Richmond Fire Department has hired five new members fewer than three months through 2026. That follows 14 new members hired during 2024. When providing Richmond Common Council members a departmental update during their March 16 meeting, Chief Jeff Kinder said hiring and retention remain important issues facing the department that have robbed it of important […]
Author Archives: Mike Emery
Mike Emery is a reporter and layout editor for the Western Wayne News.
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Parks get a boost, on borrowed time
If you had a leaky roof and the income to fix it wasn’t coming for a while, would you borrow some cash to cover the repair, or just live with the leak a while longer? At least in the case of fixing up Richmond’s parks, the city is choosing to borrow. On March 1, diners […]
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Dog that inflicted serious injuries deemed vicious
Anne Mowell bent to kiss her son’s dog, but rather than a kiss, she sustained serious facial injuries when the dog bit her. Because of the Oct. 10 incident inside Mowell’s South A Street home, Richmond’s Board of Public Works and Safety was charged March 19 with deciding whether the dog’s reaction was vicious or, […]
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Abington resident requests county vacate roadways
An Abington land owner’s property survey could become much simpler if Wayne County’s commissioners vacate parts of eight alleys and roads that have never been developed. The Wayne County Advisory Plan Commission voted 6-0 March 19 to recommend commissioners approve a resolution vacating the roadways as requested by Shawn Phenis, who owns surrounding parcels southeast […]
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Parks celebrate 2025 successes, look ahead
As Richmond Parks and Recreation Department makes ambitious plans for the future, it celebrated its 2025 accomplishments March 12 with its board. “Last year, we were very busy, and we had a great year,” Superintendent Denise Retz said. The parks had 884 volunteers donate 5,436 hours and received $381,000 in grants and donations. There were […]
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BZA approves business expansions
A Randolph County family’s business that builds miniature barns plans to expand into Wayne County because of a marriage. Leroy Glick told the Wayne County Board of Zoning Appeals during its March 12 meeting that his son will assume part of the family business after marrying and moving to 6359 Arba Pike, north of Richmond. […]
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Cooks will get their nicer kitchen in home addition
Barry Cramer and Jeff Bessler both enjoy cooking, and for 30 years, they’ve done so in the small, oddly shaped kitchen of their South 21st Street home. “A nicer kitchen would be nice,” Cramer said March 9 when presenting to Richmond’s Historic Preservation Commission a certificate of appropriateness petition to construct two additions on the […]
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County ready to ditch troubled health RV
After discovering its pandemic-era mobile clinic RV was more lemon than lifesaver, Wayne County Health Department plans to sell the vehicle while continuing to provide mobile health services another way. About $260,000 in federal relief money purchased the unit in early 2021, but it has struggled with myriad problems, including electrical and HVAC, according to […]
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Richmond Pride celebration June 27
A Richmond Pride celebration will return June 27 to the Depot District. During its March 12 meeting, the Richmond Board of Public Works and Safety approved closing Elm Place between North Eighth and North 10th streets from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the event. According to materials provided the board by Benjamin Guard, the […]
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Accessible apartments fill need
Richmond lacks handicap-accessible apartment units, according to Mike Frame, who plans to remedy that situation. Frame appeared March 11 before the Richmond Board of Zoning Appeals with a variance of use request that would permit 12 single-story accessible apartments on the southwest corner of South L and South 23rd streets. BZA members unanimously approved the […]