A second federal lawsuit has been filed against the city of Richmond and former fire chief Jerry Purcell alleging retaliation, discrimination, harassment and defamation of firefighters taking medical leave for mental health disabilities caused by job duties. Chris O’Neil, a former assistant chief for Richmond Fire Department, filed the suit Nov. 14 in The U.S. […]
Category: News
Posted inNews
Cambridge City council reviews blight updates
Cambridge City’s town council continued efforts to stay on top of blighted properties and other eyesores during its Nov. 11 meeting. Public works superintendent Ken Risch said that several properties on Front Street are seeing progress, and that he’s in the process of writing letters related to other properties that may need to be torn […]
Posted inNews
I-70 lane restrictions now set for Nov. 24-26
On Friday, Nov. 22, INDOT officials shared that its schedule for upcoming pavement patching and lane restrictions schedule on Interstate 70 in Wayne County in the coming days would be altered. INDOT had previously announced it would take a Thanksgiving week break to keep traffic flowing, and then one eastbound lane would be closed from […]
Posted inNews
Centerville schools approves staff raises
WWN was unable to send a reporter to the Nov. 12 meeting of the Centerville-Abington Schools board. This meeting summary is based on provided meeting minutes. The board approved 5-0 a 2% pay increase for noncertified staff to take effect with the first paychecks of Jan. 2025. The change will lower the cash balance in […]
Posted inNews
Bridge should open early next year
The Indiana Department of Transportation stopped traffic across Richmond’s U.S. 27 bridge in spring 2023. Early next year, INDOT expects traffic to again flow across a new bridge. Crews are completing roadway tie-ins before the reopening, according to a news release. The bridge was expected to open this year; however, railroad coordination and supply issues […]
Posted inNews
School board encouraged to add AI policy
The Richmond Community Schools board began its Nov. 12 meeting by welcoming its newest member, Michael Elorreaga, who was sworn in Nov. 7. Elorreaga replaced former member Peter Zaleski, who resigned Oct. 7 citing “irreconcilable differences” with the board. Hibberd teacher Tiauna “T” Washington observed that RCS does not have a policy to address the […]
Posted inNews
16 felony charges filed against former city employee
A former Richmond Sanitary District accounts payable clerk now faces 16 felony charges regarding $825,819.74 in missing cash deposits spanning 6 1/2 years. Jennifer Wilson, 47, of Richmond is formally charged with eight counts of theft, seven as Level 5 felonies and one as a Level 6 felony, and eight counts of official misconduct, all […]
Posted inNews
Can the former Crain building be saved?
For more than eight years, the former Crain Sanitarium building and its smaller, brick neighbor have deteriorated unabated although interest exists to rehabilitate them. However, entering the buildings to assess their viability has been impossible. Both have absent owners not paying taxes and not responding to requests for building access. Indiana Landmarks is now pursuing […]
Posted inNews
Asphalt plant planned along Industries Road
A construction company will erect a temporary portable asphalt plant on a West Industries Road property for use during the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Revive I-70 project. Rieth-Riley Construction Company appeared Nov. 13 before the Richmond Board of Zoning Appeals for relief from variances requiring landscaping and screening of outdoor storage. All five variances were […]
Posted inNews
Mayor calls council member’s comments ‘disgruntled’
Two men who once teamed up to get each other elected are now exchanging criticisms in the public square. Mayor Ron Oler issued a signed statement Tuesday responding to a Facebook post by Richmond Common Council member Jerry Purcell that the statement said included “blatant factual inaccuracies.” Oler’s statement was approved by the city’s legal […]