(Noblesville, IN)--Former RPD officer Terry Hopkins, who, along with former western Wayne County resident Katrina Fouts, is now charged with the murder of a central Indiana man, appeared by Zoom for a court hearing Tuesday.  The judge appointed a public defender for Hopkins Tuesday.  New details in court documents indicate Fouts texted Hopkins multiple times after her husband’s murder.  Hopkins made numerous purchases immediately following the victim’s disappearance, including cleaning cloths and gloves, duct tape, blue tarps, and a lifting sling.  Evidence shows the victim was dragged following his death by poisonous mushrooms.

(Cambridge City, IN)--SugarCreek Packing in Cambridge City is waiting to expand.  The holdup continues to be the wastewater treatment issue that has plagued the Gateway Industrial Park for several years.  Now, efforts are underway to speed up construction on a new wastewater treatment plant.  Initially, the completion date was June of 2023.  Now, the Sewer Board is exploring an option that could shave nearly a full year off of that timeline.  Right now, firms are being sought to oversee construction.

(Richmond, IN)--Wednesday was supposed to be the last day to complete the 2020 U.S. Census, but that date has been extended for another week.  Richmond and Wayne County continue to have a response rate below the state average.  Less than 2/3 of Wayne County residents have bothered to respond, with the city of Richmond barely over 60%.  Less than half of the residents in the area between North A and North E have responded, but more than 80% of residents in the southeast sections of Richmond have completed their census.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County has hit a milestone of sorts with Covid-19.  It’s now been 26 weeks – or half of an entire year – that the effects of Covid-19 have been obvious.  It began back on March 21, when jobless claims in a week jumped from 22 to 623.  Now, with six months of closures and restrictions, there have been a total of 8148 jobless claims in Wayne County.  That’s more than 16 times higher than the same time period from the year before.  There were 139 new filings last week.  It was a 23% increase from the week before.

(Connersville, IN)--A $100,000 reward for information about the location of the remains of Connersville’s Denise Pflum will expire in less than ten days.  Even though the man who admitted to killing her, Shawn McClung, died over the weekend, Denise’s family believes that other people were involved in her 1986 disappearance and know what happened to her.  The family says the $100,000 reward expires on October 8 and will not be extended.

(Lewisburg, OH)--A Tri-County North elementary school staff member who had close contact with two students has tested positive for Covid-19.  Superintendent Bill Derringer said the individual works at the school full-time and has the opportunity to interact with students on a daily basis.  Preble County Health has been notified and will conduct contact tracing.  As of last night, no Tri-County North students are listed as positive Covid-19 cases.

(Connersville, IN)--The man who admitted to killing Connersville’s Denise Pflum has died.  The Fayette County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Shawn McClung died over the weekend after being hospitalized last week.  McClung’s death was not unexpected.  It’s not yet known whether or not McClung revealed any additional information about her death back in 1986 before dying.  A $100,000 reward remains in place for information about the whereabouts of Denise’s remains.

(New Madison, OH)--One person is in custody following a weekend home invasion in New Madison.  A caller to 911 said that an unknown person had entered her home on North Harrison Street in New Madison.  The dispatcher could hear that the caller was being attacked by the intruder.  Deputies arrived quickly and were able to apprehend 36-year-old Dustin Yount.  Yount is currently charged with aggravated burglary, but could face additional charges for the attack on the victim.

(Preble County, OH)--One area school has closed due to Covid-19.  National Trail Superintendent Bob Fischer announced Thursday night that National Trail High School would be closed through at least the end of next week.  Two new positives among students have brought the total number to six.  Here’s Bob Fischer Thursday night:  "These two additional students have contacted approximately 33 other students, bringing our total number to approximately 60 students who are now quarantined.  That represents about 20% of our student population."  The state’s dashboard indicates no cases among National Trail staff.

