(Richmond, IN)--The question of whether or not to allow first-floor apartments in some of Richmond’s most iconic downtown buildings went before the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals Wednesday.  Plans called for 24 first-floor residences to be located in several renovated downtown structures.  Developer John Anderson touted the project to the Board.  "People want to live in our apartments.  They're cool.  They're well done.  They're historically accurate," Anderson said.  But not everyone agreed that ground-floor residences were good.   They expressed concerns over things like parking and residents lingering outside.  Dakota Collins, who is Earlham’s Director of Community Relations and who has been heavily involved in the project, downplayed that.  "There's no reason to leave under or un-utilized space in our downtown first floors just because we're scared of what may happen," Collins said.  Downtown business owner and investor Mike Lyons took exception.  "They've never invested their money, but they want to tell me what's best.  That kind of upsets me," Lyons explained.  In the end, the Board granted 3-1 approval for the residences.  Only two of those will front East Main.

(Richmond, IN)--Here’s more on the chase reported by Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News on Wednesday that occurred on Tuesday and ended with a crash in a front yard.  Richmond police have now identified the driver as 41-year-old Brian Burdette.  Burdette has three active criminal cases and had a warrant on drug-related charges.  He’s also a registered sex offender who allegedly failed to register a year ago.  Burdette was taken to Miami Valley Hospital as a result of the crash near South 16^th and L.  His condition Thursday morning was not released.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Bales provided an update on measles when the Wayne County Board of Health met Tuesday.  Bales said that Wayne County alone has 27% of all measles cases in Indiana.  "There were 30 cases in Indiana, and there were eight confirmed cases in Wayne County," Bales said.  Bales said that there are also likely more local cases that have gone undiagnosed.  Bales also talked about flu, saying she has already seen local cases and that that is earlier in the season than it normally appears.

(Gratis, OH)--A Preble County man has been indicted by a grand jury after allegedly arranging to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl at a cemetery.  45-year-old Brandon Armstrong of Gratis remained behind bars Wednesday morning on a charge of importuning.  Local investigators were alerted to a sexually charged conversation involving a decoy by the organization Great Basin Predator Watch.  Armstrong was arrested when he arrived at the cemetery in Gratis.  Court documents indicate Hatfield admitted to sending messages and explicit images.

(Connersville, IN)--Connersville Mayor Chad Frank gave an update on flood recovery efforts Monday.  Frank said that a company called Title Basin will be arriving to help with short-term housing.  Frank said that even though it’s been two months since the flood, many people are still feeling the effects.  "We still have a lot of people who are not able to return to their homes.  There's still a lot of damage.  They're sleeping in vehicles, and cold weather is coming on," Frank said.  Frank wants the community to know that Title Basin is legitimate.  More details will be released Tuesday.

(Dunlapsville, IN)--One of the only two bridges that cross the 16-mile-long Brookville Lake had been closed for the entire recreational season.  But, no longer.  The Dunlapsville Road bridge, which is often referred to as the Quakertown Causeway, has now reopened after six months’ worth of repairs.  The design of that bridge had come into question in recent years and is the same as the Fairfield Causeway, which also recently underwent significant reconstruction.

(Richmond, IN)--The budget for next year for Richmond Community Schools is ready for adoption.  The budget for 2027 comes in at just shy of $70 million and includes $12 million of total property tax levies.  It also includes $5 million in debt service. Public hearings on the budget were held last month, and now it’s set for passage when the RCS Board meets Wednesday afternoon.

(Richmond, IN)--A couple of ramp closures that were announced last week as part of the Revive I-70 project have now been delayed until spring.  Ramps at both U.S. 40 and State Road 227 have been affected by what INDOT called an updated work schedule.  Later this week, crews will demolish the bridge that carries northbound Williamsburg Pike to westbound 70. That entire interchange will have two roundabouts when work is complete.

(Richmond, IN)--The Richmond Police Department is asking for the help of the public in identifying a person.  RPD is not saying why they’re seeking his identity, but did share a couple of images over the weekend that appear to have been taken from a convenience store.  If you can identify him, you’re asked to contact Detective Huskisson at RPD.

