(1973 Graduate Of Pettisville High School) Reynaldo “Vato Loco Ray” Garcia Jr., 69, of Defiance, peacefully hit those gold streets on two wheels surrounded by his loving family on January 14, 2025, at Mercy Defiance Hospital. Born on May 6, 1955, in Saginaw, MI, he was the second youngest child of Reynaldo and Maria (Ruiz) Garcia. Ray graduated from Pettisville High School in 1973 and went on to enjoy a career in mechanics and paint/body work, specializing in classic cars. A proud 12 minus 3 equals 9 coin recipient of AA. Ray celebrated his many years of sobriety with humor,…
Author: Newspaper Staff
PRESS RELEASE – On January 18, 2025, at approximately 12:40 A.M. troopers with the Lima Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to a call on Slabtown Rd. just north of Searfoss Rd, Allen County, for a report of a crash where a vehicle rolled over and the driver was ejected. Keith A. Lackey, age 56, of Lima, was operating a 1998 Ford Explorer northbound on Slabtown Rd. and drove partially off the right side of the roadway. The vehicle re-entered the roadway and began sliding sideways and drove partially off the left side of the roadway. The vehicle…
(PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) PROJECT OPPOSITION … Jeff Canfield speaks during the Fulton County Commissioner meeting held on January 14th. By: Jacob Kessler THE VILLAGE REPORTER jacob@thevillagereporter.com The Fulton County Commissioners held two meetings this past week, with the first taking place on Tuesday, January 14th and the second taking place on Thursday, January 16th. Both meetings began at 9:00 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer. During each of these meetings, commissioners moved to approve minutes from each of the prior meetings, as well as the current meeting’s agenda and payment of the…
(PRESS RELEASE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) DIETARY PLAN … Dietician Tara Spisak from Parkview-Bryan & Montpelier Hospitals, left, was guest speaker for the Montpelier Hospital Auxiliary Jan. 13th meeting. She was presented an appreciation gift on behalf of the auxiliary by President Linda Dilworth, right. The next auxiliary meeting will be Monday, Feb. 10th at 1:00 p.m. in the Montpelier Hospital conference room with Valentine card shower for patients and staff and members participating in a Bakeless bake sale. PRESS RELEASE – Tara Spisak, Dietician for Parkview-Bryan & Montpelier Hospitals, served as guest speaker for Montpelier Hospital Auxiliary’s general meeting…
(PRESS RELEASE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) POSTER CONTEST WINNERS … Mr. Al Stark from the Knights of Columbus Council #1494 was present at the St. Mary School awards ceremony to present the awards for the top winners of the “Keep Christ in Christmas” poster contest. Student artwork had to reflect the theme, “Keep Christ in Christmas.” Many students participated in this contest, and cash prizes were awarded to the top 3 students in each group. In addition, each 1st place poster winner advances to the state competition. Congratulations to all students. Kindergarten: 1. Azlynn Fortney, 2. Waylin Boeke, 3. Raelynn…
PRESS RELEASE – In a significant move to address the ongoing housing shortage in Williams County, Frontier Community Services and the Williams County Port Authority have officially announced their partnership to develop affordable and workforce housing. The two entities have been working closely together since 2022, demonstrating a commitment to improving housing options for local residents. As part of this collaboration, the partners have submitted a pre-development application for a senior living project in Bryan, Ohio. The Williams County Port Authority will act as a co-developer on this project, aiming to gain valuable experience under the qualifications set forth by…
(PRESS RELEASE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) DECEMBER WINNERS … Front Row: Jennex Haines, Vivienne Bowers, Kendall Guzman, Sylas Griner, Claire Keesecker, Aiden DeGroff, Hannah Coleman. Back Row: Jaxson Hand, Alex Arreola, Landon Goebel, Arminda Tewksbury, Dakota Werts, Henry Oberlin. MIssing from photo: Ezra Martin.
(PHOTO BY INDIA KENNER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) FIRST MEETING OF YEAR … Fair board members jump into their meeting promptly at 7 p.m. By: India Kenner THE VILLAGE REPORTER india@thevillagereporter.com The fair board met on Thursday, January 16th, at 7 p.m. President Pam Goll, Vice President Tom Fry, Secretary Katie Winebernner, committee member Dave Page, and Tobi Fenicle were in attendance. Nine directors were present as were a few community members. President Goll called the meeting to order after the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. There were no requests from the floor. The previous meeting minutes were approved…
By: Jesse Davis THE VILLAGE REPORTER jesse@thevillagereporter.com The Pike-Delta-York Local School District Board of Education appointed its leadership, set meeting dates, and handled other annual logistical issues during its organizational meeting Wednesday evening. Board member Jackie Chiesa was approved as president, while outgoing president Jeremy Lohman was approved as vice president. The board maintained pay levels for themselves at $80 per meeting for a maximum of 24 meetings. If they had chosen to increase that amount, it would only go into effect as they were re-elected or as new members were elected. The board renewed its annual membership in and…
By: Jesse Davis THE VILLAGE REPORTER jesse@thevillagereporter.com The financial situation for Pike-Delta-York Local School District continues to be positive in the short term as the board of education keeps an eye to the future, when the failure of a continuing tax levy will present major challenges. According to Treasurer Leland Hays, the district’s revenues in excess of expenditures is sitting at $416,260 year to date, compared to $469,104 at this point last year. Of those expenses, roughly 75 percent to 78 percent are from payroll and benefits, which he said is fairly standard. “Overall, we’re doing fairly well,” Hays said.…
BOYS WRESTLING Swanton @ Van Buren Invitational 8:30am Delta/Wauseon @ Maumee Bay Classic 9am (@ Clay HS) Edgerton @ Chuck Forward Duals (Archbold) 9am Evergreen @ Clyde Invitational 9am Bryan/Montpelier @ Celina Invitational 10am GIRLS WRESTLING Archbold/Bryan/Delta/Edgerton/Montpelier @ Patrick Henry Invitational 9am Wauseon @ Fremont Ross Invitational 10am BOYS BASKETBALL Bryan @ Van Wert 5pm Continental @ Hilltop 5pm Ottawa Hills @ Edon 5pm (Varsity only) Fayette @ Delta 5:30pm (Varsity only) Archbold @ Holgate 6pm Evergreen @ Pettisville 6pm Wauseon @ Springfield 6pm Montpelier @ Edgerton 6pm Stryker @ Tinora 6pm GIRLS BASKETBALL St. Mary’s @ Bryan 11am Fayette…
BOYS BASKETBALL Delta 48, Archbold 41 Wauseon 57, Evergreen 53 Patrick Henry 69, Bryan 48 Liberty Center 52, Swanton 43 Edon 53, Hilltop 42 Montpelier 57, Stryker 56 North Central 63, Holgate 30 Pettisville 59, Fayette 29 Edgerton 66, Antwerp 57 BOYS BOWLING Bryan 2702, Liberty Center 2375 Patrick Henry 2330, Wauseon 2080 GIRLS BOWLING Bryan 2313, Liberty Center 2164 Wauseon 2166, Patrick Henry 1967
(PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) FINISH AT THE RIM … Evergreen’s Lanae Manz drives to the hoop in the second half of the Vikings’ 43-36 win at Wauseon. VIEW 142 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM Evergreen 43, Wauseon 36 WAUSEON – Evergreen limited Wauseon (12-3, 2-1 NWOAL) to only two field goals in the middle two quarters and outscored Wauseon 19-6 during that stretch to knock off Wauseon 43-36. Kennedy Emmitt had 16 points to pace the Viking (8-8, 2-2 NWOAL) attack and Avery Coronado had ten to lead the Indians. EVERGREEN (43) –…
(PHOTOS BY BREANA RELIFORD / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) BIG RALLY … Montpelier senior Kelsie Bumb chases down a loose ball in the first half. The Locos rallied from down 12-0 after the first quarter for a 35-28 win. VIEW 148 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM Montpelier 35, Stryker 28 MONTPELIER – Stryker (6-8, 1-2 BBC) shut out the Locos in the first quarter but battled back to outscore Stryker 35-16 over the last three quarters for the win. Kelsie Bumb had 14 points to lead Montpelier (10-4, 4-0 BBC) and Zoe Uribes added 13. Abby Oberlin hit…