(Connersville, IN)--The man who has admitted to killing Fayette County teen Denise Pflum back in 1986 is in intensive care and is not expected to recover from an illness.  With the fear that he will take some of the details of Denise’s killing to the grave, a reward for information leading to the discovery of her remains has now been increased to $100,000.  Private donations have helped to increase the reward.  Shawn McClung is set for trial next month, but that’s not likely to happen.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County is moving in the right direction with Covid-19 positivity.  Early this month, Wayne County’s positivity rate was around eight percent.  This week, that rate is down to less than three percent.  Wayne County has improved its weekly county status score and was just .5 Friday morning.  That’s the lowest possible rate other than zero and is shared by about half the counties in Indiana.  All other Whitewater Valley counties were a .5 Friday morning and in the blue except for Henry County, which is at 1.5 and is in the yellow.

(Richmond, IN)--The Wayne County Health Department addressed a question that lots of parents and kids have already been raising…what about Trick or Treat and Covid-19.  A release Thursday indicates that the Health Department is recommending to the city of Richmond that – if they allow traditional trick-or-treating – that everyone wear a mask and that candy be put into its own bag rather than having kids grab it out of a common bowl.  The city has not yet made an announcement about whether traditional trick-or-treating will occur or how it will happen if it does.

(Richmond, IN)--On Monday, there will be an online course for Wayne County residents who want to learn how to administer Narcan.  Narcan is the drug that immediately reverses the effects of overdose from heroin and other illegal drugs.  A link to the online course was posted Thursday on the Wayne County Health Department’s Facebook page.  At the end of the course, you’ll take a test.  Upon completion of that test, you’ll get two free doses of Narcan.

(Connersville, IN)-Details have been released about multiple juvenile drug overdoses in Connersville earlier this week.  On Tuesday night, there was a report of an unconscious juvenile who had taken muscle relaxants that were supplied by another juvenile at a gathering.  Soon, there were reports of other juveniles who had overdosed on the same drug.  A total of five children were flown by helicopters to various Level One trauma centers.  The condition of all five was described as “critically stable.”  Investigators say they have the person responsible for supplying the drugs.

(Whitewater Valley)--Firefighters from multiple agencies responded to a large field fire on Sugar Grove Road near Greens Fork Wednesday afternoon.  Officials said that it started as a controlled burn, got out of control, and spread into a wooded area.  Dry conditions have led to a burn ban in Union and Franklin County.  Gasper Township, which encompasses Lakengren and the surrounding area, is also under a burn ban.  The town of Dublin is, too.  An updated drought map will be issuedThursday.

(Richmond, IN)--After creating quite the stir on Richmond’s east side earlier this week, Batman showed up Wednesday at Needler’s Market on National Road West.  And now, another superhero has arrived.  With Batman covering the west side, Spiderman showed up on top of the Three Rivers Credit Union building to keep an eye on things downtown.  The identities of both superheroes remains a mystery.

(Connersville, IN)--The man who admitted to killing Connersville’s Denise Pflum back in 1986 may have been granted immunity from prosecution for giving that admission.  56-year-old Shawn McClung is currently hospitalized with a serious illness.  The Connersville News Examiner is reporting that they have obtained a copy of a letter from McClung’s attorney which was signed in late June by a Fayette County prosecutor.  They report the letter promised immunity to McClung if he provided details about Denise Pflum’s murder.  Trial is now set for October 19, although McClung’s health leaves that date in question.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County has surpassed another Covid-19 milestone.  According to new numbers from the state, Wayne County has now surpassed 8000 jobless claims since the outbreak became evident in the jobs report in March.  Since then, 8009 jobless claims have been filed.  Over the same time period last year, instead of 8009 filings, there were 574.  In the last month, Wayne County has had just over a hundred filings each week.

(Noblesville, IN)--More information has been released into a murder investigation that involves long-time Richmond police officer Terry Hopkins.  Hopkins spent 30 years with the department but is now charged with a central Indiana murder.  Court documents obtained Monday indicate that the victim’s death likely came from poisonous mushrooms that are usually undetectable after three days.  Hopkins is charged along with the victim’s wife.  Prosecutors say Hopkins’ DNA was found on the victim’s clothing.

