By: Makenna Manz, Paulding FFA Reporter

The Paulding FFA Chapter recently competed in the Envirothon at the Williams County Conservation Club on Wednesday April 22th, 2026. 

Envirothon is a competition where different schools from Area 1 take multiple tests and practicums involving the environment. The tests these students took as a team were as follows: Wildlife, Forestry, Soils, and Aquatics and the current issue being Point and Non-Point Source Pollution. 

These students went to a practice day with other schools at Defiance SWCD to prepare and learn more about these topic areas before competing.  

The Paulding FFA Chapter took two teams to compete, consisting of a senior team and a sophomore team. Senior team members were Aleah Matty, Delaney Dachenhaus, Addy Hunt and Jacob Harris and placed an Amazing 5th out of 32 teams. 

The Sophomore team members were Addison Arend, Delaney Johanns, Wesley Grindstaff, Ava Leatherman and Kinzley Collard. This team placed 21st. A special thanks to Paulding SWCD for sponsoring the teams! 

The state contest is June 1-3 in Steubenville Ohio and we are very excited to have a team compete in this once in a lifetime experience. 

The team competing at the state contest will be Aleah Matty, Delaney Dachenhaus, Jacob Harris, Delaney Johanns and Kat Burtch. We want to extend a huge thank you to Paulding SWCD for their support and guidance as we get ready to attend this state event. The team members are very excited to compete to represent Paulding at the State level!

The  Health & Wellness Community Foundation of Hicksville is proud to provide scholarships to area youth as they desire to pursue higher education following high school.

The HWC Foundation recently presented three scholarships to students at Edgerton High School. Recipients are selected based on achievements in academics, participation in activities and demonstrating passion for future goals.

The  Health & Wellness Community Foundation of Hicksville is proud to provide scholarships to area youth as they desire to pursue higher education following high school.

Konnor Wannemacher, a senior at Wayne Trace High School,  was recently recognized by the HWC Foundation as a 2026 scholarship winner in his pursuit of a degree in business from Northwest State Community College.

Recipients are selected based on achievements in academics, participation in activities and demonstrating passion for future goals.

By: MELINDA KRICK

It Happened in May …

Many important and memorable events in Paulding County history have taken place in the month of May:

1841 – Shadrach Hudson, the first settler in Paulding County, passed away May 17 in Auglaize Township, just shy of his 70th birthday. He was born May 31, 1771, in New Jersey. At the age of 18, he enlisted as a soldier under Gen. St. Clair, and was in the bloody conflict of 1793, on the Wabash, now known as Ft. Recovery; only seven, besides himself, survived to be discharged. Last fall, he was taken with the prevailing disease of the country and in the spring he was again taken down and after a few days yielded to death. Died, also on the same day, Mrs. [Lydia] Hudson. She too was a native of New Jersey, born Dec. 18, 1775. The disease of which she died was most painful – that of cancer. The proximity of her death and that of her husband to each other, is worthy of remark. She expired at 9 o’clock a.m., and he at 11 a.m., on the same day. They married in 1794 and lived to see a large family of children grow up.

1898 – The Nickel Plate has a new iron bridge over the tunnel on First Street in Oakwood.

1899 – Timber Scarce: The available supply for factory purposes is about exhausted; The mills in this part of Ohio are compelled to discontinue buying on account of the scarcity. The vast forests of prime timber that existed in this part of Ohio at one time are about exhausted. The pioneer rolled logs, burned, destroyed and wasted it in the early days of his advent here to make a “clearing” for crops. Of the many busy factories once located in this county, there remains only here and there a straggling one that runs but a portion of the year and the last one of these must soon close down for want of material.

1901 – A very back wreck occurred on the Nickel Plate R.R. at Melrose. The watchman who tends the drawbridge over the canal at that place had swing the bridge to let a canal boat pass when one of the fast freight trains came into sight. The morning was so foggy that the engineer could not see the signal to stop and the engine with one car load of hides ran into the canal. No one was seriously hurt.

1903 – The large stave, heading and hoop mill, formerly known as the Eagle Stave Works, at Latty, owned by the Fort Wayne Cooperage Co., was entirely destroyed by fire. The plant, a landmark of that village, had been in operation for about 20 years and at one time employed a large force of men. The mill was practically the only industry the town had.

