Lincolnview Bd. hears request for new smart boards

State St. fire

The Van Wert Fire Department, along with the police department and Van Wert County CERT were at the scene of this Thursday morning garage fire in the 600 block of State St. The call came in just before 7 a.m. and firefighters were able to quickly bring the blaze under control. Crews were at the scene for approximately an hour. Bob Barnes/VWFD photographer

Youth Academy benefits local students

VW independent staff/submitted information

The Van Wert Chamber of Commerce recently held the final session of the 2024 Van Wert Chamber Youth Academy at Danfoss. The pilot program was presented from January-April, with each session taking place on the last Tuesday of each month at a different location within Van Wert County.

“We had a great time connecting with 24 junior year students from Van Wert City Schools, Lincolnview Local Schools, Crestview Local Schools, and Vantage Career Center,” Chamber President/CEO Mark Verville said. “Along with Danfoss, we held sessions at Central Insurance, Lifehouse Church, and with the City of Van Wert and Van Wert County. Not only did the students learn more about community services, they were able to interact with a wide variety of community leaders and learn about their leadership journeys.”

Verville also thanked the administration and staff of the four county schools who participated in the program, along as the community members who invested time to speak with the students.

Northwest State Community College is the exclusive sponsor of the Youth Academy program. The regional community college, based in Archbold, is a public two-year college that is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This accreditation allows NSCC to offer degree and certificate programs in the fields of arts and sciences, business and public services, nursing and allied health, and STEM and industrial technologies. The school serves over 77,000 northwest Ohio families across a six-county service area, including Van Wert County.

Garden Club to hold plant sale

Submitted information

The Evergreen Garden Club will be hold its annual perennial plant sale in the annex of the Van Wert County Fair Board Building, Saturday, May 4, beginning at 10 a.m.

Perennial plants will be dug from the club members’ own gardens and sold at a very reasonable price. A large selection of many different varieties will be for sale.

All proceeds from the sale will be used for civic beautification projects sponsored by the Evergreen Garden Club. Some of those projects include purchasing, planting and maintaining the flowers in Fountain Park; maintaining the herb garden at the Van Wert County Historical Museum; maintaining the friendship garden at Camp Clay, and decorating the Brumback Library for the Christmas holiday season.

School board makes “Best” choice

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

It’s now official. Jeremy Best, who led Crestview’s basketball program between 2002-2019, has been hired to take over Van Wert’s varsity boys basketball program. His supplemental contract was one of a number of coaching supplementals approved during Wednesday’s school board meeting. A full story on Best can be found on the Sports page.

There will be no change in other head coaches of winter sports during the 2024-2025 school year. Hannah Philpot will again lead the girls varsity basketball program, Megan Hurless returns as head boys and girls swimming coach, Seth Blackmore is back as head boys and girls bowling coach, Ben Collins was approved as head wrestling coach and Jacque Welch was approved as head cheerleading coach.

Assistant coaches approved by the board include Steve Recker, Josiah Poletta, Bryce Crea, Nick Pauff, and Josh Poulson (varsity football); Jalen McCracken, Keaton Altimus (freshman football); Jordan Danylchuck (football volunteer); Charlie Witten, Brandon Lintermoot, Seth Baer and Chris Heath (middle school football); Mike Hernandez (golf volunteer assistant); Gage Chiles, Noah Carter and Deb Merritt (high school cross country volunteer assistants); Toshia Wilhelm and Bob Spath (middle school cross country); Melissa Bloomfield (girls tennis assistant); Issa Ickes (high school volleyball assistant); Morgan Hicks (freshman volleyball); Glenn Hicks (high school volleyball volunteer assistant); Tiffany Werts (high school cheerleading varsity assistant), and Betsy Hamman, middle school cheerleading.

Merger translates to another ISP choice

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A corporate merger means Van Wert residents will have another choice when choosing an internet service provider.

During Monday’s meeting of Van Wert City Council, Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming informed council members that CenturyLink and Brightspeed have merged.

“They have announced to me that they are going to re-wire the entire city in fiber (optics),” Fleming said. “It’s going to begin in June and July and they hope to have it complete in three months. What that’s going to mean is all the fiber is going to be on the poles if you make application for their service, like you might do with Spectrum now.”

“What I’m excited about is it’s competition, so you’ll be able to make that connection with Brightspeed if you apply for their service, then they’ll bring true fiber right to door,” he added. “Spectrum has pretty good speeds but they don’t necessarily have true fiber to the home.”

Brightspeed has set aside $2 billion to bring fiber optic internet to at least three million customers across 20 states over the next four years.

