A Richmond family received permission to build an accessory dwelling for a family member on their South 22nd Street property. During its Oct. 15 meeting, the Richmond Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4-0 in favor of the request by Martel and Shannon Winburn for a special exception in the medium-density, single-family zoning district. The Winburns […]
Author Archives: Mike Emery
Mike Emery is a reporter and layout editor for the Western Wayne News.
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Commissioners consider fairgrounds parking lot
Wayne County’s commissioners plan to add 95 vehicle parking spaces at the county’s fairgrounds. They received a drainage report from Brandon Sanders, the county engineer, and Mike Sharp, the county highway supervisor, during the Oct. 15 commissioners meeting. The lot would be east of First Bank Expo Hall. Runoff water would be diverted to three […]
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County OKs padded budget, awaits state direction
Wayne County Council approved a 2026 budget that includes padding to ensure they receive as much property tax revenue as possible. The $43,078,809 in the general fund includes $6 million in council’s one-time expenditures line item, rather than the usual $3 million. Max Smith, council’s president, said he fully expects the state’s Department of Local […]
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New 2026 budget puts city ‘back on track’
Through a painstaking, line-by-line approach, Richmond’s second attempt at a 2026 budget progresses toward financial health and sustainability, but more work remains next year and beyond. Mayor Ron Oler appointed Beth Fields, the city’s director of strategic initiatives, to lead modification of the proposed budget that originally used unspent 2025 funds to cover a $2.3 […]
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RP&L’s union workers to receive yearly 3% raises
Richmond Power & Light and its employees’ union have agreed to a new three-year contract. Tony Foster, general manager of RP&L, received unanimous approval Oct. 6 from the utility’s board, which is composed of Richmond Common Council members, to sign the contract. It will run through Sept. 30, 2028. The contract with International Brotherhood of […]
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Milton marshal thanks county for its assistance
Law enforcement in Milton has historically been a part-time marshal working a few hours a week. Recent changes mean Milton now has a fully functioning police department. Marshal Tom Geiselman visited the Wayne County commissioners’ Oct. 8 meeting to thank them for their contributions impacting the change. “The county has been very generous to us, […]
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2 shops at homes get BZA approval
Two men received zoning permission to begin businesses at their residences. During its Oct. 9 meeting, the Wayne County Board of Zoning Appeals approved variances that enable Elam Zook Jr. to repair construction and small equipment and Ivan Glick to build custom hardwood furniture on agriculturally zoned properties. Zook’s business will be on Charles Road […]
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Richmond starts over with new 2026 budget
Some Richmond Common Council members made clear they did not support Mayor Ron Oler’s proposed 2026 budget that was funded but not balanced. That resulted in a new budget proposal. Council’s finance committee learned just an hour before council’s Oct. 6 meeting that significant changes had been made to the budget. City staff were preparing […]
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Judge certifies fire lawsuit a class action
A U.S. district judge has certified as a class action a lawsuit filed after the April 2023 plastics fire in Richmond. Judge Tanya Walton Pratt of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana filed her order Sept. 29 in the lawsuit by Tushawn Craig and Marquetta Stokes accusing the city of Richmond, […]
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Budget clash about how to spend city’s cash
Some Richmond Common Council members pushed back against the 2026 budget, which is funded but not balanced, when it was presented Sept. 29 for first hearing. Mayor Ron Oler said that about $3 million budgeted for this year will not be spent, and that surplus will cover a $2,344,000 shortfall in the 2026 general fund. […]