(Connersville, IN)--The man who recently admitted to killing Fayette County’s Denise Pflum way back in 1986 is now reportedly gravely ill.  56-year-old Shawn McClung admitted in July that he killed Pflum, who was a teenager at the time, decades ago.  It began one of our area’s more high-profile missing persons cases and unsolved mysteries.  A hearing is supposed to take place this coming Monday.  But, on Friday, McClung was taken from the Fayette County Jail to Reid Health.  By Monday, he had been transferred to a central Indiana hospital.

(Wayne County, IN)--The number of new weekly cases of Covid-19 in Wayne County has dropped for the third consecutive week.  According to the Indiana Department of Health, Wayne County has had 42 new cases in the last week.  That’s the lowest number of new cases in a week since July 13.  It brings Wayne County’s total positive number to 742, which equates to one case for every 89 residents.  There were 21 patients in Reid Health’s containment area Tuesday morning.  That’s the lowest that number has been in a month.

No injuries were reported after a soybean field caught fire in Centerville.  Fire crews were called Sunday afternoon to the fire near Round Barn Road and College Corner.  Several homes in the area were evacuated as a precaution, but crews from five fire departments contained the fire to the field.  There was no word on what caused the fire, but the state fire marshal issued a warning about avoiding outdoor burning during the ongoing dry conditions.  

A former Richmond Police officer is one of two people charged in connection with the death of a man in Hamilton County.  Terry Hopkins has been charged with murder for the April death of 50-year-old David Michael Fouts.  Fouts’ body was found in a ditch in Noblesville. Also charged in the case is Katrina Fouts, who lives in Pendleton.  Investigators have not said how David Fouts died, only that he did not die where his body was found.  They also have not yet released a possible motive for the killing.   

(Richmond, IN)--Marine Louis Wiesehan Junior’s remains were returned to his hometown of Richmond Thursday night, 77 years after he was killed in World War II.  People lined U.S. 40 as a procession entered Wayne County escorted by Patriot Guard riders.  "Emotions are running very high right now," said Wiesehan’s great niece, Kim Gardner.  Flags hung from fire equipment in Cambridge City and Centerville.  Then, the procession entered Richmond to a hero’s welcome.  "In my heart, it feels good that you're finally able to bring somebody home," said Richard Wiesehan, Louis’ great nephew.  Louis Wiesehan’s remains were recently identified through DNA analysis.  At noon Friday, Wiesehan will be honored during a POW / MIA event at the Wayne County Veterans Memorial Park.  A visitation will take place from 4-6 Friday afternoon at Doan & Mills Funeral Home.  At noon Saturday, a procession will leave the funeral home for Goshen Cemetery.  Residents can line the Main Street Bridge and Main Street through downtown to 9^th Street.  A military graveside service will take place Saturday afternoon at 1.  A wreath-laying ceremony is set for 2 Sunday afternoon.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Community Schools set a timeline Thursday to hire a new superintendent.  Todd Terrill left over the summer for Crown Point.  Now, October 23 has been set as an application deadline.  Interviews will be conducted by the school board in November, with a hiring expected to be announced in December.  The new superintendent won’t begin until July of next year.

(Eaton, OH)--Ohio now has a new Covid-19 dashboard to allow parents and all residents to track cases in their local school districts.  The dashboard lists cases of the virus for students, teachers, and staff members.  In Preble County, Eaton Community Schools appears with one new case among a staff member and none for students.  Greenville schools has three new student cases and one new staff case.  Indiana will launch a similar dashboard soon.  Also Thursday, Preble County dropped from a red county to an orange county.

(Greenfield, IN)--The three Hagerstown women who fled with three children and were the subject of searches by local and federal agents have been located.  Heather, Abbey, and Nancy Frost were all booked into the Wayne County Jail Wednesday and then bonded out a few hours later.  All three were free Thursday morning.  According to a release from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, the three had been hiding out with the three children at a hotel in Greenfield.  Their discovery came after someone recognized them from a wanted photograph.  U.S. Marshals then executed a search warrant at the hotel.  A six-year-old boy was reunited with his father.  The other two children were temporarily placed in the custody of Child Services.  All three adults are charged with felony interference with custody.

