(Richmond, IN)–Family Fitness Works is expanding into the home of the former Wayne Works.  In two months, Family Fitness Works will open an 81,000 square foot sports performance center in what’s now called the Rose City Business Park on Richmond’s northwest side.  The facility will accommodate sports like volleyball, gymnastics, and wrestling on traditional courts.  But it will also have field turf fields that will make indoor soccer and football possible.  It will be called Sports Plex and becomes the third facility in Richmond operated by Family Fitness Works.

(Richmond, IN)–A somewhat historic Uptown Richmond building is about to get new life.  Patient financial service offices for Reid Hospital will be moving into the 600 Building.  The move will mean an influx of about 75 employees daily into the building directly across East Main from Elder Beerman.  Renovation of the 600 Building has already begun.  That building not long ago housed the Richmond branch of the Indiana BMV.  For decades, including at the time of the 1968 explosion, it housed the Hoosier Store.  There’s no word yet on when the office is scheduled to open.

(Liberty, IN)–There was a fatal crash in Union County over the weekend.  It happened on an ice-covered State Route 44 near the Whitewater Gun Club.  67-year-old Doc Dawson of Connersville lost control on Saturday morning and spun into the path of an oncoming car.  Dawson was pronounced dead at the scene.  The other driver, who was a 27-year-old Germantown man, was taken to McCullough-Hyde Hospital in Oxford and was last listed in serious condition.

(Richmond, IN)–The effect to counties from the Indiana BMV’s overcharging on excise taxes has been disclosed in a report by the Indiana Association of Counties.  Wayne County will lose $56,000 in excise tax money over the next two years.  That money would have been divided among taxing units in the county.  The Wayne County BMV had overcharged residents a total of $186,000.  Union, Fayette, and Franklin Counties will lose a combined $67,000 over the next two years.

(Connersville, IN)–Fayette Regional Health System has announced that it will lay off 49 workers, and the hospital’s CEO is directly blaming Obamacare.  Randy White indicated that declining healthcare reimbursements to the hospital have forced the job cuts.  He said Obamacare has forced patients into higher-deductible plans.  Fayette Regional will be left with about 530 employees.  It’s one of the county’s biggest employers.

(Richmond, IN)–A brief police standoff shut down a Richmond neighborhood Thursday afternoon.  Woody Drive, Melody Lane, and Beech Grove Lane were all blocked off when an 18-year-old man on Beech Grove Lane fired a shot inside his home during a domestic dispute.  Family members inside escaped and were not injured.  The man surrendered without incident just as a police negotiation team arrived.

(Richmond, IN)–Two young Richmond residents allegedly led police on a drunken chase in a stolen car Thursday morning.  Officers responded to a fight call Uptown at around midnight.  Participants scattered.  Police chased two who had climbed into a stolen car.  After a block-long chase, the two bailed out with the car still moving.  Richmond police arrested 22-year-old Joseph Young and 19-year-old Jalen Perkins.  Police recovered a weapon and drug paraphernalia.

(Richmond, IN)–A new contract agreement for the teachers of the Richmond Community School system was reached Wednesday.  The Richmond Education Association and the RCS Board came to terms through mediation that will result in a $625 pay increase for each teacher in the RCS system.

(Richmond, IN)–On Thursday afternoon, Richmond Community School Superintendent Dr. Allen Bourff is expected to be named the new superintendent of the Hamilton Southeastern school district in central Indiana.  Bourff has been at RCS since 2004 and was instrumental in the school’s turnaround from its national label as a dropout factory in 2006.  Bourff also presided over a steady increase in Richmond High School’s graduation rate.  Details about Bourff’s pending departure have not been released, and he has not yet commented publically on what prompted his decision to leave Richmond.  Kicks 96 and the Point news has obtained a contract for the new superintendent.  If approved, Bourff would earn $175,000 with five weeks of paid vacation and a monthly payment for a car of $950.  He will oversee 20,000 students.  There are 5300 currently enrolled at Richmond.  Hamilton Southeastern will hold a public hearing on the contract on Monday with approval set for December 2.

(Richmond, IN)–Richmond radio personality Dave Snow announced Tuesday that he is running for Mayor as a Democrat.  Snow has the support of current Richmond Mayor and fellow Democrat Sally Hutton.  “I will do whatever Dave needs to be done,” Hutton said in regard to Snow’s campaign.  Her support for Snow effectively confirms that Hutton’s run as the city’s mayor will come to an end when her term expires at the end of next year.  Hutton has been mentoring Snow.  “He’s been talking to me for over a year gathering ideas and talking about different things.  He’s a bright young man.  He’s got a lot of energy,” Hutton said.  Snow is 37 and is a Richmond native.

(Winchester, IN)–A teenager was about to be released from custody this week in Randolph County for a minor crime when he allegedly committed a much bigger one.  18-year-old Geovine Yemne was uncuffed when Judge Peter Havisa ordered him released.  That’s when Yemne tried to grab the gun from the holster of a court bailiff.  Yemne was unable to get the weapon.  He was pinned against the wall and ordered jailed again.  Now, instead of going free, he’s being held without bond and faces six years in prison.

