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Wheeling grants permission for church to operate in vacant warehouse

Pastor Silverio Mendez of Rios de Agua Viva Church says he is excited to work with the Wheeling community, especially its youth, after the village board this week granted the church permission to continue operating out of a vacant warehouse on Wolf Road.

The village board said the approval is contingent on the church bringing the land and building up to code and adhering to village standards.

The church has been holding services in the building at 345 N. Wolf Road for nearly a year, Wheeling Village President Dean Argiris said. And the interior already is set up as a place of worship and provides "significant outreach in the community."

"It's a place people can go for the social help they need," Argiris said. "They have an attorney, a food pantry and legal support."

Mendez says most of the people who attend the church live in Wheeling, and he is looking forward to increasing the number of Sunday services from one to two or three.

"We're going to be working with the youth and we hope to have a positive impact on the community," he added.

The church also hopes to counsel people who struggle with drug and alcohol use.

The village board approved a special-use site plan for the church as the building is 8,320 square feet, smaller than the minimum size for a place of worship under village regulations.

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