Editor’s note: This is one of a series of articles related to Paulding County’s bicentennial celebration. This article, originally written for Visions Volume 6, published by the Paulding County Progress in 2005, is the second of a two-part series on county place names. Some entries have been updated.
MELINDA KRICK/for the Van Wert independent
PAULDING — There’s a history behind every name of every township, waterway, town, school, and landmark. Here are more Paulding County place names:
Jackson — (Township) Probably for President Andrew Jackson.
Jacquette — Unknown. Possibly a family name. A post office was established there from 1867-69.
Junction — For the junction of the Wabash & Erie Canal and the Miami & Erie Canal, once thought destined to become a metropolis.
(more…)POSTED: 09/28/20 at 12:49 am
Van Wert independent
A Convoy man died from injuries received in a two-car accident that occurred on U.S. 30, just west of Convoy Road, in Van Wert County, Sunday evening.
According to the Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Brad Morris, 43, was driving a 2018 Honda Fit eastbound in the westbound lanes of U.S. 30 and struck a westbound 2006 Chevrolet Impala driven by Luke Schimmoeller, 25, of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Both vehicles ended up in the median of U.S. 30.
According to the Patrol, Morris was pronounced dead at the scene by Van Wert County Coroner Dr. Scott Jarvis. Schimmoeller and a passenger in his vehicle, Amy Schimmoeller, were both transported to St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima with serious injuries.
Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.
The Van Wert Post was assisted at the scene by the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office, Van Wert Fire and EMS, the Van Wert County ODOT garage, Scott Fire Department and EMS personnel, Lutheran Air medical transport, and Hague Towing and Recovery.
POSTED: 09/28/20 at 2:09 am. FILED UNDER: News
The Van Wert County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) was dispatched to a barn fire on Werner Road Sunday evening, along with fire departments from Convoy, Van Wert, Wren, Ohio City, Payne, and Monroeville, Indiana. The barn was total loss. CERT provided rehab for the responders and traffic control for the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office. CERT photo
POSTED: 09/28/20 at 12:45 am. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent/submitted information
Every fall when school is back in session, Lincolnview sixth grade teachers select students to carry out the important role of managing the American flag for the elementary school.
“We look for responsible students who have a scouting or military family background to fill this role,” said teacher Matt Langdon. “It’s been a tradition ever since we moved into this building.”
For this year’s flag crew, the honor was bestowed on Gavin Priest. A member of Middle Point Troop 32, led by Joe Elling, Priest has been involved in scouting since he was six years old.
“I learned how to properly take care of the flag in Boy Scouts,” Priest explained.
He was taught well, as evidenced by the near military precision with which he and his partner fold the flag at the close of every school day.
“I am always willing to help; this is a source of pride for me,” Priest added. “I am proud of our nation — we have a great country, military, economy, and form of government.”
Partner Ryan Matarese agrees.
“I was excited when Gavin asked me to help with the flag,” Matarese said. “In my family, I was taught to stand before the flag and kneel before God. That’s a lesson my parents have taught me … the flag is a symbol of our freedom and, whether or not we agree with each other, we are free.”
He went on to explain how much he’s learned from Priest about the history and significance of the American flag.
“Right now, we are flying the flag at half-mast; when someone important to the country dies, that is a way of showing respect to their memory,” said Priest concerning the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. “The flag can be lowered for other important reasons, too.”
When asked about their plans in the future, Priest said he would be interested in a career that helps others, while Matarese added: “who knows what kind of jobs will be there in the future? Some of them haven’t been invented yet.”
With such a strong sense of positivity, responsibility, and trustworthiness, these Lancer sixth-graders are on their way to success.
POSTED: 09/28/20 at 12:40 am. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent/submitted information
Join the Van Wert Peony Festival Committee as it celebrates the upcoming fall season with its “Fallin’ Into Fun” event this coming Saturday. With the cancellation of all of the area’s events, the Peony Festival Committee is offering the community an opportunity for a bit of fun. Check out the following schedule of events:
Saturday, October 3, in Fountain Park
- 10 a.m.-3 p.m. — Vendors in the park
- 11 a.m. — Food vendors on South Jefferson Street.
