Three countywide races to highlight May primary ballot

Three running for area Ohio House seat

VW independent staff

A third person has entered the race in Ohio’s 82nd District seat in the Ohio House of Representatives.

According to Putnam County Board of Elections Director Karen Warnecke, David Plant of Defiance filed before Wednesay’s 4 p.m. deadline as a write-in candidate on the Democratic Party ticket. On Tuesday, Christopher Elder of Paulding filed petitions to run as a Libertarian and last month, incumbent Republican Roy Klopfenstein filed petitions to run for a third term in office.

The 82nd District includes all of Paulding, Putnam and Van Wert counties, and the southern portion of Defiance County.

All three are unopposed in the May primary, meaning they’ll all appear on the November ballot.

Primary set for statewide offices

Submitted information

COLUMBUS — Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has released a list of partisan candidates who submitted petitions to run for statewide office in the May 5 primary election.

“Public service is a patriotic calling, and I want to recognize these candidates for having the courage to get in the arena, as Teddy Roosevelt described it, LaRose said. “Our team at the Secretary of State’s office will now work with the county boards of elections to carefully review every petition signature and determine whether each candidate qualifies to appear on the primary ballot.”

The following candidates filed petitions by Wednesday’s 4 p.m. deadline to run for a statewide office as a partisan candidate.

For U.S. Senate:

• Sherrod Brown (D)
• Jon Husted (R)
• Jeffrey M. Kanter (L)
• William B. Redpath (L)
• Ron Kincaid (D)

For Governor and Lieutenant Governor:

Four men plead guilty to various crimes

VW independent staff

Four defendants changed their respective pleas during hearings held in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court this week. Judge Martin D. Burchfield presided over each of the hearings.

Zachary Craig, 46, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth degree felony. He was then sentenced to three years of community control and 30 days in jail at a later date. In addition, he was ordered to stay in the Team Recovery Ohio program, undergo mental health and substance abuse assessment and treatment, and was ordered to pay court costs.

James Jones, 38, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of assault, a first degree misdemeanor. Sentencing was scheduled for 9 a.m. March 18.

Matthew Daisy, 46, of Rockford, changed his plea to guilty to grand theft of a motor vehicle, a felony of the fourth degree. Judge Burchfield ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. March 18.

Corbin Cornelius, 25, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to an amended charge of domestic violence, a first degree misdemeanor. He was then sentenced to 170 days in jail to run concurrently with his sentence from Van Wert Municipal Court. He was also ordered to pay court costs.

In addition to those hearings, Derek Eland, 33, of Van Wert, admitted to violating his bond by consuming alcohol. He was released on a surety bond, but if released on a prior charge, he’ll be on electronic house arrest. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8 a.m. Wednesday, February 25.

Anthony Diaz, 23, of Defiance requested and was granted a bond modification. He was released on a surety bond. He also signed a time waiver in open court and requested additional time to prepare his case. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 25. Diaz is facing a charge of domestic violence, a fifth degree misdemeanor.

VWCT review: Barefoot in the Park

By DAVE MOSIER

Van Wert Civic Theatre is bringing one of playwright Neil Simon’s biggest hits to the local stage, starting this Friday, with its upcoming production of Barefoot in the Park.

The play, which ran 1,530 performances on Broadway and is Simon’s longest-running hit, was also a movie starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. Redford also starred in the Broadway production.

The play follows a pair of young New York City newlyweds in the Sixties as they begin married life in a small, drafty apartment on the fifth floor of an elevator-less building. While madly in love, Paul and Corie Bratter are also opposites in personality. Paul is a rather conventional young attorney, while Corie is a free-spirited young woman to whom everything is an adventure.

The VWCT cast is small, just Paul (Adam Shanaman), Corrie (Alea Rex), Corie’s mother Mrs. Banks (Amber Evans), an aging roue named Victor Velasco (Travis Nihiser) that Corie sees as a romantic possibility for her widowed mother, a telephone repairman (Ed Eichler), and a delivery person, (Dizzy Lantz).