(West College Corner, IN)--What started as a simple traffic stop for speeding turned in to something much more.  Details were released Sunday of a traffic stop in West College Corner.  Union County deputies stopped the vehicle and found that an occupant had a warrant and was actively being sought by U.S. Marshals on weapons charges in Virginia.  Deputies also recovered an unspecified amount of cocaine and marijuana.  There’s no word on what the man was doing in Union County.

(Richmond, IN)--A medical helicopter was called after a victim was found at the scene of a fire on Richmond’s east side overnight.  Firefighters were called to the area of the Stonehenge Apartments in the 3700 block of South A at around 11 o’clock last night.  Here’s radio traffic of one of the first units on the scene:  "We've got smoke in the air.  We're going to check further."  Shortly after, an occupant was located.  "Medic 3, get up here.  We've got a victim they just pulled out," said one firefighter.  The fire was mostly contained to one unit.  There’s no word yet on the condition of the victim or the cause of the fire.

(Eaton, OH)--Law enforcement officers in Preble County have been searching overnight for a man they describe as a known car thief.  34-year-old Anthony Polver allegedly stole a city-owned truck from a storage building across from Fort St. Clair in Eaton.  The truck was then abandoned on State Route 725 just east of Camden.  A possible sighting of Polver was made on North Barron in Eaton as recently as around midnight Thursday night / Friday morning. 

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County is looking to extend its participation in the Make My Move program.  That’s the program that offers financial and other incentives to move to Wayne County to take advantage of its low cost of living.  Here’s Wayne County EDC President Valerie Shaffer addressing the impact with County Council on Wednesday:  "We've been able to recruit 50 households which equates to 111 individuls - 77 adults and 34 children.  Most of those people work remotely.  The financial impact has been undeniable.  "About $201,000 invested results in a $4.2 million economic impact and $518,000 in new annual tax revenue," Shaffer explained.  Each mover receives about $7500 in incentives.

(Eaton, OH)--Two Camden brothers appeared in a Preble County courtroom Wednesday to be formally arraigned on charges involving the rape of underage girls.  David and Frankie Rader, who are ages 51 and 48, allegedly engaged in sexual offenses with a girl when she was between the ages of six and 13 years old.  They allegedly engaged in that conduct through force or threat of force.  Both brothers are being held in the Preble County Jail.

(Richmond, IN)--Two people were arrested in separate drug incidents in Richmond early Thursday morning, and one of them is a convicted drug dealer.  Brooklyn Bair was arrested at around 1 o’clock Thursday morning near South 11^th and E and charged with possession of cocaine.  A couple of hours before that, officers encountered Jessie Swearingen near North 17^th and C.  He’s now charged with possession of meth.  11 years ago, Swearingen was sentenced to ten years in prison for dealing heroin.  There’s no word yet on quantities of drugs recovered Thursday morning.

(Camden, OH)--Two Preble County brothers are both charged with raping a girl who was under the age of 13.  48-year-old Frankie Rader of Camden was booked into the Preble County Jail Tuesday and is being held without bond.  His brother, David Rader, is facing two rape charges stemming from an investigation that dates back more than a decade.  Prosecutors expressed concerns that there could be other victims and urged those potential victims to come forward.  David Rader is set to be arraigned Wednesday.

(Connersville, IN)--It took two full days to pick a jury in the Joshua Farmer double murder trial in Connersville, but that process was completed Tuesday.  The final jurors to be picked Tuesday were again questioned at length about their views on mental illness and the insanity defense.  Farmer is accused of killing Thomas Combs and Joshua Durham in separate shootings four years ago.  Opening statements and the beginning of the presentation of the prosecutor’s case are taking place Wednesday.

