April 2020

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Members of the Bluffton College Student Senate during the 1977-78 school year. 

Front from left, Kent Yoder, Mary Forney, Steve Steiner, Scott Smith.

Second row from left, Kim Barber, Ricky Fricke, J.P. Porzelius, Joy Ramseyer, Curt Roeschley, Randy Keeler.

Third row from left, Cathy Aleshire, Beth Gundy, Kate Gundy, Craig Guerra, Ron Moyer, Greg Gundy, John Wackler.

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This tip is provided by the Bluffton Icon and Ada Icon and the Ohio News Media Association,

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Last week's freak snowfall resulted in this snowperson appearing on the front lawn of 477 Cherry Street, Bluffton.

The Icon will accept entries in our "write a caption for this photo." Send your caption to: [email protected].

The deadline is 5 p.m., Saturday, April 25. All entries must be emailed. The winning caption receives a 1-item 14-inch Padrone's Pizza for pick up.

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Black coffee is the preferred way to drink coffee, so says coffee drinkers who took the Icon's coffee poll last week.

To take this week's poll, which asks if you've voted – and how you voted – in the Ohio primary election, click here. You may also take the poll by going to the bottom right side of the home page.

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Esther Arlene Helberg Lobdell, 100, formerly of Bluffton, died on April 10, 2020.

She was born June 2, 1919, in Bowling Green, Ohio, to the late George R. Helberg and Gertrude Farmer Helberg.

She had been a resident of Mineola, Texas, for 40 years, formerly living in Bluffton, Ohio. She worked as a realtor and housewife. She was a member United Methodist Women and an Eastern Star for over 60 years in Ohio.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Vern A. Lobdell, in 1999. She also lost 7 sisters, 3 brothers, and one grandchild, Philip Lobdell.

Club continues to collect items for recycling - collection point is the town hall

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Bluffton Lions Club has announced that this year's Festival of Wheels, planned in June, is on hold and several additional Lions events are being reviewed.

• Festival of Wheels - the club is waiting to see what will be open in the community in June.
• Ride to Remember - planned in July, will be discussed at a later date, and
• Dare to Dream - planned for November, is also to be discussed later.

Denny Phillips resigns effective May 28

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• April and March board agendas at the bottom of this story

Bluffton’s school board will act on a resolution on Monday, which continues distance learning until the earlier of:
1 - the expiration of the Ohio Director of Health’s order, local board of health order, or an extension of any order, or
2 -  or the end of the 2019-20 school year.

In addition to that, the board’s primary focus is on action pertaining to next school year.

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By Dr. Brent Steiner

Northwest Ohio Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

Our thumbs are one unique feature that separates us, as humans, from many other living creatures. Our thumbs are opposable, allowing us to grasp items and perform fine motor skills which would otherwise be impossible with a less mobile digit. 

The thumb is a complex structure providing multi-plane mobility and fine dexterity. The base of the thumb joint is described as a “saddle joint” due to its unique appearance and attachment structure.

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This story is provided by the ONU HealthWise Pharmacy.

 As we learn more about COVID-19, health officials are changing strategies to try to stop the virus. The most recent strategy change involves wearing cloth face coverings in public.

Experts now understand that people who are infected with COVID-19 can be asymptomatic (meaning they do not have any symptoms) and still pass the virus to others — without even knowing it.

Tie it around your face and off you go

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Dozens of mask styles are modeled by Bluffton Icon viewers at the bottom of this story.

Bluffton’s latest fashion statement quickly caught on in the past two weeks.

Cloth face coverings, aka, masks, may be more functional than decorative, however, ­­that doesn’t keep Icon viewers to be creative when making their mask statement.

And, as viewed in the photos in this feature, masks are not limited to humans. You'll find a dog and a teddy bear wearing masks here.

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