(Richmond, IN)–Numerous additional felony charges were tacked on Tuesday to the teen suspects accused of beating 17-year-old Caleb Woosley to death in Richmond this past May.  Deandre Plant, Michael Pruitt, and Kore Buchanan all now face five additional counts that include conspiracy to commit murder and aggravated battery.  All of the suspects remain in the Wayne County Jail without bond.

(Milton, IN)–A traffic accident claimed the life of a 20-year-old Milton girl Monday afternoon.  Audra Ross was driving an SUV that was headed north on State Road 1 near Bentonville Road.  Investigators say her vehicle crossed the center line and hit a pickup driven by 55-year-old Joel Adams of Connersville head on.  Ross was pronounced dead at the scene.  Adams was taken to a Level 1 trauma center.

(Fountain City, IN)–Fire has left a Fountain City family of five without a home today.  It broke out Monday afternoon at the home of Rod and Tera May on U.S. 27 just south of the Levi Coffin House.  Investigators indicated a space heater likely started the fire.  The Red Cross helped the family overnight with clothing and shelter.  Today, family members are asking for help for the three children.  Clothing donations for two boys and a girl can be dropped off today at Northeastern Elementary School.  Clothing can also be dropped off at the Richmond Meijer between 10 a.m. and noon.  Specific items being sought include women’s medium or large shirts, size 7-8 pants, and size 6 shoes.  Men’s size 3X shirts and size 34-36 jeans are also being sought, along with boys sizes 6 and 14 with size 1 and 6 shoes and girls size 14 with size 7 shoes.

(Laurel, IN)–An arrest has been made in connection with a Laurel murder.  An arrest warrant was issued for 61-year-old Bertram Rayburn.  Rayburn was considered armed and dangerous.  He was caught Monday night and is in the Franklin County Security Center this morning.  Rayburn is accused of shooting Dwight Jones two weeks ago.  Details of how Rayburn was captured have not been released.

(Richmond, IN)–A bar near Uptown Richmond lost its petition for a liquor license Monday.  Seven people spoke against Knucklehead’s and the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Commission agreed.  The bar has been the site of numerous complaints in the last decade.  Knucklehead’s had not had a license since just after a shooting occurred outside the bar last May.

(Richmond, IN)–Reid Hospital has set an informational meeting as it prepares to offer plans inside the Obamacare marketplace beginning next year.  Reid will accept both United Healthcare and Assurant Health.  Representatives will be on hand to help people sign up.  Last year, Reid provided $65 million in write-offs for the uninsured.  The event is set for the afternoon of December 10.

(Whitewater Valley)–There’s still more than a month of fall left, but Whitewater Valley residents dealt with its first accumulating snow since last spring on Monday.  Wayne County Highway Department crews were out overnight and reported that between two and three inches had fallen by 5 a.m.  Accidents were reported across the area.  At 6:15 a.m., a car was reportedly teetering over an embankment on Indiana Avenue.  In Darke County, a car slid off of State Route 49 and went into a house.  Several schools across the area operated on two-hour delays

(Richmond, IN)–A young Richmond resident has been jailed for the fourth time in the last six months for drug and theft charges.  20-year-old Nelson Holsinger led police on a chase early Sunday morning.  He was allegedly caught with heroin, marijuana, and a gun.  He was also charged with residential entry.  Holsinger was jailed in May, June, and August for similar charges.

(Richmond, IN)–Cleaning up the city of Richmond’s financial picture will cost $30,000.  That’s how much money council will be asked to transfer on Monday night to pay Umbaugh and Associates.  It’s six times what City Controller Paula Hill had told the Board of Works it would cost.  “My first proposition to them was that we would not exceed $5000,” Hill said.  The independent accounting firm has been working for months to clean up financial records that came into disarray with the departures of the city’s controller and deputy controller.  Umbaugh charges between $90 and $200 an hour.

(Liberty, IN)–So far, no bids have been received on the historic Fosdick Building on the town square in Liberty.  Melissa Browning of the Union County Development Corporation is making one final push to get a buyer for the structure, which contains the only water-powered elevator in Indiana.  The deadline for bidders is 4 o’clock Monday afternoon.  The minimum bid is $49,500.

(Richmond, IN)–Police are still searching for the man who robbed the east-side Chase Bank branch in Richmond late Thursday afternoon.  They also say it’s the same man who robbed the nearby Best Western Motel on Monday.  Thursday, the suspect produced a gun and demanded money.  He then fled north on Hayes Arboretum Road in a gray Pontiac G6 with a decal on the back window.  He’s described as white, 6-4, and thin.  There were no injuries

(Richmond, IN)–A newly-released report outlines the financial struggle of Wayne County residents.  It’s called the Alice Report and it’s compiled by the United Way.  The report shows that 48% of Wayne County residents are struggling to make ends meet.  Those families earn above the federal poverty line, but not enough to meet basic needs or allow for any savings.  Inside the city of Richmond, 51% of households are considered in the Alice range.  Wayne County’s rate is among the highest in Indiana.