(Richmond, IN)--It was back to business as usual for students and teachers at Richmond High School Monday.  The school had been closed to students for the entire month after a 90,000-gallon water pipe break caused extensive damage last month.  The cleanup involved removing and replacing lots of flooring and furniture.  During that time, students attended live classes online.  "To our entire community, thank you.  We're back.  We're home.  And we now have more work to do," said Superintendent Dr. Curtis Wright.  The repairs won’t be totally complete until summer.  That work will involve replacing second-floor carpeting.  There’s temporary vinyl flooring down now.

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond house that had been abandoned for at least a year burned early Tuesday morning.  Firefighters were called at midnight to a house in the 600 block of North 20 near both the railroad tracks and overpass.  Video shows that the house became fully involved as multiple stations responded.  Because the house was vacant, it’s suspicious and investigators were called to the scene.  Neighbors indicated there had been an issue with squatters in recent months.

(Preble County, OH)--Details of a fatal crash that occurred early Monday morning on I-70 near the state line were released later in the day Monday.  It happened a mile into Ohio on the eastbound side.  A New York man was in a truck pulling a trailer and pulled onto the shoulder.  An SUV driven by a West Milton man then hit the back of the trailer.  The 20-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.  No charges have been filed.  70 was shut down for a couple of hours.

An accident early Sunday morning on I-70 eastbound right at Wayne/Henry line has resulted in an arrest. David Lee Powell was taken into custody on multiple charges, including theft of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.  The 32-year old is being held on a 30,000 bond. 

After Christmas-weekend water damage that forced Richmond High School to close for repairs.  Students are back as of this morning for in-person attendance.  Richmond had been operating under "synchronous" virtual learning since early January, as repairs - that originally were expected to be completed by mid-month, were extended.  But this morning - weather permitting - classes resumed as of 8:15 am.

Vaccination rates for children are down across Indiana and it's pushing state health agencies to take action. Just over half of kids between 19 and 35 months old are not current on their vaccines, and that number is down 3% since 2021. Some health officials believe Covid-19 vaccines and children transitioning to E-Learning might be some of the reasons the vaccination rate is lower. The goal - of course - is 100% of children immunized and the officials hope that increasing community engagement and targeting populations with the biggest gaps in care is the key to raising vaccination rates.

Following up on a story Jeff Lane has been covering, as of last Friday morning, every Dollar General in Ohio were temporarily shut down.  As previously reported, Ohio had sued Dollar General for deceptive pricing and it is alledged that the stores continued the practice even after the lawsuit was file. Dollar General was also recently fined just under $400 thousand for hazardous work conditions. A spokesperson for Dollar General confirmed that "Dollar General closed select stores to address an overnight systems error."  and that “The issue has been resolved and all impacted stores were reopening.  As of earlier this last weekend, the stores were open again.

And finally, would You Buy A House With A Friend? Inflation is going down and mortgage rates dipped this week, for the first time in months. But they're still over 6% and the Fed is expected to announce another interest rate hike this week. So this very mixed picture, has spurred the latest trend, buying your home with friends or relatives.  According to the housing website Zillow, 20% of homebuyers in the last year bought a house with a friend or relative to help drive the costs of buying a home down, and while thanks to major lending reforms we are nowhere close to the kind of housing crisis we faced in 2008. Zillow does also report the average mortgage payment is up 77% over the past year.

(Wayne County, IN)--New graduation rates for schools in our area released by the state for the Class of ’22 show a continuation of the recent trend of rising rates.  Every Wayne County school district had a graduation rate over 90%.  Hagerstown had the highest rate at 98.7%.  Richmond counted 256 graduates last year and a graduation rate of 93.8%.  Back in 2006, Richmond was called a “dropout factory” by a national publication with a graduation rate of just 54%.

(Connersville, IN)--Connersville police Thursday issued a call for anyone who may have been the victim of a voyeur to come forward.  According to the release, the man has been peeping in the windows of girls between the ages of 12 and 20.  A search warrant was executed on the man’s phone.  In one instance, the victim was visibly startled when she saw the man making a video recording of her outside her window.  The release does not say if the incidents were confined to a specific area of Connersville.  Police are not releasing the man’s name.

(Centerville, IN)--A lengthy water boil advisory for parts of the town of Centerville has finally been lifted.  That advisory began a week ago today for areas along Main Street and was put into effect based on the repair of a water main.  The break also required testing of the water.  Thursday, the town indicated that the boil advisory has been lifted and residents can resume normal usage of water.

