New playground equipment approved; staff praised

Man memorialized at Eggerss Stadium

VW independent staff/submitted information

A Van Wert native is being remembered with a personal tribute at Eggerss Stadium.

Bryce Beckman, a 1975 graduate of Van Wert High School, passed away two months ago. A few of his close friends from that class decided they wanted to do something special for Beckman. They came up with the idea of a paver at the stadium to forever keep him in their memory.

“When I heard about the idea, I thought it was outstanding and a great way to honor Bryce,” said Jackie Beckman, Bryce’s wife.

The classmates, who prefer to remain anonymous, quickly raised $1,000 for a large paver which will be part of the final phase of the stadium complex new construction in 2026.

“There are so many reasons local residents have selected a paver at Eggress to leave their legacy,” stated John White, Capital Campaign Manager for the legacy sponsorship program.

The reasons include memorial tributes, past graduates, Van Wert High School classes, grandparents, businesses, students, and teams.

“There is so much excitement and anticipation of what the final phase of the project will look like” said White.

With planning in full swing, a deadline for ordering pavers has been set at January 30, 2026. This will allow adequate time to layout the grid of pavers which includes small, medium, and large sizes.

To be included in the program and to leave a legacy, click here or contact John White at 419.203.1217 for further information.

Thursday morning crash…

One person was transported by ambulance to OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital after this two-vehicle accident on U.S. 224, near Liberty Union Rd. The crash occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. Thursday. A westbound Dodge Durango had stopped on U.S. 224 waiting on another vehicle that was making a left hand turn into a private entrance. While stopped, the Durango was struck in the rear by a Hyundai Elantra. The Ohio City Fire Department and two EMS units were dispatched to the scene. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated the accident and a unit from the Van Wert Sheriff’s Department assisted with traffic control. Bob Barnes photo

Bill tied to SORN clears the Ohio House

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — A new bill aimed at closing a loophole in the state’s Sex Offender Registry and Notification (SORN) laws has passed the Ohio House.

According to State Representatives Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.), House Bill 102 expands residency and loitering restrictions for registered sex offenders, ensuring stronger protection for victims, especially children, who may continue to face proximity to their abusers.

“Victims should never have to live in constant fear of encountering their attacker every time they step outside,” Rep. Klopfenstein said. “With 80 percent of sexual assaults committed by someone the victim knows, it’s unacceptable that current laws allow an offender to move in right next door. House Bill 102 will help protect our constituents, ensuring they don’t have to endure these traumatic situations.”

Under current law, sex offenders are prohibited from living near schools and childcare centers but can legally reside near their victims. House Bill 102 addresses this issue by prohibiting registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of their victims’ homes and loitering within 1,000 feet of their victims’ residence.

“Victims should never have to look over their shoulder or fear running into the person who traumatized them,” Rep. Williams said. “This bill closes a dangerous loophole and puts the safety and dignity of survivors first. No family should ever have to live with the anxiety of the sex offender who victimized them legally moving in next door. House Bill 102 ensures that Ohio stands firmly on the side of protecting victims, not predators.”

The legislation is modeled after Oklahoma’s Senate Bill 1221, which passed with unanimous support in 2018 and has been adopted in several other states. House Bill 102 aims to protect Ohio’s most vulnerable residents by ensuring that victims do not have to live in fear of encountering their abuser on a daily basis.

House Bill 102 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

Klopfenstein represents Ohio’s 82^nd District, which includes all of Van Wert, Paulding, and Putnam counties and the southern portion of Defiance County.

Local Habitat receives $200K donation

VW independent staff/submitted information

On Thursday, November 13, at the construction site of the newest Habitat for Humanity of Paulding–Van Wert home on George Street in Van Wert, representatives gathered to accept a major donation from the family of the Martha E. Poling Estate. The gift, totaling $220,000, was presented in memory of Martha E. Poling and will be used specifically for safe, affordable home construction in Van Wert County.

Martha E. Poling was a lifelong Van Wert County resident who considered her 18 nieces and nephews her “family” and related to them with a generous heart. Like her husband, Vernon, she had a strong philanthropic spirit for her community and her church. Family members recall her faithfully visiting friends and neighbors, staying connected through cards, letters, and phone calls, and making sure no one left without “something,” often candy or a T-shirt.

