Dotson, Young Self-Reliance winners

    The R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Awards again demonstrated to a crowd of local “movers and shakers” that there are still plenty of good kids who take responsibility for their own actions.

    Tuesday night’s banquet at Vantage Career Center was the 38 annual installment of the event, which provides $500 in scholarship money to each of five boy and girl finalists and an additional $500 scholarship to the overall boy and girl winner.
    Roger K. Thompson Jr., creator of the program in honor of his father, a former president of Kennedy Manufacturing Company who was known for his commitment to local youth programs, announced the overall winners this year: Katlynn Dotson of Lincolnview High School and Johnathan Young of Vantage Career Center/Lincolnview, and congratulated each for their accomplishments.
    This year’s girl finalists, introduced by Andy Gearhart, also included Aleyna Hurless of Crestview and Adrienne Moser, Brittany Speelman and Sara Vanover, all of Van Wert. The other four boy finalists, introduced by Brian Greve, were Lance Dasher of Lincolnview, Bryce Richey of Crestview and Thaison Leaser and Adam Sealscott, both of Van Wert.
    Dotson, the daughter of Brad and Judy Dotson, is involved in a whirlwind of school and church activities, takes classes at Wright State University-Lake Campus as part of that school’s post-secondary education program, but also works 15-20 hours a week as a health aide at Hearth & Home Assisted Living in Van Wert. She noted that self-reliance is “confidence in oneself that one must embrace.”
    Young, the son of Glen and Mary Young, is a halftime student at Vantage who works 35-40 hours a week at Superior Collision in Van Wert, played varsity baseball for Lincolnview for two years and is a member of both the Lincolnview National Honor Society and the Vantage Technical Honor Society.

    A student who rises at 5:30 a.m. for a two-mile jog with his dog, Young was commended for his ability to take charge and his positive attitude. A teacher noted of Young: “If there is a task to be done, Johnathan is the one.”
    Although having to deal with the tragic death of a younger brother, Young maintained a positive attitude throughout the ordeal.

Tom Compton speaks at R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Awards banquet on Tuesday evening. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent

    The accomplishments of the 10 finalists appeared to awe keynote speaker Tom Compton, who is currently chairman of the board of Precision Strip Inc., a rolled steel and aluminum processor based in Minster. Compton lauded the finalists for their many accomplishments, which he noted were often earned while overcoming serious life challenges.
    Compton also told the audience that he had a unique involvement in the R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Award, since he shared “some common paths” with Roger K. Thompson Jr., creator of the local self-reliance program. Compton related that he had formerly worked for what was then Armco Steel – now AK Steel – and had been involved in that company’s W.W. Sebald Self-Reliance Award program, the program that inspired Thompson, also a former employee of Armco, to create a similar program here in Van Wert nearly 40 years.
    Compton had nothing but good things to say about the local self-reliance award program started by Thompson. “I truly believe that the Self-Reliance Award is the most prestigious award a high school senior can win, so congratulations all 10 of you,” he told this year’s finalists.
    Compton, a history buff, talked about another man who overcame challenges through self-reliance to become a revered figure in both his home state of Pennsylvania and the state of Maine.
    The man was Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a man who had only one year of high school but went on to graduate from Bowdoin College in Maine, where he later was a professor and, following the Civil War, also served as the college’s president.
Although he had no formal military training, Chamberlain volunteered for service in the Union Army during the Civil War and rose to the rank of colonel by the time of the Battle of Gettysburg – the turning point of the war. He later was promoted to brigadier general and ended the war as a brevet major (two-star) general.
    It was Gettysburg where Chamberlain gained his greatest fame, as his troops held off two charges by Confederate forces on Little Round Top and then, when his command’s ammunition was nearly spent and another Rebel charge was forming, ordered his troops to fix bayonets and charge the Confederates – an action that so surprised the enemy that his troops were able to drive them off and save the Union army from being outflanked and likely defeated.
    For his valor, Chamberlain was awarded the Medal of Honor and also was given the honor of commanding the Union troops at the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s army at Appomattox Courthouse.
    Following the war, Chamberlain also served four terms as governor of Maine.

    Compton told this year’s finalists that, without self-reliance, Chamberlain would not have been able to accomplish the things he did, and urged the students to continue to pursue their dreams with the same attitude they have demonstrated so far in their lives.

    Van Wert Service Club members Rex Fortney and Gearhart co-chaired this year’s event committee, which also consisted of Steve Alspaugh, Dale Butler, Brent Kohn, John Gemmer (a former finalist), Laura Ditto, Steve Bailey, Deb Laudick, Mike Boaz, Bob Gamble, Fawn Burley, Mark Schumm, Steve Laudick and Randy Myers.
    Wally Grimm emceed the event, while the Rev. Dr. Edward Jillson provided the invocation and benediction.
Roger K. Thompson Jr. (right), founder of the R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Awards, poses with this year's finalists (from the left) Adam Sealscott, Sara Vanover, Aleyna Hurless, Lance Dasher, Adrienne Moser, Thaison Leaser, Brittany Speelman, Katlynn Dotson, Brice Richey and Johnathan Young. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent
4/30

