(Abington, IN)--Abington Township’s Advisory Board voted 2-1 Tuesday night to remove James Ausmus as fire chief as the criminal investigation into the trustee who brought about Ausmus’ termination continues.  "There was a breach of contract and a misappropriation of funds," said Trustee Steve Kaiser.  The accusations stem largely from a donated fire vehicle.  Kaiser claimed Tuesday night that Ausmus refused to sign a contract stating he would not sell the vehicle.  It’s a claim that was supported by Mike Taylor, who was installed as the new chief Tuesday night.  Taylor said Ausmus was asked this:  "...if he would sign the contract stating he would not sell the truck - that it would be turned over to the department - and he refused to sign that contract."  Ausmas and another terminated firefighter flatly deny the allegations.  During Tuesday night's removal process of Chief Ausmus, Kaiser commented briefly on a document that started much of the controversy.  Ausmus claims that Kaiser posed as Ausmus when he drafted a document to a central Ohio fire department and asked for a fire vehicle to be donated to Abington.  The document was not on Abington letterhead, was not dated, and was full of spelling and punctuation errors.  When asked if he drafted the letter posing as Ausmus, Kaiser Tuesday night did not deny doing it but claimed that it was a "form letter."

(Whitewater Valley)--It’s way too early to know for sure.  But, as of Wednesday morning, it does not look like Mother Nature is planning on cooperating with the upcoming total solar eclipse.  The forecast for that day is calling for overcast skies with rain.  Here’s an astronomer talking about that:  "It's one of the reasons I'm calling this eclipse "The Heartbreaker."  And, that could result in a monetary effect.  If it becomes certain the Whitewater Valley will have clouds and rain that day, out-of-town spectators could choose other locations.  The odds are not in our favor.  The last 45 April 8's in Richmond have been cloudy 70% of the time.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond police early Wednesday morning recovered a handgun that was in the possession of a convicted felon.  It came just after midnight during a traffic stop in the 400 block of South 11^th.  21-year-old Anthony Marlatt allegedly had the weapon along with drugs and paraphernalia.  Marlatt is also charged with driving despite never having obtained a license.

(Abington, IN)--Abington Township Trustees are set to meet late Tuesday afternoon for the first time since allegations involving the donation of a used Ohio fire truck claim to light.  The claim by one firefighter is that a trustee falsified a document in order to obtain the donation.  That firefighter was fired and the chief has been suspended.  The allegations are now being submitted to several state agencies, including the State Board of Accounts and State Police.  A criminal investigation is also continuing in central Ohio.  Tuesday's metting is set for 5:30 p.m.  Last week's regularly scheduled meeting was abruptly postponed.

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond drug dealer who was also wanted for an armed robbery was taken into custody Monday.  30-year-old Cheyenne Ross was located in the 1100 block of South I Street Monday afternoon.  According to court documents, Ross entered an apartment at Genesis Apartments in January, drew a handgun, and demanded the occupant’s property.  Ross is also now being labeled a habitual offender.  She was being held Tuesday morning on a $25,000 bond.

(Connersville, IN)--On Monday, a Fayette County judge set a hearing date on the effort to search a property for the remains of teenager Denise Pflum, who went missing back in 1986.  That hearing date is April 24.  The parents of Denise are trying to force through a court action the search of a property owned by Erika Johnson, who is the sister of a person of interest in the case.  Johnson is fighting the search by saying the statute of limitation ran out long ago.

