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News From Other Islands
Middle Bass
Undergrad student Celcilia Glauser from Middle Bass achieved a 3.5 GPA or better at Bowling Green State University and was named to the 2021 spring semester dean’s list.
There will be a lot going on at the Middle Bass Island Yacht Club over the Labor Day weekend. On Saturday the club will hold its Labor Day Picnic, the Annual Membership Meeting and the Change of Watch Reception. On Sunday morning there will be a breakfast held at the club.
The Put-in-Bay Twp. Port Authority will hold its September monthly meeting at the Middle Bass Town Hall on Monday, September 20th at 5 p.m.
It’s a little more than a month since our very successful Middle Bass Island Historical Museum fundraiser. The Live and Silent Auction had been in the planning stages for two years. It was a multi-faceted, herculean effort by many, many dedicated people.
We initially put together a terrific, hard working team and from there we planned and executed an event we were all very proud of. So many people stepped up to the plate to generously create and donate the wonderful, magical items for both the Live and Silent auctions. There were 46 big ticket items in the Live Auction and 114 items of an amazing variety in the Silent Auction. All the refreshments served including charcuterie boxes, beer along with craft beers, red and white wines and water were generously donated from a host of businesses.
In addition to the auctions, many generous patrons have donated and continue to send monetary contributions to the MBI HM fund. We now can report that the fund has approximately $76,000!
As we move forward the committees are being formed to begin the planning of a brick and mortar museum. So our work is by far not done. We continue to accept donations and appreciate any help you may consider giving. If you decide you would like to work on a museum committee, please contact Jim Roesch.
Please send all donations to: Middle Bass Historical Museum, Jim Roesch, Box 8, Middle Bass, OH. 43446
Please make checks out to: Middle Bass Town Hall and in memo on check indicate for the MBI Historical Museum.
Thank you,
– Mary Roesch
North Bass
Dustin Heineman tells us that Gewurztraminer grapes are looking pretty good in the vineyard that Heineman Winery has on the island.
The population on the island is now down to three permanent people, longtime residents Dale and Kerry Burris and Rob Lowers, who works for Heineman Winery doing vineyard management and house restoration.
In 1991, 30 years ago, there were 17 varieties of grape being grown on North Bass Island.
Kelleys Island
Amplex bringing broadband to Kelleys Island this fall
Amplex Internet will begin to construct a fiber-to-the-home network, which will be capable of providing Kelleys Island residents with reliable high-speed internet up to 1,000Mbps. Hancock Wood Electric Cooperative (HWE) has agreed to terms with Amplex Internet on Kelleys Island, which will allow Amplex to begin hanging fiber on the cooperative’s poles. Amplex expects to begin stringing fiber on HWE poles this fall, with internet service being available to KI residents as fiber is installed near homes and businesses. Amplex is headquartered in Luckey, Ohio and provides internet, video and telephone services since the 1960s. More information can be found at amplex.net.
Kelley Island’s Long Point To Auctioned On September 18th
One of the most beautiful and private locations on any of the Lake Erie Islands is Long Point on Kelleys Island which will be auctioned off on Saturday, September 18th. Long Point has had only two owners since 1940, when the Jones family of Cleveland purchased the property. The auction will be conducted by Dutton Real Estate with Keller Williams Commercial Legacy Group Realty with on site and online bidding. Dutton Real Estate Group has also been involved in sales of Rattlesnake Island, Middle Island in Canada and The “Ship Property” on South Bass Island.
The auction will include 3 parcels:
Parcel #1: This parcel includes a 1995 all-Cedar, 2-Story Home w/ 4 .5 bedrooms and 3,000 Sq. Ft. of living space and a newer Custom Built “Island Barn” of 2,000 Sq. Ft. with living quarters. This 5.13 acre site has lake shore line on both east and west sides of Long Point of approx. 713 ft. Suggested opening bid only $550,000.
Parcel #2: LONG POINT TIP, The best, private location in the Islands that includes a 4.78 acre buildable Land Site at the very tip of the Long Point Peninsula. There are approx. 1200 ft. of shoreline on both sides of Long Point, offering a 270 degree breathtaking panoramic view of Lake Erie. Improvements include a new, nearly finished, stone entertainment pavilion w/loft that has water and electric on site. Suggested opening bid is only $375,000.
Parcel #3: This beautiful 2-acre land site on the East side of Long Point has nearly 300′ ft. of Lake Erie Shore Line. This buildable parcel is located adjacent to parcel #1. Suggested opening bid is only $125,000.
Inspections of the property by prospective bidders will be on Saturdays from Noon until 3 p.m. on September 4th and 11th. Parties looking to inspect the properties will be required to register first with the KW- Dutton Real Estate Auctions and obtain a bidders packet. For information on this one of a kind property and the Real Estate Auction, call Broker Joel Dutton or Auctioneer Jared Dutton, AARE at 330.879.5000.
Pelee Island
Good news for our US travelers to Pelee
When the US/Canada border opened in August, Pelee Island was not an approved port of entry, but now the Canadian Border Services Agency reports it will resume service at Scudder Marina port of entry in Pelee Island, effective September 6, 2021. All persons entering and returning are still subject to Covid vaccine and testing requirements, plus immediately call CBSA at 1-888-226-7277. Please report to the marina office upon arrival with your Canadian Customs check in number.
Pelee Islanders are rejoicing over plans for a C$20-million upgrade which will bring high-speed internet to the island via an almost-75-kilometer underwater fiber optic cable from the mainland. Construction to connect Pelee Island will begin almost immediately and is expected to be complete by July, 2023. Federal and provincial funding will be used to lay the new line.
A small team of people biking around the island is trying to help wildlife like snakes and turtles get across the island roads. This time of year, they are young and can’t move fast enough to dodge vehicles. Team members all have reflective vests on. Islanders are asked to drive slowly so the little creatures can be seen in time to be avoided.
The Jiimaan, the 29-year old ferry that served the island for many years was towed up the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers to Sarnia. There’s scuttlebutt about the ship’s fate on social media. Does the ship get scrapped or rehabbed and made service worthy again?
Johnson Island
Park Day Called Off
The Board of the Friends and Descendants of Johnson’s Island Civil War Prison have concluded that having Park Day on September 11th may be too risky concerning the Delta Variant of Covid. Although it is an outdoor event and most of the time attendees would be observing a proper social distance, there are times when they do gather closer together (lunch, tour, meeting friends). The Board felt it was not worth the risk of exposing even one person to this virus, especially since there is no urgent need to have this clean-up event right now. Those fallen tree limbs will be there next spring.
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