SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor If you drive northbound or southbound along N. Franklin St. near Vantage Career Center in Van Wert, you’ll notice some new signage. New 20 mile per hour speed limit signs with flashing lights were installed on Thursday, just north and south of the school, along with flashing crosswalk signs at entrance of […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 8:57 pm. FILED UNDER: Top Story
Editor’s note: this story with ties to Van Wert orginally appeared April 23 in The Daily Record, a newspaper in Dunn, North Carolina. It is being republished by the VW independent with permission from The Daily Record. By Emily Weaver/managing editor, The Daily Record Janene Young Goins and her family searched for the remains of […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 8:55 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information COLUMBUS — State Representatives Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) and Melanie Miller (R-Ashland) this week provided sponsor testimony on “Trey’s Law” in the Ohio House Judiciary Committee. House Bill 723 strengthens protections for victims of sexual abuse and ensures perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes. Trey’s Law works to ensure that child […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 8:54 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff Monday is Memorial Day, a federal holiday. Local, state and federal governement offices will be closed in observance of the holiday. There will be no mail delivery and trash pickup will be delayed by one day. Van Wert American Legion Post 178 will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 8:54 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Submitted information PAULDING — The Paulding County History Museum is excited to announce its 2026 Quilt Show, continuing a cherished local tradition celebrating the artistry, craftsmanship, and history of quilting in Paulding County. Now in its second year at the museum, the event carries forward a long-running quilt show tradition originally started by the Patchwork Pals, a […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 8:52 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff/submitted information COLUMBUS – During the annual wreath-laying ceremony on the Ohio Veterans’ Plaza at the Ohio Statehouse on Thursday, Governor Mike DeWine, First Lady Fran DeWine, and Lt. Governor Jim Tressel honored Ohio service members who sacrificed their lives while serving their country. “As we gather here on the Ohio Veterans’ Plaza, […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 8:52 pm. FILED UNDER: News
By Anna Parise and Jillian B. Von Gunten For Ohio families navigating divorce or separation, the legal process can add pain and uncertainty during a time that is already difficult. But for children caught in the middle, the stakes can be even higher. They need and deserve stable, meaningful relationships with loving parents and a […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 8:51 pm. FILED UNDER: Opinions
Deborah Joanne (Jewell) Leiter, affectionately known as Deb, passed away on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. Born on January 24, 1953, she was the daughter of Carol (Wolfcale) and Ernest Jewell, who both preceded her in death. Deb married the love of her life, Jerry B. Leiter, on April 8, […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 3:15 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
VW independent staff A child was taken by ambulance to OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital Thursday evening after being struck by a vehickle outside of Fricker’s in Van Wert. It happened at approximately 7:15 p.m. According to radio traffic, the 11-year-old child suffered minor injuries, including scrapes. According to Lt. Rob Black of the Van Wert […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 10:27 am. FILED UNDER: News
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports DELPHOS — After mulling an offer to change conference affliation, Delphos St. John’s is staying put. A press release issued Friday morning stated St. John the Evangelist Catholic School has decided to remain a member of the Midwest Athletic Conference (MAC). “Following an invitation from the Northwest Conference, this decision was made […]
POSTED: 05/22/26 at 9:04 am. FILED UNDER: Sports