Data center meeting this Thursday

VW independent staff

This Thursday, June 11, is when a community event will be held for residents to learn more about a planned data center that will be built in Van Wert. It will be held from 5-6:30 p.m. at Vantage Career Center.

“Think of it like a science fair,” Van Wert Area Economic Development Director Brent Stevens said. “There will be tables set up and you will go to the closed loop table and talk to their experts and ask all kinds of questions. They will have site plans posted. Water guys, building guys, all kinds of stations (will be) set up.”

QTS Data Centers plans to build up to seven buildings on more than 900 acres at the Mega Site, on the city’s east side. Groundbreaking is scheduled for later this year. The first building is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2029 and the full campus is slated to be operational in 2032. See stories here and here.

Primary election results now certified

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has certified the official results of the May 5 primary election, marking the completion of the statewide canvass conducted by Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections.

The certified results include all eligible ballots cast on Election Day, during early in-person voting, by absentee ballot, and through provisional ballots that were properly cured within the four-day period following Election Day.

“Ohioans deserve elections that are secure, accurate, and accessible, and once again our bipartisan county boards of elections delivered,” LaRose said in a statement. “From Election Day voting to absentee and provisional ballots, every eligible vote was counted according to the law. I’m grateful to the thousands of election officials and poll workers across Ohio who helped ensure a smooth and trustworthy primary election.”

In the coming weeks, county boards of elections will finalize their post-election audits, review any discrepancies between paper and electronic tabulations, and report their findings to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office. Once all 88 counties have completed their audits,  LaRose will release the statewide audit results.

The 2026 primary election saw a significant decline in absentee ballots received after Election Day, following a change in Ohio law. In the 2024 Primary Election, 7,042 absentee ballots arrived after Election Day. Following a statewide public education campaign to communicate Ohio’s updated absentee ballot return requirements, that number fell to 1,564 in the 2026 primary election.

Annual car show coming to Rockford

Submitted information

ROCKFORD — The Rockford Lions Club’s 32nd annual Rockford Car Show and Cruise‑In is scheduled for Friday, June 19, in downtown Rockford.

Registration will be held from 4-7 p.m., with judging beginning at 6:30 p.m. and the awards ceremony starting at 8:45 p.m.

The event will feature food and drinks, along with a 50/50 drawing. Classic cars, community fellowship, and family‑friendly activities make this annual event one of Rockford’s most popular summer traditions. Proceeds from Rockford Lions Club events help fund scholarships and support community needs and service projects throughout the year.

The Rockford Lions Club meets September through June on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Rockford Village Offices on East Columbia St.

Western Buckeye ESC awarded grant

VW independent staff

PAULDING — The Western Buckeye Educational Service Center has been named as a recipient of $100,000 Industry Sector Partnership Spark Grant. It will provide additional transition and workforce navigation services for all Paulding and Van Wert County schools to assist students with early job exploration, workplace readiness training, and real-world problem-solving experiences. 

Additionally, funding is available through Western Buckeye ESC’s program to support local businesses and organizations participating in student mentorship programs to solve a community or work based problem. 

Saturday morning accident…

An early Saturday morning accident at the intersection S. Shannon St. and W. Main St. brought a full response by the Van Wert Police Department and Van Wert Fire Department. The van pictured above was struck by a red pickup truck. Upon arrival, the fire department accessed those involved for injuries, but all treatment was declined. The accident remains under investigation by the police department. Bob Barnes/VWFD photographer

Ladies of the 80s!

A large crowd gathered at Fountain Park in downtown Van Wert Friday night for the kickoff to Van Wert Live’s Feel Good Friday summer concert series. Those in attendance were transported back to the 80s – at least the big hair and the music of the time as the Ladies of the 80s rocked the park with hits by Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, Pat Bentar and others. The concert was in conjunction with the Peony Festival, which continues today (Saturday). Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent

Chapter by chapter: expanding the library

Editor’s note: This year the Brumback Library is celebrating 125 years of service to the community. Each month, the library will tell the story of the Brumback Library, chapter by chapter. This month’s installment explores the expanding Brumback Library. The story is told by Theresa Mengerink,  Brumback Library Patron Service Specialist; content collected from Van Wert County Historical Society and Library files and The County Library by Saida Brumback Antrim. 