(Richmond, IN)--The Richmond Community School Board Wednesday night.  At least one member of the Board is not happy with what’s happening right now at the Indiana Statehouse.  "I don't even know how to describe what's going on over at the Statehouse, but it is not education-friendly.  Our own Senator Raatz has been very busy writing his own bills," said John Weber.  One of Raatz’s bills would require schools to notify a student’s parents if that student wants to change name, pronouns, or identify in a manner that is inconsistent with their biological sex at birth.  That bill has drawn both strong support and strong opposition statewide.  Also Wednesday night, the board addressed salaries for non-certified employees.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond’s Meltdown Winter Ice Festival is underway, and now it has garnered national attention.  The website timeout.com says that Richmond’s festival is one of the ten best winter festivals in the country.  Most of the activities begin Friday with live ice carving set for Friday night.  Six ice-carving professionals will be here and will be centered at Jack Elstro Plaza.

(Richmond, IN)--Here’s an update on a fire that Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News reported Wednesday morning on Arbor Drive in Richmond.  Family members now indicate that the fire broke out in a girl’s bedroom at around 6 a.m.  The girl was sleeping in her bed and woke up to see flames.  A total of five girls were in the house.  All five were able to escape and firefighters were able to contain the fire mostly to one bedroom.  Family members claim that a faulty cell phone charger started the fire.

(Richmond, IN)--The Midwest Industrial Park in Richmond has landed its tenth tenant.  On Tuesday, the EDC of Wayne County announced that a company called Liberation Labs will construct a facility on a 36-acre tract of land in the park.  Liberation Labs is a fermentation manufacturer.  The new facility will be the first commercial-scale precision fermentation plant in the country.  The project will represent a $115 million investment that will create 45 new jobs.  Groundbreaking is expected to take place sometime this spring.

(Preble County, OH)--An incredible number of old tires have been pulled from a creek that feeds the Rush Run area of Preble County.  The EPA recently notified Preble County that the cleanup was taking place on private property and that a grant was helping to cover the cost.  How many tires were pulled from the creek?  More than 10,000 of them.  The tires were piled into a large mound in a field and then removed.  There’s no word on whether or not the property owner will face any penalities.

(Richmond, IN)--A Centerville man was jailed Tuesday morning after a chase ended with him on the business end of a Taser.  It began as a foot chase Monday night on School Street.  29-year-old Kyle Hamilton then allegedly jumped into a vehicle and fled at 90 miles per hour toward I-70.  Once reaching 70, Hamilton went east.  Stop sticks were successfully deployed, which forced Hamilton off the interstate and eventually to Rich Road.  That’s where the chase ended.  Hamilton is charged not only with felony resisting, but also with disarming a law enforcement officer.

(Connersville, IN)--A heavily traveled street in Connersville was closed for most of the day Monday because of a train derailment.  It affected Eastern Avenue – which is also State Road 1 – at 10^th Street.  The derailment was barely noticeable from a distance and the train’s cars remained upright.  Crews and equipment were brought to the scene to get the cars back onto the tracks.  The crossing reopened Monday night and remained open Tuesday morning.

(Richmond, IN)--The string of counterfeit bills being passed in our area is continuing.  Recently, the same man was accused of passing counterfeit hundreds in Richmond and New Paris.  Monday, Richmond police released images of a different suspect who passed a counterfeit hundred at the Subway on Richmond’s west side.  The plan is often the same…make a relatively small purchase with a large phony bill.  The counterfeiter keeps not only the purchase but also the real change which usually amounts to $80 or $90.

(Richmond, IN)--Monday night is the first public meeting for INDOT to discuss and answer questions about the massive I-70 widening project that’s scheduled to get underway late next year.  That project will add a third lane in each direction to I-70 from the state line to the State Road 1 exit in Wayne County.  It begins at 5:30 Monday afternoon at Whitewater Hall on the campus of IU East in Richmond.  The project will include the widening of 40 bridges and the rebuilding of the interchanges at both US 40 and US 35.  Another virtual meeting will be held Tuesday night at 6.

(Richmond, IN)--The man who allegedly caused a standoff on Friday morning in the 700 block of North 16^th Street in Richmond is now behind bars.  35-year-old Ryan Hahn was moved from Reid Health to the Wayne County Jail Sunday.  Hahn now faces numerous charges that include burglary and extortion.  Hahn is still scheduled for trial next month in an unrelated incident last July in which he allegedly battered a public safety official and was a serious violent felon in possession of a handgun.

