Facing declining demand and challenges in maintaining required staffing levels, Wernle Youth & Family Treatment Center in Richmond will no longer provide residential services as of February, according to a statement released on Sunday afternoon. The organization, which provides therapeutic services for youth aged 10 to 21 who have exhibited behavioral challenges, said it will […]
Author Archives: Chris Hardie
Chris Hardie is the owner and publisher of the Western Wayne News.
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PHOTOS: Richmond holiday parade, “At the Movies”
Residents ignored the drizzling rain to enjoy a night “At the Movies,” the theme of this year’s downtown Richmond holiday parade, held Dec. 1. Eager children, and sometimes even adults, collected candy that parade participants threw from the trucks, trailers, bikes, cars and fire engines that drove by. Along with Santa and Mrs. Claus, the […]
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Common Council speeds through light agenda
In a Nov. 20 meeting that lasted barely five minutes, Richmond Common Council covered the basics but deferred action on a potential designated outdoor refreshment area classification for the Depot District, under consideration since September. The group approved meeting minutes and accepted Anchor Transload LLC as a new taxpayer in the city’s main tax increment […]
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A taste of Christmas cheer
Cambridge City welcomed the Christmas season Nov. 25 with Winter Wonderland. Between carriage rides and ice skating, children could visit with Santa Claus after his arrival on a fire truck, or sample s’mores. The line to see Santa stretched past the town’s beautiful lighted tree. WWN’s Chris Hardie was there to capture these photos. Photos […]
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Oler: Apartments first of many investments to come
How will it affect parking? Who is paying for it? What exactly is the market rental rate these days? Will it have pickleball courts? These questions and others about a planned downtown Richmond apartment building were on the minds of officials and audience members at the joint meeting between Wayne County’s council and commissioners on […]
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EPA: Plastics fire cleanup will go through summer of ’24
The Environmental Protection Agency’s work to clean up part of the site of the April 11 plastics fire in Richmond has begun as of Nov. 6, and is expected to last through the summer of 2024. That’s according to Allen Jarrell, the on-scene coordinator for the EPA, who addressed media at a Nov. 14 press […]
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Water tower move could save Cambridge City $200K
Wayne County commissioners heard from Economic Development Corporation President Valerie Shaffer that moving the planned location of a water tower at Gateway Industrial Park by 860 feet could save Cambridge City $200,000. As a part of the plans in motion for Sugar Creek Packing Company’s $11 million expansion there, officials realized that the tower’s original […]
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Centerville continues water project work
Calibrating water meters at the central water plant could help track down the source of a Centerville water system leak. That’s according to town manager Kevin Slick, who asked Centerville’s council at its Nov. 14 meeting to approve $20,350 to enable maintenance that will include that calibration work. The expense is for the installation of […]
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2023 uncertified election results
9:15 p.m. – Ron Oler defeats Dave Snow for Richmond Mayor Although Richmond will have a new mayor, he won’t be a new face to area voters. Ron Oler, who has served on Richmond Common Council for 12 years, defeated two-term Richmond Mayor Dave Snow on Tuesday. In unofficial results, Oler, a Republican, received 51.23 […]
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Commissioners weigh pandemic relief spending priorities
What should $4 million in uncommitted federal relief funds be spent on to improve Wayne County? Should the county focus on quality of life improvements, catching up on infrastructure maintenance, highly visible projects that add to community pride, or something else? Those were the questions that Wayne County’s commissioners wrestled with during their morning Sept. […]