(Richmond, IN)--Richmond police arrested an alleged drug dealer late Tuesday night.  Officers took 43-year-old Nicholas Bigalk (BEE-ock), who also uses the name Nicholas McKinley, into custody in the first block of South West 3^rd Street.  He’s charged with dealing cocaine, dealing a lookalike substance, and a host of other charges.  Details of what led to the arrest have not been released.

(Richmond, IN)--Wayne County deputies went to Greensburg Tuesday to bring back 31-year-old Dustin Adams of Dublin after Adams was jailed there.  Adams has been wanted in Wayne County for allegedly exchanging sexually charged messages with who he thought was a 15-year-old girl, but was really an adult investigator.  Adams has had a warrant in Wayne County for the last two weeks.

(Eaton, OH)--A former Preble County police lieutenant is back in jail.  Jason Etter was arrested Tuesday for violating a protective order.  Just a week ago, Etter had pleaded guilty to menacing by stalking after threatening to kill someone.  Court documents indicate Etter entered a woman’s apartment and placed a knife under her throat.  Etter will be held without bond until he can be seen by an Eaton Municipal Court judge.

(Richmond, IN)--New Richmond High School graduate Brooklyn Clark is the winner of the Officer Seara Burton and Brev Law Enforcement Scholarship by Reid Health.  That scholarship is a $2400 award for graduating seniors who want to pursue a degree in law enforcement and is named for the RPD officer who died in the line of duty in 2022.  Brooklyn is headed to Indiana State to pursue her degree.

(Richmond, IN)--Confusion reigned as Richmond Common Council on Monday night addressed the rezoning of 19 acres just south of Walmart.  The rezoning would create 30 lots with duplexes as part of a homeowners association that would sell for between $250,000 and $400,000.  Some on Council expressed concern about a potential new entrance to the area off of Backmeyer Road.  Others on Council said it was too early in the process to discuss those specifics.  Council voted not to proceed until a traffic study was done.  That brought this reaction from Larry Parker:  "I'm not sure that Council realizes what we just did.  We just stopped the whole thing."  Council then essentially asked for a do-over.  City Attorney A.J. Sickmann said that could happen.  "If Council didn't understand what it was doing, then I would ask for a unanimous vote to recall it," Sickmann said.  Council then reversed itself and voted to put the issue on hold until a traffic study is completed.  But, that would come at the expense of the developer with no guarantee that the rezoning would be approved.  A traffic study could cost up to $30,000.

(Richmond, IN)--It’s been more than three years now since the My Way Trading. That fire sent large plumes of black smoke into the air and forced the evacuation of hundreds in the Fairview area of Richmond.  There are still several lawsuits pending.  The fire was made much worse because massive amounts of plastic were packed into warehouses despite the city’s effort to have them removed.  Now, a similar situation exits at a facility on Sheridan Street.  "I've had conversations with the property owner who is working with the Sanitary District to try to negotiate the details associated with removing that material so that it can be taken off-site.  That was as recently as two or three weeks ago," said City Attorney A.J. Sickmann in response to a question from Richmond Common Council on Monday night.  The exact location of the facility on Sheridan Street was not revealed.

(Richmond, IN)--The eight police cars that have sat idle on the lot of a local dealership since last December are now headed for the Richmond Police Department fleet.  Richmond Common Council approved the appropriation of funding for the purchase Monday night.  The purchase was initiated by a member of RPD last year but did not go through the proper procedures.  Council member Dr. Lucinda Wright addressed that Monday night.  "The integrity of this council is important.  It's important that we do what's right.  Let's do that - not hurt RPD or Wetzel.  Let's do what we need to do and be done with it," Wright said.  RPD recently lost one of its canine vehicles.

(Richmond, IN)--Plans to expand Uranus were put on hold Monday night by Richmond Common Council.  Ryan Toms, who owns an adjacent campground, addressed council and said that there are ongoing water issues and fire violations.  Those issues were not addressed recently when the Richmond Plan Commissioner gave a positive recommendation.  Here’s Council President Justin Burkhardt:  "I would like to get some more clarification on this.  I know we've heard from both sides, but I just think it would be in our best interest to hold this."  The expansion plans for Uranus will come back before Council at a future date.

(Wayne County, IN)--A Boys and Girls Club bus ended up on the side of the road following an accident at a problem Wayne County intersection on Monday.  It happened at around 3:45 at the intersection of U.S. 27 and Pottershop Road.  Scanner traffic indicated that an undisclosed number of children were on the bus when it collided with another vehicle.  None of them suffered any injuries.  An occupant of the other vehicle suffered a minor shoulder injury.  Names of those involved and the cause of the crash have not been released.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Common Council meets Monday night, and it’s a meeting that will be highlighted by a couple of zoning issues.  One of them is the proposal to add roughly 30 homes on 19 acres of land near the northwest corner of South 37^th and Backmeyer Road, which is directly south of Walmart.  That proposal got a positive recommendation from the Richmond Area Plan Commission last week.  Council will also address a proposed expansion at Uranus.  And, finally, Council is expected to appropriate $360,000 for the purchase of police vehicles that have sat on the lot of a local dealer since last December.  Monday night’s meeting begins at 7.  As always, you can catch it live on WGTV.

