Author: Newspaper Staff

By: John Winright THE VILLAGE REPORTER Northwest Ohio and Williams County offer a tremendous wealth of stories about people’s lives in various forms. Another great example is Cory Rademacher of Pioneer, Ohio. Cory was born in 1974 to Mary (Mercer} Rademaker and raised in both Kunkle and Montpelier, Ohio. He was raised in a single parent environment but is quick to point out that he was raised by two very loving women. His mother Mary, and his Grandmother Anna Rademacher. He and his mother lived in Montpelier but on weekends he would stay in Kunkle with Grandma. Grandma was the…

Montpelier, Ohio — Kayla Schlosser is an award-winning artist with a sizeable list of accomplishments from her time at Montpelier High School. She is a varsity cheerleader, member of the National Honor Society, a mentor for the Butterfly Project, all while holding down a part-time job at Wyse Guys in Montpelier. One of her proudest moments was qualifying for State in 4-H for her art after winning honors at the county level. Kayla’s work with fused glass is imaginative and vibrant. She notes about her work: “Sometimes when you do the same thing over and over it gets boring, but…

By: John Winright THE VILLAGE REPORTER As residents of Northwest Ohio go through their day to day lives many things can happen to change the path and direction of their journey. Such as was the case for Deborah Merrifield on Wednesday January 28th of this year which also happens to be her daughter’s birthday. Deborah was in her upstairs apartment taking a nap when she was awakened by the smell of smoke. She searched throughout her home and found nothing amiss. Thus she thought she better go down and check on her brother. When she opened the door smoke poured…

Edon Area Ministerial Association extends an open invitation to area residents and families to join them for their monthly Community Meal set for Tuesday, February 24, 2015 in Cooney. Make plans now to stop by Northwest Community Center (located at County Road P-50 and State Route 49) between 5:00-7:00 p.m. for an evening filled with plenty of fun, food and fellowship for all to enjoy! January’s hosts from St. Peter Lutheran Church ~ Stephanie Bonnell, Lynn Wilson, Ladena Ankney, Suzi McCullough, Joyce Whitney and Rosie Nester ~ hope to see you there!

A. LeRoy Emmons, age 98, of Lyons, passed away Thursday, February 12, 2015 at the Fairlawn haven Nursing Home in Archbold. Prior to his retirement he had been a lifelong area farmer, had owned and operated the former Emmons Flower Shop, near Lyons and had also been a Bulk Milk Hauler. LeRoy was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on April 21, 1916, the son of Silas J. and Alma (Heis) Emmons. On March 9, 1937 he married Doris E. Reichhardt, and she preceded him in death in 2008. Surviving is his son, Floyd (Carol) Emmons of Wauseon; two daughters, Phyllis…

Donna M. Tracy, age 76, of Delta, peacefully passed away at her home surrounded by her family on Tuesday, February 10, 2015. She was born on August 3, 1938 to the late James Tracy and (Thelma) Andrews. Donna was a 1956 graduate of Delta High School. For many years she worked for Travelers Insurance Co. in various positions. Donna had a love of travel. She not only visited domestic locations but also many sites oversees. Some of her others hobbies included cruises, collecting bells and angels to grow her collection. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death…

O. Roger Taylor, 84 of Archbold, died Saturday evening, February 7, 2015, at Fairlawn Care Center in Archbold, with his family by his side. He was born December 28, 1930, in Archbold, the son of Gladys (Lauber) and Orrin R. Taylor. He married Nancy A. Crossgrove on June 7, 1952. Roger was a graduate of Archbold High School and Miami University. Upon graduation he served in the U.S. Army stationed in Heidelberg, Germany. After his discharge in 1955, he returned to Archbold where he worked for the family weekly newspaper, the Archbold Buckeye. In 1966 he purchased the Farmland News…

