June 2015

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The following story was posted on Tuesday in the Bluffton Icon and was updated for Ada Icon viewers. The above story is also posted on the Bluffton Icon.

With 3.34 inches of rain from Friday to Monday – according to Guy Verhoff, Pandora, weather observer – area streams overflowed their banks leaving Bluffton almost an island as Riley Creek also overflowed on Tuesday.

Bluffton emergency services had prepared for the flooding, as announced by Rick Skilliter, Bluffton police chief, at Monday’s council meeting.

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Story and photos by Amy Eddings
Flooding on the western grounds of Ohio Northern University has been so severe, Ada village officials have had to bring in two pumps from Cleveland to help drain the area.

The problem is the stormwater retention pond that’s situated east of the soccer field.  It’s so swollen with rainwater from the weekend’s drenching storms that it overflowed its banks, spilling into Mirror Lake to the south and washing out much of the “green monster” exercise track that passes nearby.

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Mary Kennedy would be pleased at the Kennedy Garden located on the west side of English Chapel on campus.

The profusion of pink roses and sweet-smelling white mock orange surround a cross in the garden developed in memory of Mary, granddaughter of ONU founder Henry Solomon Lehr, and her mother Sarah Lehr Kennedy.

Miss Kennedy played the chapel chimes on many a Sunday. (Monty Siekerman)

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Here are the Ada police call logs from June 8 to 14, provided by Michael Harnishfeger, police chief.

June 8th
-          Assist other agency
-          Handled a criminal damage complaint
-          Handled a welfare check
-          Handled a property violation complaint
-          Handled a possible theft complaint
-          Handled a juvenile complaint
-          Handled a domestic trouble complaint
-          Traffic stop citation issued for driving under suspension
-          Handled a fight complaint

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The ONU Music Camp chorus, band and orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in the Freed Center. The program is free and open to the public.

This year's camp began Sunday evening when the 102 campers attended the rousing performance of The Cadets in the stadium.

Campers are students in grades 7 through 12. Dr. Sarah Waters directs the camp, now in its 44th year.

Pictured is the orchestra in rehearsal. (Monty Siekerman)

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The Ada girls’ Volleyball program held a camp for girls in grades fourth through sixth from June 8-11. 

The camp was conducted by elementary coaches Lori Poling and Jen Sumner. The girls learned the basics of passing, setting, hitting and serving as well as basic rotation and positioning on the volleyball court.

Attending the camp were (front row, from left) Courtney Sumner, Hailey Robirds, Selena Jordan, Autumn Andreason, Molly Zimmerman, Lauren Mullins, Katie Sizemore.

Back, from left,  are Kirsten Poling, Alaina Robirds, Timber Blankenship, Brianna Lambert, Amelia Alexander, Jaylen Sautter, Ireland Marshall, Raeya Finn.

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Jacob Brownstone prepares a sign to be placed on a flooded road in Ada following several days of downpours.

Estimates are 8 to 10 inches of rain fell in several deluges, some during the day, some at night.

When big storms come, Ada usually fares well compared to many communities since the village is the headwaters for rivers that flow South to the Gulf of Mexico or North to the Great Lakes.

We are riverless. At flood times, that is a good thing. However, there is Grass Run, a creek that, as of Tuesday, was over its banks.

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Yup, that's a state senator behind that Batman mask, a.k.a. Cliff Hite, who is reading books about superheroes to kids at the Ada Public Library on Monday afternoon.

Sen. Hite is a former teacher and coach, so interacting with children just came naturally.

Here, he gives a fist bump to Daniel Klear while others look on. Thirteen children and several mothers attended the storytime.

Sen. Hite is a Republican from Findlay and has represented this area as senator since 2011.

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Prolific and popular author Shelley Shepard Gray (at right) chats with buyers of her books at the Ada Public Library on Saturday.

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At least 1,000 people watched Ada's favorite drum and bugle corps on Sunday as the nationally-recognized artists performed "one more time" here before hitting the competition trail.

The crowd attended in spite of threat of severe storms, roads out due to flooding and road construction bordering the ONU stadium. And the rains came shortly after the performance.

• LOTS OF PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF THIS STORY.

Following the 14-minute competition, Ada gave the Cadets a standing ovation. 

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