By the end of 2025, Wayne County expects to have an improved emergency communications system. Long-known radio coverage gaps in the county’s northeast and southwest areas will be addressed, and the county’s 12 volunteer fire departments will use new 800 megahertz mobile and portable radios. Ritter Strategic Services, a public safety consulting firm of which […]
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911 hang-ups increase 40% in 2023
Communications specialists in the Wayne County Emergency Communications Center last year answered 44,592 calls to 911, but more than one out of five times, nobody was on the line. The number of 911 hang-ups increased 40.0% from 2022 to 9,646, according to statistics released by the ECC. Matthew Cain, the county’s 911 director and director […]
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Honoree delivers to help save man’s life
Richmond Police Chief Kyle Weatherly told Common Council members that on any given day first responders can be identified who went “above and beyond the call of service.” That could be emergency communications specialists, firefighters, EMS personnel or law enforcement officers. However, Weatherly appeared at council’s Feb. 5 meeting to honor a citizen with a […]
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CACS honors award-winning art teacher
At its Feb. 7 meeting, Centerville-Abington Community Schools’ board congratulated a longtime teacher and coach for winning a countywide award. In late January, Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce recognized Chris Evrard as Educator of the Year during the organization’s annual dinner. The Centerville Senior High School teacher has been mentoring young artists for 17 […]
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Town police save money by training their own
By being able to conduct training on its own, Hagerstown Police Department kept its training cost at $1.76 per hour in 2023, according to Police Chief Keith Folkner. In the police department’s annual report, Folkner said HPD officers completed 849 training hours in 2023, keeping within its $1,500 budget. Many other aspects of police operations […]
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Youth soccer programs now registering players
Western Wayne and Richmond youth soccer programs are registering players for upcoming league seasons. In Western Wayne, boys and girls soccer players from preschool through high school may register Feb. 23 and 24 for a community soccer program. The registration sessions will be 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 23 and 10 a.m. to noon Feb. […]
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Hagerstown’s final eclipse planning meeting is Feb. 21
Local plans for the days leading up to the April 8 solar eclipse will be made final during a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, in The Meeting Place, 11 E. Main St., Hagerstown. “This will be the final opportunity for people to ask questions about what kind of things are planned for […]
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EDC board OKs blight elimination guidelines
Blight elimination efforts are moving forward around Wayne County with new funding guidelines. At its Feb. 5 board meeting, Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County approved criteria largely created by Sarah Mitchell, EDC’s economic development manager. Mitchell oversaw Richmond’s Blight Elimination Program several years ago while working for the city. Previously, EDC and Wayne County […]
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Council OKs $2M in ARPA spending
Sheriff Randy Retter will get the armored vehicle he’s long wanted. Wayne County Council designated $350,000 for a BearCat as part of $2 million in spending it approved for uncommitted American Rescue Plan Act dollars. During a Feb. 7 morning meeting, council members considered eight ARPA expenditures the county’s commissioners had recommended during the Jan. […]
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‘Really scary’: Property fraud grows nationwide
Wayne County Recorder Debbie Tiemann has heard a scary example of property fraud: Snowbird landowners return home to find a different house on their property. Their property had been fraudulently sold, and the buyers had demolished the existing house and built their own. Such property fraud is rare in Indiana, according to the Indiana Recorders […]