(Centerville, IN)--The Centerville Police Department is asking for help in locating a girl who has been missing for a week.  Hollie Towns is a 16-year-old girl who was last seen a week ago Thursday morning in the 200 block of East Walnut Street.  Investigators say she climbed into a blue van with a paper temporary tag.  It was being driven by an unknown black male with an unknown white female is the passenger’s seat.  Hollie is thought to still be in the Richmond area.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County’s positivity rate has creeped back up in the last few days, and that’s prompted a move in its color-coded status.  Wayne County was in the yellow Thursday morning after a reassessment Wednesday.  That’s more serious than a blue level, but still not a serious as an orange or red coloring.  The move to yellow in Wayne County is due largely to an increase in positivity rates and in the number of weekly cases per 100,000 residents.

(Wayne County, IN)--The Wayne County Health Department announced Tuesday that another local resident has died with Covid-19.  A Wayne County man in his early 60’s died last Friday.  He becomes the county’s 14^th resident to die with the virus, and is also either the youngest or second-youngest person.  Four people have died locally in the last week.  Half of the 14 total victims in Wayne County have been at least 80 years old and none have been under 60.  In Wayne County, twice as many men have died as women.

(Richmond, IN)--The woman who died as the result of an incident in the 1500 block of South J Street early Tuesday morning has now been identified as 42-year-old Katrice Orr.  Orr died at Reid Health after being found unresponsive at around 2:30 Tuesday morning.  The area was cordoned off with crime scene tape as investigators began to process evidence.  No arrests appear to have been made in connection with the incident as of Wednesday morning.

(Hagerstown, IN)--Federal agencies have now become involved in the search for three fugitive women with ties to the Hagerstown area.  Wayne County Sheriff Randy Retter has indicated that some tips regarding the whereabouts of Heather, Nancy, and Abbey Frost.  The three women appear to have defied a court order and fled with three children as part of a child custody dispute.  Retter continues to ask for tips from the public and indicated that the adults may have changed their names and appearance.

(Richmond, IN)--One person has died and, on Tuesday morning, multiple detectives and representatives of the Coroner’s office were on the scene at a house in the 1500 block of South J Street in Richmond.  The incident began as a medical call at around 4:30 Tuesday morning but has now changed to a more intensive investigation.  A female was transported from the area to Reid Health.  No other information has been released, including what factors made it more than a medical call.

(Richmond, IN)--There was a shooting in Richmond Monday night and Richmond Police investigators Tuesday morning were asking for the help of the public.  A victim who has now been identified as 30-year-old Lesaviour Norris was shot in the foot at around 8:30 Monday night in the 100 block of South 12^th.  Norris was taken to Reid Health and then taken to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.  Individuals have been questioned, but no arrests have been made.  Scanner traffic indicated that two young, black males were seen running from the area.  There’s no word yet on what may have led to the shooting.

(Richmond, IN)--More details were released Monday on a fatal Richmond motorcycle crash that occurred on Sunday night.  Investigators say the driver, who has now been identified as 64-year-old Henry Farris of Richmond, was likely driving too fast to negotiate a small jog in South 14^th Street near South H Street.  Farris’ motorcycle left South 14^th and struck a light pole.  Farris was pronounced dead at the scene.

(Richmond, IN)--One person is dead as the result of a motorcycle accident in Richmond Sunday night.  First responders were sent at around 9:30 Sunday night to the residential area of the 800 block of South 14^th.  That’s where they found an unresponsive male rider.  A medical helicopter was called but then cancelled as the man was pronounced dead at the scene.  The man’s name has not yet been released.  There’s also no word on the cause of the crash.  The investigation is continuing.

