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.
MEDIA RELEASE__The Bluffton Exempted Village School District iscurrently accepting applications from students interested in attending the school district through open enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year.
Students from any school district in Ohio may apply and enroll in Bluffton Schools tuition-free. Students are admitted on a full-time basis only.
Applications are approved annually on a first-come, first-served basis and approval is subject to grade-level enrollment and educational programs.
A first-class letter sent by the Icon from Bluffton, Ohio to Bluffton, Ohio took four days this past week. Hand-postmarked about noon on Wednesday, January 7, the letter was received at the Icon PO Box on Saturday, January 10.
Village Administrator Jesse Blackburn provided the attached 2025 Zoning Permits Summary for the village council at the December 22 regular meeting. The total dollar value of cost estimates is $12.9M with $6M in residential permits and $6.9M in commercial permits.
COMMERCIAL PROJECTS
Gerken Materials, Inc. is listed as submitting the largest project, an asphalt plant with a cost estimate of $6M. Commercial projects with estimates of at least $10K are:
