(Richmond, IN)--Gambling of sorts will be allowed at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.  Wayne County Commissioners agreed to allow it this week.  That doesn’t mean there will be slot machines or blackjack tables, but instead will be more more mild forms like bingo and 50/50 raffles.  "As long as it's a legal entity that's doing it and entity that's doing it and it's a legal process - they go through their permitting - I say we rent to them," said Commissioner Brad Dwenger.  In allowing those types of events to take place, commissioners also discussed whether or not organizations should be required to provide security.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond police arrested another alleged drug dealer Thursday afternoon.  Officers arrived in the 200 block of North 12^th Street and took 38-year-old Edward Mann into custody.  Mann was charged with dealing methamphetamine and resisting arrest.  It is Mann’s 12^th criminal arrest in the last decade.  Details of what led to Thursday’s meth-dealing charge have not yet been released.

(Eaton, OH)--A Preble County bus driver accused of grooming students is behind bars.  44-year-old James Kimball was sentenced to 90 days in jail after pleading guilty to attempt to commit an offense last month.  Eaton Police Chief Steve Hurd said that Kimball was initially charged with grooming involving a student last fall.  Kimball was a bus driver for Twin Valley South schools, but also transported Eaton students to and from certain functions.

(Connersville, IN)--A man who is widely credited with developing the regional vocational education system in the Whitewater Valley has died.  Bob Hoffman died on Wednesday night.  Hoffman was the founding director of what is known today as the Whitewater Career Center that serves students across the area.  Hoffman also spent time in the 1990’s as a state representative for House District 55.  The service has been set for 10 a.m. June 19 at Miller, Moster, Robbins Funeral Home  Bob Hoffman was 87.

(Richmond, IN)--Thursday, the Richmond Police Department issued security images and asked for the help of the public in identifying at least two people who stole items from the Veteran’s Memorial Park.  It wasn’t long after that the individuals were identified, taken into custody, and the stolen items were recovered.  The people involved are juveniles, so their names will not be released.  RPD did not say exactly what was stolen.

(Richmond, IN)--The ribbon has been cut on a new residential area on Richmond’s east side.  The Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce took part this week in a ceremony at Villas at Garwood.  Those new homes are near the intersection of Backmeyer and Garwood Road.  They’re about 1800 square feet in size and are on the market for around $400,000.  Two more larger housing projects in the same general area continue to progress.  One is the Smith Hill development.  The other is just south of Walmart.  That project goes back before Common Council on Monday night.

(Richmond, IN)--There was a large law enforcement presence on North West 16^th in Richmond overnight to help get a wanted man into custody.  31-year-old Jesse Maiden had two active warrants, including one connected to the allegation that he forced his way into a home on Hunt Street and then forced a female victim into a car and drove away with her.  Maiden is already a convicted burglar and has four different criminal cases currently pending.  He was booked into the Wayne County Jail at six minutes after midnight Thursday morning.

(Richmond, IN)--Wayne County Commissioners had a lengthy discussion Wednesday on health insurance for the county’s employees.  The county had been presented with two companies.  Ultimately, commissioners voted to stay with a company called One80.  "I think, by and large, our employees are very satisfied with the service end of Dunn's program.  I'm very comfortable with where we're at," said Commissioner Jeff Plasterer.  The county faces an increase in costs due largely to a high amount of claims in the last two years.

(Richmond, IN)--Pew Research estimates that one of three people now have at least one tattoo.  Tuesday, the Wayne County Health Department touched on the tattoo topic and said that they have drafted an ordinance to help oversee tattoo shops.  But, so far, it’s not really needed.  "We have 12 total tattoo shops in our county - not including any sort of microblading.  In the past year and a half since I've been here, we've received five calls and only two complaints," said Chad Kircher.  About 22 percent of Americans have more than one tattoo.

(Richmond, IN)--Herbicide dye spilled at the junction of Highways 27 and 227 in Richmond on Tuesday.  The roadway turned an almost neon blue and prompted Wayne County Emergency Management to issue an advisory which stated that the liquid was non-toxic.  Drivers, though, were advised to wash the substance off their vehicles immediately.

