YWCA’s new facility will help impact Youth Development

Delphos accepting mayoral applications

VW independent staff

DELPHOS – The City of Delphos is currently accepting letters of interest for the position of mayor. The deadline to submit is 4 p.m. this Friday, September 18. Interviews will be conducted on the evening of Monday, September 21.

To be considered, an applicant must be a resident of Delphos (Van Wert County or Allen County side) for at least six months, must be a registered voter in Van Wert County or Allen County and have voted in the last two elections.
 
The person chosen will fill the remainder of the term, which expires on December 31, 2027.

Letters of interest and/or resumes may be submitted to the Administrative Assistant’s Office at the Municipal Building, 608 N. Canal St., Delphos, or via email at adminassist@cityofdelphos.com.

Former Mayor Andre McConnahea stepped down September 4 to focus on his family’s small business. He was elected as a write-in during the November, 2023 election. Delphos City Council President Mark Clement has assumed mayoral duties temporarily.

Historical Society plans two events

Submitted information

The Van Wert County Historical Society has an events-filled week this week. From 6-8 p.m. Thursday, September 17, the Historical Society will hold its final walking historical cemetery tour, Heroes of Van Wert. This program will highlight eight men who made a big impact on Van Wert – John S. Brumback, George Marsh, Charles Wassenberg, Lt. Isaac Newton Alexander, Dr. Phillip John Hines, Davis Johnson, John Strandler and Alonzo Conant. This is a walking tour where eight community members will share the heroes’ stories at their resting place. It will be approximately one mile of walking, so wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. If the weather does not cooperate the event will be postponed until late spring. If it’s necessary to postpone the event, it will be posted on the Brumback Library and Historical Society’s Facebook pages. The event is co-sponsored by the Brumback Library and Woodland Cemetery Trustees and staff.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, September 20, the Van Wert County Historicial Society will expand on one of the cemetery tour Civil War heroes. Harrison Frech as Lt. Colonel Isaac Alexander and Lucus Minnick as First Lt. Caleb Roberts of the 46th Ohio Volunteer Infantry will tell their stories based on their diaries and letters preserved and housed at the VWCHS. 

Both events are free and open to the public.

Bierman to perform…

Denver Bierman of the popular Denver and the Mile High Orchestra will perform this Sunday night in Van Wert. He’ll perform at 6:30 p.m. at Trinity Friends Church, 605 N. Franklin St. No tickets are required. A freewill offering will be received. Photo submitted

Trustees change meeting date

Submitted information

The regularly scheduled meeting of the Union Township Trustees on at o 8 p.m. Thursday, September 24, has been rescheduled to 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 23, at the township building.

Restored bells at St. Mark’s to ring again

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

There’s nothing quite like the sound of church bells, especially in a small town. After a three year hiatus, bells at one church in Van Wert will soon sound again.

The bells have been restored to their former glory and this week, crews have been reinstalling bells in the tower of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church on N. Washington St.

According to St. Mark’s Office Administrator Meisa Coplin, the project took three years and ran into an unanticipated delay when the original contractor hired for the job went out of business. Smith’s Bell and Clock Service of Camby, Indiana, was the same company that hired to handle the historic clock at the corner of Main St. and Washington St. The chuch then hired The Verdin Company, based in Cincinnati, to take over the project, which was an extensive one.

Work included any repairs that were necessary to the bells, the installation of new clappers, and a thorough cleaning.

“They look like brand new bells,” Coplin said while noting all 10 bells have been reinstalled.

The wooden cradle that held the bells in the tower was completely taken out, according to Coplin, and it was replaced with a new one made of steel.

Along with the bells and the cradle, work was done on the tower itself, including tuckpointing, cleaning or as Coplin put it, a whole “re-do.”

Library, schools: an education partnership

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 the partnership between the library and our local schools is explored. Resources used to write this article include “The Library” by Saida Brumback Antrim, a letter written by Beth (Ramsey) Coon and an essay written by Mrs. Virgie Ackom Purk. 

