Knights of Columbus work to end hunger

Submitted information

As families across our community struggle to feed their children, the Knights of Columbus in Van Wert are putting their faith into action to collect and distribute food to those in need. Today, eighteen percent of American children live in poverty. As a result, many families cannot afford to provide food for their families, which leads to children going to bed hungry each night.

The Knights of Columbus will be collecting food, non-perishables, and monetary donations at the Knights of Columbus Hall 415 Woodland Ave, Van Wert to help the Cooperative Food
Ministry. Up to $500 total will be matched by the Knights of Columbus. The collection will be held on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Knights of Columbus councils have provided more than 23 million pounds of food and $11 million dollars to families throughout the United States and Canada through the Food for Families program since 2012. Please spread the word and join us in our mission to end hunger.

Council 6034 in Van Wert is one of 17,000 Knights of Columbus councils that make up the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in 1882 to assist working-class and immigrant Catholics in the United States, today the approximately two million members of the Knights put their faith into action through a broad range of charitable causes locally, nationally and internationally through financial contributions and hands-on service.

Nine people facing Medicaid fraud charges

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Indictments filed this month by the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost accuse nine Medicaid providers, including one from Hardin County, and one recipient of stealing a combined $478,000 from the government health-care program for the needy.

“This February, remember: Love may be blind, but our investigators see just fine,” Yost said. “If you flirt with fraud, your next date will be with a judge.”

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, an arm of Yost’s office, investigated the cases and secured the indictments in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

The cases include a provider who made a sweetheart deal with a client and others who billed when traveling or working different jobs.

Among those indicted:

• Destiny Allen, 26, of Cleveland, was indicted for Medicaid fraud after investigators determined that $108,983 was improperly paid to her for overbilling from 2023 to 2025. Allen confessed that she inflated her billed hours for services she never provided.
• Cheryl Austin, 53, of East Cleveland, was charged after investigators calculated a loss of $11,025 to Medicaid. The investigation identified numerous dates in which Austin called off work but billed for services. Additionally, video evidence showed that she never visited one of her clients during a 20-day span of billed services. When confronted with the video, Austin responded, “Guilty as charged.”
•  Jennifer Cavinee, 45, of Kenton, is accused of billing for services she did not provide, leading to a $6,660 loss for Medicaid between September 2023 and February 2025.
• Jai Dhungel, 40, of Hamilton, drew investigators’ attention after an anonymous tipster alleged fraudulent billing. An investigation confirmed that Dhungel billed Medicaid for services not rendered, including a 20-day period in which he visited a client only once. He admitted to the fraud when confronted by investigators. In total, $120,268 was fraudulently billed to Medicaid.
•  Shelmeta Drewery, 38, of Cleveland, allegedly billed for weekends, holidays and other dates she did not work from January 2023 through July 2025. Travel records show she also billed when traveling in Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Puerto Rico. The loss to Medicaid totaled $4,390.
• Jessica Fitzpatrick, 46, of South Point, allegedly continued to bill Medicaid after she stopped providing services to a client, resulting in a $3,891 loss to Medicaid. She confessed to investigators that she submitted false documentation to support the fraudulent claims.
• Dejoire McAlpine, 35, of Strongsville, was indicted for Medicaid fraud and theft after investigators calculated a $6,587 loss to Medicaid. McAlpine routinely billed for six to eight hours of services, but a client reported that she never worked more than four hours per day. Another client told investigators that McAlpine worked only 125 of the 200 hours she billed. McAlpine admitted to billing for services not rendered, claiming that she thought she could make up the hours later.
• Chrishawn McClendon, 38, of Streetsboro, and William Jackson, 40, of Cleveland, allegedly engaged in a kickback scheme that resulted in a $212,339 loss to Medicaid. Records show that McClendon billed Medicaid for more than 1,000 hours of services between August 2022 and November 2025 when she was working another job. An investigation determined that she paid Jackson, her client, more than $45,000 via Cash App during the same period. When confronted by investigators, the pair admitted to the scheme.
• Tonya Ware, 60, of Warren, allegedly billed for services between May 2024 through June 2025 when traveling in Arizona, Florida, Texas and the Bahamas. The loss to Medicaid totaled $4,072.

Ohio’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which operates within the Health Care Fraud Section, collaborates with federal, state and local partners to root out Medicaid fraud and protect vulnerable adults from harm. The unit investigates and prosecutes health-care providers who defraud the state Medicaid program and enforces the state’s Patient Abuse and Neglect Law.

Indictments are criminal allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proved guilty in a court of law.

