Roundabout work continues along with other projects

Man injured in area motorcycle accident

VW independent staff

The Lima Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigationg a Saturday evening crash that left a Paulding County man with serious injuries.

Troopers were dispatched shortly after 8:15 p.m. after the Post received a call of a motorcycle accident on Ohio 634 near Road J, in Putnam County’s Perry Township.

Louis Wannemacher, 42, from Cecil, was northbound on Ohio 634 riding a 2008 Harley Davidson Street Glide. Troopers said Wannemacher drove off the left side of the road, struck a telephone pole, and overturned. He suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported from the scene by Continental EMS to Putnam County Ambulatory Care in Glandorf. He was later taken by life flight to Mercy Health, St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

The motorcycle sustained severe damage and was towed from the scene.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County EMS, Continental EMS, Continental Fire, and Jim Schmidt Towing.

The report stated alcohol appeared to be a factor in the crash.

Majority of drivers think speeding is ok

VW independent staff/submitted information

“No one actually drives the speed limit.” 

Three in ten drivers agreed with that statement in a study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, highlighting how speeding has become normalized on today’s roads.  

While most drivers agreed that posted speed limits are appropriate, many also considered driving 10 miles per hour over the limit acceptable, and nearly half believed keeping up with traffic is safer than obeying the posted limit. 

Those attitudes matter because speeding continues to have deadly consequences. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding was a factor in nearly 30 percent of traffic fatalities in 2024. 

“Findings from this research show that some drivers in the United States view speeding as a normal part of driving,” said Dr. David Yang, President and Executive Director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.” When people take cues from surrounding traffic instead of following posted speed limits, it creates a culture that makes crashes more difficult to prevent and roads less safe for everyone.” 

The findings suggest many drivers aren’t speeding simply to save time, they’re often convincing themselves that speeding is the right choice for the situation.  

Drivers’ top reasons for speeding: 

• To get around slower drivers (31 percent)  
• To reach their destination faster (25 percent)  
• To avoid holding up traffic (21 percent)  

Church to host annual Welsh festival

Submitted information

VENEDOCIA — The 109th Gymanfa Ganu Welsh Festival of Song will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, September 6, in the sanctuary of Salem Presbyterian Church in Venedocia. The community is invited to an evening of music and congregational singing featuring 13 traditional Welsh hymns.

The program will include distinctive melodies and harmonies of the Welsh hymn tradition. Local guest artists will include Gregory M. Pysh, conductor; Jake Wilder, tenor; Connie O’Neill, organist, and Alyse (Evans) Latham, flute. Together, the guest musicians and congregation will fill the historic church sanctuary with music during an evening centered on worship, tradition and community.

For more than a century, the Gymanfa Ganu has brought generations of families, friends, musicians and visitors together in Venedocia. Congregational singing remains at the heart of the celebration, with everyone in attendance encouraged to participate regardless of musical experience.

The event is free and open to the public.

City trash vouchers now available

VW independent staff

Trash vouchers are now available to city residents in Van Wert but Mayor Ken Markward said there’s no need to rush to get them.

Information on the vouchers was included with August water bills but in nutshell, one free voucher per household can be picked up at the Van Wert Municipal Building during normal business hours, Monday through Friday. The vouchers can be picked up in the Water Office or via the drive-through window. They’ll be available into September, and each voucher is good for a load or large item to be taken to Young’s Waste Service on E. Jackson St. next month.

Residents with vouchers are responsible for transporting the items to Young’s.

Markward said last year, about 40 percent of the vouchers that were picked up at the city building went unused.

School in session, focus is on bus safety

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — With students across Ohio returning to classrooms, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office is urging all drivers to make safety their top priority during back-to-school season. OTSO is highlighting two statewide education efforts: the Stop Means Stop school bus safety campaign and Buckle Up with Brutus, Ohio’s child passenger safety program for elementary-aged students.

