The Van Wert County Courthouse

Tuesday, Mar. 19, 2024

Today is primary election day locally and throughout Ohio. The polls are open between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. VW independent file photo

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The ballot may be light locally, but today is primary election day. The polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. In Ohio, the primary election is held in March during presidential election years, instead of the traditional May primary.

In Van Wert County, Republican voters must decide between incumbent Van Wert County Commissioner Todd Wolfrum or challenger Lucas Myers, with the winner claiming the commission seat, as no one filed to run as a Democrat or as an independent.

Incumbent Republican U.S. Representative Bob Latta is seeking to retain his Fifth District Congressional seat. He’s being opposed by Robert Owsiak Jr.

Meanwhile, Matt Dolan, Frank LaRose and Bernie Moreno are seeking the GOP nod for the U.S. Senate race.

The following local officeholders are running unopposed during today’s primary and during the November election: Common Pleas Court Judge Martin Burchfield, County Commissioner Stan Owens, County Prosecutor Eva Yarger, Clerk of Courts Cindy Mollenkopf, Sheriff Tom Riggenbach, County Recorder Kim Hughes, County Treasurer Jeff McIntosh, County Engineer Kyle Wendel and County Coroner Scott Jarvis. No Van Wert County Democrats filed petitions seeking any of those seats.

Republican State Representative Roy Klopfenstein of Haviland is running unopposed in today’s primary, but he’ll be challenged in November by Magalene Markward of Van Wert, who’s running unopposed on the Democratic ballot. Klopfenstein defeated Markward in the race for the 82nd District seat in 2022.

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POSTED: 03/19/24 at 3:43 am

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

CONVOY — The Crestview Local Schools Board of Education didn’t have to go far to find a new high school principal.

Monday night, the board hired current Director of Curriculum/Instruction Mimi Myers as principal. She was given a two-year administrative contract, effective August 1, plus up to 10 additional days of compensation for transition purposes. Myers will replace Dave Bowen, who announced in January that he will retire at the end of the current school year after 36 years in education, 33 with the Crestview Local Schools.

Mimi Myers

“I am very excited to step into this role to continue serve the students and staff and the Crestview community,” Myers said. “I’ve been lucky – Dave Bowen has been my mentor for 11 years and they’re big shoes to fill but I’m ready to fill them. I know the staff very well and I know the students very well and I was actually born and raised in Convoy so Convoy’s always been home.”

A pair of resignations were accepted by the board: Katelynn Sutter, elementary teacher (seven years) and Deb Ebert, bus driver (two years).

The board heard from head wrestling coach Jake Sawmiller, who introduced a pair of wrestlers, Ayden Martin and Gavin Grubb, who both qualified for state as alternates, a first in the short history of Crestview’s wrestling program. The board later extended congratulations for their accomplishments, and the board also congratulated the girls basketball team for making it to the state semifinals.

Board members also heard a brief presentation from ECC Principal Casey Dowler and Miranda van Rooyen, retired senior volunteer program director of the Area on Aging 3, on the ECC volunteer program. They said the goal of the program is to fill the intergenerational gap between students and seniors.

“Our volunteers can be parents, grandparents or community members,” Dowler said. “Sometimes they’re in the classroom setting, sometimes they’re working with small groups of kids or sometimes they’re working individually with students as well.”

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POSTED: 03/19/24 at 3:41 am. FILED UNDER: News

Submitted information

West Ohio Food Bank, a United Way of Van Wert County agency, will be distributing shelf stable food and produce at Trinity Friends Church, 605 N. Franklin St., Van Wert on Tuesday, March 26, from 12-2 p.m. or until the food is gone. This mobile food drive will be a drive-thru only event.

You must have valid photo identification in order to receive food, only two households per vehicle, and must be at least 18 years of age.

Anyone with questions should call the United Way of Van Wert County office at 419.238.6689.

POSTED: 03/19/24 at 3:41 am. FILED UNDER: News

VW independent staff

TOLEDO — A man who served at several northwest Ohio churches, including St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert, has officially been stripped of the title of priest.

Michael Zacharias, 56, is currently serving life in prison for sex trafficking. He was sentenced last November, after a federal jury previously found him guilty of five counts of sex trafficking following a two-week trial in May. The crimes occurred between July, 2005 and August, 2020, when he was arrested by the FBI and placed on administrative leave by the Diocese of Toledo.

Michael Zacharias

On Monday, the Diocese issued a statement on the official dismissal of Zacharias.

“The Diocese was recently informed that the Holy Father has imposed upon Zacharias the perpetual penalty of direct dismissal from the clerical state (returning him to the lay state), for the sexual abuse of minors and other reprehensible immoral behavior,” the statement read. “The Holy Father alone has the authority to impose this penalty of direct dismissal from the clerical state when the case warrants such an action.”

“With the imposition of this penalty, it is my hope and prayer that healing for victims may continue and justice be restored, as we remain vigilant in confronting evil,” Bishop Daniel Thomas said in the statement.

Zacharias served in Van Wert from July, 2007 until August, 2011. Some of the acts included in the indictment occurred at the Van Wert parish. He also served at churches in Toledo, Fremont and Findlay.

Evidence presented during his trial, including the testimony of victims and family members, established that Zacharias met the victims when they were underage parochial school students through his affiliation with their school. The evidence showed Zacharias served as a respected member of the clergy for more than 20 years, while exploiting his victims over extended periods as they developed opioid addictions and criminal records.

