Welcome to Issue 3 of Bluffton Icon Highlights, June 2025.

Chances are you are reading this online. That’s where the Icon has been since 2009.

These Highlights are also being printed to provide in-house copies for Bluffton Public Library, Musselman Library at Bluffton University and the Bluffton Senior Center. We’ll be exploring wider distribution, so please let us know if you are interested in this opportunity.

June 2025 flew by as summer days often do. See below for an index of the stories included in this issue.

Perhaps the most exciting item is the crowning of Bluffton High School’s Marek Donaldson as the OHSAA DII state champion in the 800m. See also articles by photographers Marvin Foster and Jamie Nygaard who went to Columbus to photograph Pirates competing in the track and field finals.

An interview with Bluffton Lions President Jackie Bourassa provides an overview of fundraising and planning for a new all-abilities playground at Legacy Park, under development on Snider Rd.

This issue also includes an article by Icon founder Fred Steiner, who fondly remembers his friend and standout Pirate athlete Jim Oppermann.

Also in June 2025, the Icons encouraged readers to consider putting “A little more Bluffton in the Icon.” You may know Marlena Ballinger as the proprietor of the Dough Hook Meat Market, but she also has news writing “chops.” This month she contributed a feature story on new businesses operated by Becky Avila on Elm St.

Thank you to all who read the Bluffton Icon, to those who advertise in the Icon and to those who contribute to the Icon.

Best regards,

Paula Scott
Bluffton Icon and Ada Icon editor
Email [email protected], 567-400-4266

TABLE OF CONTENTS

June 1 Bluffton High School Honor Roll for the 4th quarter of 2024-2025

June 4 Help Bluffton become a Twin Town with Mindelheim, Germany

June 5 June Essinger named BHS Student of the Month for May 2025 

June 8 Bluffton’s Donaldson wins state 800 

June 10 Wednesday night fogging is adult mosquito control

June 15 Glimpses of the 2025 Festival of Wheels, parts 1 and 2

June 15 Dangerous dog incident on SR 103

June 16 June 2025 Chamber breakfast take-aways

June 18 Music at the Gazebo series to be sponsored by GROB Systems

June 18 Allen County Common Pleas Court to hear case involving 2021 shooting at Bluffton officers

June 20 Foster on photographing Pirates at 2025 state track and field finals

June 21 Nygaard reflections on photographing 2024-2025 Pirate track and field

June 21 Bluffton Community Pool opens June 21

June 22 Renovations and creativity spark new Elm Street development

June 23 First Bluffton Art Walk provides a welcome outing on a rainy day

June 26 Bluffton, Ohio ranks 4th in Ohio for bike network quality

June 26 National Night Out is August 5, planning is in final stages

June 27 Letter: Ask for veto of HB 96 library provision

June 27 Eight vehicle injury crash IR 75 in Hancock County

June 29 Bluffton Lions to bring all-abilities playground to new Legacy Park

June 29 Thoughts on the death of a friend and BHS Pirate “50-year-athlete”