(Preble County, OH)--A local school resource officers remained held without bond Monday morning after having been accused of having a sexual relationship with a student at the school he was assigned to protect.  26-year-old Mason Williams is now on paid administrative leave with the Preble County Sheriff’s Department.  The alleged relationship was consensual and involved an 18-year-old student at National Trail.  Even though the student is of legal age, it’s still considered a crime due to Williams’ position of authority.  "When law enforcement investigates and arrests one of their own, it's imperative that we be transparent with what we learned and how we reponded," said Sheriff Mike Simpson.  The investigation has been turned over to Montgomery County.  Williams is being held without bond in the Butler County Jail.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County’s unemployment rate has just jumped to its highest level in two and a half years.  According to new numbers from the state, the rate stands this morning at 4.2%.  That’s up from 2.9% in the last month and is the highest rate since September of 2021.  Other area counties have a similar spike in unemployment.  In Wayne County, the increase is due to a combination of more than 700 people falling out of the labor force in a month and 323 people becoming unemployed.

(Richmond, IN)--There’s a new update from the EPA regarding the My Way Trading fire site in Richmond.  The EPA is now indicating that it has completed cleanup of potential asbestos-containing material.  On Friday, that agency removed all equipment and personnel from the site.  This week, the EPA plans to hand the site back to the city to complete its non-hazardous cleanup.  Recent testing at the site was negative for asbestos contamination.

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond woman was sent to jail Thursday following a trial this week in Wayne Superior Court II in which she was found guilty of neglect of a dependent causing death.  65-year-old Pamela Barger now faces what will likely be a sentence that will keep her behind bars for the rest of her life.  Back in the summer of 2019, Barger was running a babysitting service at her home on North 19^th.  A two-year-old child suffered catastrophic injuries at the hands of Barger and her accomplice, Todd Volker, and eventually died.  Volker has already been sentenced to 25 years.  Barger will likely get a similar sentence on April 19.

(Fountain City, IN)--One of Fountain City’s most famous residents was honored Thursday with a new Forever stamp commemorating her efforts to help thousands of enslaved people find their way to freedom through the Underground Railroad.  The stamp features antislavery activist Catharine Coffin.  It was unveiled Thursday during a ceremony at the Coffin House and was created in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service.  Her stamp is included with 18 others who helped to end slavery, including Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.

(Connersville, IN)--The owner of the Fayette County property that the parents of Denise Pflum would like to have searched for her remains is fighting to prevent the search.  Denise was a teenager when she went missing back in 1986.  Recently, her parents filed suit to allow for a search of the property of Erika Johnson.  Her brother, Benny Johnson, has been described as a person of interest.  Erika Johnson and her attorneys have now filed a motion to dismiss the case and prevent the search of the property.  Her claim is that the statute of limitations has run out.  A judge has yet to rule on that motion.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County’s Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday shared updated numbers regarding Richmond’s need for new housing.  According to the study by a housing economist, Wayne County has a demand for 2250 new housing units through the end of 2028.  Part of the effort of local leaders is to give commuters a closer place to live to their employer.  The study shows more than 12,000 people live outside of Wayne County but commute here every day to work.  And, existing homes are aging.  Half of Wayne County’s 30,000 homes are at least 65 years old.

(Winchester, IN)--The governor’s office announced Wednesday that additional state resources will be available to Randolph County residents who suffered tornado damage a week ago.  Residents can get reproductions of ID’s, permits, and other legal documents at the Winchester BMV.  Replacement birth and death certificates are now available at the Randolph County Health Departments.  The offices will be opening Thursday.

(Abington, IN)--The man largely credited with developing and growing the Abington Volunteer Fire Department has died.  Bill Paddock died Wednesday.  Paddock was widely known among Wayne County firefighting agencies and served as fire chief in Abington for more than 20 years.  Visitation and services are pending.  And, in some other Abington news, what was expected to be a contentious meeting of Abington Township Trustees Wednesday night was postponed.  It would have been the first meeting since a firefighter was fired and the chief was suspended after allegations surfaced about the actions of Abington Township Trustee Steve Kaiser.  The meeting now is set for this coming Tuesday.

