Property taxes due this Wednesday

Submitted information

A reminder that the due date for property taxes in Van Wert County is this Wednesday, February 11. The Treasurer’s Office in the Van Wert County Courthouse is open on Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to  5 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The office accepts payments in the form of check, cashier’s check, money order and credit or debit cards. A 2.5 percent fee will be charged for all card payments by the credit card processor and an electronic check payment is available for a fee of $1.50. You can pay up to ten parcels for a single fee with your account and routing number with the electronic check. If you prefer to pay in cash, you may take your bill in its entirety, along with payment, to The First Bank of Berne, at 102 Christopher Crossing, Van Wert, next to Walmart. The First Bank of Berne will accept payments through the due date of February 11. Partial payments will not be accepted.

Credit card, debit card, and electronic check payments may be made online by visiting the county website at www.vanwertcountyohio.gov and clicking on Treasurer’s Office, then clicking on Payment Options. If you would like to make a payment over the phone, call 844.419.0200. You will need your parcel number, which is located on your bill, for all phone payments.

Anyone with questions about their property tax bill should call the office staff between the above business hours at 419.238.5177.

Wapak teen injured in car-semi crash

VW independent staff

AMERICAN TOWNSHIP — A teen from Wapakoneta suffered life-threatening injuires when his car was hit by a semi-truck then struck a tree near Elida on Saturday.

According to the Lima Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred at approximately 1:50 p.m. at Ohio 309 and Kemp Rd. Cooper Greer, 18, was northbound on Kemp Rd. in a 2012 Cadillac CT4 and failed to observe a stop sign and was hit by a semi that was southbound on Ohio 309. Greer’s car went off the road and struck a tree. Greer was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. He was transported from the scene by American Township EMS to Mercy Health St. Rita’s. The trucker, Greg Gates, 37, of Grovetown, Georgia, was not injured. 

The semi sustained moderate damage and was towed from the scene by Beaverdam Fleet Service. The Cadillac sustained severe damage and was towed from the scene by Big Daddy’s Towing.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by American Township Fire, American Township EMS, Big Daddy’s Towing, Beaverdam Fleet Service, and the Elida Police Department.

The crash remains under investigation.

Elks Lodge makes donation to YWCA

Submitted information

Van Wert Elks Lodge 1197, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, recently donated $1,750 to the YWCA of Van Wert County for their women’s shelter program.

The money, provided thru the Elks National Foundation in the form of a Gratitude Grant were made possible thru the generous donations to the foundation by the members of Van Wert Elks Lodge 1197 and all Elks throughout the United States.

The Elks National Foundation is a perpetual trust fund established in 1928 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Contributions to the Foundation are made each year by over 800,000 Elks and their families and friends from more than 1800 Elks Lodges across the United States, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.

With this money, Van Wert Lodge is assisting the YWCA to provide emergency shelter to women in the community.

“The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks have always been known for their charitable works and this is Van Wert Lodge’s way of helping our community and those who are in need,” stated Michael C. Stanley, Lodge Chairman for the Elks National Foundation.

Museum membership meeting postponed

VW independent staff/submitted information

PAULDING — The John Paulding Historical Society, now known as the Paulding County History Museum, is undergoing extensive renovations in the kitchen area. Because of this, the meseum’s annual membership meeting, which was scheduled for Sunday, February 22, has been postponed to a later date.

The museum has needed the kitchen update for many years and because of the generous donation from Sandra Weidenhamer and other memorials received, the board of directors voted to get the work done. Electricity and carpentry students at Vantage Career Center have been a key part of the project.

Watch the Paulding County History Museum’s Facebook page and for press releases for the date of the annual membership meeting once the kitchen work is complete.

Houser appeal hearing set for Tuesday

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

LIMA – An appeal hearing is scheduled for next week for an area man in prison for murder.

Ryan Houser, 40, of Rockford is currently serving a mandatory 15 years to life sentence. He was sentenced last June by Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Martin D. Burchfield. The murder charge was tied to the September, 2023 shooting death of Houser’s girlfriend, Barbara Ganger of Van Wert (see story here).

Court documents show he’s appealing his conviction and sentence. Oral arguments are scheduled to be heard Tuesday before the Third District Court of Appeals in Lima. The Third Appellate District covers 17 counties – Allen, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Logan, Marion, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Seneca, Shelby, Union, Van Wert and Wyandot counties.

On March 6, 2025, after many delays in the case, Houser changed his plea from not guilty to no contest to a single count of murder, an unclassified felony. In exchange, three other charges – aggravated murder, an unclassified felony, possessing a weapon under disability, and tampering with evidence, both third degree felonies, were dismissed.

Two months after pleading no contest and being found guilty by Judge Burchfield, Houser was in court for sentencing but as the hearing started, he claimed he was innocent and requested that his no contest plea be withdrawn. On May 29, Judge Burchfield issued a written ruling denying the request. A new sentencing date of June 24 was scheduled and at that hearing, he received the mandatory sentence, which has no early release provision. He was given credit for 491 days already served at the Van Wert County Correctional Facility and barring a successful appeal, his expected release date is February, 2039.

Six days after the sentence was imposed, Houser filed an appeal in the case. His court appointed attorney is Rafeal Villegas. It’s unclear if Houser, who is serving his sentence at the Madison Correctional Institution in London, Ohio, will be at the appeal hearing.

