City, county offices to be closed

VW independent staff

The Van Wert Municipal Building will close at 11:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) and remain closed on Christmas Day. Normal hours will resume on Friday, December 26.

Van Wert Municipal Court will be closed Wednesday-Friday and will re-open on Monday, December 29.

Van Wert County offices, including the Annex will be closed Wednesday-Friday and will re-open on Monday, December 29.

Students of the Month…

Van Wert Lodge No. 1197, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, has selected Lincolnview High School senior Keira Breese (shown above) and Van Wert High School senior Maria Parrish (shown below) as the Students of the Month for December. 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. This program is designed to recognize outstanding young men and women for their achievements in school and community. Breese and Parrish are pictured with Linda J. Stanley, Lodge Student of the Month Chair. Photos submitted

Hunters busy during bonus gun weekend

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Hunters checked 15,835 white-tailed deer on Saturday and Sunday, December 20-21, during Ohio’s bonus gun hunting weekend, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Last year, hunters took 17,386 deer during the bonus gun weekend, and the three-year average is 16,010.

The Division of Wildlife annually reports deer harvest totals at notable points during the hunting season. During the gun weekend, hunters reported 4,039 antlered deer (26 percent of the total) and 11,796 antlerless deer (74 percent).
 
The top 10 counties for deer taken during the 2025 gun weekend were: Coshocton (576), Ashtabula (551), Knox (477), Tuscarawas (471), Columbiana (430), Carroll (427), Muskingum (398), Ashland (391), Richland (387) and Licking (381).

Locally, hunters in Van Wert County took 70 deer last Saturday and Sunday, just below the three-year average of 71. Hunters in Paulding County took 115 deer, up slightly from an average of 110, while in Putnam County, hunters took 65 deer, down notabably from the three-year average of 78. Bonus deer-gun weekend totals were up in Allen County, with 127 deer check, more than the average of 114, and 88 in Mercer County, an increase from the three year average of 80.

Hunters still looking to pursue deer can take part in the ongoing archery season, which continues until Sunday, February 1, 2026, and the state’s muzzleloader season, January 3-6, 2026.

This season the Division of Wildlife has increased its efforts to help hunters donate their deer to food pantries. Thus far, more than 3,350 pounds of processed venison has been donated by hunters.

Tuesday morning crash…

A two-vehicle accident occurred at about 11:40 a.m. Tuesday when an eastbound tractor trailer struck a Jeep Grand Cherokee near U.S. 224 and Van Wert Decatur Rd. The westbound Jeep was attempting to turn left onto 224 and was struck on the passenger side, causing heavy damage. The rig sustained moderate damage to the left front corner. One passenger was transported to OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital. On the scene was the Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Patrol, the Van Wert Fire Department’s EMS unit along with the Van Wert the County Sheriff’s Department, who assisted with traffic control. The jeep was removed from the site by 2AA’s Towing. Traffic was maintained on U.S. 224 during the accident investigation. Bob Barnes VWFD photographer

Marshall, Bowers, Kallas say goodbye

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Monday night’s meeting of Van Wert City Council was the final one for three of its members.

At-Large Councilman Jeff Kallas, At-Large Councilwoman Judy Bowers and Fourth Ward Councilman Bill Marshall said their goodbyes during the meeting.

Kallas, who chose not to seek re-election, is finishing his third term. He said he’s enjoyed the opportunity to serve the community and be part of decisions that positively impact residents and local businesses. 

“I value the collaboration with fellow council members, staff, and community members and the chance to listen to different perspectives while working toward common goals,” he said. “As I depart, I will miss the relationships built, the teamwork involved in problem-solving and the sense of responsibility that comes with helping shape the future of our community.  It has been a pleasure and honor to have had the opportunity to serve on council for three terms.”

Bowers, who lost her bid for re-election last month, served two terms on council.

“It’s been an honor to be somebody to serve the city,” she said. “I wasn’t real sure what I was getting into but it was a learning experience and I really appreciate all the council members who I’ve worked with. I enjoyed doing the research I’ve done, I’ve learned a lot through different mayors and council members of different cities in Ohio and even Michigan.”

Marshall was appointed to a council seat in 2016 and ran successfully several times. Prior to filling the fourth ward seat, he served as at-large member. He decided it was time to step aside and he praised a number of city officials, council members, Council Clerk Stephanie Phillips and others.

“It’s been a wonderful pleasure to work for the city, it’s residents and all the people that I’ve worked with for the past nine years, 108 months, 210 meetings, but who’s counting?” he said with a smile. “I can’t remember a time that I ever felt we could not work as a group. We serve our city and that’s our job – we leave our biases to the side and we agree on how we do things.”