Lee gets reprieve from robbery count
    A Cridersville man being tried for aggravated robbery this week got what is likely to be a brief reprieve on that charge, thanks to a recent Ohio Supreme Court decision.
    However, Blaine Lee, charged with robbing Lucas Smith August 18, 2007, while Smith was using an ATM machine at the US Bank office on South Shannon Street, was convicted of a second charge, having a weapon while under disability, a third-degree felony that carries a possible penalty of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 years in prison.
    A jury deliberated 45 minutes before finding Lee guilty on the weapons charge, which prohibits those convicted of a felony crime of violence or a drug offense from having a weapon in their possession. Lee has a prior drug conviction in Allen County.
    Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Taylor requested that the aggravated robbery count be dropped because it does not provide information deemed necessary in a recent decision by the Ohio Supreme Court (see accompanying story below) and that motion was approved by Judge Charles D. Steele.
    The high court decision states that the mens rea (Latin for guilty state of mind) be included in every indictment, adding that failure to do so would render the indictment unconstitutional. Since aggravated robbery, as stated in the Ohio Revised Code, does not list a guilty state of mind needed to prove the charge, Taylor said, neither did the prosecution’s indictment, which followed the language included in the ORC.
    “Cases for burglary and robbery make no mention of what the culpable state of mind should be,” Taylor explained, adding that, since no mens rea is included in the robbery charge, the assumption is that the guilty state of mind should be “recklessly,” a lower standard of culpability than either “purposely” (the highest standard) or “knowingly,” but higher than “negligently” (the lowest standard).
    Ultimately, the fact that the prosecution could not amend Lee’s indictment meant that any conviction on the aggravated burglary charge would likely be rejected on appeal.
    In a tactical move, Taylor decided to drop the robbery charge, but indicated Tuesday he would seek a new indictment for aggravated robbery that includes a mens rea during Friday’s session of the county grand jury.
    Aggravated robbery carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, while Lee, if convicted, would also face an additional mandatory three-year prison term for an included specification that states a gun was used in commission of the offense,

    Meanwhile, Judge Steele ordered a presentence investigation after the jury convicted Lee on the weapons under disability count and scheduled sentencing on that charge for Wednesday, June 11.
4/29

Ohio Supreme Court splits on decision
    In a sharply divided 4-3 decision handed down in State vs. Colon, the majority decision written by Chief Justice Thomas Moyer and distributed April 9 declared indictments unconstitutional if they don’t include one of four states of mental culpability prosecutors must prove to convict a defendant of a crime.

    Justices Paul E. Pfeifer and Maureen O’Connor and Second District Appellate Judge William H. Wolff Jr., sitting on assignment for Justice Robert Cupp, also voted in the majority.
    Justice Moyer, in the slip decision – one that is distributed soon after it is handed down – said that not including what is known as a mens rea (Latin for “guilty state of mind”) in an indictment violates defendants’ constitutional right to know all of the elements of a charge against them, as well as their right to due process.
    The justice said omission of a mens rea was a “structural” error: a legal term that indicates the error affects the entire structure of a trial and its ability to decide guilt or innocence, necessitating a new trial.
The decision is also important because it allows defendants to appeal their conviction based on the lack of a mens rea even if no objection was made during their trial – something that could affect previous convictions on burglary and robbery charges.
    Three justices – Terrence O’Donnell, Judith Lanzinger and Evelyn Lundberg Stratton – dissented in the decision, all on the basis that a number of prior court decisions, including a 1999 U.S. Supreme Court opinion that said failure to provide an element of an offense during jury instructions did not necessarily create a structural error in a case.
    “This conclusion is instructive, because if it is not structural error when a jury returns a guilty verdict based on an instruction that omitted a necessary element of the offense, then neither should it be structural error when an indictment omits a necessary element,” Justice O’Donnell wrote in his dissenting opinion.
    Justice Lanzinger also cited a number of prior decisions, including two capital murder cases, in which the court found, on appeal, that the omission of an element of a charged crime from an indictment was not a structural error requiring that a defendant receive a new trial.
4/30

Commish nix weight limit changes

   While the Van Wert County commissioners Tuesday would not approve action by the Union Township trustees to set weight limits on two township roads that would be used by hog megafarms in that township, all three county officials said they were hopeful that pending state legislation would provide more power to county, and possibly township, officials to set such limits.

    Township Trustees Michael McOmber, Kent Rolsten and Carl Short had approved a motion to reduce weight limits on Bower Road, between Dull Robinson and Richey roads, and Dull Robinson, between Dixon Cavett and Convoy roads, by half in late winter and early spring, due to wet weather. The township cited Ohio Revised Code Section 5571.02, which gives trustees the duty to control and maintain township roads, as their legal justification for lowering the weight limits.
    The commissioners, noting they had researched the issue through contact with legal counsel, officials in other counties, Van Wert County Engineer Kyle Wendel and a consultant, said such weight reductions needed to be more fully justified, were hard to enforce and needed to include all roads in an area, not just a couple. Commissioner Gary Adams also noted that the county engineer is the only local official qualified to make weight limit decisions.
    Adams added that he felt approving the trustees’ action would open the county up to lawsuits – especially from the Sekel family, which has already contracted to build CAFOs in Union Township.
    The issue came up again on Tuesday when Judy Comer, a Union Township resident that lives on Dutch John Road, met with commissioners to air her concerns about the CAFOs being built by the Sekel family.
    Comer expressed the problems she had with the large animal feeding operations, chiefly with possible manure spills and other environmental concerns associated with CAFOs. “We just don’t want our water ruined,” Comer said, adding: “Our area is not conducive to these farms.”
    All three commissioners said they lack legal authority to regulate the CAFOs. “These laws are made in Columbus,” Adams said.
    But the commissioners did note their support for Ohio Senate Bill 42, which would expand the notification requirement to include all CAFOs, not just those that now qualify as major CAFOs. Currently, only the owners of major CAFOs have to notify county commissioners and township trustees when such a facility is to be built within those officials’ jurisdictions.
    However, the proposed measure, co-sponsored by State Senator Steve Buehrer, does not mandate permits for all CAFOs and does not increase local officials’ power to control the smaller operations.
    What the bill would do, if passed, is require owners of CAFOs to state the routes used to travel to and from the CAFO and the size and weight of the vehicles used. If requested by the commissioners, the county engineer could then advise them of the improvements that would be needed to accommodate the CAFO’s vehicles and the cost of providing those improvements.
    The commissioners and CAFO owner could then negotiate a settlement to provide the cost of improvements needed for local infrastructure to accommodate those vehicles.

