All Bluffton Icon News

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By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School baseball team convincingly swept a doubleheader from visiting rival Pandora-Gilboa, forging a strong season opener on Saturday, March 29.

The Pirates won the first game 16-6, then blasted the Rockets 24-0 in the nightcap. Both games went just five innings as they were shortened by the 10-run mercy rule.

Robby Taylor earned the pitching victory for Bluffton in game one. He hurled 2.1 innings of relief and allowed two hits and one earned run.

Jake Weaver drilled a double and a single, coaxed a walk and had two runs batted in. He also scored two runs. Keaton Howbert collected two hits, a walk, two stolen bases, two runs and two RBI.

Luke Jebsen hit two singles and scored two runs. Brody Anderson tallied a run and slapped a two-run single. Nolan Speicher drew four walks, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs.  MORE ▶︎

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Bluffton University will host a Reader’s Theatre, “I Have Not Forsaken the Word of God,” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 13, in College Hall’s Ramseyer Auditorium. 

The production is directed by Dr. Melissa Friesen, Mary Nord Ignat and Joseph Ignat professor of theatre and communication at Bluffton University, and is based on testimony of Jacques d’Auchy from “Martyrs Mirror.” 

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The Pandora United Methodist Church will be presenting their  Easter Cantata, "The Easter Story" written by Tom Fettke and Thomas Grassi on Sunday ,April 13 at 9:30 a.m. during the worship service.

The church service and refreshments in the fellowship hall afterwards are open to the public.

The choir is directed by Pat Basinger and accompanied by Kira Davis.

The church is located on State Route 12 at 108 E. Washington Street in Pandora.

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The Bluffton Public Library will host the following events and activities during the week of March 31-April 5. For further details and dates, visit www.blufftonpubliclibrary.org/library-events/

Monday, March 31

Hummin’ & Strummin’ Song Circle - 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 1

Open Chess - 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 2

Baby Storytime - 10 to 10:30 a.m.

Pre-K Storytime - 10:30 to 11 a.m.

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Provided by Cory-Rawson Local Schools

Cory-Rawson Local Schools held its third annual Amazing Shake event on March 26, 2025. The program gives seventh grade students an opportunity to be authentically assessed on skills from their year-long Thrive class. 

Thrive is based on the district's Portrait of a Hornet attributes of communication, relationship-building, critical thinking and resilience.

All seventh graders begin the day in the first round, the Gauntlet. Featuring 20 stations, students perform a variety of impromptu tasks including problem-solving, solving a customer service issue, responding to a rude restaurant server, making a medical appointment via phone and a variety of interviews.  Volunteer community partners from a number of companies and organizations judge each station.  MORE

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Rev. Dr. Maxwell Kennel, director of Pandora Press and editor of the Anabaptist and Mennonite Studies Series, came to Bluffton University the week of March 24, 2025, for spring semester’s Spiritual Life Week. Kennel provided the Forum and Chapel messages and worked with students as they explored Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and the theme “Faith and Memory.”

“Memory is not merely an individual act,” said Kennel. “But a collective process, shaped by our social and political context.”

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