POSTED: 03/19/24 at 3:40 am. FILED UNDER: News

Van Wert Elementary School recently served as the host location for Ohio Tactical Team response to active threats training. The Ohio Tactical Officers Association trained the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, Glandorf Police Department, Ottawa Police Department, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Van Wert Police Department, Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office and Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office on a 16-hour course equipping tactical teams and personnel to effectively manage active threat situations, primarily focusing on saving lives. The program merges evidence-driven principles with hands-on tactics, concentrating on critical decision-making, the lawful use of force and de-escalation strategies, all while addressing human behavior under extreme stress. Photos submitted

POSTED: 03/19/24 at 3:40 am. FILED UNDER: News

Submitted information

MIDDLE POINT — The Middle Point Lions Club is holding a barbecue chicken dinner on Sunday, April 28. The dinner is carryout only and tickets must be purchased in advance to guarantee a dinner. Tickets are $12 per dinner.

Meals will be served from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and can be picked up at the Lincolnview Elementary School entrance. Tickets may be purchased from any Middle Point Lion, or by calling Lion Micah at 419.605.2706.

The dinner includes a barbecue chicken half prepared by Fat Kid BBQ, potato salad, green beans, applesauce, dinner roll, cookies and a bottle of water.

Proceeds help the Middle Point Lions Club provide scholarships for Lincolnview High School seniors.

POSTED: 03/19/24 at 3:39 am. FILED UNDER: News

Submitted information

The Union Township Trustees meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 28, has been moved to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 27.

POSTED: 03/19/24 at 3:39 am. FILED UNDER: News

VW independent staff/submitted information

There were some unsettling moments but Van Wert County came through last Thursday’s tornado outbreak unscathed, according to Van Wert County Emergency Management Director Rick McCoy. The worst hit area in the region was just over an hour south of Van Wert, in Logan County’s Indian Lake area, including Lakeview, Russells Point and Orchard Island.

According to McCoy, the National Weather Service on Wednesday was indicating that strong to severe storms would be possible across the area and had indicated that three rounds of storms were possible starting with the first in the early morning hours of Thursday before sunrise, a second round in the late morning around the lunch hour and another round by late afternoon into early evening.

These drone photos show just some of the damage caused by last week’s EF-3 tornado in Logan County. Photos courtesy of Rick McCoy

By Thursday morning, the first lines of storms went through with a lot of lightning but nothing severe. However, the National Weather Service was still pinpointing an area south of the Van Wert County line to near Greenville where the best chance for severe storms with wind, hail and possible tornadoes could occur.

The second round of storms did materialize with the National Weather Service issuing a severe thunderstorm warning for the southwestern portion of Van Wert County at 12:43 p.m. As those storms moved through, straight line winds hit the southeast corner of Wren, damaging a barn and a shed with some tree damage.

“The real problems began in the afternoon as temperatures again rose to 70 degrees with a very unstable atmosphere,” McCoy explained. “Storms began developing around Kokomo, Indiana, and quickly became tornado-warned storms. The Weather Service then issued a tornado watch for central Indiana and western Ohio.”

As storms raced across Indiana with a tornado warning continuing, McCoy activated Van Wert County Volunteer Fire Departments for storm spotting at 5:53 p.m. as storms were approaching Adams County. He also made a decision to activate the Mercer County fire departments in Chatt, Rockford and Mendon as it was becoming apparent that the severe storms would stay south of the Van Wert County line and move across central Mercer County. This ended up being the scenario that unfolded and the tornado damage was about to begin as the storm moved into Mercer County near Ohio 49, several miles south of Chatt, where the tornado began destroying some farm buildings and began a path towards Celina.

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POSTED: 03/18/24 at 3:47 am. FILED UNDER: News

These pictures at Orchard Island in Logan County show the devastation caused by last Thursday’s EF-3 tornado. Residents, neighbors, volunteers and others were out in full force on Saturday to help begin cleanup efforts. Scott Truxell/Van Wert independent

POSTED: 03/18/24 at 3:45 am. FILED UNDER: News

VW independent staff

Here is a list of tornadoes confirmed by the National Weather Service to have touched down in Ohio on Thursday, March 14.

  • EF-1 in western Mercer County, west of Celina.
  • EF-1 in eastern Mercer County and western Auglaize County, west of Wapakoneta.
  • EF-3 beginning in southern Auglaize County near Fryburg, continuing through the Lakeview area in northern Logan County.
  • EF-2 in Darke County and Miami County. This tornado began in Indiana and additional information will follow after coordination with NWS Indianapolis. The National Weather Service is also investigating possible tornadoes in Adams and Jay counties in Indiana, that may have crossed into Mercer County.
  • EF-2 in central Union County near Broadway.
  • EF-1 beginning in central Delaware County, continuing through north central Licking County.

In addition, tornadoes were confirmed in Hancock, Seneca, Crawford and Richland counties.

Final details on these tornadoes, including track statistics and estimated maximum wind speeds, will be released as analysis continues over the next several days.

POSTED: 03/18/24 at 3:45 am. FILED UNDER: News

Submitted information

Governor Mike DeWine has declared a state of emergency across 11 counties impacted by last week’s severe weather.

The counties include Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Hancock, Licking, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Richland and Union counties.

The declaration orders all relevant state departments and agencies to lend their services, equipment, supplies, and personnel as necessary to assist in the response and recovery effort. Agencies providing support include the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Emergency Management Agency, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and Ohio Department of Administrative Services.

In addition, DeWine activated the Ohio National Guard to help Logan County officials with the clean up of storm debris on public property. An assessment team from the 200th REDHORSE Squadron was deployed to Logan County Sunday to conduct an assessment of needed support.

POSTED: 03/18/24 at 3:45 am. FILED UNDER: News