Crestview Middle School eighth grader Lainey Gardner (center) successfully defended her title as Van Wert County Spelling Bee champion Sunday at the Marsh Foundation. She clinched her second straight championship by correctly spelling the word “Acrid.” Gardner was presented with a certificate, a plaque and $150. The runner-up was Crestview Middle School seventh grader Lana […]
POSTED: 02/06/23 at 4:43 am. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information CELINA — Anyone interested in learning about honey bees and beekeeping is invited to attend Greater Grand Lake Beekeepers Association’s (GGLBA) 9th annual Beginning Beekeeping Class on March 11, 2023 at the Richardson-Bretz Building in Celina. The class will begin at 8 a.m. and last until 5 p.m. Participants will learn […]
POSTED: 02/06/23 at 4:43 am. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent sports Boys sectional basketball pairings were set on Sunday, using the Martin RPI computer rankings for the first time. Van Wert (12-7) is the No. 3 seed at the Division II Liberty-Benton district. The Cougars opted for an opening round bye and will face the February 22 winner between Elida (7-11) and Upper […]
POSTED: 02/06/23 at 4:43 am. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports Delphos St. John’s 48 Crestview 43 DELPHOS — Freshman guard Cameron Elwer scored 24 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead Delphos St. John’s to a 48-43 upset win over No. 4 Crestview on Saturday. 10 of Elwer’s points came in the fourth quarter, including a 6-for-6 performance at the free […]
POSTED: 02/06/23 at 4:42 am. FILED UNDER: Sports
VW independent sports Here are this week’s high school basketball broadcast schedules for 99.7 WKSD and WERT 1220AM/104.3FM. All games will air live. Games are subject to change. WKSD Monday, February 6 – Wayne Trace at Crestview (girls)Tuesday, February 7 – Defiance at Paulding (girls)Thursday, February 9 – Paulding at Wayne Trace (girls)Friday, February 10 […]
POSTED: 02/06/23 at 4:42 am. FILED UNDER: Sports
Eric M. Thomas, 37, of Van Wert, passed away at 10:50 p.m. Saturday, February 4, 2023, at his residence with his family by his side. He was born on October 23, 1985, in Van Wert, the son of Steve and Cindy (Utendorf) Thomas. Eric was a 2004 graduate of Van Wert High School. In 2008, […]
POSTED: 02/05/23 at 9:56 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
Carol Ann Speelman, 88, of Van Wert, went to her heavenly home at 6:05 a.m. Saturday, February 4, 2023, at her daughter’s home in Enon, Ohio, after a brief time with hospice care. She was born at home November 23, 1934, in Van Wert County, to the late Thomas P. and Ruth K. (Parrish) Snyder. […]
POSTED: 02/05/23 at 5:25 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor COLUMBUS — Four Van Wert County schools, along with Parkway, are among more than 900 schools that will receive state funding support for physical safety and security upgrades as part of the latest round of Ohio’s K-12 School Safety Grant Program. Governor DeWine made the announcement on Thursday. The 945 recipients will receive […]
POSTED: 02/03/23 at 11:35 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information Van Wert High School Principal Bob Priest has announced that parent-teacher conferences for the second semester will be held in the high school/middle school commons area from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, February 20. Parent-teacher conferences allow parents the opportunity to discuss their son or daughter’s progress with their child’s teachers. Members of […]
POSTED: 02/03/23 at 11:34 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff SPENCERVILLE — Spencerville Mayor Phillip Briggs has turned in his resignation. Briggs, 45, resigned on Thursday, three days after his arrest on a charge of pandering obscenity involving a minor, a second degree felony. He’s accused of secretly recording two teenage girls in various states of undress. He was arrested after interviewing […]
POSTED: 02/03/23 at 11:34 pm. FILED UNDER: News