1909 – The cornerstone of the new church of St. Mary, Junction, the best and most flourishing Catholic congregation in the county, was blessed and laid last Sunday. More than 2,300 people from all parts of the county were gathered to witness the solemn ceremony.

1912 – President William H. Taft and ex-President [Theodore] Roosevelt both will be here this week. It is not often a town the size of Paulding is honored by the presence of the two most prominent citizens of the nation. Mr. Roosevelt speaks here today. President Taft will be here Saturday. It will be the first time a president ever visited this town.

1916 – The Catholic Church at Latty was struck by lightning in the belfry early Sunday morning and the bolt set fire to the building and it burned to the ground. The costly altar, the organ and other articles burned with the building.

1918 – Oakwood Mayor Ritchie issued an edict to loafers and panhandlers: Go to work or go to jail. A fellow who does not work and who has no job though able to work will be sent to jail at once.

1919 – Prohibition went into effect in Ohio May 27. The predicted drought enveloped Paulding County as per schedule, Saturday evening. Payne, one of the “damp spots,” did a heavy business until closing hour. The stock of liquors on hand being nearly depleted. It is estimated that $10,000 was spent over the bars of the village on this date. Visitors from dry sections came to town with a thirst. It is reported that in the past few days, more drinking has been done in Payne than in the entire history of the town. Booze by the drink, quart or barrel was on sale, and found ready takers.

1921 – A wooden marker for old Fort Brown was dedicated on Decoration Day by local residents. The marker, 8 feet high and 28 inches square, was placed at the site of the fort, built during the War of 1812. The location has been fixed beyond a doubt by older residents who knew it when part of the structure was standing.

1934 – Recreation Park Planned for Fort Brown: Paulding County will soon have a modern recreation park. Construction is beginning of several summer cabins, a dining pavilion and drives through the grounds. The old aqueduct is to be demolished and the rock of its abutments will be trucked to Fort Brown to build a retaining wall to stop erosion.

1936 – The Paulding Putnam Electric Co-operative was organized May 15 at a joint meeting of the electrification committees of the two counties at the Farm Bureau office in Paulding. F.B. Wortman, Howard R. Mosier, Tom Forder and Guy Bidlack were selected as incorporators from Paulding County.

1938 – This week the work of tearing down the old aqueduct a half mile south of Melrose was commenced. This was the point where the Miami & Erie Canal went over the Little Auglaize River.

1939 – In accordance with state law, all county offices in the courthouse will be closed Saturday afternoons, starting May 1 at 12 noon.

1939 – New post office buildings are open to the public in Oakwood and Paulding. About 1,500 visitors inspected the Paulding Post Office during an open house.

1939 – The construction contractor for the Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative Inc. is constructing distribution lines in Allen County, Ind. This cooperative has the distinction of being the first in the U.S. to cross a state line with their power.

1940 – Paulding County Memorial Hospital was dedicated, appropriately on National Hospital Day, May 12. The hospital opened in 1938 with beds for eight patients. More room and adequate equipment was needed so a new addition has been built, and by donations made by physicians, organizations and individuals, is now well equipped.

1942 – Albert M. Crosby, Paulding County’s last Civil War veteran, who would have been 94 years old May 19, died at his home one mile east of Broughton. In spring 1864, Mr. Crosby enlisted at age 16 in the Union Army and served in Company H, 132nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War. An enthusiastic hunter, Mr. Crosby was credited with bagging more than 200 deer in the county and with killing the last black bear that roamed the county.

1943 – The Memorial Day observance will include the dedication of the new Paulding County Honor Roll on the west side of the square. The board will honor the brave and courageous boys and girls of our county serving in the armed forces on the battlefields of the world.

1945 – M.G. Stoller was surprised while driving along on U.S. 127 about two miles south of town. A large doe deer suddenly appeared, coming across country headed in an easterly direction then turned and went back west into the Floyd Cook timberland. Its presence was something of a novelty for this part of the country.

1950 – The Auglaize-Brown Local School District is created from all the territories of Brown Local School District and Auglaize Local District, effective July 1.

