(Richmond, IN)--The EPA has received some final air sampling data.  At a property where the EPA removed debris from the My Way Trading fire, agency contractors took air samples as the mowed the lawn and used a leaf blower.  Throughout a recent two-day air sampling process, the EPA’s results showed no asbestos.  They’ve determined that once debris is removed from a yard, it is safe to resume outdoor activities.  So far, debris has been collected from 112 properties in Indiana and Ohio.

(Richmond, IN)--The city of Richmond this week took a further step to market and develop the former Elder-Beerman building.  The Richmond Plan Commission approved a resolution that makes the building and the parking lot just south of it its own downtown allocation area.  Beth Fields explained what that does:  "This will create a stand-alone parcel so that, as we move forward with negotiations with the developer and others for future development on this site, we have the ability to move quickly."  The current plan is to convert the building into 150 apartments.

(Richmond, IN)--Animal control officers in Richmond had been searching for Taylor Snider for several weeks.  Now, that search is over.  Snider was taken into custody Thursday in the 200 block of North 14^th and charged with intentionally beating an animal.  Details of what he is alleged to have done have not become available.  Snider was convicted two and a half years ago of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.

(Richmond, IN)--The Richmond Community School Board met Wednesday night and unanimously approved a resolution that dealt with the My Way Trading fire.  RCS applied to the Department of Education to get a waiver due to the four instructional days that were lost.  Three of those four days were waived, and one asynchronous instruction day was added.  "There will not be a conclusionto this investigation of April 11 for some time.  The public's patience is really asked.  We're leaning on that," said Board Member Aaron StevensWednesday night.  The resolution means that RCS will develop a plan for the asynchronous day before the end of the school year.

(Centerville, IN)--A semi caused heavy damage to the Americana Pizza building in Centerville Thursday when it slammed into the building’s side.  There’s no official word yet on what caused the driver to lose control, although it was not believed to be a medical or mechanical issue.  Americana released a statement later in the day yesterday thanking first responders and others who responded.  There’s no word yet on when Americana will reopen.  There were no injuries.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County’s Tourism Bureau is beginning to put numbers on the estimated amount of visitors that will show up in Wayne County for the total solar eclipse, which is now just under a year away.  That number, which comes in part by analysis from Purdue University, is 100,000 people.  Wayne County will be in a path where the totality with the eclipse will last the longest – about four minutes.  Local communities are beginning to develop marketing strategies, including a Wayne County eclipse logo.

(Richmond, IN)--Lots of Fairview area residents and others from across the area showed up during a four-hour question and answer session at Fairview Elementary about the recent industrial fire in Richmond on Tuesday.  Representatives of local, state, and federal agencies were all on hand.  Some residents wanted to know what caused the fire.  The answer is that it’s still under investigation.  Others wanted to know how much cleanup will cost and who will pay for it.  Richmond Mayor Dave Snow said that the cost is still being tabulated and reiterated his position that Seth Smith – and not the city – is ultimately responsible.  "We don't own the buildings.  We don't own the materials on the site.  We are not responsible for the materials on the site.  He was made well aware that he was still responsible for his business," Snow explained.  The EPA said Tuesday it has now collected debris from 94 properties.

(Preble County, OH)--A pilot walked away from a small plane crash in Preble County Tuesday night.  At around 9 o’clock, a man knocked on the door of a home on Oxford-Gettysburg Road and said that he had just crashed his plane in a nearby farm field.  First responders found the plane on its top.  The pilot said that he was having engine problems and landed in the soft field.  "It was a bumpy landing.  I think he was trying to put it down where he could because of the engine problems.  Based on the plowed field, I think it just sucked those tires in and stopped him very quickly," said Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson.  The pilot was taken to Reid Health with minor injuries.  The NTSB will be investigating.

(Richmond, IN)--22 years behind bars is the sentence for a 22-year-old Richmond man who fatally shot 17-year-old Jakob Snider on Lincoln Street three years ago.  Lataj Brewer plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter.  Brewer had originally been charged with murder.  Brewer fired shots from a vehicle that struck not only Snider, but also a 17-year-old girl.  That girl survived.  The alleged driver of the vehicle is currently set to go on trial in October.