(Abington, IN)--Shortly after Abington Township Trustee Steve Kaiser learned that allegations that he fabricated a letter to obtain a donated fire vehicle would be made public, the Abington volunteer firefighter who helped bring the incident to light was promptly fired.  And, Chief James Ausmus, who said that he did not write a letter that was authored to make it look like he did, was placed on suspension.  The quick personnel actions were taken by a committee that includes Kaiser’s own adult son.  A special meeting was held Tuesday night by acting chief Mike Taylor.  The firefighter and the chief were excluded.  Abington Township Trustees meet late Wednesday afternoon.  The donated vehicle appeared Tuesday to still be sitting on property controlled by Kaiser on Lambert Road.  A criminal investigation into Kaiser's continues by a central Ohio police agency.  That agency is where in the area of the fire department that donated the vehicle to the Abington Volunteer Fire Department.  (Note:  The photo accompanying this story was taken Tuesday and is believed to depict the donated fire vehicle.  It sat Tuesday on a property on Lambert Road that is under Kaiser's control).

(Richmond, IN)--This week, Richmond Common Council got an update on efforts to clean up Richmond’s homeless encampments and help the people who are living in them.  It’s been a focus of RPD over the last few months.  First, RPD determined whether camps around the city were occupied.  Here’s PatTudor:  "Once we identified people staying at the camps, we would bring in resources."  Then, it was a matter of getting them help.  "If we did identify someone at that camp, we - at that point - would determine what they needed.  If they were mental health issues, we would make that connection.  If they were substance abuse issues, we would make that connection," Tudor added.  Homeless camps were located in the gorge, along the Cardinal Greenway, near Walmart, and behind the Gateway Plaza.

(Richmond, IN)--Tree removal shifts on Wednesday from Richmond’s Depot District to the Uptown area as work on Phase II of the Loop ramps up.  Crews will begin Wednesday in the 700 block of East Main and work their way east for the remainder of this week.  Also Wednesday, Indiana American notified the city that their work on Fort Wayne Avenue has been delayed.  Crews pulled off the job to help with tornado recovery efforts in Winchester.  The new Fort Wayne Avenue completion date is the 29^th.

(Abington, IN and Pickaway County, OH)--An investigation is underway by a central Ohio police agency into the actions of an Abington Township trustee in Wayne County.  In public documents obtained by Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News, Scioto Township, Ohio, donated a used firefighting vehicle and some equipment to the Abington Volunteer Fire Department at the written request Abington Fire Chief James Ausmus last fall.  But, the letter -which is full of spelling and punctuation errors and written on fabricated letterhead – was actually allegedly authored by Abington Township Trustee Steve Kaiser.  As a result, Abington was awarded the vehicle and equipment.  But now, five months later, the fire company still has not received the vehicle.  It sits Tuesday morning on Kaiser’s personal property, and one Abington firefighter says that Kaiser is refusing to give it to the department.  Ausmus indicated Monday that he did not write the letter.  The investigation into Kaiser is currently being handled by the police department in Commercial Point, Ohio with cooperation from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department.  Kaiser was reached for comment Monday, but indicated he did not have time to talk until Thursday, which is one day after a Board meeting of Abington Township's Board of Trustees.

(Richmond, IN)--The EPA appears to be well ahead of schedule in the cleanup of the My Way Trading fire site in Richmond.  According to a recent update, all potential asbestos-containing materials have been removed from the site and taken to an appropriate facility.  Crews are continuing to rinse off the concrete pad that remains.  That’s the last step in the EPA’s cleanup.  They recently collected four samples from the site and all four came back free of asbestos.  Air samples have also been negative during cleanup and removal.  Once the EPA has left the site, it will be returned to the city of Richmond.  Numerous lawsuits continue to progress.

(Winchester, IN)--More than a hundred volunteers showed up in the cold and blustery conditions in Winchester on Monday to help with tornado cleanup effort.  Winchester officials say that an overwhelming amount of food, clothing, and toiletry donations have come in for those in need.  Due to limited space at the Winchester Fieldhouse, the donation center moves Tuesday to the Moose Club on North Middle School Road.  A semi full of donations from Tennessee is expected Tuesday afternoon at the Randolph County Fairgrounds.