4/30

From Tuesday
City Council moves on sidewalk issue
After much discussion over the years, Van Wert City Council is moving toward a policy on sidewalk repair and replacement. However, it’s obvious from Monday’s Council meeting that discussion of the issue will likely continue.
    By a vote of 6-1 (Fourth Ward Councilman Stan Agler was the dissenting vote), Council approved a motion by Second Ward Councilman Steve Gehres, who chairs the Streets and Alleys Committee – which discussed the issue – to prepare legislation creating a policy on sidewalk repair/replacement. The measure would set aside $200,000 that would be used to either remove trees that are damaging sidewalks or pay for repair or replacement of damaged sidewalks.
    However, city funds would not be used for sidewalk repair or replacement unless property owners refuse to do the work themselves within a delineated timeframe. If property owners did nothing in the time allotted, the city would pay for the work and add the cost to landowners’ property tax bills.
    Those who qualify for government grants that could pay for sidewalk repair/renovation would be given an exception until grant money was received, according to Gehres.
Gehres’ committee met prior to the regular City Council meeting to talk about the issue, but Agler was still not satisfied that he could get behind the legislation. “I don’t like the way it’s set up, personally,” Agler noted, adding, “What’s the project actually doing?”
    The Fourth Ward representative on Council added that he thought his colleagues were putting too much on City Law Director Greg Unterbrink, as he was under the impression the law director would have to develop the policy and procedures that went with the new ordinance.
    Not so, said Third Ward Councilman Gary Corcoran, who said it was his understanding that the Streets and Alleys Committee would develop the protocols for the sidewalk program – something Gehres confirmed.
    Legislation approved during Monday’s Council meeting included measures authorizing Mayor Louis Ehmer to apply for the 2008 Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) grant totaling $544,000 – including $44,000 for a Habitat for Humanity project – and to apply for a grant from the Job Ready Sites program, both through the Ohio Department of Development. Council also approved an amendment to the city’s contract with Local 3767 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and a supplemental appropriation of $600 to purchase a multipurpose printer for the mayor’s office. Council also accepted the final plat for a lot along Valam Drive in a newly developed city subdivision.
    Legislation was also introduced that would authorize Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming to seek bids and sign contracts for the city’s 2008 street paving/repaving and striping projects, as well as a measure to bid and contract for work on Phase 2 of the Burt Street water project, which will run from Moberly to Cable street.
    Another issue had Fleming fuming, though, as he noted that someone had thrown six old tires into the reservoir near the new recreational area created when the latest reservoir addition was constructed.
    "It gets a little discouraging that we’ve made such a nice improvement, I think, for the city … and people come out there and try to ruin it with antics like that,” Fleming said. The safety-service director also warned those who dumped the tires that tampering with a public water system is a felony offense – and a federal offense – noting that, if the offenders are caught “they will be prosecuted to the full letter of the law.”
    Also Monday, City Council approved the city’s public records policy, as required by state law, and learned from Fleming that the traffic light at the new school complex was adapted to add a northbound turn lane to assist those driving north on Ohio 118 who want to turn into the school drive – something difficult to do when school or a special event is letting out.
    Corcoran also told his colleagues that bids for the Van Wert County Regional Airport’s runway project will be opened today and went to note that the bid numbers will determine whether the project can be accomplished this year or have to be deferred until next year.
    Mike Cross was also approved as the mayor’s selection to serve on the Van Wert County Health Advisory Council.
4/29

Developer unhappy over permit denial
    A local developer came to Van Wert City Council seeking permits for work he is doing in the Bluerock Estates subdivision, but likely left only partially satisfied.
    Ali Ziakam, who owns the subdivision, wants to build two houses in the subdivision, but was angered with the city turned down his request for building permits because necessary tile repair work wasn’t done.
    Ziakam, who began the work without a permit, but faces fines of $100 a day for doing so, said that, because the city accepted the plat for the development and its infrastructure, it was the city’s problem to repair the tile and threatened to sue the city if permits weren’t granted.
    Ziakam insisted that the tile problem was not his fault, while local resident Tom Wise, who had built a home in the then relatively new subdivision for his daughter, enumerated the many drainage problems seen historically in the subdivision – which he blamed on poor city inspection and design – and also praised Ziakam for clearing up most of the drainage problems in the subdivision.

    In defense of the city’s action, Unterbrink suggested that Ziakam had been notified of the potential denial of the permits in plenty of time to do something about it, but failed to respond to the notification.
    To which the Iranian-born contractor said he felt the tile problem wasn’t his fault in the first place. Ziakam also wanted fast action on the permit issue since he had a subcontractor ready to dig basements for the new houses. Council President Tom Stricker, who told Ziakam the city couldn’t stop him from continuing to work on the houses, assigned the issue to the Judiciary and Annexation Committee, which will meet next Monday to discuss the issue. The law director will also research the legal aspects of the case – particularly whether the city accepted the subdivision infrastructure.
4/29

Health officials watching for West Nile
    Spring has arrived once again, and with it comes rain and warm weather that encourages mosquito breeding.  As in recent years, the Van Wert County Health Department will be conducting various surveillance activities during the upcoming mosquito season in order to detect the presence and spread of the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus in Van Wert County. 