- 11 a.m. until gone — Venedocia Lions Club sausage sandwiches served by the Peony Festival Committee at the Concession Stand in Fountain Park
- 11 a.m.-3 p.m. — Children’s activities in the park. Including The Superheroes and Friends (pictures encouraged) and caricature drawings by Darlene.
- 1 p.m. — Introduction of Peony Festival royalty
- 2-4 p.m. — Entertainment by Sunny Taylor at the gazebo
- 3 p.m. — Registration for the Gear Heads Expo, Jefferson and Main streets (check out the Gear Heads Expo event)
- 4-7 p.m. — Gear Heads Expo on Main Street
- 4:30-6:30 p.m. — Paddle auction in the park
- 6:35 p.m. — Disney raffle drawing (tickets will be available for purchase in the park throughout the day)
- 7-9 p.m. — Entertainment by Will Freed at the gazebo
All events are free to the public. (purchase of tickets and paddles for the paddle auction, as well as food and other items from vendors are not included)
POSTED: 09/28/20 at 12:33 am. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent/submitted information
Van Wert Lodge 1197, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, recently donated $1,750 to Trinity Friends Church for its food pantry. The monies are from a Beacon Grant the lodge received from the Elks National Foundation.
The Elks National Foundation is a perpetual trust fund established in 1928 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Contributions to the Foundation are made each year by almost 1 million Elks and their families and friends from more than 2,000 Elks lodges across the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.
Van Wert Elks Lodge is happy to be able to assist Trinity Friends with this important service its provides the citizens of the community in need.
POSTED: 09/28/20 at 12:30 am. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent/submitted information
LIMA — The following construction projects are anticipated to affect highways in Van Wert County this week. All outlined work is weather permitting.
U.S. 30 at U.S. 224, both eastbound and westbound in Van Wert, will be restricted to one lane through the work zone for a project that will reconstruct and lower the pavement beneath the U.S. 224 overhead to increase vertical clearance. The project also includes drainage work, and replacement of barrier wall and guardrail. The project is expected to be completed late October.
- U.S. 30 westbound entrance ramp from U.S. 224 will close on September 16 for approximately 30 days.
- Detour: U.S. 30 eastbound to U.S. 127 back to U.S. 30 westbound (see map).
- U.S. 30 traffic will be maintained in one lane in each direction.
- Liberty Union Road from U.S. 30 to Terry Road closed August 10 for approximately three months.
Multi Route paving project began work August 10. The project includes resurfacing of the existing pavement, pavement repairs, work on curb ramps, and widening of bridge approaches on U.S. 224. Lane restrictions will be in place with traffic being maintained by flaggers. Work is expected to be finished by early October.
- U.S. 224 from the Indiana state line to the city of Van Wert.
- U.S. 127 from the CSX Railroad line north of Main Street to the intersection of U.S. 127, U.S. 224, and Marsh Road.
- Ohio 118 in Van Wert the bridge over Town Creek to U.S. 127/Washington Street.
- Ohio 709 from Ohio 118 to Township Road 58.
POSTED: 09/28/20 at 12:26 am. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent/submitted information
Brumback Library’s Fall Book Sale will be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, October 3, in the library’s Reading Room at 215 W. Main St. in Van Wert.
Books, DVDs, paperbacks, and a wide array of other materials will be available for purchase.
POSTED: 09/28/20 at 12:24 am. FILED UNDER: News
Editor’s note: This is one of a number of articles published in conjunction with Paulding County’s Bicentennial celebration. This article, the first of a two-part series, originally was written for Visions Volume 6, published by the Paulding County Progress in 2005. Some entries have been updated.
