Chamber Business Expo coming in Sept.

VW independent/submitted information The Van Wert Biz Expo & Taste of Van Wert County, after selling out of exhibitor space for the last four years — with more than 1,000 attendees — returns to Wassenberg Art Center on Thursday, September 28. Registration for businesses is now open at www.vanwertchamber.com. Exhibitor space will be reserved on […]

VW Rib Fest

As if great food and entertainment, along with pleasant temperatures, weren’t enough, free admission provided by Long Prairie Wind also gave people an incentive to come  to this year’s Van Wert Rib Fest, held over the weekend at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds. Above, crowds line up in front of rib vendors, while (below) Nashville Crush […]

Wassenberg exhibit features scrap art

VW independent/submitted information Toledo and Detroit come together in Van Wert at the Wassenberg Art Center in a unique exhibit of scraps from opposite ends of the spectrum. One of the participants, Scrap Detroit, is a collection of work stemming from the Scrap Detroit event held in Detroit on August 12, in which 12 teams […]

ODOT lists highway projects for week

VW independent/submitted information LIMA — The Ohio Department of Transportation’s District 1 has listed the following highway construction projects in Van Wert, Paulding, and Putnam counties for the coming week: Van Wert County The following routes and locations will be restricted at times to one lane through the work zone until fall for resurfacing. Work […]

Ohio gasoline prices fall a bit last week

Submitted information Average retail gasoline prices in Ohio have fallen 4.6 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.25 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 gas outlets in Ohio. This compares with the national average that has increased 2.1 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.33 per […]

Kitson to throw 1st Wren tourney pitch

VW independent/submitted information WREN — Longtime Wren area resident Jim Kitson will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the 26th annual Wrenway Park Wiffleball Tournament. Festivities begin Friday, August 18, at 5:50 p.m. at the Wiffleball Warehouse in Wren. Kitson has been active in the Wren area throughout his life, and participated as an […]

The Week Ahead in Prep Sports

Van Wert independent sports (Please note: schedule subject to change) Monday, August 7: Golf: Crestview at Columbus Grove (Country Acres Golf Course) 9 a.m. Golf: Van Wert at Defiance Golf Invite (12 teams, Eagle Rock Golf Course) 9 a.m. Tuesday, August 8: Golf: Crestview, Lincolnview, Paulding, Columbus Grove (Hickory Sticks Golf Course) 9 a.m. Volleyball: […]

Jeffrey L. Garwood

Jeffrey L. Garwood of Van Wert passed away at 12:45 a.m. Friday, August 4, 2017, at Lima Memorial Hospital. He was born December 31, 1962, in Van Wert, the son of Hazel (Rhodenbaugh) Garwood, who survives in Van Wert, and Doyle Garwood, who preceded him in death. Survivors include two children, Jared Garwood and Brittnie […]

Viola D. Hofacker

Viola D. “Vi” Hofacker, 85, of Van Wert, and formerly of Scott, passed away at 7:03 a.m. Sunday, August 6, 2017, at the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center. She was born December 6, 1931, in Ohio City, the daughter of Chester Francis Ketner and Clela Doloris (Alt) Ketner Stoepfel, who both preceded her in […]

Master Gardeners host butterfly release

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor A number of local children had the opportunity to learn about butterflies on Friday, and then release 70 Painted Lady butterflies at Smiley Park’s Children’s Garden. The event began with a program by Master Gardener Ruth Ann Covey on the life cycle of butterflies, from their start as caterpillars, through the chrysalis […]