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LOCAL NEWS

STATISTICS RELEASED FOR WINCHESTER TORNADO

(Winchester, IN)--Here are some numbers following an assessment of damage from last week’s Randolph County tornado, according to the National Weather Service and other agencies.  47 structures were destroyed.  56 more had major damage, and 60 more had minor damage.  The tornado was a borderline EF-3 / EF-4 and was on the ground for 25 miles with estimated wind speeds of 165 miles per hour and was 700 yards wide.  More than 575 volunteers checked in to help out over the weekend.  Sunday, Randolph County officials reduced the travel advisory to its lowest level. 


TORNADO VICTIMS WARNED OF FEMA IMPOSTERS

(Winchester, IN)--Randolph County Emergency Operations is warning residents of people who may be trying to take advantage of victims of the Winchester tornado.  Sunday, that agency said that some people are in the area and are identifying themselves as members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  But, FEMA has not been deployed to Randolph County.  Residents are being warned to not provide any identifiers or financial information to those people, to get a location and description, and to call 911.


LAWSUIT FILED TO SEARCH FOR DENISE PFLUM'S REMAINS

(Connersville, IN)--There’s a new development in the case of Connersville’s Denise Pflum.  Denise was a teenager when she went missing back in 1986.  Now, her parents have filed a lawsuit to obtain an order to search property that has never been searched in an effort to find her remains.  The lawsuit has been filed against Erika Johnson, who is the sister of Benny Johnson.  He became a person of interest shortly after Denise disappeared.  Her car was found near the Johnson property.  Court documents also allege that Benny Johnson has confessed to some level of involvement to her disappearance.


ISP WALKS BACK REPORTS OF TORNADO FATALITIES

(Winchester, IN)--The initial report from Thursday night’s tornado in Winchester was that three people had been killed.  But, in a press conference held early Friday morning, the state police walked that back.  "There's been a lot of information about fatalities, and, as of right now, we're not aware of them.  We're not aware of fatalities," said Doug Carter with ISP.  But, 38 people have reported injuries.  12 of those people were transported to Reid Health in Richmond and other surrounding hospitals.  Officials are conducting a more extensive search Friday morning. As of 3:30 Friday morning, no one was reported missing.  While lots of first responders, power companies, and contractors from areas surrounding Winchester are either there already or are headed there Friday morning, law enforcement has a specific message for others who want to come to Winchester to either help or just sightsee.  That message, from Doug Carter with the state police, is a specific request to stay out of the area:  "Please do not self-deploy to the county or to the city.  Please do not."  Winchester Friday morning was under a local travel warning, which only allows emergency personnel to travel on area roadways.  Both State Route 32 and U.S. 27 are closed through the city.  More than 4700 households in Winchester and Randolph County remained without power Friday morning after Thursday night’s tornado.   State police officials said that temporary shelters have been established at Winchester Community High School and Willard Elementary.  Family reunification was also occurring at the high school overnight.  Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb will be in Winchester Friday and is expected to meet with some of the people affected and to survey the damage.  The Darke County Sheriff’s Department has issued a statement about how storms affected that area.  A tornado was reported to be on the ground at 8 p.m. Thursday in the area of State Route 571 just east of Union City.  Shortly after, dispatchers began receiving calls of structural damage to homes and trailers.  There were also reports of injuries and entrapment.  At least two people went to Wayne Healthcare with non-life-threatening injuries.  As of early Friday morning, no fatalities had been reported in Darke County.

 

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRISTOPHER GRAY


REID REACHES AGREEMENT WITH ANTHEM

(Richmond, IN)--Reid Health announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Anthem / Blue Cross Blue Shield that will keep about 44,000 local Anthem carriers in network at Reid.  Negotiations had been ongoing for six months, and the agreement was reached just a few days before the contract would have expired and forced patients to find other providers.  No terms of the deal were released.  Reid said Thursday that patients who carry Anthem insurance should keep all scheduled appointments and schedule new appointments as needed.


