(Richmond, IN)--During its meeting Monday night, Richmond Common Council discussed the city’s failure to date to complete a purchase of eight police vehicles, which has left a local auto dealer holding $400,000 in inventory.  Council President Justin Burkhardt read from an email sent by RPD’s Adam Blanton, who wrote the letter of intent to the dealer last September.  Just before the issue became public a couple of weeks ago, Blanton wrote an email to the dealer which both expressed concern and placed blame on Council.  Here is Burkhardt reading part of Blanton's email Monday night.  "I'd be remiss if I did not tell you that I have little faith in our city council," Blanton wrote.  It brought this response from Mayor Ron Oler.  "The comment that was sent in the middle of April was very unprofessional and was dealt with," Oler explained Monday night.  Oler was pressed on Blanton’s status, but declined to disclose whether or not Blanton is still employed by RPD.  Oler added that the city is continuing to seek either funding for the police vehicles or to facilitate sales of the vehicles to other police agencies.

(Richmond, IN)--Zoning for residential development near Backmeyer Road went before Richmond Common Council Monday night.  The land covers 24 acres currently owned by Christ United Church.  Here is the city’s planning director:  "They're requesting to rezone 19.25 acres of that property to multi-family residential for a residential develpment."  And this is what is being proposed..."what they are proposing is a subdivision consisting of nine four-unit condominiums and 21 duplex condominiums.  They will all be privately owned," the director said.  The issue will go to the Plan Commission for a public hearing on May 27.

(Richmond, IN)--A man accused of committing a series of thefts in the Richmond area has been apprehended.  Jesse Maiden was taken into custody near Holsapple Road.  Maiden’s arrest is the result of an investigation that began in February with a report of a theft from a local hotel.  Maiden also had a burglary case pending. He’s had five different felony criminal cases in the last six years.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Common Council meets Monday night for what should be an eventful meeting.  Council will hear an ordinance on first reading involving the proposed Smith Hill development.  The ordinance would rezone 19 acres of land with a Backmeyer Road address for multi-family residential purposes.  The ordinance will likely be referred to the city’s plan commission with no action being taken Monday night.  There is also still a spot on Monday night’s agenda for council to address the issues with the purchase of eight police vehicles from Wetzel Auto.  RPD Chief Kyle Weatherly and Adam Blanton appear on the agenda, but indicated last week they would not attend.  Monday night’s meeting begins at 7.  As always, you can catch it live on WCTV.

(Richmond, IN)--An alleged drug dealer was arrested near Fountain City in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday morning.  35-year-old Kyle Brengman was taken into custody on Pleasant Plain Road.  Brengman is charged with dealing cocaine and OWI – Endangerment.  Details of what led to Brengman’s arrest have not been released.  That arrest was part of a busy weekend at the Wayne County Jail.  Between 6 a.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday, 27 people were jailed.

(Boston, IN)--A teenager has been arrested in connection with a series of vehicle break-ins in the Boston area.  18-year-old Zachary McKinney was questioned early Sunday morning at RPD headquarters, charged, and taken to jail.  McKinney now faces 11 total counts involving thefts from vehicles.  One Boston resident said that she had $500 and a wallet stolen from her car.  The case remains under investigation.

(Richmond, IN)--Representatives of Wetzel Auto said Thursday that they will take no legal action against the city of Richmond.  The city and Wetzel continue to seek a solution to Wetzel having been left holding $400,000 in police vehicles for which the city cannot pay, but Wetzel said that will not include any type of lawsuit.  Wetzel added that the company’s only goal is to continue to be a good corporate citizen.  Wetzel is actively involved in the community through numerous sponsorship initiatives.

(Wayne County, IN)--Shots were fired into a Centerville-area home Thursday, and now a Cambridge City man is facing numerous felony charges.  Wayne County deputies were called to the home on Rice Road at 11 Thursday morning.  Joshua Rodgers was inside the home, but was not injured.  Witnesses in the area described the vehicle that fled the scene.  That vehicle was located in the Cambridge City area and a chase began.  22-year-old Brennen Jones was eventually taken into custody.  A firearm allegedly used in the shooting was also recovered.

(Connersville, IN)--A Fayette County man has been sentenced to ten years in prison a little more than a year after he made a bomb threat at the courthouse there.  46-John Sheets, Junior pled guilty to numerous felony charges.  Other charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal.  Sheets called in the bomb threat in March of last year in an effort to force a delay of a hearing for his girlfriend in an unrelated drug case.  Sheets then admitted to making the threat when he was arrested on drug charges a year ago.

(Liberty, IN)--An initial hearing has been set for the 11^th for a man accused of stalking in Union County.  Mark Cordell was taken into custody in the parking lot of a Liberty restaurant after a warrant was issued for his arrest a week ago today.  Details of what led to the stalking charge have not yet become available.  The arrest was the result of an investigation by the Liberty Police Department.

