Author Archives: Mike Emery

Indiana’s top health official recently visited Wayne County as the state begins its Health First Indiana program. Dr. Lindsay Weaver, the state’s health commissioner, and members of her team met with local health and elected officials Jan. 12. Becca Alliston, the clinical director for the Wayne County Health Department, updated the county’s Board of Health […]

An armored vehicle created the most controversy among Wayne County Council members when they considered possible expenditures of American Rescue Plan Act dollars. During the Jan. 17 workshop, the county’s commissioners presented council members with recommendations for some of the county’s remaining $4.3 million in uncommitted ARPA funds. Commissioners had reached a consensus about the […]

Wayne County’s animal control officer will now take stray and confiscated dogs to the HELP the Animals shelter. The three county commissioners unanimously approved a contract Jan. 17 with HELP to pay $200 per dog housed with the West Main Street shelter. The HELP board had previously signed off on the agreement. Commissioners will approach […]

Wayne County has about $4.3 million in uncommitted American Rescue Plan Act dollars remaining. The money must be committed by the end of this year, and while that sounds like a lot of time, the county’s commissioners are now moving forward with identifying possible projects to fund, leaving plenty of time to complete the commitment […]

When Judge Darrin Dolehanty addressed Indiana’s judges as the Indiana Judges Association’s president, he always began the same way: “This is the best gig in the world.” Dolehanty took the Wayne County Superior Court 3 bench Jan. 1, 2003, and after more than two decades, he’s giving up his spot on the bench — mostly. […]

Wayne County’s probation department paid for court interpreters in Tangale, Kekchi and more last year. While the need to interpret languages other than Spanish is relatively rare, it’s costly — about $200 an hour. A state grant usually pays those costs, but an upcoming trial that would require two French translators could strain the probation […]

Wayne County’s commissioners are reviewing a preliminary contract with HELP the Animals for the Richmond shelter to accept the county’s stray and abused animals. Ron Cross, the county attorney, presented the draft during commissioners’ Jan. 3 meeting. It calls for the county to pay $4,000 a month to cover a $200-per-animal cost. The sides would […]