Rudy D. Walser

Rudy D. Walser, 61, passed away in his home in Van Wert on June 25, 2016. He was born September 8, 1954, the son of P. Elaine (Drake) Walser, who survives in Van Wert, and Fred L. Walser, who preceded him in death. Other survivors include a sister, Rita Walser-Tracy of Van Wert; two brothers, […]

City Council OKs Westwood speed hike

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor Van Wert City Council split on the issue of raising the speed limit on Westwood Drive, but voted 5-2 to approve legislation that would increase the speed limit to 35 mph on a portion of the street from Ervin to Fox roads. Prior to the vote, local attorney Aaron Baker, who has […]

Ribbon cut on renovations

HCF Management Inc. President Jim Unverferth cuts the ribbon on a newly renovated Van Wert Manor on Monday afternoon. Van Wert Manor’s completed renovations are the first of planned refurbishing of the company’s other facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania (click here for renovation photos). The public will have a chance to view the renovations during an open […]

ODH director talks about opiates, Zika

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor Mosquitoes and drugs were topics of conversation when Ohio Department of Health Director Rick Hodges visited with The Van Wert independent on Monday afternoon. Hodges, who was appointed health department director in 2014 by Governor John Kasich, has been visiting Ohio counties to discuss the state’s opioid problem, as well as ODH […]

ODH trapping mosquitoes

The Ohio Department of Health will be conducting surveillance on mosquitos to test for West Nile Virus in Van Wert County, beginning in the next couple of weeks. The mosquito trapping will continue throughout the summer. Surveillance and testing are being done to see if mosquitos in the county are carrying the West Nile Virus […]

Public employees group plans meeting

VW independent/submitted information The Van Wert County Public Employees Retirees Inc. group will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 13, in the Fireside Room of Trinity Friends Church on North Franklin Street in Van Wert. The speaker for the day will be State Representative Tony Burkley, who represents the 82nd Ohio House District. Mr. Burkley will […]

Business Day sponsor

Purmort Brothers Insurance will be sponsoring a Business Day at the Camp Clay Aqua Park this summer. Local businesses purchase the day for the Van Wert community; access includes swimming, a floating playground, zip-line, paddleboats, a half-acre beach, and the 3,600-square-foot splash pad, which was new last year.  New in 2016 are water cannons at […]

Paula O. (Etzler) Koenemann

Paula O. “Polly” (Etzler) Koenemann passed away at 2:20 a.m. Sunday, June 26, 2016, at Van Wert County Hospital in Van Wert. She was born September 21, 1918, in Convoy, the daughter of Fred and Martha (Muntzinger) Etzler, who both preceded her in death. On November 16, 1941, she married Robert “Bob” Koenemann, who died […]

Ohio’s gasoline prices on downward trend

VW independent/submitted information After several weeks of rising gasoline prices, Ohio — and Van Wert County — is seeing a welcome decrease in fuel prices. Furthermore, it’s a situation that analysts say is likely to continue for some time. Average retail gasoline prices in Ohio have fallen 14.8 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.34 per […]

Large moth spotted

Local resident Keith Langdon’s wife spotted this Cecropia moth on the side of his house in the southeast section of Van Wert and Langdon took a photo after moving it to a nearby bush. Later, a second moth joined the first one the Langdons saw. The moths — the largest found in Ohio — have […]