As the play begins, the newlyweds’ individual views of their apartment is the first indication the marriage will have its ups and downs — and soon. Paul complains about the hole in the skylight, the small bedroom, and the fact the apartment only has a shower and no bathtub. Corie, on the
other hand, sees the cramped space as charming and romantic.

While cracks in the marriage begin to appear over the apartment, they widen considerably during a disastrous outing with Velasco and Corie’s mother to an Albanian restaurant. The couple get into a hilarious screaming match that ends with Paul sleeping on the couch and Corie’s demand for a divorce.

While the couple eventually reconciles, also hilariously, there is plenty of witty dialogue and physical comedy in between (the long climb to the apartment is a running joke).

Director Joelle May and Assistant Director-Stage Manager Michelle Foster do a great job of bringing Simon’s classic comedy to the VWCT stage, while the cast also maintains the spirit of the production, which features Simon’s signature witty dialogue and crazy situations.

Congressional Art Competition is open

VW independent staff/submitted information

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5) has announced his office is now accepting submissions for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition.  

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students, grades 9-12, who live or attend school in Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Van Wert, Mercer and Paulding counties. The competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition. 

The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Monday, April 13. 

Once received, all artwork will be displayed in the district until honorees are recognized at a reception. The winning piece will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building Complex in Washington, D.C. for one year, and three honorable mention pieces will be displayed in Latta’s district offices. 

“Ohio’s Fifth District is filled with incredibly gifted young artists, and the Congressional Art Competition provides a great opportunity to celebrate their talent,” Latta said. “Every year, I am impressed by the originality and skill displayed in each submission, and I’m excited to see the creative artwork students will share this year.” 

Each student is allowed one entry. Eligible artwork includes the following:

• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc. 
• Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers 
• Collages: must be two-dimensional 
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints 
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, etc. 
• Computer-Generated Art 
• Photography 

Paulding man enters Ohio House race

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A second person has entered the race for the 82nd District seat in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Christopher Elder of Paulding filed his petitions to run on Tuesday. The petitions were filed with the Putnam County Board of Elections, the most populous county in the 82nd District, which also includes all of Paulding and Van Wert counties, along with the southern half of Defiance County. Elder is running as a Libertarian.

“I am excited to offer constituents in the district a different option from the normal status quo,” Elder said while announcing his candicacy. “I believe your personal liberties are yours, and the government’s involvement needs to be limited and transparent.”

Elder also noted his key issues in the upcoming race:

• Ranked choice voting: Allowing greater freedom for voters to be satisfied with members elected to public office.
• Abolish property taxes: Why must Ohioans continue paying copious amounts on something they already own? Seeking alternative community ways to fund local services is the answer, not paying a subscription fee to live in your own home.
• Increased citizen control of government: There is currently no option in Ohio to recall elected officials like the Governor or members of the Ohio House. When your public officials fail you, you should be able to remove and replace them. Otherwise, it’s like buying an item from a store with a “no return” policy. 

Currently, just one other person has filed petitions to run for the Ohio House seat – incumbent Republican Roy Klopfenstein of Haviland, who is seeking his third term in office. The filing deadline is 4 p.m. today. If no one else files, there will be no primary run-off and both Elder and Klopfenstein will square off in November.

Nearly $800K raised in Ohio Senate race

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

With approximately three months to go until the May 5 primary election and nine months until the November general election, it appears the race for Ohio’s First District Senate seat will be an expensive one.

On Tuesday, Republican State Senate candidate Craig Riedel’s camp announced that, as of the most recent campaign finance filings, his campaign had raised a total of $418,720.

“Danette and I have been humbled by the outpouring of support that our campaign has received from so many hardworking, patriotic northwest Ohioans,” Riedel said in a press release. “Since entering the race last April, we’ve knocked over 11,000 doors, attended countless community events, and raised the funds needed to communicate our message to voters in all 10 counties in this district.”