    The earliest phase of West Nile Virus monitoring involves dead bird surveillance.  In 2007 the Ohio Department of Health tested 115 birds and found 22 positives.  Only crows and blue jays were tested.  The Van Wert County Health Department submitted one bird for testing and it tested negative for West Nile Virus. 
    Starting this Thursday, May 1, Van Wert County residents who find dead birds that appear to have died of natural causes are encouraged to report their findings to the Van Wert County Health Department.  Environmental health personnel will record the date and location where each dead bird is discovered.  Again this year only crows and blue jays that have been dead for 48 hours or less may be collected and sent to the Ohio Department of Health Vector-borne Disease Laboratory for testing.  No other birds will be accepted for testing.  Suitable dead birds will be submitted for testing throughout the summer. 

This chart compares the size of various blackbirds that could be infected with West Nile Virus.

    Any Van Wert County resident who finds a bird suspected to have died from West Nile Virus can report the discovery to the Health Department by calling 419.238.0808, extension 105 or 108. 

    The next phase of West Nile Virus monitoring is mosquito surveillance.  The presence of two West Nile Virus-positive birds in the county is the official indicator that the virus is active in the county.  Once one or more birds have tested positive for the virus, follow-up mosquito surveillance may be conducted in the area where the birds were found.  While bird surveillance establishes that the virus is active in the area, mosquito surveillance attempts to determine the magnitude of activity, or the relative health risk to area residents.  Mosquito monitoring is expected to begin after the first positive bird test result and continue for the remainder of the mosquito season, time permitting.

    In addition to these surveillance activities, the Health Department will be distributing educational information to public locations in Van Wert and the villages of Van Wert County.  Information available for distribution includes posters explaining how homeowners and farm owners can eliminate mosquito-breeding sites from their properties, as well as pamphlets containing information on prevention and protection from the spread of West Nile Virus. 
    Government offices or businesses interested in obtaining educational materials to be posted onsite or distributed to their clientele may contact the Van Wert County Health Department at 419.238.0808, extension 105.  Anyone interested in additional information can call the Health Department.  Information is also available on the Environmental Health section of the Health Department website at www.vanwertcountyhealth.org.
4/29

City now selling old equipment online
    The City of Van Wert now has vehicles and city-owned equipment on the GovDeals.com website, a state-of-the-art online auction service for local, state and federal government agencies to conduct online sales of their surplus equipment and assets.
    A link to the auction site is now on the city’s website at www.vanwert.org either at the top left of the page or at the bottom under “Online Auctions.”
    "This service will help us get the most money out of our surplus equipment by offering them to a wider base of buyers through the Internet," said Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming. "The bottom line is more money returned to the citizens. We can now sell assets and offer a convenient opportunity for more of our citizens to participate."
    Among items on the site are out-of-service Van Wert Police Department cruisers and a car formerly used by city detectives, along with a Pepsi vending machine, traffic signals and "don't walk" signals.
    Items for sale will be posted continuously on the web and can be accessed through www.govdeals.com. Bidders can register free of charge at the GovDeals website.
Updated 4/29

Postal workers to 'Stamp Out Hunger'
    Local postal workers will be participating in the National Association of Letter Carriers’ “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive. The drive, now in its 16 year nationally, will be held Saturday, May 10.

    Local postal workers will be out collecting food that day and postal patrons are asked to put non-perishable food donations in a bag by their mailbox. Letter carriers will pick up the donations, which will then be delivered to The Salvation Army Food Bank in Van Wert.
Postal worker Larry Oechsle said that, with Kongsberg Automotive workers locked out, and other workers unemployed, the food would be especially needed locally this year. “The need is out there,” Oechsle added.

    The timing of the national event is calculated to restock the shelves of local food banks and pantries as their stores are depleted. This year, the food drive is especially important as food and fuel costs soar and Americans experience the stresses of a slowing economy here in Van Wert and across the nation.
    In 2007, the NALC food drive delivered 70.7 million pounds of non-perishable items nationwide to local food banks and pantries – the fourth consecutive year that the total surpassed 70 million pounds. Last year’s figure brought the overall total for the nationwide drive’s history to 836.2 million pounds.
    One reason for the drive’s success lies in its simplicity – customers are asked to place non-perishable food items next to the mailbox early Saturday morning and letter carriers collect the food as they make their regular rounds that day.
4/28

From Saturday
Students tested on U.S. Constitution

    Ohio Supreme Court Justice Robert Cupp came to Van Wert Friday in a role he should be comfortable with: that of a judge.
    However, the justice wasn’t interpreting Ohio law as he does in his position on the Ohio

Supreme Court, but rather helping determine what Van Wert Middle School eighth-graders knew about the U.S. Constitution.
    Justice Cupp, his wife, Libby, and 11 area residents, including another judge, Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Charles D. Steele, questioned eighth-graders about their constitutional knowledge as part of the “We the People, the Citizen and the Constitution” competition held for the first time this year at VWMS. In fact, the justice learned about the program from his wife, who is Fourth Congressional District coordinator for the program.

    Among the others judging the competition were elected and appointed local government officials, and three out-of-town residents, Jared Reitz and Curtis Thompson of the Ohio Center for Law Related Education and Miller City teacher Deb Schimmoeller, who coordinates that school district’s “We the People” competition, which is named for the first three words in the Preamble to the Constitution.
    Local government officials who assisted in judging the competition included Van Wert Police Chief Joel Hammond, Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Keith Allen, County Commissioners Gary Adams and Harold Merkle, and Van Wert City Board of Education President Ken Markward and school board members Ken Mengerink and Marylou Smith.
    In a keynote speech he gave prior to the start of the competition, Justice Cupp first provided local students with an Ohio history lesson, noting that a Van Wert man, Edward Matthias, had been an Ohio Supreme Court justice and had served in that capacity 39 years (1915-1953) – longer than any other person in the state’s history.
    The justice also spoke briefly concerning American history and the importance of the

County Commissioner Gary Adams (left) and Van Wert City Board of Education President Ken Markward were judges for the contest. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent

U.S. Constitution. “The Constitution brings a remarkable system of national self-government,” Justice Cupp said, adding that a British statesman of the time called the U.S. Constitution, “the most brilliant document struck out by the mind of man at a single time.”
    The justice also talked about the three branches of U.S. government: the legislative, the executive and the judicial, and their importance in providing the separation of powers that is a hallmark of the American system of government. He also said students’ knowledge of the Constitution is important, since they are the future of America.
    “And it’s really up to you to determine whether our system of government will continue,” Justice Cupp said.

