February 2025

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By Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist, ONU Healthwise Pharmacy 

The term “going viral” describes content spreading quickly and broadly across social media. In 2016, Pinkfong, a South Korean entertainment company released a version of a youth song called Baby Shark with an accompanying YouTube dance video. The video has gone viral with 7.04 billion views as of November 2020, 10 billion by January 2022, and an amazing 15.34 billion by November 2024.  

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By Cort Reynolds

ELIDA - The visiting Bluffton High Schoolboys basketball team defeated non-league rival Elida 49-44 on February 11.

The Pirates improved to 13-7 overall as they snapped a three-game losing skid. Elida fell to 11-7 after the loss.

The Pirates led 14-13 after the first period. After an 11-6 second stanza, Bluffton stretched their lead to 25-18 at halftime.

Elida captured the third period 16-11 to pull within 36-34 heading into the final quarter. 

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By Cort Reynolds

BATH – The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team beat non-conference foe Bath in a defensive struggle 36-26 Monday, February 10.

The game was postponed from Saturday due to icy road conditions.

The Pirates led 12-6 after the first period as Ayla Grandey and Macy Schaadt each scored five points. A 6-5 second stanza gave Bluffton an 18-11 lead at halftime.

Bluffton won the third period 10-7 to extend their margin to 28-18 heading to the final period of play. Both teams mustered eight points in the fourth quarter as Bath was unable to make a dent in the Pirate advantage.  

Bluffton finished the regular season 13-9 after the victory. Bath ended up 9-13 with the defeat.

Pirate senior post Grandey led Bluffton with 17 points on eight baskets and 1-1 foul shooting. She scored at least four points in all four periods.

Schaadt netted 13 points and sank the lone Pirate trifecta.

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By Betsi Werling

Bluffton Exempted Village Schools Board of Education met on Monday, February 10. Action included financial and staffing decisions. 

The Board approved additional funding for Teacher Professional Development in the amount of $5,000. 

In Contracts, Assignments and Resignations: 

  • Karna Marquart completed her training and is now approved for 7.5 hour days as an Educational Aide. 
  • Gianna Mallaro is completing her teaching assignment in Guidance Counseling with Mr. Utendorf. 
  • Substitute teachers were approved. 

The Board approved a resolution for work with All Temp Refrigeration to replace the chiller in the Middle School. It is 26 years old and when it needs repairs, it is becoming more costly. It is time to replace it. 

The Board approved the OHSAA membership for the 2025-2026 academic year for the Middle School and High School to participate in the Ohio High School Athletic Association. 

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Bluffton University will host a Reader’s Theatre, “I Have Not Forsaken the Word of God, ” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, in College Hall’s Ramseyer Auditorium. 

The production is directed by Dr. Melissa Friesen, Mary Nord Ignat and Joseph Ignat professor of theatre and communication at Bluffton University, and is based on testimony of Jacques d’Auchy from “Martyrs Mirror.” 

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Candidates for the office of Student Senate president at Bluffton University will debate at Forum at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, in Yoder Recital Hall. 

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All undergraduate degree-seeking students with at least a half-time load of graded courses whose GPA for the period is no lower than 3.6 are named to the Bluffton University Dean’s List. Students on the Dean’s List whose cumulative GPA, as based on 20 semester hours, is no lower than 3.75 will be indicated as receiving distinction for continued high achievement. 

The following students have been named to the Bluffton University Dean’s List with distinction: 

Jacob Arndt, Marion, Ohio

Chloei Barnett, Wapakoneta, Ohio

Dominic Barry, Brooklyn, Ohio

Matthew Becher, Fishers, Ind.

Marissa Blake, Hilliard, Ohio

Trinity Borgman, Orient, Ohio

Kaden Bowman, Hilliard, Ohio

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Ten Thousand Villages welcomes Haitian artist Jean François Frisnel as the February 2025 Artist of the Month. His paintings will be on display in the Ten Thousand Villages store during the month of February. The public is invited to come to a reception to meet the artist at 2 pm, Saturday, February 22.

In 1979 Frisnel was born in Carrefour, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He now resides in Lima, Ohio. He says this of his art career:

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Provided by the Cory-Rawson Local Schools

In partnership with The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation, Cory-Rawson Local Schools is excited to announce the school’s Green & Gold Foundation Fund has reached its grant funding milestone. The fund will begin granting to school staff, coaches and administrators beginning in January 2026 to support enrichment opportunities for students across grade levels and programs. The fund will announce a capital campaign in the near future.

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Lifelong Bluffton resident, Edward James Reichenbach, a man whose passionate love for his family was exceeded only by his love of Jesus, passed away in his sleep on February 7, 2025 at the age of 88. 

Edward was born August 16, 1936 in Bluffton to Ralph and Evelyn Reichenbach. As a family, we like to say that not too long after his birth, Ed held his first job. No one out-worked Edward Reichenbach. From lawn mowing at age 10, caring for horses, sweeping floors downtown, painting and later driving a school bus, milk delivery and coaching football, to name just a few of his jobs, he paid his way through Bluffton College where he became the first in his family to graduate (with a degree in Education). He worked and studied while all the time playing on the football team as well. Ed taught middle school in Lima before accepting the challenge to be the first State Farm insurance agent in Bluffton. A testimony to Ed's work ethic is that State Farm has the "President's Club," an annual award given to the top 50 Agents in the entire United States. Edward qualified for President's Club in the tiny community of Bluffton, outperforming agents in cities such as New York and Chicago. 

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