The Defiance Area Foundation has awarded a $2,000 grant to Defiance Main Street & Visitors Bureau during its 2026 Spring Grant Cycle. Funding for the grant was provided through the Defiance Area Foundation Community Fund.

The grant will support the replacement of 22 second-story windows in the Defiance Main Street & Visitors Bureau building. The project is designed to improve the building’s energy efficiency, appearance, and long-term sustainability while helping preserve an important downtown asset.

Defiance Main Street & Visitors Bureau plays a vital role in promoting downtown revitalization, supporting local businesses, and enhancing the visitor experience throughout Defiance County. The window replacement project represents an investment in the continued growth and vitality of downtown Defiance.

Nearly 200 members of Paulding Putnam and Midwest Electric gathered Monday evening at the Wassenberg Art Center in Van Wert for a joint Legislative Dinner hosted by the cooperatives’ America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC.

The event brought cooperative members together with state and energy industry leaders for an evening focused on issues affecting electric reliability, affordability and the future of Ohio’s energy industry.

State Representative Roy Klopfenstein and State Senator Susan Manchester joined members for the evening, sharing their perspectives on current energy legislation and the role electric cooperatives play in helping legislators understand the issues facing the electric industry.

Klopfenstein emphasized the importance of cooperative participation in America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC and the role the cooperative industry plays in educating elected officials.

“The America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC plays an important role in helping legislators understand the issues facing electric cooperatives and members they serve.” Klopfenstein said. “That education is critical to making informed decisions about Ohio’s energy future.”

Klopfenstein described the work often associated with lobbying as legislative education, noting that virtually every business is affected by legislation in some way.

“When I think about who I would consider allies, this PAC is an ally,” Klopfenstein said. “The individual contributions may be small, but collectively, they are critically important to the future of not only electric cooperatives, but Ohio as a whole.”

“As we’re all aware, one of the big issues that is talked about today is affordability,” Manchester said. “And your energy prices are a huge part of that.”

She highlighted House Bill 15, legislation that was championed by Klopfenstein in the Ohio House, which she said has improved Ohio’s ability to utilize its energy resources and attract additional generation to the state.

Manchester recognized the role electric cooperatives played in the development of the legislation and its potential impact on maintaining affordable and reliable electricity for Ohio consumers.

The evening also featured a presentation from Kevin Zemanek, Assistant Vice President of Operations for Buckeye Power, the wholesale power provider for both Paulding Putnam and Midwest Electric.

Zemanek discussed the growing demand for electricity from large energy users, including data centers, and the steps being taken to protect electric reliability and ensure that the costs associated with those large loads are appropriately allocated. Currently, neither Paulding Putnam nor Midwest Electric serves any data centers, but both cooperatives are preparing for the future to ensure their members are protected and do not bear the costs associated with new large energy users.

He explained that Buckeye Power has implemented a separate rate for data centers that ensures the costs associated with serving these large new loads are allocated directly to the data centers, rather than being spread across the cooperative’s membership. He discussed requirements and proposed changes at the state and federal levels that would require new large loads to bring their own generation.

“These are two proactive things the Buckeye Board did over the past year,” Zemanek said, referring to the generation and rate measures. “I think we’ve gone into a really good position, a really good place for our grid. Reliability is the number one topic, and then also affordability.”

The evening began with a complimentary Italian dinner  and concluded with a Q&A session, allowing members to interact directly with Klopfenstein and Manchester.

America’s Electric Cooperatives PAC is a bipartisan political action committee focused on issues affecting electric cooperatives and the communities they serve. The PAC works to support policies that help keep members’ energy bills affordable, improve quality of life, protect jobs and strengthen Ohio’s economy while ensuring policymakers have accurate information about the electric cooperative industry.

Both Paulding Putnam and Midwest Electric Cooperatives are political leaders in the state of Ohio, with more than 1,400 America’s Electric Cooperative PAC members. 

Paulding, Ohio- Paulding County Hospital gives back to all three area schools. Antwerp, Paulding and Wayne Trace schools all received a donation to their athletic departments from Paulding County Hospital this past week. 

Paulding County Hospital offered sports physicals to local athletes during the school day at the end of the previous school year. Sports physicals were performed at all three county schools by Paulding County Hospital providers and staff. With the approval of administration and the Board, Paulding County Hospital was able to donate every dollar collected for the sports physicals performed back to each school’s athletic department. 