(Richmond, IN)--This week, a new long-distance bus service comes to Richmond.  It’s called Megabus and it begins Richmond service on Wednesday.  Through a partnership with Miller Transportation, Richmond will be a stop on a line that connects to cities  across the country but primarily runs to Chicago.  The pickup and drop-off location is the Rose City Shell Station on Industries Road.  Tickets can be booked online.  For example, a ticket to Chicago from Richmond this Saturday would cost $70 for a trip that is scheduled to take six hours.

(Richmond, IN)--The man who caused a Wayne County crash last year that killed a Liberty man has been sentenced to three years in prison.  Rafael Lopez pled guilty this week to reckless homicide.  Lopez was in the country illegally and driving without ever having had a license.  He was going 86 miles per hour when he tried to pass another car on a double-yellow line on Pottershop Road and hit Samuel Weller of Liberty.  Weller was riding a motorcycle and died at the scene.  Weller’s wife now indicates that three years in prison is not enough and she will work with legislators about strengthening laws.

(Indianapolis, IN)--State Senator Jeff Raatz of Richmond has authored a bill that has created a stir on both sides of the political aisle.  Raatz’s bill would require schools to inform parents if students request to change their names or pronouns, or generally express questions about their gender identity.  The student’s parents would have to be notified within five days.  Raatz is the chair of the Senate Education Committee.  He said in a written statement "parents should know if their child is struggling and shouldn’t be kept from the situation."

(Wayne County, IN)--Here’s more on the plan to widen I-70 to three lanes through nearly all of Wayne County.  INDOT now says that, during the construction process, two lanes of traffic will remain open through peak travel times.  There will likely be closures of some interchanges with the ramps Highways 35 and 40 facing major modification.  Those ramps no longer meet current safety standards.  There will also be permanent barriers placed between the east and westbound lanes to prevent crossover crashes.  A public meeting on the project is set for Monday.

(Richmond, IN)--Another Uptown Richmond business is about to permanently close.  On Wednesday, Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News reported that John’s Custom Framing would be closing soon.  Now, it’s Bullerdick’s Furniture.  Bullerdick’s has existed in Richmond for 93 years, but its owners are telling customers that now is the time to retire and close the store permanently.  There’s no word yet on a specific closing date or what will become of the building, which is located near the intersection of 9^th and East Main.

(Richmond, IN)--A formal announcement could come as soon as Thursday about a new company coming to the Midwest Industrial Park in Richmond.  The company has not yet been named publically but will produce a protein product.  One of the final hurdles for the company to locate in Richmond was a variance to allow a building that’s higher than 50 feet.  That variance was obtained last week.  The project will cover 36 acres in the industrial park with a building height of about one hundred feet.  It will be located close to the existing Vandor building.

(Camden, OH)--It’s now been confirmed and is official.  Spike the Chihuahua, who lives in Camden in Preble County, is now the world’s oldest living dog.  Spike’s owner, Rita Kimball, has received the confirmation from the Guiness Book of World Records.  "He's still mobile.  He gets around.  He just can't see very well, can't hear very well, and he has no teeth," Kimball said.  As of Thursday, Spike is 23 years, 2 months, and nine days old.

(Indianapolis, IN)--Tuesday at the Indiana Statehouse, a resolution was introduced to officially name the US 27 overpass over I-70 for Richmond Police Officer Seara Burton.  State Representative Brad Barrett introduced the resolution.  Mayor Dave Snow and RPD Chief Mike Britt testified before the House Committee.  The resolution passed unanimously and will soon be heard by the Senate, where it is also sure to pass.  "People all of the Midwest or all over the United States - when they pass through that intersection - will know that a hero from Richmond, Indiana fell," said Chief Britt after Tuesday’s hearing.  It will officially be called the Officer Seara Burton Memorial Bridge.

(Richmond, IN)--A murder suspect is now back home in Richmond after having been captured a month ago in Nevada.  21-year-old Tayshawn Newman was booked into the Wayne County Jail Tuesday.  Newman is accused of shooting and killing Chad Mullins in the 200 block of North 13^th Street in April of last year.  Investigators found Newman about to board a bus just outside of Reno, Nevada last month.  Since then, Newman has been going through the extradition process.