    Later, students and judges got down to business, as judges questioned students on their knowledge of the Constitution in a setting similar to a congressional hearing. Students first answered one of two set questions with a prepared statement, but then had to think on their feet as judges asked off-the-cuff follow-up questions based on the students’ statements.

    VWMS teacher Bob Priest, local coordinator for the competition who has been involved in the “We the People” program since he was a young government teacher at Findlay High School, said he felt the competition went well.
    “You know, I’ve been very pleased,” said Priest, who said this was the first time he has done the program at the middle school level. He added that he was particularly gratified that Justice Cupp agreed to participate. “I felt very honored he said ‘sure, it was middle school kids, and yeah, I’ll come over’ and I thought ‘what a great opportunity for our kids.’”
    Priest said the concept of the “We the People” program was one that local students struggled with at first, since it involves non-traditional educational concepts, adding that the program took students out of their comfort zone, forcing them to use critical thinking skills and think on their feet.
    Priest said test questions used to prepare students for the competition were those that asked students “do you believe this is right or this is wrong?” and then asked them to support their answer, rather than provide a clear-cut right-or-wrong answer.
    “And they’d want to know, ‘well what’s the right answer,’” Priest noted, saying he then told them, “Whichever one you pick.” For those students who then wanted to know how they got a good grade, Priest told them they had to be able to support their answer and show why it was the right answer.

VWMS students "testify" as part of the We the People competition on the U.S. Constitution. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent

    Priest said it was the intangibles of the program that make it worthwhile. “It teaches confidence, it teaches the fact that I can apply knowledge rather than just regurgitate it … it’s a great program,” he said.
    Those qualities came to the forefront during the competition, as students, by and large, were composed as they fielded questions from judges during Friday’s competition. In fact,

far from being intimidated by the judges, it was the students who appeared to surprise the judges with their ability to handle the impromptu questions without getting rattled.
    Priest, in summing up the program, said one of the most surprising things he has seen

is how the program has benefitted not only the top students, but other students who struggle at times with the traditional classroom curriculum.

    Noting that grades don’t always reflect intelligence, but are sometimes more an indication that a student isn’t engaged enough in the subject matter being taught, Priest said the “We the People” program has had an impact on VWMS students. “It has helped shape their minds, because they do get involved,” he said, adding that the program also shows that debate and compromise were a big part of how this country was founded.
    Priest said the program also takes a little of the mystique away from political figures students have been used to putting on pedestals. “They learn that Adams and Jefferson were no different than Clinton and Obama, in many ways,” Priest said.
Van Wert Middle School eighth-graders listen to Ohio Supreme Court Justice Robert Cupp speak in the First Federal Lecture Hall as part of the "We the People" competition on the U.S. Constitution. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent
4/26

Local group plants tree for Arbor Day
    While history and tradition was a part of the “We the People” competition held at Van Wert Middle School on Friday, history and tradition, albeit a recent tradition, were also part of this year’s Arbor Day celebration in Fountain Park.
    As it has the past few years, the Clean & Green Committee honored a local institution by planting a tree in its name in Fountain Park. This year the tree was an Autumn Blaze Maple planted in honor of The Van Wert County Foundation. The tree, a hybrid combining

Van Wert Mayor Louis Ehmer reads a proclamation his office prepared in honor of Arbor Day. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent

the best qualities of silver and red maple trees, should grow to a height of 50 to 60 feet and have a width of 40-50 feet at maturity, as well as brilliant orange-red leaves in autumn.
Foundation Executive Secretary Larry Wendel said he and the foundation trustees were “extremely proud and honored” that a tree was being planted in their honor, something he said was “ironic” since the foundation sponsors a lot of parks in the county, as well as a series of concerts held in Fountain Park each summer.
    Noting that the concerts bring in 1,000 to 2,500 people each week, Wendel added: “Someday they’re going to see that tree … as it grows it should be a very prominent part of this park. And I’ve got to believe it’s going to be gorgeous.”
    Sherry Grone, a member of the committee, brought a buckeye tree in a pot to show those present what the tree looks like as a kick-off to the committee’s “Search for the Buckeye” contest. The first clue was also read for the contest (see box below).
Starr Commonwealth Outdoor Recreation Coordinator Clint Myers, who is also a student of local history, spoke about how Fountain Park was at one time a commons area where livestock was quartered and grazed when brought into town to be sold, while Dave Mathew of the Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District, which oversees Clean & Green activities, spoke of the two oak trees in the center of the park and all the history that has taken place beneath the more than 200-year-old trees.
    Also Friday, Van Wert Mayor Louis Ehmer read an Arbor Day proclamation, and members of the Gardeners of Van Wert County helped Myers and Wendel plant the maple tree. City Parks Director Sue Heppeard emceed the event.
Larry Wendel, executive secretary of The Van Wert County Foundation (with shovel) watches as Clint Myers places an Autumn Blaze Maple in a prepared hole as members of the Gardeners of Van Wert County get ready to help plant the tree. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent
4/26

I'm a Buckeye

Ohio's state tree

You'll find me living

Among other trees

4/26

From Friday
Local residents prevent train tragedy
    Two sharp-eyed young boys spotted a problem in an old railroad bridge near Middle Point, while a neighboring property owner helped ensure that a serious accident didn’t occur on the more than 100-year-old structure.
    Vernon Hundley, whose property abuts the Rail America railroad line where the bridge is located, said the young boys came to him Monday to say they thought there was something wrong with the century old bridge, which spans the Little Auglaize River.
Hundley took a look and what he saw had him quickly on the telephone to the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Department: Part of the 20-foot-high retaining wall had crumbled, with some of the rocks knocking the supports to the bridge awry. “The bridge was messed up pretty good,” Hundley noted.

