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Jobless rate drops locally and statewide

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Ohio’s unemployment rate decreased statewide in April, according to new figures released this week by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

From March, jobless rates decreased in all 88 counties and ranged from a low of 2.0 percent in Holmes County to a high of 4.7 percent. Both counties are in northeast Ohio.

The statewide average was 3.9 percent.

Van Wert County, along with Mercer, Auglaize, Paulding and Putnam counties fared well in the latest rankings. Mercer County had Ohio’s second lowest jobless rate in April, 2.1 percent. Auglaize County tied Wyandot and Union counties for the state’s fourth lowest unemployment rate, 2.4 percent. At 2.6 percent, Putnam County tied Madison County for the ninth lowest rate. Van Wert County had the state’s 10th lowest umemployment rate (2.7 percent) last month, along with Paulding, Shelby, Lake and Preble counties.

The area’s highest unemployment rate in April was in Allen County, 3.3 percent, still below the statewide average.

According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Van Wert County had an available workforce of 14,000 last month, and 13,600 of those workers were employed. The county’s jobless rate dipped a full percentage point from March and was substantially lower than April of 2025, when it was 4.4 percent.

The latest rankings show 11 counties had unemployment rates at or above 4.0 percent in April. The counties with the highest rates, other than Trumbull were Pike, 4.5 percent; Mahoning, 4.4 percent; Lucas and Ottawa, 4.3 percent; Meigs, 4.2 percent; Monroe and Scioto, 4.1 percent, and Adams and Noble, 4.0 percent.

Willshire woman enters guilty plea

VW independent staff

WAPAKONETA — A Willshire woman arrested in late April in Auglaize County after she was caught with more than $20,000 worth of meth has pleaded guilty to a felony charge.

Records from the Auglaize County Clerk of Courts Office show Nicole Cooper, 43, appeared in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday and changed her plea from not guilty to guilty to one count of possession of drugs with specifications, a first degree felony. In exchange, a charge of trafficking in drugs with specifications, also a first degree felony, was dismissed.

A pre-sentence investigation was ordered and court records show Cooper will be sentenced on August 19. She’s facing a mandatory sentence of 3-11 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000.

Cooper was arrested on April 23 after a traffic stop along Interstate 75 near Wapakoneta. According to a press release issued by the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office, a K-9 was requested to conduct a sniff of the vehicle and gave a positive indication. Deputies then searched the vehicle and found 1.5 pounds of suspected meth along with just over $800 in cash. Cooper was taken to the Auglaize County Corrections Center, where she’ll remain until sentencing.

Hundreds set to graduate from UNOH

VW independent staff/submitted information

LIMA — The University of Northwestern Ohio’s 106th annual commencement exercises will be held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday, June 14, at the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center. A total of 745 graduates from the College of Applied Technologies, College of Business, College of Health Professions, College of Occupational Professions, and Graduate College will receive 917 diplomas and degrees. 125 students have earned two or more credentials.

The 2026 University of Northwestern Ohio graduates represent 40 states (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) and 17 countries (Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Grenada, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United States, United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe).

International students will be recognized with stoles marking their country of heritage, and all military service members and veterans will be recognized with red, white, and blue cords. These graduates and faculty members are being acknowledged to show respect for their service to the United States.

The graduation speaker for this year’s ceremonies is 2017 MBA Graduate Brad Jordan. Jordan is the Director of Talent Acquisition at Crown Equipment Corporation. 

“The classes were very relevant to my day-to-day life both professionally and personally, and that’s why I enjoyed attending UNOH for their online MBA program,” Jordan said. “I could travel for work, and I could be out of state, even out of the country, and still was able to complete the required assignments on time. I would definitely recommend UNOH to anyone who wants to pursue an MBA.”

This year, the University Grand Marshal is Sarah Kidd.  Kidd is an associate professor in the College of Applied Technologies at UNOH. Kidd has been employed by UNOH for 21 years. Brittany Goodman was chosen as the Student Marshal for this year’s graduating class. She will graduate in 2027 with a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness Management.