(Richmond, IN)--Wayne County Sheriff’s deputies arrested an alleged drug dealer late Tuesday night.  33-year-old Shane Alexander was taken into custody at just before midnight Tuesday night in the 400 block of South 5^th Street in Richmond and charged with dealing cocaine or other narcotic drug.  Details of what led to Alexander’s arrest have not yet become available.  His criminal history includes burglary and drug possession.

(Connersville, IN)--A multi-week investigation by Fayette County investigators has led to the arrest of a 26-year-old man for a host of alleged offenses against children.  Dakota Shepler was taken into custody early Tuesday morning.  Shepler is now charged with child molesting, sexual misconduct with a minor, and child exploitation.  He was being held Wednesday morning on a $150,000 bond.  An initial hearing has not been set.

(Wayne County, IN)--The first application round for the READI Downtown Revitalization Grant Program opened Monday.  The program was launched by the EDC of Wayne County.  It’s a competitive funding initiative aimed at driving commercial and housing developments in downtown districts in communities across Wayne County.  Applicants will be able to request up to $200,000 for projects that will require a 75/25 match.  The program is expected to leverage nearly $17 million in total public and private investment.  The first application round closes near the end of next month.

(Richmond, IN)--Two women are were taken to the Wayne County Jail early Tuesday morning after a search warrant was executed in the 300 block of South 12^th Street in Richmond.  Investigators searched that property at around midnight.  23-year-old Elizabeth Moster is now charged with maintaining a common nuisance with controlled substances.  32-year-old Laura Bond was charged with meth possession.  Details of what led to the search and the amount of drugs recovered have not been released.

(Eaton, OH)--A former township trustee in Preble County escaped jail time after being convicted of making a video recording of a young girl in a bathroom.  Wade Guthrie pled guilty last month to voyeurism and tampering with evidence as part of a plea deal.  Monday, Guthrie was sentenced to five years of community control, or probation, and was ordered to receive counseling.  He will also have to register as a sex offender for the next 15 years.  Guthrie was a Gasper Township Trustee at the time of his arrest last year.

(Richmond, IN)--The Richmond Police Department was continuing on Monday to ask for the help of the public in locating a missing teen.  Monday marks the 15^th day since anyone has heard from 16-year-old Yazmine Peters.  Yazmine was last seen voluntarily leaving her home on May 24.  RPD issued a plea on Friday for anyone who may have information on her whereabouts to contact law enforcement

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond man remains wantedafter having now been charged with a series of charges tied to an incident last week.  31-year-old Jesse Maiden allegedly kicked in a door and entered the home of a woman known to him on Hunt Street.  Court documents indicate Maiden grabbed her by the back of the neck and forced her into his vehicle.  She eventually convinced Maiden to let her go at a Richmond convenience store.  He was charged last week with burglary, kidnapping, and several other charges but has not yet been taken into custody. Maiden has two other criminal cases pending.

(Richmond, IN)--One person was pronounced dead after having jumped from the Richmond Avenue Bridge Sunday night.  First responders got the call at around 7 o’clock Sunday night.  Scanner traffic indicated a medical helicopter was alerted and then cancelled.  Last year, fencing was added to the G Street Bridge to prevent suicides, but that’s the only one of four bridges spanning the Whitewater Gorge to have that type of barrier.  The person’s name from Sunday night has not been released.

(Wayne County, IN)--A semi caught fire on I-70 in Wayne County Thursday afternoon. 

The fire broke out on westbound I-70 near Centerville Road. 

A semi hauling glue became fully engulfed in flame by the time both Centerville, Richmond, and Webster firefighters arrived. Westbound traffic quickly became backed up in the construction zone and remained stop-and-go for several hours. 

No injuries were reported.  There’s no word yet on what started the fire.

(Richmond, IN)--A project that’s part of the Revitalize Richmond effort took a step forward yesterday. 