By: Nate Calvin THE VILLAGE REPORTER sports@thevillagereporter.com ARCHBOLD (January 16, 2025) – Delta’s 2-1-2 full court press and half court zone defense harassed Archbold into 36 turnovers as the Panthers left the Thunderdome with a 57-48 win on Thursday night. After Delta jumped to a 6-0 lead to start the game, a jumper from Charlee Forward and a layup by Alanna Pedraza brought Archbold to within 6-4 despite a rash of first quarter turnovers. Those points would be Archbold’s only points of the quarter with Delta ripping off the final 13 points of the quarter as Addison Wyse scored on…
By: Joe Blystone THE VILLAGE REPORTER publisher@thevillagereporter.com FAYETTE (January 16, 2025) – Time and time again Pettisville had Fayette on the edge of the precipice, ready to push them over the edge. Every time the Eagles fought to stay alive, then in the last two minutes of the game, Fayette ran off 11 straight points to come from behind one last time to score a 49-42 win over the Blackbirds. “They gained a couple leads on us, and maybe earlier in the year we might have started feeling sorry for ourselves. But we were resilient, we came back swinging,” Fayette…
PRESS RELEASE – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that he has appointed Lt. Governor Jon Husted to serve as Ohio’s next United States senator. Lt. Governor Jon Husted will replace JD Vance, who resigned from the Senate last week and will take office as the 50th vice president of the United States on Monday. “There were many people who I considered very qualified to serve in the U.S. Senate to represent the State of Ohio, but I came to the conclusion that the best person to serve is a person who has been close to me for the last…
(PHOTO BY INDIA KENNER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) LAUNCH PARTY … Jeff Lyon presents a slideshow about Mainstreet Edgerton. By India Kenner THE VILLAGE REPORTER india@thevillagereporter.com On Tuesday, January 14th Mainstreet Edgerton held their launch party at the Edgerton Church of Christ to kick off exciting news surrounding their new organization. Community members and business owners joined to enjoy food before listening to Jeff Lyon’s presentation. Lyon explained that the name change better suits the mission and vision of the organization. The mission is to unite local businesses, industries, and the community in the Edgerton Area. The vision is to…
The Village Reporter has learned that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is expected to appoint Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted to the Senate seat recently vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance. The announcement is anticipated at a news conference at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. Husted, who emerged as a leading contender for the position, would serve until a 2026 special election. His candidacy was considered based on his potential to win a competitive Republican primary. The decision follows a meeting between DeWine, Husted, and President-elect Donald Trump, although Trump has not committed to endorsing Husted. The appointment comes amid interest from…
BOWLING Liberty Center @ Bryan 4pm Delta @ Evergreen 4pm (Boys only) Tinora @ Swanton 4pm Patrick Henry @ Wauseon 4pm BOYS BASKETBALL NWOAL Archbold @ Delta 6pm Bryan @ Patrick Henry 6pm Wauseon @ Evergreen 6pm Liberty Center @ Swanton 6pm BBC Edon @ Hilltop 6pm Fayette @ Pettisville 6pm Montpelier @ Stryker 6pm North Central @ Holgate 6pm GMC Edgerton @ Antwerp 6pm WRESTLING Delta/Wauseon @ Maumee Bay Classic 10am (@ Clay HS) Swanton @ Van Buren Invitational 4:30pm
(Attended Our Lady Of Mercy Catholic Church) ALVORDTON, OH – Rose Mary Pontious, 85 of Alvordton, entered into eternal rest on Thursday, January 16, 2025, surrounded by family members. She was born September 17, 1939 to Joseph and Rose Repka. Rose Mary married James Eisel on November 16,1957 and later married James Pontious on June 7, 1980. She treasured her life as a homemaker and a mother. As her children grew she worked in accounting and bookkeeping for Leininger Home Supply, Mendellson Egg Company and AirMate prior to her retirement. She attended Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Fayette,…
(Attended Edgerton High School) John C. Close, age 82, of Edgerton, passed away Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at Parkview Bryan Hospital. John was a lifelong farmer. He was passionate about farming and worked to leave an enduring legacy to the 5th generation of farmers in his family. He served in the National Guard. J ohn enjoyed his time with friends at Rita’s round table for breakfast and coffee. What he cherished most was spending time with his family. John C. Close was born on December 21, 1942, in Edgerton, Ohio, the son of Oscar W. and Iva (Bruot) Close. John…