(Richmond, IN)--Six years ago, Richmond’s Evelyn Manning was arrested when, in her words, she went on a “meth bender” and her young child was found living in deplorable conditions.  About three months ago, she was arrested for dealing methamphetamine.  And now, she was arrested again Sunday for dealing meth.  The arrest happened early Sunday morning at her home in the 200 block of North 12^th Street.  Manning’s arrest was one of numerous meth-related arrests in Wayne County over the weekend.  Five different people were jailed on various meth charges.

(Richmond, IN)--The parent companies of First Bank Richmond and the Farmers Bank have announced that their respective shareholders have approved the pending merger of the two financial institutions.  The combined organization will operate under the name First Bank Midwest.  Both organizations now say they expect the deal to close at the end of the month.

(Richmond, IN)--Service has been set for a long-time Richmond educator and community leader who died recently.  Joe Kaiser taught English at Richmond High School for 30 years.  He was also a former Wayne County auditor, served on numerous boards and committees, and had received Indiana’s Sagamore of the Wabash along with being a Kentucky Colonel.  A service has been set for June 20.  Joe Kaiser was 95.

(Gratis, OH)--Thursday night, leaders of a Preble County village voted to fire its police chief.  Gratis Police Chief Tonina Lamanna drew attention when she went to several Cincinnati public schools last month claiming to be with ICE.  But, there were more issues with the chief than just that.  An independent review found violations of paid leave, intimidating conduct toward officers, improper traffic stops, and other violations.  Gratis Mayor Kevin Johnson said Thursday night the police department would not be disbanded.  "I think that would be a step backward for Gratis," he related.  Two other officers have resigned, leaving Gratis with just five officers and no chief.

(Greenville, OH)--Police in Darke County are asking other potential victims of a man who allegedly assaulted a woman while he was on the job to come forward.  Investigators did not say where Raymond Perkins works, but say he entered the victim’s home on Sweitzer Street to do a job.  While inside, they say he attempted to have a sexual encounter.  Perkins was jailed on numerous charges.

(Richmond, IN)--More housing is being planned in a busy part of Richmond.  The proposed development is on 19 acres of land on Backmeyer Road directly south of Walmart and adjacent to South 37^th Street.  Right now there are 30 proposed lots, although specific plans could change as the project progresses.  Here is the Cincinnati developer addressing the Richmond Area Plan Commission on Wednesday:  "It'll be something we'll be proud of."  Thursday’s hearing was only to address a zoning change and did not deal with specifics of the project including impacts on traffic.  The Commission gave a positive recommendation for the zoning change, but Richmond Common Council will have the final say.

(Richmond, IN)--Plans for more development at the Uranus Fudge Factory in Richmond were discussed when the Richmond Area Plan Commission met Wednesday.  Here’s Uranus owner Louie Keen:  "We're working on turning that into a family entertainment-style center.  We're inside of that big brick house right now doing demolition - working on it - for our restaurant concept.  We're just trying to build something fun and make this into a destination stop."  Keen said that progress has been heavily hampered by construction at the I-70 interchange at the state line.

(Richmond, IN)--A man who has already been legally labeled as both a serious violent felon and a habitual offender was charged Wednesday with dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death.  40-year-old Jodie Thomas Junior was booked into the Wayne County Jail and charged with the Level One felony.  Details of what led to the charge have not yet become available.  Thomas’ previous arrests include for battery resulting in serious bodily injury, criminal recklessness, and pointing a firearm.

(Richmond, IN)--A man who has a meth-dealing case pending from last August is now facing a new drug-dealing charge after his arrest Wednesday.  39-year-old Seneca Grier was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon in the 1200 block of North West 5^th in Richmond and charged with dealing cocaine.  Samantha Duckett was also arrested there and charged with possession.  Grier was being held on a $30,000 bond.  He is due to go on trial in last summer’s meth-dealing case in July.

(Winchester, IN)--Electric bills are about to change for the roughly 15,000 homes in Randolph County served by Indiana Michigan Power.  But, this time, it’s a change for the better.  Indiana Michigan has announced that it expects to make additional revenue by selling extra power this year, which will allow them to lower rates for their residential customers.  The rate is expected to drop by nearly four percent.  Residents will first see the reduction in their June electric bills.