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Moss On The Rock - June 2026
Golf Cart Numbers!
The Village of Put-in-Bay will hold a public hearing at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2nd, at the Town Hall to consider the total number of golf cart business licenses that should be available for the 2026 season and/or beyond, the total number of golf carts currently available for rent or for hire within the Village, and the total number of carts for which each golf cart business license holder may hold a vehicle license and have available for rent or for hire.
iHeart Gore Fest
For those interested who need to have their demented needs satisfied, the i Heart Gore Fest at the Niagara Event Center may be just the ticket. The event will take place on Friday, June 5th, through Sunday, June 7th. Times will be Friday 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Special guests will be Leonora Scelfo from the original “Scream” and Michelle Santiago from “Terrifier 2.” There will be vendors and fantasy galore. A day pass for the fest is $10, a weekend pass is $50 and includes the after-hour show, and the VIP Pass is $150 which includes the VIP Party at the Fire Engine Bar from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, plus swag. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Wine Sampling at Sous le Chèvre
You’re invited to Sous le Chèvre Cafe (Under the Goat), the cafe at the Goat for a wine sampling and tasting on Friday, June 12th, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Caroline Jackson will have a selection of French and Italian wines available by the glass or bottle. Mark your social calendar now for this special event.
2026 putinbayohio.com’s Best Places To Stay!
- Island Club Rentals (islandclub.com) – 216-898-9951
- Commodore Resort (commodoreresort.com) – 419-285-3101
- Bird’s Nest Resort (birdsnestresort.com) – 419-285-6119
- Put-in-Bay Condos (putinbaycondos.com) 216-898-1105
- Victory Station Hotel (putinbayvictorystation.com) 419-285-0120
Celestine As Official State Mineral
An Ohio bill aims to declare celestine as the state’s official mineral, joining a slew of legislation that would assign state symbols. Rep. Juanita Brent, a Cleveland Democrat, introduced House Bill 842 on May 6th. The legislation would enshrine celestine – a naturally occurring sulfate mineral that may appear sky-blue, white or pale yellow – as Ohio’s official mineral. It can also be found across the world, with several locations known for their notable concentrations, including Heineman Winery’s Crystal Cave on South Bass Island.
Heineman Winery Scores
The results are in from the Great American International Wine Competition which took place in Rochester, New York in early May. For the first time that Dustin Heineman can remember, all 18 wines Heineman Winery and Crystal Cave entered brought home a medal. Pink Catawba won Gold of course! Winning Silver medals were Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, White Riesling, Sweet Catawba, Island Chablis, Delaware, Cedar Woods, Vidal Blanc, Sweet Ives, Sweet Belle and Iced Wine. Bronze medal winners were Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Catawba, Sweet Concord and Niagara.
All Gemini Birthday Extravaganza
Are you a Gemini? Then you will want to stop by the “All-Gemini Birthday Extravaganza” on Saturday, June 13th, from noon to 5 at the Goat Biergarten (Das Lokal) and in Sous le Chèvre (Under the Goat) where Duvall 100, a Belgian bottled beer will be served in a limited-edition Cleveland Museum of Art Duvall glass that you get to keep. You get a glass to take home with each purchase. Non-Geminis are also welcome to this event. Just pretend you’re a twin.
Back to the Wild 2026
Over 60 adults and children jammed the Put-in-Bay Town Hall to see the show from Back to the Wild on Monday, May 4th. The kids enjoyed seeing the hawks, owls, turtles and snakes and competing to answer the questions asked by Gabbi Drum and Olivia Davis of Back to the Wild. Back to the Wild is a wildlife rehabilitation center located in Castalia, Ohio. They give great advice on wildlife encounters and have rescued a number of birds and animals from the islands in the past. Check them out at www.backtothewild.org. Thanks to the Put-in-Bay Recreation Committee, the Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center, the Miller Boat Line, and the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy for making the show possible.
TIPS Training
Steve Heineman is the instructor for TIPS Training on Put-in-Bay. Training in Intervention Procedures for Servers of alcohol is intended for servers of alcohol, owners and managers. This summer’s training sessions will be held at the Niagara Conference Center on Monday, June 22nd, and Tuesday, June 23rd, at 8:30 a.m.
The three-hour course includes: The effects of alcohol on the body, the server’s response to the intoxicated customer and the server’s legal and civil responsibilities. This information is reinforced with roleplayingand a written test.
The cost is $60 per person and protects the server and the management with a certification that is valid for two years. Please call Steve at (419) 341-2501 to take advantage of this important and proven-effective training.
Ohio’s Island Wine Festival
The Ohio Wine Producers Association will host Ohio’s Island Wine Festival at Heineman’s Winery on June 20th! Wineries from all across Ohio will be on hand to sample and sell their wines. Bob Gatewood will be performing at the Festival, and your ticket comes with sample tastings of the wines on site. Bob Gatewood’s set will be from noon to 4pm, and the Festival itself runs from 11am to 5 pm.