MELINDA KRICK/for the Van Wert independent
PAULDING — Emerald Road. Antwerp. Benton Township. Auglaize River. Local residents hear and see dozens of familiar place names every day around Paulding County, but give them little thought. However, there’s a history behind every name of every township, waterway, town, school, and landmark. As people study a map of Paulding County, the words printed on it reflect the times and the circumstances of the men and women who settled here.
Some names have their origins in other cities and countries. Politicians, military heroes, and other famous people were memorialized by some communities. In other places, names given by Native American peoples are still in use after several hundred years. The region’s early French and British influences colored some choices for place names, while still other sites were named for the surroundings, local industries, or the men who founded the town. The sources of some names may be lost to history forever.
The following are some local places and how they got their names:
Antwerp — W. Wilshire Riley, General Horatio N. Curtis, and Samuel Rice surveyed the town in 1841. They consulted a post office directory to find a name not already used. Riley suggested “Antwerp.” It comes from Antwerp, Belgium. The area had many settlers from Germany and Holland.
Arena — Unknown. It was a crossroads community in Paulding Township in the late 1890s.
Arthur — Named in honor of Chester A. Arthur, then president of the U.S., when a post office was established there in 1884.
(more…)POSTED: 09/26/20 at 12:31 am. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent/submitted information
COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on Friday completed the final review of groups that will receive $59 million in federal grant money to help crime victims in Ohio.
There are 343 awards to programs totaling $55.5 million in grants from the federal Victims of Crime Act fund and 188 programs receiving a total of $3.5 million from the State Victim Assistance Act fund.
“The organizations receiving these grants provide vital resources to families during one of the most difficult times of their lives,” Attorney General Dave Yost said. “It is important that every dollar go to support these victims and help them recover.”
A local organization receiving Victims of Crime Act funding is the YWCA of Van Wert County, which was awarded $227,983.08 for its domestic violence and sexual assault services.
The grant funding for 2021 provides services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, as well as children and elderly victims of crime and crime victims with disabilities.
Attorney General Yost has made it a priority that the funds, provided mostly by the federal government, go to groups that have direct, frontline interactions with victims of crime including sexual assaults, domestic violence and other violent crime with traumatic effects on peoples’ lives.
Despite the reduction in grants, the attorney general remains committed to these vital programs in Ohio as a majority of groups will still receive at least two-thirds of the funding they received the previous year. The funding is effective for these programs which include crime victim services in county prosecutor’s offices, family shelters and children advocacy groups across Ohio.
Earlier this year Yost joined attorneys general from all 50 states in calling on members of Congress to increase funding for crime victims. The fund has dwindled significantly from $112 million in 2018 to $55.5 million this year.
The federal grant money comes from the Victims of Crime Act of 1984. Deposits to the fund come from criminal fines, penalties and assessments from the U.S. Attorneys’ Office, forfeited bail bonds and other fees collected by federal courts and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
POSTED: 09/26/20 at 12:06 am. FILED UNDER: News
Crestview seniors (above) Breena Grace, daughter of Jeff and Nanette Grace, and Dalton Castle, son of Josh and Brenda Castle, were crowned the school’s 2020 Fall Homecoming queen and king. Other members of the homecoming court (below, with the king and queen) include freshmen Myia Etzler, daughter of Andy Etzler and Krista Dailey, and Garrett Yinger, son of Greg and Leisa Yinger; sophomores Addyson Dowler, daughter of John and Becky Dowler, and Carson Hunter, son of Bill and Chris Hunter; juniors Allya Clouser, daughter of Chad and Shree Clouser, and Ryan Sowers, son of Randy and Lesley Sowers; and senior attendants Kali Small, daughter of Jay and Jessica Small; Trever Sheets, son of Brian and Tonya Sheets; Andrea Tussing, daughter of Vince and Jane Tussing, and Carson Kreischer, son of Trent and Chrissy Kreischer. The bottom photo is of Queen Breena and her court. photos by Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent
POSTED: 09/25/20 at 4:48 pm. FILED UNDER: News