The Richmond Board of Public Works approved a contract that will provide preliminary work for a path aimed at connecting Earlham College to the downtown area.

The path will run from the Lundy Bridge to South West 16^th.  Funding is being provided through a Lilly grant. 

Preliminary work will take place throughout the remainder of this year with constructed expected to start early next spring.

(Abington, IN)--Two former members of the Abington Volunteer Fire Department have filed a lawsuit in federal court against other members of that Department and the Abington Township Advisory Board. 

The complaints and allegations by Jameson Warren and James Ausmus are numerous, although the lawsuit claims that their constitutional rights were violated. 

Two years ago, Board President Steve Kaiser signed Ausmus’ name to a document without Ausmus knowledge or approval.  Ausmus was fired after bringing that situation to light. 

The lawsuit is proceeding through the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

(Richmond, IN)--A young member of a local orchestra has overcome incredible obstacles to realize a dream.  Lydia Smith was born blind, but taught herself to play numerous instruments by ear.  And, recently, she performed on the violin at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City.  Lydia has had 13 eye surgeries and now has some vision in one eye.  She is a 2024 graduate of Community Christian School.

(Richmond, IN)--A 22-year-old Richmond man who already has a lengthy criminal record added to it Thursday morning.  Tyvon Harper was taken into custody earlier Thursday morning and charged with possession of meth and controlled substances.  The amount of drugs recovered is not yet available.  Despite being only 22, Harper has eight previous criminal cases just in Wayne County.  His arrest was one of two drug arrests early Thursday morning.  Charles Reams was jailed for possession of cocaine on South M Street.

(Richmond, IN)--Here’s more on a drug-dealing arrest first reported by Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News earlier this week.  38-year-old Evelyn Manning was charged on Tuesday with dealing meth and now faces up to 30 years in prison.  According to newly obtained court documents, Manning offered to give a woman meth if she would do Manning’s laundry.  A subsequent search of Manning’s home turned up more than one hundred syringes, digital scales, and packaging materials.  Manning is due in court on June 12.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond police arrested an alleged drug dealer late Tuesday night.  Officers took 43-year-old Nicholas Bigalk (BEE-ock), who also uses the name Nicholas McKinley, into custody in the first block of South West 3^rd Street.  He’s charged with dealing cocaine, dealing a lookalike substance, and a host of other charges.  Details of what led to the arrest have not been released.

(Richmond, IN)--Wayne County deputies went to Greensburg Tuesday to bring back 31-year-old Dustin Adams of Dublin after Adams was jailed there.  Adams has been wanted in Wayne County for allegedly exchanging sexually charged messages with who he thought was a 15-year-old girl, but was really an adult investigator.  Adams has had a warrant in Wayne County for the last two weeks.

(Eaton, OH)--A former Preble County police lieutenant is back in jail.  Jason Etter was arrested Tuesday for violating a protective order.  Just a week ago, Etter had pleaded guilty to menacing by stalking after threatening to kill someone.  Court documents indicate Etter entered a woman’s apartment and placed a knife under her throat.  Etter will be held without bond until he can be seen by an Eaton Municipal Court judge.

(Richmond, IN)--New Richmond High School graduate Brooklyn Clark is the winner of the Officer Seara Burton and Brev Law Enforcement Scholarship by Reid Health.  That scholarship is a $2400 award for graduating seniors who want to pursue a degree in law enforcement and is named for the RPD officer who died in the line of duty in 2022.  Brooklyn is headed to Indiana State to pursue her degree.

(Richmond, IN)--Confusion reigned as Richmond Common Council on Monday night addressed the rezoning of 19 acres just south of Walmart.  The rezoning would create 30 lots with duplexes as part of a homeowners association that would sell for between $250,000 and $400,000.  Some on Council expressed concern about a potential new entrance to the area off of Backmeyer Road.  Others on Council said it was too early in the process to discuss those specifics.  Council voted not to proceed until a traffic study was done.  That brought this reaction from Larry Parker:  "I'm not sure that Council realizes what we just did.  We just stopped the whole thing."  Council then essentially asked for a do-over.  City Attorney A.J. Sickmann said that could happen.  "If Council didn't understand what it was doing, then I would ask for a unanimous vote to recall it," Sickmann said.  Council then reversed itself and voted to put the issue on hold until a traffic study is completed.  But, that would come at the expense of the developer with no guarantee that the rezoning would be approved.  A traffic study could cost up to $30,000.

