Local News Archives for 2017-04

METH REMOVED FROM HAGERSTOWN TRAILER PARK

(Hagerstown, IN)--A meth lab was been taken down at a Hagerstown trailer park Friday morning.  Officers from multiple agencies were at a trailer park on Jones Road near Lacy Road.  58-year-old Connie House was booked into the Wayne County Jail at around 6:30 Friday morning and charged with possession of methamphetamine.  Drug paraphernalia was also found at the scene.  Other information, including what led police to the trailer park, has not been released.

CAMBRIDGE CITY MAN KILLED IN FAYETTE COUNTY CRASH

(Fayette County, IN)--Details have been released of a crash that claimed the life of a Cambridge City man.  It happened on Tuesday on State Road 1 a few miles south of State Road 44 in Connersville.  23-year-old Clayton Carlin was headed north when he crossed the center line and hit an oncoming car head-on.  Carlin was pronounced dead at the scene.  Two other people suffered minor injuries.  Investigators are still looking into what caused Carlin to cross the center line.

NETTLE CREEK DISCUSSES REDUCING NUMBER OF TEACHERS

(Hagerstown, IN)--Nettle Creeks Schools is talking about the possibility of reducing teachers as a result of declining enrollment.  The board this week approved Administrative Guideline Number 1, which allows them to determine when a reduction in force is necessary.  Nettle Creek’s enrollment has dropped by 45 students in the last four years.  That means a drop in revenue of more than a quarter of a million dollars.

NEW WEBSITE HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

(Richmond, IN)--A new website is launching that’s specifically designed to highlight local employment opportunities.  The website is hoosieropportunity.com and it’s a three-county collaboration that includes Wayne, Randolph, and Jay County.  Wayne County’s EDC was heavily involved in the development.  "This website is a means to make sure we're highlightnig the talent of these companies and the opportunities they present in the region," said EDC CEO Valerie Shaffer.  She said it will be a great tool for jobseekers.  "They can either search by industry sector or a specific position that they're interested in."  In order to be posted, jobs must pay at least ten dollars per hour.

RHS TOPS AREA SCHOOLS IN US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT RANKING

(Richmond, IN)--Only two Whitewater Valley high schools made the list of the Top 100 in Indiana in U.S. News and World Report’s newly-released ranking of schools.  The top school, at least in our area, is Richmond High School, which ranked 57th of 421 Indiana high schools.  The only other area high school to crack the top 100 was Hagerstown, which ranked 83rd.  No local high school made the top 100 in Ohio rankings.

KENTUCKY MEN FOUND WITH DRUGS, PARAPHERNALIA NEAR CORDELL POOL

(Richmond, IN)--Two men from rural eastern Kentucky were found with drugs near Cordell Pool in Richmond Thursday morning.  A traffic stop in the 1300 block of West Main at around 2:30 Thursday morning turned up marijuana, other controlled substances, syringes, and other drug paraphernalia.  There’s no word yet on what the two Kentucky men were doing in Richmond.

PREBLE COUNTY LEADS OHIO IN 2016 OHP DRUG CONFISCATIONS

(Preble County, OH)--More illegal drugs were seized in Preble County than in any other Ohio county last year, according to newly-released statistics from the Ohio Highway Patrol.  The high drug seizure ranking is the direct result of the OHP’s concentration on taking drugs off Ohio highways as soon as they’re brought into the state.  Patrol members on eastbound I-70 look for several indicators as vehicles cross from Indiana into Ohio.  In Preble County last year, troopers seized a total of almost four pounds of cocaine, 66 pounds of heroin, and 479 pounds of marijuana.

269 PEOPLE DROP OFF WAYNE COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT LIST IN 30 DAYS

(Wayne County, IN)--After poor employment numbers last month, Wayne County has rebounded in a big way.  According to new numbers from the state, the number of unemployed people in Wayne County dropped by 269 people in just the last 30 days.  The number of employed residents increased in that same time by 155.  But, Wayne County’s work force continues to shrink.  There are 908 fewer people in the workforce than there were a year ago.  The county’s workforce is on pace to drop below 30,000 people sometime this year.