Elks donation…

Van Wert Lodge No. 1197, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks recently donated $200 to the Van Wert County Council on Aging. The monies will go towards supporting their upcoming 13th annual designer purse bingo fundraiser scheduled for Friday, June 12. The agency will use the donation to purchase designer handbags which will be displayed and used as bingo prizes throughout the fundraiser. The Council on Aging has been serving seniors for 44 years, transporting them every day to medical appointments, grocery stores, pharmacies or social service appointments free of charge. Council on Aging Executive Director Kevin Matthews (above left) accepts the check from Lodge Lecturing Knight Paul Kelly. Photo submitted

Diocese of Toledo announces changes

VW independent staff

Several clergy appointments have been announced by the Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, presiding Bishop of Diocese of Toledo. The appointments will have a direct impact on St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert and other area churches. The full list can be found on the Church page.

Van Wert BOE approves various contracts

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Administrative contracts, including one for Superintendent Mark Bagley, were approved by the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education on Wednesday.

The board approved a five-year contract for Bagley under a retire-rehire provision. Bagley, who previously served as middle school principal, was originally hired as superintendent in March of 2020 and was given a three year contract, which was renewed in February of 2023.

“I was hired (as superintendent) basically during COVID and to go through these six years and then be afforded the ability to come back, I feel very blessed,” Bagley said after the meeting. “Humbly, I love leading this district and everybody else is more important than I am, but I’m happy to serve the district.”

Board members also approved the retire-rehire of Chris Covey, Director of Curriculum and Instruction. He received a three year contract. Other three-year administrative contracts, not under the retire-rehire provision, were approved for Special Services Coordinator Ruth Ann Dowler, Middle School Principal Darla Dunlap, High School Principal Chuck Rollins, and school psychologists Ashlee Featherson and Easton Rudasill.

Van Wert Elementary will have a new principal next year. The board accepted the resignation of current Principal Justin Krogman, who’s leaving for the same position at Shawnee.

Other hires given approval on Wednesday included Meghan Dicke, middle school secretary; Kelsey Cunningham, middle school/high school secretary; Amari Junkins, middle school music and band teacher/high school assistant band director, and John Okuly, assistant to the director of maintenance. The board also approved a long list of elementary paraprofessionals, early childhood center, elementary and middle school summer staff.

Supplemental coaching contracts were approved for Morgan Hicks, high school volleyball volunteer; Morgan Seewer and Dylan Welch, freshman football; Ben Collins, freshman football volunteer; Josiah Poletta, high school football volunteer, and Charlie Witten and Turner Witten, middle school football.

In addition to Krogman’s resignation, a handful of other resignations were accepted, including third grade teacher Dylan Wierwille, early childhood center paraprofessional Emilee Colgan, elementary school paraprofessional Jerrickah Catlin, elementary school secretary Debbie Rager, and custodian Daniel Arend. The board also approved a one-year leave of absence for first grade teacher Jessica Small.

City stepping up apartment parking law

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Residents of downtown Van Wert apartments should be aware – the city is ready to crack down on those who violate existing parking laws.

Van Wert City Council met Wednesday night due to Monday’s Memorial Day holiday and members heard from Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming, who said tenants are prohibited from parking on Main St. and Washington St. between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ban is meant to free up parking for customers of businesses in the downtown area.

“We’ve got apartment dwellers that are taking advantage of that parking downtown so yesterday, emails went out to all the tenants in the apartments about that rule,” he said. “We’re trying to get a little stricter about how we can get some people’s attention because they’re not listening to their landlord, so we’re trying to help out and facilitate some better parking habits.”

Fleming said those who violate the city’s downtown parking laws could face a $40 fine for each infraction.

While nothing has been finalized, council is expected to eventually vote on changes to beef up the city’s policy on door-to-door solicitors. Suggestions included increasing the fee from $50, which was set in the early 1990s, to $100, possibly requiring solicitors to wear city issued ID badges, and increasing the fine for violators from $200 to $500. More discussion is expected at future council meetings.

