per slip, the more attractive
the project to the Feds." - August 21, 2007
Rumor - Confirmation
Needed
- On July 30 we reported that the State Park marina project starts
mid-September (see below). Now we have heard from several people that the
contract requires work to continue all winter, but the work legally has to
stop for the winter to protect the Ohio water snake's habitat. Confirmation
and/or more info about this would be appreciated. Please
contact us if you
have info. - August 19, 2007
Water Levels in 3 Great Lakes Dip Far Below Normal
- Water levels in the three upper Great Lakes are wavering far below normal,
and experts expect Lake Superior, the northernmost lake, to reach a record
low in the next two months. But Lake Erie levels are expected to stay above
average. - NY Times, August 14, 2007
22nd Annual Middle Bass
Home Tour Was a Great Success
- The tour on July 11 visited four homes:
The Grove Cottage and the Grape Cottage in
the Middle Bass Club area
The Middle Bass Island Inn, which was the
Fischer-Gmelch Homestead
and The East Point Manor
Three tour trains totaling about 150 people
took part. Carrie Schneider, Mary Ann Schneider and
Lynne Zura were the tour historians. The tours also stopped at the schoolhouse and at the town hall.
At the town hall, the visitors stopped at the booth of a number of artists
and vendors, and heard a talk about island history given by Mike Gora. 2
trains, or about 100 people, had lunch at Walleyes and the third train had
lunch at St. Hazards. - July 31, 2007
State Park Marina Project
Starts Mid-September
- For the "Middle Bass Island State Park Marina Entrance and Basin" (DNR 736
730-02-040) project, a total of five bids were opened on July 20th; the
apparent low bidder and bid amount (estimate) for the single General
Contract was Huffman Equipment Rental, Incorporated of Eastlake, Ohio,
$4,816,582.00 ($4,993,220.00), including a single alternate. Work should
start at the site in mid-September; the contract completion date for this
project is October 28, 2008. - July 30, 2007
Middle Bass neighbor’s oxygen is rushed to rescue of bee sting victim
- Sonny Schneider’s oxygen
tank keeps him going as he battles emphysema. Yesterday, the canister, along
with a convergence of good fortune, most likely saved a stranger’s life too.
The saga started with a bee sting Thursday while fellow UPS retirees Rod
Szymanski and Dale Miller, of Petersburg, Mich., were clearing off the
waterfront at Mr. Szymanski’s cottage here. Toledo Blade, July 28, 2007
Coast Guard Rescues 7
From Grounded Vessel off Middle Bass Island -
The Coast Guard rescued seven men from a vessel that ran aground on the
East Point reef near
Middle Bass Island at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday. The 33-foot
fishing-boat Angler Away ran aground 200 yards off shore on a rock
shoal and began taking on water. That's less than one-third of the way
between East Point and the green can reef buoy. According to witnesses, at
the point where the boat hit the reef white breakers were visible over the
reef and waves were only 2-3 feet high.
Article partly from
U.S. Coast Guard News.
Picture is from the U.S. Coast Guard video taken from the rescue
helicopter.
Station Marblehead arrived on-scene and transferred a member of the boat
crew with a pump to begin de-watering of the Angler Away. Because of the
water depth, the 25-foot response boat retreated to deeper water and
contacted U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Detroit for assistance.
An
HH-65 dolphin helicopter from Air Station Detroit arrived and deployed a
rescue swimmer to help the assist the passengers. All were hoisted safely in
the helicopter. All passengers were transferred to awaiting Emergency
Medical Services at Put-in-Bay Airport with no medical concerns. The
helicopter returned to recover the Station Marblehead crewman and the rescue
swimmer. The Angler Away is being recovered by a local salvage company. -
July 25, 2007. A
video of the rescue was released on July 26, 2007.
Developer unveils $300 million update to Pelee Island
- An Avon, Ohio developer has unveiled plans
for a $300 million residential and golf development with a 450-slip marina
on Pelee Island, Canada. The plan involves condos and homes as well as two
golf courses. It would be built over a 20-year period, according to Pelee's
mayor, Rick Masse. - July 25, 2007
The November 1972 Storm
on Lake Erie- The Lake Erie area was hit by a
severe storm on the 13th and 14th of November, 1972. A north-northeast wind.
which reached a speed of 60 knots, blew for two days directly down the long axis
of the lake. This wind generated high (12 foot) waves and at the west end of the
lake piled up water more than six feet above the lake's average November level.
For pictures of the storm from Middle Bass Island,
click here.
We had originally labeled the pictures incorrectly as being from a 1973
storm. For a longer report on the 1972 storm that was just obtained from the State of Ohio's Division of
Geological Survey, click here (PDF, 12MB).