(Richmond, IN)--The EPA has now completed its cleanup of debris from Richmond’s industrial fire at all schools, daycares, and parks.  Now, it’s turning its attention to private properties.  The EPA indicated Monday night it has now collected debris from 60 properties.  That organization, along with representatives of local and state agencies, will be speaking one-on-one with residents affected by the fire from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at Fairview Elementary.  Affected residents in both Indiana and Ohio are encouraged to attend.

(Richmond, IN)--Nearly five years after the alleged crime, a murder trial has finally gotten underway in a Wayne County courtroom.  Jury selection took place Monday in the trial of Michael Carr.  Carr is charged with shooting and killing Jason Lewis after chasing him on foot through the Genesis Apartment complex at South 23^rd and L Streets in Richmond in August of 2018.  Carr’s trial date has been pushed back eight separate times for various reasons.  At least one state prison inmate was brought back to Wayne County Monday to testify at the trial.

(Wayne County, IN)--New numbers from the state released Monday show that there are 320 less Wayne County residents working today than were one year ago.   The local labor force has also shrunk by a similar number.  The latest numbers indicate that 43% of Wayne County residents of all ages currently have jobs.  Meanwhile, Wayne County broke a trend Monday.  For the first time in four months, the county’s unemployment rate dropped.  It stood Monday morning at 3.6%.

(Richmond, IN)--An in-person community meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday for those affected by the My Way Trading fire.  Representatives of local, state, and federal agencies will be on hand at Fairview Elementary School to answer questions and address concerns associated with the fire.  The event begins at 4 Tuesday afternoon and runs until 8 Tuesday night.  The city issued a statement that anyone affected by the fire is strongly encouraged to attend, and that includes residents of not only Richmond but also of Preble County who were downwind.

(Richmond, IN)--There’s no hearing date set yet in the class action lawsuit filed against Seth Smith and his company, Cornerstone Trading, as a result of the industrial fire in Richmond that broke out 13 days ago.  Two individuals along with a company called Limitless Pallets are listed as plaintiffs, although the lawsuit states that the final number of plaintiffs could reach into the thousands.  On Friday, a motion was filed for a jury trial in the case.  The lawsuit lists 11 claims for relief and asks for monetary damages in excess of $25,000.  There has been no response filed yet by Seth Smith.

(Fayette County, IN)--A man wanted in four states led police on a chase through Connersville and Fayette County Sunday night.  According to Connersville police, Anthony Chavez fled when police tried to stop him on Grand Avenue.  The chase went to Highways 44 and 121.  Stop sticks were deployed on 44 just east of Connersville.  Chavez swerved to avoid them and crashed.  He was flown to a Level One trauma center.  His condition Monday morning has not been released.  He was wanted in Indiana, Ohio, Florida, and Nevada.

(Richmond, IN)--The EPA released another update Thursday regarding air sampling from the My Way Trading Fire, and the news is good.  The EPA said it has not detected volatile organic compounds or particulate matter emissions for the last three days.  After consulting with the city and state, the EPA has now ended air monitoring and sampling around the site.  Pickup of debris, though, continues.  So far, crews have collected debris at 17 schools, 16 daycares, and six parks.  The EPA will soon begin collection from residential properties.

(Richmond, IN)--Three long-time members of the Richmond Police Department with a combined 87 years of service have retired in the last few weeks.  Friday is the last day on the job for Lieutenant Donnie Benedict, who has been with RPD for 33 years.  Pam Mertz and Ron Pennington have also retired.  Right now, the department is 14 officers short of being fully staffed.  RPD continues to seek and recruit potential new officers.

(Winchester, IN)--Winchester leaders are working on obtaining a grant to help in the demolition of what was once known as the Rainbow Room.  A large fire in the 100 block of South Main Street last July destroyed that building.  It was the latest of many fires at the same location.  The city is now seeking $300,000 in grant money.  Elected officials won’t know until August if they’re successful in seeking the grant.  If successful, the city would begin to take bids a couple of months later.

(Richmond, IN)--On Tuesday afternoon, the My Way Trading fire was declared officially out.  Now, the EPA is backing off its air monitoring.  According to an update Wednesday, the Ohio EPA has ended stationary air monitoring in New Paris.  In Richmond, the overnight roving air monitor has also been discontinued.  Wednesday, though, roving monitors measured at 20 locations around Richmond.  Those results are not yet available.  As of Wednesday, the EPA had collected fire debris from 16 schools, ten daycares, one community center, and two parks.  Attention will soon turn to residential properties.

