All Bluffton Icon News

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July 4th celebrations often include cook-outs, picnics, boating, time spent with family and friends and, of course, fireworks. But for too many Americans, the nation's annual celebration is filled with tragedy, as it is one of the deadliest holidays of the year when it comes to alcohol-impaired traffic fatalities.

That's why the Hancock County Sheriff's Office will be out in force during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, cracking down on impaired drivers with aggressive Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest enforcement.

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Matt Ferguson on right

When Matt Ferguson was a high school sophomore in 2004, a group of his friends left a Christmas present on his doorstep-a life-size, cardboard cutout of President George W. Bush.

Ferguson had volunteered with the Miami County, Ohio, Republican Party during Bush's re-election campaign earlier that year. "That's when I started building the relationships that have really helped me out," says the 2010 Bluffton University alumnus, who met a number of local officials, including his U.S. Rep., and now Speaker of the House, John Boehner.

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Sesqu day 7

Morris Groman, Don Herr, Jim Bassitt and Dick Boehr harmonize in a dress rehearsal for Friday and Saturday night's performance in Yoder Recital Hall. Click for video preview.

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Adam Belcher shows off his painted face from Thursday's kid's art activities - these continue on Friday

Watch a video preview of Bluffton's Brand of Broadway" - click here.

Two days remain - but they might be the best two! Bluffton's sesquicentennial celebration has a full weekend of activities planned Friday and Saturday, July 1 and 2.

Here's Friday's schedule:

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Milton McDowell

Byron "Milton" McDowell, 84, of Bluffton and formerly Columbus Grove, died Thursday, June 30, 2011, at 11:30 a.m. at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton.

He was born June 27, 1927, in Columbus Grove, Ohio, to Byron Lee and Neva (McKanna) McDowell. On July 9, 1948, he married Mary Jane Roberts who survives.

Mr. McDowell retired from Baldwin-Lima Hamilton/Clark Equipment, Lima, and from Bluffton University. He was a member and elder of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Columbus Grove.

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UAW 1219 crew with Steve Halle when after the ramp was finished

Watch a video by clicking here.

Second video here.

A couple dozen volunteers from the UAW 1219 ramp crew made life a lot more comfortable for a Bluffton family.

The crew constructed a wheelchair ramp free of charge on Thursday, June 30.

The ramp crew consists of retired Ford Motor Company employees of Lima. The members volunteer their time to construct wheelchair ramps for persons in the Lima and surrounding area.

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