MAN ARRESTED AFTER DROPPING OFF UNCONSCIOUS OVERDOSE VICTIM

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond man was taken to the Wayne County Jail after he allegedly dropped off an unconscious overdose victim and then fled the scene in the 300 block of South 15th Monday afternoon.  The problem for 39-year-old Michael Smith is that he left a phone line open, and dispatchers could hear Smith and another person saying that they needed to leave before police arrived.  CPR was performed on the overdose victim.  When Smith was caught, he was allegedly in possession of methamphetamine.

DRUG DEALER, ARMED ROBBER SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond heroin dealer and armed robber has been sentenced to 20 years in prison as part of a plea deal.  The sentence against 34-year-old Brandon Aubuchon was enhanced due to the nature of his crimes and his criminal record.  Aubuchon robbed a Richmond Conoco station and Village Pantry in the fall of 2015.  He was captured near Ocala, Florida last May.

FIREFIGHTERS CALLED TO PURINA MONDAY NIGHT

(Richmond, IN)--Firefighters were called to the Purina plant in Richmond Monday night.  "They had a dust collector that was smoldering," said Battalion Chief Charlie Bartlett.  Employees indicated the plant was evacuated as firefighters staged around the building.  The problem was contained in about 45 minutes and damage was kept to a minimum.  There was no report of any injury.

3400 DROP OFF WAYNE COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION ROLLS

(Wayne County, IN)--On Monday, Kicks 96 and The Point News reported that the number of registered voters in Franklin County had dropped dramatically (17%) after a statewide purge.  Wayne County Clerk Debbie Berry said that Wayne County’s drop was not nearly that dramatic.  Roughly 3400 registered voters dropped off in Wayne County, but Berry said that the 8% drop is not out of the ordinary.  Wayne County now has just over 40,000 registered voters.

APPEALS EXHAUSTED FOR UNION COUNTY MURDERER

(Liberty, IN)--The appeals have been exhausted for a Union County murderer.  Late last week, the Indiana Supreme Court denied hearing the petition of Bert McQueen.  McQueen killed Brandon Wicker in Brownsville two and a half years ago.  McQueen’s appeal was based in part on his assertion that the murder was not especially gruesome and that the 63-year-sentence was too long.  McQueen also claimed he was not the worst of the worst, despite more than 30 previous criminal convictions.

MAN ARRESTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY EXPOSING HIMSELF TO CHILDREN

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond man was jailed Sunday night after allegedly exposing himself to children.  According to police reports, Caleb Carithers was exposing himself from his home in the 200 block of North 19th Street.  Scanner traffic indicated Carithers would go back inside after the incidents.  He was arrested for public indecency Sunday night and remained in the Wayne County Jail Monday morning.

ANOTHER WHITEWATER VALLEY MARSH SET FOR CLOSURE

(Union City, OH)--Yet another Whitewater Valley Marsh Supermarket has been slated for closure.  This time, it’s the Marsh on the Ohio side of the state line in Union City.  That Marsh is one of nine others that are closing due to slumping sales.  The Union City store will remain open for another month.  The Marsh on South E Street in Richmond closed late last month after operating for decades under various names and owners.

MAN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER THREATENING FEDERAL AGENCY

(Liberty, IN)--A Union County man is accused of threatening to shoot up a government agency.  60-year-old Gregory Cecil of Liberty allegedly made the threats because he had been denied benefits.  Local deputies, along with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, executed a warrant at Cecil’s home on South Liberty Pike this week and found rifles, handguns, and more than 2000 rounds of ammunition.  Cecil was taken to Reid Health for a psychological evaluation.