Workmen repair a railroad bridge east of Middle Point earlier this week. (photo submitted)

    When deputies arrived, they inspected the bridge and then called Rail America to let the rail company know it had a problem. Rail America ordered its trains to slow way down before crossing the structure and then called in a bridge inspector from Wisconsin to make a more thorough inspection.
    The inspector found that 1½-inch bolts holding the bridge supports had been sheared off when part of the retaining wall fell, causing cracks in the I-beams holding the bridge up and creating a potentially hazardous situation.
    He immediately closed the bridge to all train traffic until the structure could be repaired. But, while rumors abounded in Middle Point that the earthquake centered in Illinois which shook houses in the area last week caused the bridge to collapse, the crew repairing the structure said the quake more likely just put the finishing touches on what a century of age and water damage had already done to the structure.
    Whatever the cause, a rail crew had things back up and running by Thursday afternoon, using jack hammers to break up the huge fallen rocks from the retaining wall that likely came from the nearby Middle Point Quarry years ago, and then using heavy earth-moving equipment to shore up the wall before repairing the I-beams that kept the bridge in place.
    Hundley said he thought the repair crew was very professional. “I think these guys did a wonderful job on the bridge and avoided a potentially serious problem,” he noted.
    Meanwhile, it won’t be long until trains are running again over the old bridge, now that it has been repaired, and that suits Hundley just fine.
A bridge that has stood for more than a century over the Little Auglaize River east of Middle Point is again ready to hold trains that cross the river. Dave Mosier/Van Wert independent
4/25

Senate OKs veterans benefits measure
    U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs (VA) Committee, announced Senate passage of the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act. This bipartisan legislation would provide much-needed benefits for veterans and recently returning service members.

    “The men and women of our armed forces put their lives on the line everyday. We have a moral obligation to provide the benefits they have earned.” Brown said. “This bill delivers long overdue improvements to key benefits for all veterans. It honors our pledge to care for those who served this country.”

    The Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act includes eight titles and 38 benefits-related provisions that would address insurance, housing, labor and education, court, compensation and pension, and burial and memorial matters. Specifically, this legislation would, among other things:

• Expand the number of individuals qualifying for traumatic injury insurance under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance program.

• Provide additional supplemental insurance for totally disabled veterans.

• Broaden eligibility for specially adapted housing benefits to individuals with severe burns.

• Require a report on existing specially adapted housing grant and assistance authorities for disabled individuals.

• Extend an increase in benefits for individuals pursuing apprenticeship or on-job training programs.

• Require the Department of Veterans Affairs to coordinate with the Departments of Labor and Education to reduce overlap and duplication for approvals of programs and to report to Congress on establishing outcome-oriented performance measures for State approving agencies.

4/25

Vets, others can still file for stimulus

    Even though April 15 has passed, the Internal Revenue Service reminds retirees, disabled veterans and others who normally do not file a tax return that there is still time to submit a 2007 form and receive a stimulus payment.
    People who have no tax filing requirement, but have at least $3,000 in qualifying income should file a simple Form 1040A. Qualifying income includes any combination of earned income, nontaxable combat pay, as well as certain payments from Social Security, Veterans Affairs and Railroad Retirement.
    The types of Social Security benefits considered qualifying income include retirement, disability and survivor payments. Supplemental Security income is not qualifying income. The types of Veterans Affairs benefits that are considered qualifying income include disability compensation, disability pension and survivor payments. Qualifying Railroad Retirement payments include the social security equivalent portion of Tier 1 benefits.
    Those not required to file a return because their income is too low or nontaxable must file a tax return to obtain their economic stimulus payment. The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 provides a minimum payment of $300 and $600 for married couples. There is an additional $300 payment per eligible child, if the person or married couple has at least $3,000 in qualifying income.
    Eligible people, including their qualifying children, must have Social Security numbers. Also, people cannot be claimed or be eligible to be claimed as a dependent on another’s tax return. People with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers are not eligible.
    There are IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers open during the week to provide assistance. To find an IRS office near you, go to www.irs.gov and click on “Contact IRS,” then “Contact Your Local IRS Office.” These sites offer free tax preparation and filing for individuals and families whose income is $40,000 or less. A select number of volunteer tax assistance sites in local communities may also remain open. People can call 1.800.906.9887 to find the volunteer tax assistance site closest to them.
    If people want to file their own return electronically, they can still use Free File – Economic Stimulus Payment, also available at the IRS website. This program provides free software and free electronic filing of Form 1040A and it remains open after April 15.
4/25

VWHS bands seek beginning students
    The Van Wert City Schools Band Department is looking for beginning band students.  Each spring the band program enrolls new band students for next year’s fifth grade beginning band.  All current Van Wert fourth-graders are eligible to enroll.  In order to be a part of this successful program students and their parents need to meet with a band director to find an instrument that fits the student.
    These appointments will be Tuesday and Wednesday, April 29-30, from 3:30-7:30 p.m. at Van Wert High School in the high school band room.  Appointments are scheduled every 15 minutes.  During this time your child will have the opportunity to try out different instruments.  A representative from Rettig Music Inc. will also be on hand to handle a rent-to-own program for those that are in need of a quality instrument.  Beginning lessons start on May 19.

