Hometown Media Group (https://hmgccity.com/page/2/)
Emergency response personnel from several agencies worked together to put on a mock accident demonstration to Centerville High School juniors and seniors before their prom. Sponsored by SADD, help came from the Centerville police and fire departments, Wayne County EMS, Reid Health’s Trauma Unit and Wayne County Coroner Kevin Fouche. Coroner Fouche discussed the impact drunk/distracted driving would have on family members. Senior Cameron Nocton plays the part of the deceased, while teacher Lesli Walther and student Phoebe Chasteen are impacted by the sad news of the accident. Find more photos from this event in the May 25 edition of Western Wayne News.
We must believe in our ability to work together to solve our toughest problems
On Memorial Day, 1945, the war in Europe had ended but the fighting in the Pacific continued. Lt. Gen. Lucian Truscott voiced remarks at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery at Nettuno, Italy. Turning his back on the assembled VIPs, he faced the rows upon rows of headstones and apologized to the 20,000 fallen Americans who had been laid to rest far from home.
SUV driver faces reckless homicide charge
A Richmond man was arrested on a charge of reckless homicide eight days after a Union County man died in a crash near Centerville. Shortly after 8:30 p.m. May 18, Indiana State Police and Richmond Police Department officers went to the 300 block of North 17th Street in Richmond to execute an arrest warrant on Rafael Lopez, 27, accusing him of reckless homicide. Lopez was taken into custody without incident, according to RPD Capt. Curt Leverton.
Common Council hears report; also grants industrial zoning request
Richmond residents who see an eyesore or unsafe conditions can get the city’s help in getting it cleaned up. The city has ticketed 1,058 properties since the first of the year for tall weeds and brush, outdoor trash and unsafe conditions, according to Derek Hill, head of the city’s code enforcement department. He spoke to the Common Council on May 16.
Indiana counties have three commissioners, one from each district in the county, who are elected for four years. Ken Paust of Richmond is the incumbent commissioner whose seat is on the ballot in this election cycle. He faces a Republican challenger, Brad Dwenger, also of Richmond. Questions
1. Help voters understand what motivated you to run for office, and particularly this position.
Questions
1. Help voters understand what motivated you to run for office, and particularly this position. 2. The economic region Wayne County is part of did not fare as well in the statewide competition for READI dollars as many others when divided by the number of participating counties. What actions would you take in order to draw more of state officials’ potential attention, funding and economic development opportunities to Wayne County?
Wayne County Council’s District 3 incumbent Beth Leisure of Milton faces a challenge in the Republican primary from Carol Study of Cambridge City. Both want to represent the western section of the county. Only one GOP candidate filed in each of the other four council districts. County council has the ultimate decision-making power regarding fiscal affairs, according to indianacounties.org. Members set priorities for the allocation and expenditure of county funds and have authority to view or review fiscal matters and determine proper policy.
The current Wayne County auditor (Kimberly Walton) and a former county auditor (Mark Hoelscher) are both seeking votes in the Republican primary. Questions
1) In your opinion, what are the top three priorities of the office you’re seeking? 2) What is working well now in that office and what would you change? 3) What technology is currently being used in the auditor’s office (we’re curious more about its functions than brand names)? Would you use it if elected?
A man has been arrested after a Richmond couple was injured and a Liberty man died when the trio’s vehicle was struck and went off the road into a wooden embankment. Just after 10:15 p.m. Saturday, Indiana State Police troopers were dispatched to a serious crash on U.S. 27 just north of Liberty. First responders located a gray 2013 Subaru BRZ with heavy front-end damage and an inverted gray Lexus RX350 off the roadway, down the embankment. When medical personnel made their way down to the Lexus, they located its driver, Anthony J. Talbert, 61, and his wife, Donna M. Talbert, 66, both of Richmond. Donna Talbert was flown to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, by Care Flight for medical treatment, and Anthony Talbert was transported by ambulance to Reid Health in Richmond.
County officials began courting potential sponsors for naming rights at Wayne County Fairgrounds in 2019, but the pandemic put that pursuit on hold. However, conversations recently resumed, and at the April 20 workshop of county commissioners and council members, they learned a commitment of $1 million has been pledged toward ongoing improvements of the facilities and grounds. Lawyers for both sides are still finalizing details, and no agreement has been approved, but plenty of handshakes and smiles were visible at the meeting as Commissioner Ken Paust introduced First Bank Richmond’s Don Benziger, executive vice president/CFO and Paul Witte, executive vice president/chief lending officer, to receive the group’s thanks. The county would continue to own and operate the facilities, but by committing to give $100,000 per year for 10 years, First Bank Richmond seeks to assume the naming rights of both Kuhlman Center and Tom Raper Center. Bank officials said the proposed new names of the facilities are First Bank Kuhlman Center and First Bank Expo Hall.
Even after one 18-year-old man was arrested two days after two other 18-year-olds were shot in downtown Richmond, police say the case remains an active investigation. Rickey Porter of Richmond was arrested at about 3 p.m. April 21 on preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder, according to Captain Curt Leverton of Richmond Police Department’s Investigative Services Division. Jail records show Porter also was charged at the same time with possession of marijuana/hash oil/hashish/salvia, a B misdemeanor, and possession of paraphernalia, an A misdemeanor. The shooting was reported just after 2 p.m. April 19 near the intersection of South Eighth and A streets. Officers found two wounded men there: Nathaniel Reed and Adolfo Armenta.
One 18-year-old man has died and another was injured in a shooting in downtown Richmond. No arrests have been made as of Tuesday evening, and an investigation is continuing, according to a news release from Sgt. Zach Taylor of Richmond Police Department’s Investigative Services Division. The shooting was reported just after 2 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of South Eighth and A streets. Officers found two wounded men there: Nathaniel Reed and Adolfo Armenta.
Indiana University East Chancellor Kathy Girten has announced her retirement at the end of this academic year. Girten announced Wednesday, March 23, that she plans to retire June 30, 2022. She also is serving as the acting chancellor for IU Southeast in New Albany, Indiana. Girten was named IU East’s first female, and sixth chancellor, in February 2013. “It is my great honor to serve as the sixth chancellor of IU East,” Girten said in a news release.
A Centerville man died after being struck by a train while filling a tractor trailer with grain in Hagerstown. Shortly after 10 a.m. Monday, March 14, Wayne County dispatchers received a 911 call from a Norfolk Southern train conductor who advised that a person had been struck by their train in the area of the Hagerstown Ag Center at 4379 N. Jacksonburg Road. That location is just south of Indiana 38 and east of Indiana 1 in Hagerstown. Wayne County Sheriff’s Office determined that Daryl King, 61, was struck by the eastbound train while filling a tractor trailer with grain. It appeared as though King did not hear the approaching train, possibly due to noise from the tractor and other equipment on the property, said Sheriff Randy Retter.