(Richmond, IN)--Final preparations are underway for a homecoming for a Richmond man who died in service almost 77 years ago.  Louis Wiesehan "Junior" was a 20-year-old Marine who was killed on a Pacific island in World War II.  His body was buried in an unmarked mass grave and remained there until five years ago.  On Thursday, Wiesehan’s remains will return to Richmond.  Then, on Friday afternoon, a public ceremony will take place at Veteran's Park. Public visitation will be at Doan Mills Funeral home at 4-6pm. He will then be buried in Goshen Cemetery on Saturday.

(Wayne County, IN)--

There has been a decided drop in the number of new Covid-19 cases across the Whitewater Valley in the last week.  Wayne County Monday morning stood at an even 700 cases, and that’s up 53 from the last week.  That marks the smallest increase in the last five weeks.  Elsewhere, Preble County added 18 new cases. Fayette County added only six new cases, and Randolph County added only three new cases.  Here’s a look at some updated Covid-19 demographics.  As of Monday morning, 82 people in the Indiana counties in our area have died after testing positive.  The data continues to show that the elderly are far and away the most at risk of suffering serious consequences and death.  Of the 82 people who have died in Wayne, Union, Fayette, Franklin, Randolph, and Henry County, none of been under 50 years old.  Only one has been under 60.  27% of the fatalities have been people in their 70’s.  And, 61% of local deaths have been people who were at least 80 years old.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond firefighters were able to arrive quickly and prevent a fire at a Richmond motel from spreading Friday morning.  "We had heavy smoke coming," said Battalion Chief Eric Holmes in describing what firefighters encountered when they arrived at the Holiday Motel near 30^th and East Main at 1:30 Friday morning.  A bed was on fire and the occupants had taken off.  "The occupants weren't even in the room.  The door was ajar.  The occupants weren't even there.  It's under investigation right now," Holmes explained.  Other occupants of the building exited on their own without any evacuation.  There were no injuries.

(Lewisburg, OH)--It’s still summer and Halloween is more than a month and a half away, but one of our area’s most popular haunted attractions has already announced that it will not open this year due to Covid-19.  The Lewisburg Haunted Cave has cancelled its entire 2020 season.  A social media post announced the closure Thursday.  The post said restrictions by the Ohio Department of Health makes opening impossible.  It will be the first time in 41 years that the Haunted Cave has not operated.

(Richmond, IN)--Discussions are continuing about widening I-70 from two to three lanes in Wayne and Henry County and across all of Indiana.  On Thursday, Congressman Greg Pence announce Indiana has received a federal grant of $22.5 million with the specific intent of widening I-70 from two to three lanes.  No timeline for the proposed widening was outlined in Thursday’s announcement.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond city leaders continue to urge residents to complete the census with a deadline less than three weeks away.  Doing so is important to secure various types of funding.  Richmond’s response rate is very low at only 60%.  Demographics play a big role in whether or not residents have completed the census so far.  Between East Main and North E, which is generally high crime and low income, only 40% of the residents have bothered with the census.  But, in the more affluent and much lower crime areas of Reeveston, Hunter’s Pointe, and Meadow Park, 83% have already completed their census.

(Fayette County, IN)--Fayette County has been flagged by the state for having a large number of Covid-19 cases attributable to congregate settings.  Fayette County on Thursday has a rating on the state’s color map of 2.5, and that’s the highest in all of Indiana.  The positivity rate is nearly 14%, and that's also Indiana's highest.  Fayette County added 26 new cases in just two days last week.  There have also been two new deaths.  2/3 of the deaths in Fayette County were people over the age of 80.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Police investigators issued a renewed call Wednesday afternoon for video of an incident last weekend in which a driver drove into a group of Blacks Lives Matter protestors at the corner of 7^th and North A Street.  There have still been no arrests made.  Presumably, video would aid police in determining the level of charges that should be filed.  A few people suffered minor injuries.