(Winchester, IN)--Here are some numbers following an assessment of damage from last week’s Randolph County tornado, according to the National Weather Service and other agencies.  47 structures were destroyed.  56 more had major damage, and 60 more had minor damage.  The tornado was a borderline EF-3 / EF-4 and was on the ground for 25 miles with estimated wind speeds of 165 miles per hour and was 700 yards wide.  More than 575 volunteers checked in to help out over the weekend.  Sunday, Randolph County officials reduced the travel advisory to its lowest level. 

(Winchester, IN)--Randolph County Emergency Operations is warning residents of people who may be trying to take advantage of victims of the Winchester tornado.  Sunday, that agency said that some people are in the area and are identifying themselves as members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  But, FEMA has not been deployed to Randolph County.  Residents are being warned to not provide any identifiers or financial information to those people, to get a location and description, and to call 911.

(Connersville, IN)--There’s a new development in the case of Connersville’s Denise Pflum.  Denise was a teenager when she went missing back in 1986.  Now, her parents have filed a lawsuit to obtain an order to search property that has never been searched in an effort to find her remains.  The lawsuit has been filed against Erika Johnson, who is the sister of Benny Johnson.  He became a person of interest shortly after Denise disappeared.  Her car was found near the Johnson property.  Court documents also allege that Benny Johnson has confessed to some level of involvement to her disappearance.

(Winchester, IN)--The initial report from Thursday night’s tornado in Winchester was that three people had been killed.  But, in a press conference held early Friday morning, the state police walked that back.  "There's been a lot of information about fatalities, and, as of right now, we're not aware of them.  We're not aware of fatalities," said Doug Carter with ISP.  But, 38 people have reported injuries.  12 of those people were transported to Reid Health in Richmond and other surrounding hospitals.  Officials are conducting a more extensive search Friday morning. As of 3:30 Friday morning, no one was reported missing.  While lots of first responders, power companies, and contractors from areas surrounding Winchester are either there already or are headed there Friday morning, law enforcement has a specific message for others who want to come to Winchester to either help or just sightsee.  That message, from Doug Carter with the state police, is a specific request to stay out of the area:  "Please do not self-deploy to the county or to the city.  Please do not."  Winchester Friday morning was under a local travel warning, which only allows emergency personnel to travel on area roadways.  Both State Route 32 and U.S. 27 are closed through the city.  More than 4700 households in Winchester and Randolph County remained without power Friday morning after Thursday night’s tornado.   State police officials said that temporary shelters have been established at Winchester Community High School and Willard Elementary.  Family reunification was also occurring at the high school overnight.  Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb will be in Winchester Friday and is expected to meet with some of the people affected and to survey the damage.  The Darke County Sheriff’s Department has issued a statement about how storms affected that area.  A tornado was reported to be on the ground at 8 p.m. Thursday in the area of State Route 571 just east of Union City.  Shortly after, dispatchers began receiving calls of structural damage to homes and trailers.  There were also reports of injuries and entrapment.  At least two people went to Wayne Healthcare with non-life-threatening injuries.  As of early Friday morning, no fatalities had been reported in Darke County.

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRISTOPHER GRAY

(Richmond, IN)--Reid Health announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Anthem / Blue Cross Blue Shield that will keep about 44,000 local Anthem carriers in network at Reid.  Negotiations had been ongoing for six months, and the agreement was reached just a few days before the contract would have expired and forced patients to find other providers.  No terms of the deal were released.  Reid said Thursday that patients who carry Anthem insurance should keep all scheduled appointments and schedule new appointments as needed.