Yarger, Staas sworn into new roles

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The Van Wert County Juvenile/Probate Court courtroom was quite full Thursday afternoon, but it wasn’t for the usual type of business conducted there.

Instead, a brief ceremony was held to administer the oath of office to Eva Yarger, who was recently appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to fill the seat previously held by now-retired Judge Kevin Taylor. The oath was administered by her nephew, Andrew Yarger, who is an attorney in Cleveland. She’ll officially begin her new duties next Tuesday, February 17.

After Yarger was sworn in, assistant prosecutor Dillon Staas, IV took the oath to become the county’s acting prosecutor. Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Martin D. Burchfield administered the oath. Family, friends, court officials, law enforcement officials and others packed the small courtroom in the Van Wert County Annex to see Yarger and Staas sworn into their new positions.

Yarger served as county prosecutor since 2017. She began her law career in 1989, when she served as an associate for local law office Johnson & Burchfield. In 1993, Yarger served as an associate at Hatcher, Diller, Rice & Beebe. In 1997, Yarger joined Young, Taylor, Steele, and Yarger as a partner, which later became Young & Yarger, while also serving as an assistant prosecutor for the Van Wert County Prosecutor’s Office from 1996 to 2017. In 2017, Yarger left Young & Yarger to serve as a full-time assistant prosecutor in Allen County for several months.

In 1986, Yarger received a bachelor’s degree in political science and minors in English and economics from The Ohio State University. She received her juris doctorate from Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, formerly the Arizona State University College of Law in 1989.

She learned of the appointment to fill the vacated seat earlier this month.

Most gov’t offices closed on Monday

VW independent staff

Monday is Presidents Day, a federal holiday. Most federal, state and local government offices will be closed for the day. Van Wert County offices will be closed, along with Van Wert Municipal Court, but the Van Wert Municipal Building will be open.

Russo makes local campaign stop

VW independent staff/submitted information

Ohio Secretary of State candidate Allison Russo spoke to area voters and met with Democrats during a recent campaign stop in Van Wert County.

“I’m running to restore trust, integrity, and transparency in elections and to fight so that every voter feels confident their vote matters. I’m a firm believer that Democracy works best when every voice is heard,” Russo said. “I’ve seen firsthand the tricks, barriers and backroom deals that politicians use to keep power in the hands of the few. As your Ohio Secretary of State, I will make sure every vote is counted, every ballot is honest, and the rules work for Ohioans, not the powerful.”

State Rep. Russo has served four terms in the Ohio House of Representatives and has served as House Minority Leader for the Ohio House Democratic Caucus – a position she stepped down from earlier this year – and before that served as Ranking Member on the House Health Committee. Russo lives in Upper Arlington with her husband, their three children and their dog.

Russo will run against fellow Democrat Bryan Hambley in the May 5 primary election. The winner will face one of two Republicans in the November election – Marcell Strbich or Robert Sprague, along with Libertarian Tom Pruss. Current Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is running for Ohio Auditor.

Hospital celebrates 1,000 robotic surgeries

VW independent staff/submitted information

OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital has reached a major milestone, performing more than 1,000 robotic-assisted surgeries since launching the program in 2020.

“We’ve had the robot for five years now,” said Thomas Conte, MD, Van Wert Hospital chief of surgery. “As a rural facility, we’re on the cutting edge. It gives patients access to relatively new technology without having to travel to a larger center.”

Since the program began, Van Wert Hospital surgeons have expanded how robotic-assisted surgery is used, performing everything from appendectomies to colon resections using minimally invasive techniques. They operate the da Vinci Surgical System, which replicates their hand movements with robotic precision.

“We each have hundreds of cases under our belt,” Dr. Conte said. “That experience matters. It builds confidence for patients and helps everything run smoothly in the operating room. This is very much a team effort. Nurses and everyone in the OR play a role in that success.”

Van Wert Hospital surgeon Jeremy Stoller, MD, said reaching 1,000 cases is a proud moment for the team.

“Hitting this milestone is reflective of the fact that we have transitioned completely to using robotic surgery for any minimally invasive hernia and abdominal surgery,” he said. “In the past, some surgeries required large incisions. Now we can do more procedures through small incisions, which means faster recovery and less post-surgical pain.”

Comedy play…

The Van Wert Civic Theatre’s production of Barefoot in the Park continues tonight through Sunday. It plunges newlyweds into the hilarious chaos of their first apartment. The Neil Simon classic explores the clash of personalities, revealing the comedic struggles found at the early crossroads of marriage. Showtimes Friday and Saturday are at 7:30 p.m., while Sunday’s show will begin at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at vwct.org. Bob Barnes photos

MSVW earns prestigous accreditation

VW independent staff/submitted information

Heritage Ohio and the Ohio Main Street Program have announced the national accreditation of Main Street Van Wert.

