Huron County master gardeners invite the public to the next master gardener training class on pesticides. Instructor Dr. Steve Prochaska specializes in hortcultural pest and disease management and is in charge of the Unger test gardens and orchards in Crawford County. The meeting will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday room A in basement of Huron County administration building, 180 Milan Ave., Norwalk. There will be a $10 at-the-door fee. Call Carol or Lee at (419) 668-3528 for details.

The Firelands Computer Club will meet Monday at First Presbyterian Church, 21 Firelands Blvd., Norwalk. Social time and refreshments will be at 6:40 p.m. before the main meeting which runs 7 to 8:30.

Ohio amusement parks hope to bounce back during the 2007 summer season. "The weather hurt last year," said Bryan Edwards, Cedar Point spokesperson. "It was cool, rainy and dreary." But, with Cedar Point unveiling it's new thrill ride, Maverick, park officials expect visitors, rain or shine. This $21-million, Western-themed coaster features a 95-degree first drop, two launch areas, two 360-degree corkscrew rolls, one 360-degree heartline roll, eight airtime-filled hills, one 400-foot-long tunnel, 10 banked turns, from 62 to 92 degrees and a total of 4,450 feet of track length. The speed of the first drop is 57 mph while the second is about 70 mph. The ride can accommodate about 1,200 riders per hour and sits on 5.5 acres.

When the midway lights, the sounds of rides, demolition derby cars and the animals hit the Huron County Fairgrounds in about four months, the Huron County Senior Fair Board will have worked countless hours to get the fair ready. Most recently board members and numerous other volunteers and businesses will have donated their time, services and equipment to make the fairgrounds more inviting. The biggest project on tap this year is making the south parking lot camping area bigger and more inviting. Workers recently have been spending their time upgrading the electric and water within the campground. Up until now, campers only had a power source for 15 amps and now it is being upgraded to 30 amps. The water line supply is also being upgraded to doubling the pipeline. In the past not all the camping spaces had electric and water, now they all will. While they have been upgrading all this they have re-arranged the spaces and parking and have doubled the amount of camping spaces, bringing the available camping to 144 sites.

CLEVELAND Ella Fitzgerald would be proud to hear Broadway actress Tina Fabrique playing her at the Cleveland Play House. Fans of the singer will be proud as well. That warm, pure voice that was Fitzgerald's trademark will continue to echo throughout The Play House's Bolton Theatre through April 22 in the musical biography "Ella." The show includes songs such as "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," "Our Love is Here to Stay" as well as "Night and Day," and Fitzgerald's-own "A-tisket, A-tasket." The First Lady of Song not only sings to the audience, but treats us as confidants. The usually-reserved Ella reveals to us her difficult past, and a secret she's been keeping from her son one which she later tells him, as though he were sitting among us.

SANDUSKY - The Merry-Go-Round Museum will host a fundraiser featuring the Harlequin Coach House Theatre production of "Deathtrap" at 7:30 p.m. April 25. Ticket prices are $20 per person and includes refreshments in keeping with the murder mystery theme. "Deathtrap" was written by Ira Levin, and stars local actors Rob Albach, David Burling, Lori Demres, Karen Mears and Deb Presser. Directed by Terry Easterwood, this rousing mystery will intrigue and entertain guests.

TIFFIN - On March 31, 11 students from Monroeville Local Schools participated at the district science fair at Heidelberg College in Tiffin. The following students received superior ratings for their projects.

NORWALK - The following people were recently convicted of crimes in Norwalk Municipal Court, Judge John Ridge presiding: Linda F. Zielinski, 57, 3336 Prospect Road, New London; no dog license; conviction date: April 2; fine, $25; costs, $75.

The winds of change are blowing through the Huron County Department of Job and Family Services, providing a chance to finally get some fresh air into the beleaguered office. Embattled director Erich Dumbeck resigned Tuesday, effective June 1. Dumbeck has been director just three years, yet it has been anything but a smooth ride. The Efaw case. The Gravelles. A sexual harassment complaint. And those are the highlights.