1963 – The New York, Chicago and St. Louis “Nickel Plate” Railroad will discontinue its two passenger trains that stop at Oakwood. This will be the first time there hasn’t been a passenger stop in Oakwood. Also, there will be no more express picked up or received at the depot after June 1. 

1964 – One of the most spectacular train wrecks in years on the Nickel Plate Railroad occurred when 61 cars and four diesel engines of a 107-car freight train derailed after hitting a semi trailer outfit on the grade crossing in Melrose. The truck driver was critically injured and later died. The crash piled up freight cars like cord wood and tore up nearly one-third mile of track. Railroad officials estimate damage will exceed $1.5 million.

1971 – The Paulding County School Board met in special session regarding district reorganization. The board, by a 3-2 vote, transferred all of the territory of the Blue Creek Local Schools and Grover Hill Local Schools to the adjoining Payne Local School District. The board unanimously approved a second resolution to transfer all of the territory of Auglaize-Brown Local Schools to the adjoining Paulding Exempted Village School District.

1997 – Paulding Mayor Vera Miles invites the public to attend the official streetlighting ceremonies on the courthouses square. The 28 historic-type lights have been installed as part of a downtown revitalization grant project.

Pictured above the winners of this year’s Virgil H. Cooper Scholarship (l-r) Landen Danberry, Addison Hunt, Kaitlynn Breedlove, Dianne Cooper, Addison Pease, Jackson Griffith, and Trenton Manz

MidWest America Federal Credit Union officials presented a check in the amount of $35,000 to East Allen Career Center staff and Superintendent Hissong in support of the new Aviation Maintenance Program. These dollars will help the school purchase equipment for the start-up program. “The aviation industry is growing in Fort Wayne, and the East Allen Career Center is committed to filling a pipeline of talent for this exciting industry”, said Mr. Tim Wiegand, Executive Director of the Career Center.

Dave Shadburne, President/CEO of MidWest America Federal Credit Union said, MidWest America Federal Credit Union is excited to be the credit union sponsor partner of the East Allen Career Center and supporter of their new aviation maintenance program. This innovative new program will give students in our community another well-paying career opportunity. Providing funds for the tools and equipment for this program will impact students for years to come”.

“It has been a pleasure teaming up with East Allen County Schools officials on the development of the Aviation Maintenance Technician Program. What began as a simple idea and dream has grown into a tremendous opportunity for the children of our community.”

Northeast Indiana continues to experience significant economic growth, and we must stay ahead of the increasing demand for skilled labor. This program represents one of the many pathways our region’s educators are creating to provide the business community with a qualified and capable workforce, said Tim Edmonds, Vice President of Aviation, Surack Enterprises.

The aviation program will start in the 2026-27 school year.

Congratulations to Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission (NOCAC) for receiving a $1,000 grant in April from the Defiance Moose Lodge #2094. The Moose holds a Donor Advised Fund under the umbrella of the Defiance Area Foundation. This grant will be used for NOCAC’s summer food program.

By: Makenna Manz, Paulding FFA Reporter

On April 30th, 2026, the Paulding FFA Chapter took twenty-seven students and two FFA Advisors to attend the 98th Ohio FFA State Convention at the Ohio Expo Center & Fairgrounds in Columbus. 

They departed at 10 a.m. in their matching blue FFA convention shirts. On the way down to Columbus, they made a stop at MVP Dairy to receive a tour. They had a nice little museum where students learned about the history of the dairy. Then students took a ride on a tour bus around their barns and saw all of their cows. At the last station, we saw their milking carousel where 80 cows ride on in a circular motion as they get milked, which takes around 10 minutes. The students received free Dannon yogurt as all of the milk MVP Dairy produces goes to Dannon. 

They soon after, arrived at the Drury Inn to unpack their luggage and later enjoyed shopping time at the Polaris mall. For dinner the students were given a meal at the Cheesecake Factory, courtesy of the Paulding FFA Alumni. The group then went to Slick City which was an action park filled with slides, basketball courts, and bouncy floors.

The following morning students ate breakfast at the Drury Inn and put on their official dress to go to convention! They found seats and watched the state FFA officer team take the stage for session one. 

The Paulding FFA Chapter was awarded the charitable giving award for chapters that have given over $500 in donations, this award was accepted by Darcy Taylor. 

