No Curtain Calls for These 3 Ballerinas
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State jobless claims Pairing faith with Players ask MLB jump by 30,000 controlling guns for financial docs Area State Page 2 Page 3 Sports Page 6 The News-Bannerwww.News-Banner.com FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2020 BLUFFTON, INDIANA • Wells County’s Hometown Connection $1.00 A public COVID-19 testing site opened at Bluffton High School Thursday morn- ing. Above, medical personnel from the Indiana State Department of Health stand near the two lines of drive-through testing patients in front of the school. At right, a nurse takes a sample as another walks around the stopped car. Below Indiana National Guard members meet in the BHS parking lot. (Photos above and below by Jessica Bricker; at right by Glen Werling) 3 new COVID-19 rules make BHS cases are reset graduation to July 17 By DEVAN FILCHAK handled the drastic changes to their final A July graduation ceremony was year of high school well. under the among the plans announced by Bluffton- “I’ve just been very proud of how Harrison Metropolitan School District for they’ve gotten through this,” Baker said. the end of a historic school year that was “They’ve not looked at this from a vic- cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. tim’s point of view. They’re ready to take age of 20 Bluffton High School’s graduation is it head on and head into the next phase of planned for 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 17. their lives.” By JESSICA BRICKER Principal Steve Baker said he has had However, Bluffton isn’t just letting Wells County’s positive case numerous conversations with students the BHS seniors’ original graduation count of COVID-19 is up to 16. and parents about the best way to handle date pass by. At 7:30 p.m. on Friday May Thursday’s three new cases are the Class of 2020’s commencement. 29, an escort of the seniors will be taken all patients younger than 20, Wells “I just asked them, ‘What do you guys through Bluffton. County Health Department Deputy want?’ I wanted an in-person one, but Baker said that the students, who are Administrator Marlene Hoag said. you know, it’s not about me,” Baker said. encouraged to wear their caps and gowns, All three are also at home. “It was overwhelming. Very few did not will ride on school buses in an escort State officials are offering test- want (a summer graduation ceremony).” led by the Bluffton Police Department. ing through Sunday at Bluffton High BHS is the final high school in the Thirteen students will be on each bus School from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. county to announce a July graduation so social distancing can be maintained [email protected] ceremony. Baker said BHS seniors have (Continued on Page 2) No curtain Hydrant calls for flushing these 3 continues The Bluffton Water Department will conduct its annual hydrant ballerinas flushing next week. The day-by-day schedule is: COVID-19 fears • Monday and Tuesday, May 18 and 19 — Area north of the cancel CAC spring Wabash River. • Wednesday, May 20 — Riv- ballet program erview, Marckres Additions, Stogdill Road area, Old Creek, By BARBARA Southwood Manor, McConnell BARBIERI Drive, Ellingham Park, Clark If it were any other spring Avenue area, and Baldwin, Wash- but this one three Wells County ington, and Market streets. high school seniors, who also • Thursday, May 21 — The have been students of the Cre- ative Arts Council’s School of area north of Wabash Street Ballet, would be busily prepar- including North Oak Street ing their solo roles for the annu- Extended, Hi-Lo, Deblyn Mead- al spring program. ows Addition, then starting with But this year there will be no Cherry Street and working south performances of “Alice in Won- to and including the Wiley Ave- derland” and no curtain calls for Kaitlyn Ellis Grace Dunmoyer Emily Cupp nue and Western Avenue areas. the trio—Emily Cupp, Grace • Friday, May 22 — Monday, Dunmoyer and Kaitlyn Ellis, the Creative Arts School of Ballet. She has She would have danced the part of the May 20 - Starting at Ohio Street courtesy of COVID-19. been involved in Student Council, National White Queen. and finishing everything south, The following young ladies will not be Honor Society, Campus Life, Cheer, Riley When asked what her favorite dance including the 4-H Park area, the able to don their toe shoes and tutus and Dance Marathon Committee and Champi- memory was she explained it was trying on Jackson Industrial Park, Harrison perform for the public: ons Together. She also is a member of