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By Paula Pyzik Scott

The April meeting of the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce featured a program by Renee Matthews, BSW RN, the administrator of Bluffton Hospital, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System.

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UPDATE: Family concert is Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 3:00 PM

The Lima Symphony Orchestra has announced details of the 2024-2025 season. High-profile guest artists and conductors, new music, symphonic arrangements of pop and rock hits, and favorite repertoire classics will be part of the upcoming season, which begins in October.

Season subscriptions are on sale; tickets for individual concerts will be available August 1.

Electric Love - Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Featuring Tracy Silverman, electric violin

This event offers a fusion of progressive rock ‘n’ roll and classical music through Silverman’s own avant-garde, yet lyrical compositions. Fall in love again with the romantic Romeo and Juliet Suite by Prokofiev, this time with a happy ending. 

Brahms and Water Music - Friday, November 8, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Featuring the Lima Symphony Chorus

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PHOTO from the Bluffton Public Library Digital archive: https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p15005coll28/id/1936

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Name the top Bluffton controversies of all time.

Is dancing at the high school on your list? Probably not. However in 1939 this issue was so divisive that one school board member threatened to resign and the First Mennonite and Ebenezer Mennonite churches actually held the same opinion on the issue – writing a letter to the school board to discourage dancing.

This story is from the Bluffton in two consecutive issues, covered in excellent journalist fashion by Ted Biery, editor.

Several background items are needed prior to reading the account:

• Bluffton High school students held dances previous to 1939, however no dances took place in the high school. These were either in parties in residences or in other venues off school property.

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By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON __ The Bluffton High School track and field teams hosted the five-school Bluffton Friday Night Lights Invitational meet on April 19 at Salzman Stadium on the campus of Bluffton University.

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By Thomas Vail, DPM
Podiatry Staff, Blanchard Valley Health System

Read your footprints and discover how you roll! Like a good detective story, your bare footprints can leave clues to your foot health and drop hints about possible problems. Before we crack the barefoot code, here's a quick course on walking patterns.

  • The heel usually hits the ground first.
  • As the foot moves forward, the arch flattens, and weight is transferred to the ball of the foot.
  • As you push off from the ball of the foot, the arch springs upward and does not touch the ground.

At least, that's how normal feet are supposed to work. Unfortunately, many feet aren't normal. In normal feet, this movement is straight. If the foot rolls to the inside, it's called "overpronation" and can strain the arch and hurt the knee. If the foot rolls to the outside, it's called "underpronation" and can lead to stress fractures and ankle sprains.

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Above) Kelly Armentrout (Lima, Ohio), Bill Hanefeld (Bluffton, Ohio) and Cole Kropka (New London, Ohio) received awards as outstanding athletes and contributors to Bluffton University athletics.

“Success is a Choice” was the message given at the Bluffton University Athletics Award forum on Tuesday, April 16. Awards were also presented to standout senior student-athletes and a dedicated supporter of Bluffton athletics. 

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Bluffton University baseball will travel north, all the way to Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, to take on Alma College on  April 24. Tickets are available at www.bluffton.edu/tickets for $10 each. First pitch is at 7 p.m. Head Coach James
Grandey notes, “This will be an awesome experience that will include full on field ... practice!”

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Statement issued on Facebook

On April 18, 2024 at 4:05 p.m. the Putnam County Sheriff's Office received several 911 calls of shots being fired at 6302 Pro Tec Parkway, Leipsic Ohio at Kitchen Enterprises Trucking Company.

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Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) has launched a podcoast featuring connections between its services and the communities it serves. Health Connect will spotlight new physicians/providers and technology, untangle the complexities of healthcare, and give listeners a glimpse into healthcare offerings in Northwest Ohio. 

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Work zone safety emphasized; 43 ODOT crews struck so far in 2024

LIMA__The Ohio Department of Transportation officially kicked off highway construction season in northwest Ohio with a media event held at the County Road 99-Interstate 75 interchange in Findlay, where a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) will be constructed. The project will begin early this spring and conclude in 2026.

Notable highway projects in the Icon readership area:

  • U.S. 68/State Route 15 interchange ramp relocation and roundabout construction, Hancock County
  • U.S. 30 resurfacing between U.S. 68 and State Route 37, Hancock County

WORK ZONE SAFETY 

So far this year, 43 ODOT crews have been struck while working. This compares to 56 ODOT crews hit all of last year. 14 ODOT workers and nine contractors were injured in work zone crashes in 2023. Sadly, one contractor was killed. 

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