Participating in school-related sports is a great way for youth to stay fit, have fun, all while developing school and community spirit. Paulding County Hospital was happy to be able to play a role in this process and give back to these worthy programs. 

Somewhere in your home may be a pair of eyeglasses you have not worn in years.

Perhaps they are sitting in a drawer, a desk or a bathroom cabinet. You may have forgotten about them. But those glasses are not necessarily useless. The Heritage Lions collect over 10,000 pairs of eyeglasses each year from over 45 locations in Allen County. Optometrists, Allen County Public Libraries, YMCAs, Indiana Physical Therapy, nursing homes and funeral homes throughout the area sponsor these collection boxes.

After sorting out all of the cases and the broken glasses, the Heritage Lions bring the good glasses to Arcola for their twice a year sorting session in Lion John Gellar’s barn. The Arcola Lions Club take sorted eyeglasses to the The Wanatah Lions Club’s collection center in District 25A.

There Lions members from all over Northern Indiana sort over 15,000 pairs of used eye-glasses. Sort categories include: men’s and women’s, children’s, reading glasses and sunglasses. After the Arcola sort, The Wanatah Lions Club works with the Westville Correctional Facility where prisoners clean, repair, and most importantly read the prescriptions to catalog them for dispensing on missions trips. 

The glasses will eventually be shipped with missions to Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico and other countries that lack the resources to manufacture these necessary items. At the mission site, eye care professionals and trained Lion volunteers perform vision screenings and dispense the appropriate recycled glasses, free of charge, to children and adults in need.

Worldwide, millions of people live with vision impairment that could be improved with appropriate eye care and corrective lenses. For people in communities where eye examinations and eyeglasses are difficult to obtain or afford, a simple pair of donated glasses can make an enormous difference. When they receive these glasses from the Lions, their lives are changed forever.

Imagine, for a moment, a six-year-old girl we will call María. She places the glasses onto her face, looks across the room and for the first time sees the faces of the people around her clearly. She can now see the writing on the blackboard. She can read a book.

She can remain in school rather than falling behind because she cannot see. Multiply this times many millions and you can appreciate the power of this Heritage and International Lions project. All from gathering used eyeglasses that would have otherwise gone into a landfill.

Please consider placing your unneeded eyeglasses, sunglasses, reading glasses and hearing aids/batteries in any of the collection boxes located throughout northern Indiana.

Help the Lions help the less fortunate to see clearly, perhaps for the first time in their lives. This project is a perfect example of the Heritage Lions motto: “We Serve”.

PAULDING, OH:

Charlotte R. Russell, age 88, passed away on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at CHP Inpatient Hospice, Defiance, Ohio.

Charlotte was born on November 3, 1937, in Greencastle, Indiana, a daughter of the late George and Marguerite (Black) Scott. On September 6, 1963, she married Lloyd W. “Bill” Russell, who preceded her in death in 2002.

Throughout her working years, Charlotte was a familiar face to many in the community. She spent many years serving as the kitchen manager at Auglaize Country Club and later worked at Ace Hardware. Charlotte was a devoted mother and grandmother who treasured her family and the time spent with those she loved. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were an important part of her life and brought her much joy through the years.

Charlotte will be sadly missed by her daughter, Kristine (Chad) Lantow of Paulding; five grandchildren, April Daubenspeck, Adam Himsel, Sarah Gerencser, Kaitlin Bortel, and Thomas Lantow; great grandchildren: Ayla, Colton, Payton, Aedyn.

In addition to her parents and husband, Bill, Charlotte was preceded in death by her daughter, Debra Himsel; and siblings, Barbara Bevan, Mary Pierce, Janet Secrest, Steven Scott, Sarah Wilson, and George “Butch” Scott.

Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Online condolences may be shared at www.denherderfh.com.

COLUMBUS, OH:

Gladys A. Dachenhaus, age 93, of  Columbus, OH, formerly of Paulding, OH passed away on Monday, August 24, 2026 at the Columbus Alzheimer’s Care Center.

She was born at the Norden family homestead in Napoleon, OH on March 19, 1933 to her late parents Ferdinand and Mathilda (Badenhop) Norden. On March 19, 1960, she married James J. Dachenhaus who preceded her in death in 1983.

