Crestview BOE to meet Monday night

VW independent staff

CONVOY — The Crestview Local Schools Board of Education will meet on final time in 2025 and it appears the agenda is light.

Among the items on Monday’s agenda – recognition of state golf qualifier Mathew Dealey, state cross country qualifiers Anna Gardner and Emily Heath and the Division IV state champion boys cross country team.

The board is expected to accept a handful of donations, receive a facilities update from Superintendent Matt Dube and see the list of proposed board meetings for 2026. Board members are also expected to set 6 p.m. Monday, January 12, as the date for the annual organizational meeting, followed by the regular monthly meeting. A memorandum of understanding with the Crestview Employees Association regarding paraprofessionals is scheduled for a vote, and an executive session to discuss personnel is planned as well.

Monday’s meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room.

Friday fire call…

The Van Wert Fire Department responded to a home on W. Maple St. at around 1:40 p.m. Friday, due to an electrical device in the ceiling malfunctioning and briefly catching fire. Upon arrival the fire was out. Firemen checked the surrounding area to make sure it had not spread. There was some damage to the immediate area. Along with the fire department, the Van Wert Police Department, Van Wert County CERT were at the scene. City of Van Wert personnel were called to salt the affected road surfaces of the affected area. Bob Barnes/VWFD photographer

Drones to help local Sheriff’s Office

VW independent staff

Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas M. Riggenbach has announced the recent acquisition of drones for his department. Sheriff Riggenbach said the purchase was made possible via donations from the Cooper Family Foundation, Diana Cooper, and the Van Wert County Foundation, Tim A. Rolsten and Patricia A. Rolsten Memorial Fund. Sheriff Riggenbach stated that he is very appreciative of the donations his office received to start a drone program.

The drones are being used in various ways by the pilots to assist them in their duties. The drones can also help improve the safety of deputies and other first responders on a wide range of calls they respond to.
 
Sheriff Riggenbach said there are six members of the Sheriff’s Office who have received the Part 107A training to obtain their pilot license. The training was obtained through the Vantage Career Center earlier this year.

Park St. fire…

The Van Wert Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire at 1118 Park St. at 8:15 p.m. Thursday, where arriving crews observed heavy smoke coming from a two-story home. Firefighters initiated an offensive interior attack, however, upon entry they found the second-floor area unstable. Command ordered all personnel to evacuate and operations transitioned to a defensive exterior attack for firefighter safety. One firefighter sustained an injury after slipping on ice and was treated at the scene. Due to the compromised structural integrity of the building, an interior fire investigation could not be safely conducted, and the cause of the fire remains undetermined. The fire was brought under control at 10:50 p.m. and all units cleared the scene at 12:17 a.m. this morning. Bob Barnes/VWFD photographer

Straley wins pickleball nat’l championship

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A local man and a northeast Indiana woman are officially national champions.

Neil Straley, 55, of Van Wert and Melissa Prows, 49, of Fort Wayne, won the USA Pickleball Amateur National Championship Gold Medal at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, California. They claimed the title on November 22 by winning the Mixed Doubles 3.5 Level and age group 40-49 event.

USA Pickleball is the national governing body for pickleball in the United States. It’s National Championship Series consists of six regional championships held in various locations around the country.

“The National Championship Series is considered the premier event for pickleball in the United States and showcases the best amateur and pro talent,” Straley explained.

In order to be invited to nationals, a doubles team must earn a Golden Ticket. A team must come in first (gold) in a local regional. Straley and Prows won the gold in Cincinnati this past summer to advance to national competition.

“At regionals in Cincinnati we went 5-1 in six pool games to 15 points,” Straley explained. “We earned our way into single elimination tournament with top record teams. We then won two of three games to 11 in final four.  Next in the championship we won two of three.”

There were 11 teams in the duo’s bracket in San Diego.

“Double elimination but if you lost, then bronze was best possibility,” Straley stated. “We had a bye in first round, based on best UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) player ratings. We went 6-1 overall that day and we won the championship by winning two of three games. We lost the first game 9-11, then won 11-4 and 11-3 in Games 2 and 3 to win gold.”

