SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor
Charges will indeed be filed in connection with an October 22 mail burning incident in Van Wert and those charges will be handled at the federal level.
“This case has been referred to the US Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution,” said Charlene Cerra, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, USPS OIG, in response to an email inquiry by the VW independent.
Cerra confirmed charges will be filed and said it’s just a matter of submitting the paperwork. The exact charge or charges will be determined by the US Attorney’s Office.
An investigation began at the federal level after a mail carrier at the Van Wert Post Office set fire to undelivered mail in a fire pit in the backyard of his George St. home during the early morning hours of Wednesday, October 22. The Van Wert Police Department was alerted to the unattended fire and the Van Wert Fire Department was called on to extinguish the small blaze.
Body camera footage provided by the police department showed the mail on fire.
All questions about the incident were immediately referred to the U.S. Postal Service Northern Ohio District in Cleveland by Van Wert Postmaster Greg McKeddie. Because the mail that was destroyed is considered federal property, the Office of the Inspector General became involved.
(more…)POSTED: 11/07/25 at 10:05 pm
VW independent staff/submitted information
PAULDING — Paulding County History Museum’s largest fundraiser of the year, The Festival of Trees, is just around the corner. The dates are Friday, November 14 through Saturday, November 22. Explore nearly 30,000 square feet of holiday trees, displays and decorations in three buildings.
Admission and parking are free. Donations are greatly appreciated. The museum is located at 600 Fairground Drive in Paulding, across from the fairgrounds.
Since September 30, when the FFA students from Staci Miller’s class brought nearly 80 Christmas trees in from the shed, volunteers have been planning, organizing, and getting ready for the Festival. The theme for this year’s festivities is “Sparkle & Shine.” Elizabeth Miller is again the Festival chairman.
Garland has been hung, trees have been decorated by organizations, groups, clubs and businesses from around the county, as well as by dedicated museum volunteers. Organizers have planned meals, musical entertainment and even a few surprises for Festival-goers. All meals are by free-will donation.
The museum will be open from 4-8 p.m. Friday, November 14, and the Paulding Area Chamber of Commerce will prepare and serve a spaghetti dinner from 5-7 p.m. A new feature this year will be Columbia Rose, a young guitarist and singer from Payne. She will perform at 7:15 p.m. following the dinner.
Saturday, November 15 is Kids’ Day. The museum will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Santa will visit starting at 10 a.m. and Chris Bercaw will be making balloon animals for the kids throughout the afternoon. A lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be hot dogs, burgers, mac-and-cheese. Supper that evening, served from 5-7 p.m., will be a baked potato bar.
Sunday, November 16, the hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with brunch served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. At 2 p.m., a new group to the museum will provide the entertainment. Second Street Strings, a dulcimer group from Defiance, will perform.
(more…)POSTED: 11/07/25 at 10:01 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Navy Club Ship #726, represented by Commander Ken Myers (left) and Senior Executive Officer Lucas Myers (right) honored Stephanie Renner for her many years of service to the veterans of Van Wert County. For 15 years, Renner has organized Lincolnview’s in-person Veterans Day program, coupon meals during COVID-19 years and card showers for local veterans. This will be her final year as program coordinator. A special award was presented to her during a program held on Friday. Ken Myers noted Renner has dedicated years to honoring veterans as well as teaching students the sacrifices made by patriots. Lincolnview’s annual Veterans Day program will be held at 12 p.m. Sunday in the elementary gymasium. Photo submitted
POSTED: 11/07/25 at 10:01 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information
COLUMBUS — On Thursday, Governor Mike DeWine provided a series of updates on the State’s ongoing efforts to support Ohio families being affected by the suspension of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) announced this week that they had received new federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding the possibility of providing partial SNAP benefits for the month of November.
As the process of reviewing this guidance continues, ODJFS has reported to the Governor that, without an immediate resolution to the shutdown, SNAP benefits will not be available this week.
With this understanding, Governor DeWine reaffirmed that the plan he announced last week – providing up to $25 million in support of food assistance to help families impacted by the suspension of SNAP benefits – continues to move forward.
Assistance for Food Banks
The first part of the Governor’s plan directed ODJFS to provide $7 million to regional food banks across the state.
Today, the Governor announced that the state has transferred the following amounts to the regional food banks listed below, with each amount based on the food bank’s percentage of customers in the SNAP caseload. The West Ohio Food Bank, which is based in Lima and serves 10 counties, including Van Wert, Paulding, Mercer and Putnam counties, is not on the list.
- Freestore Foodbank – $795,637.50
- Greater Cleveland Food Bank – $1,170,837.50
- Toledo Seagate Food Bank – $570,937.50
- Mid-Ohio Food Collective – $1,440,337.50
- Shared Harvest Food Bank – $1,431,937.50
- Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank – $887,337.50
- Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley – $427,437.50
- Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio – $275,537.50
POSTED: 11/07/25 at 10:00 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff
Local government offices, including the Van Wert Municipal Building, Van Wert Municipal Court, and the Van Wert County Courthouse and Annex will be closed for Veterans Day on Tuesday, November 11. State and federal government offices will be closed as well, and no mail will be delivered that day.
POSTED: 11/07/25 at 9:59 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information
The Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a single-vehicle minor injury crash, involving a hazardous material leak. It occurred at approximately 11:15 a.m. today (Friday) on Ohio 116 near mile post 8 in Jennings Township.
