Bonnie Jean Shaffer danced on the waves in the arms of Jesus on Monday, October 20, 2025. She was born June 11, 1957 to Richard Irvin and Mary Jane (Fishbaugh) Shaffer and was a 1975 graduate of Mendon Union High School. In 1984, she received her diploma from Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing to become […]
POSTED: 10/23/25 at 8:59 am. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
Axon body camera footage obtained from the Van Wert Police Department by the VW independent shows when officers arrived to find mail burning in the backyard of the home of a mail carrier in the 900 block of George St. early Wednesday morning. For best results, enlarge the video to full screen and please note, […]
POSTED: 10/23/25 at 8:36 am. FILED UNDER: News
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor Van Wert High School’s 2025 football season will come to an end at Cougar Alumni Field at Eggerss Stadium Friday night, a facility that undergone three phases of renovations, but one key part of it remains unfinished. During Wednesday’s Van Wert City Schools Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Mark Bagley said the […]
POSTED: 10/22/25 at 8:51 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff A Van Wert man involved in a drive-by shooting incident in early March has been sentenced to prison for his actions. Yusef Abdulrahman’s appearance in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court was one of nine cases heard between Thursday, October 16 and Wednesday, October 22. Judge Martin D. Burchfield presided over each […]
POSTED: 10/22/25 at 8:51 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Submitted information The Van Wert High School CEO Program is celebrating its 10th year, kicking off the milestone with an inspiring message from Paula Stabler, President of OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital, at the first CEO Breakfast of the year. Stabler, a longtime supporter of the program, shared her journey from patient care technician to hospital […]
POSTED: 10/22/25 at 8:50 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Submitted information The Marsh Foundation is seeking a qualified and community-minded individual to fill the position of a retiring trustee. The six-year term for this position will begin on February 3, 2026, and conclude on February 2, 2032. Additional six-year terms may be granted at the discretion of the Judges of the Third District Court […]
POSTED: 10/22/25 at 8:49 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is urging caution as new data from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation shows a continued rise in drug seizures involving carfentanil and other deadly synthetic opioids. “The amateur chemists who create these deadly drug combinations don’t care if you live or die,” Yost said. “Here’s […]
POSTED: 10/22/25 at 8:49 pm. FILED UNDER: News
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports Here we are – Week No. 10 of the high school football season, the regular season finale. League and conference titles are on the line, along with undefeated seasons and playoff spots. Some teams have other goals – sending seniors out with a win, getting victory No. 1, etc. Overall, it’s been […]
POSTED: 10/22/25 at 8:48 pm. FILED UNDER: Sports
Editor’s note: this is an update to the original story that was published Wednesday morning, including a brief statement from the Office of the Inspector General. SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor Residents of Van Wert have questions, after it was discovered that a mail carrier with the Van Wert Post Office was found to be burning mail […]
POSTED: 10/22/25 at 1:30 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 12:01 a.m. – Dispatched Middle Point EMS to a residence on West Sycamore Street in the Village of Middle Point for a subject not feeling well. 7:20 a.m. – Deputies responded to an area of State Route 118 in Pleasant Township for a motor vehicle crash involving a deer; no injuries […]
POSTED: 10/22/25 at 7:40 am. FILED UNDER: Law Enforcement