(Wayne County, IN)--There have been two more Wayne County deaths attributed to Covid-19.  The Wayne County Health Department said yesterday that a female in her 80’s died on Sunday at Reid Health.  A female in her 90’s died at an unidentified long-term care facility on Monday.  It brings the total number of deaths in Wayne County since the outbreak began to 12.  According to the state’s website, no one under the age of 60 has died as a result of Covid-19 in Wayne County, and more than half have been over the age of 80.

(Oxford, OH)--At Miami University in Oxford, almost 1100 students now have Covid-19.  Now, citations have been issued after six students who knew they had tested positive hosted a party.  Here’s Lara Fening with Oxford PD.  "We do not know if anybody else at that party was aware of the Covid-positive residents."  The citations carry fines, but no criminal penalties.  There has been no indication that any of the thousand-plus students who have tested positive for the virus have become seriously ill.

(Richmond, IN)--Some big improvements are coming to the Richmond Municipal Airport thanks to grant money of over $800,000.  The city announced Tuesday that the airport has received an $807,000 grant to rehabilitate taxiways that were last resurfaced 26 years ago.  That project will be awarded to Milestone Contractors.  Work is expected to begin sometime next spring.

(Richmond, IN)--There have been no arrests so far in a Saturday incident in Richmond which left many Black Lives Matter protestors shaken, but not seriously injured.  The group was crossing the intersection of 7^th and North A when the driver of a red vehicle revved his engine and then drove into the group.  Richmond Common Council member Kelley Cruse-Nicholson witnessed the incident and followed the car, talking with dispatchers who relayed the vehicle’s location to police.  No one at the scene required medical treatment.  Investigators would still like to speak to other witnesses and hear from anyone who may have video of the incident.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County has had its largest weekly total of positive Covid-19 tests since the outbreak began.  In the last week, Wayne County has added 108 cases, according to the state’s website.  It brings the total number of cases to 647.  That means that one in a thousand Wayne County residents have tested positive.  And, of those one in a thousand, one in 65 has died.  There are currently 30 patients in Reid Health’s containment areas.  The positivity rate Tuesday morning was four percent.

(Hagerstown, IN)--The search continued Tuesday morning for three Hagerstown children and the three adult women who allegedly fled with them.  Multiple felony warrants have now been issued for Heather Frost, her mother Nancy Frost, and a sister, Abbey Frost.  They’re accused of withholding the children from their fathers and deliberately ignoring a court order.  There are two children who are three years old and another who is eight.  Investigators say the adult women may have changed their appearance.

(Richmond, IN)--Shots were fired late Thursday night at a Richmond apartment complex.  Police were called to the Townhouse Apartments just off North 36^th at around 11 o’clock.  One witness indicated two people were shooting at each other.  Officers found multiple shell casings in the area and notified Reid Health in case anyone came in with a gunshot wound.  It did not initially appear as though anyone had been injured.  No description has been released regarding any shooter or any vehicle that may have been involved.

(Richmond, IN)--One person is in custody following a late-night chase through Richmond at speeds that topped a hundred miles per hour.  Richmond Police officers attempted to stop a pickup near South T Place at around 11 o’clock Thursday night.  The driver fled south out Richmond and then re-entered the city.  On East Main, the driver was going a hundred miles per hour as he headed east past Glen Miller Golf Course.  RPD chased him into Preble County.  Ohio Highway Patrol officers picked up the chase.  The driver eventually crashed near Brookville, Ohio and was caught after a foot chase.  There’s no word yet on his identity or why he fled police.

(Richmond, IN)--Reid Health’s Police Department became recognized by the state as an official police department back in February.  Since then, the number of officers has doubled.  This week, four new Reid PD officers were sworn in.  The department was established due to an incredibly high number of calls for Richmond police at Reid.  Last year, it happened nearly 900 times.  The new officers are now headed for eight weeks of academy training.

(Wayne County, IN)--Indiana has launched a color-coded Covid-19 map similar to what Ohio did a couple of weeks ago.  It takes into account not just the raw number of cases, but other factors like positivity rates.  Blue is the color assigned to counties where recent spread and positivity has been the lowest in the last week, then comes yellow, orange, and red where recent Covid-19 spread has been the worst.  Wayne County was blue Thursday morning.  Union County is also blue.  Fayette, Franklin, Randolph, and Henry Counties were all yellow counties on Thursday.

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond business is being applauded by its customers for its transparency.  Roscoe’s Coffee Bar & Tap Room announced that it has closed both of its locations because an employee has tested positive for Covid-19.  Roscoe’s posted Wednesday night that it is collaborating with the health department and hopes to reopen soon.  The locations will undergo a thorough sanitizing.  There’s no specific reopening date yet.

(New Madison, OH)--It didn’t take long for a Hollansburg man to be sentenced for robbing a New Madison bank.  41-year-old Bryan Adkins robbed the Farmers State Bank in New Madison just 18 days ago.  A plea agreement was quickly reached on that charge and a previous charge for trafficking drugs.  Adkins was sentenced to a total of four years in prison, although more time could be added if he has behavioral issues behind bars.  No one was hurt in the bank robbery.

(Greens Fork, IN)--Greens Fork police have issued a warning about a dog with a vicious history.  They describe the dog as a "clear and present danger" after having attacked three people and attempting to bite a fourth.  It’s a black pit bull that lives at 319 South Main.  Two of the victims have been injured seriously enough to require surgery.  It’s the same dog that Richmond’s Board of Public Works declared vicious last summer after it attacked an RP&L lineman on Sheridan Street.  After that attack, owner Quentin Shiverdecker paid a $200 fine.  Shiverdecker moved from Richmond to Greens Fork following the decision and now lives in the Greens Fork home that is the subject of the warning.

(Centerville, IN)--Recently, the town of Centerville sent out a survey asking residents if they wanted to end a ban on pit bull ownership inside city limits.  The results of that survey showed that the majority of residents wanted the ban to remain in place.  But, the Centerville Town Council has reversed the ban anyway.  Council unanimously voted to end the ban, meaning Centerville residents will be permitted to own pit bulls.  But, there may be an insurance requirement.

(Cambridge City, IN)--The search continues Wednesday for whoever broke into the upstairs of a Cambridge City home Tuesday morning.  A female occupant and her twin children were inside Tuesday morning on West Main Street when she heard something upstairs.  When she went to investigate, she saw the man coming down the stairs.  She took her twins and fled to a neighbor’s house.  Police searched the area and even shut down U.S. 40 for a short time.  The suspect is described only as a tall male.

(Richmond, IN)--If you’re a Wayne County resident, your taxes are being lowered.  On Monday, Wayne County Council unanimously decided to lower the county’s income rate by a quarter of a percent.  That happened because a bond that was issued 18 years ago for what was then the new Wayne County Jail was paid off two years early.  The tax reduction will mean that up to $3.3 million can be reinvested into the local economy.  Council members noted Wayne County’s low income tax rate as compared to other neighboring counties.  For example, Wayne County’s rate is less than half of Fayette County’s.

(Whitewater Valley)--A recent announcement by the CDC regarding Covid-19 continues to create controversy.  That statement said that, for 6% of deaths, Covid-19 was the only cause mentioned and that 94% had conditions or causes in addition to Covid-19.  Here’s how those numbers would apply to our area.  Our eight-county listening area has a total population of 284,000 people.  As of Tuesday morning, there have been 80 Covid-19 deaths in our area.  According to CDC numbers, it would translate to just five local deaths where Covid-19 was the only cause of death mentioned.  Local health officials do not, though, give specific details about the underlying conditions of those who have died.

(Eaton, OH)--An Eaton manufacturer is looking to hire a hundred employees.  Silfex will be holding an unusual drive-thru job fair at the Preble County Fairgrounds Wednesday.  The drive-thru format is because of Covid-19.   They’re looking for machinists, manufacturing techs, and engineers.  Silfex makes components used to make and operate semiconductor tools.  Wednesday’s job fair runs from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.