(Winchester, IN)--Winchester police on Wednesday issued a surveillance image of the Tuesday night armed robber of the Village Pantry on West Washington Street.  A revised description of the suspect is that he is tall – about 6-3 – white, and with a medium build.  He also wears glasses.  He fled in a light-colored GMC Sonoma pickup.  The Village Pantry employee was not hurt, and the search for information about the suspect continues.

(Richmond, IN)--SWAT Teams from both Richmond and Connersville teamed up Wednesday morning to take an alleged attempted murderer into custody at Genesis Apartments in Richmond.  A search warrant was executed at the corner of South 23^rd and L.  22-year-old Aaron McClure was taken into custody without incident and taken to the Fayette County Jail.  Connersville investigators say that no one was hurt in the shooting incident.

(Richmond, IN)--Phase II of the Loop project connecting Uptown Richmond to the Depot District was a topic at this week’s meeting of the Richmond Redevelopment Commission.  Here’s discussion from one city official about has led to frustration among business owners regarding street closures:  "That road basically belongs to that contractor from Day 1 until the end of the project."  And, contractors' schedules change often and city officials are not always notified about closures.  "With that schedule changing on a daily and weekly basis, they're unable to provide detail (about specific upcoming street closure timing)."  Phase II is scheduled for two construction seasons, although the city says it could be reduced to one.

(Richmond, IN)--Word of the looming construction on Phase II of Richmond’s Loop project had people on both sides of the issue sounding off Tuesday.  It also brought about an explanation from Mayor Ron Oler.  An Uptown business owner complained on social media about closure signs that were put into place well in advance of actual construction.  Oler responded to the social media post by explaining that the project is now in the hands of the state’s Department of Transportation and that the city has no control over signs and street closures.  Trees along North E Street are scheduled to be removed next week.

(Richmond, IN)--Fire broke out at a Richmond medical facility just after it closed Tuesday.  Firefighters were called to Rheumatology of Central Indiana on Sim Hodgin Parkway.  Here’s a battalion chief describing what happened when they arrived:  "They were able to make forced entry and found a single room that was fully involved.  They got it extinguished fairly quickly." The fire broke out about a half an hour after closing.  Investigators are looking into the cause.  Staff members Tuesday night indicated that the office would be unable to open for several days.

(Winchester, IN)--There was an armed robbery at the Village Pantry in Winchester Tuesday night.  At around 10:30 Tuesday night, a man entered the VP on West Washington Street armed with a sawed-off shotgun.  Scanner traffic indicated only that he was a black male who fled in a gold car after the robbery.  There was no report of any injury.  Winchester investigators are expected to release more information Wednesday.

(Richmond, IN)--The city of Richmond gave notice on Monday that signage is about to go up in the Central Business District in preparation for Phase II of the Loop project, which is designed to connect downtown with the Depot District through bike and pedestrian paths.  Contractor will be removing trees next week.  The work will begin on North E Street, move to Fort Wayne Avenue, and then go to the 700 block of East Main.  Phase II construction was delayed by INDOT two years ago.  INDOT had cited Covid-19 for the delay.  Depot District businessman Rick Parker had also filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction to stop the removal of seven mature trees along North E.

(Connersville, IN)--Reid Health on Monday released a timeline for completion of its new $100 million facility in Connersville as construction got underway on the Park Road site.  Reid indicated that the facility is expected to be up and running in the spring of 2026.  Connersville Mayor Chad Frank said that having a new medical center of that scope will play a major role in the retention and attraction of residents and businesses in the community.

(Vandalia, OH)--Former President Donald Trump will be less than 40 miles from Richmond this weekend to hold a campaign rally.  Trump will be at Wright Brothers Aero near the Dayton International Airport on Saturday and is expected to speak at 4 o’clock.  Doors will open at noon.  Attendance is free, but advanced ticketing is required.

(Connersville, IN)--A ceremonial groundbreaking was held a year and a half ago, but Monday is the day that construction actually begins on the new Reid Health facility in Connersville.  It will be a $100 million outpatient facility that will encompass 177,000 square feet over two stories at the site that was once K-Mart on Park Road.  It will replace the hospital that has stood on Virginia Avenue for more than a hundred years.  Reid’s most recent update on the project did not include a projected opening date.