Angel Tree donation…

Van Wert Elks Lodge 1197, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks once again this year adopted children from the Angel Tree Project to help make their Christmas a little brighter. Tags are placed on the lodge Angel Tree which contains the items needed for the kids. Lodge members take the tags from the tree, buy and wrap the items and bring them back to the Lodge. The members of the Christmas Angel Tree Committee then deliver the packages to the location before Christmas. This has been a project of the Lodge for several years and the lodge members look forward to the Angel Tree being put up in the Lodge. By participating in this project, the Van Wert Elks are able to show the community that Elks Care – Elks Share. Photo submitted

Red Cross seeking specialist volunteers

Submitted information

The American Red Cross Indiana Region needs blood transportation specialist volunteers to deliver blood products to hospitals in the Greater Fort Wayne area, including Van Wert County and the surrounding area. In 2026, you can give the gift of time and resolve to help people by providing a vital link between blood donors and patients who need blood products.

These crucial volunteers will be asked to fill two to four shifts in their region each month, and the assignment usually takes about four hours to complete. Volunteers may be scheduled during the day, in the evening and on weekends.

If you have a valid state driver’s license and at least 3 years of licensed driving experience, you can choose regular routes, stand-by emergency deliveries or both. This is a great volunteer opportunity for couples, friends or family members. Volunteers should be familiar with the area and be able to lift as much as 45 pounds. Training is provided by the Red Cross. Blood transportation specialists can schedule their own hours while helping patients in need.

\Volunteers make up 90 percent of the Red Cross workforce. Click here to get started.

OD call leads to discovery of drugs, more

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

An emergency call of a possible overdose led to the discovery of drugs, weapons, cash, and precious metals at a home in Van Wert.

On Sunday, the Van Wert Police Department and Van Wert EMS were dispatched the possible overdose situation in the 700 block of N. Washington St.

Police and paramedics arrived to find a younger male on the floor, unresponsive. He was treated by EMS and was transported to OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital. While he was being treated at the scene, there were several drug items in plain view.

The Van Wert Police department applied for a search warrant and confiscated what Police Chief Doug Weigle called “an unbelievable amount of THC vape pens and cartridges.” 

“These are believed to be marketed toward persons under 18,” he said. “We encourage all parents and grandparents to take a close look at the packaging.  If you see these items/wrappers (shown in pictures) at your residence, you will want to investigate further.”

Other items that were consficated included:

• A very large amount of marijuana.
• A very large amount of hash oil or butter (Mason Jars)
• A significant amount of cocaine.

Council’s final meeting of 2025 is tonight

VW independent staff

A new contract with the firefighters union and passage of the city’s 2026 budget are among the items on tonight’s Van Wert City Council agenda.

Council members are expected to go into executive session to discuss the tentative agreement with Local #681 of the International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO, then vote on it later in the meeting. Terms will be disclosed after it becomes official.

The city’s proposed 2026 budget is up for its third and final reading. That too is expected to be approved, along with a pair of zoning changes – one from R-2 residential to B-3 general highway business at 10817 U.S. 127, and the other described as outlot 75-1 from R-2 residental to I-2 general industrial. The city’s planning commission has already approved both requests and council is expected to follow suit.

Tonight’s meeting will be the final one for three council members – At-Large Councilwoman Judy Bowers, who lost her bid for re-election, along with two who opted not to run again, At-Large Councilman Jeff Kallas, and Fourth Ward Councilman Bill Marshall.

Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St. All meetings are streamed live on the city’s website and archived for on-demand viewing.

RTA transit service to begin in mid-January

VW independent staff/submitted information

LIMA — More key information has been released about plans for transit service between Allen County (Ohio) to Van Wert County.

Officials with Allen County Regional Transit Authority (ACRTA) announced that it will begin transportation services on Monday, January 19, in Van Wert County. The announcement follows details released last month about the state’s investment in new transportation opportunities, called the New Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership.

More than $13 million is being provided in grant allocations across the state of Ohio for expanding transit services. ACRTA has been awarded more than $600,000 for a one-year pilot program in Van Wert County, which has been used to purchase two vehicles and will also subsidize ride costs.

 “People will now have more options to go to work, shop, get to school, socialize, or get to appointments,” said Allen County Regional Transit Authority Executive Director-Operations Brian Wildermuth.

In recent years, the need for more transportation options has increased not only within Van Wert County, but also in other surrounding counties.

While Van Wert County currently has transportation options available, they are mainly for medical trips, senior citizens, or those with disabilities. This new service will provide additional options for the general public for any transportation needs.

“We think we’ll have a good response from this, and we look forward to connecting our communities and helping bridge the transportation gap so many people face,” Wildermuth stated.