(February 9th 2015) – WAUSEON: On Monday afternoon, the Tinora Rams charged head-on against the Wauseon Indians at the River City Bowl-a-Way. Wauseon geared up for the evening determined to defeat the Rams, who had the unfavorable record going into the match. The night began with an energetic blast from the Indian boys, all scoring above 200 points in the first game. Nic Kearney would lead Game 1 with a 237 count. Game 2 proved to be a great show from Peyten Shadbolt, scoring 254 for a total of 476 for the night. The team would tally 2034 points overall.…

Elmer Robert “Tex” Westfall, 83, of Bryan, formerly of Montpelier, passed away on Friday February 6, 2015 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, FL. He was born on December 1, 1931 in Paulding, OH to Clyde and Della (Price) Westfall. Elmer attended Montgomery High School in Montgomery, MI. On December 4, 1948, Tex married Peggy A. Gilpin in Hillsdale, MI and she preceded him in death on August 14, 2001. On October 25, 2006 Tex married his second wife, Evelyn M. Beamont at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Bryan, and she survives. For a short time Elmer worked as…

Paul Dean Yoder, age 77, of Delta, passed away at his home peacefully with his family by his side Monday morning February 9, 2015. He was born in Wauseon on January 16, 1938 to the late Loran Yoder and Vera (Schelling) Yoder. Paul was a U.S. Veteran having served with the Marines Corps. He was an industrial machinery dealer, owning and operating PDY Enterprises in Delta. Some of Paul’s fondest hobbies included golfing, fishing and especially antiquing. He was proud to have one of the largest antique tin windup toy collections in Ohio. Most of all he loved his grandchildren…

At first glance, coyotes seem to be a growing problem in this part of the country. Indeed, just last month, a privately owned mounted police horse was killed in Southeastern Michigan, with the culprit widely believed to be an unusually large pack of coyotes, though the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) disagrees.  In the western portions of the United States, rabid coyotes have even been known to attack humans from time to time. But how big a threat are they in Northwest Ohio? “Coyotes cause very little damage.”  DNR Officer Tom Kochert proclaimed.  “They’re not that much of an…

(February 3rd, 2015) – WAUSEON: In non-conference junior varsity action, the Lady Indians of Wauseon hosted Green Meadows Conference opponent Tinora on February 3. After taking an early lead in the contest, Wauseon trailed until late in the fourth quarter, when they gained a brief advantage. The Lady Rams would come back to force overtime, however, and the young Indian girls lost the game 45-40. Getting off to a strong start, the Wauseon defense allowed Tinora to go on a run to close the first quarter, tying the game 10-10. From there, the Rams built a lead in the second…

By: T.J. Hug The Village Reporter Chocolate and music. The two just sound as though they belong together. Just think of the euphoria of savoring a piece of rich chocolate while a soft melody takes hold over your thoughts, enticing your senses to simply give in and enjoy the metaphorical ride. The combination would also make for a heck of a fundraiser. Of course, the Montpelier Music Boosters were well aware of this, as they hosted their fourth annual Chocolate Soirée on Sunday, February 8. Those wishing to support the Montpelier Local Schools’ Music Department filed into the facility’s Auditeria…

By: Timothy Kays THE VILLAGE REPORTER Members of the Montpelier Exempted Village Board of Education convened in regular session on the evening of February 5. Items from Elementary Principal Lance Thorp’s report included mention of the D.A.R.E. graduation, which took place on January 16. He also reported that the third graders participated in a PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career) practice test, known as an infrastructure test. The purpose was to determine if the school’s technology is capable of handling all the data needed for the test. “I’m proud and glad to say that it all…

By: T.J. Hug The Village Reporter There are few things more enthralling than captivating not only one’s own imagination, but other people’s as well. Over the weekend of February 6, the Montpelier Trackside Modelers hoped to do just that with the residents of their town. The organization hosted an open house on the following Saturday and Sunday, inviting anyone and everyone to step into their world, both figuratively and literally, and see what the Modelers are all about. Children, teenagers, and adults alike walked into the Modelers’ elaborate track set up, spanning both rooms of their rented space. Some marveled…