IMAGE RELEASED AS SEARCH CONTINUES FOR VP ARMED ROBBER

(Winchester, IN)--Winchester police on Wednesday issued a surveillance image of the Tuesday night armed robber of the Village Pantry on West Washington Street.  A revised description of the suspect is that he is tall – about 6-3 – white, and with a medium build.  He also wears glasses.  He fled in a light-colored GMC Sonoma pickup.  The Village Pantry employee was not hurt, and the search for information about the suspect continues.


ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDERER LOCATED AT GENESIS APARTMENTS

(Richmond, IN)--SWAT Teams from both Richmond and Connersville teamed up Wednesday morning to take an alleged attempted murderer into custody at Genesis Apartments in Richmond.  A search warrant was executed at the corner of South 23rd and L.  22-year-old Aaron McClure was taken into custody without incident and taken to the Fayette County Jail.  Connersville investigators say that no one was hurt in the shooting incident.


CITY OFFICIAL: STREETS "BELONG TO CONTRACTOR" DURING LOOP PROJECT

(Richmond, IN)--Phase II of the Loop project connecting Uptown Richmond to the Depot District was a topic at this week’s meeting of the Richmond Redevelopment Commission.  Here’s discussion from one city official about has led to frustration among business owners regarding street closures:  "That road basically belongs to that contractor from Day 1 until the end of the project."  And, contractors' schedules change often and city officials are not always notified about closures.  "With that schedule changing on a daily and weekly basis, they're unable to provide detail (about specific upcoming street closure timing)."  Phase II is scheduled for two construction seasons, although the city says it could be reduced to one.


MAYOR: STREET CLOSURES TIED TO LOOP ARE OUT OF CITY'S CONTROL

(Richmond, IN)--Word of the looming construction on Phase II of Richmond’s Loop project had people on both sides of the issue sounding off Tuesday.  It also brought about an explanation from Mayor Ron Oler.  An Uptown business owner complained on social media about closure signs that were put into place well in advance of actual construction.  Oler responded to the social media post by explaining that the project is now in the hands of the state’s Department of Transportation and that the city has no control over signs and street closures.  Trees along North E Street are scheduled to be removed next week.


FIRE FORCES CLOSURE OF MEDICAL OFFICE

(Richmond, IN)--Fire broke out at a Richmond medical facility just after it closed Tuesday.  Firefighters were called to Rheumatology of Central Indiana on Sim Hodgin Parkway.  Here’s a battalion chief describing what happened when they arrived:  "They were able to make forced entry and found a single room that was fully involved.  They got it extinguished fairly quickly." The fire broke out about a half an hour after closing.  Investigators are looking into the cause.  Staff members Tuesday night indicated that the office would be unable to open for several days.


VILLAGE PANTRY ROBBED AT GUNPOINT

(Winchester, IN)--There was an armed robbery at the Village Pantry in Winchester Tuesday night.  At around 10:30 Tuesday night, a man entered the VP on West Washington Street armed with a sawed-off shotgun.  Scanner traffic indicated only that he was a black male who fled in a gold car after the robbery.  There was no report of any injury.  Winchester investigators are expected to release more information Wednesday.


CONSTRUCTION ON LOOP PHASE II TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK

(Richmond, IN)--The city of Richmond gave notice on Monday that signage is about to go up in the Central Business District in preparation for Phase II of the Loop project, which is designed to connect downtown with the Depot District through bike and pedestrian paths.  Contractor will be removing trees next week.  The work will begin on North E Street, move to Fort Wayne Avenue, and then go to the 700 block of East Main.  Phase II construction was delayed by INDOT two years ago.  INDOT had cited Covid-19 for the delay.  Depot District businessman Rick Parker had also filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction to stop the removal of seven mature trees along North E.


