(Connersville, IN) -- Connersville police responded to a burglary in progress in the 200 block of West 19th Street just after 8:30 Thursday morning.

According to a press release, the department said the suspect fled on foot toward Connersville Middle School and allegedly pointed what appeared to be a firearm at an officer during the chase. The officer fired his weapon, and a K-9 unit later apprehended the suspect. Authorities say the suspect was not shot, suffered minor injuries during the arrest, and was taken to the Fayette County Jail.

The officer has been placed on administrative leave as Indiana State Police take over the investigation. Officials say there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Indiana taxpayers now have a new way to find out whether they qualify for the state’s upcoming Tax Amnesty 2026 program. According to the Indiana Department of Revenue, the state has launched an online eligibility tool that lets individuals and businesses check whether they can settle overdue tax debts without penalties, interest, or collection fees.

The amnesty window runs July 15th through September 9th, and it applies to tax liabilities dating back to before January 1st, 2024. To participate in a payment plan, taxpayers must owe at least $100 for individuals or $500 for businesses.

State officials say the goal is to encourage compliance while easing the burden of old tax debt. The eligibility tool is available now through the state’s INTIME system, giving Hoosiers a head start before the program officially opens.

 With the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend signaling a big travel weekend, Indiana State Police are reminding drivers to buckle up as part of the national Click It or Ticket campaign. State and local officers are teaming up and working overtime to make sure drivers and passengers are using seat belts and proper child restraints.

An ISP spokesperson says troopers continue to see people either not wearing seat belts at all or not wearing them the way manufacturers intend. Indiana law requires everyone in a vehicle to be buckled, and citations are possible for violations.

Police say the goal isn’t tickets — it’s safety — especially with more Hoosiers expected on the roads for the holiday weekend.

 The Redevelopment Commission took the first legal steps toward expanding downtown development, passing a declaratory resolution to create a new Allocation Area Number Three. This carve-out paves the way for "Project Phoenix," an ambitious multi-building redevelopment plan by AP Development. The commission officially amended its economic development agreement to add a seventh property to the project: the historic Kresge Building at 801 East Main Street, formerly home to Circle E Clothing. The building is slated for mixed-use development, featuring commercial space on the first floor and apartments above.

In financial news, the commission has over four-point-two million dollars currently available for new projects, which includes an anticipated three million dollars in tax increment revenue for 2026. Financial advisors Baker Tilly also presented the annual TIF report, confirming there are no excess funds to pass through to overlapping taxing units this year, and noting that the Johns Manville TIF bonds were officially paid off in full this past February

A former teacher’s aide at Knightstown Intermediate School is facing criminal charges after police say he sent inappropriate messages to multiple children.

Thirty-nine-year-old Elisha Ray Moscrip of Anderson was arrested following a Rush County Sheriff’s Department investigation. According to court documents, the parents of a juvenile approached school officials and law enforcement after discovering dozens of social media messages between their child and Moscrip.

Investigators say Moscrip allegedly used the alias "Pianoman765" online, telling the minor they were beautiful, and encouraging them to deceive their parents to meet up for a movie. Authorities later uncovered a second juvenile who reported getting "weird vibes" from Moscrip after he allegedly asked them to skip school to hang out.

Moscrip has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of attempting to contribute to the delinquency of a minor. During a police interview, Moscrip denied criminal intent, claiming the messages were merely "sarcastic."

He is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on June 2nd.

The Richmond Common Council moved forward with a plan to replace critical public safety vehicles, introducing a three-hundred and sixty thousand dollar appropriation ordinance to purchase six new police cars. The administration intends to buy an additional two vehicles utilizing the county's opioid budget, bringing the total fleet rotation to eight cars currently sitting on the lot at Wetzel. While Councilor Larry Parker raised transparency concerns over unbudgeted spending, the council noted a three-point-four million dollar cash surplus from 2025 will safely fund the safety upgrade. The ordinance has been sent to the finance committee for a public hearing.