By Helen Elkins THE VILLAGE REPORTER There was a packed house at the Gillette Building Saturday night for the Fair Board’s 3rd annual Reverse Raffle. With 300 tickets sold, there was barely an empty seat for the fundraiser and the night was ablaze with activities for everyone. Some of the fundraising events included a reverse raffle, 50/50 drawing, auction, silent auction, and raffle ticket drawings for other merchandise, including Stoney Ridge wine, homemade Apple Pie liqueur, and an amazing assortment of guns and bows. The dinner was catered by Sooz Catering in Pioneer, music entertainment provided by Jamie J. Shaffer…

Mose S. Mohre, age 88, of Blakslee, Ohio, died at 11:47 P.M. on Friday, February 6, 2015, in his home after an extended illness. A 1941 graduate of Edon High School, he served in the United States Army during World War II. Following his service in the Army, he returned home to operate Sam’s Place in Blakeslee, which he operated and had a daily presence in from 1945 to present. Mose was a tireless civil servant, who served on the Ohio State Patrol Auxiliary, beginning in 1958, was a member of the Williams County Sheriff’s Department Special Deputies from 1967…

(February 7th, 2015) – PETTISVILLE: Home court advantage turned out to be good luck for the Lady Blackbirds’ Seventh Grade squad. Taking on Stryker in the girls Buckeye Border Conference Semi-Finals, Pettisville was able to secure a tough win in a back and forth game, 29-23. The contest began with Stryker taking an 8-3 lead in the first period. Pettisville reversed those roles in the second quarter, outscoring the Panthers 9-4. At the half, each time had accumulated 12 points. It was the third quarter that made all the difference. The Lady Blackbirds settled in defensively, not allowing any points…

(February 7th, 2015) – FAYETTE: With Fayette playing host to the Buckeye Boys Conference Junior High Championship Tournament this year, North Central’s and Pettisville’s Eighth Graders did battle on the varsity gym floor of the purple and yellow team. Despite North Central being a solid team, they were just no match for the Blackbirds. There was just no way they could keep up with Pettisville’s frenetic scoring pace. Pettisville took the game 72-14. The Blackbirds were led in scoring by Moyer. The Pettisville Eighth Grader had 18 points on the afternoon. Teammate Yoder was close behind with 16 points. Cogswell…

(February 5th, 2015) – DELTA: Going into not one, but two meets with several competitors unable to participate, Wauseon knew they were in for a challenge as Delta hosted both the Indians and the Locomotives of Montpelier. Wauseon went up against Delta first, losing the meet against the elite team 48-22. Giving up 3 forfeits put the Indians into an 18 point deficit before matches even began, however. At 132 pounds, Hunter Yackee had a great match against John Mlynarek, pinning the Panther wrestler in 44 seconds. Tre Campbell was able to win the 182 pound division, pinning Mark Francois…

(February 5th, 2015) – EDON: After building a sizable early advantage, the Lady Panthers had to withstand a late run by the Bombers in order to secure a victory. Stryker took down the Bombers in the Hanger, 47-36. The Panthers established a lead right away, winning the first quarter 17-9. While the second period was a much tighter affair, Styker was still able to add another 3 points onto their lead with an 8-5 effort. That gave the Lady Panthers a 25-14 advantage at the half. Edon made a strong push in the second half, however. They opened up the…

(February 5th, 2015) – FAYETTE: Kaela Seiler recorded a double-double in Fayette’s victory over Buckeye Border Conference foe North Central. The junior guard produced 10 points and 12 assists in er team’s 59-23 win. Fayette built a solid 13-7 lead in the first quarter, and just kept adding to it each and every quarter. A 19-5 scoring effort in the second period left the hometown girls with a 32-12 advantage at halftime. When the teams returned from their locker rooms, Fayette got right back into their groove. North Central found themselves outscored 16-6 in the third period. They were unable…

(February 5th, 2015) – FAYETTE: The junior varsity girls of North Central were able to keep the game close for a while, but they just didn’t have the firepower to defeat a very good Fayette squad. As the game wound down in the second half, Fayette began to creep away from their Williams County guests. North Central had no answer for this, as they simply could not score enough points to keep up with their hosts. Fayette took the contest 39-25.