After this, the group was given time to explore the expo center and shop. In session two, Addy Hunt and Tori Schlatter accepted the Gold Chapter Award for chapters who have performed exceptionally well in their communities and were rated Gold on their National Chapter Application Paulding FFA was one of twenty-five chapters to receive this award in Ohio. The keynote speaker of this session was Brad Hurtig, who spoke of his difficulties without arms. He told of being able to play football with prosthetic arms and through hard work was able to “dominate the field.” They then ended the day by celebrating Jeff Holtsberry as he received his State Honorary Degree award! Jeff is our bus driver and has been supporting our FFA Chapter for over 15 years. 

On the third day of the trip, FFA chapter secretaries, treasurers, and reporters received Gold rated book awards for outstanding work done on their books. Myrriah Manz received a secretary book award, Mariah Klopfenstein received a treasurer book award, and Vivienne Myers received a reporter book award. 

The chapter then received state winning plaques for Aquarium and Ag Biotechnology. Congratulations to both teams. Students also got to see Carter Boyd give his retiring speech as the State FFA President. In his speech, Boyd encouraged everyone to discover their interests and who they are. State FFA degrees were also awarded to qualifying students from across Ohio. The Paulding FFA Chapter’s State Degree Recipients were as follows: Avery Cooper, Kayleigh Dunham, Jayla Griffith, Mariah Klopfenstein, Mackenzie Leatherman, Kate Manz, Myrriah Manz, Gannon Parrett, Addy Pease, Estie Pease, Tori Schlatter and Riley Stork!

The 98th annual FFA state convention was an amazing way to see the fruits of our chapter’s labors and give students lessons on the value of hard work. 

The chapter could not have succeeded without the contributions of the community and we are so grateful for their support. We are so thankful for the Paulding FFA Alumni and their support of our chapter. The state convention was a major success and we are looking forward to attending again next year!

9:00 a.m. – Rochester Cemetery, Cecil

Pastor Ric Beals Speaker, Pastor of Paulding First Christian Church

Boy Scout Troop 315 and Cub Scout Pack 1317

Vocalist Dan Wilder

VFW Post 587 Color Guard

VFW Post 587 Auxiliary

11:00 a.m. – Live Oak Cemetery, Paulding

Pastor Bud Larimore Invocation, Pastor of Oakwood and Melrose Community Churches

Capt. Guy Gruters Guest Speaker, United States Air Force Fighter Pilot, Prisoner of War over 5 years in Vietnam

Paulding High School Band

Boy Scout Troop 315 and Cub Scout Pack 1317

VFW Post 587 Color Guard

VFW Post 587 Auxiliary

Complimentary Lunch at VFW Post 587

Memorial Day Observance Planned in Antwerp

Antwerp VFW Post 5087 will host a Memorial Day observance on Monday, May 25^th with a small parade leaving from the VFW and marching to the Riverside Veterans Memorial. A brief ceremony will follow at the memorial, with Mark Holtsberry serving as the guest speaker. Following the program, light snacks will be served at the VFW Hall.

Memorial Day Services in Grover Hill

Grover Hill VFW will be hosting a Memorial Day Service on Monday May 25, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Middle Creek Cemetery, 19367 Road 24 Grover Hill, OH.

Village of Payne Memorial Day Parade & Services

Join the Village of Payne for a Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 25th. Going down Main Street at 9:30 a.m. with service following at Wiltsie Cemetery (CR-51, outside of the village between CR-94 & SR-500).

Senior Zaine McMichael recently signed to continue his basketball career at Wilmington College. Pictured (l-r, back row)  Gaige McMichael, Mr. Billman, and Aewyn McMichael; (l-r, front row) Courtenay McMichael, Zaine McMichael, and Scott McMichael.

This year Paulding Exempted Village Schools had another record breaking total received from their mini relay event. The American Cancer Society will be receiving $12,318.11 to support individuals being impacted by cancer in our county. 

PEVS would like to give a special thank you to the Paulding Elementary PTO for their large contribution, The Award Shop for the t-shirt fundraiser, Ashley Foor’s breakfast for donation, the junior high teachers’ Friday jean money, and to everyone that supported the booths at mini relay. PEVS would like to thank you for supporting our community and thank everyone for supporting this mission.