(Boston, IN)--A wanted Wayne County child molester was taken into custody over the weekend.  51-year-old Michael Forshey was located at his home on West Main Street in Boston over the weekend.  Forshey was first convicted of child molesting back in 1997.  But now, he’s accused of fondling two minors, ages 8 and 13, during this past Christmas break.  Court documents indicate the parents of Forshey’s accusers did not know he was a convicted sex offender.

(Connersville, IN)--Fayette County Commissioners have taken a step to facilitate construction of Reid Health’s new medical center on Park Road in Connersville.  Commissioners voted to significantly reduce a permitting fee that will cut initial costs for Reid and expedite the construction process.  Reid is making a $100 million investment into the building.  It will be a two-story outpatient facility at the former K-Mart site in Connersville and will replace the one-hundred-year-old hospital on Virginia Avenue.  Construction will start very soon.

(Preble County, OH)--One person was taken to the hospital after fire broke out in a Preble County home.  First responders were sent at around 6:30 yesterday morning to a home on Washington-Jackson Road just south of New Hope.  Heavy fire and smoke was coming from the rear of the home.  One resident made it out, but a second had to be rescued when crews arrived.  That person was taken to Miami Valley Hospital.  Names and conditions have not been released, and there’s no word yet on what started the fire.

(Richmond, IN)--For the second time this week, an illegal immigrant has been found in Richmond with drugs and in possession of a firearm.  RPD officers came into contact with the man and 31-year-old Wendy Ford in the 1300 block of South C at around 1 o’clock Friday morning.  An unspecified quantity of methamphetamine was recovered.  The man is also now charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Earlier this week, a different man in the country illegally was jailed in Richmond on nearly identical charges and later released.

(Eaton, OH)--The scope of the investment to convert Eaton’s former K-Mart building into a large new Kroger is coming into focus.  According to a resolution that has now been approved by Eaton City Council, Reid Health Properties is proposing just over $20 million in improvements to the location on North Barron Street.  The project is expected to create 50 full-time jobs and generate $1.5 million in taxable income once the project is complete.  A 50% tax exemption has been granted for the project.  The new Kroger is not expected to open until the end of next year.

(Richmond, IN)--There are now less than two weeks remaining for Reid Health and Anthem Insurance to reach an agreement, and there has not been a word from either side in the last week about how – or even if – negotiations are progressing.  About 44,000 Whitewater Valley residents are in jeopardy of going out of network with Anthem beginning a week from this coming Monday.  Reid Health last updated a banner on its website on February 27.  Anthem hasn’t said anything for two weeks.  That’s when it provided a list of alternative facilities in the region that would accept Reid’s patients who are Anthem carriers.

(Richmond, IN)--Earlier this week, one Richmond woman who killed another received what amounts to a lifetime prison sentence.  45-year-old Kristy Sewell was sentenced to 48 years behind bars.  In the summer of 2019, Sewell stabbed Kirsten Holland 14 times at a home on South 5^th Street.  Holland died from the attack.  Holland was described in court documents as Sewell’s husband’s girlfriend.  Sewell said in a two-day bench trial in December that the attack was done in self-defense.  The judge disagreed.

