Bluffton council approved several items on May 10 related to the 2010 Bluffton Community Swimming Pool season. The information, including, staff, rates, rules and other information follows:

Bluffton writer Andr'e Swartley's second novel, Americanus Rex, has been named a finalist in the General Fiction/Novel Category of the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. The yearly contest is open to all English-language books published in the previous calendar year by independent writers and publishers anywhere in the world. Grand Prize winners will be announced later this month.

Beth Boehr, of Beyond Budgeting, will be the keynote speaker for SPA Day 2010, to be held in the Patio Room at Maple Crest, Saturday, May 15, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Boehr will discuss ways to shop smart, plan ahead and accumulate wealth. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to have manicures, pedicures, facials, massages and make-up makeovers courtesy of local professionals from the area.

We're pretty certain that you can phonetically figure this one out. It belongs to Josh Barhorst.

Gene Edward Badertscher, 75, of Bluffton, died May 11, 2010, at 11:07 a.m. in St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima.

He was born Nov. 11, 1934, to Albert and Sarah Hochstettler Badertscher in Hancock County, Ohio. On May 18, 1957, he married Nora Preto and she survives.

Mr. Badertscher was a carpenter, butcher, millwright and brick mason. He attended St. Mary's Catholic Church, Bluffton, and was a past member of St. John's United Church of Christ, Bluffton.

"Mennonite Memorial Home is fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers. Each summer we welcome teenagers, age 15 and older, to share their time, talent and enthusiasm with our residents and staff in the MMH Volunteen program, said Mary Ann Ring, MMH director of volunteeer services.

The MMH Volunteen program encourages local teens to serve their community and have a meaningful experience in a nursing home setting.

Note: Dan Groman provided us with the following information. We thought it best to print it the way he explained it.

As a part of the week-long celebration (in the summer of 2011), Bluffton will host a baseball game using the rules from 1860. No gloves allowed, no running past first base (or you could be tagged out), and you can catch the ball on one bounce in the outfield for an out.

Don't miss it! On Sunday, May 23, is a Bluffton High School boys' basketball alumni tournament. The event is open to the public and will begin at 8 a.m. in the high school gym. Admission is $2 and the proceeds will go to the Lil' Pirates to help subsidize summer camp costs.

Bluffton basketball is promoting a shooting campaign this spring and summer for any boy from grades 3-12. The goal is to make 150,000 shots as a program.

The participants from April follow:
Rhett Donaldson (3rd grade) 450 makes
Logan Rhodes (3rd grade) 1,333 makes
Cole Fruchey (4th grade) 4,485 makes
Kaden Reneker (4th grade) 1,108 makes
Gabe Denecker (5th grade) 8,272 makes
Matt Gillett (10th grade) 5,200 makes
Program total to date: 20,848 makes