Stop Means Stop

OTSO’s Stop Means Stop campaign reinforces one of Ohio’s most critical traffic safety laws – drivers must stop for school buses when they are picking up or dropping off students. This public awareness initiative was launched in 2024, following a recommendation from Governor Mike DeWine’s School Bus Safety Working Group. Under this initiative, OTSO provides schools, law enforcement agencies, and community partners with posters, fact sheets, rack cards, social media materials, and an educational video to help strengthen safety messaging.

Data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol shows the need for continued awareness:

• In 2025, the Highway Patrol issued 879 citations to drivers for illegally passing a stopped school bus – a six percent decline from 2024.
• There have been 6,414 traffic crashes involving school buses on Ohio’s roadways since 2021, six of which were fatal. Those six fatal crashes resulted in the deaths of six individuals, with one being a school-aged student.
• In 2025, there were 17 fatal and serious-injury crashes involving a school bus – up from 14 the year before.
• 85 percent of fatal and serious-injury crashes involving school buses are caused by other drivers.

As buses return to neighborhoods, OTSO reminds all drivers to:

• Slow down in school zones.
• Never drive distracted and watch for children approaching or leaving bus stops.
• Stop Means Stop when a school bus activates its red lights and stop arm. This applies to all vehicles traveling in both directions on two-lane roads and roads with a center turning lane.

New employees introduced to board

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

With the new school year underway, the Lincolnview Local Schools Board of Education addressed a number of agenda items during Thursday’s monthly meeting.

15 new employees were hired for the 2026-2027 school year and some of them were in attendance and introduced themselves. The list of new employees includes:

• Bruce Thomas, fifth grade
• Reagan Boley, elementary intervention specialist – cross categorical
• Anne Myers, elementary intervention specialist – cross categorical
• Ellen Jones, elementary STEM teacher
• Jennifer McElroy, elementary computer sciences-media/library specialist teacher
• Kimberly Bates, bus transportation secretary
• Aaron Dunn, custodian
• Carrie Turnwald, junior high/high school secretary
• Jaime Hernandez, cook
• Melissa Nava, elementary secretary
• Ian Setili, full-time substitute bus driver
• Kathy Wortman, part time cook
• Jodie Vasquez, paraprofessional aide (Western Buckeye ESC)
• Suzanne Rahrig, paraprofessional aide (Western Buckeye ESC)
• Hailey Acheson, paraprofessional aide (Western Buckeye ESC)

There was one resignation on the agenda and it didn’t sit well with board member Eric Germann, who voted against it. Elementary intervention specialist Damaris Murphy’s resignation took place on Tuesday, August 18, one day before the start of school. Murphy left for an out-of-state opportunity.

“The July 10 deadline (for resignations for the upcoming school year) exists for a reason,” he said. “I know her situation changed but I’m little disappointed that it came this late in the summer and put us in a bind to find a new teacher.”

Agenda items that were unanimously approved included bus routes for the new school year, agreements with Van Wert City Schools for the high school CEO program and the Van Wert School at the Goedde, an agreement with the Van Wert County Health Department for school nurse services, plus an agreement with Midwest Regional Educational Service Center for vision impaired services.

During his report, Superintendent Jeff Snyder said despite social media rumors to the contrary, he has not received monetary numbers as they relate to the Mega Site/data center, which will be located in the Lincolnview Local Schools district.

“We have not received an official negotiation piece,” he stated. “I know people say they already know but I wish they would just call me and I could tell them nothing has happened. Right now we’ll just go about our business and it’ll happen when it’s supposed to happen but as of right now there’s been no official piece from the company itself.”

Snyder also said key fob renewal for the community center is underway.

A chunk of the meeting centered around student-athletes and the state’s new SAM Act (see story here).

The board will meet in special session at 6 p.m. Wednesday, August 26, to approve the latest financial forecast as required by law. The next regular monthly meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, September 22. Both meetings will take place in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall.

Football Friday!