In other business, Richmond Parks Superintendent Denise Retz presented the 2025 annual report, highlighting massive membership growth at the senior center and under-budget savings on upcoming roof repairs. Council also approved a ten-thousand dollar interlocal agreement with Wayne County to fund mechanical repairs for the E.G. Hill Rose Garden Fountain.

Fayette County and the City of Connersville have a new system for emergency alerts. Officials say they’ve switched to Motorola Rave, powered by Smart911, to send out warnings and public safety messages. If you were already signed up, you’ve been moved over automatically. New users can opt in by texting the word ‘intheknow’ to 22911.

Indiana Governor Mike Braun has ordered the state’s Department of Child Services to immediately stop using federal survivors’ benefits to cover the costs of foster care.

Right now, roughly 340 foster children in Indiana receive these federal benefits, which average nearly 800 dollars a month per child. Previously, the state used those funds as reimbursement for care costs. However, Governor Braun emphasized that this money belongs directly to the children—not the state—and should be preserved for them until they turn 18.

A Richmond, Indiana man is facing multiple felony charges after police say he let two eleven-year-old girls drive his pickup truck, resulting in a crash.

Wayne County sheriff's deputies arrested thirty-seven-year-old Jason M. Combs on Thursday. According to court documents, Combs picked up three children from a school skating party last week and allowed two of them to take the wheel on hazardous back roads.

The joyride ended when one of the young drivers panicked as another vehicle approached, causing the truck to careen off the road and hit a ditch. Authorities say Combs failed to report the crash and simply drove the children home. The incident came to light the next day when one of the girls told a teacher.

Combs faces three counts of neglect of a dependent.

The Richmond Symphony Orchestra has signed music director Andrés Lopera to a new five?year contract, extending his leadership as the symphony heads into its 70th season .

Lopera became the RSO’s fourth music director three years ago after a yearlong search, and since then the orchestra has seen a noticeable jump in attendance.

Symphony leaders credit Lopera with bringing energy, high standards, and a deeper connection with the community, while musicians say they feel the momentum and support from audiences growing each season.

The RSO is also gearing up for a run of free summer concerts across Wayne and Union counties, beginning May 25 with a patriotic program at Union County Nature Park in Liberty

Higher education is getting a head start in Richmond. Indiana University East has announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Indiana Microschool Collaborative to launch a public microschool on campus for the upcoming school year.

As reported by our own Ella Chew and posted on the Hometown headlines dot com, The innovative model moves away from traditional "bell-to-bell" schedules, focusing instead on project-based learning for a smaller student body. Incoming freshmen through juniors will get a highly individualized high school experience, with the massive bonus of being able to earn up to 50 college credits directly from IU East faculty.

While the school won't initially offer traditional athletics or bus transportation, campus officials say it is a true public school option designed to empower students. IU East will host two open houses this June for interested families.

The Nettle Creek School Board is grappling with a looming budget deficit, holding its second work session in two weeks to map out an estimated $300,000 in cuts to the operations fund for the upcoming school year.

Administrators laid out potential savings ranging from energy use and custodial staffing to squeezing efficiency out of bus routes.

However, the tougher debate lies within the education fund. Board members are weighing teacher professional development against class sizes, which are currently projected to average 25 to 29 students in the middle and high schools. While Superintendent Emily Schaeffer warned that cutting teacher training could hurt student outcomes, several educators in attendance advocated that keeping class sizes small must be the top priority.

No final decisions have been made as the board continues reviewing administrative and staffing structures.

A drug investigation in Greenville has led to multiple arrests and charges after police executed a search warrant Thursday.

Greenville police raided a home in the eleven hundred block of Washington Avenue following complaints of drug use, trafficking, and child endangerment. Inside, officers discovered ten adults and two children under the age of two. The search turned up drug paraphernalia, suspected narcotics, and a firearm.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jimmy Cooley and 34-year-old Brittney Stamper, both of Greenville, face charges of permitting drug abuse and endangering children. A third suspect, Diana Mitchell, was arrested on an outstanding felony warrant.

If your morning commute takes you through the Revive I-70 corridor, you’ll want to give yourself some extra time today.