According to a report from the patrol post, a 2015 Freightliner S2G Propane hauler driven by Timothy Clay, 43, of Delphos, was eastbound on Ohio 116 when the vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway, re-entered the roadway and overturned before coming to rest on its side in the westbound lanes. Clay was able to free himself from the vehicle on his own and suffered only minor injuries. He was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, and was transported to the hospital for treatment.
As a result of the crash, the vehicle’s container sustained a small leak, nothing that created any risk to individuals in the area. One firefighter at the scene said all of the truck’s safety devices worked properly, keeping the accident scene safe. The container was eventually off-loaded once it was turned upright. Ohio 116 was closed for several hours, but has since reopened.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office, Spencerville Fire and EMS, Middle Point Fire and Ems, Van Wert County EMA, Ohio Department of Transportation and Hague Towing.
POSTED: 11/07/25 at 5:57 pm. FILED UNDER: News
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor
Work is progressing on the new Vantage Academy of Medical Careers, according to Superintendent Rick Turner.
It will be housed in the former Thomas Edison Building across the street from the Vantage campus and during Thursday night’s monthly Vantage school board meeting, Turner said interior demolition is 80-90 percent complete.
“State permits have been approved, allowing building progress to continue,” he stated. Mungers (Munger Munger + Associates Architects Inc.) still need to respond to a couple of outstanding permits for final state approval, but these are not currently impeding progress.”
“A decision has not yet been made on the roof replacement: either tearing off the current roof or installing a Morton Building designed replacement system over it,” he added. “We were assured that one month into the project, we remain on schedule.”
The Vantage Academy of Medical Careers is scheduled to open next fall.
During his report, Turner also thanked voters for supporting Vantage’s 0.7 mill permanent improvement levy. The levy was approved earlier this week by an overall 72-28 percent margin in Van Wert, Paulding, Putnam, Allen and Mercer counties.
“Passage of this levy will ensure our facilities and equipment are well-maintained and modern, helping us train a future skilled workforce for our local businesses,” Turner said. “We could not effectively serve our high school and adult students without this backing. We wholeheartedly thank our voters for the confidence they show in us. The support for Vantage our community provides is truly humbling.”
(more…)POSTED: 11/06/25 at 9:54 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff
Van Wert American Legion Post 178 will hold its annual Veterans Day at 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 11, at Memorial Park, 631 W. Main St. There will be a brief ceremony and lunch will be served after the service. In case of bad weather, the service will be held inside the Post hall.
POSTED: 11/06/25 at 9:50 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Van Wert FOP Lodge 62 is once again proud to support the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office’s “Christmas with Kids” program with a $3,000 donation, along with a $500 donation to Main Street Van Wert’s “Holiday at Home.” Pictured above are FOP Chaplin Richard Shobe, Sheriff Thomas Riggenbach and FOP Treasurer Adam Wehage. Pictured below are Main Street Van Wert Executive Director Mitch Price,Wehage, Breann Sudduth and Shobe. Lodge officials said they’re honored to be able to assist with making the holidays a little brighter for children and their families, and they thanked all of FOP fundraiser supporters for their generosity. Photos submitted
POSTED: 11/06/25 at 9:49 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information
The Van Wert YMCA recently hosted its new “Y Not Get Spooked” event – a free community night that brought laughter, light scares, and lasting memories to more than 200 families. The family-friendly Halloween celebration provided local children with a safe and entertaining way to enjoy the spooky season, complete with themed rooms, crafts, movies, and interactive fun.
Thanks to the generous support of sponsors Ohio City Express, Brent’s Place, and Engrave to Shine, families enjoyed a night full of excitement and imagination. The YMCA community also came together online to vote for the evening’s feature films, selecting Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2, which were screened throughout the event for guests to enjoy.
The spooky setup was brought to life by an incredible team of volunteers who transformed the Y into a Halloween wonderland. April Miller hosted the “Creepy Doll Room” and helped with set up alongside Makayla Gillum, and Audrey Coil filled the space with giant spiders and creepy crawlies in her “Bug Room.” Millie Heath gave guests a fright with her “Dead Corpse Room,” Brittney Boaz displayed the “Guts and Organs” experience, and Jen Rozelle Trinosky brought the decorations and crafts to life. Nikki Williams and Skylar Sherry set up the maze and props that made the event so immersive.
‘The YMCA extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who volunteered, donated, and participated,” said Marketing Coordinator Jaz Sandhu. “The event’s success was truly a community effort, showing the Y’s ongoing mission to bring families together in spirit, creativity, and fun. The Van Wert YMCA looks forward to making next year’s “Y Not Get Spooked” event even more spooktacular.”
POSTED: 11/06/25 at 9:49 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Submitted information
The Van Wert Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the 2026 Leadership Van Wert County cohort. The program will be presented from January-September of 2026 with each session taking place on the first Wednesday of each month at a different location within Van Wert County. In addition to the monthly sessions, the cohort will be responsible for finding, funding and facilitating a community service project. Tuition for the program is $600. The program is open to employees of Chamber members.
Northwest State Community College will continue as the exclusive sponsor of the 2026 Leadership Van Wert County program. The regional community college, which is based in Archbold, is a public two-year college that is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This accreditation allows the College 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. They serve over 77,000 northwest Ohio families across a six-county service area, including Van Wert County.
“Our mission is to provide access to education, and we remain committed to serving Van Wert and surrounding communities by launching a full-service facility in the near future,” NSCC President Dr. Todd Hernandez noted.
To learn more about the program or if interested in being a part of the 2026 cohort, click here to apply.
POSTED: 11/06/25 at 9:48 pm. FILED UNDER: News
