Local plans for the days leading up to the April 8 solar eclipse will be made final during a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, in The Meeting Place, 11 E. Main St., Hagerstown. “This will be the final opportunity for people to ask questions about what kind of things are planned for […]
Author Archives: Bob Hansen
Bob Hansen is a reporter for the Western Wayne News.
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Clay Township has a new trustee
Mari Lynn Taube of rural Greens Fork became the Clay Township trustee in January. She replaces Rebecca Cool, who moved out of the township. Taube is moving the township office into her home at 10029 Swoveland Road, west of the town of Greens Fork. The office will be open by appointment, she said. To make […]
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Northeastern Middle School gets new principal
A veteran teacher with expertise in how teens think is the new Northeastern Middle School principal. Clayton Smith is currently the Northeastern High School assistant principal. He is transitioning to middle school after his approval by the school board on Jan. 24. “Clayton comes to us with a great deal of experience. He has had […]
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Water leaks into Northeastern school building’s brick walls
When Superintendent Matthew Hicks said his trip to Northeastern Middle/High School’s roof “was like an Indiana Jones movie,” he didn’t mean a fast-paced adventure in search of treasure. Rather, he spoke of the building’s brick walls. “When I touched them, they just turned to dust,” Hicks said. “The brick face has eroded and water is […]
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Jefferson Township food pantry growing
Nearly 1,800 households in western Wayne County received food from the Jefferson Township food pantry in 2023. It is expanding to offer personal care products to people who need them. Located in the township building at 37 E. Main St., Hagerstown, the food pantry is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays. It serves people from […]
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Hagerstown sees a leadership change
Planning and building on individual strengths have brought new sidewalks and lighting to Hagerstown over the past decade. Leading the Town Council for most of that time has been Becky Diercks as president and Brian Longbons, pro tem. Both voluntarily stepped away from those positions. On Jan. 2, the council elected Allan Bullock as its […]
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Town starts fund drive for playground
Looking at a photo of a playground on the east side of the old Pershing Elementary School, Ron Lamott remembered playing there as a kid. “There’s the monkey bars and the teeter-totter,” he said. Recalling childhood mischief while denying his personal involvement, he smiled and added, “The teeter-totter always ended up on the flagpole at […]
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Western Wayne staff invited to focus on kindness, positivity
While students stayed out of school for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, their teachers at Western Wayne School Corporation listened to a motivational speaker. Jon Gordon spoke to more than 50 staff members about being positive and making change happen. “I predict if this team works on it, enrollment will be up and everybody […]
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Nettle Creek board elects new president
The Nettle Creek Schools board elected Shaun Lieberman as president, Dan Davis Jr., vice president, and Marcie Houghton, secretary, during its Jan. 10 meeting. Davis had been board president and Lieberman, vice president. The board reappointed Amber Rushton as corporation treasurer and Ron Cross, attorney. The board conducts a reorganization meeting annually, as required by […]
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Most county schools’ grad rates exceed 90%
Most Wayne County schools leaders are expressing pride about their Class of 2023 graduation rates. However, some frustration simmers among some board members and administrators about how those rates can be affected by factors outside schools’ control. According to Indiana Department of Education data, nearly every Wayne County high school showed a graduation rate of […]