By Theresa Mengerink

​Amidst the mature shady trees adjacent to the city park, sits a structure resembling a miniature castle transported from Medieval Europe.  ​The true strength of the Brumback Library has never been just its stone walls; instead, it is the library’s radical, pioneering mission.

As the very first tax-supported county library system in the United States, the Brumback has spent the last 125 years adapting, expanding, and occasionally packing up its entire collection to ensure the citizens of Van Wert County, whether living in Van Wert City or the furthest rural township, have free, equal access to the world of literature, technology, and information.

When it officially opened its doors in 1901, The Brumback Library housed a total collection of 6,572 volumes and served 2,713 local borrowers. At the time, the entire collection was contained within the footprint of what serves today as the main lobby, the Young Adult Room, and the Periodical/Book Sale Room.

Originally, these spaces featured bookshelves lining only the perimeter of the walls. However, as the community’s demand for reading materials steadily grew, the library had to adapt, eventually constructing additional bookcases right in the middle of the rooms to accommodate the influx of new literature.

This rapid growth eventually forced the library to expand vertically, leading to a major structural addition in 1913. A specialized balcony mezzanine was constructed directly over and behind the main circulation desk area to provide much-needed shelving space. In a striking architectural choice of the era, the floor of this new balcony was crafted from thick glass tiles, a design that served the dual purpose of maximizing vertical storage capacity while allowing natural light to filter down to the workspaces below.

​In April 1917, the library took a definitive step toward fostering generations of future readers by opening its formal “Juvenile Department.” Rather than building outward, the library looked downward, remodeling its basement into a dedicated space specifically for youth. Under the passionate guidance of the library’s first youth specialist, Ella Bergert Conn, the modest basement room was transformed into a bustling hub of imagination. 

Junk and rubbish laws to be discussed

VW independent staff

Discussion of possible amendments to the city’s junk and rubbish ordinances will be discussed during a Van Wert City Council “Council of the Whole” meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 8, in Council Chambers at the Municipal Building. No action will be taken during the Committee of the Whole meeting. The regular council meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., also in Council Chambers.

Concert band to perform in Rockford

Submitted information

ROCKFORD – The Van Wert Area Community Concert Band is keeping busy these days. The band will present a concert in the large shelter house at Shanes Park in Rockford at 7 p.m. Friday, June 12. It’s free and open to the public.

Music performed at the concert will include several patriotic selections celebrating the county’s 250th birthday. The selections are intended to reflect, revitalize and rekindle the pride that each of us have as citizens of the best country in the world, the United States of America.

A few of these selections are: To Honor America, Voices of the Battlefield, Golden and a Bob Dylan medley. band member Warren Bowery will be the featured singer on Neil Diamond”s America. Area military personnel and veterans will also be honored with a Salute To America’s Finest. Bring your lawn chairs or take a seat at the picnic tables and enjoy a concert in a beautiful park setting.

The shelter house is protected from bad weather and an ice cream truck will be on site for those of you that have a sweet tooth. Join the band directed by former Parkway band director Richard Sherrick and members from Van Wert, Ohio City, Delphos, Convoy, Chat, Middle Point, Spencerville, Celina and Rockford for this special concert.

Friday afternoon crash claims one person

VW independent staff/submitted information

JACKSON TOWNSHIP — The Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash that claimed a Putnam County resident. It occurred shortly after 2 p.m. Friday at the intersection Ohio 637 and County Road 138 in Jackson Township, Paulding County.

Sara Woolbright, 20, of Continental was driving a 2002 Volkswagen Beetle westbound on County Road 138 and stopped at the intersection with Ohio 637. Brian Robinson, 40, of Defiance was driving a 2025 Ford F-750 northbound on Ohio 637. Woolbright failed to yield from a posted stop sign and pulled into the path of Robinson. After colliding the two vehicles ran off the west side of Ohio 637 and struck a guard rail. Woolbright was pronounced dead at the scene. Robinson and his passenger, Ronald Sanholtz, 64, of Liberty Center, were not injured.

The Patrol was assisted on scene by the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, Paulding Fire and EMS, and Gideon’s Towing and Recovery. The crash remains under investigation and no charges have been filed. Drugs and alcohol are not suspected to be a factor in the crash.

The Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol serves Van Wert and Paulding counties.