VW independent staff/submitted information
A generous grant will be put to good use, with the money going toward local swimming lessons.
The YMCA of Van Wert County has received additional funding from the Van Wert County Foundation to expand its water safety and swim instruction programs, building on the success of a previous $5,000 grant received through the Ohio Department of Health.
The additional funding will allow the YMCA to provide free water safety education and swim instruction to up to 30 additional community members who meet program eligibility requirements.
The original Ohio Department of Health grant was made available to YMCAs across Ohio, and the YMCA of Van Wert County was selected as one of the recipients. The funding is specifically intended to provide water safety and swim instruction opportunities to youth and adults who may face financial barriers to participating in these programs.
Eligibility may include individuals who meet the income requirements for financial assistance through the YMCA. In addition, an entire swim class or summer camp swim class may qualify when at least 90 percent of participants meet scholarship eligibility requirements or are enrolled in publicly funded child care.
(more…)POSTED: 09/28/26 at 9:16 am
Submitted information
Van Wert High School Student Council has announced this year’s Homecoming Court and schedule of events.
The 2026 Homecoming Court includes freshmen attendants Carlie Harris and Kayden Calayo; sophomore attendants Ruby Dicke and Kazmyn Moynihan; junior attendants Ely Chery and David Rice; senior queen candidates Jazzlyn Florence, Leah Krites, and Lizzie Spath, and senior king candidates Owen Bates, Noah Hillery, and Ben Verville.
Homecoming festivities will begin with the annual parade at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 30. The parade will travel from the corner of Sycamore and Jefferson to Fountain Park. The traditional Powder Puff game will follow at Eggerss Stadium. Presale tickets are available at Van Wert High School for $1, or admission will be $2 at the gate.
The Homecoming Court will be presented at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, October 2, at Eggerss Stadium, with the 2026 Homecoming Queen and King announced prior to the football game against St. Marys Memorial. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Homecoming week will conclude with the homecoming dance for all Van Wert High School students at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, at the high school.
POSTED: 09/28/26 at 10:21 am. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information
COLUMBUS — For many Ohioans, autumn represents pumpkin carving, the harvest season, Halloween campouts, and corn mazes. Spotting the first glimpse of fall color—seeing the leaves changing to strong reds, vivid yellows, and bold oranges—is also a favorite activity. Starting this Thursday, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will help people find the best places to view the changing colors throughout the season with weekly updates.
“Autumn provides Ohioans with a great chance to explore the outdoors and experience all of the unique activities that fall in Ohio has to offer,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “Throughout Ohio, communities schedule events around the fall color season to encourage everyone to visit our beautiful state and enjoy the bright colors of the season.”
Fall colors occur due to trees slowing the production of chlorophyll, a green pigment, as they begin to go dormant for the winter. Without chlorophyllin the leaves, other yellow, orange, and red pigments can be seen. Sunny days and cool nights also promote the production of pigments that produce red and purple hues in the leaves. Several variables, such as length of days, sunlight, temperature, wind, and rainfall, affect the intensity and longevity of leaf color.
This fall, the ODNR Division of Forestry is expecting color to peak in the far north of Ohio in mid-October, in central and northern Ohio in mid-to-late October, and in southern Ohio at the end of October and beginning of November
“Conditions this year seem to be aligning for great fall colors,” ODNR Fall Color Forester David Parrott said. “Unlike previous years, we are entering autumn without near-drought or drought conditions, and the weather forecast is giving a 50 percent chance of average autumn weather. These are all good signs for producing vibrant fall colors.”
(more…)POSTED: 09/27/26 at 8:44 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff
The man who led the charge to ensure there would be an Independence Day parade and celebration in Van Wert this year has passed away.
Ken Myers, 59, died at his home in Middle Point on Friday. He was the current commander of Van Wert-based Navy Ship Club 726, the group that worked tirelessly to plan this year’s local July 4 celebration to help honor America’s 250 birthday.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, at Cowan & Son Funeral Home of Van Wert. A full obituary can be found on the Obituaries page.
POSTED: 09/27/26 at 8:38 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information
AMANDA TOWNSHIP — A crash involving a pickup truck and an ambulance left three people with serious injuries.
It occorred just before 3 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Ohio 117 and Grubb Rd. in Amanda Township, Allen County.
According to the Lima Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Evan Fast, 17, of Spencerville, was operating a 1993 Ford F-150 northbound on Grubb Road. Troopers said he failed to stop and yield at the stop sign at the intersection of Ohio 117 and was struck by a 2024 Ford E-350 ambulance, owned by Lima-Allen County Paramedics, that was previously westbound on Ohio 117. Both vehicles were forced off the north side of the roadway. The ambulance drove through a utility pole and multiple small trees.
Fast was not wearing a seat belt at the time and was ejected from his vehicle, causing serious but non-life-threatening injuries. He was transported by a private vehicle to Mercy Health-St. Rita’s.
The ambulance was operated by Austin Sizemore, 26, of Lima. Sizemore was transported with minor injuries by LACP. Working in the back of the ambulance were William Huston, 22, of Pandora and Kaden Tobin, 21, of Lima. Tobin suffered minor injuries and was transported by Spencerville EMS. Huston sustained serious non- life threatening injuries and was transported by LACP. Patricia Kohli, 92, of Spencerville was being transported by the ambulance prior to the crash. She sustained serious injuries and was also transported by Spencerville EMS. All occupants of the ambulance were transported to Mercy Health-St. Rita’s.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Ohio Department of Transportation, Allen County Sheriff’s Office, Lima-Allen County Paramedics, Spencerville EMS, Invincible Fire Company, Shawnee Township EMS, United States Infrastructure Corporation, Able Wrecker Service, Gomer Auto, Midwest Electric and Spectrum.
