(Wayne County, IN)--Some new statistics have been released by the state involving opioid drug use and overdose deaths in Wayne County.  And, some of those statistics reflect positive trends.  Last year, according to the state, Wayne County had 33 confirmed drug overdose deaths.  That was the lowest number in at least the last six years.  Some other numbers…in the first quarter of this year, there were 240 opioid dispensions per 1000 Wayne County residents.  Fayette County had the highest ratio in the state with 338 per thousand residents.  And, last year in Wayne County, there were 205 emergency room visits for drug overdose.

(Darke County, OH)--One person was killed and another was injured in an ATV crash in Darke County late Thursday night.  First responders were sent to an area of Goubeaux Road north of Greenville at around 11:30 Thursday night.  An ATV driven by 18-year-old Damien Bruns of Versailles was traveling in a field when Bruns lost control and rolled several times.  Bruns was Careflighted to Miami Valley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.  A passenger, 18-year-old Carly Graves, suffered non-life threatening injuries.  The crash remains under investigation.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond’s Board of Public Works will meet Thursday and will address demolition of the former Elder-Beerman building.  The contract that will likely be approved Thursday is not for the demolition itself; rather, it’s with a company called American Structurepoint to provide professional services to prepare and develop a structure demolition package.  Once the old building is demolished, the plan is to replace it with an apartment complex with as many as 150 units.  The skywalk to the parking garage will come down.  Richmond’s need for housing was highlighted recently during the debate about a planned neighborhood near South 37^th.  That plan, which would have created 178 new homes, was rejected by Council.

(Eaton, OH)--An arrest has been made after a pedestrian was struck and the driver fled the scene in Eaton Wednesday.  A female was hit on North Barron Street.  She suffered what were described as multiple broken bones including her wrist, her ankle, and her nose.  The suspect fled in a light-colored SUV.  Eaton police issued photos of the vehicle.  The man was taken into custody later Wednesday in West Alexandria.  He’s Roy Dawson Junior.  Dawson faces charges that include felony hit-and-run and tampering with evidence.

(Wayne County, IN)--Multiple people were injured in a crash that involved as many as five vehicles on eastbound I-70 in Wayne County late Wednesday night.  Multiple first responding units were to an area near the Centerville exit at around 10:30 Wednesday night.  At least four juveniles complained of various types of non-life-threatening injuries.  One medical helicopter was summoned and another was placed on standby.  Eastbound I-70 was shut down for about a half an hour.  There was no word Thursday morning on the conditions of the victims or what led to the crash.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Community Schools has lost an administrator to another Indiana school district.  Brent Baker, who was hired two years ago as RCS’s Director of Student Achievement, announced Tuesday that he will be stepping down to become the new superintendent of Alexandria schools.  Baker has also served as Chief of Elementary Education.

(Brookville, IN)--Two attempted murder charges have been refiled against a Franklin County man.  The incident that is bringing the charges happened in December of 2022 when Greg Guilfoyle was located walking down a highway with a small child in extremely cold temperatures.  When confronted by a Franklin County deputy, Guilfoyle allegedly shot the deputy in the deputy’s protective body armor.  The deputy returned fire.  Charges were dropped this February when new information surfaced, but those charges have now been refiled.

(Richmond, IN)--Red Lobster abruptly announced Tuesday that it is closing 87 of its restaurants across 27 states.  Richmond’s location on National Road East does not appear on that closure list.  A liquidator is placing equipment at the closing stores up for auction.  There are two stores in Indiana that are closing and neither is close.  No Ohio stores are listed.

(Centerville, IN and Eaton, OH)--New military banners are going up this week in two Whitewater Valley communities in advance of Memorial Day.  In Centerville, more than 60 banners are going up along Main Street that show the names and photos of Centerville veterans who served in various branches of the service.  It’s the same in Eaton, where the banners are going up along Barron Street.  Centerville is planning a parade this coming Saturday night that will highlight the veterans.

(Connersville, IN)--The owner of the property that the family of Connersville’s Denise Pflum wants to have searched has filed for a second delay in the hearing that would force that search to occur.  Denise was a teen when she went missing in 1986.  The family wants to search the property of Erika Johnson, who has a family member who is widely suspected of being involved in her disappearance.  Johnson’s attorneys filed for a second continuance.  The next hearing takes place this coming Monday.

