Community Impact: YWCA provides Survivor Services

Convoy house fire…

A home along Tully St. in Convoy was destroyed by flames on Monday. Firefighters from Convoy, Van Wert and Wren were dispatched to the scene and Van Wert County CERT was called in to provide assistance. The occupants of the home were able to get out safely. Check back later for more details. Bob Barnes/VWFD photographer

Student Council to collect spare change

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Your spare change can make a difference. Van Wert High School Student Council will host its “Clean Out the Console” fundraiser from 7:10-7:45 a.m. Friday, October 23, to support the Ohio City and Cooperative Ministries food pantries.

Student Council members will collect spare change in the elementary, middle school, and high school parking lots during morning drop-off. Families and staff are encouraged to clean out their vehicle consoles and donate loose change to help local families.

Donations will also be accepted in the Van Wert High School office through November 20. Help Student Council reach its $1,000 goal and support neighbors in need.

Free vets breakfast…

The Van Wert School at the Goedde invites all local veterans to the third annual “Breakfast with a Vet” at 9 a.m. this Thursday, in the Goedde gymnasium. Veterans will enjoy a complimentary breakfast and the opportunity to visit with students, share their stories, and connect with the next generation. The event gives students a chance to learn from those who have served and show their appreciation for their sacrifices. Now in its third year, the gathering continues to bring the community together in recognition of local veterans and their service. No RSVP is required, and all veterans are welcome. The United Way of Van Wert County for sponsoring the event. Photo submitted

YMCA offers women’s self-defense classes

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The YMCA of Van Wert County hosted a free women’s self-defense class on Saturday, October 17, led by instructor Shad Robeson of 540 Martial Arts Center on Main St. The session introduced women of all ages to the fundamentals of personal defense, including boundaries, situational awareness, and push-and-pull reaction techniques.

The class was organized by Membership Director Jaz Sandhu, who identified a need for practical self-defense skills among women in the community. Robeson, who has taught martial arts on Main Street for years and specializes in situational awareness, led the introduction-to-defense session.

“A single two-hour class once a year is not enough to protect yourself — what you learn has to be practiced at home so it comes naturally in a moment of danger,” said Shad Robeson, instructor at 540 Martial Arts Center.

Held during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the program focused on building confidence and practical, easy-to-remember techniques for responding to threatening situations.

A second free session is scheduled for 9 a.m. this Saturday, October 24, at the YMCA of Van Wert County. The class is welcome to return annually during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, with additional sessions planned throughout the year. Attendees of the class receive a free one-month YMCA membership to continue strengthening mind, body, and soul.

Convoy trick-or-treat set for Halloween

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CONVOY — The Village of Convoy is once again preparing to welcome ghouls, goblins, princesses, and superheroes to its streets as the community gears up for its annual trick-or-treat celebration from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, October 31, offering two hours of family-friendly fun for children and adults alike throughout the village.

As in previous years, residents are encouraged to participate by turning on their outside lights during trick-or-treat hours to signal that they are welcoming trick-or-treaters. The Convoy Methodist Church will offer trunk-or-treat in the church parking lot.

Support the Convoy Fire & EMS, they willoffer hot dogs and chips to purchase, as well as treats for the children.

Once the trick-or-treating wraps up at 6 p.m., the evening will continue at Convoy Village Square, where costume judging will be held for participants of all ages. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners.

Parents are reminded to accompany young children. Motorists traveling through Convoy during the event are urged to drive slowly and remain alert for trick-or-treaters crossing streets.

Home ownership affordability drops in Ohio

By Megan Henry/Ohio Capital Journal

Ohio had the steepest decline in homeownership affordability between 2020 to 2025, according to new reporting from the National Housing Conference. 

The number of occupations able to afford a typically priced home with a 10 percent down payment fell nearly 41 percent across Ohio’s metropolitan areas from 2020 to 2025, according to the second annual “Priced Out: When a Good Job Isn’t Enough” report.

“The report shows that home ownership is becoming a luxury in Ohio, and that jobs that used to be considered solidly middle class, like a firefighter or mail carrier, are getting shut out of the American dream,” said Marcus Roth, spokesperson for the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. 

Mansfield, Cleveland, Springfield, Toledo and Akron ranked among the 25 largest affordability declines in the country, according to the report. 

“Ohio’s numbers show just how quickly the path to homeownership can disappear for working families,” National Housing Conference President/CEO David M. Dworkin said. 

In Ohio, 67 percent of occupations could purchase a home with 10 percent down in 2020, but that dropped down to just 26 percent in 2025, according to the report. 

When it came to renting a two-bedroom apartment, 77 percent of occupations in Ohio could afford to do so in 2020. That number dropped to 69 percent in 2025, according to the report. 

