👩‍🎓Inside three Class of 2024 graduation ceremonies

Good morning, Sandusky County.

Today's weather should be much like Monday's. The high temperature should be around 89 degrees and the low near 71, with a 30% chance of rain in the form of thunderstorms.

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Inside three Class of 2024 graduation ceremonies

Port Clinton High School held its 140th commencement, while Oak Harbor and Clyde High School also held commencements.

Check out the photo galleries:

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• 👮‍♂️Happiest law enforcement officers receive Kiwanis awards. Find out who they are and what their commanding officers have to say.
• 👩‍🦼Ohio law at center of suit over who can help voters with disabilities cast absentee ballots. Find out why and who is at the center of the controversy.

Mailbag: Ottawa County orange construction barrels disappearing

As I report in the community, I get more questions asked in-person than online.

With the unofficial beginning of summer right around the corner, Iwas asked when the Ohio Department of Transportation construction project in front of the Shores & Islands Visitor Center is going to end.

Called The Gateway to the Islands, the double roundabout project is located at Ohio 2 and Ohio 53. Ohio 53 will also be widened from Ohio 2 to Ohio 163 with a two-way turn lane. Additionally, there will be sidewalks and curb ramps, to comply with federal standards. The first roundabout, just off Ohio 2, was completed last year.

The official answer: just several more weeks. They have finishing touches to complete. However, the second roundabout unofficially opened this past weekend, with the ribbon cutting taking place Monday morning.

I thought the question was strange, because regular construction just started. Yet that's not so for Ottawa County.

Pat McColley, Deputy Director of ODOT District 2, talked about the timing and design for these roundabouts.

"Anytime we do work close to (Lake Erie) we try to space closures between Labor Day and Memorial Day, usually it's harder to coordinate, because you can only lay asphalt at a certain temperature. In the summer is when you usually see construction. This is unique, in that we are trying to do it off-season," McColley said.

He also pointed out ways in which these will be unique because of the type of use they will get.

"With these roundabouts, our team worked very closely with the marinas and other businesses, but mostly the marinas, to make sure we had the right curb height and turning radius to accommodate the large trucks, specifically those hauling the large yachts and boats. These have only a one-inch curb, where most roundabouts around the state have between a 2-inch and 4-inch curb. So, it's a little bit lower, to make sure those larger vehicles can get through," McColley added.

McColley said that everything is already open, but there's some finishing, on striping and manhole covers, to complete. There shouldn't be any more closures after this past weekend, which was the goal.

To share news tips, just say hello, or ask a question, email me at rlapointe@gannett.com.