(Richmond, IN)--Efforts are intensifying to find a Richmond teenage girl who has been missing for nearly a week.  She’s 17-year-old Briley Bowling.  She was last seen early last Wednesday morning and is thought to have voluntarily gotten into a vehicle with a 28-year-old man.  New information from the family indicates that vehicle could have traveled to southern Kentucky.  Multiple local law enforcement agencies are involved.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County’s Economic Development Corporation has provided a recap of what was an incredibly successful last year.  In 2023, the EDC landed four large-scale new projects that will create 180 new jobs and result in an estimated $355 million in investment.  Another existing Wayne County company committed to a $66 million expansion that will retain 321 jobs.  Also, a plan called Revitalize Richmond came into focus with a $25 million grant to Earlham College.  That plan is supported by $83 million in committed investments in Richmond’s downtown resulting in more than $100 million in planned investment projects.

(Preble County, OH)--Expect some backups on I-70 in Preble County Monday.  70 will be reduced to one lane near U.S. 127 as part of a continued construction project at that overpass.  The lane closure is expected to last for three hours.  Meanwhile, construction continues at the westbound U.S. 35 entrance onto 70.  That onramp is completely closed and is expected to remain shut down for several more months.

(Preble County, OH)--Details of a fatal Preble County crash were released over the weekend.  The crash happened Friday afternoon at the intersection of Highways 725 and 177, which is about halfway between Fairhaven and Morning Sun.  Investigators say a Kentucky man in a pickup truck went through a stop sign and was sideswiped by another vehicle.  That man was pronounced dead.  The driver of the vehicle he hit is a 29-year-old woman from Brownsville.  She and her small child were not hurt.

(Richmond, IN)--INDOT is calling it a key milestone for the U.S. 27 bridge replacement project over Richmond’s Depot District.  The first beams have been delivered and set on the new bridge this week.  A total of 63 beams will provide support for a span that will run 190 feet.  It’s expected to take several weeks to set the beams.  Drivers in Richmond will continue to see more beams brought in over the next several weeks.  That will mean some closures at various times along North E Street.  The bridge is expected to open to traffic later this year.  The entire project will wrap up sometime next year.

(Eaton, OH)--An Eaton businessman will make his first appearance in court Friday have being arrested Wednesday on numerous child pornography charges.  The investigation into Ernest Hatmaker began nearly two years ago.  Hatmaker is alleged to have shared child pornography on several apps.  No local children are thought to have been involved.  Hatmaker is being held in jail without bond.

(Richmond, IN)--Several local law enforcement agencies are involved in the search for a missing local teen.  17-year-old Briley Bowling has not been seen since early Wednesday morning when she voluntarily left her father’s home with a 28-year-old man.  He was driving a vehicle described as a black Mustang with white racing stripes and a nursing license plate.  Her mother said late last night there is still no word on e Briley's location.

(Whitewater Valley)--Storm damage was being assessed across the Whitewater Valley Wednesday in the aftermath of numerous tornado touchdowns on Tuesday night.  So far, the National Weather Service has confirmed three touchdowns in our area.  An EF-1 tornado struck on the north side of Greenville.  It was on the ground for 12 miles and had maximum wind speeds of 110 miles per hour.  Another confirmed tornado touched down just south of Oxford near McGonigle.  The strength of that tornado has not been determined.  In Franklin County, the state’s salt dome on State Road 101 north of Brookville was completely destroyed by what the weather service was an EF-1 tornado.  There were initial indications of a tornado near Milton and another near Orange in Fayette County, but those have not been confirmed.

(Richmond, IN)--Steps to move the Richmond Sanitary District office are progressing.  The district’s leader, Pat Smoker, said this week that there all already records being stored at other sites and that the current office is still bursting at the seams.  "The district has a significant amount of documentation boxed in hallways and an administrative assistant's desk in an open lobby," Smoker explained.  Additionally, Smoker said that many Richmond residents want a centralized location that its current location on Liberty Avenue does not offer.  The Sanitary District is looking to purchase a building at South 7^th and A that’s valued at around $350,000.  The plan was sent this week to Richmond’s Finance Committee and will go before Commil Council on the 20^th.