A discussion was held about possible changes to the city’s junk and rubbish laws, and Law Director John Hatcher announced the successful prosecution of a S. Vine St. property owner who violated the city’s current junk and rubbish laws.

Fourth Ward Councilman Eric Hurless suggested a city ordinance calling for a tree commission be repealed. Hurless said he doesn’t believe such a commission is necessary.

On third and final reading, council approved an ordinance amending the speed limit to 35 miles per hour on Ervin Rd./Van Wert Decatur Rd. from S. Shannon St. to Elks Drive, and a separate ordinance amending the speed limit to 50 miles per hour on Van Wert Decatur Rd from Elks Drive to U.S. 224.

Students of the Month…

Crestview Elementary recently named its Students of the Month sponsored by Van Wert Cinemas. Students making the Knight Leader Board each month are put into a drawing for a free 30-day pass to the movie theater for their entire family. Van Wert Cinemas April and May Students of the Month are: first grade: Kenslee Valle, Rickly Rosebrock, Emoree Bassett, and Brantley Ainsworth; second grade: Emma Lichtensteiger, Halleck Adkins, KayLynn Semer, and Leighton Hamrick; third grade: Cooper Harmon, Aryah Ogg, Dallas Clark, and Easton Tenwalde; fourth grade: Thora Bigham, Ivy Bok, Elijah Taylor, and Henry Schaffner; fifth grade: Colby Tyas and Lucy Moser. Photo submitted

OSHP reports six traffic fatalities

VW independent staff

COLUMBUS — The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reporting six statewide traffic fatalities during over the four-day Memorial Day holiday weekend. It’s the lowest total in 18 years. None of the fatalities occurred in Van Wert County or surrounding Ohio counties.

During the reporting period, May 22-25, troopers made 16,490 traffic enforcement contacts. The total included 355 impaired driving arrests, 66 drug arrests and 2,090 safety belt citations. In addition, the OSHP made 9,179 non-enforcement contacts, including 1,647 motorist assists.

Sargent sentenced, other hearings held

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A Van Wert man accused of supplying drugs that cost another city man his life was in court for sentencing on Wednesdasy.

In Van Wert County Common Pleas Court, Joshua Sargent, 44, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for attempted corrupting another with drugs, a third degree felony. Judge Martin D. Burchfield ordered the sentence to be served concurrently with current 18-month sentence for domestic violence. Sargent was also ordered to pay court costs.

He was originally charged with involuntary manslaughter, a first degree felony, and corrupting another with drugs, a second degree felony, in connection with the early October, 2024 death of KC Kerns, who was 43. His body was found in the wooded lot of the old reservoir at the corner of Blaine St. and Anderson Ave. Sargent was originally charged in May of last year, but the case was later dismissed due to the availability of a witness. Once the witness became available, the charges were refiled.

During a hearing held last month, Sargent changed his plea from not guilty to guilty to the amended count of attempted corrupting another with drugs.

Three other people were sentenced on Wednesday on various unrelated charges.

Adam Stripe, 49, of Van Wert, was sentenced to three years of community control, 100 hours of community service and 30 days in jail at a later date for theft from a person in a protected class, a fourth degree felony. He was ordered to seek and maintain employment, undergo a mental health and substance abuse assessment and any treatment and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,800, plus court costs.

Zachariah Germann, 38, of Van Wert, was sentenced to three years of community control and 30 days in jail at a later date for possession of a fentanyl related compound, a fifth degree felony. He must undergo a mental health and substance abuse assessment and any treatment, perform 52 hours of community service, have no illegal drugs or consume alcohol, undergo random screens, and he was ordered to pay monthly probation fees, restitution in the amount of $800, and court costs.

10 other hearings were held between May 21 and Wednesday, including one additional sentencing hearing.

Michael Whisman, 35, of Van Wert, was sentenced to three years of community control, five weekends in jail, and 30 days in jail at a later date for aggravated assault, a fourth degree felony, and endangering children, a first degree misdemeanor. He must also undergo a mental health and substance abuse assessment and treatment, and was ordered to pay monthly probation fees and court costs.