Teleflex/Kongsberg plant purchased

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor The building that housed first Teleflex and then Kongsberg has a new owner, thanks in part to a $127,000 Revolving Loan. Jim Miller, president/CEO of Ottoville-based Miller Precision Manufacturing Industries Inc. thanked Mayor Don Farmer and various local development officials for their help in allowing him to purchase the 130,000-square foot facility, […]

Concession stand fire

Van Wert firefighters were still battling a fire at midnight that started in the concession stand at Smiley Park late Friday night. No information has been released at this point on how and where the fire started; however, the concession stand is most likely a total loss. (Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent)

Ribbon cut on Walmart refurb

Walmart cut the ribbon on a major updating of the Van Wert Supercenter on Friday morning. The local store also donated $3,250 to area organizations, including the Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Wren Community Chest, The Salvation Army, the Hot Air Festival and the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Auxiliary for its Christmas children’s shopping event. (Dave […]

Rib Fest does well despite weather

CVB information The Van Wert Area Convention and Visitors Bureau was pleased with the number of people who came out and enjoyed the sixth annual Van Wert Rib Fest. The crowd was great. “Unfortunately the weather got us again,” said CVB Executive Director Larry Lee. “For the second year in a row, our feature band […]

Flying Farmers

Members of the Flying Farmers organization were in Van Wert on Friday and were able to see some of the local sights, including Central Insurance Company, Brumback Library, the Black Swamp Bistro and FFA jacket maker Universal Lettering (above), which many found especially interesting because of their affiliation with FFA when they were young. (Dave […]

West Nile Virus confirmed in area

ODA information REYNOLDSBURG — The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) today confirmed a case of West Nile Virus in a horse from Shelby County. Samples were collected on August 1 and results were confirmed by the agency on August 6. Mosquitoes can pick up the West Nile Virus from wild birds and may then transmit […]

Chicago soundalike

Brass Transit faithfully recreated the sound of Chicago, although it had to do it indoors at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center because of the rainy, cool weather that hit Van Wert on Friday evening. (Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent)

Rhea B. Swander

Rhea B. Swander, 76, of Ohio City, died at 8:10 a.m. Friday, August 10, 2012, at the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born December 31, 1935, in Ohio City, the daughter of the late Sherman Glenn “Buck” and Edna Mae (Ayers) Fenton. On September 10, 1955, she married Paul W. “Rosie” Swander, […]

Robert D. Ruhlin

Robert D. “Bob” Ruhlin, 85, of Van Wert, died at 3:50 a.m. Thursday, August 9, 2012, at The Laurels of Shane Hill in Rockford. He was born July 28, 1927, in Lima, the son of the late George C. and Illa Pearl (Crow) Ruhlin. On October 31, 1948, at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in […]

Council balks at interfering in deal

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor Van Wert City Council was presented with a difficult — and unwanted — quandary: save a historic city building or bring a new business into the city. Added to the mix is the fact that Council has only days to make a decision. With a contract already in place for the purchase […]