City's response to predicted snow storm

From the office of Mayor Ted Ellis:

The National Weather Service has predicted that a significant amount of snow will fall in Bluffton over the next 36 hours. 

If the NWS predictions are correct, the City of Bluffton will respond as follows:

While snow is falling and drifting,  Street crews will plow major arteries hourly to ensure that major routes are open to emergency traffic.  Those arteries are:  Adams, Bond, Clark, East Dustman, Lancaster, Madison, Market, Monroe, Silver, Spring, Stogdill, Wayne, Wabash, Western, Washington and Wiley.  The Indiana Department of Transportation is responsible for state routes (Main, West Dustman, Division and Harrison Streets).

When the snow and winds subside, street crews will begin clearing other streets.  It takes approximately eight (8) hours to plow every street one time.  Plows are stationed in each section of the city;  therefore, sections will be cleared simultaneously.

Downtown:  City parking lots will be plowed before 7:30 a.m. each weekday morning;  however, blowing snow may make parking difficult during the day.  In the event of a heavy snow, the snow will be removed from the downtown at a designated evening.

The Parks Department will attempt to plow a walking area throughout the downtown during the snowstorm;  however, clearing of sidewalks remains the responsibility of building owners and tenants.

The city will apply ice-melting chemicals to streets;  however, the effectiveness of these chemicals decreases dramatically when temperatures are below 20 degrees.

Residents are asked to use off-street parking in residential areas if possible to minimize the chance of accidental damage from snow plows.  When clearing sidewalks and driveways, snow should not be thrown or blown into the streets.

If conditions warrant, the City may declare a Snow Emergency.  Snow Emergency information will be available via the city’s website and the Bluffton News-Banner.

N-B Photo: BHES kindergartner helps hospital patients

Learn what one Bluffton-Harrison kindergartner is doing to help patients of Lutheran Children's Hospital in the Saturday, Jan. 31, News-Banner. (Photo provided)

N-B Photos: Chamber honors

The Wells County Chamber of Commerce gave out its annual awards Monday evening. Learn more in the Tuesday, Jan. 27, News-Banner. (Photos by Jessica Williams)

N-B Video: "Fly high, baby Owen"

Many from the community gathered at Bluffton's Angel of Hope Park Saturday evening to remember 3-year-old Owen Collins. As the balloons were released at the end of the vigil, someone in crowd said into the night sky: "Fly high, baby Owen." Learn more in the Monday, Jan. 26, News-Banner.

Scroll below for the video. (Video and photos by Jessica Williams)

N-B Numbers: Markle FD reports on 2014

The Markle Volunteer Fire Department reports 242 runs in 2014, including one search.

Here's a breakdown by township. (Click to enlarge.)

N-B Photos: Friday is Addison Misch Day in Markle

The Markle Town Council noted at its meeting Wednesday that Friday is proclaimed as Addison Misch Day.

Read the proclamation below (click to enlarge), and learn more about the meeting in the Thursday, Jan. 22, News-Banner:

N-B Photos: Candlelight vigil for Owen Collins

Owen Collins was remembered Monday evening as a boy who jumped on trampolines with friends and who enjoyed blowing bubbles.

Family friends organized a candlelight vigil for the 3-year-old, the body of whom police believe was recovered from a wooded area in Liberty Township Sunday night.

So much “chaos” surrounded his death, organizers said, that they wanted to remember him for the 3-year-old boy that he was.

Learn more in the Tuesday, Jan. 20, News-Banner. (Photos by Jessica Williams)

N-B Links: INDOT to let local projects in July

Late summer figures to be an interesting time in Bluffton — as concerns road repair, that is.

Check out upcoming Indiana Department of Transportation projects in Wells below, and learn more in the Saturday, Jan. 17, News-Banner. (Click photo to enlarge.)

To see upcoming INDOT projects statewide over the next 18 months, click here.

N-B Photos: Montpelier police officer laid to rest

Montpelier Police Sgt. Matthew Mansfield died last week at the age of 46. Two officers of the Bluffton Police Department, as well as Wells County Sheriff Monte Fisher, paid their respects at Mansfield's viewing and funeral. Bluffton Fire helped cover the town while its emergency personnel paid their respects to one of their own.

Pictured: Bluffton firefighters stand at attention as Mansfield's funeral procession makes its way through Montpelier Wednesday. Along with a Montpelier ladder truck, BFD's aerial truck helped hold up the American flag over Ind. 18. (Photos by Jessica Williams)

N-B Photos: House fire on Ind. 218 west of Poneto

A house at 2428 W. Ind. 218 is a loss after multiple fire departments battled a blaze – and the frigid elements – for 5.5 hours Monday. No injuries were reported. Learn more in the Tuesday, Jan. 6, News-Banner. (Photos by Jessica Williams)

N-B Numbers: Popular library picks of 2014

Apparently the teen book market was popular for that age group as well as adults in 2014.

Four of the top seven physical-copy books checked out from the Wells County Library last year were teen titles. All have movie markets, three are a series, and one was written by a Hoosier.


Can you guess what the top 10 books were? Pick up the Monday, Jan. 5, News-Banner for the list.

 Here is what also made the list:

• 11 – “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Mary Higgins Clark; checked out 58 times.
• 12 – “Fifteen Minutes” by Karen Kingsbury; 57.
• 13 – “The Chase” by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg; 54.
• 14 – “Unlucky 13” by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro; 53.
• 15– “Blosson Street Brides” by Debbie Macomber; 51.
• 16 – “Winners” by Danielle Steel; 51.
• 17 – “Child of Mine” by David and Beverly Lewis; 50.
• 18 – “Innocence” by Dean Koontz; 47.
• 19 – “Standup Guy” by Stuart Woods; 46.
• 20 – “The Last Bride” by Beverly Lewis; 45.
• 21 – “Angels Walking” by Karen Kingsbury; 42.

N-B Numbers: Some stats are up, some are down for the WCSD in 2014

The winter of 2014 perhaps impacted some yearly statistics that the Wells County Sheriff’s Department keeps. Learn more in the Saturday, Jan. 3, News-Banner.

Provided by the Wells County Sheriff's Department. (Click to enlarge)