(Richmond, IN)--When the agenda for this coming Monday night’s meeting of the Richmond Common Council was distributed Wednesday, it included a report from Richmond Police Chief Kyle Weatherly and Major Adam Blanton.  The report was to address a written promise by Blanton last September to purchase eight police vehicles from Wetzel Ford.  Budgetary constraints prevented the purchase from being finalized, but Wetzel was not notified.  Those vehicles, totaling around $400,000, are still sitting on the lot today.  And, even if they were to sell today at Wetzel’s cost, Wetzel would still be out more than $7000 in interest.  32 minutes after the agenda went out Wednesday, Weatherly indicated that neither he nor Blanton would be able to attend.  22 minutes after that, Council President Justin Burkhart said that he would keep the issue on the agenda anyway due to transparency purposes.  Weatherly’s response did not mention why they could not attend.

(Wayne County, IN)--A man who was walking on U.S. 40 in Wayne County on a path from Philadelphia to California to raise money for underprivileged children is continuing to recover after being struck on Tuesday just west of Centerville.  Isaiah Thomas was struck near Hildebrand Road.  Thomas posted an update from his hospital bed Wednesday.  "I'm gonna make sure we finish this marathon that God put me on.  God is the greatest.  I'm alive and that's all that matters," Thomas said.  The crash happened because an 82-year-old Centerville man rear-ended a support vehicle, which then struck Walker.

(West College Corner, IN)--Details of a Union County drug bust that occurred on Tuesday night were released Wednesday.  According to the sheriff’s department, Angela Benge showed signs of drug impairment when she was stopped on Liberty Avenue in West College Corner.  An investigation turned up an unspecified quantity of meth and drug paraphernalia.  Benge was taken to the Union County Jail.

(Connersville, IN)--Fayette County leaders have issued a one-year moratorium for applications for data centers.  Even though there are no specific plans for any data center anywhere in the county, the Area Plan Commission decided that the one-year period would allow the county to address zoning issues and other concerns when and if a proposed data center comes before them.  Next year, Fayette County can either extend the moratorium or let it expire.

(Wayne County, IN)--Voting continues at four vote centers across Wayne County and at the Wayne County Courthouse this week.  Meanwhile, some final numbers are in reflecting an incredibly low number of people who voted by mail or in person at the courthouse before the vote centers opened on Monday.  Less than two percent of registered Wayne County voters had cast ballots before the vote centers opened on Monday.  Four more vote centers will open for the traditional Election Day on Tuesday of next week.

(Richmond, IN)--Two Richmond men were jailed Tuesday and charged with residential entry, and one of them was wanted for a different crime.  RPD officers encountered 39-year-old Marvon Cole and 32-year-old Randy Schroy in a home in the 100 block of North 14^th.  A warrant for Schroy’s arrest was issued just three days ago after he failed to appear for a plea and sentencing hearing from a drug case from last July.  He was being held Wednesday morning without bond.

(Richmond, IN)--The city of Richmond on Monday released a timeline of events that resulted in the city being unable to pay for eight police vehicles after they had been ordered and delivered to Wetzel Ford.  A letter was sent to Wetzel late last September indicating the intent to purchase.  Based on that letter, Wetzel ordered the vehicles totaling around $400,000.  Three weeks later, Common Council was notified that funding would have to be diverted to other equipment.  Richmond’s 2026 budget was passed in late October, but no one notified Wetzel that the vehicles were not in the budget.  The vehicles showed up on Wetzel’s lot just before Christmas and have been sitting there ever since.  City officials talked with Wetzel leaders Monday and indicated they would help Wetzel find other buyers.

(Richmond, IN)--About 35 people were evacuated from Richmond’s Golden Corral restaurant when a fire broke out Monday afternoon.  Battalion Chief Chris Chappel describes what firefighters found when they arrived.  "...A small fire that was outside of the building that had extended into the walls.  Crews were able to quickly bring it under control," Chappel said.  No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.  Golden Corral has not released any information on the status of the restaurant for Tuesday.

(Whitewater Valley)--Hundreds were still without power at 5 o’clock Tuesday morning after some strong storms rolled through the area overnight.  Duke Energy was reporting that 575 customers were out a 5 o’clock Tuesday morning in the northern third of Fayette County.  Another 362 were out in the Cedar Grove area of Franklin County.  In Preble County, 310 customers of AES were out.  Most of those are in the New Paris area.  There was also a flood advisory in effect Tuesday for the southern portion of the Whitewater Valley.  Radar estimates indicate both Richmond and Eaton received about 2.7 inches of rain since it began falling Monday night.

(Randolph County, IN)--INDOT is in the early stages of the rehabilitation of a bridge on a Whitewater Valley highway.  The State Road 1 bridge over the Mississinewa River in Randolph County has been tagged for repair.  A public meeting has been set for May 11 at Monroe Central High School.  INDOT said that the work will extend the bridge’s life by at least 25 years.  They did not indicate when the work will start or how long it will take.