(Richmond, IN)--A fire department response to Richmond Power & Light Tuesday night looked like a much bigger deal than it turned out to be.  "It turned out to be absolutely nothing," said Richmond Battalion Chief Eric Holmes.  A hopper in a coal bin caught fire and the material was pumped out by RP&L crews.  "They pumped it down into a truck and took it out and dumped it in a field.  That's it," Holmes added.  The initial call came in at around 9 o’clock Tuesday night.  Firefighters remained on the scene for more than three hours.

(Richmond, IN)--Two people have withdrawn their candidacy as Republicans in the run for Richmond mayor.  David Carpenter and Kevin Fox withdrew following a challenge by Wayne County Republican Party Chair Gary Saunders.  Saunders has also challenged Republicans David Flannery and Shawn O’Conner.  The challenge comes because none the four voted for the same party in the last two primary elections.  Carpenter and Fox have indicated that they will re-file as independents.  All candidates have until two weeks from Friday to file for the May primary.

(Richmond, IN)--Four alleged burglars were caught in the act Tuesday morning.  Richmond police officers were called to a large garage in the 2600 block of Backmeyer Road at around 1:30 Tuesday morning.  Inside, they found Deontae Gabbard, Drew Mills, and Darius and Terill Strickland.  They’re all under the age of 23 but two already have serious criminal records.  Gabbard, according to RPD, has ties to so-called gangs and is due to go on trial for armed robbery in March.  Terill Strickland was charged with criminal recklessness in connection with a shooting on North C in Richmond last July.  He is set to go on trial for that shooting in April.

(Lynn, IN)--The Randolph County Sheriff’s Department on Monday released the names of the two girls involved in a fatal crash on Sunday that Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News reported Monday morning.  And, they’re both from Richmond.  16-year-old Isabella Estrella died when she was thrown from SUV in which she was riding on Boundary Pike near Lynn.  17-year-old Alexis Caldwell was the driver.  She was taken to Reid Health.  The investigation is continuing.

(Jay County, IN)--A former principal in the Randolph Central School district has been arrested and charged in connection with a child pornography investigation.  73-year-old Randall Rains now lives in Jay County but had served as a principal in multiple Randolph County schools.  Tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led investigators to Rains’ home.  Inside, those investigators allegedly found a computer with 84 open tabs showing pre-pubescent girls engaged in sexual conduct with adult males.  Rains has posted a $13,000 bond and was out of jail Monday morning.

(Lynn, IN)--A girl was killed in a crash in Randolph County on Sunday.  It happened at 3:45 Sunday afternoon on Boundary Pike south of US 36 near Lynn.  The preliminary investigation showed that the driver of an SUV went off the side of the road, overcorrected, and rolled into a field.  One juvenile female was taken to Reid Health, but a second was pronounced dead at the scene.  The names of the two victims have not been released.

(Connersville, IN)--Three Richmond residents were captured in Connersville eary Monday morning and have all been charged with dealing methamphetamine.  Connersville police and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department collaborated in the arrests of 44-year-old Michael Neuman, 26-year-old Dale Walton, and 37-year-old Tamara Marcum.  27 grams of meth were recovered.  Details of what led to the arrest have not yet been released.

(Richmond, IN)--Phillip Lee, who is facing a murder charge in connection with the shooting death last summer of RPD Officer Seara Burton, had indicated that he wants to represent himself through the criminal trial.  This week, though, an appearance has been filed by private central Indiana defense attorney Jonathan Harwell.  Lee also filed this week for in-person prison visitation.  Online court records indicate that Lee is due for a pre-trial hearing on February 3.

(Richmond, IN)--A train and a flatbed truck collided in Richmond overnight.  It was just before midnight Thursday night when the train hit the truck on North West 11^th.  The truck was knocked about 200 feet off the street and the occupant was out and walking around when first responders arrived.  34-year-old Aaron Lapp was not injured, but, according to scanner traffic, did have a blood alcohol content of .231.  Lapp was taken to the Wayne County Jail.  Not only was he allegedly driving drunk, but he also has never had a license.

(Eaton, OH)--A judge has ruled that the Eaton woman who admitted to drowning her own grandmother in a kitchen sink is competent to stand trial.  35-year-old Heidi Matheny’s sanity was questioned, according to Preble County Common Pleas Court documents.  She then underwent formal evaluation.  Back in November, Alice Matheny was found dead on Somers Street in Eaton.  Matheny remains in the Preble County Jail and is due back in court in early March.

