The Icon receives reports from time to time from hikers who frequent the path around the National Quarry.
The reports go like this: "We saw a very large snapping turtle along the path."
Those reports are true. At 7:30 a.m. on July 5 Bluffton police report a snapping turtle incident at Jefferson and Huber streets. According to Ryan Burkholder, Bluffton police chief, police respond to a turtle crossing the very busy roadway.
The turtle was identified as Ohio’s largest turtle, snapping turtle (chelydra serpentia) and this turtle weighed approximately 8 pounds.
Some 250 bike riders from far and near, first time event riders and riders with thousands of miles to their name, some on the fastest bikes and others who don’t even pedal, are coming to the 4th annual Bluffton Ride to Remember on Saturday, July 14.
Riders can choose routes from 2 miles to 112 miles on roads with scenic and historical interest. The Ride to Remember also provides rest areas, mobile rider support, an $8 meal coupon, showers and swimming.
If the first weekend of July is an indication of temperatures this month, we are in for a hot ride.
June 2018 was warmer than normal, according to Guy Verhoff, Pandora weather observer. It was also had more rain than normal. Here are some of June’s weather stats:
June 2018 average temperature: 72 degrees
June normal average temperature: 69.4 degrees
June 2018 precipitation: 5.14 inches
June normal average precipitation: 4.15 inches
Several program of interest to the public are on the July Bluffton Senior Citizens calendar.
Dan Orzano of the Ohio Department of Commerce will present a discussion on investment and securities fraud. The program is at 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 25.
The Hancock Historical Society will present a program at 3 p.m., Monday, July 9. The program topic is “ice cream.”
July’s dinner meeting is at 6 p.m., Monday, July 9. It is a summer picnic. The cost is $8 and tickets must be purchased by July 5. Pat and Harlan Basinger will show photos from the trip to Iceland.
Three road projects will affect traffic patterns in and near Beaverdam this week and next. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, those projects follow:
State Route 696 between U.S. 30 and the village of Beaverdam will be restricted to one lane through the work zone during pavement resurfacing. Work is being performed by Shelly and Sands, Zanesville.
Nearly one week ago, the Riley's flood water make havoc of Bluffton. The bottom photo shows the Riley's waters overflowing into the Buckeye quarry on Saturday. The top photo shows the same location on Wednesday.
The Icon offers several additional during the flood and after the flood photos. You will find them below.
