Local baseball coaches happy with change

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor All three of Van Wert County’s high school baseball coaches are pleased with a decision by Ohio High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors that will slightly alter the season, starting in 2019. Last fall, the board rejected a proposal to extend the season by two weeks, but by a 7-2 […]

Lancers fare well at Wayne Trace Invite

Van Wert independent sports/submitted information HAVILAND — Lincolnview’s track and field teams competed in the 14 team Wayne Trace Invitational on Friday night, with the Lady Lancers taking home the runner-up trophy placing only five points behind champion Pettisville, and the Lancers placing fourth overall, behind Tinora, Edon and Fairview. Lincolnview’s two teams scored 140 […]

Crestview competes at Minster Invite

Van Wert independent sports MINSTER — Crestview’s boys finished in a 14th place tie with Waynesfield-Goshen, while the girls finished 14th in the Minster Memorial Invitational Track Meet held in the rain on Saturday. Tyler White finished 6th in the 110 meter hurdles (17.45) and 6th in the 300 meter hurdles (45.15), while Nick Springer […]

Coaches and ADs: Nominations needed

Van Wert independent sports All area spring sports coaches and athletic directors are encouraged to send in nominations for the Van Wert independent/Northwest Ohio Welch Trophy Student Athlete of the Week. Nominations for the award must be submitted via email (sports@thevwindependent.com) by 12 p.m. on Tuesday. One name will be drawn each week and the […]

Patricia Louise (Seekings) Bigham

Patricia Louise (Seekings) Bigham, 87, of Van Wert passed away at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 15, 2018, at Vancrest Health Care Center in Van Wert. She was born April 2, 1931, in Van Wert, the daughter of Thomas Seekings and Mary Josephine Hurley, who both preceded her in death. On September 4, 1949, she married […]

TFC to host leadership summit simulcast

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor Providing leadership events has become a new traditional locally, with the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce sponsoring the annual one-day Leadercast event for five years, including the 2018 event. Now, Trinity Friends Church is hosting a simulcast of the two-day Global Leadership Summit, which provides more of a spiritual take on […]

Wassenberg sets Art Park groundbreaking

VW independent/submitted information Wassenberg Art Center in Van Wert will host a special groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 17, to celebrate the new art park it will be constructing in a former parking lot behind the art center. The project was made possibly by funds obtained by the art center through the Ohio […]

DeWine says naloxone rebate extended

Submitted information COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that a rebate agreement that has saved Ohio agencies more than $730,000 on the cost of naloxone has been extended for another year. The renewed agreement with Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will continue to allow non-federal public entities in Ohio to receive a $6 rebate for each […]

ODOT promotes highway work-site safety

Submitted information LIMA — Recently, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) kicked off its $2.35 billion construction year, with nearly 1,000 projects occurring that will preserve existing roads and bridges, enhance capacity, and improve safety. In observance of National Work Zone Awareness week, ODOT is emphasizing that this investment into Ohio’s valuable transportation network cannot take place without […]

Commissioners address wind issue

A few weeks ago, a group of business leaders and educators came to us to express their support for wind energy in Van Wert County. They extolled the financial benefits to the schools, businesses, and government offices that the current wind farm has brought and that subsequent wind projects would bring. We greatly appreciated that […]