Two truck crash

One person was transported to OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital after this two-vehicle crash at Ohio 709 and Mendon Rd. late Wednesday afternoon. Ohio City Volunteer Fire and EMS was dispatched to the scene. Both trucks sustained heavy damage and were towed from the scene. The accident was investigated by the Van Wert Sheriff’s Department. Bob Barnes photos

McCoy promoted to clinical supervisor

VW independent staff/submitted information

For the past 12 years, Elspeth McCoy has dedicated her career to the mission of the Marsh Foundation. Hired as a group home family teacher, she pursued her master’s degree in social work and has since joined the clinical department.

During her studies, she was able to complete field hours at the Marsh where she learned specifically how to work with youth with sexual behavior problems. During her last semester of graduate school, she also completed a course specializing in juvenile sex offender counseling, expanding both her interest and expertise in the topic. McCoy holds a master’s degree in social work from the Ohio State University. In addition, she has achieved independent social work licensure and her supervision endorsement.

She said she is no stranger to overcoming challenges and plans to use that to her advantage as she continues to grow her career. McCoy acknowledged that working in the group homes as a family teacher was challenging. She also said it was very rewarding and is appreciative of the experience.

“I have persevered through many difficult times in the different positions I’ve held,” McCoy stated. “I strongly believe in the mission of the Marsh Foundation, which is to inspire hope, to teach, and to care for children and families.”

She went on to say that the most important part of the mission, to her, is hope.

“Hope has helped me to remain working in a difficult job and hope is what I try to inspire in the clients I work with,” she said. “Now, it is time to pass this on to the people I supervise.”

McCoy is excited to bring her growth ideas to the clinical department and has several goals for her new role.

“We have really great counselors and case managers already and I would like to add more clinical staff so we can focus even more on our existing and developing programs,” she said.

In addition to the department’s more traditional one-on-one and group counseling sessions, the department is also expanding to include Equine-Assisted Learning, Animal-Assisted Therapy, CrossFit, Horticulture and Independent Living.

Weekly word winners

Congratulations to the Van Wert Elementary Word of the Week Winners. This week, the following students were chosen as representatives of the word, humility: Grade 1, Josh; Grade 2, Yezlyn; Grade 3, Carter; Grade 4, Charlee; Grade 5, Brayden. Each child received a free Mighty Kids Meal from McDonald’s in Van Wert and a certificate from WERT 1220AM/104.3FM. Photo submitted

NSCC announces tuition increase

VW independent staff

ARCHBOLD — Tuition is going up at Northwest State Community College, but the increase won’t be passed along to students.

During the most recent NSCC Board of Trustees meeting, the board approved new tuition rates for the 2024-2025 academic year, which begins July 1. Spring, 2025 semester tuition will see a $5 per credit hour increase to $197.33 for in-state students, and $191.33 for out-of-state students, with a total fee for out-of-state students becoming $388.66.

Board members also approved a scholarship to nullify the $5 tuition increase per credit hour, to ensure the added costs are not passed on to students.

Numerous hearings held in local CP court

VW independent staff

A total of 14 defendants appeared for various criminal hearings in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court. The hearings took place between Thursday, April 18, and Wednesday, April 24. Judge Martin Burchfield presided over each of the hearings.

Sentencings

Jesse Hodgson, 36, of Delphos was sentenced in two cases: 180 days in jail with credit for 136 days already served for attempted trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fifth degree felony, and 180 days in jail for attempted trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fifth degree felony. The sentences will be served consecutively, and Hodgson was ordered to pay court costs.

Stacy Young, 47, of Van Wert, was sentenced to up to six months at the WORTH Center, three years of community control, and 30 days in jail at a later date for receiving stolen property, a fifth degree felony; theft, a first degree misdemeanor; illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a specified governmental facility, a third degree felony, and illegal use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or WIC program benefits, a fifth degree felony. In addition, Young is to have no alcohol or drugs without a prescription, undergo random screens, mental health and substance abuse assessment and treatment, and was ordered to pay restitution, partial appointed counsel fees, monthly probation fees and court costs.

Jarod Delgado, 40, of Van Wert, was sentenced to two years of community control, 30 days in jail at a later date, and 50 hours of community service for domestic violence, a first degree misdemeanor. He is to possess no alcohol or drugs without a prescription, undergo random screens, mental health and substance abuse assessment and treatment, and was ordered to pay partial appointed counsel fees, monthly probation fees and court costs.

Terrance Landwehr, 25, of Van Wert, was sentenced to two years of community control, two days in jail, 30 days in jail at a later date, and 26 hours of community service for domestic violence, a first degree misdemeanor. Landwehr is to have no alcohol or drugs without a prescription, undergo random screens, mental health and substance abuse assessment and treatment, and was ordered to pay partial appointed counsel fees, monthly probation fees and court costs.