(Richmond, IN)--175 Richmond and Wayne County kids are in for a great experience Saturday night.  That’s because a large group of community and business leaders have made it possible for all of those 175 kids and another 50 chaperones to get VIP treatment at the Indiana Pacers game and watch hometown hero Desmond Bane play for the Memphis Grizzlies.  Jamar Wright, who helped to organize the event, called the fact that local businesses are providing 225 tickets a "true community effort."  The group will be fed and watch the game from a suite.  The kids range in age from third graders to high school students.

(Centerville, IN)--A Republican caucus will be working to find a replacement for Centerville Town Council member James Bullen.  Bullen recently resigned his seat in Ward 1.  In his resignation, Bullen said "I was not a puppet and because I addressed issues they tried to humiliate me."  In April of last year, tension between Bullen and Dan Wandersee came to a head with Bullen calling on Wandersee to resign.  Bullen was appointed to council in the fall of 2018 when Karen Pipes resigned.

(Connersville, IN)--Someone who likely lives in Connersville is now $30,000 richer.  The Hoosier Lottery has announced that someone bought a Mega Millions ticket for the drawing that occurred two days ago that is now worth $30,000.  The ticket was purchased at the Speedway station on West 30^th Street in Connersville.  Meanwhile, the jackpot for Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing has soared to $1.35 billion.  Just for perspective, if that jackpot was shared equally among every single Richmond resident, it would be $38,000 each.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond High School students have been learning remotely this week after a water pipe burst over Christmas break.  Originally, that online learning was only supposed to take place this week.  But now, it’s been extended for a much longer period of time.  RCS issued a statement Tuesday saying that the most recent battery of testing regarding moisture management has revealed that Richmond High School is yet to thoroughly dry out.  Now, students won’t return to in-person instruction until January 30.  90,000 gallons of water flooded the second-floor math hallway.  Parts of the first floor were also affected.

(Wayne County, IN)--INDOT is releasing more information on exactly how I-70 in Wayne County will be widened to three lanes in both directions.  INDOT is now indicating that the new lanes will be added to the inside – meaning where the grassy medians are now.  The construction will essentially eliminate those medians.  It has also identified the two interchanges that will be rebuilt.  One is the intersection of 70 and US 40 at the state line.  The other is the Williamsburg Pike – or US 35 – exit.  Both of those interchanges have dangerous elements that include limited merging areas.

(Richmond, IN)--Police on Tuesday night were able to stop and arrest a man who was allegedly driving down Chester Boulevard in Richmond at more than three times the legal limit and with a child in the car.  Witnesses said that 29-year-old Luke Philpot nearly hit multiple vehicles before he was stopped.  Scanner traffic indicated his blood alcohol content was .257.  Philpot is charged with felonies that include neglect of a dependent and OWI with a passenger under 18.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Mayor Dave Snow is seeking four more years.  Snow made the announcement Monday.  "I'm excited to tell you today that I am filing once again to continue serving as Mayor," Snow said in an announcement posted  on social media on Monday.  Snow said that he is as committed and ready as ever to continue leading the city into its next chapter.  "I'm stronger than ever as your Mayor.  I'm more energized, more positive, and I'm so pround of the work all of you have done to keep Richmond rising," Snow added.  Snow is entering the final year of his second term.  Richmond Common Council member and Republican Dr. Ron Oler has also filed to run as Mayor.

(New Paris, OH)--Police in New Paris are asking for the help of the public in identifying a counterfeiter.  Surveillance images and video was posted Monday on the village’s social media page of the suspect at a dollar store just before he passed a counterfeit bill on Sunday.  If you can help, you’re asked to contact the Preble County Sheriff’s Department.

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond man who was already a registered sex offender was sentenced Monday in Wayne Superior Court II to six years in prison for arson.  David Wendel was arrested last May after a garage fire damaged multiple structures on South West 3^rd Street in Richmond.   Wendel was convicted of sexual battery back in 201 7.  One year of his six-year sentence for the arson was suspended Monday.  He’s in the Wayne County Jail awaiting transfer to a state prison.

(West Manchester, OH)--A mother potentially saved her daughter’s life after seeing an active fire in their house on their camera system Monday afternoon.  Crews were called to the 200 block of Banta Road near West Manchester.  A 23-year-old daughter was sleeping inside the home and was unaware of the active fire.  The mother was alerted by a camera system that had been installed in their house.  West Manchester Fire reported visible smoke when they arrived.  They were able to awaken and evacuate the daughter.  There was extensive damage to the house.  There’s no word on how it started.