Gladys was a devoted member of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Paulding, OH where she worked as the secretary for the church as well as being a member of the Rachel Circle, Worship and Music Committee, sang in the church choir, member of the church council, and teaching Sunday school. In early years, she was also a Boy Scout Den Mother.

She loved spending time with her grandchildren, playing Nickel-Nickel card game, listening to Hymns, Polkas and  Big Band music and watching OSU football and westerns on TV.

She will be lovingly missed by her children: Jay (Beth) Dachenhaus, Paulding, OH; Dawn Dachenhaus, Delaware, OH; Stacy (Tyler) Reed, Grove City, OH; grandchildren: Elizabeth (Brian Cole) Dachenhaus, Delaney Dachenhaus and Lauren and Spencer Reed; brother, Dan Norden, Deerfield, OH.

Gladys is also preceded in death by her brothers: Leonard Norden and Norman Norden; sisters: Florence Behnfeldt, Mary Ann Iliff, and Margaret Lanzer;  four grandchildren.

Memorial service at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Paulding, OH with Rev. Clyde Singh officiating on Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 11:00 am. Inurnment will follow at St. Paul Cemetery, Paulding Township. 

Calling hours at the church before the services Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 10:00 am until time of services. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Gladys’ memory to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Online condolences may be shared at www.denherderfh.com.

Arc Solutions, a family-operated company, will invest more than $6 million and add 65 new jobs to meet increased customer demand. Earlier today, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved a Job Creation Tax Credit for the advanced manufacturing firm.

Company President Denny Vetter credited the current workforce and its central location in the Midwest market as key factors in the decision to expand at the Northwest Ohio location.

“Northwest Ohio provides an enormous advantage as a very economical place to do business, which makes Defiance County the most compelling location for our expansion. Add to that, this facility features a world-class workforce – second to none – that is committed to our company’s success.” – Denny Vetter, President, Arc Solutions

The expansion project in Hicksville will include construction over the next four years of two 30,000 square foot buildings.

With more than 25 years in the industry, Arc Solutions is recognized as a premier expert for welding products, cutting equipment, automation solutions, machine repair and sales of top-quality consumables and equipment. The company serves a wide variety of industries including automotive and advanced manufacturing facilities.

Arc Solutions is a division of FabX and collaborates closely with its affiliated companies – Advanced Welding Automation, Arc Robotics, Guide Engineering, Aquest Machining – to ensure customers satisfaction.

“Welding and cutting services are the backbone that Northwest Ohio manufacturers rely on to grow. Arc Solutions’ continued investment in Defiance County strengthens that foundation, and it’s exactly the kind of ecosystem support that keeps Ohio’s manufacturing advantage compounding.” – J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio President and CEO

Vetter complimented the collaboration among the economic development partners that helped move the project forward, including JobsOhio, the Regional Growth Partnership and Defiance County Economic Development.

“Hicksville may be a rural community, but it has long been home to world-class manufacturers. Bringing 65 new jobs to the area demonstrates that advanced manufacturing continues to thrive here,” said Erika Willitzer, executive director, Defiance County Economic Development. “We are excited that Arc Solutions is growing customer demand while creating new opportunities for skilled professionals who help power the success in welding, cutting, automation, and machine repair, and the best part is – It’s happening in Hicksville, Ohio!”

The company expects to break ground on the new buildings in the coming months.

For more information on Arc Solutions, FabX and its affiliated companies, visit www.fabxindustries.com

The Regional Growth Partnership is the lead economic development organization serving 17 counties in Northwest Ohio. As a private nonprofit development corporation, the RGP is dedicated to fostering regional, national and international business investment opportunities across the region. The RGP serves as Northwest Ohio’s network partner for JobsOhio. Visit www.rgp.org for more information.

The Kiwanis Club welcomed Jay Klopfenstein, Director of the Paulding County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), as the guest speaker at its meeting today. Klopfenstein was invited to speak by fellow Kiwanian Jane Gray.

Klopfenstein has served as the Paulding County EMA Director for approximately a year and a half. During his presentation, he discussed the many responsibilities involved in emergency management, including weather monitoring and response.

He provided information about the county’s tornado sirens, which are tested weekly. While the EMA is not directly responsible for maintaining the sirens, Klopfenstein explained that he can help connect communities with the appropriate resources when a siren is not functioning properly.