(Richmond, IN)--An investigative report authored by Tony Cook is running in several Indiana Gannett newspapers.  It was compiled with contributions from Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News and outlines the lengths Wernle Youth and Family Service’s Board and its attorney went to to protect CEO Darrell Gordon last fall, even as the organization was collapsing.  Last September, two key Wernle administrators – in a letter of resignation – begged the Wernle Board to take action before being shut down by DCS.  They called the environment "toxic" due to Gordon’s lack of leadership.  While the Board and Attorney John Maley added the two to a long list of what they’ve described as poor or disgruntled employees, Board Member Bethany Reid began to talk to employees against Maley’s advice.  The following month, she was effectively dismissed from the Board.  Just a few months later, the prediction of the two administrators came true and Wernle’s 140-year run came to an end.  Wernle had been under the microscope of the Department of Child Services for five years after Wernle failed to address a series of issues and crimes involving its residents.  A recent document from the state outlines some of the final incidents that brought about its downfall.  Here is some of what the state found occurred in the last year:  During an altercation, a staff member slammed a child’s face into a concrete wall.  Regulators also say Wernle denied around-the-clock medical care to the children it housed.  Last September, the residents were kept in their units for nearly a week and given only cold food because Wernle staffers were preparing the gym for a fundraiser.  The state also outlines the failure of Wernle to report numerous issues as required.

(Richmond, IN)--A funeral service has now been set for a Wayne County councilman.  Bob Chamness died Sunday.  In addition to serving as a member of Wayne County Council, Chamness had a lengthy history of public service.  He was the director of the Mary E. Hill Youth Shelter, the county’s chief probation officer, and was a decorated member of the IU East Alumni Association.  The service will be at 7 o’clock Friday night at Bethesda Worship Center.  Bob Chamness was 72.

(Eaton, OH)--A new hotel is coming to Eaton.  Construction is set to begin in about six months on what will be a 66-room hotel operated by a company called Cobblestone.  It will be located at 121 East Washington-Jackson Road, which is very close to Eaton’s Walmart.  The hotel will include a conference room and other amenities.  The company is investing about $11 million into the project.  It’s expected to open in about a year and a half.

(Connersville, IN)--A year and a half after two fatal gunshot victims were found in two different Connersville cemeteries, investigators say the man responsible is now behind bars.  Joshua Farmer has been charged in connection with the deaths of Thomas Combs and Joshua Durham.  An affidavit indicates Farmer was linked to the crimes through DNA evidence on beer cans and bullet casings.  During an interview, Durham admitted to the shootings but said that he didn’t do it on purpose.  He also confessed to another shooting in Liberty and another one in Connersville, although neither was fatal.  Durham is set to go on trial in an arson case next month.

(Richmond, IN)--The Boys and Girls Club of Wayne County has named its Youth of the Year.  She’s RHS freshman Khalia Hurd.  Hurd is advocating for children from single-parent or non-parent households.  She’ll now advance to the state competition.  RHS senior Carly Phillips was awarded the Jack Reed Memorial Scholarship.

(Richmond, IN)--Wernle Youth and Family Services confirmed over the weekend what Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News was first to report last Friday morning, and that is that it’s not only ending its residential service, but it is also shutting down its outpatient operations.  Barely more than a month ago, Wernle had said it would continue its outpatient service.  Now, Wernle has indicated those services will also cease.  There are less than ten employees remaining.  In 2006, 150 people worked at Wernle.  Later this week, we’ll highlight some of the recent incidents that is bringing Wernle’s 140-year run to an end.

(Richmond, IN)--An illegal immigrant in Richmond was arrested Saturday night on multiple felonies and was taken to jail, but now he has been released.  The man was initially identified as 24-year-old Pablo Cruz.  He was taken into custody at North 19^th near East Main after being found illegally in possession of a handgun and with an unspecified quantity of methamphetamine.  He is also charged with felony resisting.

(College Corner and Oxford, OH)--Sylvester Stallone’s movie shoot in our area has wrapped up. Stallone spent not only last week in Oxford shooting scenes for the upcoming movie “Alarum”, there was also a well-kept secret of scenes from the movie being shot at Hueston Woods that included a plane crash scene for the last two weeks.  Street signs and buildings around the square in Oxford were modified for the shoot, but have returned to normal.  (Note:  this photo shows Stallone walking near the entrance to O-Pub on Oxford's uptown square with a street sign that has been switched out for the movie).