HEAP assistance is now available to help stay cool

Fuel tank falls off…

Traffic at the intersection of N. Washington St. and Sycamore St. was slowed this morning after a fuel tank fell off a semi-truck. Van Wert Police, fire, and city crews were dispatched shortly after 7:30 a.m., after the tank fell off of a semi in the middle of the intersection. City workers responded with a front end loader to move the loaded fuel tank. The fire department plugged the broken fuel line fitting by driving a tapered wooden dowel plug into the fitting. Fire and city crews spread absorbent materials on the spilled diesel fuel which was reported to be less than five gallons. All spilled fuels were contained to the road surfaces and no fuel entered any drainage systems. In the meantime, city police were busy directing traffic through the accident area. Fire crews were on the scene for about 30 minutes. Bob Barnes/VWFD photographer

Local heat index soars past 100 degrees

VW independent staff

Exactly how hot has it been in Van Wert County so far this week? Pretty darn hot.

According to Van Wert County EMA Director Matt Saunier, Monday was bearable, with an official high of 84 degrees. Tuesday’s high was 93 and Wednesday’s official high made it to 95 degrees. Saunier also said the highest official heat index value recorded so far locally is 109 degrees.

He also said June had an average temperature of 71.4 degrees, making it the 44th warmest June for Van Wert out of 110 years. 4.78 inches of rain made it the 35th wettest June on record in 110 years.

Defendants appear for court hearings

VW independent staff

Five criminal hearings took place in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court between Thursday, June 25 and Wednesday, July 1. Judge Martin D. Burchfield presided over each of the hearings.

Plea change

Justin Wright, 29, of Delphos, changed his plea to guilty to failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a fourth degree felony. He then requested and was granted intervention in lieu of conviction and his case was stayed pending completion of the treatment program. He was ordered to pay court costs.

Sentencing

Andrii Osoba, 30, of Warren, Michigan, was sentenced to 90 days in jail with credit for eight days already served for criminal trespass, a first degree misdemeanor. He was ordered to pay court costs.

Probation/bond violations

Michael Whisman, 35, of Van Wert, denied violating his probation by driving under suspension. Judge Burchfield set a further hearing for 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 8.

Abbey Eutsler, 39, of Van Wert, admitted to violating her bond by failing to appear at probation. New bond was set at $25,000 cash or surety and sentencing was scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 29.

Daniel Green, 50, of Van Wert, admitted to violating his bond by failing to attend a treatment facility. Judge Burchfield set new bond at $50,000 cash or surety and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 8.

New business…

Chris and Amy Covey cut the ribbon on their new business, Walnut and Main Event Space, during a ceremony and open house held on Tuesday. The venue, aptly named for its location – Main St. and Walnut St. in Van Wert is available to host large events. The Coveys own The Warehouse on N. Washington St., which will continue to operate. The building that houses Walnut and Main dates back many years and was an automobile dealership for over 50 years, then became home to a pair of other businesses. Many of the building’s historic features have been preserved. Photo submitted

Next brush pickup to begin July 13

VW independent staff

The City of Van Wert’s second scheduled brush pickup of 2026 will begin on Monday, July 13. Brush must be placed by the curb by 7 a.m. that day.

• The city will not pick up limbs larger than four inches in diameter or more than 10 feet long.
• The city will not pick up brush that has been left behind by a professional tree trimmer or private contractor. If a homeowner utilized a trimming service, they are responsible for disposing of the tree.
• Brush placed in bags or boxes will not be picked up.
• Do not place brush by trees, poles, manholes, catch basins, water meters, fire hydrants or parked vehicles. It must be visible from street.

The city’s final scheduled brush pickup of the year will begin the week of September 14.

CAMO Court receives state re-certification

VW independent staff/submitted information

The Courts Assisting Military Offenders – CAMO Court of the Van Wert Municipal Court has earned final certification from the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Specialized Dockets for a second time.

To receive the certification, a local court just submit a detailed application, undergo a visit and report on its practices, and provide specific program materials in response to certification standards that went into effect in January of 2014.

Courts with specialized dockets address specific treatment needs of people who are charged with a variety of offenses using recommended best-practices that focus on offender accountability, behavior change and recovery. There are 250 certified dockets in Ohio courts with expertise in areas such as drug and alcohol addiction, mental health, domestic violence, human trafficking and veterans issues.

The certification standards provide a minimum level of uniform practices for specialized dockets throughout Ohio and allow local courts to innovate and tailor programs to meet their community’s needs and resources.

The certification requirements include establishing eligibility requirements, evaluating effectiveness of the specialized docket, and assembling a treatment team to implement daily operations of the specialized docket. The team is headed by the specialized docket judge and can include licensed treatment providers, law enforcement, court personnel, and more.

Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy congratulated Judge Jill T. Worthington and the Van Wert Municipal Court for meeting the standards required for final certification.

“Specialized dockets offer an alternative to incarceration, and reflect a community’s belief in second chances,” Justice Kennedy said. “They focus on people who are willing to work to overcome the personal challenges that led to their involvement in the justice system. The court and community partners work together to supervise treatment, training, and support, providing local solutions to local problems under leadership of the local court.”

