VW independent’s top stories: No. 4-2

Editor’s note: The VW independent is publishing what it judges to be the Top 10 local stories of 2022. Articles featuring three top stories have appeared each day since Wednesday. The top story will be published on Saturday, December 31.

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

No. 4 – New council members take office

Four new members of Van Wert City Council – half of the city’s governing board – were sworn into office in January.

David Stinnett (Second Ward), Julie Moore (Third Ward), Judith Bowers (At-Large) and Jerry Mazur (Council President) joined city council in January. In addition, Charles White was sworn in as city treasurer.

It wasn’t an easy year for the council. For more than half of the year, various residents complained repeatedly about citations given by the Van Wert Police Department for weed and junk violations. City ordinances dealing with weeds, high grass and junk, hadn’t been enforced on a regular basis in some time, but that changed, starting in late 2021 and into 2022. Some of the meetings became testy but by late fall, the furor seemed to die down.

No. 3 – Derecho causes local damage

The Storm Prediction Center officially classified a June 13 storm that hit Van Wert County and the surrounding area as a derecho.

Van Wert County EMA Director Rick McCoy said wind gusts in the southern part of Van Wert County were estimated at 80 miles per hour with a stretch of damage from near Wren to the east of Ohio City. The heaviest damage from the destructive winds occurred along Ohio 118 near Wren Landeck Rd. and continued to the southeast, crossing US 127 and eventually to the area of Mendon Rd. around Ohio 709 where damage was the most intense.

He said a number of homes were damaged by falling trees, limbs or from the intense winds. Some barns and out buildings in the vicinity also sustained heavy damage.

McCoy also said three rounds of storms moved through the area and created a significant swath of wind damage. At Fort Wayne International Airport, a wind gust of 98 miles per hour was recorded, which caused damage at the airport. That was the strongest wind gust ever measured at the airport, surpassing the precious record of 91 miles per hour during the June 29, 2012 derecho.

No injuries where reported from the storm system. Over 12,500 lightning strikes were recorded in the area according to the lightning sensor at the EMA office.

No. 2 – Minks get loose

In a story that quickly made national headlines, somewhere between 25,000-40,000 mink were released from Lion Farms USA in Hoaglin Township during the overnight hours of November 15.

According to Van Wert County Sheriff Tom Riggenbach, the suspect or suspects intentionally destroyed fencing and released the animals from their cages. It was later said 10,000 mink were unaccounted for.

On the wall near where the fence was cut, the letters “ALF” were spray painted alongside the phrase “we’ll be back.” ALF is short for Animal Liberation Front, a group that goes to extreme measures to protect animals. That group has confirmed responsibility for the act.

No arrests were made in connection with the case.

Just last week, it was announced that Lion farms USA would cease operations and sell its property in Van Wert County.

Saturday: Top story No. 1.