MEDIA RELEASE__The congregation at Ebenezer Mennonite Church is happy to announce that a new Senior Pastor has been named as of Sunday, July 20.
After a thorough job search, Pastor David Glick has accepted the position after serving at the church for 10 years. Pastor David started at Ebenezer in 2015 as the Pastor of Student Ministries, a position that he served in for 8 years before being promoted to Associate Pastor in February 2024.
July 21 MEDIA RELEASE__The following students have been named to the Bluffton University Dean’s List with distinction.
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.
Dean A. Diller, 93, of Anchorage, Alaska and formerly of Pandora passed away July 1, 2025, at Willow Ridge - Betty House in Bluffton. Dean was born March 20, 1932 in Pandora to the late Earl and Alma (Luginbill) Diller. On September 1, 1951, he married Alice (Baer) Diller and she preceded him in death on April 14, 2008. On November 28, 2009 he married Carol (Roten) Diller who survives.
Stratton Auto Sales construction underway on SR 103
By Paula Pyzik Scott
Residential and commercial building permits in Bluffton for the first half of 2025 have a total value of $11.4M. 2025 commercial permits:
Gerken Materials - $6M asphalt plant
Bluffton Schools - $400K artificial turf field
Bluffton University - $272K building demolition (Berky Hall)
Universal U-Store-It - $108K fence
SumiRiko Ohio - $100K storage building
Bluffton Schools - $50K house demolition
Bluffton Senior Center - $17.5K awning (rear entrance)
A commercial project permitted in 2024 and under construction at 262 State Route 103 (south of Wendy’s) is a $6.3M new building for SKRJ LLC (Stratton Auto, 220 N. Main St.).
JULY 21 MEDIA RELEASE__Governor DeWine has announced the full membership of his newly-formed Property Tax Reform Working Group. The working group, informally announced during the Governor’s signing of House Bill 96 and associated line-item vetoes, is tasked with thoroughly examining issues related to how to provide meaningful property tax relief to homeowners and businesses while ensuring that funding for local schools, fire, police, EMS, libraries, and developmental disabilities is adequate.
JULY 21 MEDIA RELEASE__During the Ohio Wildlife Council meeting on Wednesday, July 16, waterfowl hunting zones for the 2026-2030 seasons were amended in three counties following public comments on proposals submitted in April, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
