The Allen County Engineer Timothy Piper has announced Bluelick Road between State Route 15 and Sugar Street will be closed for paving from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday.

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VAN WERT — Find out who will be coming to the Niswonger stage in the new season at the Niswonger 2013-14 season unveiling press conference event on Wednesday, June 12 at noon. A new season will begin in September and deliver nationally acclaimed artists all the way to May. Area media, including WANE TV, Lima’s Hometown Stations, T102, WIMA, WTLW-WOSN, The Lima News, The Times Bulletin and VW Independent along with season sponsor Statewide Ford and sponsor partners, will take part in an event that unveils each of the 25 featured performances. For the first time ever, the Niswonger will feature a premier event. A light lunch will be served by Willow Bend Country Club to the first 175 attendees. The press conference will be held in the Lecture Hall and will seat 175 with standing room available.

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The Van Wert Rib Fest will be scene of this year’s second annual Tug-of-War competition. The contest sponsored by the Van Wert Area Convention and Visitors Bureau will pit teams from area businesses and organizations against one another with the ultimate winner taking home the traveling trophy and bragging rights.

“Last year’s winning team, representing Cooper Farms, is pretty confident no one can defeat them,” said Larry Lee, CVB executive director. “They dare anyone to take them on!”

This year’s competition will take place in front of the entertainment stage at the Rib Fest beginning at 3 p.m. The number of teams is unlimited, but each team must have exactly eight members. The entry fee is $40 per team (or $5 per team member). Complete rules and entry forms are available at the CVB office at 136 E. Main Street. Rules can also be found at visitvanwert.org/documents/2013TugofWarRules.pdf.

An entry form can also be found at visitvanwert.org/documents/2013TugofWarEntryForm.pdf.

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Jackie Blosser and her sister-in-law, Michelle Helmig, of Allen County are heroes on foot. Jackie’s son, Christopher, was a donor in 2007 and both will run on Dash “Team Christopher’s Crew” to inspire young adults to make the decision to donate.

The sea of green reminds Jackie and Michelle that Christopher’s legacy lives on through the gifts he gave and the donation story they share in their community.

As the weather warms, we start to think of what to wear to the pool, lake or ocean. Swimming and swimwear have changed with the times although not in the sequence you might expect. Cavemen swam but probably not so much as a leisure activity than as a means of getting somewhere or as a part of bathing. At times through the years, learning to swim was promoted more to save a life than as a leisure activity. During the great flood of 1913, many people drowned because they couldn’t swim. Swimming was also a gender separate activity – men and women on different beaches.