(February 6th, 2015) – LIBERTY CENTER: The junior varsity boys of Montpelier had a rough outing against Liberty Center on Friday, February 6. The Locomotives lost the North Western Ohio Athletic League match-up 45-24. After a defensive struggle in the first quarter, which saw the Locos staying close behind the Tigers, 6-4, Liberty Center made a move in the second period. Montpelier found themselves outscored 15-5 during that span. Heading into the half, they were down 21-9. The third quarter put the game out of doubt. Liberty Center took command of the contest with an 18-4 performance in the stanza.…

(February 6th, 2015) – WAUSEON: The Indians of Wauseon hosted North Western Ohio Athletic League foe Patrick Henry on Friday, February 6. They weren’t very kind to their guests, however. Unless on considers a 62-38 drubbing hospitable. Right away, Wauseon took control over the contest. They came out of the first quarter with a 17-9 lead. Patrick Henry had a great second quarter, however, outscoring the Indians 18-14. This narrowed the Wauseon lead to a 31-27 margin at halftime. The Indians had a solid third period. They outscored the Patriots 11-9. Holding a 6 point lead heading into the fourth…

(February 6th, 2015) – WAUSEON: In a junior varsity North Western Ohio Athletic League match-up, Wauseon hosted Henry County opponent Patrick Henry on February 6. The youthful Indians were able to secure a tight victory, taking the contest 40-37. Patrick Henry earned an advantage by the end of the first quarter, as Wauseon trailed them 11-7. The Indians came back strong in the second period, however. They outscored the Patriots 10-4. This allowed the boys of Wauseon to enjoy a 17-15 lead going into the half. In the third quarter, the Indian boys were able to expand on that lead…

(February 6th, 2015) – WEST UNITY: An immense fourth quarter performance allowed Hilltop to shock Pettisville, and clean up the Buckeye Border Conference standings, incidentally. The Cadets defeated their visitors from Pettisville 58-51 on Friday, February 6. Establishing control of the contest early, the Blackbirds got off to an early 12-6 advantage. Hilltop was able to close that gap a bit in the second quarter with a 12-9 scoring effort. However, this was not enough to overtake their guests from Fulton County, and Hilltop jogged to the locker room behind 21-18. Pettisville refused to let them make up any more…

(February 6th, 2015) – WEST UNITY: The Cadets dominated most of their junior varsity contest against Pettisville on February 6, but the young Blackbirds never stopped fighting. And while that wasn’t enough to get them back into the game, their efforts should still be commended. Hilltop claimed a 43-31 win over the Blackbirds, but the score could have been much worse, had Pettisville simply laid down when the contest ceased to be in doubt. The Cadets came out swinging, taking a 10-2 lead in the first quarter. Then their offense exploded in the second period. The Hilltop boys put up…

(February 5th, 2015) – PETTISVILLE: Despite falling behind big in the first quarter, the Lady Blackbirds came back to claim an easy victory, improving their Buckeye Border Conference record to 8-0. Hilltop got off to a phenomenal start, but couldn’t capitalize in the last three periods of the contest. Pettisville won the league match-up 46-28. The Lady Cadets began the game with great defense, limiting Pettisville to just 4 points for the entirety of the first quarter. Hilltop played well on the other end of the court as well, claiming 13 points for themselves against a tight Blackbird defense. Finding…

(February 6th, 2015) – PIONEER: Koby Biddix hit 4 threes on Fayette’s way to a 57-33 victory at North Central. The senior wasn’t the only Fayette boy to knock down a triple, as Alec Bost, Tharyn Colegrove, and Joel Smith could make that claim as well. Of course, North Central held their own in the three-point shooting affair as well. Senior Josh Swayer made 3 of his three-point attempts. His classmate, Jordan Reeves connected on another pair of threes as well. Ethan Douglass and Steven Williams each added a three-pointer also. With all of this long distance shooting taking place,…