(Richmond, IN)--The city of Richmond announced Wednesday that lane restrictions are set to begin either today or tomorrow on North A Street.  Some of those restrictions have already been in place, but this one will allow for resurfacing and for the installation of sidewalk curb ramps to make the street ADA compliant.  Phased lane restrictions will be taking place, although at least one lane will remain open.  The construction runs on North A from 16^th to 3^rd Street and will continue through late fall.  It means that three of Richmond four main thoroughfares are either completely closed or heavily restricted.

(Wayne County, IN)--A crash on I-70 in Wayne County early Wednesday afternoon caused the interstate to be closed for two hours.  It happened in the eastbound lanes near Mineral Springs Road close to Centerville when one semi rear-ended another.  One semi driver was trapped in the wreckage and was eventually flown to a Level One trauma center.  With I-70 closed in both directions, interstate traffic was diverted onto U.S. 40, and that caused that highway to back up.  There’s no word yet on the condition of the victims.

(Richmond, IN)--The EPA provided an update on the My Way Trading fire Tuesday afternoon.  According to that update, the fire continues to smolder.  In the last day and a half, the EPA did not detect contaminants of concern.  It has now reduced the number of air monitors and air sampling equipment, although around-the-clock air monitoring continues.  The EPA is still offering free debris removal from yards and outdoor areas.

(Wayne County, IN)--A safety alert from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department was issued late Tuesday night to residents in the Jacksonburg area.  That alert was the result of a police chase on I-70.  An eastbound vehicle exited 70 at State Road 1 and then headed east toward Jacksonburg.  An occupant who was thought to be armed bailed out and fled on foot.  A state police helicopter searched the area and helped locate the person, who was found hiding inside a barn.  The alert was lifted at just before midnight.  There’s no word on the person’s identity or what led to the chase.

(Richmond, IN)--Just three weeks into the U.S. 27 Depot District overpass replacement project in Richmond, North E Street is now looking a lot different.  For the first time in more than five decades, there is now no overpass above the street.  That span of the bridge has now been completely removed.  Crews on Wednesday are working on the section between Elm and North E Street.  Since the overpass closed, lots of local traffic has bypassed the closure to the west by using North G and North 8^th.

(Richmond, IN)--There have been no new announcements in the last 24 hours from the city of Richmond on either its website or social media pages regarding the My Way Trading fire, but Mayor Dave Snow did address it at Monday night’s meeting of Richmond Common Council.  Snow asked this of residents:  "Please don't make your way to the site to see it.  Walking or driving to the site is still hazardous because of unstable structures and charred debris.  Please let our firefighters continue their work."  Snow said that, as of Monday night, there had been about a hundred requests for EPA intervention with debris removal and that about 200 cleaning kits had been distributed to residents.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Community School students are finally returning to the classroom Tuesday after missing multiple days due to the My Way Trading fire.  RCS issued a statement Monday saying that it had taken extra purifying steps to ensure that it’s okay for students to return.  The district has asked the state’s Department of Education to not have to add make-up days at the end of the year.

(Darke County, OH)--A Darke County couple was killed in a crash Monday afternoon on Children’s Home – Bradford Road.  Investigators say 69-year-old Larry Szilagyi rolled through a stop sign and was hit by an oncoming pickup.  Here’s a resident who lives nearby:  "People just don't watch.  They get in a hurry.  They were coming from a direction that they should've been able to see,"  Larry Szilagyi and his wife, Nancy, both died as a result.  The driver of the pickup was not seriously hurt.

(Richmond, IN)--The half-mile evacuation order that resulted from last Tuesday’s My Way Trading fire was lifted Sunday afternoon.  "We will be transitioning more from a response mode to that of recovery in order to get the community back to some sort of normalcy," said Matthew Cain from Wayne County Emergency Management.  Local, state, and federal agencies made the determination Sunday.  Dr. David Jetmore was in on those discussions.  "All of the chemicals that we tested for were not-detectable except for three:  benzine, ethelyne, and butadiene, and these are in small levels," Jetmore said.  Jetmore predicted this about additional testing done Sunday night:  "...that there will be no detectable chemicals of any kind in the air.  I feel very confident that people will be safe when they move back to their homes."  The Richmond Fire Department is remaining on the scene to douse any flare-ups that occur.

