On Monday, January 12, three Bluffton Council members were sworn in by Mayor Richard Johnson (L-R), Phill Talavinia (returning), Liz Gordon-Hancock (new) and Thomas Downey (new). One additional council member will need to be appointed. Interviews have been scheduled for a Tuesday, January 20, executive session.
Do you have a budding engineer in your family? If so, join us for exciting STEM engineering challenges one Thursday evening each month at 6:00 p.m. from January - April. As a family unit, design, test, and modify your own creations. Meet downstairs in the large activity room. Mark your calendars for Jan. 15, Feb. 26, Mar. 19, and Apr. 23.
Shirley Mae Hager, 88, passed away on January 13, 2026, at the Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. Shirley was born August 2, 1937, in Lima to the late Marcus and Cleo (Ebling) Bales. On June 8, 1958, she married George "Samuel" Hager, and he preceded her in death on September 28, 2025.
Mixed Media Art Class: Snowflake (R)($) will be held Tue., Jan. 13 at 6:00 p.m. with Hannah Warwick of Bluffton Art Co. Come prepared to create your own mixed media snowflake using watercolor/pen/paint. Cost is $15 per person and will be taken at the door (cash only, please). Register in person or online. Open to adults, and teens and children with an accompanying adult.
Stan Clemens died at the age of 84 in the early morning on January 11, 2026, having lived a full and in some ways unexpected life.
Stan was born on May 11, 1941, and grew up in Souderton, PA, where his parents, grandparents, and generations before had lived. He was very active in sports and music through his high school years. He graduated from Bluffton College, where he met his wife, Joenita Shetler. He went on to earn his Masters from the University of Indiana and Ph. D. in Mathematics from the University of North Carolina. Stan and Jo have lived in Bluffton, OH, for the past 40 years.