By Theresa Mengerink

As students head back to school, it is a good time to look back at the long relationship between The Brumback Library and the schools of Van Wert County.

From the library’s earliest years, providing teachers and students with educational resources has been an important mission. In 1902, the superintendent of the Van Wert Schools, Mr. J. P. Sharkey asked the library to provide special library cards for teachers. These “teacher cards” allowed educators to borrow up to four books at one time for use in their schoolwork. The program quickly gained interest and by 1903 more than 52 teacher cards had been issued.

The partnership continued to expand. By 1905, teachers were permitted to borrow collections of books for use in their classrooms as long as they kept accurate circulation records and submitted them to the library director.

This program gave students greater access to library materials directly in their schools. In 1906, The Brumback Library established a special school library department containing approximately 500 volumes. The books were carefully selected, with an emphasis on materials that had educational value and could support classroom instruction. The program soon reached schools throughout Van Wert County. By 1907, the library had 192 registered teachers, and every township in the county had at least one school library, with some having as many as seven.

A major change in public education came in 1913 when the Ohio Legislature passed a comprehensive public school law requiring rural schools to maintain libraries containing at least 50 books. Because The Brumback Library was already supplying books to local schools, the library agreed to help ensure that schools throughout the county had the number of books required under the new law, saving districts lots of money.

Over the years, The Brumback Library continued to adapt its services as the needs of local schools changed. As smaller schools consolidated and new school buildings were constructed with their own libraries, the need for The Brumback Library’s school branches gradually declined. The library shifted its focus toward helping teachers and students locate books, reference materials and other resources that might not be available in their school libraries.  Today, that educational partnership continues in new ways. Teachers and students still turn to The Brumback Library for materials that support classroom learning, research and special projects. As homeschooling has grown, the library also serves families looking for books and other resources to supplement their curriculum. More than a century after the first teacher cards were issued, supporting education remains an important part of The Brumback Library’s service to the community.

Football Friday!

Crestview freshman quarterback Calin Balliet (15) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a touchdown against Spencerville Friday night. Balliet made his first start and the Knights defeated Spencerville 41-8. Van Wert was in action Friday night as well but the Cougars didn’t fare as well, falling to Celina 49-28. Full game stories can be found on the Sports page. Bob Barnes/Van Wert independent

Partnerships highlighted at conference

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Western Buckeye Educational Service Center, in partnership with Van Wert Economic Development, presented its Industry Sector Partnership Grant and student mentorship initiative this week at the Ohio Educational Service Center Association Fall Connect & Collaborate Conference in Columbus.
 
WBESC Superintendent Missy McClurg, WBESC Workforce Navigator Christine Grothaus, and Van Wert Economic Development Workforce Development Manager Lauren Buchanan shared how collaboration among education, economic development including Paulding Economic Development, local businesses, and community organizations can create meaningful career-connected learning opportunities for students while strengthening the future workforce of Paulding and Van Wert counties.
 
The presentation, “The Collaborative Catalyst: Western Buckeye ESC’s Industry Sector Partnership Grant,” highlighted WBESC’s new $100,000 Ohio Department of Development SPARK Grant for the 2026–27 school year. The initiative is designed to build stronger connections between local employers and high school students through mentorship, career exploration, and hands-on problem solving.

At the center of the grant is a mentorship program connecting high school juniors with local business and community mentors based on students’ career interests and aptitude information. Participating businesses and community organizations contribute $500 and provide a mentor. Each student-mentor team then receives $1,300 in project funding to work together to identify and address a real business or community challenge.
 
Mentor teams will meet six times throughout the school year and participate in mentor training and strengths-based development. Students will gain career exploration, real-world experience, personal finance skills, confidence, workplace connections, and opportunities to learn more about careers available within their own communities. Teams may also participate in tours of local businesses, manufacturing facilities, colleges, or mentor workplaces based on student interests and future career plans.
 