(Richmond, IN)--Clean-up kits for those living near the fire are now available at the Wayne County Health Department.  "It'll be important for you to not only cleanse the outside of your house on high-touch surfaces such as door handles and railings, but, if your house did fill with smoke, during the fire - we have instructions on how to properly and safely clean the inside of your home," said Christine Stinson with the Wayne County Health Department on Sunday.  Stinson, though, said to leave any outside debris alone and contact the EPA through the city’s website, richmondindiana.gov.  "This is a very large-scale clean-up.  You'll wait for a response from EPA but it could take a few days before they get around to residents.  They're concentrating on public spaces and schools," Stinson said.  Some debris has tested positive for the presence of asbestos.

(Randolph County, IN)--A large fire is now out at the landfill at Randolph Farms near Farmland.  On Sunday morning, the fire sent smoke to the north and northwest.  Residents being affected by smoke were advised to close their windows.  The Indiana Department of Environmental Management determined that the material that was burning was "standard garbage products", and any hazards would be minimal.  50 firefighters from numerous agencies poured 164,000 gallons of water onto the fire.  It was declared out after about nine hours.  Officials said that the cause of the fire is not under investigation, but did not disclose what started it.

(Richmond, IN)--The fire is out.  The My Way Trading fire, which burned millions of pounds of plastic, was declared out at 8:44 Thursday night.  That’s roughly 54 hours after it began burning on North West F in Richmond on Wednesday afternoon.  The fire department was able to change tactics and disperse the burning material Thursday.  "We have focused more on going inside the hot zone and, with trackhoes and bulldozers, turning things over and applying foam to extinguish the fire," said Chief Tim Brown.  Brown talked Thursday about how big the fire actually was.  "It had six buildings.  Each one of those buildings was full of plastics.  I would say that 100% of that has been consumed."  Two firefighters suffered minor injuries in the course of fighting the fire.

(Richmond, IN)--The health and environmental effects of the My Way Trading fire continue to linger on the minds of residents and public officials.  The EPA is taking hundreds of samples from 34 locations.  Jason Sewell with the EPA said materials associated with smoke have been detected, but said this about particular chemicals of concern.  "We have not detected any of the other compounds that we're analyzing for at this time."  Solid materials that came from the fire were also tested as far as a mile and a half away.  Two samples were taken.  "One of the samples was positive for asbestos," Sewll explained.  Sewell said that anyone who finds any material in their yards should leave it alone and not mow over it for now.  City officials also said that streams and the Whitewater River have been tested and no abnormalities have been found.  There are also no fish or wildlife kills downstream.  As of Friday morning, the evacuation order for those who live within a half-mile of the My Way Trading fire remains in place.  There are two key elements in getting it lifted.  One is getting the fire out.  That happened Thursday night.  Here’s Fire Chief Tim Brown talking about the other element.  "I want to get the plume taken care of to where it's not floating into the neighborhoods.".  The decision about when to lift the evacuation will be a joint effort of the fire department and the EPA.  Once the evacuation order is lifted and residents return home, they’ll be offered clean-up kits from the Wayne County Health Department.

(Richmond, IN)--At a press conference Thursday, city officials were grilled about how millions of pounds of plastic could have been allowed to remain in place after the city of Richmond acquired two-thirds of the property at a tax sale two years ago.  "The city attempted to initiate that clean-up and we were impeded in that process," said Mayor Dave Snow.  City Attorney A.J. Sickmann was asked why the city didn’t cease operations of My Way Trading.  "The city did.  It prevented him from continuing to operate in his normal capacity.  The only operation was removing these things to abate the fire hazard.  And then, once it was in a state where the city could come in and actually begin the removal process...that was the plan," Sickmann said.  Snow said owner Seth Smith should have been responsible for the cost of clean-up before the fire broke out.  "When someone makes this colossal of a mess, our intention was always for that mess not to fall in the laps of taxpayers.  It's his mess," Snow explained.  Sickmann said the city has not been in contact with the owner since the fire started.  The owner’s local attorney is not commenting.  There was a large no trespassing sign at Seth Smith’s Union County home Thursday night.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Fire Chief Tim Brown was on the scene of the My Way Trading fire Thursday morning and provided an update on where efforts to get it out stand.  "There's a lot of hot spots and a lot of hidden fires," Brown explained.  And, there are still larger sections burning.  "We have one area where the roof pancaked down and it's burning pretty good underneath it," Brown added.  Here’s what will happen Thursday.  "We're going to bring in more excavators, assign engines to them, and start digging this thing apart aggressively so that we can get to the hot spots and get this fire extinguished," Brown said.  There is no estimated time to get the fire completely out.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Mayor Dave Snow on Wednesday pulled no punches in laying the blame for the fire squarely on the shoulders of the owner of My Way Trading.  Snow talked Wednesday about steps taken over the course of four years to get the owner to remove the plastic that continues to burn.  "That business owner is fully responsible for all of this.  We have the unsafe building order in the recorded court documents.  Everything that has ensued here - the fire, the damages, the risk that our first responders have taken and the risk these citizens are under are the responsibility of that negligent business owne," Snow said.  Snow also explained that the city took only partial ownership of the property as part of the cleanup effort.  "We took a portion of it from the business owner in a tax sale to hold that person accountable for this cleanup.  They are still responsible for the fire that has happened and all of the damage that has ensued afterward," Snow added.  The city and other governmental entities are now referring to the fire as the My Way Trading fire.

