FROM FACEBOOK__The Hardin County Tractor Pullers will open the 2026 season at Ada War Memorial Park on Saturday, June 13. Action starts at 6 pm with the following class lineup. Gates will open at 3:00 p.m. Admission is $10, with seniors and veterans free, and children 9 and under free with a paid adult.
The order will be determined on the day of the pull.
Diana S. Spradlin age 79, of Lima passed away Thursday, June 4, 2026, at St. Rita’s. She was born Dec. 14, 1946, in Prestonsburg, KY to the late Earnest and Susan (Harmon) Hackworth. She married Gary N. Spradlin on July 16, 1966, and he preceded her in death in 2016.
Diana had been a Realtor working with Lockwood, Gooding and Cowan Realtors throughout her 46 years on the job. She was a member of the Elks BPOE 54.
COLUMBUS __Ada High School senior speedster Kayleb Hickman finished second in the boys 400-meter finals on a warm day two of the Div. V state track and field meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University on Friday, June 5.
Sporting a personal-best time of 49.45, Hickman finished .77 behind first place in the nine-man 400-meter finals race early Friday evening. The Bulldog surged with his sprint speed over the last 100 meters to kick past three runners and vault into second place.
MEDIA RELEASE__Ada Community Engagement Day, or ACE Day, is an Ohio Northern University tradition held on the Saturday of Welcome Weekend.
ACE Day provides an opportunity for incoming freshmen to serve the Ada community, their new home for the next four, five or six years. Projects include a variety of tasks, such as painting, gardening, washing fire trucks and more. In 2025, 260 new students and 26 faculty and staff members participated in the festivities.
ACE Day 2026 will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
FROM FACEBOOK_Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Hardin County is hosting its first annual Firecracker 5K benefit. The event is set for Saturday, June 27, and will be held at the Ada War Memorial Park.
Participants are welcome to walk, run, or jog in the race, and prizes will be awarded for first place in both adult and youth, male and female divisions. The race is set to start at 9:30 a.m. with registration opening at 8:30 a.m.
The race route, t-shirt design, and additional prize details will be posted to Facebook leading up to the event.
FROM FACEBOOK_The Ada Public Library is hosting an exotic animal viewing event at the War Memorial Park in Ada.
Participants will get up close and personal with some of the world's most fascinating exotic animals. The Exotic Zoo will be on hand with an interactive presentation offering kids and family a rare chance to learn about the habitats, conservation and the unique behaviors of wild animals. Expert handlers will share fun facts, answer questions, and provide safe, supervised opportunities for up-close viewing of animals that will range from scaly reptiles to soft-furred friends.
COLUMBUS – Ada High School senior speedster Kayleb Hickman advanced to the finals with a strong effort in the 400-meter semifinals on day one of the Div. V state track and field meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus on Thursday, June 4.
The 400-meter preliminary boys races were held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 4. Hickman won heat two with a time of 49.91 to automatically earn the second seed at Friday’s final.
Four players from the standout Ada High School softball team received All-Blanchard Valley Conference honors in voting recently conducted by league coaches.
Two Bulldog freshmen earned first team All-BVC and all-district notice.
Slugging pitcher/first baseman Tea Griffith and speedy catcher/outfielder Shay Smith were named first team all-league.
