All Bluffton Icon News

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MEDIA RELEASE__The Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs (BCE), in partnership with the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce, is inviting current and aspiring business owners to participate in the 2026 Small Business Information Series, a six-week educational program designed to support local entrepreneurship and economic growth.

The series will take place on Tuesday evenings from March 3 through April 7, 2026, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sessions will be held at the Bluffton Middle School Library, located at 116 S. Jackson Street. Participants may also attend remotely through live broadcasts from the Borra Center at Rhodes State College. REGISTER HERE.

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PHOTO Noah Zimmerman

UPDATED 8:45 a.m. February 3

By Paula Pyzik Scott

Firefighters have responded to a blaze at Viva Maria Italian Restaurant in the 100 block of South Main St. on the afternoon of Monday, February 2.

The Hardin County dispatch center received a 911 call at about 1:45 p.m. Multiple fire departments joined the Ada-Liberty Fire Department in responding to the incident.

The following morning Fire Chief Jay Epley told the Icon that Main St. reopened at about 3:00 a.m. and that he would be meeting with the Ohio Fire Marshal for the investigation of how the fire started. Demolition work on the building is being planned.

He thanked the state and Village crews that put salt down to deal with frozen water from battling the fire.

Related power outages impacted some nearby businesses. AEP shows power outages have cleared.

Ada Icon readers shared photographs showing a major fire affecting both the restaurant and the Cask Room bar next door, which closed in December.

Ada Police Chief Alec Cooper told the Icon that no injuries had been reported but that the investigation was ongoing.

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This semester, Bluffton University students in Intro to Biblical Worldview classes took part in a Rare Bible Petting Zoo activity, where they examined Bibles from Musselman Library's rare book collection. The "youngest" Bible the students looked at is more than 200 years old.

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The Bluffton Senior Center, 132 N. Main St., provides a monthly Happenings newsletter for its members. Here's a sampling of announcements for February 2026.

MONTHLY DINNER MEETING
Monday, February 9 at 12:00 noon

We will have a potluck and Mark and Debbie Brenneman will be providing soup. Please bring a side to go with the soup or dessert. MC: Beth Lamb

Adam Musyt, Meteorologist at WLIO will be our speaker. Adam will discuss how meteorologists make weather predications and answer questions.

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MEDIA RELEASE from Bluffton Public Library 
Subscribe to the BPL update HERE

Winter Read is for all ages and runs from January through March. Pick up a Winter Read Challenge Bookmark, complete it, and stop by the front desk to pick up a small prize!

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PHOTO from Bluffton High School Wall of Fame

By Bill Herr

Bluffton High School has had many outstanding teachers. One taught there for only four years, but coached a team that won an Ohio State Championship. He was Mr. Paul Stauffer. He taught forensics (Debate), drama and speech. He was very knowledgeable in all three because he had actively participated in them at Blufton College. Stauffer also directed class plays, both at the high school and at Bluffton College.

Bluffton High School students used to have interclass debates. In 1931, Mr. Stauffer's first year teaching at Bluffton, a girl qualified for individual debate in the National Tournament. Mr. Stauffer took the girl and her mother to Racine, Wisconsin, where the tournament took place. She didn't win, but in Mr. Stauffer's words, "We learned what to do and what not to do."

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