(Richmond, IN)--It’s been more than three years now since the My Way Trading. That fire sent large plumes of black smoke into the air and forced the evacuation of hundreds in the Fairview area of Richmond.  There are still several lawsuits pending.  The fire was made much worse because massive amounts of plastic were packed into warehouses despite the city’s effort to have them removed.  Now, a similar situation exits at a facility on Sheridan Street.  "I've had conversations with the property owner who is working with the Sanitary District to try to negotiate the details associated with removing that material so that it can be taken off-site.  That was as recently as two or three weeks ago," said City Attorney A.J. Sickmann in response to a question from Richmond Common Council on Monday night.  The exact location of the facility on Sheridan Street was not revealed.

(Richmond, IN)--The eight police cars that have sat idle on the lot of a local dealership since last December are now headed for the Richmond Police Department fleet.  Richmond Common Council approved the appropriation of funding for the purchase Monday night.  The purchase was initiated by a member of RPD last year but did not go through the proper procedures.  Council member Dr. Lucinda Wright addressed that Monday night.  "The integrity of this council is important.  It's important that we do what's right.  Let's do that - not hurt RPD or Wetzel.  Let's do what we need to do and be done with it," Wright said.  RPD recently lost one of its canine vehicles.

(Richmond, IN)--Plans to expand Uranus were put on hold Monday night by Richmond Common Council.  Ryan Toms, who owns an adjacent campground, addressed council and said that there are ongoing water issues and fire violations.  Those issues were not addressed recently when the Richmond Plan Commissioner gave a positive recommendation.  Here’s Council President Justin Burkhardt:  "I would like to get some more clarification on this.  I know we've heard from both sides, but I just think it would be in our best interest to hold this."  The expansion plans for Uranus will come back before Council at a future date.

(Wayne County, IN)--A Boys and Girls Club bus ended up on the side of the road following an accident at a problem Wayne County intersection on Monday.  It happened at around 3:45 at the intersection of U.S. 27 and Pottershop Road.  Scanner traffic indicated that an undisclosed number of children were on the bus when it collided with another vehicle.  None of them suffered any injuries.  An occupant of the other vehicle suffered a minor shoulder injury.  Names of those involved and the cause of the crash have not been released.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Common Council meets Monday night, and it’s a meeting that will be highlighted by a couple of zoning issues.  One of them is the proposal to add roughly 30 homes on 19 acres of land near the northwest corner of South 37^th and Backmeyer Road, which is directly south of Walmart.  That proposal got a positive recommendation from the Richmond Area Plan Commission last week.  Council will also address a proposed expansion at Uranus.  And, finally, Council is expected to appropriate $360,000 for the purchase of police vehicles that have sat on the lot of a local dealer since last December.  Monday night’s meeting begins at 7.  As always, you can catch it live on WGTV.

(Richmond, IN)--Six years ago, Richmond’s Evelyn Manning was arrested when, in her words, she went on a “meth bender” and her young child was found living in deplorable conditions.  About three months ago, she was arrested for dealing methamphetamine.  And now, she was arrested again Sunday for dealing meth.  The arrest happened early Sunday morning at her home in the 200 block of North 12^th Street.  Manning’s arrest was one of numerous meth-related arrests in Wayne County over the weekend.  Five different people were jailed on various meth charges.

(Richmond, IN)--The parent companies of First Bank Richmond and the Farmers Bank have announced that their respective shareholders have approved the pending merger of the two financial institutions.  The combined organization will operate under the name First Bank Midwest.  Both organizations now say they expect the deal to close at the end of the month.