Persons interested in participating in the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership may click on an application form on The Icon advertising page. Riley Creek is part of the watershed.
Persons with specific questions should contact Nancy Benroth, Bluffton assistant village administator, at 419-358-2066, ext.102.
The Late Spring Session of youth programs will begin April 19 and run for 5 weeks through May 21. Classes for youth include tiny tots and swim lessons for younger ages (6 months to age 4), plus a variety of elementary school age classes. Offered in the Spring only is Tball Fun (Mon. 3:30-4:15PM), a class designed for girls and boys ages 5 and 6 year old girls and boys, plus 7 year old girls.
Bluffton council intends to raze the former Fleming house at 136 Railroad Street. The house was damaged extensively during the 2007 flood. In addition, the village plans to raze the house at 150 Railroad, (second from the corner of Railroad and College).
Council moved to proceed with those projects at the Monday, April 12, council meeting. Council does not own the property at 136 Railroad, but does own the 150 Railroad St. property.
Note: From 8:30 to 10 a.m., Friday, April 30, at the Bluffton Elementary School, Jim Amick from the USTA will conduct a school-wide assembly to promote the summer program and tennis in general.
If you love used books sales, this is your week. Two sales are now underway in Bluffton. The Bluffton Friends of the Library hold a sale from April 10 to 17. Bluffton University's Musselman Library will host its 2010 book sale Tueseday to Friday, April 13-16, in the main-floor Reading Room. Here are the details:
The Bluffton High School class of 1960 will hold its 50th class reunion in Bluffton this June. Members will meet at 8 p.m., Friday, June 25, at Luke's Bar and Grill. Members will meet again at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, June 26, in the town hall.
Can't you just taste the strawberries, the jams, the rolls, and smell the flowers? The eighth season of Bluffton's popular farmer's market prepares for opening day, Saturday, May 1, according to Peter Previte, unofficial chair of this favorite Bluffton pastime. This year's market will take place in its familiar location - the parking lot between Citizens National Bank and the post office. The market opens at 8:30 a.m. and runs until noon, no matter the weather conditions, from May 1 to the final Saturday in October.
Jim Steffen, a "motivational fitness" speaker and author of the book "Fun Fitness for Families," will be the guest speaker Tuesday, April 20, at Bluffton University's annual Athletics Awards Forum.
"Fit to Achieve" will be Steffen's topic, beginning at 11 a.m. in Yoder Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
Here's another colorized post card of Bluffton's Main Street looking north. It would appear that the photo was taken from a hot air balloon, based on the angle. Actually, it was probably taken on a ladder from the roof of the Russell Hotel (if it was taken prior to 1919).
Obviously the automobiles date this photo, as does the interurban rails running on the center of the street. Not much else has changed except one thing: the steeple of the Presbyterian Church is no longer in existence.
