What are the odds of two Bluffton couples running into each other at the Belvidere Oasis, near the Illinois-Wisconsin border on Interstate 90?
It’s over 300 miles from Bluffton and nearly 6 hours from Bluffton – in a different time zone.
Well, Paula and Rob Scott got out of town last week to visit relatives in Madison, Wisconsin.
And Mary and Fred Steiner did the same, heading to La Crosse, Wisconsin. Both couples took a pit stop at the same time last Saturday at the Belvidere Oasis, just outside Rockford, Illinois.
Just to remind viewers what the aftermath of a heavy winter storm leaves on Main Street, here are two Bluffton winter scenes from the 1950s.
Paul Diller took the photos. The photo above shows the Edelweiss Restaurant with a Basinger Furniture billboard on the wall.
Today Edelweiss Restaurant is Ellerbrock Spine and Soft Tissue office, 120 N. Main St. In place of the Basinger billboard is the Oscar Velasquez Main Street mural.
And, today, Basinger Furniture is The Black Lab. What's missing from this photo? The awning over the Main Street sidewalk.
We couldn’t wait for a new song to be played on the radio for the first time and then waited patiently for it to show up on a jukebox three weeks later at the Pine Restaurant or Luginbuhl’s.
This is a portion of an essay by Rudi Steiner published in Bluffton Anthology. For more information about the book click here.
By the late 1950s CKLW-AM 800 (Detroit/Windsor) began developing the Top 40’s programming format that it became famous for in the 1960s. CKLW AM, a Mutual Broadcasting System affiliate, was loud and slick.
BFR sand volleyball is back. Southgate Lanes has a fresh new quality sand court that will be used by BFR. Registrations for summer leagues are now underway. On Tuesday evenings is a league for adults 40 and over. Thursday evenings is for a coed 6's league. Each session is five week. Session one is from June 15 to July 15. Cost is $300 per team. Register teams at www.bfronline.com/register.
Story by Cort Reynolds
Photos by Jami Nygaard WATCH THE ICON ON MONDAY FOR MORE DISTRICT PHOTOS-
FINDLAY - The Bluffton boys track and field team finished a strong second in the 13-team Div. III district meet finals Friday at Liberty-Benton.
Columbus Grove won the boys and girls team titles. CG captured the boys crown with 170 points, while Bluffton scored 102.5.
The Pirate girls finished eighth out of 16 teams with 40 points. Grove nosed out Kalida for the girls team crown.
Bluffton University faculty awarded research grants, sabbaticals
Bluffton University faculty members were recently recognized at the annual Dean’s Reception, an academic year-end event honoring faculty who have been awarded grants, sabbaticals and other scholarly endeavors.
The following faculty received summer 2021 Bluffton University Research Center grants, which provide $2,000 and up to $300 for research-related expenses:
