At the October 15 Bluffton High School football game, John Hicks was recognized for serving as trainer for 24 years. On Facebook, the Athletic Boosters thanked him for the "countless hours you have given to our student athletes." (Number of years corrected. Thank you, readers!)
When local pilot Taylor Reineke saw the Icon's recent story on the Bluffton Airport, he passed along this photo, taken the same week.
According Bluffton Flying Service's Nick Vance, a short "discovery flight" will determine if you'll be hooked on flying--or never want to get in a small plane again.
Would you like to experience this Bluffton view first-hand?
Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) has announced that Renee Smith, MD will become its new chief medical officer (CMO).
Dr. Smith comes to BVHS from Aspirus Network, Inc. (ANI), a clinically integrated provider network in Wausau, Wisconsin with more than 1,100 physicians, advanced practice clinicians and other providers with 110 practices. Most recently, she served ANI in the capacity of executive director (since 2016) and as medical branch director–emergency operations center (since 2020).
The Bluffton Board of Education met in the Elementary School media center on October 18 with an audience of nine including the Bluffton Icon.
Among contracts approved by the board was bus driver Deborah Hilty, hired for a 60 day trial period at 4 hours per day.
Middle school principal Josh Kauffman noted that amidst the tight hiring market for drivers, that “knock on wood,” the Bluffton schools are in good shape with drivers and substitute drivers.
On a wet October 16, Pirate freshman June Essinger captured first place in the girls NWC cross country championship with a time of 21:32.086, ahead of 40 other girls.
The Bluffton volleyball team lost a five-set nailbiter to visiting Van Buren in the Div. III sectional semifinals Monday evening, October 18.
The Lady Pirates won sets two and four in close battles to force a decisive fifth game. But VB took the first, third and fifth sets to eke out the win.
Bluffton's season record ended up 13-10. Five seniors played their final match for the Pirates in the gut-wrenching 25-12, 30-32, 25-17, 22-25, 15-12 defeat.
VB improved to 17-5 with the tournament victory, their second win over the Pirates in less than a week.
