Top 2020 stories: NPAC Annex & shelters
Editor’s note: This week, the Van Wert independent will be publishing its Top 10 stories of 2020. Articles featuring three stories each will be in Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with the top story being published on New Year’s Day. Today’s stories are Nos. 10, 9, and 8.
DAVE MOSIER/
independent editor
file photo
Several of 2020’s top stories deal with facility projects, as does all three of the stories in today’s edition of the
Van Wert independent.
No. 10 Humane Society shelter project
The No. 10 story relates to the announcement of a fundraising campaign by the Van Wert County Humane Society to construct a new animal shelter to replace an aging and inadequate facility on Bonnewitz Avenue. When sufficient funds are raised, a new shelter will be constructed on Fox Road, where the Humane Society purchased 1.76 acres in 2019 for the facility. The new facility would feature indoor/outdoor kennel runs for
Riedel, McColley announce state funding for local capital projects
Information submitted Craig S. Riedel • • COLUMBUS – State Representative Craig S. Riedel (R-Defiance) and
State Senator Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) announced the passage of Senate
Bill 310, which includes funding for a variety of initiatives across the
state as well as $2.2 million in aid for local projects.
Local projects in Paulding, Van Wert, Defiance, and Auglaize counties funded in the bill include:
Paulding County:
· Oakwood Community Park, $22,610
· Payne Buckeye Park, $20,500
· Antwerp Riverside Park Fitness Trail, $7,500
· Melrose Park Renovation, $7,000
· Grover Hill Welcome Park Playground, $5,598
· Broughton Park Playground, $4,124
· Paulding County Community-based Assessment Center, $40,000
Van Wert County:
VW independent/submitted information
COLUMBUS State Representative Craig S. Riedel (R-Defiance) and State Senator Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) announced passage of Senate Bill 310, which includes funding for a variety of initiatives across the state, as well as $2.2 million in aid for local projects.
Local projects in Van Wert, Paulding, Defiance, and Auglaize counties funded in the bill include:
Van Wert County
Van Wert Reservoir trails, $75,000
Smiley Park ballfield fencing, $25,000
Willshire Ballpark enhancements, $25,000
Niswonger Performing Arts Center, $200,000
Convoy Opera House facility renovation, $75,000
Paulding County
Oakwood Community Park, $22,610
Payne Buckeye Park, $20,500
Antwerp Riverside Park Fitness Trail, $7,500
Melrose Park renovation, $7,000
Grover Hill Welcome Park Playground, $5,598
Van Wert City Schools Board accepts resignations, donations Wednesday, December 16, 2020 7:11 PM Trinda Keber, Van Wert Middle School art teacher, addresses the Van Wert City Board of Education during the Board s meeting Wednesday evening. (DHI Media/Sherry Missler)
BY SHERRY MISSLER
smissler@timesbulletin.com
VAN WERT Van Wert City Schools Board of Education dealt with a number of personnel issues
at its regular meeting Wednesday, Dec. 16. Six people tendered their
resignations due to retirement. These include Jamie Gibson, EMIS
coordinator, who has served 30 years with the district; Donna Clark,
elementary school literacy teacher/coach, after 25 years at Van Wert;
Tonia Dunifon, elementary school music teacher, who has served 34 years
SCOTT TRUXELL/
independent writer
Teachers and staff in the Van Wert City Schools are preparing to do a remote learning test run on Monday and Tuesday, December 21 and 22, and Superintendent Mark Bagley said it will allow the district to see how far it’s come since March, when e-learning was hastily assembled statewide due to COVID-19.
Van Wert Middle School art teacher Trinda Keber talks about the educational benefits of virtual reality during Wednesday’s meeting of the Van Wert City Board of Education.
Scott Truxell/Van Wert independent
During Wednesday night’s Board of Education meeting, Bagley added that the goal of in-person learning hasn’t changed at all.