The VW independent welcomes the opinions of readers in the form of letters to the editor, provided the submissions are in good taste and refrain from attacking individuals. The VW independent has the right to decide whether or not any reader submission will be published. Letters may be subject to editing and may not be […]
POSTED: 10/06/26 at 1:25 pm. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor
To the Editor, I believe the residents of Ohio House District 82 deserve to be heard. That’s why I’ve launched Voice of the Voter, a program that gives residents a direct way to share their concerns, experiences, and questions with me. If you live in our district in Van Wert, Defiance, Paulding, or Putnam County, […]
POSTED: 10/06/26 at 1:24 pm. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor
To the Editor, I feel compelled, after so much disinformation being spewed in the last couple of days, to just let the general public know about the day of a poll worker in Van Wert County. It begins about 5 a.m., maybe earlier if you really want to look especially nice. You begin to head to […]
POSTED: 07/19/26 at 8:37 pm. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor
To the Editor, As a former Van Wert resident who still follows what happens back home, I was struck by Brent Stevens’ recent op‑ed suggesting that people raising concerns about data centers are being swept up in “coordinated narratives” or influenced by foreign interests. That claim doesn’t reflect the Van Wert I grew up in. […]
POSTED: 06/15/26 at 8:17 pm. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor
To the Editor, Monday night (May 4, 2026), the public had the opportunity to weigh in on the data center proposal before council. For months our community has been deliberating the potential development at the mega site, and the issue has been raised before council several times in my short tenure. I had stated throughout […]
POSTED: 05/07/26 at 7:15 am. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor
To the Editor, Voters have a decision to make when it comes to electing our next state senator to represent northwest Ohio, and the choice couldn’t be more clear. Craig Riedel, who lives in Defiance, has a nearly 30 year business background to pair with his strong conservative voting record. Riedel brings an outsider’s perspective […]
POSTED: 05/01/26 at 1:40 pm. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor
To the Editor, As a community, we share many concerns about the potential addition of a Data Center. Many of our concerns and questions remain unaddressed. While the addition of an information website (vanwertohiodatacenter.com) was a fine first step in helping address some of the questions the local community has, the website went into very […]
POSTED: 05/01/26 at 1:38 pm. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor
To the Editor, I taught second grade for many years. When a child got caught in a lie, I’d sit them down and explain something simple: telling the truth is always better — because if I found out they lied on top of whatever they did, that was double trouble. I’ve been thinking about that […]
POSTED: 04/29/26 at 5:52 am. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor
To the Editor: I am writing to offer my support of Jim Hoops, in his candidacy for State Senator of District 1. Jim Hoops has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to serving communities with integrity, dedication, and practical leadership. His ability to listen to constituents, understand the challenges facing working families, and deliver thoughtful, results-driven […]
POSTED: 04/21/26 at 9:19 pm. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor
To the Editor, The discussion regarding the proposed data center at the Marsh Road Mega Site represents a pivotal moment for our county. I am writing to state that I am firmly pro-progress, however, I am uncompromising when it comes to mitigated risk. Recent reports from the Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation (VWAEDC) show […]
POSTED: 04/15/26 at 4:11 pm. FILED UNDER: Letters to the Editor