VW independent news briefs

VW independent staff/submitted information

Extended early voting hours

Registered voters in Van Wert County can take advantage of extended early in-person voting hours this week.

The Van Wert County Board of Elections Office will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, April 27, 29, 30, and May 1; 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 2, and from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, May 3. The Board of Elections Office is at 1362 E. Ervin Rd., Van Wert.

The polls will be open on Election Day, May 5, from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. A valid photo ID is required to vote.

Rain nearly erases drought

Recent heavy rains have pulled most of Van Wert County out of drought conditions. A small part of northeast Van Wert County along with parts of Paulding and Putnam counties are now classified as “abnormally dry.”

According to the National Weather Service, precipitation over the past 30 days has been well above normal throughout the area. Many locations have had between 4-8 inches of rain since late March. Between an inch and 1.25 inches is forecast this week, mainly Monday and Wednesday.

School hosting event

Kingdom Connection Academy is hosting its first annual all you can eat fish and chicken tender fry and live auction this Friday, May 1, in the school auditorium in the Trinity Friends Church Family Life Center, 605 N. Franklin St., Van Wert. The doors will open at 5 p.m. and the live auction will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets for the dinner may be obtained in advance for $14 for adults and $10 for children 10 and under at the church or school offices. Tickets at the door will be $15 for adults and $11 for children 10 and under.

Kingdom Connection Academy is currently enrolling students, kindergarten through seventh grade. Visit kingdomconnectionacademy.com for information on enrollment and Christ-centered education.

Distracted driving crackdown

COLUMBUS — Earlier this month, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and other members of the 6-State Trooper Project joined together to focus on distracted driving enforcement. During the enforcement, Ohio State Troopers identified and addressed 3,794 distracted driving violations.

The eight‐day initiative began on Monday, April 6, and continued through Monday, April 13. The campaign also included the Indiana State Police, Kentucky State Police, Michigan State Police, Pennsylvania State Police and West Virginia State Police.

Collectively, the six agencies involved in the collaborative enforcement identified and addressed 5,519 distracted driving violations.

The 6-State Trooper Project is a multi-state law enforcement partnership aimed at providing combined and coordinated law enforcement and security services in the areas of highway safety, criminal patrol and information sharing.