(Hagerstown, IN)--One of our area’s late summer and early fall festivals appears to be in jeopardy.  It’s Hagerstown’s Jubilee Days.  Here’s Robin Nugent from the Lions Club addressing Hagerstown’s council this week:  "We have nothing.  We just can't do it."  She was talking about preparations and financing for the festival.  There was brief discussion about asking the town to take over and then this question from council:  "Are we better off to skip this year and to get a new committee to do this and to rethink Jubilee?"  No final decisions about this year’s Jubilee Days were made this week.

(Whitewater Valley)--The National Weather Service is expected in the area soon to determine where – if anywhere – tornados touched down in the Whitewater Valley and how strong those storms may have been as they rolled through the area Tuesday night.  There is the potential that four different tornados touched down…one just outside of Milton, one near Orange in Fayette County, one near Brookville, and one in Darke County.  The most significant damage in our area occurred in Greenville, with multiple power lines down and trees blocking city streets.  Roughly 2000 people were still without power in and around Greenville at 5 o’clock Wednesday morning.  300 were still out in Franklin County.  That’s where roofs were blown off of homes in Bath.  More severe weather is possible later Wednesday.  Daylight revealed extensive storm damage at the Hickory Woods campground on State Road 101 between Liberty and Brookville.  No injuries were immediately reported, but video shows numerous campers and boats overturned with large trees also down.  Not only was there heavy damage from a possible tornado, but Franklin County also had several issues with high water.  Most of that water had receded Wednesday morning with no road closures remaining.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County voters decided numerous races Tuesday in the primary and advanced candidates to November’s general election.  All of the contested races in Wayne County were among Republicans.  Probably the most hotly contested local race was for Judge of Wayne Superior Court I.  Ron Moore was the winner, garnering about half of the votes while Clay Miller and Austin Shadle split the other half.  County Commissioner of District 2 was also a contested race.  Aaron Roberts was the winner with 54% of the vote over Jeff Wheeler.  Tara Pegg edged out Melanie Vaughn by 365 votes for County Clerk.  Beth Fields cruised to an easy victory over Doug Glass for County Treasurer, and Brent Meadows overwhelmingly beat Tim Swift for County Coroner.  7810 total ballots were cast.  One-third were cast before Tuesday’s traditional Election Day.

(Whitewater Valley)--Here are some results from Primary Election Day in Indiana outside of Wayne County and at the state level.  In Union County, Chris Rosenberger was the top vote-getter the Republican race for county council.  In Fayette County, Dale Munson was the winner for a county commissioner’s seat.  In Randolph County, Thomas Kerns won the race to be a commissioner.  Republican winners for Franklin County Council were Brian Patterson, Glen Bischoff, and Carroll Lanning.  Richmond’s Jeff Raatz fell far short in his bid for U.S. Representative, garnering only about a third of the votes as winner Jefferson Shreve.  And, Mike Braun will be Indiana’s Republican candidate for governor in the fall.  He got almost twice as many votes as Suzanne Crouch.

(Wayne County, IN)--Tuesday is Primary Election Day.  In Wayne County, polls will be open until six Tuesday night at eight different vote centers.  In Richmond, those locations include First English Lutheran Church, the First Bank Kuhlman Center, Mount Olive Baptist Church, Lifespring North Church, and First Baptist Church.  The other three locations across the county include Centerville Christian Church, the Hagerstown New Testament Church, and the Golay Center in Cambridge City.  Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point news will have results Wednesday morning.

(Centerville, IN)--A Wayne County teen has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for his role in a 2020 murder.  Lucas Benkert was only 15 years old when he took part in the killing of James Burkhart of Centerville.  Benkert initially took the blame for Burkhart’s shooting death, even though Burkhart’s own son would eventually be convicted of the actual shooting and sentenced to 55 years.   After the shooting on South First Street in Centerville, Benkert fled to Columbus and led police on a chase there before crashing.  When he was brought back to Wayne County, his case was waived to adult court.

(Preble County, OH)--Traffic on I-70 was backed up most of Monday afternoon and into Monday night as the result of a semi fire in Preble County.  It started in the westbound lanes near the State Route 503 exit at 3 o’clock Monday afternoon.  Westbound 70 was completely shut down and crews unloaded the semi and put the fire out.  The Ohio Highway Patrol said the closure caused a ten-mile backup.  The interstate didn’t complete reopen until about 9 o’clock Monday night.  The semi driver suffered minor injuries.