Committee will choose new prosecutor

VW independent staff

Van Wert County’s Republican Central Committee will be tasked with finding a new county prosecutor in the near future.

Current Van Wert County Prosecutor Evan Yarger will officially resign that post on Thursday, February 12, the same day as she’s sworn in as Van Wert County Juvenile/Probate Court Judge. Her first official day on the bench will be Tuesday, February 17.

According to Ohio Revised code, the county’s Republican Central Committee has between 5-45 days from Yarger’s resignation date to fill the prosecutor’s vacancy. Until the committee meets and selects a replacement, the Van Wert County Commissioners will appoint someone on a temporary basis to fill the gap. The commissioners would likely coordinate with the committee to appoint the person who would most likely be chosen by them as a permanent replacement. It’s unknown when the Republican Central Committee will meet.

Yarger was appointed as judge on Monday by Governor Mike DeWine to replace Judge Kevin Taylor, who retired December 31, 2025.

OIU urges safety around Super Bowl

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COLUMBUS — As fans across the state prepare for Super Bowl LX on Sunday, the Ohio Investigative Unit is reminding liquor permit holders and the public to prioritize safety and responsible alcohol service during the weekend’s festivities.

OIU agents will be working statewide through the weekend to monitor liquor permit premises and ensure compliance with Ohio’s liquor laws. These efforts focus on preventing the sale of alcohol to underage individuals, stopping the over-service of patrons, and ensuring permit holders are adhering to their authorized permit privileges.

“We want everyone to enjoy the game and the social gatherings that come with it, but our priority is ensuring that those celebrations don’t turn into tragedies,” said OIU Executive Director Jamie Patton. “Liquor permit holders have a responsibility to their patrons and their communities to serve alcohol legally and safely. Our agents will be active across Ohio to ensure these laws are followed and to hold violators accountable.”

Additionally, OIU reminds permit holders to verify their specific Sunday sale privileges. In Ohio, a D-6 permit is required to sell intoxicating liquor including wine, prepackaged low-proof mixed beverages, and high-proof spirits on Sundays. While a D-6 permit is not required to sell beer, the location must be authorized for Sunday beer sales by local option election results. There are no exceptions in Ohio law for a temporary change in authorized sales privileges due to holidays or special events.

During Super Bowl weekend in 2025, which spanned from Friday, February 7, through Monday February 10, OIU agents made 34 total arrests and issued 16 administrative citations against liquor permit holders including 10 for operating without a permit to sell liquor on Sundays.

Another guilty plea in Ponzi scheme case

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — A northwest Ohio woman has become the fourth person to plead guilty in a massive Ponzi case.

Nancy Rathbun of Fulton County pleaded guilty on Friday for her involvement in an alleged $72 million Ponzi scheme targeting Ohio investors. She entered her plea in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to one felony count of attempted money laundering.

Rathbun was a bookkeeper for Private Wealth Consultants, Ltd., and married to a former investment adviser from the same firm who is also a co-defendant in the case, Gary Rathbun. As part of her plea, she agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and testify in the prosecutions of co-defendants. However, she is not being asked to offer cooperation or testimony against her husband.

The case is the result of a multi-year investigation led by the Division of Securities in partnership with the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Deputy Attorney Inspector Harvey McCleskey led the investigation for the Division of Securities, meanwhile the prosecution is being led by Principle Assistant Attorney General Dan Kasaris and Assistant Attorney General Drew Wood.

“This plea by Mrs. Rathbun is an important development in the case and underscores the Division’s commitment to hold every person accountable for their crimes against Ohio investors,” said Ohio Securities Commissioner Andrea Seidt. “It’s not uncommon for spouses to get roped into hiding assets for their loved ones but a good forensic accountant will never be fooled. I cannot say enough about the dedication of our enforcement team and our prosecution partners who continue to churn day in and day out to provide justice for the victims.”

Rathbun’s plea follows a similar plea last month from two of her co-defendants, James Delverne and Doug Miller. Last May, Richard Scheich, a former executive with Northwest Capital also pleaded guilty to multiple felony counts in the case. Scheich’s actions allegedly defrauded investors of nearly $9 million in investments, contributing to a larger $72 million alleged fraudulent scheme.

From January 2011 through December 2021, managers at Northwest Capital in Toledo, along with other co-defendants from entities who worked with the firm, allegedly misled investors about critical facts, including conflicts of interest within the organization and the financial health of affiliated entities. Investigators allege that funds were manipulated to create an illusion of success, while investors received falsified annual statements to conceal the scheme’s reality.  While investors received annual statements supporting the value of their investments, these values ultimately proved to be false when investors requested redemption of their investment principal and Northwest Capital was unable to fund those redemptions.

Emergency farm loans available locally

VW independent staff/submitted information

INDIANAPOLIS (IN) – The United States Department of Agriculture has designated 28 Indiana counties as natural disaster areas due to drought and as a result, five Ohio counties – Darke, Defiance, Mercer, Paulding and Van Wert counties – are eligible as contiguous counties.

The natural disaster designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Those loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. The FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

The loan application deadline is August 31.

Friday morning snow…

While snow was in this morning’s forecast, it came down a little quicker and heavier than expected in downtown Van Wert and the surrounding area. Roughly two inches of light, fluffy snow fell in about 90 minutes, leaving vehicles covered and roads a bit on the slick side. Scott Truxell/Van Wert independent