The accident remains under investigation.
POSTED: 09/27/26 at 8:37 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Submitted information
The YWCA of Van Wert County (“Owner”), is seeking statements of qualifications from firms to provide construction manager-at-risk services for the construction of a new multi-purpose building (the “Project) consisting primarily of wood stick-framed construction with a small masonry load-bearing multipurpose gym. If your firm is interested in being considered, please respond by submitting your statement of qualifications as instructed in Part 5 of the RFQ.
Submission/Response Deadline. By no later than 4 p.m. on the Deadline for Submitting Statements of Qualifications as set forth in the Selection Schedule of 3.C, one electronic copy of the firm’s statement of qualifications must be submitted by e-mail to:Kimberly Laudick, YWCA of Van Wert County, klaudick@ywcavanwertcounty.org.
POSTED: 09/27/26 at 8:36 pm. FILED UNDER: News
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor
It was a busy few days for the Van Wert Department. In fact, it was unusually busy.
Firefighters and EMTs were dispatched to 27 different incidents between 12:01 a.m. Tuesday through 11:59 p.m. Thursday alone, well above the normal amount of calls.
“Our department typically averages five to six calls per day, so this was a noticeably busier stretch than normal,” Fire Chief Jon Jones said.
While 24 of the calls were EMS responses, two others were referred to as “high angle” calls.
“High-angle rescues are not common in Van Wert, so seeing two in one week was unusual,” the chief said. “One came during a mutual aid response to a crash involving a semi truck on U.S. 30. At that scene, our crews provided an ambulance that transported one patient to a Mercy Health trauma center, and used our aerial apparatus to set up a high-angle rescue for the driver of the semi.”
The other high angle call came on Wednesday, when the Van Wert Fire Department was dispatched to rescue a man who was trapped in a garbage truck. The third non-EMS call was for mutual aid at a house fire on Van Wert Willshire Rd.
Chief Jones said on at least six occasions during the three-day period, crews were managing two incidents at the same time, including three instances where a second call came in less than 15 minutes after the first. Calls came in around the clock, with responses logged overnight on each of the three days.
“A full shift at our department is seven personnel and at minimum staffing we operate with five,” he explained. “That means a small crew is often handling back-to-back calls that range from medical emergencies to technical rescues.”
(more…)POSTED: 09/25/26 at 11:23 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Alison Owens was crowned Crestview homecoming queen whlie Kale Vining was crowned homecoming king before Friday night’s football game against Allen East. The Knights lost the game 41-0. Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent
POSTED: 09/25/26 at 11:22 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information
Lincolnview Junior High/High School Principal Brad Mendenhall has announced that Grace Custer has been named as a Commended Student in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. A Letter of Commendationfrom the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which conducts the program, will be presented by the principal to this scholastically talented senior.
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2027 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2027 competition by taking the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” a spokesperson for NMSC said. “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”
“Grace is the kind of student who excels wherever she goes, not only as National Merit Scholar Commended Student, but a district-qualifying golfer, an All-State band member, and one of Lincolnview’s high-achieving students of all time,” Mendenhall said. “Most importantly she is a genuinely kind, polite, and thoughtful young lady. Her accomplishments are impressive, but her high character is what truly sets her apart.
Mendenhall added that Custer is just fourth student during his 13 years at Lincolnview to receive the honor.
POSTED: 09/25/26 at 11:22 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information
COLUMBUS — State Representatives Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland), a farmer and Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, and Bob Peterson (R-Sabina), a longtime farmer and former president of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, have expressed strong support for a proposed 90-day suspension of Ohio’s state gas tax, highlighting the timely relief it would provide farmers during the fall harvest season.
“As a lifelong farmer and former president of the Ohio Farm Bureau, I know firsthand how important fuel costs are to our agricultural community,” said Peterson. “Ohio’s grain farmers will use nearly two-thirds of their annual fuel needs over the next six to eight weeks. The timing of this proposal could not be better, and lowering fuel costs during this critical window would be a tremendous blessing for the hardworking farmers who help feed our state and nation.”
The proposed fuel tax holiday would provide relief as farmers prepare for one of the most fuel-intensive periods of the year. From harvesting crops to transporting grain, fuel is an essential operating expense, and rising costs place additional pressure on Ohio’s agricultural producers.
“Every dollar saved on fuel is a dollar that can go back into our farms, our families and our rural communities,” said Klopfenstein. “I am grateful for this proposal and stand ready to carry legislation or help in any way possible to deliver meaningful relief to Ohioans. This is an opportunity to make a real difference when our farmers need it most.”
The legislation is expected to be introduced in the coming days.
POSTED: 09/25/26 at 11:21 pm. FILED UNDER: News
The 100th class to graduate from Van Wert High School, doing so in 1971, is having a reunion celebration on Saturday, October 10, starting about 10 a.m. and running through 9 p.m. or “until we all get tired.” The reunion will be held in the Community Building in the park on Ohio 118 in Ohio City. While it may or may not be too late to get your check and order in for the 5 p.m. dinner, all are welcome to join in to visit throughout the day. Details are available on the Van Wert High School Class of 1971 Facebook page (as VWHS 1971).
POSTED: 09/25/26 at 11:20 pm. FILED UNDER: Lifestyles, News
