The request to turn a country lane into a county road came in August 1977 as farm fields became homesteads. That lane extending south from Webster Road was named Clyde Moberly Road in November 1978, and the intention of the county commissioners at the time was clear: They would accept Clyde Moberly into the county […]
Author Archives: Mike Emery
Mike Emery is a reporter and layout editor for the Western Wayne News.
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Smith Hill tweaks don’t appease neighbors
Alterations to the Smith Hill development plan didn’t assuage neighbors’ opposition. About 50 people attended the July 24 Richmond Advisory Plan Commission when it considered the second zoning request for the planned unit development. The original request by 11th Street Development was rejected by Richmond Common Council in April, although the plan commission had recommended […]
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Bridges, raises provide biggest budget challenges
Wayne County Council began shaping the county’s 2025 budget July 17 with six hours of budget presentations from elected officials and department heads. Those presentations often contained good news with budgets remaining unchanged from 2024 or having minimal increases. Clerk Debbie Berry even had a decrease in her election budget because there is no election […]
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Commissioners consider insurance tweaks
Wayne County’s commissioners are considering options for its employee insurance program. Dunn & Associates, the third-party benefits administrator based in Columbus, discussed the insurance program with commissioners July 17 during their weekly meeting. Commissioners conducted the meeting simultaneously with Wayne County Council’s daylong budget meeting. Commissioner Jeff Plasterer said the county’s insurance program is healthy […]
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Zoning requests will return to council
About 20 opponents and supporters of a proposed South 37th Street development attended the July 15 Richmond Common Council meeting, but they did not have a chance to speak. An ordinance to rezone 80 acres south of Backmeyer Road between South 37th Street and Garwood Road for a planned unit development was presented to council […]
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Picture honors RPD officer’s memory
Officer Seara Burton’s mother, Jennifer Miller, stretched to place a blue flower next to her daughter’s picture on the End of Watch: Ride to Remember trailer. Burton is one of the 380 officers killed in 2022 and 2023 whose sacrifice is being remembered by the Beyond the Call of Duty tour, which began June 1 […]
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Animal welfare solutions need funding
Sara Pizano told about 60 people July 18 that Wayne County’s animal welfare problems are not unique. They’re the same problems the animal welfare strategist finds in communities across the country. The good news, Pizano said, is that there are solutions. “I promise you that everything you’re facing here is common to every other organization […]
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City buys downtown business building
A downtown Richmond building is ready for a business and for residents. Richmond Neighborhood Restoration sold the renovated building at 720 and 724 E. Main St. to the city of Richmond. The Board of Public Works and Safety approved the $62,500 purchase on May 30. RNR had bought the building for renovations in 2021. It […]
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Auditor promises staff he’ll finish term, seek another
Through communications with Indiana’s other auditors, Wayne County Auditor Mark Hoelscher has learned other auditors are resigning their positions. Ten, so far, Hoelscher said. That led Hoelscher — in the 19th month of his term — to gather his staff July 9 and announce that he has no plans to resign and, in fact, will […]
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MONDAY UPDATE: Western Wayne recovering from storm damage
Neighbors, first responders and utility workers collaborated to clean up extensive storm debris and block traffic to offer protection from downed power lines on Sunday, July 14. Cambridge City received the most visible damage from the storm just before 2:30 p.m. Town officials quickly urged residents and visitors to stay off roads so cleanup could […]