The Van Wert County Courthouse

Monday, Oct. 6, 2025

VW independent/submitted information The Optimist Club of Van Wert invites area students to enter its annual Oratorical contest for the opportunity to win prize money and the possibility of earning thousands of dollars in scholarships. The Optimist Club Oratorical Contest is set for Sunday, March 14, and will be conducted online via Zoom. Students are asked to […]

POSTED: 01/22/21 at 11:32 pm. FILED UNDER: News

Submitted information COLUMBUS — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health will extend Ohio’s 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew until Saturday, January 30 (order). The curfew does not apply to those going to and from work, those who have an emergency, or those who need medical care. The curfew is […]

POSTED: 01/22/21 at 11:22 pm. FILED UNDER: News

Van Wert independent sports Here are final scores of area boys’ high school basketball games played on Friday, January 22. NWC Crestview 72 Ada 31 Delphos Jefferson 47 Paulding 45 Lincolnview 86 Allen East 48 Spencerville 47 Bluffton 36 WBL Defiance 66 Bath 48 Ottawa-Glandorf 80 Celina 43 Shawnee 72 Van Wert 46 Wapakoneta 55 […]

POSTED: 01/22/21 at 10:08 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports

Sandra Glenna Wood, 80, of Van Wert, passed away at 5:40 p.m. Thursday, January 21, 2021, at her home. She was born October 20, 1940, in War, West Virginia, the daughter of Willard Lee Porter and Maggie Alvina (Rambo) Porter, who both preceded her in death. On November 13, 1961, she married John Roger Wood, […]

POSTED: 01/22/21 at 5:49 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries

Note: This week’s Friday Flashback takes us back to January of 2012, when the Van Wert Cougars eked out a close basketball win at Celina. Below is the story as it appeared on the VW independent Sports page. DAVE MOSIER/independent sports CELINA — The Van Wert Cougar boys’ basketball team has struggled many times in […]

POSTED: 01/22/21 at 4:51 am. FILED UNDER: Sports

Van Wert independent sports LIMA — Van Wert traveled to Shawnee to take on the Indians in a Western Buckeye League matchup and came away victorious 45-32. Five Cougar wrestlers won their matches, and three others won by forfeit. “We seem to be on a bit of a roll,” Van Wert head coach Ben Collins […]

POSTED: 01/22/21 at 4:50 am. FILED UNDER: Sports

Van Wert independent sports Lincolnview 52 Allen East 47 HARROD — Zadria King scored a season high 20 points and Annie Renner added 10, as Lincolnview rallied in the fourth quarter for a 52-47 win over Allen East on Thursday. It was the third win in four games and the first Northwest Conference victory of […]

POSTED: 01/22/21 at 4:50 am. FILED UNDER: Sports

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor The medical staff at Van Wert Health and Van Wert Health North received a tangible — and edible — “thank you” on Thursday for all the hard work they have put in caring for local COVID-19 pandemic patients. Local businesses Straley Realty and Keister & Baker Law Office partnered to provide approximately […]

POSTED: 01/22/21 at 12:23 am. FILED UNDER: News

VW independent/submitted information First United Methodist Church of Van Wert has selected Jeremy Laukhuf to be its new praise and worship leader. As the praise and worship leader, he will lead music and worship at the casual/contemporary service, currently meeting at 8:30 Sunday mornings.  Laukhuf and his family moved to Van Wert in 2019, and […]

POSTED: 01/21/21 at 11:40 pm. FILED UNDER: Church

VW independent/submitted information COLUMBUS — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided the following updates Thursday on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Phase 1B vaccinations Governor DeWine discussed the vaccine distribution for Phase 1B, which began this week for those ages 80 and up. Governor DeWine was joined today by several Ohioans who […]

POSTED: 01/21/21 at 10:52 pm. FILED UNDER: News