(Archbold Resident) Shelia Roth, age 80 years, of Archbold, passed away early Sunday morning, January 12, 2025, at StoryPoint in Waterville after a long battle with dementia. Her best friend of 63 years, Gene, was by her side. Born on June 17, 1944, to Lester and Ilva (Johnson) Wyse, she was one of four children and is survived by her sister, Colleen Kelly, (Gordonsville, VA). Shelia grew up in Archbold, Ohio where she met and married her high school sweetheart, Gene Roth. After getting married, they moved to Indiana and had their first child, Traci Roth, moved to Michigan and…
JANUARY WINNER … Pictured at NorthSquare Center’s Zazarac’s is Kris Lowe (L) representing Bryan Development and David Swanson (R), owner. PRESS RELEASE – To recognize local investment in buildings, landscaping, events, and other improvements, Bryan Development has created a monthly “Spotlight Award.” January’s recipient is NorthSquare Center located in the 100 block of West High Street. Originally constructed in the early 1870’s, NorthSquare Center is an ongoing restoration project that will eventually included interconnected offices, living space and a fourteen room boutique hotel in addition to the two businesses that have already opened, Dos Eppi’s and Zazarac’s. Ultimately, the third…
Delta 57, Archbold 48 Evergreen 43, Wauseon 36 Patrick Henry 49, Bryan 46 Liberty Center 60, Swanton 19 Fayette 49, Pettisville 42 Montpelier 35, Stryker 28 Holgate 36, North Central 27 Hilltop 52, Edon 46 (OT) Edgerton 54, Antwerp 36
Many beautiful churches in Ohio and the United States were built in various revival styles in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is very rare to see a church built in the style of its time instead of being built to mimic the several hundred-year-old churches of Europe. A wonderful example of a church built in the style of the time is the Wesley United Methodist Church in Bryan, Ohio, designed in 1969 by architects Buehrer & Stough of Toledo. The church is a wonderful example of Mid-Century Modern design, which was popular in the 1950s and 1960s. This style…
This photo shows the Noodle Factory in Swanton after a tornado went through on March 28, 1920. Thank you to the Fulton County Historical Society for the use of this photo. Do you have a historic Fulton County photo you would like to share? Email: publisher@thevillagereporter.com.
PRESS RELEASE – During its January meeting Thursday morning, the Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted unanimously to expand postseason tournament divisions in track and field and cross country. Track and field will add two divisions, expanding from three divisions to five, while cross country will add one division, expanding from three divisions to four. The expansion will take effect beginning with the 2025-26 school year. As part of the expansion, Division I will have a smaller number of teams than the other divisions. The number of schools in the other divisions will be divided as equally…
(PHOTO BY INDIA KENNER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) EXPLAINING THE SERVICE … Amy Roth from Frontier Communications presents a slideshow about fiber optic service. By India Kenner THE VILLAGE REPORTER india@thevillagereporter.com The Montpelier Village Council met on Monday, January 13th at 6 pm at the Montpelier Police Department conference room. The meeting was promptly called to order at 6 pm after the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer and roll call. Mayor Steve Yagelski, Council President Kevin Motter, council members Don Schlosser, Nathan Thompson, Chris Kannel, Melissa Ewers, and Heather Freese were in attendance. Village Manager Jason Rockey, Director of Finance…
(PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER) CDBG GRANT … Estee Blair from the Maumee Valley Planning Organization discussed the process of applying for the Community Development Block Grant with the Williams County Commissioners, alongside representatives from Edgerton, Montpelier, and Stryker. By: Renea Kessler THE VILLAGE REPORTER renea@thevillagereporter.com During the Williams County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, January 14th, Estee Blair from the Maumee Valley Planning Organization presented for the first hearing regarding the Community Development Block Grant for program year 2025. Blair outlined the timeline for the 2025 program, detailing the application process, the number of available slots for…