The Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce is inviting area businesses to decorate the village's downtown and compete for Best Scarecrow in a new contest.
The village's seasonal petunia pots have been removed, leaving room for new fall decorations. Businesses can adopt a light pole and attach a three-dimensional scarecrow of their own design.
The chamber directs "These decorations would either be attached to the lamp posts or [placed in] storefront windows... Consider using straw as a base for a seated figure." The area designated for the contest is on Main Street from The Centre at Bluffton to Hair Emporium, and including Cherry St. to Blended Roots, Jefferson St. to Tommy's Plaza, Vance Street, and Vine St.
In the attached document, the chamber provides guidance on materials and weather-proofing, dimensions, and other requirements.
Bluffton raced to a big early lead and made it stand up to defeat local rival Ada 31-7 in a Northwest Conference football bout on a pleasant Friday night at Harmon Field.
The Pirates improved to 3-2 and 2-0 in the league with their second straight win.
Ada dropped to 1-4 and 0-2 in the NWC with the defeat.
Bluffton jumped to a 21-0 lead but had to hold off an Ada second period rally. After the visitors scored to cut the deficit to 21-7, the Bulldogs drove deep into Pirate territory late in the second quarter.
The Bluffton High School boys cross country team finished a strong ninth out of 32 teams at the Div. III A Tiffin Cross Country Carnival race on September 10.
Ottawa Hills won the boys team title with 93 points. Maplewood was a distant second with 218 points.
The Pirate boys scored 304 points.
Senior Erik Nygaard finished an impressive fourth out of 219 runners. Senior teammate Landon Armstrong ended up not far behind him in seventh. Sam Derstine crossed the line in 40th.
Our beloved mother, Jeannine Ann (Stewart) Hartman, 93, of Bluffton passed peacefully on September 16, 2022, at Mennonite Memorial Home in Bluffton, Ohio.
Mom was born April 30, 1929, in a farmhouse outside Bluffton, Ohio to the late Madison Stewart and Mary Kidd Stewart.
On August 29, 1946, she eloped with “the best-looking man she’d ever seen,” Floyd Hartman, who proceeded her in death.
She was a devoted mother of seven who affectionately called her “Wonder Woman.”
On Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 12:42 p.m., the Hancock County Sheriff's Office received a report of a shooting at 7400 CR 304.
The caller reported Austin J Wickman (age 28) of Findlay, Ohio fired a handgun at a subject at the residence and fled the scene. Austin was reported to be driving a 2007 black Chevrolet 2500 bearing Ohio registration JTA9755.
Hancock County deputies responded to the area and were unable to locate Austin.
Austin is considered to be armed and should not be approached if located.
The visiting Bluffton High School volleyball team outlasted Delphos Jefferson in a five-set Northwest Conference battle Thursday evening.
The Lady Pirates improved to 8-2 and 1-0 in the NWC with the 17-25, 25-6, 26-24, 27-29, 15-12 comeback triumph. DJ fell to 3-7 and 1-1 in the NWC with the defeat.
