There’s a comet overhead in the Bluffton sky. This week is a good week to try to view it.
The comet is called Neowise. It has passed behind the Sun and is now heading back out of the solar system. Between now and the end of July should be a good time to see it.
Just after sundown, look a little bit west of due north. We would call this north-northwest (NNW). If the sky is too bright to see the Big Dipper you may want to wait until it gets darker. But, if you wait too long after sundown the comet might disappear below the horizon.
Liberty Township registered a scan 0.38 inches of rainfall in June, according to Phil Epley, who records rainfall for the Hardin County extension office.
The June average in the county was 1.85 inches. Last year's extra-ordinary year of rain registered 7.08 inches in Hardin County.
For the growing season since April 15, the average precipitation in all the townships was 8.12 inches, with a range from 10.15 inches in McDonald Township to 6.90 inches in Jackson Township.
Less rain in June allowed farmers to get corn and soybeans planted that they weren’t able to previously plant in May due to wet soils.
Mark Badertscher of the Hardin County extension office has been working with the new Water Quality Extension Associate Boden Fisher to help him with soil health sampling in four Hardin County fields.
Cooperating farmers in this project include Jeffry Billenstein, Austin Heil, John Krock, and Paul Ralston, who providing soybean fields for this project.
Boden has also been busy taking samples in Hancock and Putnam counties as he is responsible for working in a three-county area.
- MORE PHOTOS OF THIS WORK
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Summer is a great time to explore the art spread across the Ada community – especially for viewers unable to visit art galleries elsewhere in Ohio.
As a weekly series, The Icon will feature the art located on The Remington Walk on the Ohio Northern University campus. For some viewers, this series is familiar. For others, it may be a first-time experience.
Either way, it’s an opportunity to take a walk and view some art that is uniquely Ada. The Walk is spread through campus and may be viewed by following the ONU walking path, beginning near Affinity Village, west of The Freed Center.
The West Ohio Food Bank came to Ada on Wednesday with its monthly Hardin County free food distribution program.
The Ada visit resulted in the distribution of 35,900 pounds of food passed to 133 families, according to Jason Aldrich of the food bank.
The distribution point was at the ONU Lakeview parking lot behind The Freed Center.
Members of the Ohio National Guard loaded vehicles with food during the two-hour period. Their volunteer efforts are part of their mission assisting food banks across Ohio.
West Ohio Food Bank, based at 1366 E. Kibby St., Lima, serves an 11-county area.
Covid-19 hasn't stopped blood drives from taking place.
Ada's next American Red Cross blood drive is from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday, July 20, in the Community Health Professionals Ada Visiting Nurses conference room, 1200 S. Main St.
To schedule an appointment, call Mary Hackworth, blood program leader for Ada community blood drives, at 419-604-8569 or 800-Red Cross.