Executive director Laurie Lucas said the donation reflects that same giving nature.

“When Kevin Gehres, executor of the Martha Poling estate, notified me about the donation to Habitat for Humanity of Paulding-Van Wert, I was overwhelmed by the generosity,” she said. “This money will be used in Van Wert County for safe and affordable housing for qualifying families. Not only will it help with the current build on George Street, but for hopefully two more homes. The board and I are so blessed to have such great donors that support our mission.”

Representing the family at the presentation were nephews Kevin Gehres and Randy Gehres and niece Lisa Studenmund, who joined Habitat staff and volunteers at the George Street site for the check presentation.

Staff praised for efforts during outage

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Monday’s power outage affected 4,300 AEP customers, including the Van Wert Early Childhood Center, Van Wert Elementary, Van Wert Middle School and Van Wert High School. It occurred between 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. which for many students was lunch time.

Despite no power, the schools were able to serve lunches that met nutritional values, which helped avoid a possible early dismissal. During Wednesday’s meeting of the Van Wert Board of Education, Superintendent Mark Bagley and Assistant Superintendent Bob Priest offered praise to employees and teachers for their efforts during the outage.

“The swift actions of our cafeteria staff made what could have been a very chaotic day not so chaotic,” Priest told the board. “Their efforts allowed our students to still receive a meal, stay in school and have the best of what could be a normal day under such circumstances.”

“You name it, they all stepped up,” Bagley said of the district’s employees. “It was incredible teamwork and incredible servant leadership and I just want to commend all the people on that. It could have been a disaster and it worked out as well as it could overall.”

During his report, Bagley said a celebration is being planned for September 18, 2026, for the 90th anniversary of Eggerss Stadium. The first ever football game at the downtown stadium was played September 18, 1935. Bagley also said the elevator at the stadium is finally working and has passed inspection.  

Several retirement-resignations were accepted on Wednesday, including third grade teacher Deb Chiles, elementary school Title I teacher Angie Stemen, elementary paraprofessionals Kerri Kiracofe and Cara Moonshower, high school secretary Deb Mengerink, and elementary school cafeteria worker Roy Schleeter. All of those resignations will take effect at the end of the current school year.

The board also accepted the resignations of high school cafeteria worker Patricia Bonifas and elementary school building leadership team member and district leadership team member Jessica Small. Kim Dowdy was hired as Small’s replacement, and John Kolb Jr. was approved as a custodial/maintenance worker. Ben Price was approved as a full-time bus driver.

NOCAC, PUCO offering assistance

Submitted information

The Ohio Department of Development and Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission are ready to help alleviate the burden of costly energy bills this winter and keep families warm.

Income-eligible Ohioans can now receive one-time assistance with their home energy bill through the Department of Development’s Home Energy Assistance Winter Crisis Program.

The Winter Crisis Program assists Ohioans facing service disconnection, those who have already been disconnected, individuals needing to establish new service, and those required to pay for a service transfer. It also supports households with 25 percent or less of bulk fuel in their tank to maintain service. Qualifying households must have a gross annual income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that is $56,262.50.

Last year, the Winter Crisis Program assisted more than 73,000 households in Ohio, providing $25.5 million in benefits. 

“We’re proud to show up for Ohioans when they need us most, especially when Ohio winters create challenges for individuals and families,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development. “The Winter Crisis Program is here to provide critical support so people can stay safe, healthy, and warm through our coldest time of the year.”

Households serviced by a Public Utilities Commission of Ohio regulated utility must sign up for PIPP or another payment plan if there is still an outstanding balance on the utility bill after receiving assistance. 

Households must schedule an appointment with their local energy assistance provider to complete the application. Contact NOCAC’s 24 hour appointment hotline at 419.219.4641 to schedule an appointment. The appointment may be in person, or over the phone.

Clients need to bring copies of the following documents to their appointment:

• Their most recent energy bills, if available.
• A list of all household members and proof of income for the last 30 days or 12 months for each member.
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members.
• Proof of disability, if applicable.

For more information about the Winter Crisis Program, visit energyhelp.ohio.gov.

Court to be closed during holiday period

VW independent staff

Van Wert Municipal Court will be closed to the public on Wednesday, November 26 and will reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, December 1.