- July 23, 2007
Starve
Island-
Nice set of pictures taken July 7, 2007, including baby seagulls - July 16,
2007
Sailboat capsizes near Middle Bass Island- A sailboat capsized
Thursday July 12 near the island, dumping five people into Lake Erie. The
passengers were wearing lifejackets and swam to the island. Choppy waves may
have caused the 14-foot Sandpiper to founder around 7:30 p.m. - Port Clinton
News-Herald - July 15, 2007
Interesting New Site for
Buying and Selling Boats, Yachts and Sailboats
- YachtCouncil.com
advertises itself as "The Official Search Engine of the Worldwide Boat
Industry". Its home page even offers a 656' yacht and a 405' yacht. Will our
marina ever have space for a boat that size? If not, there are also many
more affordable boats under 30'. There are also
tallships for sale from 118' to 132' - July 6, 2007
Fine Arts Festival will
be July 16-21 -
We'll post more info as soon
as we get it. You can also call Kelly Halterman at 440-748-1939 (home) or
419-285-1017 (MBI) - May 24, 2007
Two years' probation for Middle Bass arsonist-
David Sovol, 58, 730 Fairway and whose permanent home is in Bay Village, was
sentenced to two years probation for setting fire to a neighbor's house. He
also must complete 200 hours of community service, pay $2,237 in restitution
to the victim and a $2,000 fine. Port Clinton News Herald. April 27, 2007
2 regional sites to share Ohio boat-access funds
-More than $1.1 million will be used for
continued construction of a new state park marina on Middle Bass Island in
Lake Erie’s western basin. Toledo Blade. April 27, 2007
Monument could close for repairs
- Perry's Victory and
International Peace Memorial could be closed temporarily this summer while
the National Park Service continues to fix structural problems. Port Clinton
News Herald, April 17, 2007
Flier fees keep small fields aloft
- Article mentioning the
Put-in-Bay, Middle Bass and Erie-Ottawa Regional Airport. Cincinnati Post -
April 16, 2007
Middle Bass summer
resident convicted of setting fire to neighbor's house- A seasonal Middle
Bass Island resident of Burgundy Bay was convicted Tuesday, March 6 of setting fire to his
neighbor's home while it was under construction in July, 2006. David Sovol,
58, whose permanent home is in Bay Village, pleaded guilty via an Alford
plea to one felony count of arson. - March 24, 2007
Murder charges
filed in 2002 Lake Erie drowning
- A Fairlawn, Ohio, man
allegedly pushed his boating partner into Lake Erie in what was originally
reported as an accidental drowning in 2002. Sandusky Register - March 1, 2007
Storm is Gone - Let's Get Back to Fishing -
Fishermen were heading back
out to favorite fishing zones yesterday. Ice-guide Pat Chrysler was busy
with a backhoe trying to rebuild a ramp off the South Bass west side. The
original ramp was slushed out in the storm. However, anglers were walking
out and catching fish. Toledo Blade - February 16, 2007
Scientists probe hundreds of shipwrecks littering Ohio side of Lake Erie- In 2003,
Dale Liebenthal led a team of Ohio state Geological Survey scientists in a
pilot study using a tool called side-scan sonar to produce images of 25
shipwrecks around Kelleys Island and the Bass Islands to the west. Their
work, just recently published because of budget cuts, helps the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources comply with a state law that orders the
agency to inventory, evaluate, protect and designate underwater shipwreck
locations. To order the study mentioned in the article click here. - February 16, 2007
Three Years Since Tragic Pelee Island Plane Crash
- Wednesday, Jan. 17 marked the
tragic three-year anniversary of a plane crash near Pelee Island that killed all
10 people on board. The report says the plane was overweight by 15 percent, and
that the wings were laden with ice. - January 24, 2007
Dale Kuehnle Dies in Toledo on Jan. 19; Gave Wildlife Area to Middle Bass
- Dale R. Kuehnle, 86, a home builder and, later, an owner of a firm with
historic Toledo roots, died Friday in his Monclova Township home of lung cancer.
The Kuehnle Wildlife Area on Middle Bass Island (pronounced "Keenlee") was
created from land they donated to the state. Toledo Blade. - January 21, 2006
See More of the Snake Lady on the Discovery Channel on
Tuesday, January 16.
- They have created ANOTHER
short segment from the footage that they filmed last August for a new "Dirty
Jobs" episode. It will be shown for the first time next week, January 16th at
9:00pm EST. It probably won't be as long as the first. - January 12, 2007
Beach at North Bass sold to State
- The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) purchased another part of
North Bass Island on December 26, 2006. - January 2, 2007
No New Year's Dance on Middle Bass
- For the first time anyone can
remember, there was no New Year's Dance at the Middle Bass Town Hall. Fewer and
fewer people have supported the gathering in the past few years. Unfortunately,
another fine island tradition has gone by the wayside, just as it did at
Put-in-Bay. - January 2, 2007
A heart-warming true
story of island life in 1886-87, never published before.
MORE INFO
The limited edition
Middle Bass Postcard Poster that was
available at the artist's fair at Aunt Irma's at the beginning of August, 2004
is still available, by special order only.
Four Other Books
in the Middle Bass Web Store- When did you last
have the opportunity to buy 3 different books with "Middle Bass" in the
original historical title (in addition to the Lonz of Middle Bass
book mentioned above)? All 3 are reprints and have great pictures, but none of these has
ever been reprinted before. The 4th is a Port Clinton reprint, but with a
full-page ad for Wehrle's on Middle Bass that we have touched up and put
on the back cover. Three of the books have LOTS
of Put-in-Bay pictures. The books are also available at the Lake Erie
Islands Historical Society on Put-in-Bay.
"Middle Bass, Ohio
1877-1977" Centennial Booklet from 1977.
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