This recognition is awarded through the Ohio Main Street Program, which serves as the coordinating agency in Ohio for Main Street America. Van Wert became a member of the Ohio Main Street Program in 2004.

“This accreditation affirms that Main Street Van Wert is operating at the highest level of the Main Street America framework,” Main Street Van Wert Executive Director Mitch Price said. “It reflects the hard work of our board, committees, volunteers, and community partners who are committed to strengthening our downtown as an economic and cultural hub. More importantly, it signals to investors, businesses, and residents that Van Wert is serious about long-term, sustainable revitalization.”

As executive director, this designation is incredibly meaningful,” Price added. “It validates the systems, strategies, and accountability we’ve put in place, while also reminding us that this work is never finished.”

During a full-day evaluation visit, Main Street Van Wert demonstrated clear evidence of a strong, effective program focused on achieving measurable outcomes in downtown revitalization. To qualify for accreditation status, the program must meet rigorous national standards that include building grassroots-driven revitalization efforts, fostering strong public–private partnerships, supporting economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and actively preserving historic places, spaces, and cultural assets.

Price noted that Main Street Van Wert has earned accreditation in previous years, including multiple consecutive years.

Maintaining accreditation over time demonstrates organizational consistency, strong leadership, financial responsibility, and adherence to the nationally recognized Main Street Approach.

Assualt, rape defendants appear in court

VW independent staff

A Van Wert man accused of assaulting another man and threatening to kill a retired Van Wert Police officer and his family was arraigned in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court this week.

Devin Couch, 21, entered a not guilty plea to a single count of felonious assualt, a second degree felony. He was ordered held without bond until a bond hearing at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 4.

Couch was arrested last week after a traffic stop in Van Wert. The felonious assault charge is tied to a January 19 incident, when he allegedly assaulted a male victim in the 200 block of N. Wall St. When the male retreated to his home, Couch ran after him and entered his home without being invited in. Van Wert Police arrested Couch at the scene. His cell phone was seized and a search warrant was obtained to extract evidence from it. It then was discovered Couch was talking about killing a retired police officer and a family member. He also discussed “shooting it out” with law enforcement.

In a separate and unrelated case, a Van Wert man entered a not guilty plea to charges of rape, a first degree felony, and sexual battery, a third degree felony. Colby Black, 42, was released on a surety bond with electronic house arrest and was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8 a.m. March 4. The alleged crime occurred in March, 2025, and involved another adult.

10 other defendants appeared before Judge Martin D. Burchfield for arraignment this week. Four are charged with domestic violence.

Terrance Landwehr, 27, of Cecil, entered a not guilty plea to domestic violence, a third degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and a pre-trial set for 8:30 a.m. March 4.

Derek Eland, 33, of Van Wert, pleade not guilty to domestic violence, a fourth degree felony, and endangering children, a first degree misdemeanor. Bond set at $100,000 cash or surety and a pre-trial conference was scheuled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 25.

Jeffrey Kallas, 25, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to possession of cocaine, a fifth degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and a pre-trial conference was set for 8:30 a.m. March 4.

AAA: time to wash the winter away

VW independent staff/submitted information

After weeks of snow, ice, and a prolonged blast of bitter cold, Ohio has finally started to thaw out.

With the mercury finally rising, now is the time to wash winter off your car or possibly face costly repair bills down the road.  AAA is reminding drivers to get their cars washed after every significant storm – especially the undercarriage – in order to reduce the potential for rust damage and the corrosion of brake and fuel lines caused by winter pavement clearing chemicals and treatments. 

Previous AAA research indicates Americans spend $3 billion a year on repairs from rust damage caused by de-icers. It’s not just the treatment on the roads, but also the chemicals used to keep  parking lots ice free.

“Taking the time for a quick car wash now could save both time and money down the road,” said Morgan Dean, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Club Alliance. “Corroded brake lines, often the result of road salts and de-icers, can cost hundreds of dollars to replace, or more, depending on the vehicle.”

 AAA recommends taking full advantage of car washes that offer undercarriage rinses to remove buildup on critical components. Drivers who wash their vehicles by hand or at wand‑wash stations should pay extra attention to the wheels, wheel wells, and the underbody.

“With the average price of a new vehicle hovering around $50,000, drivers are now keeping their cars longer so it is critical that they understand that keeping them clean is not just a matter of vanity, it’s about longevity,” Dean said.