(Union County, IN)--The caretaker of a property in Union County was shot, and now state officials are asking the public for help.  Indiana Conservation Officers are handling the investigation and, so far, have released only very sketchy details.  The incident happened on Friday morning in southwestern Union County.  Four people were hunting on the property without permission.  A confrontation escalated and resulted in the caretaker being shot.  There is no description of the four people.  There was also no identity on the victim or an update on that person’s condition Monday morning.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond has another candidate for Mayor (sfx 31444).  He’s David Carpenter, who you probably know better as Richmond’s Batman.  Carpenter indicated over the weekend that he filed the necessary documentation last week.  Carpenter is known for showing up as Batman in numerous locations around town, including a favorite spot near the entrance to the Kroger Plaza.  Candidates have until early next month to file.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond remains a finalist for two large economic development projects.  EDC CEO Valerie Shaffer is expected to update the Board of Directors when the Board holds its monthly meeting Monday afternoon.  Those two projects – code named Project Laboratory and Project Delta – represent a combined $136 million in investment and 156 new jobs.  The EDC is in the process of finalizing real estate purchase agreements and land surveys.  In addition to those two new projects, the EDC is working on expansion projects with six existing Wayne County businesses.

(Wayne County, IN)--Firefighters from numerous agencies were on the scene Friday morning of a significant fire near Hagerstown.  Not a lot of details have been released so far.  But, according to scanner traffic, the first calls came in from Franklin Road at around 1 o’clock Friday morning.  Scanner traffic also indicated there was a travel trailer and other vehicles involved with several explosions.  Some crews were still on the scene at 4:30 Friday morning.  There’s been no word so far on whether or not there were any injuries.

(Richmond, IN)--Police in Richmond Thursday night detained at least three juveniles in the 200 block of South 14^th.  A woman reported that the juveniles had shot and her car and tried to force her out.  She later indicated that police informed her that the gun shot orbies and not bullets.  The victim was able to follow the juveniles in her car and relate their location to officers.  There has been no information yet regarding whether they were held or released to their parents.

(Richmond, IN)--Wednesday was the first day to file to be in the race for Richmond’s mayor, and there’s already a candidate.  Long-time Richmond Common Council member Dr. Ron Oler announced Wednesday that he is a mayoral candidate.  In a prepared statement, Oler said that, in recent years, he has seen the city take a turn in a direction that he cannot continue to allow without intervention.  Oler added that he would work to end the exodus of homegrown talent to other cities and work with existing business owners.  Oler has served three terms on Common Council.  Candidates have another month to file to be Richmond’s mayor.

(Richmond, IN)--The cold weather over Christmas break has resulted in significant damage to Richmond High School and is now forcing the school to go to online learning next week.  RCS issued a notice Wednesday stating that a water pipe burst and caused significant damage that will require extensive renovations.  Richmond High School is the only school that has been affected.  RCS said Wednesday that high school students will have online learning all of next week while those repairs are made.  No estimate of the dollar amount of damage was disclosed.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond’s Board of Public Works will meet Thursday.  And, when it does, will address a contract between INDOT and the city dealing with the upcoming replacement of the U.S. 27 bridge over the Depot District.  The city has requested that INDOT install decorative lighting and pedestrian fencing as part of the project.  The contract states that the city will have sole responsibility for the maintenance of bridge enhancements and will cover the cost of the decorative lighting.  The new U.S. 27 bridge over the Depot District is one of two major road projects coming.  The other will have I-70 widened to three lanes through Wayne County.  That project starts in a little less than two years.

(Wayne County,  IN)--Wednesday is the day that local candidates can begin to file to run in elections that will take place later this year.  That includes the race for Richmond mayor.  There will also be council seats up for grabs as well as a race for clerk.  Nearly every other Wayne County town except for Hagerstown will also decide council members.  Richmond candidates have from today until February 3^rd to file to be on the May primary ballot.

(Richmond, IN)--Another arrest was made Tuesday in an area that’s been under investigation for drug activity in the last year.  45-year-old Cecil Marcum was taken into custody Tuesday in the 800 block of Salisbury Road South.  Marcum allegedly had controlled substances, syringes, and drug paraphernalia.  The quantity of drugs recovered and details of what led Marcum to be stopped have not been released.