The Indiana Department of Health has filed suit requesting a Wayne County judge force a Richmond mobile home park to comply with orders regarding cleanup and licensing. The lawsuit filed Jan. 16 and assigned to Superior Court 1 names Indianapolis-based Mobile Enterprises LLC and Rajpal Bhattal, the domestic limited liability company’s registered agent, as defendants. […]
Author Archives: Mike Emery
Mike Emery is a reporter and layout editor for the Western Wayne News.
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Plastics fire lawsuit moves to Henry County
A lawsuit involving more than 100 plaintiffs seeking damages because of the April 2023 plastics fire in Richmond will be heard in Henry County. The plaintiffs sued Cornerstone Trading Group, My-Way Trading, Seth Smith and the city of Richmond, claiming the April 11, 2023, fire on North West F Street caused economic damages, plus physical, […]
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Road closure approved for America’s 250th
Richmond’s Depot District Association received permission to close Elm Place for its America’s 250th Celebration on June 13. During its Jan. 29 meeting, the city’s Board of Public Works and Safety unanimously approved the closure from North Eighth Street to North 10th Street from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day. The board also unanimously […]
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Projects prepare for funding possibilities
Wayne County stands ready when an opportunity to grow or improve quality of life presents itself after development of a 32-project Countywide Strategic Investment Plan. Cambridge City, Centerville, Dublin, Economy, East Germantown, Fountain City, Greens Fork, Hagerstown, Milton, Richmond and Wayne County proactively prepared their wants and needs for the next seven years to capitalize […]
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Fairgrounds rentals produce $174K
Wayne County Fairgrounds rental revenue grew 19% during 2025, and with 64 events already booked this year, 2026 has started strongly as well. Shelby Bertsch, the fairgrounds’ new sales and marketing coordinator, presented 2025 successes and 2026 plans to county council members and commissioners during the Jan. 21 joint workshop. The fairgrounds hosted 81 paid […]
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Fireworks will blast off during Meltdown event
Fireworks are ready to launch for the Meltdown Winter Ice Festival. During its Jan. 22 meeting, Richmond’s Board of Public Works and Safety approved the 13th annual festival’s request to shoot fireworks between 6:30 and 10 p.m. Jan. 31 during the Meltdown Throwdown ice carving competition. The fireworks will be shot from the parking lot […]
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Council grants Primex Plastics Corp. 3-year tax abatement
Primex Plastics Corp. received a three-year tax abatement during Richmond Common Council’s Jan. 20 meeting. Council unanimously approved the personal-property abatement for an $8 million investment in equipment for its Industrial Parkway production facility that will create six additional jobs. The abatements will be 100% the first year, 50% the second year and 30% the […]
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County banks $2.3 million in 2025 interest revenue
Wayne County received nearly $2.3 million in interest earned from bank accounts and investments during 2025. Treasurer Beth Fields reported the $2,299,923.88 income Jan. 21 to the county’s Board of Finance, which is composed of the three county commissioners. Six bank accounts earned $1,590,204.47 in interest, while certificate of deposit and bond investment interest totaled […]
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Commissioners: Coroner ignored directives
Wayne County’s commissioners say that removing from the coroner’s fleet a Chevrolet Tahoe that Coroner Brent Meadows drove to an out-of-county job was a decision based on policy and liability alone. Meadows responded to the Jan. 14 decision by posting a Facebook statement the next day, indicating he believes commissioners are targeting him. Commissioners then […]
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Auditor will challenge commissioner in GOP primary
Mark Hoelscher wants to bring a different perspective to county government, and he’s decided he can best do that as a county commissioner. Hoelscher has withdrawn from this year’s Republican primary to be re-elected as auditor and instead filed to challenge Commissioner Brad Dwenger for the party’s District 1 Board of Commissioners nomination. Hoelscher served […]