VWHS seniors take annual tour of local businesses

Area man sentenced on child porn charges

VW independent staff

A Paulding County man who pleaded guilty to child pornograhy charges appeared in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court for sentencing this week.

Alec Shull, 24, was sentenced by Judge Martin D. Burchfield to three to four and a half years in prison for pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, a second degree felony, and 18 months on another charge of pandering obscenity involving a minor or impaired person, a fourth degree felony. Those sentences will run consecutively, meaning Shull will served 3-6 years behind bars. He was also sentenced to 12 months in prison for illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity oriented material or performance, a fifth degree felony, but that count will be served concurrently to the other two prison terms. He was given credit for 70 days already served.

Shull entered the guilty plea in January and in exchange, nine similar charges were dismissed. The alleged crimes occurred between mid-December, 2024 and mid-January, 2025.

Five other defendants were sentenced on separate and unrelated charges this week.

Bryant Hunt, 22, of Van Wert, was sentenced to 120 days jail with credit for 93 days already served for robbery, a third degree felony. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,029 and court costs.

Sara Hogan, 43, of Lima, was sentenced to up to six months at the WORTH Center, three years of community control, 30 days in jail at a later date and 100 hours of community service for OVI, a fourth degree felony. She was also ordered to undergo mental health and substance abuse assessment and any treatment. Her driver’s license was suspended for three years and she was ordered to pay a $1,540 fine, court costs, partial appointed counsel fees, and monthly probation fees and court costs.

Sarah Allen, 45, of Van Wert, was sentenced to two years of community control and 30 days in jail at a later date for harassment with a bodily substance, a fifth degree felony. She is to consume no alcohol or have drugs without a prescription, undergo random screens, mental health and substance abuse assessment and treatment, and was ordered to pay court costs.

Carol Boyd, 51, of Van Wert, was sentenced to one year of community control, 30 days jail at a later date and 100 hours of community service for theft, a first degree misdemeanor. She must undergo mental health and substance abuse assessment and any treatment, consume no alcohol or possess drugs without a prescription, and was ordered to pay restitution, monthly probation fees and court costs.

Sectional champions!

Van Wert head coach Jeremy Best celebrates after the Cougars won the Division IV sectional championship with a 52-37 victory over Napoleon Thursday night. A full game story and more pictures can be found on the Sports page. Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent

SWCD seeking scholarship applications

Submitted information

The Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District is offering one $1,000 scholarship to a student studying agriculture, natural resources or closely related fields at any Ohio college or university during the 2025/2026 academic year. The recipient of the scholarship needs to have completed their freshman year in college, and must be a Van Wert County resident.

Scholarship applications and two reference forms must be received at the Soil and Water Conservation District by May 22. The Scholarship Committee of the Soil and Water Conservation District will review the applications and announce the recipient in July. Scholarship money will be sent directly to the recipient’s college or university at the beginning of the academic year.

Criteria for determining the recipient will be: area of study, grades, activities, leadership, and commitment to conservation practices. The SWCD reserves the right to refuse any applications not meeting requirements.

Scholarship applications are available at the Soil and Water Conservation District office, 1185 Professional Drive, Van Wert or online at www.vanwertswcd.org. You may also email becky@vanwertswcd.com.

Yost: sign up for Instagram supervision

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — In an effort to help address teen mental-health concerns, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is urging parents across the state to enroll in Instagram’s parental supervision tools as the platform prepares to launch a new alert system.

Beginning next week, Instagram will notify parents who use the features if their teen repeatedly searches for terms related to suicide or self-harm within a short period. 

“Parents can’t possibly know everything their kids are doing, But this new tool gives moms and dads a window into warning signs that might otherwise go unseen,” Yost said. “Knowledge is power.”

Yost further encouraged parents to use the alerts as an opportunity to talk openly with their children about mental health and online activity.

The alerts are designed to give parents timely information and access to resources to help guide potentially difficult conversations.

Instagram reportedly already blocks searches clearly associated with suicide and self-harm and directs users to crisis resources and help lines. The new notification system adds another layer of protection by notifying parents about repeated search behavior that is concerning.

Parents can learn more and set up supervision by visiting Instagram’s Help Center or navigating to the “Supervision” section within the app’s settings.