(Richmond, IN)--The city of Richmond has established several ways to get updated information on the My Way Trading fire.  One of them is a phone number:  973-9300.  Christine Stinson from the Wayne County Health Department has been answering that phone overnight from people mostly wondering about evacuation order, which remains in place indefinitely.  There is also updated information on the website richmondindiana.gov.  Also, the EPA is updating the situation on its website with special focus on potential environmental impacts.

(Richmond, IN)--The fire at the former Hoffco facility on North West F Street in Richmond continued to burn Wednesday morning.  Although the amount of smoke pouring from the area has been greatly reduced, it continues to rise from the area and drift east.  Overnight, Wayne County’s Emergency Management Agency issued updated information.  The EMA indicated that the evacuation area of a half-mile radius from the scene remains the same.  Residents remaining in that area are advised to keep their windows closed and their pets inside.  The fire is now under control and is not expected to spread.  But, it is expected to continue to burn and produce smoke and soot for several days.  There is no exact timetable yet for the evacuation orders to be lifted.  City officials are waiting on air monitoring testing and results, which can take several hours to return from the EPA’s labs.  Preliminary field testing results should be available at some point Wednesday morning.

(Preble County, OH)--The smoke from Tuesday’s fire could be seen for as many as 50 miles in every direction.  For some, though, what has fallen from the sky is a big concern Wednesday.  Residents miles to the east in Preble County have reported debris in their yards.  One resident of New Paris – Gettysburg Road shared a picture of chunks of burned material that landed in her yard.  Wayne County Emergency Management said overnight that debris should not be touched and that it’s unknown what chemicals may be in the debris.  Once they determine what was burned, additional information will be shared about how to dispose of the debris.

(Richmond, IN)--The fire that broke out Tuesday turned the fears of some city officials into reality.  Back in 2019, Richmond’s Unsafe Building Commission issued a series of orders to clean out the buildings on North West F, which had been stuffed to the gills with plastic.  At that point, there were more than 12 million tons of plastic in one of the buildings.  There were efforts to remove it, but those efforts stalled and the building’s owner essentially walked away – leaving the buildings under control of local government.  And, four years later, the plastic remained inside.  Here’s how Fire Chief Tim Brown described one of the buildings at the scene Tuesday:  "It's floor to ceiling, wall to wall with plastic.  All of the semis and all of the access ways around the building are full of plastic."  At the time in 2019 that the owner was ordered to remove the plastic, he claimed that he had nowhere to put it.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Mayor Dave Snow talked about plans to convert the former Elder-Beerman building in Richmond into 150 apartments.  Snow told Inside Indiana Business that it would be an investment of $40 million.  "Our downtown has never had a single, one-time $40 million investment, and I truly see it as an economic engine," Snow said.  He predicted it's an engine that would have this effect:  "Once you put 150 market-rate units in a downtown like ours, you build in that audience.  People that will live there, shop.  They want to eat.  They need things.  They need clothes.  They want to go to small boutique stores.  They need places to hang out.  They need that third place, and they want to find it close to where they live." The Elder-Beerman building has been vacant for nearly five years.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond residents are facing the possibility of a significant increase in their water bills.  Indiana American Water has filed a request through the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission for an increase that could amount to more than $14 per month for the average residential customer.  Indiana American said that the increase is necessary to cover $875 million in planned infrastructure upgrades.  The increase would come in three phases, beginning with a 12% increase in January of next year.  Public hearings are a requirement of the process of implementing an increase.