“It has truly been amazing to see the transformation of our participants reclaim their lives and come back to themselves with pride and dignity,” Judge Worthington said of the CAMO Court program. “To be able to offer someone who has sacrificed so much for the benefit of our country, it has been one of the most rewarding experiences at Van Wert Municipal Court to see these veterans again raise their heads high with pride and accomplishment.”

County, city offices closed on Friday

VW independent staff

All Van Wert County offices will be closed on Friday, July 3, in observance of the July 4 holiday. The Van Wert Municipal Building and Van Wert Municipal Court will also be closed on Friday.

Red Cross needs blood donations

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The Northeast Chapter of the American Red Cross Indiana Region, which serves a handful of counties in northwest Ohio has put out the call – blood donations are desperately needed.

Isis Chaverri, Regional Communication Director Indiana Region, said the Red Cross typically sees a decrease in donations during the summer months, due to people spending time on vacation or engaging in other summertime activities.

“The blood need doesn’t take a break or vacation, so we are urging donors to come out and roll up a sleeve to help us ensure that we have a healthy blood supply during the summer,” Chaverri said. “We need donors of all blood types to donate and help those who may need transfusions.”

The guidelines for donating blood are fairly simple – donors must be at least 16 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. There is no upper age limit. A donor must be in good health and feeling well on the day of donation. Donors can give blood every 56 days, up to six times per year.

Five blood drives are scheduled to take place in Van Wert during the month of July:

• Thursday, July 2, 12-5 p.m. at Lee Kinstle Sales and Service
• Friday, July 10, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ohiohealth Van Wert Hospital North
• Friday, July 17, 12:30-5 p.m. at the Wassenberg Art Center
• Friday, July 24, 12-5:30 p.m. at Trinity Friends Church
• Tuesday, July 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. American Legion

To schedule an appointment to give at one of those blood drives, click here.

Anyone who gives through July 12 will receive a classic Red Cross/Looney Tunes T-shirt, while supplies last.

The Northeast Chapter of the American Red Cross Indiana Region serves over 1.3 million people in 17 counties in northeast Indiana including Adams, Allen, Blackford, DeKalb, Grant, Howard, Huntington, Jay, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Miami, Noble, Steuben, Tipton, Wabash, Wells and Whitley, and seven counties in northwest Ohio: Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Mercer, Paulding, Van Wert and Williams.

SWCD offering well water test kits

Submitted information

The Van Wert Soil & Water Conservation District has partnered with Heidelberg University’s National Center for Water Quality Research to offer residents the opportunity to have their well water tested.

If your drinking water comes from a private well, you are responsible for your water’s safety. If you have never had your water supply tested, it is always a good idea to educate yourself on what is present in your drinking water and provide yourself with some baseline information in the event there are changes in the future that may impact the quality of your water supply.

Should you test your well water?

Your well has an increased likelihood of contamination if:

• Your well is more than 20 years old
• Your well was dug or driven rather than drilled
• Your well is shallow
• Your soil is sandy
• A chemical spill is known to have happened nearby
• Your well is near possible sources of contamination, such as: cropland, feedlots, landfills, industrial sites (active or abandoned).

Even if your well fits none of these categories, you cannot know the quality of your water without testing. Contaminants may have entered the ground without your knowledge or before you lived at the site.

Due to supply and testing equipment issues, the only test kit Heidelberg is offering at this time is the basic nitrate test, which includes testing for nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, chloride, sulfates, fluoride, soluble phosphorus, silica, and conductivity.

The cost of the kit is $30 (which includes shipping), made payable to Van Wert SWCD.

The test kits will be for sale Monday, July 20, through Friday, July 24. The samples must be returned to the Van Wert SWCD on Monday, July 27, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Please take the sample right before dropping the kit back off so that it is as fresh as possible. Participants can expect their confidential results back in two to four weeks from Heidelberg University.

ATM Crypto refunds may be available

Submitted information

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Financial Institutions has issued a consumer alert to Ohioans who have used cryptocurrency ATM kiosks operated by Bitcoin Depot Inc. Consumers may be eligible to seek compensation for outstanding funds after the company, which operated kiosks nationwide, recently ceased operations after filing for bankruptcy.

Bitcoin Depot Operating LLC filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas in May 2026 and has since shut down its network of bitcoin ATMs. The company previously operated in 33 states, including Ohio, and held money transmission license number OHMT 263 with the Division.

A bitcoin ATM is a physical kiosk that allows people to buy or sometimes sell cryptocurrency, usually using cash or a debit card. Unlike a traditional bank ATM, it doesn’t connect to a bank account. Rather, it transfers cryptocurrency to a digital wallet or to an address the user provides.

In the past year, Bitcoin Depot processed 10,637 individual transactions in Ohio across at least 50 machines. Any Ohioan who believes they may have been impacted by a scam involving these machines is encouraged to file a claim. The Division is aware of a small number of 32 consumers who are owed a total of $90,907 in refunds – ranging from $18 to nearly $43,000. While those individuals will be contacted directly, the Division is calling attention to this matter for any other Ohioans who have used these services and may be entitled to a refund.

Ohio consumers who believe they are owed money or have an outstanding claim with Bitcoin Depot may file a claim through the bankruptcy case. Consumers can also contact the company’s restructuring hotline at 844.339.4117, or email BitcoinDepotInfo@ra.kroll.com for assistance.

Before filing a claim, the Division urges consumers to gather all receipts, transaction records, and supporting documentation.