Four men suspected in pharmacy break-ins

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

It appears as though recent break-ins at pharmacies in northwest and southwest Ohio may be tied to similar burglaries that occurred in this area last September.

Three intruders went down the line from Defiance County to Van Wert on September 11 – Hicksville Pharmacy and Home at 5:20 p.m., Oukley’s Pharmacy in Paulding at 5:46 a.m., then the Genoa walk-up pharmacy at Westwood Behavorial Center in Van Wert at approximately 6:30 a.m. Just one of the area break-ins was successful – Hicskville Pharmacy and Home, where the intruders stole an unknown amount of narotics from the pharmacy, plus a small amount of cash from the register. They left pharmacies in Paulding and Van Wert empty-handed.

Video footage showed the three men forcing their way through the front door at Westwood. They made off in a black late model Toyota Camry and there were no real new developments until recently.

Four men were arrested February 5 along Interstate 75 in Butler County, after a traffic stop resulted in the recovery of nearly 3,000 stolen opioid pills worth as much as $15,000. They tried to flee but were arrested a short time later by West Chester Police. After further investigation, authorities learned some of the stolen prescription painkillers came from a pharmacy in Bellevue, Ohio, along with cash that was stolen from a pharmacy in Perrysburg.

An official source close to the investigation who requested not to be named said the four are believed to have taken part in such break-ins around Ohio, including the three area pharmacies in September, and throughout the country. The source said rental cars were used in many of the break-ins.

The men been identified as Tyrus Crew Jr., Anthony Ellison, Marcus Fantroy Jr., and Lequan Miller, all from California. Fantroy is a rapper who goes by the name Geechi Gotti. Three of them are suspected to have taken part in the area break-ins, but the source didn’t specify which three.

The four had been under surveillance since one them flew into Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport days before they were arrested.

New grant goes to area fire departments

VW independent staff/submitted information

Several area fire deparments are recipients of the new Small County Volunteer Fire Department (SCVFD) Grant that was established via House Bill 96.

Convoy Fire & EMS, Middle Point Fire Department, Scott Fire & EMS, Grover Hill Volunteer Fire Department, Paulding Fire Department, Rockford Community Fire Department, Mendon Union Fire Department, Fort Jennings Volunteer Fire Department and Ottoville Volunteer Fire Department are among 190 departments across 49 Ohio counties have been awarded a total of $7,997,960 in funding through the grant program.

Convoy, Middle Point, Scott, Grover Hill and Fort Jennings are each getting a $50,000 grant. Ottoville is getting $44,315, Mendon Union is getting $42,671, Rockford is getting $38,130, and Paulding is getting $33,429.

The nonrenewable grant was established to help the state’s small county fire departments purchase essential equipment, upgrade facilities, and enhance access to firefighting training. Legislation that created the grant defined small counties as those that have a population of 70,000 or fewer per the 2020 U.S. Census.

“These small, volunteer fire departments, many of which serve rural areas of the state are the backbone of Ohio’s fire service and the vast majority of them are working with small budgets,” State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon said. “Thanks to the work of the legislature, this grant funding will better equip these departments to do a job that our communities rely on them to do, and that is to be there if and when an emergency strikes.”

Approximately 70 percent of Ohio’s nearly 1,200 fire departments rely on volunteers, but the number of volunteers is dropping sharply across the state as highlighted in the 2023 Governor’s Volunteer Fire Service Task Force report. From 2018 to 2021, there was a 6.5 percent decrease in the number of volunteer firefighters, meanwhile there was a nine percent increase in calls from 2018 to 2020.

ODOT changing certain intersections

VW independent staff/submitted information

The intersection of Ohio 613 and Ohio 637,near the village of Melrose in Paulding County will become a four way stop this spring.

It’s one of eight intersections in northwest Ohio that are being converted to all-way stops by Ohio Department of Transportation District 1 to improve safety.

The locations selected for conversion are where crash data found the most common type of crash was the result of a failure to stop or a failure to yield to cross-traffic that was not required to stop.

“These intersections have a higher rate of angle crashes, which often result in serious injuries or fatalities,” said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director. “Our goal is zero fatalities. When all approaches are expected to stop, crash severity is significantly reduced.”

The change at Ohio 613/Ohio 637 is scheduled to take place the week of May 4. Similar conversions will take place at other intersections in Defiance, Wyandot, Hancock and Putnam counties between early March and early May.

