Richmond’s highway commercial zoning limits buildings’ heights to 40 feet, and that’s not enough for a four-story hotel. Needing more than 17 extra feet, Ani Lodging LLC requested a 60-foot maximum for its planned TownePlace Suites by Marriott on West Eaton Pike, as reported in the April 16 WWN. The Richmond Board of Zoning appeals […]
Author Archives: Mike Emery
Mike Emery is a reporter and layout editor for the Western Wayne News.
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Abilities Richmond receives council support
Tami Johnson founded Abilities Richmond because her son, Matthew, who has Down syndrome, needed the services. Now, the group serves 147 individuals with developmental and physical disabilities and is preparing a new South Ninth Street facility. Johnson spoke to Richmond Common Council during its April 21 meeting, explaining the program and requesting a letter of […]
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County braces for state’s budget impacts
Wayne County department heads and elected officials were encouraged to find ways to cut their 2026 budgets when they met with the county commissioners April 23. In their joint meeting the initial discussion involved the Indiana legislative session and its negative impact on county property tax revenues. Max Smith, president of Wayne County Council, and […]
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Legislature OKs food and beverage tax bill
Richmond received a green light from Indiana’s legislature to enact a food and beverage tax, and so too did eight other Wayne County communities. Now, Cambridge City, Centerville, Dublin, Fountain City, Greens Fork, Hagerstown, Milton and Mount Auburn also could choose to tax diners. Those provisions ultimately were sent to Gov. Mike Braun as part […]
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Hearing about housing dollars set for May 7
Wayne County Council plans to conduct a public hearing May 7 about appropriating $320,000 for a housing accelerator program launched by the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County. The additional money from county economic development income tax funds and consolidated EDIT funds would help five developers build houses on 82 sites in three county communities. […]
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Chief deputy will seek top spot
Alan Moore’s involvement with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office stretches back three decades. Now, after serving as chief deputy, he’d like to lead the department as sheriff. Moore was scheduled to officially announce during an April 22 event at Red Front Pizza and Grill in Richmond his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2026 […]
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Another plastics fire suit filed against city
One day short of two years after a plastics fire erupted on Richmond’s west side, another lawsuit was filed to recover damages for more than 100 city residents. Trevor Crossen from Crossen Law Firm in Carmel filed the paperwork April 10, and the suit has been assigned to Circuit Court. It is the second lawsuit […]
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Hotel requests variance
A new hotel is planned for Richmond’s east side, near the Interstate 70 interchange with U.S. 40. Ani Lodging LLC of Chicago has requested a variance of development standards to increase the maximum allowable structure height to accommodate the four-story hotel. The Richmond Board of Zoning Appeals is scheduled to consider the variance petition during […]
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BZA gives cheese business its OK
Cheese lovers could have a new location to purchase fresh cheese after a decision by the Wayne County Board of Zoning Appeals. During their April 10 meeting, BZA members granted a variance of use to allow the processing and sales of cheese and other dairy products at 5091 Palmer Road, which is northwest of Webster. […]
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Property taxes due May 12
Property tax bills aren’t necessarily good news, but it’s better to find the bill than miss a payment. The bills are arriving in Wayne County residents’ mailboxes about a month before spring payments are due. According to Treasurer Beth Fields, the bills were mailed April 10. They include two payment coupons for payments due this […]