Mansfield experienced the biggest loss in homeownership affordability in Ohio. A typically priced home was $115,041 and the annual income needed to qualify for that home was $28,483 in 2020.

In 2025, a typically priced home in Mansfield rose to $188,863, which requires an income of $62,931 — a 121 percent increase, according to the report. 

Acoustic Jam to be held in Convoy

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CONVOY — The Village of Convoy Historical Society invites the community to enjoy an energetic afternoon of live music as it hosts “An Afternoon of Roots, Rock & Blues #6” from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, October 25, at the Convoy Opera House, 111 S. Main St.

The free two-hour acoustic jam session will feature The Gonzo Band, showcasing the talents of Mike Bouillon, Tim Laukhuf, Ed Burwell, Jim Hyitt, Lynn Reinking, and Jerry McIntosh. The group’s blend of roots, rock, and blues has become a crowd favorite over the past six years.

Guests are encouraged to explore the beautifully restored Convoy Opera House, Opera House Annex Building & Museum continuing the preservation of Convoy and surrounding areas history. The venue is fully handicap accessible, ensuring all visitors can comfortably enjoy the afternoon. A 50/50 raffle and light refreshments will be available.

Youth trap shoot planned for Saturday

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MIDDLE POINT — The Van Wert County Outdoorsmen will be hosting a youth trap shoot at the Van Wert County Outdoorsmen Club, 9093 Ringwald Rd., Middle Point, at 9 a.m. this Saturday, October 24. This is for all boys and girls ages 12 and up, both boys and girls, and is for both beginners and experienced shooters.

There is no cost to participate. All equipment is furnished, however, if the participant has equipment they may bring it. All youth must have a parent or guardian present to enjoy the program.

“It’s a Girl Thing” offered by hospital

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OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital will host “It’s a Girl Thing,” an educational event for girls ages 9-13, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 22, at LifeHouse Church, 719 Fox Rd. in Van Wert.

The event will help girls and their families navigate the physical and emotional changes that come with growing up. Topics will include puberty, developing healthy habits and attitudes, personal safety and understanding the journey to womanhood.

The class will be taught by Shane Gerber, OB-GYN CNP; Trisha Clum, MD, Pediatrics, and Abbie Evans, Pediatric CNP, providing participants with an opportunity to learn from trusted health care professionals and ask questions in a supportive environment.

“We are committed to providing resources that empower women and girls in our community to take charge of their health,” said Paula Stabler, president of OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital. “Events like this offer a wonderful opportunity for open conversation and learning, and we are proud to bring these important resources to Van Wert.”

Mothers and other trusted adults are encouraged to attend with their daughters. Participants will receive a feminine product care bag and a copy of The Care and Keeping of You by American Girl. Pizza, prizes and other activities also will be provided.

Registration is available online at forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Yy1RN2tmKX. Families interested in attending are encouraged to register in advance.

Reprint of old Paulding Co. history released

VW independent staff/submitted information

PAULDING — Melinda Krick has a heart for preserving local history and thanks to her, soon you will have the opportunity to place an important volume of Paulding County history on your bookshelf.

The Historical Hand-Atlas 1882 Illustrated and History of Paulding County, Ohio is now available for presale, with delivery in November, just in time for Christmas.

Only a few copies of the original over-sized book – printed 144 years ago – survive and the photocopied versions that are floating around are small print and difficult to read.

Published 10 years later, the 1892 Paulding County atlas is widely available, thanks to a reprint done in 1976 to honor the country’s Bicentennial. The 1882 volume contains original information that the 1892 atlas does not.

The newly printed nine by 12-inch hardcover edition is 124 pages long, and packed with local history from a century and a half ago. Along with summaries of local, township, and village histories, the book contains biographies of the leaders of the community as well as township maps and several never-before printed photographs.

So much changed locally in those 10 years. Paulding County would have been in its canal era in 1882, and on the cusp of railroad transportation. Both a north-south and an east-west railroad opened in 1882, just months after the publication of the book. Krick points out that the Reservoir War still was five years in the future when the original was printed, and the courthouse that stands today was not yet built.

“This is going to be completely new material for many people,” Krick said. “It’s exciting to think that some kid is going to pick up this book and have insight to what Paulding County was like all those years ago. Today, we take for granted what these pioneers had to endure.”

Many of the featured citizens resided alongside one of the two canals, and many of those locations are now ghost towns. The personal sketches reveal that a lot of children did not survive to adulthood and a lot of mothers did not live through childbirth. The book’s profiles include former slaves, women and a great many Civil War veterans. It also contains some history of the Indians who resided in early Paulding County.