The second place team (silver medalist) was from New York.

Grants available for small fire depts.

Submitted information

COLUMBUS – Applications are now being accepted for the State Fire Marshal’s 2026 Small County Volunteer Fire Department (SCVFD) Grant. Established recently by the 136^th General Assembly via House Bill 96, the nonrenewable grant makes a total of $8 million in funding available for eligible fire departments across the state. Those departments can apply for up to $50,000 each to strengthen their operations, enhance safety, and better serve their communities.

Funding provided by the SCVFD Grant can be used for, but is not limited to, firefighter equipment and gear, rescue equipment and gear, and costs related to fire protection services. To learn more about the SCVFD Grant and to submit an application, fire departments can visit at com.ohio.gov/FireGrant. Applications will be accepted until January 10, 2026.

To be eligible to receive SCVFD Grant funding, applicants must meet both of the following eligibility requirements:

• County Population – Eligible departments must be located in a county that has a population of 70,000 or less per the 2020 U.S. Census. Those qualifying counties include Adams, Ashland, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Champaign, Clinton, Coshocton, Crawford, Darke, Defiance, Fayette, Fulton, Gallia, Guernsey, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Logan, Madison, Marion, Meigs, Mercer, Monroe, Morgan, Morrow, Noble, Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Preble, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Shelby, Union, Van Wert, Vinton, Washington, Williams, and Wyandot counties.
• Volunteer Fire Department Status – Eligible departments must have a volunteer fire department status as defined under Ohio Administrative Code 1301:7-7-02, which states that at least half of the firefighters are volunteer or paid-on-call and not eligible to pay into the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund.

Departments serving multiple counties are eligible only if they are located in a qualifying small county. Non-volunteer departments, and departments in counties with over 70,000 residents are not eligible for this grant funding.

“This grant is more than just funding, it’s a lifeline for Ohio’s small county volunteer fire departments, which are the backbone of our state’s fire service,” said State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon. “These departments often operate with limited resources compared to their larger counterparts, yet they’re first on the scene when their communities need them most. With this support, we’re helping them continue their critical mission of protecting lives and property across Ohio.”

Each year, the Division of State Fire Marshal provides millions in grant funding to the state’s fire departments through other various programs like the MARCS Grant, Equipment Grants, and Training Reimbursement Grants.

Union Township Trustees move meeting

Submitted information

The regularly scheduled meeting of the Union Township Trustees at 7 p.m. Thursday, December 25, has been moved to 12 p.m. December 27, at the Union Township Building, 9977 Dixon Cavett Rd., Van Wert.

Ohio Turnpike tolls going up in 2026

VW independent staff/submitted information

BEREA — It you travel along the Ohio Turnpike, you’ll pay more next year. A 2.7 percent toll rate increase will go into effect January 1.

The toll rate for E-ZPass customers with passenger vehicles (Class 1) will increase to $0.073 (or 7.3 cents) per mile in 2026 from $0.071 (or 7.1 cents) per mile in 2025, and the cash/credit card toll rate will increase to $0.106 (or 10.6 cents) per mile in 2026 from $0.104 (or 10.4 cents) per mile in 2025.

The toll rate for E-ZPass customers with commercial vehicles (Class 5) will increase to $0.226 (or 22.6 cents) per mile in 2026 from $0.220 (or 22 cents) per mile in 2025, and the cash/credit card toll rate will increase to 0.284 (or 28.4 cents) per mile in 2026 from $0.276 (or 27.6 cents) per mile in 2025.

In 2026, the full trip toll fare traveling westbound across the 241-mile Ohio Turnpike (from Pennsylvania to Indiana) for:

• E-ZPass customers with passenger vehicles (Class 1) will cost $19, a $0.50 increase from 2025, and cash/credit card customers will pay $27.75, up $0.75.
• E-ZPass customers with commercial vehicles (Class 5) will pay $58.75, up $1.25, and cash/credit card customers will pay $74, up $1.75.