(Richmond, IN)--Sentencing has now been set for June 3 for Richmond’s most newly convicted murderer.  Rickey Porter was just 18 years old when he shot and killed 18-year-old Nathaniel Reed when the two sat in different vehicles at a red light at the intersection of South 8^th and A two years ago.  Another person in Reid’s car was also shot but survived.  A Wayne County jury on Friday found Porter guilty of both murder and attempted murder.  Porter, who is now 20 years old, faces a standard 55-year prison term when he’s sentenced next month.

(Connersville, IN)--There’s a warning for people who use THC wax.  Connersville police said that some of the THC wax that’s circulating in the hare has tested positive for fentanyl.  Multiple people overdosed as a result of using the wax.  All are expected to make a full recovery.  In a prepared statement, Connersville police said that even the most innocent drugs can be mixed with unknown substances.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond’s Nicole Johnson was arrested over the weekend for resisting arrest, which in and of itself is not necessarily a big deal.  But, the way she allegedly resisted was unusual, to say the least.  Here’s radio traffic to dispatchers from the officer who says he was targeted:  "Will you note, at address 200 North 21st, Miss Johnson attempted to throw a turtle at me."  The turtle was not real so it wasn’t hurt.  It’s Johnson’s second arrest in the last two weeks.

(Centerville, IN)--Plans to construct a new rest area on I-70 are progressing, and that includes a public meeting that’s now been set for the 16^th.  The existing welcome center is only 14 years old.  But, according to INDOT, it does not provide other the amenities they want – things like recreational and play areas and education opportunities.  A new welcome center will be 12,000 square feet with a walking trail and an indoor half-court basketball court.  It’s expected to be complete in about two years.  The meeting on the 16^th takes place at 6 o’clock at Centerville High School.

(Richmond, IN)--For the third straight time, Reid Health has earned a letter grade of “A” from the hospital safety group Leapfrog.  That’s a national non-profit watchdog.  Leapfrog focused on preventable medical errors, infections, and injuries.  Reid wasn’t the only area hospital to earn an A.  McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford also received an A.

(Whitewater Valley)--The man who is accused of defrauding local investors of millions of dollars through the popular sport of pickleball has faced some of his accusers.  In a court hearing, more than a hundred alleged victims asked Rodney Grubbs where their $47 million went.  Some of those alleged victims are from Richmond.  Grubbs was known to frequent the pickleball courts at Clear Creek Park.  Grubbs admitted at the hearing that he had roughly 350 investors and that some of his debt is connected to real estate and is 20 years old.  Additional hearings are pending.

(Richmond, IN)--Wetzel Auto teamed up with the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce and First Bank Richmond for the annual School is Cool giveaway.  That’s the program that gives seniors at all Wayne County high schools the opportunity to win a new car if they’ve had perfect attendance throughout the school year.  28 Richmond High School seniors had perfect attendance, but last night’s winner was Garen Sharp of Northeastern.  His name was chosen at random among all those who qualified.  And, his winning of the new car Wednesday night happened to fall on his birthday.

(Richmond, IN)--Four people were jailed during a Richmond drug bust Tuesday afternoon.  Officers took them into custody in the 200 block of South 14^th.  51-year-old David Lawman was charged with dealing meth, maintaining a common nuisance, and a host of other drug-related charges.  Trudy Grimes, Christina Parks, and Sierra Riddle face many of the same charges.  Meth, cocaine, syringes, and drug paraphernalia was also recovered.  Quantities have not been released.  Lawman has already been classified as a habitual substance offender.  According to online records, Parks already had four pending criminal drug cases before Tuesday’s arrest.

(Richmond, IN)--Shortly after Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News reported Tuesday that layoffs were coming to Lifestream this week, that organization released a statement.  Lifestream is the aging and disability resource center for East Central Indiana.  Lifestream said that a proposed rate for service would not have covered the actual cost of providing the service and would have put other services in jeopardy.  They say they’ll be unable to provide service coordination to individuals transitioning to the Indiana Pathways for Aging program after the July 1 implementation.

(Winchester, IN)--The identity of the person who died as a result of the March tornado in Winchester was released Tuesday.  73-year-old Robert Blansett died recently at a Muncie hospital.  Blansett was a 44-year employee of Anchor Hocking Glass and had served in the U.S. Army.  He was also an assistant preacher at Maxville Christian Church.