    The Van Wert band program is a successful grades 5-12 program that offers many opportunities to each grade level of student.  Band students annually are accepted to prestigious honor bands throughout the state, receive superior ratings at solo events, and many students decide to continue with a career in music.  The band program features the “Cougar Pride” Marching Band that performs at football games and local parades, as well as concert band ensembles that regularly qualify for State Concert Band Finals.  The band program has recently traveled to Orlando, New York City, and Chicago.

    To find out more about the Van Wert bands visit their website at www.vanwertbands.org.  To sign up for a fitting time, call the band office at 419.238.3722, or email Sloan at r_sloan@vwcs.net. Older students are also welcome.
The Van Wert High School band performs at a home football game in its new uniforms.  Photo by Tracy Cucciarre.
4/25

From Thursday
Gasoline prices take another jump
    With gasoline prices jumping another 14 cents locally this week, some Van Wert

County residents are probably wondering just what’s going on, and why.
    Put simply, gasoline prices are mostly a question of supply and demand, with taxation also a factor in how high gas prices go. Gasoline prices rise as the price of crude oil rises, and that has risen significantly this year. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration, the average price per barrel for crude oil has increased from $72.32 in 2007 to a projected $101 a barrel this year. That increase has also fueled the subsequent rise in gas prices, which are up approximately 60 cents a gallon since the beginning of the year.
  Also put simply, the reason for rising oil prices is that world demand is up and world supplies are not. Broken down, there are three basic reasons for the hike in crude oil

prices:

1.       OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), a cartel of 12 oil-producing nations, has not expanded production capacity significantly in the past 29 years.

2.       Non-OPEC oil production is reaching its peak and starting to decline in several of those countries.

3.       Emerging industrial powers such as China and India are using ever-increasing amounts of oil.

    Those factors taken together are causing a shortage of oil, while demand for petroleum is increasing rapidly, creating a “bidding war” that is driving up the cost of oil – and gasoline.
    U.S. Representative Bob Latta, who was in town recently, noted that China and India will soon be using as much energy as the U.S., creating more and more competition for mostly static energy supplies, including petroleum, used not only in the production of gasoline, but also in the production of electricity.
    So, even with American oil consumption decreasing because of the slowing U.S. economy, the combination of rising global oil consumption and low surplus production is forcing oil prices upward. Even with U.S. demand slackening, global oil consumption is expected to increase 1.2 million barrels a day – a factor that’s likely to keep oil and gasoline prices spiraling upward.

    That’s because a large portion of the price of a gallon of gasoline (72 percent) is tied to the price of crude oil. The remaining 28 percent is split between taxes (13 percent), and the cost of refining and marketing and distribution, which each make up approximately 8 percent of the cost of a gallon of gasoline (see gas pump figure at right).
    Moreover, with demand for petroleum increasing much faster than supplies, a number of energy experts are predicting that average gasoline prices will hit $4 a gallon in the U.S. yet this spring. Price increases could be slowed somewhat since gas stocks traditionally increase for summer use, but how much that increase affects prices could depend on how much global oil consumption rises.
    Meanwhile, while gasoline prices are rising, there are some things motorists can do to keep fuel prices at a minimum (click here for 30 gasoline usage tips).
4/24

Vantage board discusses OSFC project
    Vantage Career Center’s Board of Education met in special session earlier this week to discuss the proposed building renovation project and the anticipated offer of assistance from the Ohio School Facilities Commission, which would require the board’s commitment to pursue local funding.
    Vantage Treasurer Lori Davis presented different financing options to the board for the proposed construction project, while Superintendent Staci Kaufman looked at levy options and the scope of the renovation/construction project, NEOLA policies and the proposed elimination of the Business Information Technology program.
    The board did approve a resolution to eliminate the Business Information Technology program and also took several personnel actions, including accepting the resignation of Romaine Whetstone, in-school suspension supervisor, for the purpose of retirement, effective the end of the current school year, while also non-renewing temporary contracts for Barb Huber and Bill Keith.
    The board also went into executive session to discuss personnel items, but no action was taken following the session.
    Vantage’s next regular board meeting will be Thursday, May 1, starting at 7 p.m., in the Cup and Saucer at Vantage.
4/24

License needed for summer food sales
    As warmer weather approaches the Van Wert County Health Department would like to remind the public that the Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3717 says that no person or government entity shall operate a food service operation or retail food establishment without a license, unless found to be exempt as determined by the Health Department according to state law. 
    Any person wanting to sell food to the public who does not have a permanent or mobile license must obtain a temporary food service operation or retail food establishment license, unless otherwise noted. 
    Fairs, festivals, and social gatherings for the public are examples of events at which food may be sold that may require a license. The cost of the license is $40 per event. This fee covers review of the application, education, licensing, and inspection.

    To obtain an application you may contact the Van Wert County Health Department at 419.238.0808, extension 105, or visit the Health Department at 140 Fox Road, Suite 402.  The application is also available on the Health Department website at www.vanwertcountyhealth.org under the Environmental Division and Food Service Operations/Retail Food Establishments.
4/24

Latta responds to ' Tax Freedom Day'   
U.S. Representative Bob Latta (R-5th District) made the following statement in recognition of “Tax Freedom Day.” 
    “Today marks the day when the average American worker meets his or her obligation to Uncle Sam and has earned enough money to pay their taxes at the local, state, and federal level.  Tomorrow, working Americans can finally reap the benefits of their income instead of sending it to Washington.  It is sad to realize that Americans are working nearly one-third of the year just to pay their taxes. 
    "Unfortunately, this date will continue to come later and later each year unless Congress provides much needed tax relief to working families and makes existing tax cuts permanent. What’s worse is that the Democrat Congressional Leadership’s solution to this problem is to implement the largest tax hike ever, which will only make this problem worse.”

