January 2024

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Betty J. Main, 103, passed away January 18, 2024 at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton.  Betty was born January 31, 1920 in Hancock County to the late Fred and Edith (Mitsch) Livingston.  She married Charles Main who preceded her in death.

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Each year Crime Victim Services provides advocacy and services to over 4,500 individuals affected by crime and victimization in Allen and Putnam Counties through a range of programs. Our services rely heavily on federal, state and local funding to ensure victims receive quality services at no cost. Continued cuts to federal funding, however, are putting these services at risk, and we need our community’s support to keep necessary funding secure.  

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By Cort Reynolds

LEIPSIC__The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team fell victim to a hot-shooting Leipsic in the first half and lost 51-39 on Thursday evening, January 18.

Viking senior Leah Kirkendall scored all 13 of her points in the first half, sinking three triples, to shoot Leipsic into a 12-point intermission cushion.

Junior post Ayla Grandey drained two triples in the first period to keep Bluffton within 16-13. But a 16-7 second stanza behind four trifectas lifted Leipsic to a 32-20 halftime lead. 

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By Paula Pyzik Scott

On December 24, 2023, Bluffton police officers Tyler Hochstetler and Austin Probst received a 911 dispatch to Bluffton Town Hall with little information about what or who they were looking for. Their response led to the discovery of a teen reported missing the day earlier in North Carolina.

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Have weather on your mind? In December 2023 the area saw a high of 62 degrees F. Highlights of National Weather Service observations at the Lima Municipal Airport are below. A complete table of observations is HERE.

Climatological Data for LIMA WWTP, OH - December 2023

Temperature

High - 62 degrees F on December 9

Low- 24 degrees F on Dec. 13-14-19-20

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By Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU Healthwise Team 

In 2001, If I Didn’t Have You won the Academy Award for Best Original Song from the Disney movie Monsters, Inc. The song was written by Randy Newman and performed by Billy Crystal and John Goodman.   

Randy Newman became a Disney Legend in 2007 for his songwriting on 9 different Disney-Pixar movies. He has won 7 Grammy Awards and 3 Emmys.  

What if we didn’t have new drugs?

The FDA approves an average of 3-4 novel medications every month.  In 2023, the agency approved 55 novel drugs exceeding 37 in 2022.  This number reflects novel drugs approved and not the total number.  

What makes something novel?  According to the FDA, it is a medication with an active ingredient never before available in the US.  It is a drug working differently than anything else.  In the past 2 years, 92 unique drugs entered the market to help manage a diverse set of conditions.  Approximately 35% of these approvals are for the treatment and management of cancer.  

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The Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the launch of a much-anticipated Bluffton Winter Farmers Market, an initiative in response to the community's continued requests for an indoor marketplace.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

BLUFFTON WINTER FARMERS MARKET
4th Saturday of the month
January-April
8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
132 N. Main St., Bluffton, Ohio

 

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Due to heating issues, the Bluffton Public Library closed at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 17.

For updates, visit the library Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/blufftonpubliclibrary

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By Paula Pyzik Scott

What's more fun than a barrel of monkeys? Bluffton PTO Bakery Bingo on January 20 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Middle School cafetorium.

If you get a bingo, you win a home-baked item donated by local families.

What kinds of treats will be there? The sign up list typically includes cookies, cake pops, brownies, rice crispy treats, breads, muffins, pies, cake, other and gluten free.

Families will also find food and drink at the concessions tables. Keep in mind that it is very difficult for the PTO to make change for large denominations. Bringing small bills is always appreciated.

No admission ticket is required. You can purchase packs of bingo cards at the door for $1 a pack.

There will also be tickets sold for raffle baskets and a 50/50 drawing.

END

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By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School girls basketball team outscored visiting non-conference rival Elida by 14 in the second half to pave the way for a 49-37 win Tuesday evening, January 16.

The Pirate girls trailed 20-18 at halftime, but seized a 31-25 after a 13-5 third period. Macy Schaadt canned two key triples in the turnaround stanza.

Schaadt tallied six more points in the fourth period as Bluffton won the final quarter, 18-12. Ayla Grandey added four of her game-high 16 points in the final period.

The Pirate duo combined for 30 points as Schaadt netted 12 of her 14 markers after intermission.

The Pirates improved to 6-7 with the win, while the Bulldog girls dropped to 3-11 after the loss.  

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