Another important part of his role is assessing storm damage and assisting residents if state funding becomes available. He also works with the county’s emergency preparedness plans, including the Operations Plan, Hazmat Plan, and Mitigation Plan. A Cybersecurity Plan is currently in-process of being added to these plans very soon.

Klopfenstein also maintains and manages the county’s training facility located on Fairground Drive. In addition, he assists with canteen services for local EMS and fire departments when needed and works with the county’s radio communications system.

The Kiwanis Club appreciates Klopfenstein taking the time to share information about the important work of the Paulding County Emergency Management Agency and the many ways it supports the community.

Paulding County has received an award recognizing the strong participation of local residents in the Property Fraud Alert service offered through the Paulding County Recorder’s Office.

More than 1,000 residents have now subscribed to the free service, which notifies participants when a document containing their name is recorded with the Recorder’s Office.

The Recorder’s Office encourages all Paulding County property owners to consider registering for the service. Enrollment requires only a name and either a phone number or email address. Subscribers may choose to receive alerts by phone call, email or text message.

Residents can enroll online by visiting pauldingcountyrecorder.com and selecting the “Property Fraud Alert” button. They may also register by calling the Recorder’s Office at 419-399-8275 or visiting the office at the Paulding County Courthouse, 115 N. Williams St., Paulding.

The Property Fraud Alert service is provided free of charge through the Recorder’s Office software provider. The service is designed to give property owners an additional way to monitor documents recorded under their name.

For additional information or assistance registering, contact the Paulding County Recorder’s Office at 419-399-8275.

Vantage Career Center Adult Education celebrated nine Practical Nursing graduates during its 2026 graduation and pinning ceremony on August 13, recognizing a class marked by academic achievement, dedication and compassion.

The Class of 2026 included Alana Beebe, Kyla Carder, Andrea Fletter, Dreama Hampton, Salasia Lipsey, Kenyota Pickett, Victoria Quiroz, Joann Ruan and Hailey Smith. Each graduate completed Vantage’s rigorous 1,318-hour Practical Nursing Program, which combines classroom instruction, hands-on lab training and clinical experiences.

Among the graduates, Alana Beebe made Vantage history as the first student to begin the PNP PREP pathway while in high school and go on to complete the Practical Nursing Program. PN PREP allows students to begin their nursing education while still in high school and continue their training through Vantage Adult Education.

The entire class also reached an impressive academic benchmark: every graduate earned an Exit HESI score equivalent to passing the NCLEX examination. HESI exams use NCLEX-style questions to evaluate students’ nursing knowledge and readiness for the licensure exam.

“The 2026 Practical Nursing graduates have accomplished so much throughout their time at Vantage,” said Erin Askins. “They excelled in their knowledge, skills, confidence and compassion, and their hard work, dedication and commitment to learning truly showed. To have every student achieve an Exit HESI score equivalent to passing the NCLEX is an incredible accomplishment for this class.”

Individual HESI honors went to Joann Ruan, who earned the highest Fundamentals of Nursing score; Hailey Smith, who earned the highest Pediatric, Medical-Surgical and Exit scores; and Dreama Hampton, who earned the highest Maternity and Pharmacology scores. Hampton’s Pharmacology score was the highest recorded in Vantage’s Practical Nursing Program to date.

Graduates were also recognized with Nursing Excellence Awards. Kenyota Pickett received Outstanding Motivation, Determination and Hard Work; Hailey Smith, Outstanding Learning and Education; Salasia Lipsey, Outstanding Patient Advocate; Victoria Quiroz, Outstanding Leadership; Kyla Carder, Outstanding Clinical Confidence; Alana Beebe, Outstanding Heart of Nursing; and Andrea Fletter,

Quiroz received an additional distinction for perfect attendance, completing all 1,318 hours without missing a single minute of class, lab or clinical training.

With their training complete, the graduates will take the next step toward becoming Licensed Practical Nurses as they prepare for the NCLEX. Vantage Career Center congratulates the Class of 2026 and wishes each graduate continued success in the nursing profession.

To learn more about the Practical Nursing Program and other career-training opportunities available through Vantage Career Center Adult Education, visit the Vantage Adult Education programs webpage or call 419-238-5411, ext. 2166.