October 2023

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By Paula Scott

Guests at the October 13 breakfast meeting of the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce found their parking spaces off Main Street (paving in progress) and then found breakfast made for them, courtesy of Greenhorn and event sponsor GROB Systems.

BACC Director Jim Enneking introduced three new chamber members:

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National School Bus Safety Week begins today, October 16, and runs through Friday, October 20. During this week, the Ohio State Highway Patrol will be increasing enforcement efforts on school bus violations. These violations include passing a stopped school bus, school zone violations and other school bus or school zone-related activity.

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Veterans living in the Pandora-Gilboa School District are invited to the Annual Veterans' Banquet at the Pandora United Methodist Church, 108 E. Washington St. on St. Rt. 12, on Thursday, November 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the church fellowship hall.

The dinner and short program are sponsored by the Pandora United Methodist Rebecca Circle.

Reservations for the veteran and spouse (or guest) are due November 1.

To RSVP, call the church office 419-384-3905 and leave your name, number of reservations and your contact information. 

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NWC championship to be decided in showdown finale at Grove 

By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton football team silenced local rival Allen East 42-0 in their Northwest Conference match Friday night at Goodwin Field in Harrod to stay undefeated and tied atop the league heading to the final week of the regular season.

The stingy Pirate defense came up with five sacks en route to their seventh consecutive shutout.  

Bluffton scored all of its points in the first half, highlighted by a 28-point second quarter.

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By Cort Reynolds

SPENCERVILLE__The Bluffton High School cross country teams competed at the annual Northwest Conference championship meet in Spencerville on a wet and 53-degree Saturday, October 14.

GIRLS
Junior June Essinger finished a strong sixth in the 45-runner girls field to record the top Lady Pirate showing.

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LIMA__The Lima-Allen County Safe Community Coalition reports there were zero fatal traffic crashes on Allen County roadways during September 2023.

Thus far, there have been a total of 7 fatalities on Allen County roadways due to traffic crashes in 2023. In comparison, during 2022 there were 9 fatal crashes through August.

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By Missy Moore, APRN-CNM, APRN-CNP
Midwifery, Blanchard Valley Obstetrics & Gynecology

Although midwives have been around for hundreds of years, the term midwife is one that not many are able to clearly define. There is often confusion surrounding the many types of midwives and the span of roles a midwife might play. 

Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM) are highly trained providers who first are educated and trained as registered nurses, then choose to attend accredited universities, followed by passing a midwifery board-certified examination. CNMs also must maintain their licensures every five years by completing a number of continuing education requirements. In Ohio, CNMs work in collaboration with physicians and deliver babies in hospitals and birth centers. In contrast, lay midwives learn their skills through apprenticeship and are not legally recognized by the state they practice in and deliver babies in homes.

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By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

This Bluffton High School team wasn’t even called the “Pirates,” yet 100 seasons ago, it set the standard for a winning football tradition in our community.

The 1923 red and white Bluffton team, playing before most school athletic leagues were formed, won eight games and lost only one. Even its loss, by a close 3 to 9 score, was impressive.

Here’s the story of this Bluffton team:

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Ernest E. Porzelius, 94, passed away October 13, 2023, at 2:15 p.m., at Willow Ridge - Betty House.

Ernest was born February 1, 1929 in Secor, IL, to Walter and Catherine (Boeringa) Porzelius who preceded him in death. He married Violet Schwartz in 1957. They had 51 loving years together. Vi preceded him in death in 2008. 

Also preceding him in death is his son, Jim Porzelius (August of 2023), his brother, Fred, and his sisters Mary and Dorothy. 

Survivors include three daughters, Kathy Sawatzky of Little River, KS, Joan LoBianco of Bluffton, and Kris (Matt) DeVoe of Schoolcraft, MI; nine grandchildren, Melissa Sawatzky Hodgson, Tracy Sawatzky White, Nicole LoBianco Agner, Lauren LoBianco Brenneman, Tessa Porzelius, Kyler Porzelius, Leah DeVoe Westra, Sadie DeVoe, & Davis DeVoe; and twelve great-grandchildren. 

Ernie went to seminary in Chicago, IL, and met Vi when he was attending a conference near her home. That began a courtship through letter writing, which led to their marriage on August 10, 1957. 

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Ohio corn and soybean producers expect record high corn and soybean yields this year, according to Ben Torrance, State  Statistician, USDA NASS, Ohio Field Office. The October Crop Production Report is based on conditions as of October 1, 2023. Some highlights of the report follow: 

• Ohio expected corn yield is up 8 bushels from last year to 195 bushels per acre. Total production is forecast at 657 million  bushels, up 11 percent from last year. 

• Ohio soybean production is expected to total 270 million bushels, down 4 percent from last year. The yield is forecast at  57 bushels per acre, up 1.5 bushels from last year. 

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