AmeriCorps ViSTA Intern
Teagan Kowalski is the 2026 AmeriCorps VISTA intern shared by the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, the Lake Islands Nature Wildlife Center and Put-in-Bay Township Park District. She is a biology major at Ohio University set to graduate in 2029. She grew up spending summers on island with her parents Pat and Ken Kowalski. Teagan participated in Nature Camp and had volunteered in the past at the LEINWC. “I am very excited for this summer!,” from Teagan. We appreciate the donation from Mary Brohl Nahan for this year’s internship.
Volunteers needed for MBI Music Festival
Can you spare a couple hours to volunteer at the Middle Bass Music Festival on Saturday, July 11th, from noon until 6 p.m.? A great way to meet people and while still enjoying the festival. Past volunteers found it to be a very positive and rewarding experience. Positions needed include Gatekeepers, T-shirt sales and 50/50 raffle ticket sales. Please contact Ann Hicks, if interested via email or text hicksagma@gmail.com (614) 595-2917.
We look forward to your joining our Festival Volunteer Team! Presale discount on tshirts for volunteers!
2026 Summer Kick Off
Here are some great articles to kick off summer at the Lake Erie Islands compiled by Katrina Reed from Miller Boat Line. Enjoy history, science and a Put-in-Bay foodie guide.
Summer fun at nearby Lake Erie Islands a boat ride away The News Herald
This Ohio Cliff House Was Once Part Of A Legendary Great Lakes Freighter Ever After in the Woods
Where to Eat and Drink at Put-in-Bay Lake Erie Living
One Tank Trip: Put-in-Bay AOL
Ohio’s role in moving America takes center stage in new Transportation Trail Cleveland.com
Put-in-Bay science teacher wins national Shell Science Teaching Award, $10,000 prize MSN
The Battle of Lake Erie: How 9 Ships Built from Nothing Changed a War Lake Erie Pulse
2027 Put-in-Bay Days In Key West Announced
The dates have been set for Put-in-Bay Days in Key West 2027! Make plans to join the fun February 10th through 14th, 2027 for 5 days of live music at venues throughout Key West by many artists that play Put-in-Bay.
Something New on the West Shore
Crews recently applied a sticky coating to newly-paved West Shore Boulevard that required vehicles to travel at 5 MPH or less while it dried. Put-in-Bay Township has been treating all new pavings with a product called Reclamite. Reclamite is a penetrating, maltene-based asphalt rejuvenator used to preserve and extend the lifespan of asphalt pavements. By restoring lost chemical components in the asphalt binder, it prevents cracking, seals out moisture, and delays the need for expensive resurfacing. This makes the roads last longer, therefore decreasing the cost to taxpayers for road maintenance.
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Message from the PIB Police Dept.
The Put-in-Bay Police Department deeply values the strong relationship they share with our community. To ensure they provide the most efficient and professional service possible, they have a brief reminder regarding how to request police assistance.
If you require police services, please refrain from calling individual officers on their personal phones. While they appreciate the personal connection, using private lines can delay response times and prevent vital information from being processed through the proper channels.
How to Reach Them: To ensure your call is recorded and dispatched appropriately, please use the following official lines:
- Emergencies: Dial 911 for immediate assistance.
- Non-Emergency Police Line: 419-285-4121
- Ottawa County Sheriff Dispatch: 419-734-4404
Using these central dispatch numbers ensures that all pertinent information is captured and that the nearest available officer is sent to your location without delay.
Thank you for your cooperation and for helping them keep Put-In-Bay safe!
Overhaul Costs Millions!
The Historic USS Brig Niagara is back in the water after undergoing $5 million in restorations at Bristol Marine’s dry dock in Boothbay Harbour, Maine. The warship helped Commodore Perry win his major victory on the Great Lakes during the War of 1812. The vessel will soon return to its home port in beautiful Erie, Pennsylvania, just in time for events marking America’s 250th anniversary celebration. Today’s Niagara is technically a replica, but it still carries some of the ship’s original pieces. Among the upgrades are two new engines. Captain Greg Bailey won’t be aboard. He’s leaving for another position. Captain Richard Bailey – no relation – will be taking the helm. Other crew changes include a newly hired third mate, Lillian Kiser Taylor.
Thank You from Alec Lydon
A very big thank you goes out to the PIB Recreation Committee, the PIB School, the PIB Township and PIB Fire Department for their generous contributions to fund the use of the Put-in-Bay Fitness gym for all islanders and visitors during our winter season. I was very happy to share that the gym served over 200 participants this winter, exceeding our numbers last year by nearly 40 people. This winter program started 3 years ago and has continued to grow each year with the hopes that every resident and guest has an opportunity to improve their health during the winter season. Thank you to all our participants for respecting the equipment and one another. Thank you to everyone and their departments listed above for making this possible for the community. This is and always will be a community effort. – Alec Lydon
The 2026/2027 Vestry
The 2026-27 Officers and Vestry at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church were recently announced. The Rev. Robert (Bob) Solon continues as Rector. Senior Warden is Kira Hubner (2027; Junior Warden is Chip Duggan (2029; Clerk is Sarah Toole (2028); Val Chornyak (2028); and Ruth Scarpelli (2029). The Treasurer is Bob White.
