9:15 p.m. – Ron Oler defeats Dave Snow for Richmond Mayor Although Richmond will have a new mayor, he won’t be a new face to area voters. Ron Oler, who has served on Richmond Common Council for 12 years, defeated two-term Richmond Mayor Dave Snow on Tuesday. In unofficial results, Oler, a Republican, received 51.23 […]
Local news and updates from Wayne County, Indiana reportersRichmond
Richmond, Indiana is the county seat of Wayne County and sits in the eastern part of the county near the Ohio state line. Full of rich history, vibrant culture and beautiful landscapes, the city offers a wide variety of experiences, neighborhoods, events and community opportunities to residents and visitors alike.
There’s always something new happening in Richmond, and the Western Wayne News team is there to cover it. Our reporters bring updates from local government meetings, school boards, sports teams, colleges and universities, small businesses, non-profit organizations, performing arts events and much more. Below you can find the latest news, information, scores and updates.
Posted inNews
‘Sole Man’ retires at 94
A license plate hanging in his shop calls George Marinakes the “Sole Man.” The word sole has a double meaning for the man widely known as the sole, or only, person repairing shoes in Wayne County and beyond for several years. However, approaching his 95th birthday in May, Marinakes decided to hang up his tools […]
Posted inNews
RHS associate principal becomes Test’s new leader
A 10-year Richmond High School employee is now working to prepare students for high school and beyond in a new role. Richmond Community Schools’ board approved Laura Ricca Brazil as the new principal at Test Intermediate School, effective Monday, Oct. 30. The Illinois native has more than 20 years of experience in public education, starting […]
Posted inSports
Richmond names new swimming and diving coach
Megan Quinn has been named the new swimming and diving head coach for both the boys and girls teams for the 2023-2024 season. Quinn is no stranger to the Red Devil swimming program. Quinn graduated from RHS in 2019. As a high school swimmer, Quinn earned athletic recognition as a two-time NCC Champion. Her personal best times […]
Posted inNews
Tripled demand for food pantry strains funds
Citing heavy demand, a local food pantry is seeking nearly $50,000 to end the year in the black. Eldon Harzman, board president for Community Food Pantry, said the organization has fed 3.5 times as many people as this time last year. In 2023’s first nine months, CFP provided 102,408 meals, compared to 73,870 meals for […]
Posted inNews
Pay raise for RCS staff draws cheers
Although agreeing to purchase McBride Stadium might be the most visible outcome of Richmond Community Schools’ Oct. 18 board meeting, it wasn’t the action that received audience applause. That celebration was after a 6-0 vote to increase pay for staff such as preschool teachers and classroom paraprofessionals. Classified staff salaries Some RCS teachers have previously […]
Posted inNews
Richmond council approves $18M in investments
Richmond became the final participant to approve Wayne County’s Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program strategic investment plan during the Oct. 16 Common Council meeting. Council members heard a comprehensive presentation about the nine projects anticipated to result in $18,809,776 of investment. Four projects, with an expected investment of $5,075,000, are shared with Wayne County, while another […]
Posted inNews
Flood of liquor store opposition keeps Chester Boulevard corner dry
The first six speakers opposing a proposed liquor store on the southeast corner of Chester Boulevard and Sylvan Nook Drive received rousing applause during an Oct. 17 Spring Grove Board of Zoning Appeals meeting. At that point, about a half-hour into the meeting, Harvinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh turned to the nearly 50 people attending […]
Posted inNews
EPA to cover $2.8M cost for fire cleanup
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will fund and perform the hazardous waste cleanup on two Richmond-owned properties where an April industrial fire occurred. The EPA and city announced last week that heavy equipment would begin appearing as soon as this week for the cleanup of 310 N.W. F St. and 358 N.W. F St. The […]
Posted inNews
College begins next presidential search
Trustees of a Richmond college are starting to seek the campus’ next leader. Earlham’s 20th president Anne Houtman announced that she’s retiring at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. “Serving as Earlham’s president has been the most significant honor and joy of my career,” Houtman said in a letter to Earlham stakeholders that was […]