Reflections on becoming aquainted with Ada.

Okay, I’m an outsider. Only 12 miles to the northwest. I live in Bluffton and am learning the ins and outs of the community of Bulldogs to the south. And, I'm starting to become recognized. During the high school homecoming football game a student pointed to me and said: "Hey, aren't you that Icon guy?"

So, I am becoming noticed and am picking things up rather quickly – at least I think so. For example, here’s some of the items scribbled in my reporter’s notebook from a recent day spent in Ada:

The Christopher Circle neighborhood held a block party to celebrate the completion of its street reconstruction. The party included games for kids and ended with marshmallow roasting. Nearly 40 persons attended.

The Ada Lions recently screened 19 pre-schoolers. They’ll screen students at Ready, Set, Grow this fall. Kindergarten screening will take place in the spring.

Miss Vicki’s Music Studio offers some interesting music classes for youngsters this fall.

The school scholastic book fair takes place Dec. 2 to 6 in the school media center. It’s sponsored by the Academic Boosters and library. If you wish to volunteer to assist during the event call Chanda Smith at the school library.

The Ada fourth and fifth grade musical, directed by Lori Wilson takes place Dec. 5. Sorry, I don’t know the musical title.

Jimmy Wilson and a geography class at ONU is working on downtown markers for Google Maps. His class recently toured the Wilson football factory.

Early voting for the November general election is now going on. It started Oct. 2.

The Lima Avenue III project is getting started in December. It covers Main Street to the corporation limit. There will be 40 trees removed by early spring.

When McIntosh Center celebrated its 50th anniversary recently there were 600 polar bear cupcakes created, six polar bear cakes and in all 1,200 chocolate chips were used (two eyes for each polar bear cupcake).

According to David Dellifield, over 4,000 activities took place last year in the center.

McIntosh’s Room 7 is now renamed the Dean’s Heritage Room. You’ll find photographs of each former Ohio Northern University dean hanging on the room’s rear wall.

Let’s see, that’ it for now. No, one more thing. I learned that freight trains do pass through Ada. And they are long trains.

Watch for more reflections - as soon as I collect them.