Local news and updates from Wayne County, Indiana reportersRichmond

Richmond Power & Light’s line department will soon have a new mini-excavator and trailer. RP&L’s board, comprised of all Richmond Common Council members, approved the purchases during its July 1 meeting. RP&L will buy the mini-excavator from New Holland of Richmond for $70,965, the lowest of three bids received. RP&L General Manager Tony Foster expects […]

A development plan for 80 acres on Richmond’s southeast side now includes townhomes rather than apartments. Bryan Stumpf and 11th Street Development LLC have again applied for zoning changes necessary to construct the Smith Hill planned unit development south of Backmeyer Road between South 37th Street and Garwood Road. Richmond Common Council denied an original […]

Mayor Ron Oler is asking Richmond Common Council for $300,000 for parks, downtown parking and community branding. Oler presented his request during council’s July 1 meeting. The city’s economic development fund received $673,236 from the state’s 2024 supplemental local income tax distribution. Oler said he’s now asking for only $300,000 because of anticipated expenses later […]

Richmond Community Schools is closer to starting several school improvement projects.  At its June 19 meeting, RCS conducted a public hearing and entered into a lease agreement between RCS and its nonprofit Richmond Multi-School Building Corp. to fund a $3 million renovation at Dennis Middle School. Chief Operations Officer Karen Scalf said the funds will […]

Richmond Community Schools officials have received a draft of a proposed equity policy that’s been four years in the making.  Three representatives of Richmond Education Association’s Racial Equity Coalition addressed RCS leaders during the public comment portion of the June 19 school board meeting.  Debbie Carter, Erica Pearson and T. Washington said they represented current […]

The Richmond Redevelopment Commission has embarked on the process to permit public safety expenditures from tax dollars collected in special economic development districts. That process required Richmond Advisory Plan Commission approval of a resolution adding public safety expenditures, both capital and operational, to its Tax Increment Finance district development plan, which is the TIF district […]

Rubble from the April 2023 plastics fire in Richmond remains on just one lot, and cleanup efforts now appear underway there. Large equipment has worked onsite at 308 N.W. F St., the parcel owned by Seth Smith and Cornerstone Trading Group. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency informed Smith that he would be responsible for cleaning […]

The nonprofit Richmond Indiana Pickleball Club (RPC) played host to its second annual tournament from Friday, June 28, through Sunday, June 30, at Clear Creek Park on Richmond’s west side. Organizers said 107 adults were registered for the Richmond Indiana Open, and a few played in more than one event. Most players were from Indiana, […]