the the costumes that would have been used in Development area, and the Lan- Emily Cupp Hope Church’s Youth Group. this year’s ballet program. caster Senior Apartments area. Emily will be graduating from Nor- Her plans call for her to attend Taylor Grace Dunmoyer The schedule could be delayed well High School and has taken dancing University in the fall to major in education Grace will graduate from Southern Wells by bad weather. If that is the case, instruction for 14 years, two of them with and minor in dance. (Continued on Page 2) the process will be completed on Monday, May 25. Inside Outside Online DETAILED DENTAL CARE How to contact us: • General Dentistry Call us: 824-0224 Local/Area • Sedation Dentistry or 1-800-579-7476 Follow us on Facebook! Obituaries. 3 • Root Canal Fax us: 824-0700 Police Notebook . .3 Go to www.facebook.com/ newsbanner • Immediate Dentures [email protected] ————— On the Web: Opinion • Wisdom Teeth Rain through Monday, Place Your Classified Removal www.news-banner.com Jerry Battiste . .4 but it will be warm Ads 24/7 Follow us at: Today Saturday Sunday twitter.com/newsbanner Also... High 74 High 75 High 75 Vol. 91 No. 166 706 N. Main St. Sports. .6 Low 56 Low 59 Low 54 Blu ton, IN Classifieds . .7 FRIDAY Diversions . .5 More Weather on Page 2 May 15, 2020 260.824.2442 • www.BlufftonDental.com Page 2 • The News-Banner • FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2020 LOCAL/NATION COVID-19 Weather (Continued from Page 1) of the year at home, Super- The pickup time will be found at bhmsd.org Friday, May, 15, 2020 as the escort line makes its intendent Brad Yates said. held from 12-6 p.m. Thurs- The Wells County Health (24-hour observations at 8:55 p.m. Thursday) way through town. “From our kindergart- day, May 21 for all students Department was included High: 75; Low: 63; Precipitation: 0.62” (rain) Baker said he has seen ners all the way to our except for seniors at their in the planning to ensure Wabash River Level (at the Main Street bridge): 1.73 respective schools. a safe and efficient trans- parades held in other places seniors, everyone has feet at 7:45 p.m. Thursday to honor seniors in other missed out on activities and Seniors will do their fer can be done, Yates said. parts of the country. How- events and moments that exchange, including turning While it may seem more ever, he respects Governor they get over those final in their Chromebooks, from ideal for students and par- Wells County forecast Eric Holcomb’s orders that nine weeks of school that 3-6 p.m. on Wednesday, ents to enter the building, include no parades at that just are gone now,” Yates May 20. it’s just how this school Today: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near time. He hasn’t seen a cele- said. Yates said the transfer year has to be, he added. 74. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 bration quite like the escort BHMSD announced was set for the end of the “I remember being a mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall idea. plans for students to do a school year to make the student myself and that amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. “I guess we are just put- curbside exchange of items exchange as safe and effi- was always kind of a fun Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Most- ting the Bluffton touch on for the end of the school cient as possible. Also, he moment to feel summer ly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northeast wind around 5 it,” he said. year. Students will return said he thinks holding the approaching and to solidi- mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. items such as textbooks and drop off and pick up ear- fy that transition from the While seniors don’t have Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly after another secondary school any other supplies that need lier may signal to students school year to the summer to be turned in, and each that the school year is over break,” Yates said. “As a 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. East wind around year to look toward, all stu- 5 mph. dents have missed experi- student will receive a bag of before it actually is. father of four, I know it’s their personal items, such as Specific instructions been odd for my kids.” Saturday Night: Showers, mainly after 8 p.m. Low ences since the students are around 59. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New pre- completing the last quarter the contents of their lockers. for each grade level can be [email protected] cipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.