Message boards to alert drivers of the changes will be placed approximately two weeks prior and remain on site for approximately two weeks after the change to remind motorists of the new traffic pattern. All approaches of the intersections will be equipped with flashing stop-ahead signs. 

ODOT will continue to monitor the intersections to ensure the all-way stop is operating as intended.

Throughout Ohio, ODOT is reviewing intersections to determine where all-way stops could make travel safer. The solution has been found to improve intersection safety in other states. Since 2018, the state of North Carolina converted over 500 intersections from a typical two-way to all-way stop control. Their analysis of 348 of these locations showed a 100% reduction in fatal crashes and 95 percent reduction in serious injury crashes. Similar results were also seen in the state of Delaware.

Students of the Month…

Van Wert Lodge No. 1197, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks have selected Lincolnview High School seniors Kendall Hoffman and Alexis Hoaglin as the recipients of the Student of the Month for January. Students are nominated by their high schools to receive this award. Each Student of the Month receives a monetary donation along with a certificate from the Van Wert Elks Lodge 1197 with the possibility to be named the Student of the Year. Students are judged on the basis of multiple achievements – volunteerism, character, leadership, service, citizenship and scholastic. Hoaglin is pictured above with Michael C. Stanley, Lodge Secretary. Photo submitted

Pinewood Derby is this Saturday

PAULDING — Cub Scout Pack 1317 in Paulding and Boy Scout Troop 315 are gearing up for one of the most exciting traditions of the scouting year — the annual Pinewood Derby.

The local Pinewood Derby will take place at 1 p.m. this Saturday at the Commissioners Building at the Paulding County Fairgrounds. Scouts will showcase the cars they’ve designed and built, competing for speed, creativity, and pride.

In addition to the official races, there will be an Outlaw Race so anyone in the community with a Pinewood Derby car can join the fun. The event is open to the public, and there is no charge to attend.

The excitement continues as Paulding hosts the Chinquapin District Pinewood Derby at 1 p.m. March 28, also at the Commissioners Building. Food and drinks will be available, and the public is invited to cheer on the racers.

Pinewood Derby races are about more than just competition. They help build creativity, problem-solving skills, sportsmanship, and confidence in youth.

“Whether you join us weekly or simply help out once in a while, every bit of support and involvement helps us grow strong future leaders,” longtime Scount Leader Verl Dasher said.

For more information or to get involved, contact Verl at verldasher@gmail.com.

All district races across the Black Swamp Area Council will be held March 28, with the Council Race on April 18. District winners will qualify for the council race. To follow the district winners and stay updated on the next steps, visit www.BlackSwampScouting.org.

One dead after house fire in Dixon

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

DIXON — A full investigation is underway after a seemingly bizzare incident in extreme western Van Wert County Tuesday morning.

Shortly before 10:30 a.m., Van Wert County Sheriff’s deputies, along with Convoy Fire & EMS were dispatched to a home in the 3500 block of Ohio Indiana State Line Road on the Ohio side of Dixon. The home was engulfed in flames and Payne Fire & EMS, the Monroeville, Indiana Fire Department and Van Wert Fire Department were summoned for tankers and manpower.

Despite their efforts, the small home was completely destroyed by the fire and just a small part of the frame was still standing. A nearby vehicle also caught fire and was destroyed. Crews were still at the scene mid-to-late afternoon hosing down hot spots in the remnants of the house.

Early Tuesday afternoon, it was confirmed that one person died in the fire. That person’s identity is unknown but authorities believe it was likely the homeowner. According to Sheriff Tom Riggenbach, who was at the scene, the body was sent to the Lucas County Coroner’s Office for identification and an autopsy.

Sheriff Riggenbach also confirmed there was a report of shots fired before the blaze broke out and he said it remains under investigation. During the mid-afternoon hours, deputies could be seen examining a neighboring house and what appeared to be bullet holes. However, it’s not known if the bullets were fired manually or if they exploded as a result of the fire and hit the neighboring structure.

It’s also unknown what started the fire. Two investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s Office were at the scene, along with the Van Wert County Coroner’s Office. Van Wert County CERT and the Allen County, Indiana Sheriff’s Department also assisted at the scene.