Preliminary judging

Preliminary judging was held Thursday afternoon for the 2019 Peony Festival queen candidates at the Van Wert County Foundation offices in downtown Van Wert. Here, queen candidate Skye Stevenson of Delphos St. John’s High School is interviewed by (from the left) Stephanie Eding, Pat Harris, and Connie Ainsworth. The Peony Pageant will be held Friday, April 5, at the Bagley Auditorium on the campus of The Marsh Foundation. Tickets are now on sale at Touches of Time Antique Mall in Van Wert. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent