VW independent news briefs

VW independent staff

Buy-Way Sale approaching

For the second consecutive weekend, a massive yard sale will go through Van Wert County.

On the heels of the U.S. 127 Yard Sale, the 20th annual Lincoln Highway Buy-Way Sale will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday, August 8-10. The annual sale stretches from extreme western West Virginia to Iowa and features over 1,000 yard sales. Sales in past years have seen families, neighbors, and groups of all kinds selling their wares from yards, porches, barns and garages, under tents and in open-air locations.

The historic Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental road for automobile travel in the United States, dedicated in 1913 and extending from New York City’s Times Square to San Francisco’s Lincoln Park. Combined, various routes across Ohio comprise over 400 miles today.

Block Party this Friday

Main Street Van Wert’s annual Block Party will be held from 4-10 p.m. Friday, August 9, along parts of Central Ave. and Jefferson St.

The Block Party will feature gourmet food trucks, a corn hole tournament, bounce houses and various family activities, a Van Wert Freedom Cruise and live entertainment via the Feel Good Friday concert series. Friday’s performance will feature Kaitlyn Schmidt & Friends, a group that features dance pop and soul music. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Fountain Park.

Local hospital lauded

OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital has earned top marks from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS awarded Van Wert Hospital its highest 5-star quality rating in its 2024 list of Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings.

“This recognition is something we are proud of,” said Joy Bischoff, president of Van Wert Hospital. “OhioHealth is committed to providing quality care close to home for our community. We have been part of the community for a little over a year now, and we are optimistic for the future of patient care here.”

Van Wert Hospital is one of 381 hospitals to earn 5-stars across the country and is joined by two other OhioHealth hospitals. CMS assigns star ratings to U.S. hospitals based on performance across five quality categories: safety of care, mortality, patient experience, readmission rates, and timely and effective care.

Legal pot sales start Tuesday

COLUMBUS — Legalized recreational marijuana sales in Ohio will begin tomorrow, August 6.

The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control said on Friday that it plans to issue the first dual-use certificates of operation tomorrow. A formal announcement is planned for today.