(Richmond, IN)--Joshua Smith remained on the loose Tuesday morning.  The teen, who is also known by the nickname “J-Murda”, still has an active warrant for the murder of Cecelia Hargrove and the shooting of two other teenage girls in Richmond last week.  Law enforcement agents searched the area of Hayes Arboretum on Monday based on a reported potential sighting of Smith on Glen Court on Sunday and a subsequent report late Sunday of someone jumping from a train.  Monday night, RPD issued a statement saying that the suspect was not Smith, but was a different individual who had allegedly stolen a car.  That car was recovered Monday in Eaton.  RPD also Monday night reminded residents to stay alert and to not approach anyone who they believe may be Smith.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Common Council met Monday night and addressed a proposed ordinance that was written with a goal of keeping homeless people from other communities from being brought to Richmond and dropped off.  Mayor Ron Oler had previously said the ordinance was written to protect local resource from being drained by people from other cities.  Councilman Doug Goss said that the city’s Safety Committee had numerous concerns.  "The Public Safety Committee has concerns about enforcement - the ability to actually enforce this - and possible legal issues," Goss said.  Council unanimously rejected the ordinance.

(Connersville, IN)--More than four full years after the first of two murders, trial finally began Monday in a Connersville courtroom in the case of Joshua Farmer.  Farmer allegedly killed Thomas Combs near Dale Cemetery and Joshua Durham near the Connersville City Cemetery.  The entire day Monday was comprised of jury selection, and that is not yet complete.  Prospective jurors were questioned at length Monday about their views on mental illness and legal insanity.  Farmer has been held without bond since his arrest two and a half years ago.  Jury selection is continuing Tuesday.

(Cambridge City, IN)--An initial hearing has been set for a Wayne County man accused of exchanging nude photos with young girls across three states.  41-year-old James Slonaker is due in court on Friday.  According to a newly obtained affidavit, Slonaker posed as a boy as young as ten years old to make contact with girls as young as eight through TikTok.  Three girls were listed in the affidavit as victims, including one each in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.  In each case, the girls allegedly were sent inappropriate photos Slonaker took of himself and received photos in return from the girls.  In most cases, the activity was discovered by the girls’ mothers, who then reported it to law enforcement.

(Wayne County, IN)--The next set of extended ramp closures is coming to I-70 in the Revive I-70 project.  INDOT announced Monday that the exit ramp from eastbound 70 to State Road 227 and the entrance ramp from eastbound U.S. 40 to eastbound 70 are set to close at some point in the next two weeks.  Both ramps will remain closed until sometime in December.

(Richmond, IN)--There was a massive manhunt Sunday night and early Monday morning in the area of Hayes Arboretum in Richmond.  The search began at around 9:30 Sunday night.  At 11 o’clock Sunday night, the state police and other agencies headed to the scene to help establish a perimeter and to search.  Here’s one ISP trooper:  "They're trying to get a subject detained that's been running around on top of a train."  Then, a half an hour later, the Ohio Highway Patrol joined the search by air.  That’s when a description that of the suspect was given to searchers.  "He's a six-foot light-skinned black male with a red hoodie and light blue jeans covered in tattoos," said one dispatcher.  Although that description matches the description of the teen involved in last week’s fatal shooting, there is no confirmation at this point that that teen was the subject of Monday morning’s search.  One Wayne County official indicated that the search has been called off by 5 a.m.  Dispatchers later refused to give any information, including whether or not the search ended because of capture or because it was simply called off.  That dispatcher also refused to say if any residents in the area should take any precautions.

(Cambridge City, IN)--Here’s more on the arrest first reported Thursday by Kicks 96 and 101.7 The Point News of Cambridge City’s James Slonaker.  According to a release from the Indiana State Police, Slonaker had been the subject of an eight-month investigation by numerous agencies including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security involving the solicitation of children.  Investigators in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York were also involved in the case.  Slonaker has posted bond and was free Friday morning.  An initial hearing is pending.

(Eaton, OH)--Repairs are continuing to 911 lines in Preble County.  The outage happened Thursday when, according to Brightspeed, fiber lines were cut.  Calls to 911 Thursday were immediately rerouted to Darke County dispatchers.  Preble County officials indicated Friday morning that some calls to 911 are again going to Preble County, but others are going to Darke County as repairs continue.