The new initiative builds upon a previous successful Community Connectors Grant mentorship model and expands the concept across Paulding and Van Wert counties. Local economic development organizations have been instrumental in helping WBESC connect with businesses, share the opportunity throughout the region, and build the partnerships necessary to bring the program to life.

United Equity hit with suspension

Submitted information

REYNOLDSBURG – The Ohio Department of Agriculture has suspended grain handling operations at United Equity, Inc. in Delphos, with branch locations in Spencerville and Celina, after a department audit confirmed a financial shortfall. The company’s grain handler’s license has been suspended to prevent more outstanding obligations from being incurred and to facilitate a possible remedy via the Grain Indemnity Fund.

If you believe you have outstanding grain obligations with United Equity, Inc. and have questions, call ODA at 614.728.6410. Ohio’s Grain Indemnity Fund was created in 1983 to reimburse farmers when a licensed handler becomes insolvent. Claims to the indemnity fund are handled through ODA’s Grain Feed & Seed Section in conjunction with the recommendation of the Ohio Commodity Advisory Commission.

Ohio Revised Code gives priority to the automatic lien established and held by the department for the benefit of farmers in the event of a grain handler’s failure or insolvency. The department’s liens will now have priority over all competing lien claims asserted against the handler, ensuring that the indemnity fund receives maximum reimbursement in the asset liquidation process.

Readers recall learning about 9/11 attacks

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

One of the most shocking and tragic incidents in U.S. history occurred 25 years ago. We refer to it quite simply as “9/11.”

September 11, 2001, was the day four jetliners were hijacked and used to carry out terrorists attacks in New York City and Washington DC. A fourth attack was aborted when passengers aboard one of the jets revolted and overpowered the hijackers, causing the aircraft to crash in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Two of the jets hit the Twin Towers in Lower Manhattan, causing the eventual collapse of those structures, while another crashed into the Pentagon.

In all, the attacks, along with the jet in Pennsylvania, claimed 2,977 lives.

The news of what had happened started to trickle in. Coverage began after the first jet hit one of the Twin Towers. Many people were watching live television coverage when the second tower was hit and many more were watching when the towers collapsed. News came in of the attack on the Pentagon, along with the crash in Pennsylvania, then the second tower collapse. All of it happened between 8:46 a.m. and 10:28 a.m. on that fateful Tuesday morning.

Americans of all ages were glued to radios and televisions that day. We wanted to know exactly what happened and why it happened. There were fears of other attacks. We were in disbelief that day and we began to mourn those who had been lost while wondering what was next. Many churches opened their doors for people to unite, to grieve, to reflect and to pray for those lost, their families and the country.

We as Americans learned of the news in different ways and at different times that day. Some of us were at work, some were at school or at home, some were away from home. This week, the VW independent reached out to readers, asking them to share their memories of that unforgettable and tragic day.

“I was in my kitchen watching the Today Show and Al Roker said the first plane was a tragic accident and then the second plane hit and he immediately said we are under attack. I then called my daughter Rachel at The Ohio State University and she told me they were on lockdown, she was a RA, responsible for keeping the housing unit locked and other students calm. I called my mom here in Van Wert, then went to the high school to pick up my daughter Jordan who turned 16 on that very day, she was wearing a t-shirt with the skyline of NYC. Our son Robby drove from school and I stopped by my parents home in town. Mine and my sibling’s families that lived in Van Wert gathered there for a short time, everyone had left work and the younger kids had been picked up from school. My first thoughts were where are my kids, my husband was at home, recovering from cancer surgery, and all our family was safe and accounted for. I was just numb and confused about what was actually being reported. I went to an emergency mass at 3 p.m. that afternoon in Paulding, everyone looked shell shocked, puffy eyes from crying, and it was silent, very little talking. The days after were spent glued to the TV and talking on the phone with other family members and our daughter who was still in Columbus, in disbelief as to what actually happened and what it meant for the future.” – Janet Worthington Galloway, Van Wert