(Wayne County, IN)--Two people with warrants for serious crimes were taken into custodyMonday.  Heather Dailey was wanted for violating probation in an armed robbery case.  She had been sentenced to nine years for a 2018 armed robbery, but most of that time was suspended.  Dailey was caught on South 8^th in Richmond Monday afternoon.  Then, last night, officers arrested Timothy Boyd at his Cambridge City home.  Boyd is a 48-year-old man who was wanted for sexual misconduct with a minor.  Boyd is the former coach of a youth team who was arrested in 2016 for possessing child pornography.

(Richmond, IN)--State Representative Brad Barrett said over the weekend that efforts to rename the U.S. 27 bridge over I-70 the “Officer Seara Burton Memorial Bridge” are one step closer to coming to fruition.  Barrett authored House Concurrent Resolution 5, which was unanimously supported by the Indiana General Assembly, to urge the Department of Transportation to rename the bridge after the RPD officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty last summer.

(Richmond, IN)--There were two stabbings an hour apart in Richmond on Saturday night.  The first happened at 10 o’clock in the 400 block of North 16^th.  Officers found a victim identified as 29-year-old Maynor Lopez-Herrera with multiple stab wounds.  30-year-old Dalton Wildridge was taken into custody.  The victim was taken to Reid Health.  Then, at 11 o’clock police were sent to the 500 block of North West L.  There, they found 38-year-old Justin Campbell with a single stab wound.  William Barker was taken into custody.  Campbell was flown to Miami Valley Hospital.  Investigators say they do not believe the two stabbings are connected.

(New Paris, OH)--It happened more than a week ago, but the National Weather Service has now determined that a tornado touched down just outside of New Paris back on April 1 when high winds did damage across the Whitewater Valley.  Evidence shows the tornado touched down near the intersection of Hawley Mills and New Paris – Twin Road, where it uprooted trees and did heavy damage to a barn.  It was on the ground for about two minutes and had a maximum wind speed of 85 miles per hour.

(Wayne County, IN)--Here’s more on the annual school performance reports for 2022 issued recently for all public schools in Indiana, including the five public schools in Wayne County.  Students in two of the five districts are failing to get to school at an incredibly disproportionate rate.  Among lots of other statistics, the report tracks students who have more than ten unexcused absences.  For three of the five districts at the high school level, it’s not a lot.  Northeastern had six percent, Hagerstown had seven percent, and Centerville had ten percent.  But, at Lincoln High School, 37% of students had at least ten unexcused absences.  At Richmond High School, it was even worse…40% of students had at least ten unexcused absences.  For Richmond, the number now is three times higher than what it was just three years ago.

(Richmond, IN)--A registered sex offender has now been charged with setting a house fire that injured a Richmond firefighter.  The fire happened in January on North 15^th.  A man now identified as Mark Eisenburg was staying in a vacant home there with a homeless female.  According to court documents, she asked him to leave and he became upset – ultimately setting fire to the front porch.  A lieutenant with the Richmond Fire Department broke his ankle and is missing extensive time.  Eisenburg also faces charges in other cases in Fayette County.

(Richmond, IN)--Thursday marked the 55-year mark since the downtown Richmond explosion.  41 people died in a double-explosion that was centered in what is now the former Elder-Beerman building.  Now, five and a half decades later, some new, high-quality, color photos have surfaced.  19 new photos have been posted on the Facebook page entitled “Historic Richmond Indiana Photos.”  The photo accompanying this story is one of those 19 photos.