The Tax Foundation calculates Tax Freedom Day by dividing the government tally of taxes collected each year by the income earned each year. The Foundation then converts that percentage into days worked. For more information, go to http://www.taxfoundation.org.
4/24

Brown co-sponsor of IDB legislation
    U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) introduced on Wednesday Senate Bill 2885, bipartisan legislation that would increase state and local access to the Industrial Development Bond (IDB) program. IDBs have been subject to outdated manufacturing definitions for the past two decades. Current law does not allow high-tech, innovation and intangible manufacturing practices to be eligible for IDB financing.

    “It is critical we give manufacturers and localities the resources to promote economic development and create jobs. Ohio manufacturing can compete globally when it has the right tools and a level playing field,” Senator Brown said.

    Specifically, this bill would expand the definition of “manufacturing” as it pertains to the small-issue IDB program to include the creation of “intangible” property.  These IDBs allow state and local development finance authorities to issue tax-exempt bonds for the purpose of raising capital to provide low-cost financing of manufacturing facilities.  These bonds, therefore, provide local authorities with an invaluable tool to attract new employers and assist existing one’s to grow.  The result is a win-win situation for local communities providing them with much needed jobs. 
4/24

From Wednesday
County jobless rates lowers to 5.7%
    Van Wert County unemployment figures dropped substantially in March to 5.7 percent, mirroring the statewide average, after a jump to 7.5 percent in February.
    The March figures, which don’t include workers at Kongsberg Automotive – and won’t until those workers are officially considered unemployed – show a total of 900 people were unemployed during the month out of a total workforce of 15,300. In February, 1,200 workers were jobless out of a total workforce of 15,600, while January showed 1,000 workers unemployed out of a total of 15,400.
    Ohio’s unemployment rate was the same as Van Wert County’s – 5.7 percent – up from 5.3 percent in February, according to date released this month by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio’s nonfarm wage and salary unemployment decreased 2,600 over the month, from 5,420,500 in February, to 5,417,900 in March (click here for a statewide unemployment map).
    “Ohio continued to feel the effects of a weaker economy in March,” said ODJFS Director Helen Jones-Kelley. “Overall, losses in goods-producing industries overshadowed smaller gains in the service-providing industries.”
    The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in March was 344,000, up from 316,000 in February. The number of unemployed has increased by 15,000 in the past 12 months from 329,000. The March unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 5.5 percent in March 2007.
The U.S. unemployment rate for March was 5.1 percent, up from 4.8 percent in February.

4/23

RK Thompson Award finalists named
    Five area boys and girls have been selected as finalists for the 2008 Roger K. Thompson Self-Reliance Awards, according to Andy Gearhart and Rex Fortney, co-chairmen of the Van Wert Service Club’s Selection Committee.

    This year’s boy finalists are Lance R. Dasher, son of Dennis Dasher and Becky Martz; Thaison E. Leaser, son of Mr. and Mrs. Collin Leaser; Bryce R. Richey, son of Gary Richey and Barbara Miller; Adam R. Sealscott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rick Sealscott; and Johnathan W. Young, son of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Young.
    This year’s girl finalists are Katlynn Dotson, daughter of Brad and Judy Dotson; Aleyna Hurless, daughter of John and Lalisa Hurless; Adrienne Moser, daughter of Clement and Joan Moser; Brittany Speelman, daughter of Nancy Speelman; and Sara Vanover, daughter of Louise Vanover and guardian Elizabeth Heimann (click here for more information on the finalists).
    The awards banquet will be held on Tuesday, April 29, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Vantage Career Center.  The program provides cash awards to Van Wert County High School seniors who best exhibit the trait of self-reliance.  The awards are designed to seek out and honor the student who does the best with what he or she has.
    The program is a joint project of Van Wert Service Club and the Thompson Family Trust.
4/23

CORE grant pays for math education
    Qualified candidates who want to be secondary mathematics teachers now have the opportunity to receive free training through a local educational service agency.
    The Western Buckeye Educational Service Center and Ashland University have received a competitive grant (CORE) from the Ohio Department of Education for the purpose of training candidates to be secondary mathematics teachers. The program involves a series of 24 graduate credits from Ashland University with NO COST to participants.  Those accepted to the program will commit to a yearlong program designed for working professionals. This grant opportunity was created to offer an alternative route for Secondary Math certification. 

    The CORE program will be rigorous because of the mathematics content, the difficulty of the state mandated PRAXIS test and the Ohio Department of Education’s timeline of one calendar year. Classes will begin this July and end at the end of June 2009. Twenty-four credit hours will be completed in this time frame. The math areas to be covered include algebra, geometry and trigonometry, pre-calculus and calculus.  The pedagogy areas will be curriculum, effective instruction, best practices and literacy. There will also be a yearlong, independent study course. All courses are required. Tutoring will be offered to help participants prepare for the PRAXIS.

    For those educators holding a current certificate or professional license, this program will allow for a math endorsement for grades 9-12.

    For individuals without a teaching license, this program will offer the majority of courses needed for a provisional license. However, additional classes at a college or university, on a case-by-case basis, will be needed after successfully completing the CORE program.

    Potential candidates for the program need to have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree in any area, preferably a teaching or math-related field. Candidates from education or mathematics-related occupations will be given first consideration. This program is ideal for mid-career professionals in math-related fields or for working, unemployed or substitute teachers wanting to add a licensure area.

    Application deadline is Friday, May 23. Those interested in applying for participation in this program should email