All Bluffton Icon News

Provided by the Bluffton Public Library

The Board of Trustees of Bluffton Public Library has announced its meeting schedule for 2025.  Meetings will be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the library's Board Room at 145 South Main St., Bluffton. No meetings will take place in July or December.

Board members are Bob Beer, president; Emily VonStein, vice president; Carrie Phillips, secretary; Amy Lehman Mikesell, Robert Scott, Chanda Smith, and Nancy Yeager. 

Board meetings are open to the public.

Bethny Ricks ‘06, Bluffton University trustee, senior executive, author and speaker, will present, “Decisive Decision Making: Moving from Stagnation to Action,” at 11 a.m. on Jan. 21 in Yoder Recital Hall.

During the presentation, Ricks will show how to overcome indecision, evaluate options and make impactful choices with confidence.

The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Forum at Bluffton University is free and open to the public.

By Katie (Prater) Kirby, Student Pharmacist and Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist

Jack of All Trades was released on March 6, 2012 by Bruce Springsteen. You may not be familiar with this song unless you are a true fan of “the Boss.” This song is considered in the folk-rock genre and was on his seventeenth album.

“Jack of all trades” is a saying implying someone who has skills in different areas. The newer GLP-1 medications may qualify as such.

The GLP-1s include semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and the combination of GLP-1/GIP drug tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound). Studies are evaluating their potential benefits beyond managing diabetes and weight loss. These areas include rheumatic disease, cancer and addiction. 

Rheumatic diseases include gout, varying types of arthritis, lupus and fibromyalgia. The impact of rheumatic diseases has led researchers to look at new treatments.

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Dennis G. Marquart, 72, of Forest, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at home with his wife by his side. He was born April 7, 1952 in Bluffton, Ohio to the late Solomon and Margery (Shellenbarger) Marquart. On February 10, 1978, Dennis married Nancy Bishop and she survives.  Together they adopted three children and took care of thirty medical needs foster children over a twenty year period.  

Marjorie Janice Thomas (née Johns), 97, of Lima, Ohio, died on Sunday, December 29, after a brief stay at St. Rita’s Medical Center. 

Born on August 20, 1927, in Lima, Ohio, Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents, Clarice and Richard Johns of Lima, Ohio; her husband of 40 years, Roger Lee Thomas (d. 2003); and her daughter, Carol Ann (Dave) Siverling (d. 2013). 

By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School girls basketball team stymied visiting non-conference foe Shawnee in the second half to post a 47-25 victory Tuesday, January 7.

The Bluffton defense held the Indians to just nine second-half points. The hosts outscored Shawnee 27-9 after intermission to win going away. 

Pirate senior post Ayla Grandey led all players with 17 points.

Bluffton improved to 8-4 overall after the decisive win. Shawnee dropped to 4-8 after the road defeat.

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