The ramps to and from westbound I-70 at the Williamsburg Pike interchange are now completely closed. Crews are officially tearing down the old flyover ramp to build two new roundabouts at U.S. 35. You can expect those ramps to stay closed until late July, so look out for the signed detours.

Meantime, if you use Union Pike, heads up: it will be shut down right at I-70 today and tomorrow between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The one bit of good news? Mother Nature actually helped out over the weekend. Because of the rain, those major eastbound single-lane restrictions between Brick Church and Centerville Roads were postponed. INDOT has rescheduled that work for the weekend of May 29th.

A child abuse investigation in Richmond has led to the arrest of a local woman.

According to the Richmond Police Department, Anna Hobbs was taken into custody on Monday. She faces preliminary level 5 felony charges of domestic battery against a family member and neglect of a dependent.

Multiple agencies assisted with the investigation, including the Wayne County Department of Child Services and the Prosecutor’s Office. In a statement, Richmond Police emphasized that protecting children and holding offenders accountable remains a top priority.

Online court records show Hobbs is scheduled to make her first court appearance this Wednesday.

(Whitewater Valley)--Following are transcripts from Wednesday morning's election-results-only newscasts:

WAYNE SHERIFF:  About 18% of Wayne County voters cast ballots in this year’s primary election, and the mostly hotly contested race was that for Wayne County sheriff.  Alan Moore defeated Kyle Weatherly by a 60-40% margin.  Absentee voting in that race was essentially a tie.  But Moore pulled well ahead when four vote centers opened last week, and voters casting ballots on yesterday’s traditional Election Day also clearly favored Moore.  For all Wayne County races, 42% of voters cast ballots yesterday, while the remainder voted before that.

DISTRICT 56:  Current Wayne County Sheriff Randy Retter will soon change titles and be State Representative of District 56.  Retter defeated challenger Pete Zaleski yesterday by a 53-42% margin.  Inexplicably, 281 people voted for RPD’s Adam Blanton even though he dropped out of the race a month and a half ago.

WAYNE OTHER:  In some other results of contested races in Wayne County, incumbent Brad Dwenger easily won back his seat as County Commissioner of District 1.  Dwenger got 47% of the vote, while Mark Hoelscher and Howard Price split the remaining 53%.  Barry Ritter beat Bradley Wood for 54-46% for County Council District 2.  And, for State Senate District 27, three-term incumbent Jeff Raatz easily beat challenger Anthony Jones.  Raatz won by more than a 2-1 margin.

UNION, FRANKLIN, FAYETTE:  In Union County, Barry Boggs beat Jennifer Byrd in the race for County Auditor.  There were lots of contested county-wide races in Franklin County.  Winners include Austin Joliff for Auditor, Larry Wiwi and Tom Linkel for two commissioners seats, Joe Sizemore, Dean McQueen, and Jerry Hunt for county council, and Adam Henson for sheriff.  And, in Fayette County, Dawn Hughes won for clerk.  Jabin Collins and Jerry May won for seats on county council.

RANDOLPH:  Here’s how voting went in Randolph County yesterday.  Chad Puterbaugh easily won in the race for sheriff, garnering more votes than his two challengers combined.  It was the same for Jane Grove, who got 56% of the vote for a county commissioner seat.  Democrat Christen Smith will face Republican Olivia Faddis for Superior Court Judge.  And, in what was our area’s closest race yesterday, Tammy Pegg beat Laura Martin for county recorder.  Nearly 2900 ballots were cast in that race.  Pegg beat Martin by just six votes.

PREBLE:  24% of registered voters cast ballots in Preble County races.  There were a few issues on the ballot.  Voters turned down a four-mill police levy for Gratis by a 3-1 margin.  That votes comes with Gratis’ police chief coming under fire for trying to perform ICE duties at public schools in Cincinnati.  Lewisburg voters turned down a quarter-percent municipal income tax rally by a 2-1 margin.  In a race for county commissioner, Harold Niehaus beat David Haber 56-44%.