VW independent staff Seven defendents were arraigned and three others sentenced on various charges during hearings held in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday. Judge Martin D. Burchfield presided over each of the hearings. Arraignments Shawna Clark, 49, of Delphos, entered a not guilty plea to assault, a fourth degree felony. She was […]
POSTED: 07/08/26 at 8:44 pm. FILED UNDER: News
By Morgan Trau/Ohio Capital Journal The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision restricting law enforcement’s ability to use sprawling cell phone location data is bringing to light questions about the legitimacy of Flock Safety cameras used by police in Ohio and elsewhere. Several such cameras are in use in the city of Van Wert. Police use “geofence […]
POSTED: 07/08/26 at 8:43 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Ground has officially been broken for Wrenway Park’s permanent press box, with Commissioner Jack Davis, committee member Mark Slusher and Wren Mayor Monica Davis helping kick off the project. They said the addition is another exciting investment in the future of the park. Wren will come alive as the “Wiffleball Capital of Ohio” with the […]
POSTED: 07/08/26 at 8:43 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff 18 people died in 18 traffic crashes over the Independence Day holiday weekend, according statistics provided by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The reporting period began at midnight Thursday, July 2 and ended at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 5. It was a significant increase from last year’s July 4 holiday weekend, when […]
POSTED: 07/08/26 at 8:42 pm. FILED UNDER: News
Tiffany Howard, 42, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Van Wert. She was born on August 12, 1983, in Lima, to Kenyon and Carolyn (Dickerson) Graham. Tiffany graduated from Bath High School and Apollo Career Center before earning her nursing degree from Rhodes State College. On June 2, 2010, she married her […]
POSTED: 07/08/26 at 5:26 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries
SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor What began as a late December 2025 call for an overdose at a home in Van Wert led to the discovery of a massive amount of suspected drugs and now, a major drug indictment. Earlier this month, a Van Wert County grand jury indicted Devin Couch, 21, of Van Wert on the […]
POSTED: 07/08/26 at 4:07 pm. FILED UNDER: News
This year the Brumback Library is celebrating 125 years of service to the community. Each month, the library will tell the story of the Brumback Library chapter by chapter. This month’s installment looks back at the circulation department. The story is told by Circulation Supervisor Lauren Leatherman. By Lauren Leatherman For the last 125 years, […]
POSTED: 07/07/26 at 8:21 pm. FILED UNDER: News
VW independent staff Upgrades to the baseball and softball complex will be the focus of Wednesday’s special meeting of the Lincolnview Local Schools Board of Education. The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall. It will include a brief presentation by representatives of Prodigy Building Solutions, followed by a vote on […]
POSTED: 07/07/26 at 8:42 am. FILED UNDER: News
Van Wert Police Sunday, June 28 – Jose Luis Villegas Salazar was arrested for OVI, no operator’s license, failing to obey traffic control devices, turn and stop signals, and open container after a stop at E. Main St. and N. Wayne St. Sunday, June 28 – a criminal trespassing report was taken in the 300 […]
POSTED: 07/07/26 at 8:30 am. FILED UNDER: Law Enforcement
VW independent staff A gun was fired at Franklin Park late Monday night and the Van Wert Police Department is asking anyone with information to come forward. According to a news release, the Van Wert Police Department received a 911 call at approximately 10:10 p.m. with the caller reporting someone had fired a gun at […]
POSTED: 07/07/26 at 8:14 am. FILED UNDER: News