In 2026, the full trip toll fare traveling eastbound across the Ohio Turnpike (from Indiana to Pennsylvania) for:

• E-ZPass customers with passenger vehicles (Class 1) will cost $16, a $0.50 increase from 2025, and cash/credit card customers will pay $23.50, up $0.50.
• E-ZPass customers with commercial vehicles (Class 5) will pay $49.75, up $1.25, and cash/credit card customers will pay $62.75, up $1.75.

All customers traveling westbound through Eastgate Toll Plaza (near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border) will pay a roundtrip, flat-rate toll. All customers traveling eastbound through Eastgate Toll Plaza do not pay a toll.

Turnpike officials said increases, the Ohio Turnpike’s toll rates still rank among of the lowest in the country. The Commission relies primarily on toll revenue, no tax dollars, to operate and maintain the Ohio Turnpike’s infrastructure, which includes the roadway, bridge, and other projects.
 
The Commission held three public hearings to discuss the toll rate adjustment process from January to February 2023. The Schedule of Tolls for 2024-2028 was approved by the Commission in April, 2023. 

4.5 million Ohioans about to hit the road

VW independent staff/submitted information

AAA projects 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period beginning Saturday, December 20 and ending Thursday, January 1. This year’s forecast is a 2.2 percent increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers. More than 5 million Ohioans are predicted to travel during the holiday season, up 2.5 percent from the same time period last year.

AAA projects 109.5 million Americans will travel by car for their year-end trips, an increase of two percent compared to last year. Driving is the overwhelming favorite among all modes of transportation because of its convenience and low cost. This year, 89 percent of holiday travelers will take road trips. In Ohio, more than 4.5 million are expected to hit the roads.

Gas prices are lower compared to last holiday season when the national average was $3.04 to end 2024. For the first time in four years, the national average dropped below $3 a gallon this month, and prices could continue dropping as 2025 comes to a close. Ohio’s gas price average of $2.67 is 16 cents cheaper than a year ago.

AAA projects a record 8.03 million travelers taking domestic flights this holiday season, a 2.3 percent increase compared to last year. This will be the first time on record that the number of domestic air travelers over the year-end holiday period exceeds 8 million. More than 283,000 Ohioans are expected to take to the skies for year-end trips this year; a two percent increase over last year.

According to AAA data, which is based on what travelers paid when they booked their holiday trips, a roundtrip domestic flight is seven percent more expensive this year, averaging nearly $900 a ticket. The days leading up to Christmas Day are the most expensive, while flying on the holiday itself is cheaper. New Year’s flights are also pricey with many people returning home on New Year’s Day or even squeezing one extra weekend out of the holiday season and coming back on Sunday, January 4.

Travel by other modes is expected to go up by nine percent with 4.9 million people traveling by bus, train, or cruise. This category has seen a 25 percent increase since 2019, mainly due to the record-setting demand for cruises post-pandemic. More than 204,000 Ohioans are expected to travel by other modes. That’s 10 percent higher than 2024 and 55 percent above the year-end travel numbers in the pre-pandemic days of 2019.

ODA releases 2026 fair schedule

VW independent staff/submitted information

REYNOLDSBURG — The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has released the official dates for the 2026 fair season, which includes Ohio’s 94 county and independent fairs and the Ohio State Fair.

As has been the case for many years, the Paulding County Fair will kick off the fair season on June 6, and the season will wrap up on October 17 with the Fairfield County Fair. In between, the Putnam County Fair will be held June 22-27, the Ohio State Fair July 29-August 9, the Auglaize County Fair August 2-8, the Mercer County Fair August 13-19, the Allen County Fair August 21-29, and the Van Wert County Fair September 1-7. For a complete schedule, click here.

“Ohio’s county and independent fairs are an important part of Ohio’s agricultural heritage and play a critical role in supporting youth leadership programs, like 4H and FFA,” said Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge. “When people attend the fair, they are supporting their local community, the agriculture industry, and our next generation of responsible food producers.” 

In addition to setting and approving the dates for the independent and county fairs, ODA is responsible for helping to assure the safety of fair amusement rides, monitoring livestock shows to help assure honest competition, and coordinating animal health efforts with local veterinarians.