NO FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED IN ELIZABETH STREET DEATH

(Richmond, IN)--There was a police presence on Elizabeth Street just off of Round Barn Road between Richmond and Centerville Thursday.  A woman was found dead there, but local officials are indicating that her death does not appear to be the result of a robbery or murder.  Wayne County Sheriff Jeff Cappa said Friay morning that no foul play is suspected.  Speculation ran rampant on social media Thursday about the cause of her death.  Officials said that speculation was greatly exaggerated.  An autopsy will be performed in Dayton.

FOUR FOUND WITH METH, MARIJUANA IN ABINGTON

(Abington, IN)--Four people were taken to the Wayne County Jail Thursday night after they were found in Abington, allegedly in possession of several types of drugs.  The Indiana State Police arrested 46-year-old Randy Jackson of Richmond, along with Chastity Pitcher, Ted Durham, and Kylier Childress Shelby, who are all from Connersville.  All were charged with possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.  Details about quantities have not been released.

DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO 14 1/2 YEARS

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond drug dealer was sentenced Thursday.  Lavar Thomas was sentenced to 14 ½ years behind bars after he was convicted by a Wayne County jury in February.  Thomas was arrested two years ago when law enforcement entered an apartment in the 100 block of South 15th Street and found guns, drugs, and lots of cash.  Thomas was on parole for previous crimes when he was arrested on South 15th.

TRUCK CRASHES INTO PORCH

(West College Corner, IN)--A pickup truck crashed into a porch at a home in West College Corner Thursday.  The driver, who is from Fairfield, told deputies that he was forced off the roadway by an oncoming car on Liberty Avenue, which is also U.S. 27.  That driver and two passengers sustained non-life-threatening injuries.  No one inside the home was hurt.  The driver of the pickup was driving on a suspended license.

HOME INVASION, ARMED ROBBERY REPORTED NEAR OAK PARK IN RICHMOND

(Richmond, IN)--There was a home invasion and armed robbery near the Oak Park neighborhood in Richmond early Thursday morning.  It happened in the 1600 block of Sylvan Nook Drive.  According to police reports, two men asked the resident to use a phone.  As the resident turned away to look for the phone, they entered the home.  One pulled out a gun; the other had a knife.  Police searched the area but could not locate the suspects, who were described only as two white males.  The resident was shaken up, but not hurt.  Investigators are looking for a known prostitute who may be connected to the incident.

FIRE DOES HEAVY DAMAGE TO SAMPLE ROAD HOME

(Wayne County, IN)--Firefighters were on the scene of a house fire late Wednesday night.  Fire broke out a home on Sample Road just off of Pennville Road between Centerville and Cambridge City at around 9:45 p.m.  A neighbor noticed flames and called 911.  Most of the back of the house was involved when firefighters arrived.  The house was heavily damaged but is not considered a total loss.  It was described as vacant.  There’s no word yet on what started the fire.

MILTON MAN JAILED FOR BATTERING FAMILY MEMBERS

(Milton, IN)--Police were searching western Wayne County Wednesday night for a man accused of battering multiple members of his own family.  At one point, 24-year-old William Pressel was thought to be hiding under a bridge in Pershing after an attack that sent at least two of his own family members to Reid Health to be checked out at around 9 o’clock Wednesday night.  Pressel was caught at a home in Milton and has been charged with felony domestic battery.

WAYNE COUNTY CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES UP 44% IN 2017

(Richmond, IN)--Last week, we told you that Wayne County was on pace to nearly double the number of overdose deaths from last year to this year.  New numbers released from the state also indicate that Wayne County is now on pace to greatly exceed the number of child abuse and neglect cases.  By this time last year, there were 36 substantiated cases of neglect.  So far this year, there have been 52 cases.  That’s an increase of 44%.  Jacob Jansen of Richmond was arrested Tuesday night for neglect of a dependent.

ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING TO BEGIN AT OLD REID THIS COMING MONDAY

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond is one step closer to getting rid of its biggest eyesore.  This coming Monday, a firm will begin collecting soil samples from the old Reid Hospital property in Richmond as they look for contaminants that could complicate the building’s demolition.  "They'll have a large work crew out there collecting samples for 4-6 weeks, and then they'll go into a 2-4 week analyzation period," Mayor Dave Snow Monday night.  Snow told members of Common Council that in roughly two months, the city will have a much better idea of how two issues will be handled…remediation and demolition.  "Whether or not that's going to be two separate events, or whether we remediate while we demolish...a lot of questions will be answered once they're finished with that."  Rough estimates of costs are in the ten-million-dollar range.

CATE REMOVES HIS OWN PLAQUE FROM McBRIDE DUE TO DETERIORATING CONDITIONS

(Richmond, IN)--Conditions are so bad at McBride Stadium in Richmond that the man who is largely responsible for its improvements in the last 25 years removed the plaque bearing his name.  John Cate recently removed his own plaque.  Mayor Dave Snow addressed the issue with Common Council Monday night.  Snow acknowledged that conditions need to be improved but said that the field itself is safe and passed along what the RHS baseball coach told him.  "I'm not concerned that my first baseman is going to end up at the orthodontist over a broken tooth after tripping over something."  Snow said that Park Superintendent Denise Retz had a work plan to improve McBride, but details were not discussed publically Monday night.

RICHMOND RANKS IN TOP 15% NATIONALLY FOR BEST SMALL CITIES TO START BUSINESS

(Richmond, IN)--The city of Richmond has ranked very highly in a newly-released national ranking of the best small cities to start a business.  The website Wallethub.com looked at 1261 small cities across the country and ranked Richmond 181st.  That puts Richmond in the top 15%.  Although Richmond was just average in the categories of business environment and access to resources, it ranked 88th overall for low business costs.

RICHMOND CAUGHT WITH METH AFTER FLEEING SCENE OF CRASH

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond woman who was wanted on unrelated charges was in the Wayne County Jail Tuesday morning after allegedly fleeing the scene of an accident.  Police say 30-year-old Amy Wiley fled the scene of a crash on Bridge Avenue.  When police found Wiley, they also found methamphetamine.  Wiley had been arrested last November for possessing cocaine, syringes, and other drug paraphernalia.

INMATE LEAPS FROM JAIL BALCONY

(Richmond, IN)--First responders were sent to the Wayne County Jail at around 3:30 Monday morning.  According to scanner traffic, an inmate intentionally jumped off a second-floor balcony at the jail and landed on the concrete floor below.  The male inmate was taken to Reid Health to be treated.  His name, condition, and why he was being held are details that were not immediately released.

OVERDOSE CALL LEADS TO ARREST

(Richmond, IN)--An overdose call Sunday led directly to the arrest of a Richmond woman.  Police and first responders were sent to a home in the 100 block of Pearl Street Sunday.  The overdose victim was revived.  45-year-old Angel Cooper was charged with maintaining a common nuisance along with possession of heroin and a syringe.  A baggie of heroin allegedly fell out of Cooper’s shirt when she removed it.

SIX YEARS ADDED TO DRUG SENTENCE FOR JAIL ESCAPE

(Connersville, IN)--Four days of freedom last year cost a Connersville man an extra six years behind bars.  "They will be found.  They will be back and be inmates."  That's whats Joey Laughlin with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department predicted last year shortly after an escape by Chad Heath and Michael Roberts.  They escaped the Fayette County Jail last June by boring a hole through the jail wall.  Laughlin was right.  Both were caught.  Now, Heath has been sentenced to eight years for dealing drugs with six years tacked on for the escape.

WAYNE COUNTY: AT LEAST 8 OD DEATHS IN LAST TWO WEEKS; ON PACE FOR MORE THAN 100 IN 2017

(Wayne County, IN)--The number of drug overdose deaths in Wayne County this year is currently on pace to nearly double the 57 people who died last year.  That’s according to Wayne County Coroner Ron Stevens.  If that trend holds, it will mean more than a hundred overdose deaths will occur in Wayne County this year.  Stevens said that there have been at least eight local overdose deaths just in the last two weeks.  He added that virtually every form of drug coming into the Whitewater Valley now is laced with fentanyl, including heroin, meth, and even marijuana.  Earlier this month, Wayne County had its first confirmed overdose from carfentanyl.  That’s commonly used as an elephant tranquilizer.

TEEN INVOLVED IN THURSDAY SCOOTER CHASE ALREADY HAS ADULT CRIMINAL RECORD

(Richmond, IN)--Witnesses said it was a dispute over drugs…Thursday afternoon, an SUV slammed into a garage near South 10th and C in Richmond as the driver tried to chase down and then run over someone who was fleeing on a scooter.  The SUV was traveling at a high rate of speed just before the crash, but there was no report of any injury.  An arrest has been made.  17-year-old Quentin Pamplin was in the Wayne County Jail Friday morning.  He’s charged with battery, criminal recklessness, and possession of marijuana.  Pamplin last year was charged as an adult as a 16-year-old for severely beating a man inside Richmond’s Walmart because the man had spoken to Pamplin's girlfriend.

THREE JAILED AFTER DRUNKEN BRAWL ON SOUTH 4TH

(Richmond, IN)--Three people were in the Wayne County Jail Friday morning after a large drunken brawl spilled out onto the 1400 block of South 4th Street late Thursday night.  Police responded to initial calls of a fight between five people.  One man was reportedly having difficulty breathing.  Keith Green and Thomas Lowe, who are both in their 50’s, were jailed – as was 21-year-old Ryan Mynatt.  There’s no word on what started the fight.

TWO BODIES FOUND ON SOUTH 14th

(Richmond, IN)--A welfare check led to the discovery of two dead bodies in the 1400 block of South 14th in Richmond Wednesday night.  According to initial reports and scanner traffic, a concerned neighbor requested that officers check out the home.  Two people were found inside.  They appeared to have been dead for about three days.  There is no word yet on whether drugs or foul play is suspected.  Names have not been released.

EARLY-MORNING FIRES SET ALONG RAILROAD TRACKS

(Richmond, IN)--Two fires were apparently intentionally set along the railroad tracks that run parallel to Richmond Avenue Thursday morning.  According to scanner traffic, police and firefighters were originally sent to the railroad trestle over Sheridan Street at around 3 o’clock Thursday morning on the report of a burning mattress on the tracks.  Then, cardboard inside a trailer was discovered burning just to the east near Purina.  "Someone obviously threw something in there and set the cardboard on fire.  It was just a slow process because you've got to peel all the cardboard out to put it out," said Battalion Chief Eric Holmes.  No suspects have been located.

REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION GETS "HIGH QUALITY PLAN" DESIGNATION

(Richmond, IN)--The Eastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission is a regional economic development group that includes Wayne, Union, Fayette, and Randolph County.  Now, that group has achieved a “high quality plan” designation from USDA.  The designation qualifies the group for a grant to further stimulate economic development, especially in the area of agriculture.

MOTHER OF UNRESTRAINED BOY KILLED IN CRASH CITED 3 WEEKS AGO FOR SEATBELT VIOLATION

(Eaton, OH)--Here’s more on the weekend death of an Eaton boy who was riding unrestrained in his mother’s car as it crashed when she reached for her cell phone.  New information reveals that Carla Kingsley had been cited for a seatbelt violation just three weeks before the crash that killed her son.  She has multiple other violations for failing to use a seatbelt, speeding, and driving on a suspended license in Wayne and Preble County dating back to the late ‘90’s.  The Ohio Highway Patrol said she could face charges including involuntary manslaughter or vehicular homicide.

RICHMOND MAN JAILED FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT FRAUD

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond man has been arrested for home improvement fraud.  47-year-old Mike Sparks was booked into the Wayne County Jail Tuesday and has now bonded out.  Two complaints have been filed through the Better Business Bureau against Mike’s Door Service, a Richmond LLC.  In each case, filed last year, Mike Sparks is accused of taking advance payment for garage doors but never installing them.  Complainants say Sparks failed to return their repeated calls.

MAN ATTACKED BY BULL ACROSS FROM RICHMOND AIRPORT

(Boston, IN)--A man was attacked by a bull Tuesday night at a farm directly across from the Richmond Municipal Airport.  A medical helicopter was summoned and then cancelled after the attack at Gerber Land & Cattle.  A doctor happened to be on the scene and tended to the victim, who was taken by ground ambulance to Reid Health.  His name and condition had not been released early Wednesday morning.

MAN KEEPS OVERDOSE VICTIM'S BODY IN CAR FOR 15 HOURS

(Winchester, IN)--Investigators say he drove around with the dead body of an overdose victim for 15 hours…that’s what landed 37-year-old Ryan Fisher in the Randolph County jail.  Fisher had been arrested for reckless homicide and neglect of a dependent.  More details were released later Monday.  Fisher said he was at a Randolph County pond with 34-year-old Angela Moore of Union City when she overdosed and died.  He didn’t know what to do, so he put her body in the car and, 15 hours later, took it to Jay County Hospital in Portland.  That’s where police say he made up a story about picking her up along U.S. 27.

RAATZ BILL DEALING WITH DRUG ADDICTS ADVANCES TO GOVERNOR'S DEST

(Indianapolis, IN)--A bill dealing with drug addicts that was written by State Senator Jeff Raatz of Centerville is now headed to Indiana’s governor for final consideration.  The bill would establish a pilot program in three Indiana counties, including Wayne.  It would allow drug addicts who are at serious risk of death or injury due to their addiction to be involuntarily committed to a treatment facility.  The bill recently unanimously passed both the state House and Senate.

COUPLE ARRESTED AFTER GOING DOOR-TO-DOOR AT MIDNIGHT

(Wayne County, IN)--Two people were jailed Tuesday morning after going door to door in the middle of the night near Arba Pike.  Christina Bishop of Greens Fork and Jacob Hart were asking people to use their phones at just after midnight Tuesday morning.  Police were called and found Bishop and Hart at U.S. 27 and Tingler Road.  Hart was allegedly in possession of methamphetamine.  Bishop had an active warrant in Jay County.

CELL PHONE USAGE LEADS TO FATAL CRASH

(Preble County, OH)--A fatal crash in Preble County Sunday is being attributed to cell phone usage behind the wheel.  The crash happened Sunday afternoon in Preble County just east of Hueston Woods.  According to a release from the Ohio Highway Patrol, 49-year-old Carla Kingsley of Eaton was driving on Camden-Darrtown Road with her two children.  She was using her cell phone to either text or call and drifted off the roadway.  Her ten-year-old son was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene.  Kingsley and her 12-year-old daughter were taken to McCullough-Hyde Hospital in Oxford.  Their conditions have not been released.  The children were not wearing seat belts.

WINCHESTER MAN JAILED FOR RECKLESS HOMICIDE, NEGLECT OF DEPENDENT CAUSING DEATH

(Winchester, IN)--Details on Monday morning were being withheld by law enforcement agents in Randolph County regarding what appears to be the recent death of a child.  37-year-old Ryan Fisher of Winchester was in the Randolph County Jail Monday morning.  Fisher has been charged with reckless homicide and neglect of a dependent causing death.  Fisher has a criminal record, but nothing of a violent nature.  More details from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department are expected later Monday.

FIRE DESTROYS DUBLIN HOME

(Dublin, IN)--Fire destroyed a home in western Wayne County Sunday morning.  Crews from multiple agencies responded to a home on U.S. 40 in Dublin.  They had been there late Saturday night on a relatively minor kitchen fire.  But that fire rekindled early Sunday morning and had engulfed the home when firefighters arrived.  No one was home at the time and there were no injuries.  The home and its contents are a total loss.  If you’d like to help the family, you can make a clothing donation Monday at the Dublin Fire Station.

CENTERVILLE WOMAN OD'S TWICE IN FOUR HOURS

(Richmond, IN)--There have been multiple drug overdose calls in Richmond on Thursday and Friday morning.  Overdoses have occurred on South 6th, South 13th, and Irish Hills Court.  One case, though, demonstrates how addictive drugs can be.  A Centerville woman overdosed at a Richmond home at 8 o’clock Thursday night.  She had to be revived with Narcan.  Then, just four hours later, she went to a different home and overdosed again.  First responders were again able to revive her at just after midnight Friday morning.  One county official said that a dangerous batch of heroin may have infiltrated the area.

RPD SEEKS HELP IN IDENTIFYING APPLEBEE'S THIEF

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a thief.  RPD has released a surveillance image of a man who stole multiple items from a car that was parked at Richmond’s Applebee’s last week.  He then used a stolen credit card at the CVS on East Main in Richmond.  He’s a white male with dark hair and a beard.

AREA AMTRAK SERVICE IN JEOPARDY

(Connersville, IN and Oxford, OH)--The Whitewater Valley could lose its Amtrak service if federal budget cuts of $2.4 billion are approved.  Amtrak runs through Connersville three times a week on what’s known as the Cardinal line that runs to Chicago.  The proposed cuts would eliminate federal subsidies for Amtrak.  Connersville was in the process of upgrading facilities at its Amtrak stop.  Oxford would also be affected.  It has worked for the last couple of years to add an Amtrak stop.

GARAGE FIRE LABELED SUSPICIOUS

(Richmond, IN)--A garage was destroyed by fire Friday morning.  Firefighters were called to an alley in the 300 block between South 7th and 8th Streets in Richmond.  Battalion Chief Charlie Bartlett describes what crews found when they arrived at around 3:30 Friday morning.  "Detached garage in the alley...fully involved."  The house was vacant, and it’s likely that the fire was intentionally set.  Four vandals were caught on surveillance video last week in that same area.  There’s no word yet on whether or not the incidents are connected.

MAN JAILED AFTER FEBRUARY STRANGULATION ARREST

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond man is back in the Wayne County Jail after his arrest two months ago for strangulation.  33-year-old Kellan Westover was sent back to jail Thursday.  In early February, authorities had been called to Westover’s home on South 6th Street.  He was arrested there for felony strangulation and for domestic battery.  He is currently serving time for only the domestic battery charge.

RPD INVESTIGATES OVERNIGHT STABBING

(Richmond, IN)--There was an overnight stabbing in Richmond.  The incident happened at just before midnight Wednesday night in the area of North 10th and A Street.  Scanner traffic indicated that one person was stabbed multiple times in the upper chest.  That victim was taken to Reid Health to be treated for what were described Thursday morning as non-life-threatening injuries.  Investigators located a bloody t-shirt in a trash can behind a home, but no arrests have been made.  The victim’s identity and what led to the stabbing have not been released.

WANTED CENTERVILLE METH DEALER APPREHENDED

(Richmond, IN)--An alleged Centerville methamphetamine dealer who was wanted by the Wayne County Drug Task Force was found and arrested Wednesday.  35-year-old Rachel Scammahorn was in a car that was stopped on North West First in Richmond.  Scammahorn has already bonded out of jail.  There was another meth-related arrest Thursday morning.  40-year-old Richard Tillery of Richmond was jailed at 3:30 Thursday morning for possession.

FIRE RESPONSE AT PENN STATION BLAMED ON FAULTY AIR HANDLER

(Richmond, IN)--It brought a large response from the Richmond Fire Department Wednesday night, but a reported fire at Penn Station on East Main in Richmond turned out to be a minor incident.  Employees reported smoke and a burnt wire smell at 6:45 Wednesday night.  Firefighters identified the problem as a malfunctioning air handler.  Restaurant service was only minimally interrupted.

WESTERN WAYNE SEWAGE CUSTOMERS FACE NEARLY-DOUBLED BILLS

(Cambridge City, IN)--Customers in the Western Wayne Regional Sewer District are still facing the likelihood that their monthly sewage rates will almost double.  A consultant this week told the board and leaders from several western Wayne communities that the average residential bill would jump from $28 to $52 per month to help fund an expansion of capacity.  The board also said it opted against a cheaper alternative of sending the wastewater to Connersville so that local control could be maintained.

TWO FIRES ON SAME EATON STREET INTENTIONALLY SET

(Eaton, OH)--Investigators say there could be a serial arsonist in Eaton.  The state fire marshal’s office now is indicating that two separate fires, both set in the last month and both on Walnut Street in Eaton, were intentionally set.  A resident was in the process of moving out when the most recent fire was set.  There were pets still living in the home.  A $5000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the arsonist.

RICHMOND WOMAN LEADS POLICE ON HIGH-SPEED CHASE FROM RICHMOND TO EATON

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond woman led police on a high-speed chase Monday.  It began on Richmond’s east side when 41-year-old Christy Mosey sped away from an attempted traffic stop.  Police reports say Mosey fled into Preble County and hit speeds of nearly a hundred miles per hour along U.S. 35 near New Hope.  Stop sticks were successfully deployed near the intersection of 35 and Washington-Jackson Road.  Mosey was in the Preble County Jail Tuesday morning.  Charges are pending.

CHESTER BOULEVARD TO BE REDUCED TO ONE LANE EACH WAY SOUTH OF OLD REID

(Richmond, IN)--Lots of Richmond business owners and citizens attended a presentation Monday night by the Indiana Department of Transportation that highlighted the major road construction project that’s getting underway.  That meeting preceded the Richmond Common Council meeting.  Traffic on Chester Boulevard will be reduced to one lane in each direction beginning as early as Wednesday from Sim Hodgin Parkway to North B Street.  It will be shifted to the western half of the roadway.

CRESTDALE GRANDMOTHER SUES FOR ACCOMODATIONS FOR AUTISTIC BOY

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond grandmother is suing Richmond Community Schools because her grandson is being kept inside at recess.  The eight-year-old boy has autism and ADHD.  Here’s what Carol Kuss says is the issue with her grandson.  "He has a bad tendency to run and he's very, very fast."  The boy has run out of Crestdale Elementary at least three times this school year.  Once, he ran right into a stranger’s house.  "We're trying to get Crestdale to put in a fence around the playground," Cuss explained.  RCS issued a statement saying that safety is a top priority.  A resolution meeting will likely take place next month.

INDOT TO HOST CONSTRUCTION OPEN HOUSE AT CITY BUILDING

(Richmond, IN)--The RP&L Board and Richmond Common Council meet Monday night at 7 in the city building.  Just before that, though, residents can get a better look at the major construction that will affect Uptown Richmond.  INDOT is hosting an open house to pass along details about the project and planned construction schedule.  The first phase of the project got underway last week and is focusing on the southern end of Chester Boulevard.

MAN REACHES PLEA DEAL AFTER SELLING WEAPONS TO UNDERCOVER FEDERAL AGENTS

(Winchester, IN)--A Winchester man has reached a plea deal after selling firearms to undercover federal agents.  38-year-old Jason Janis will plead guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  Each count carries a ten-year sentence.  Federal agents were alerted when Janis tried to sell the guns on a website.  Janis has a criminal record in seven Indiana counties including at least five DUI’s.

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