On Friday, Jan. 9, Wayne County Sheriff Randy Retter announced that he will campaign to succeed Rep. Brad Barrett, following Barrett’s Jan. 7 announcement that he will not run again. “After many years in public service, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing our rural communities,” Retter said in a news release. “I’m running […]
Author Archives: Chris Hardie
Chris Hardie is the owner and publisher of the Western Wayne News.
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Barrett will not seek reelection in 2026
State Rep. Brad Barrett says he will conclude his time representing House District 56 in the Indiana House of Representatives after eight years, and will not seek reelection in 2026. According to a statement released by the Indiana House Republican Campaign Committee and confirmed by a representative for Barrett, he will finish out the remainder […]
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Earlham’s staffing reductions affect 109 positions
Earlham College’s work to reduce personnel expenses will affect 109 roles, including 47 people who were notified this week that their positions have been eliminated or not renewed. Earlham President Paul Sniegowski shared the update in a message sent to the campus community on Friday, Dec. 19. “After months of meetings and broad consultation, the […]
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Chamber explores Richmond casino as revenue source
Should Wayne County encourage a casino to locate here in order to generate millions of dollars for local schools and government services? That was the question on the agenda during a Tuesday, Dec. 16, meeting facilitated by the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce. The meeting, which took place at Reid Health in Richmond, was […]
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Nettle Creek students beat state averages on ILEARN, PSAT
Nettle Creek School District continues working to meet student needs in a variety of forms. According to a report from superintendent Emily Schaeffer at the district’s Nov. 12 board meeting, it has distributed over 152 bags of food over the course of five weeks as part of the weekend backpack program, which works to ensure […]
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Richmond OKs short-term rental exception
After a lengthy debate, Richmond’s Board of Zoning Appeals approved a couple’s request to allow their neighborhood home to be used as a short-term rental during its Wednesday, Nov. 12 meeting. Petition BZA 18-2025, filed by the Rothwell Family Trust, sought a special exception to continue operating a non-owner-occupied, short-term rental at 3190 Toddsbury Lane […]
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Western Wayne Schools flags noncompliance, offers few answers
The Western Wayne Schools board breezed through a 20-minute meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 12, held just before the Fourth Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner in the Lincoln/Middle High School cafeteria. Superintendent Kelly Plank said the Indiana Department of Education required the school to acknowledge during its meeting that it had not complied with certain state requirements. […]
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‘Bankruptcy abuse’ stalls property sales
Wayne County’s commissioners are wrestling with how to stop some residents from using bankruptcy proceedings to halt the deed sale of properties. The pattern of behavior, which county attorney Ron Cross described as “bankruptcy abuse,” was discussed at the group’s Nov. 12 meeting. If a property owner becomes severely delinquent on property taxes, their property […]
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Cambridge cat colony control collects contributions
The Town of Cambridge City is taking further steps to ensure its stray cat populations shrink over time, including taking donations to support spay/neuter clinics there. At its Nov. 10 town council meeting, members unanimously passed an ordinance creating a new stray and feral cat fund. It will not use any existing taxpayer dollars, but […]
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Who watches the watchers?
Cameras being installed on Wayne County roads are slowly but surely connecting the community to a nationwide, privately owned surveillance network. Local law enforcement officials say images captured by the devices will increase public safety, while officials and courts in other areas that have used them are reconsidering the invasion of privacy they may represent. […]