Meanwhile, a press release issued by Jim Hoops, who is a current state representative and is also seeking the GOP nod for the First District Senate seat, said that his annual campaign finance report shows more than $380,000 cash-on-hand for the race.

“With this report, it’s clear that our campaign is prepared, energized, and ready to win,” Hoops said in a press release. “This level of support allows us to focus on meeting voters where they are and talking about the issues that matter most to Northwest Ohio families.”

Both men touted endorsements from various elected officials, community leaders and organizations.

Crestview kindergarten registration info

Submitted information

CONVOY — Crestview Local Schools will hold kindergarten registration for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year from Monday, March 2 through Friday, March 6.

Parents or guardians residing in the Crestview School District with a child five years of age on or before August 19, 2026, may register their child for kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year. Parents/guardians requesting open enrollment for their kindergarten student to the Crestview School District should also register at this time.

Parents/guardians with a preschool student currently enrolled in the Crestview Early Childhood Center and transitioning into kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year can register their child for kindergarten by going to www.crestviewknights.com and filling out the Kindergarten Registration Form Survey.

Parents/guardians who are new to the district and would like to register their child for kindergarten can come to the Crestview Early Childhood Center the week of March 2-6 during the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Please enter through Door #1, which is the main entrance.

When registering your child for kindergarten, parents/guardians will need to bring with them the following documents: the child’s certified birth certificate, the child’s immunization record, custody papers (if applicable), and one proof of residency document (mortgage statement, lease agreement, voter registration card, utility statement, bank statement, or rent receipt). A post office box cannot validate residency requirements.

Delphos residents should conserve water

VW independent staff

DELPHOS — Delphos officials are asking residents to conserve water.

Safety-Service Director Adam Haunhorst said due to the extended drought throughout the region, the city’s water supply has been drawn down to 50 percent of usable capacity.

“We are asking that the citizens of Delphos help to conserve water during this period to help prolong the supply of available water until normal weather conditions return,” he said.

Examples of conservation include:

• Refrain from washing cars
• Shorten showers
• Refrain from running dishwashers or washing machines until full
• Do not run taps constantly while washing dishes or brushing teeth
• Fix any known water leaks and be vigilant for water leaks developing

Haunhorst also said if conditions don’t improve, the city may need to implement Phase II drought protocol.

Honor Flight releases 2026 schedule

VW independent staff/submitted information

FINDLAY — Flag City Honor Flight’s 2026 schedule features three trips to Washington, D.C. – April 14, June 9, and September 15. The flights will depart from the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport

Priority will be given to terminally ill veterans, followed by others in the order their applications were received. Eligibility includes those who served from World War II through the Vietnam War. Flag City Honor Flight serves northwest Ohio, including Van Wert and Paulding counties.

In addition, Flag City Honor Flight has a new leader this year. Will Miller is now president, succeeding Steve Schult. Miller has been a board member since 2012 and has been a part of every flight Flag City Honor Flight has taken. His previous roles have included vice president and media director.

“I am excited to move into the leadership role of this great organization,” Miller stated. “Getting a chance to thank and honor these veterans has been the single greatest highlight of my life. I look forward to moving this organization into the future and to impact as many veterans’ lives as we can.” 

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Schult for his years of service to FCHF and its veterans,” he added. “His leadership has taken this organization to new levels and has guided us to unbelievable success.” 

Schult plans to continue to volunteer for Flag City Honor Flight at welcome home events.

Flag City Honor Flight, Inc. is a 100 percent volunteer-run organization dedicated to providing veterans in northwest Ohio and surrounding areas with the opportunity to visit their war memorials in Washington, D.C., at no cost. Supported by charitable donations, these annual flights honor America’s heroes and their sacrifices for our nation’s freedom. FCHF serves veterans from World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War eras.

Involvement opportunities

• Flag City Honor Flight has created a sponsored package to promote corporate and personal flight sponsorships.
• Community members are invited to donate via the website (flagcityhonorflight.org) or by check.
• Individuals or groups interested in volunteering at welcome home celebrations or hosting third-party fundraisers can connect with the organization throughout the year.