Update on Tuesday’s school incident

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

More information has been released about Tuesday’s events that led to a brief lockdown at Lincolnview Local Schools and a chase from York Township to the Lima area. The update also clarifies rumors about weapons that were found during the incident.

According to information supplied by Van Wert County Sheriff Tom Riggenbach, a Van Wert County juvenile probation officer went to Lincolnview to speak with a 16-year-old student at the school Tuesday afternoon. The purpose of the discussion was based on a complaint that the juvenile had allegedly sent threatening text messages to another Lincolnview student.

However, before the conversation occurred, the juvenile ran from the probation officer, exited the school, found an unlocked car with the keys inside, stole the vehicle, left the school property and traveled in an unknown direction. As a precaution, Lincolnview went into a lockdown from approximately 2:10 to 2:35 p.m.

Additional deputies responded to the area and ultimately arrived at the juvenile’s residence in York Township. Upon a deputy’s arrival at this residence, the juvenile ran out of the house and fled the area in the stolen vehicle.

The deputy engaged in a very brief pursuit, but it ended when the juvenile crashed the vehicle into a ditch on Mendon Road. Detectives later processed the vehicle and some personal items belonging to the juvenile were found in it, along with three handguns that were possessed by the juvenile.

After the crash, the juvenile exited the stolen vehicle and began running. He ran to a nearby house, where he located a second unlocked vehicle with the keys in the ignition and then stole this vehicle as well.

The juvenile fled the area and attempted to evade deputies by driving at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour and ignoring stop signs.

Sentence imposed in fatal crash case

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A Van Wert woman convicted of vehicular homicide in connection with a fatal accident in a grocery store parking has avoided jail time.

Instead, Barbara Nickles, 66, will spend the next 90 days under electronic house arrest, serve one year of community control sanctions and have a daily curfew of 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. In addition, Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Martin D. Burchfield noted Nickles had four previous auto accidents and suspended her driver’s license for the maximum allowed by law, five years, with no driving privileges at all. During Wednesday morning’s sentencing hearing, Nickles was also told once the license suspension is over, she will be required to take a remedial driving course. She was also ordered to pay court costs and partial court appointed counsel fees.

The vehicular homicide charge was tied to a July 28 accident in the parking lot of Ruler Foods in Van Wert. Nickles was operating a 2023 Cadillac XT5,  while in the grocery store’s parking lot, when she began to accelerate in reverse at a high rate of speed from her marked parking space. She struck a pedestrian, later identified as Omar Sites, causing him to collide with another parked motor vehicle, which resulted in serious injuries. After striking Sites, Nickles continued to operate the vehicle at a high rate of speed in reverse, causing damage to multiple parked motor vehicles.

Sites, who was airlifted to a Fort Wayne hospital, passed away August 11.

Nickles was initially charged in Van Wert Municipal Court with vehicular assault, a fourth degree felony, and negligent assault, a third degree misdemeanor. The case was bound over to a Van Wert County grand jury, but its members opted against a felony charge.

In early October, Nickles changed her plea from not guilty to no contest to a single count of vehicular homicide, a first degree misdemeanor, and was found guilty by Judge Burchfield. The charge carried a possible jail sentence of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, along with a five year license suspension.

School locked down, student in custody

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Lincolnview Local Schools administrators, the school resource officer, and local law enforcement officials have confirmed an incident involving a student who made a threatening comment toward another student.

It happened Tuesday afternoon. No weapons were involved on school property, and no physical injury occurred. 

According to a statement released by Lincolnview Local Schools, during  discussion with the student, the student left the building, causing safety protocols to go into effect immediately. The school went into lockdown mode for about 20 minutes, from approximately 2:15 to 2:35 p.m. A secured area was maintained and additional law enforcement were part of the process.

Scanner traffic indicated the student stole a car from the school parking lot and led law enforcement officers on a chase with speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. The student wrecked the car, then stole another vehicle. Later, the student was found in Lima and was taken into custody.

According to Lincolnview Local Schools, the student is with authorities, and the district will follow through with any violations of the student code of conduct and will result in consequences from the school and law enforcement, meaning charges are pending.

School officials said if necessary, counseling services and guidance staff will be available to any students and staff members.