Longtime Wayne County government employees will likely receive an extra reward for their service next year. Wayne County Council, during a Sept. 18 discussion, agreed to provide stipends for employees serving at least five years as of Oct. 1, 2025. The plan that would cost about $230,000 begins with a $400 stipend for five years […]
Author Archives: Mike Emery
Mike Emery is a reporter and layout editor for the Western Wayne News.
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Longtime ER doctor becomes county’s new health officer
A former Reid Health chief of staff and top award winner is Wayne County’s new health officer. Dr. Jennifer Bales was approved 3-0 by Wayne County’s commissioners during their Sept. 18 meeting, a day after the county’s Board of Health unanimously approved recommending her appointment. Bales, a Richmond resident, has been a Reid emergency room […]
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Drug Task Force dissolves
For about three decades, the Wayne County Drug Task Force investigated drug crimes in Richmond and Wayne County. The Richmond Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office supplied personnel to investigate drug activity, arrange controlled buys through confidential informants and arrest drug dealers. In so doing, the officers took drugs off local streets and jailed […]
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Queen Anne home given another chance
The Queen Anne-style home exhibits obvious signs of distress. The front porch, for example, looks dangerous, the light blue and red paint is peeling, and there’s debris everywhere. Richmond’s Historic Preservation Commission, however, sees a brighter future at 1828 E. Main St., and its members gave the structure a third chance. The board voted 6-0 […]
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Door closes on shed business
Storage sheds will not be displayed in a vacant lot at the corner of South West Third Street and National Road West in Richmond. During a Sept. 11 meeting, the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals denied a variance of use petition that would have permitted the business. The petitioner, Adam Powell, then withdrew a petition […]
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Chester Blvd. projects seek zoning
Projects that would provide an assisted living facility and apartments along Chester Boulevard both require zoning changes to multiple family residential (M2). Ordinances for those zoning changes were on the Richmond Common Council agenda for Sept. 16 and are on the Richmond Advisory Plan Commission’s Sept. 25 agenda. Council would then have the final say […]
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BZA turns down potential wedding venue’s proposal
Fresh, safe produce spoiled plans to create an event venue in southern Wayne County. The county’s Board of Zoning Appeals denied Sept. 12 a requested special exception by Keagan Frazier and Tabitha Massie to create their venue on 6 acres at 10965 Chapel Road southeast of Milton. The denial came after Brad Starr of GALM […]
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County fairgrounds needs more parking
Large events at First Bank Kuhlman Center overflow the 185 available parking spots, leaving attendees to park wherever they can. Expanded parking is among priorities for $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars budgeted for Wayne County Fairgrounds improvements. Wayne County’s commissioners viewed maps of possible new parking lots during their Sept. 11 meeting. A […]
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Health department sets sail at full steam ahead
The Wayne County Health Department needs steady leadership after a tumultuous year, and Dan Burk has been chosen to guide the department as its new director. During the nearly 12 months without a director, Burk has tackled increasing responsibilities within the department. He added duties while supervising the environmental side without the director, then took […]
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Solar parks add power for Richmond
Sunny summer days helped crews make significant progress constructing Richmond’s eighth solar park so that sunshine next summer will be capable of generating 6.1 megawatts of electricity. The addition of the solar park along U.S. 40 between Salisbury and Round Barn roads will increase the solar parks’ capacity to 46.88 megawatts during peak sunshine hours. […]