Van Wert and Crestview opened their respective football seasons Friday night and the Cougar defense (above) gang tackles Bryan quarterback Jake Arnold while below, Crestview’s Cash Hammons catches a pass against Paulding. Van Wert won 41-6, but the Knights lost 18-6. Full game stories can be found on the Sports page. Monica Campbell/Bob Barnes photos

Convoy-area crash claims Payne resident

VW independent staff

A crash involving a semi-truck and a car claimed the life of a Payne resident.

It occurred just after 9 a.m. Friday on U.S. 30 at Ohio 49 in Tully Township. According to a report from the Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a 2010 Toyota Corolla driven southbound on Ohio 49 by Kaci Rae Sentelik, 19, was struck by a 2006 Western Star 4900 driven by Grady Smith, 24, of Quincy, Michigan. Troopers said Sentelik stopped for a marked stopped sign on Ohio 49 but failed to yield to oncoming traffic and was struck on the driver’s side by Smith, who was westbound on U.S. 30. Sentelik was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office, Convoy Fire Department, Van Wert Fire Department, ODOT, Van Wert Coroner’s Office, Hague Towing and Repair, Harting Farms, and Gerten Deadstock.

The crash remains under investigation.

Stadium renovations all but complete

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The massive undertaking known as the Eggerss Stadium renovation project is very close to completion.

Ahead of Friday night’s season opener against Bryan, crews spent the week putting the finishing touches on Phase IV of the project, which began four years ago. According to Van Wert City Schools Superintendent Mark Bagley, the project is about 95 percent done.

The latest and final phase was focused mainly on the south side of the historic stadium. Those who visit Eggerss Stadium will see a new entrance, a tribute paver area, a new concession stand and new band bleachers.

During a brief tour on Thursday, Bagley said the last phase has gone well.

“We knew it was going to be smoother process than Phases 1-3, which had a lot of old construction,” he explained. “The unknowns were still there…there have been things that have come up that were surprises when you’re talking about site work, but for the most part this has been an awesome phase. We’re getting the bugs worked out.”

One of the first things fans will notice is a new main entrance. Gone is the former ticket booth that was on the southwest side. The new main entrance is more central to the field itself.

“It’s a really grand entrance and with our paver project, you’re walking in with all these people that have contributed and donated,” he said. “We’re very thankful and gracious that our community supported this project with the bond issue and then we had more donations that had to happen to do it the right way.”

The usual east and north entrances will be accessible as well.

New band bleachers have been built at the south end, which frees up seating for more fans on the home side, and fans will immediately notice a new south-end concession stand.

Legend named second Cougar Champion

VW independent staff/submitted information

A new tradition – the Cougar Champion – continues in 2026 following the inaugural award granted to Willie Hernandez last year. This award has been created exclusively at Eggerss Stadium and coincides with the building of the state-of-the-art press box branded the Cougar Champions Press Box. The idea behind it is to recognize one Cougar champion each year.

“This award was created to honor an individual, group, or organization who displayed the characteristics of a true champion associated with Van Wert Cougar football, those being, excellence, team spirit, pride, leadership, determination, and confidence,” said Jan and John White, sponsors of this annual award.

The award qualifications include those who have made a significant impact throughout the history of Cougar football including coaches, players, fans, administrators, and students.

The recipient of the 2026 Cougar Champion is Gilbert ‘Gil’ Smith.

Coach Smith’s coaching career spanned 19 years beginning in 1941 and running through 1959. His impressive record of 130 wins, 30 losses, and 10 ties made him the winningest coach in Van Wert High School football history.

“Without a doubt, Coach Smith was the most successful football coach in Van Wert history,” John White said. “Not only did he have eight undefeated seasons, five of those were in consecutive years from 1954 to 1958”.

Coach Smith is credited with 12 WBL championships, 11 of which were outright champs. Three of those came in his first three years as Van Wert head coach from 1941 through 1943. He also had a 47-game streak without a loss from 1953 through 1958.