Chef Mike Catey Says….
I just wanted to take a minute and thank all the Crew’s Nest members, their families and wonderful mothers who joined us for Mother’s Day brunch. Thank you! I also want to thank Phoebe Koehler and her staff for the great job she always does; Carter Pugh for always going above and beyond.; to my fellow kitchen staff Dallas Mohn, Marie Schroeder, Tyrone Davis Jr., Mark Anthony Villarreal and Adam Sasala; and Emily Deeks for the amazing chocolate board! You guys rock! Thank you all and let’s have a great summer.
TEMS Training
Volunteer Firefighter/EMR Nik Pettenski and EMT Bree Reynolds recently spent time training at Tri-Med Tactical for their TEMS (Tactical Emergency Medical Support) course. Basically, what this means is if an incident should arise where medical assistance is needed during an active shooter, or other immediate emergency situation, these men are trained to go in and assist. This benefits both the Village and the Township. Thank you guys for helping keep the island safe!
Traveling
Pat Thwaite was in California visiting her daughter Amy (PIBHS Class of 1995) and granddaughter Echo.
Ray and Laura Fogg visited friends in Utah.
Dustin, Chontel, Jaxson and Donovan Shaffer from Lakeview Ave. spent time in Alaska at the end of May.
Rich and Noreen Hahn were in Croatia and Italy. In Croatia, they visited sisters Danica and Angela Mrvic (former waitresses from The Goat) and their parents at their ancestral home in the mountains near Split. In Italy they visited Rali Matanova (who lived with them for a couple of years at Put-in-Bay and Cleveland) and her boyfriend Filipo at Lake Como.
Rick and Paula Ziebarth from the airport were in Italy and Austria. While in Austria they met up with Joe Suttmann of Joe’s Bar fame and his girlfriend Ute Wiesmayer.
Jason and Amanda Buttrey from Subway and Chapman Rd. visited The Golden Temple, the holiest shrine in Sikhism, located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab state, northwestern India.
From PIB Township Trustees
Recently the Put-in-Bay Township was presented with the opportunity to purchase the Niagara Event Center. The Trustees felt that it was their duty as elected officials to explore the feasibility of this opportunity as well as how it could satisfy the needs of the entities involved. The idea was to move the Fire Department, Senior Center, and Township Offices to that space and sell the current Fire Station to the school for classroom expansion and a day care center for the island. After careful consideration, we have decided to not pursue this project as it did not meet the needs of each entity involved.
PIBYC Yearbook
Each year, the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club publishes a yearbook that contains memories from the previous year, current information on club officers and members, and advertisements from members and local businesses. The PIBYC yearbook serves as both their historical archive and a handy membership and fleet directory.
New Manager At PIBYC
Put-in-Bay Yacht Club has hired a new general manager. Susan Hurst started at the end of April to train with outgoing manager Dona Mitchell for a few weeks and officially began May 1st. Susan has extensive experience in food service and served for 12 years as Toledo Yacht Club’s general manager, so she is very familiar with yacht clubs and how they operate. Susan and the new chef, Aaron Antkowiak, have been reviewing the menu and making improvements. Please stop in the club and introduce yourself to both. The Board and officers thank Dona Mitchell for her service and hard work and we wish her luck in the future.
Destination Development Grants
For the last five years, Shores & Islands Ohio has awarded Destination Development grants to Erie and Ottawa County businesses, government bodies and organizations. The grant program focuses on promoting the region as a visitor destination. Grants were based on a project’s: 1) Ability to attract and engage visitors, 2) Serve and educate regional tourism partners, and 3) Generate economic growth for their communities through travel and tourism development. Put-in-Bay recipients included the Jet Express, the Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce, the Put-in-Bay Parks District doing business as Duff Vineyard Preserve, and the Village of Put-in-Bay.
WIIC Event At Crew’s Nest
WIIC (We Innovate, Inspire & Connect) is an annual, two-day healthcare leadership event held across the Lake Erie Islands, including Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass Island. The event brings together healthcare leaders, investors, surgeons and innovators to discuss emerging technologies, models of care and industry partnerships. Primary venues include The Crew’s Nest on Put-in-Bay and Lonz Winery on Middle Bass Island. The two-day event kicks off on Wednesday, June 24th at the Crew’s Nest.
The previous piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please visit the Put-in-Bay Gazette subscription form. This piece of Put-in-Bay journalism has been provided to putinbayohio.com courtesy of the Put-in-Bay Gazette, Put-in-Bay’s only local newspaper. Visit their website putinbay.news for more information and to subscribe!