(Fountain City, IN)--Things got heated at this week’s meeting of the Fountain City Town Council.  It happened less than five minutes into the meeting when one resident was complaining to the council about his water being shut off without a response from the town.  At that point, another man sitting in the audience fired his car keys at the complainer from near point-blank range and right in front of a law enforcement officer.  The participants have not been publically identified and there have been no criminal charges yet.  The video is available on WCTV, but a warning:  it is uncensored.  Note:  The screenshot accompanying this story is from WCTV's broadcast.  It shows the moment the man on the extreme right threw keys at the man turning his body.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond’s "Batman", who is a candidate to be Richmond’s next mayor, campaigned – or, possibly trolled - from a unique venue this week.  David Carpenter showed up at this week’s meeting of Richmond Common Council and positioned himself perfectly in the front row so that he would appear on camera for WCTV’s live feed every time the camera cut to a speaker at the podium.  Between his feet, he held a hand-written sign that said “David Carpenter for Mayor”.  Carpenter was never required to remove the sign and it appears through the entire meeting.  Carpenter has indicated he will run as an independent.  He gained notoriety by dressing in a Batman costume and appearing at various prominent Richmond locations in recent years.

(Richmond, IN)--INDOT released a message Wednesday about more road construction in Richmond.  INDOT said Wednesday that, beginning Monday, North A Street – which is U.S. 40 West – will be reduced from three lanes down to one to allow for milling and paving work.  The work is expected to be complete by mid-September.  Once that work begins next week, it will mean that Richmond's primary north and south thoroughfare will be closed for the next year and a half and the primary west thoroughfare will be heavily restricted for more than four months.

(Richmond, IN)--The Richmond Police Department on Wednesday released a surveillance image of an attempted armed robber.  The man walked into the Speedway on National Road East early Tuesday morning and displayed a handgun.  Nothing was taken and no injuries were reported.  The would-be robber is mostly covered, but it’s clear that he is a white male and that he’s wearing relatively unique shoes.

(Richmond, IN)--Southbound traffic on Chester Boulevard in Richmond was a hot mess Tuesday – just a couple of days into the Depot Overpass replacement project.  Tuesday afternoon, traffic had backed up from J Street to well north of Oak Drive.  Not only was the overpass closed, but part of North E under the overpass was closed, as was part of 12^th Street.  Some drivers Tuesday indicated that signage was placed too close to the closure, which made it difficult for semi drivers to maneuver around.  City leaders continue to say they’ll closely monitor traffic patterns with the overpass closed to identify and come up with solutions for problem areas.

(Richmond, IN)--Indiana’s Department of Education has released its annual performance report for individual public schools across the state.  And, for Richmond Community Schools, the report for 2022 includes some positive numbers.  For the first time in a while, RCS shows increasing enrollment on the report.  The district added 64 students with a total enrollment of 4638 students.  The number of certified teachers at RCS rose by 15% from the previous year.  The graduation rate is significantly up.  On the behavioral side, the number of incidents of seclusion involving a school resource officer has been cut in half, from 129 down to 63.  Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News will be looking at numbers at specific schools in the coming days.

(Wayne County, IN)--For the second night in a row, there was a large fire in Wayne County overnight.  This one broke out at around 10:30 Tuesday night at a home on State Road 227 about halfway between Whitewater and Bethel.  Scanner traffic indicated that the occupants were able to get out of the house and that the roof was on fire when firefighters arrived.  State Road 227 was closed as multiple agencies arrived.  By 4 o’clock Wdnesday morning, companies had cleared the scene and 227 had reopened.  There’s no word yet on what started the fire or the extent of the damage.

(Richmond, IN)--The Board of Directors of the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County met Monday, and there’s another large-scale project in the works.  It’s code-named Project Thomas.  According to documents filed by the state’s EDC, the company is considering constructing a facility that would serve existing pet food manufacturers in the area.  It would be an investment into Wayne County in excess of $39 million.  It would create 30 jobs that would pay – on average - $27 per hour.  Also on the agenda Monday was an EDIT grant for Taconic.  Wayne County's EDC has already had announced two large economic development projects this year.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Common Council met Monday night and dealt with a grant for a baby box.  A baby box is just that – a box built into the wall of a public building that allows an adult to place an infant with no questions asked if the adult is unable to care for the infant.  The grant is for $15,000 and comes from the Wayne County Foundation.  The baby box would be located at the Richmond Fire Department.

(Winchester, IN)--Details of a Winchester murder were released Monday.  According to the Indiana State Police, it happened early Sunday evening when a female was found with a gunshot wound in the front yard of a home in the 600 block of East Short Street.  She was transferred to a Fort Wayne hospital where she was identified as 36-year-old Isabel Hernandez of Winchester and was pronounced dead.  Later, authorities arrested 25-year-old Larry Planck III of Winchester and charged him with murder.  Investigators did not release any other information, including a possible motive.