REID: CONNERSVILLE CONSTRUCTION TO TAKE TWO YEARS

(Connersville, IN)--Reid Health on Monday released a timeline for completion of its new $100 million facility in Connersville as construction got underway on the Park Road site.  Reid indicated that the facility is expected to be up and running in the spring of 2026.  Connersville Mayor Chad Frank said that having a new medical center of that scope will play a major role in the retention and attraction of residents and businesses in the community.


TRUMP TO RALLY WITHIN 40 MILES OF RICHMOND

(Vandalia, OH)--Former President Donald Trump will be less than 40 miles from Richmond this weekend to hold a campaign rally.  Trump will be at Wright Brothers Aero near the Dayton International Airport on Saturday and is expected to speak at 4 o’clock.  Doors will open at noon.  Attendance is free, but advanced ticketing is required.


CONSTRUCTION STARTS MONDAY ON NEW $100 MILLION REID FACILITY

(Connersville, IN)--A ceremonial groundbreaking was held a year and a half ago, but Monday is the day that construction actually begins on the new Reid Health facility in Connersville.  It will be a $100 million outpatient facility that will encompass 177,000 square feet over two stories at the site that was once K-Mart on Park Road.  It will replace the hospital that has stood on Virginia Avenue for more than a hundred years.  Reid’s most recent update on the project did not include a projected opening date.


WANTED CHILD MOLESTER CAPTURED

(Boston, IN)--A wanted Wayne County child molester was taken into custody over the weekend.  51-year-old Michael Forshey was located at his home on West Main Street in Boston over the weekend.  Forshey was first convicted of child molesting back in 1997.  But now, he’s accused of fondling two minors, ages 8 and 13, during this past Christmas break.  Court documents indicate the parents of Forshey’s accusers did not know he was a convicted sex offender.


COMMISSIONERS REDUCE PERMITTING FEES TO FACILITATE REID CONSTRUCTION

(Connersville, IN)--Fayette County Commissioners have taken a step to facilitate construction of Reid Health’s new medical center on Park Road in Connersville.  Commissioners voted to significantly reduce a permitting fee that will cut initial costs for Reid and expedite the construction process.  Reid is making a $100 million investment into the building.  It will be a two-story outpatient facility at the former K-Mart site in Connersville and will replace the one-hundred-year-old hospital on Virginia Avenue.  Construction will start very soon.


HOUSE FIRE SENDS ONE TO MIAMI VALLEY HOSPITAL

(Preble County, OH)--One person was taken to the hospital after fire broke out in a Preble County home.  First responders were sent at around 6:30 yesterday morning to a home on Washington-Jackson Road just south of New Hope.  Heavy fire and smoke was coming from the rear of the home.  One resident made it out, but a second had to be rescued when crews arrived.  That person was taken to Miami Valley Hospital.  Names and conditions have not been released, and there’s no word yet on what started the fire.


SECOND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IN RICHMOND THIS WEEK JAILED WITH METH, GUN

(Richmond, IN)--For the second time this week, an illegal immigrant has been found in Richmond with drugs and in possession of a firearm.  RPD officers came into contact with the man and 31-year-old Wendy Ford in the 1300 block of South C at around 1 o’clock Friday morning.  An unspecified quantity of methamphetamine was recovered.  The man is also now charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Earlier this week, a different man in the country illegally was jailed in Richmond on nearly identical charges and later released.


EATON'S COUNCIL APPROVES TAX EXEMPTION FOR REID HEALTH'S KROGER DEVELOPMENT

(Eaton, OH)--The scope of the investment to convert Eaton’s former K-Mart building into a large new Kroger is coming into focus.  According to a resolution that has now been approved by Eaton City Council, Reid Health Properties is proposing just over $20 million in improvements to the location on North Barron Street.  The project is expected to create 50 full-time jobs and generate $1.5 million in taxable income once the project is complete.  A 50% tax exemption has been granted for the project.  The new Kroger is not expected to open until the end of next year.