Library hosts new series

Jay County Public Library’s next adult mental health series begins its first session in a few weeks.

“Be Your Best Self,” a three-part series for the fall season, begins at 6 p.m. Sept. 24. Jenni VanSkyock of IU Health Jay will lead the series, which explores different topics each month to help with mental health and self-love. The Sept. 24 session will focus on changing a person’s mindset to look for inner strengths and love themselves. To register, call or visit the library or visit bit.ly/BeYourBestSelf1.

Other upcoming library offerings include:

•Mother Goose — a story time event for children at 11:15 a.m. Friday mornings from Sept. 20 through Dec. 13

•Teen Hour — a new, after-school club for teenagers in grades 7 through 12, meets at the library from 4 to 5 p.m. Sept. 24

Rally is Saturday

The Darke County Monster Mash & Food Truck Rally is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at Darke County Fairgrounds.

The event will feature monster truck shows at 1 and 7 p.m.  Ro-Da-O-Farm of Arcanum, Ohio, will offer horse-drawn wagon wides from 2 to 7 p.m.

Food trucks scheduled to be at the event include Badge’s BBQ, Bowman’s Texas Tenderloins, Buckeye Burgers, Chuck’s Foods & Concessions, Crème de la Crème Cakery, Fren-Cheese Eats, Homestead Spud, Kona Ice, Little Boijon Asian Cuisine, Martin’s Lemonade, Mikesell’s Concessions, Nacho Pig, The Gypsy Kitchen and Timeless Tacos. Craft vendors will also be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Parking is $5. For tickets to the monster truck show(s) — costs range from $15 to $20 for adults and $5 for children — are available at itickets.com.

Junior members

Two local residents have been named new junior members of the American Angus Association.

Henry Forthofer of Portland and Silas Ault of Pennville recently joined the national organization as junior members, allowing them to register cattle, participate in programs and take part in sponsored shows and other events.

The American Angus Association is the largest beef breed association in the world, with nearly 22,000 active adult and junior members. 

For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association, visit angus.org.

Labs available

Arts Place is accepting registrations for its guitar and piano labs.

Guitar labs are open to students in fourth through 12th grade with lessons at 4 p.m. on Mondays for eight weeks beginning Sept. 23. Piano labs are for students in second through fourth grade with lessons on Tuesdays for six weeks beginning Sept. 24. All lessons will be at the Jay County campus of Arts Place, 131 E. Walnut St., Portland. Fees are $40 and $30,  respectively.

To register, visit myartsplace.org.

Collectibles show

Collectibles of all kinds will be back at Jay County Fairgrounds this weekend.

The next Jay County Fair Cards Coins Comics and Collectibles Show is slated for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at the fairgrounds. The show features sports cards, Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, coins, Coca-Cola items, NASCAR memorabilia, Funko Pop! items, comic books and vintage toys.

For more information, contact Jason McGraw at (260) 251-0414.

Other 2024 shows are scheduled for Oct. 19 and Nov. 16. 

Shows scheduled

Charles W. Brown Planetarium has a variety of shows scheduled for the fall semester.

Shows continue through December.

Upcoming offerings include:

Kitz the Cat’s SuperMoon Adventure — Three cats work together to clean up space junk — 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sept. 21

Big Astronomy — A journey to three world-class observatories — 5 p.m. Friday and Sept. 20, and Saturday and Sept. 21

We Are Stars — Explore the secrets of cosmic chemistry — 6:30 p.m. Friday and Sept. 20, and Saturday and Sept. 21