Wayne County, IN

(Richmond, IN)--A murder trial is wrapping up in Wayne Superior Court I. Jacob Rasner’s murder trial began last week and continued Monday. Rasner is accused of felony murder, confinement, robbery, and battery in the death of James Herbolt II in the fall of 2017. Prosecutors say Herbolt was hog-tied and beaten before being shot in the head. His body was later located down an embankment on Nolands Fork Road near I-70. Prosecutors are expected to wrap up their case against Rasner on Monday. Then, the defense will present its side.

(Wayne County, IN)--Two legal groups are now suing to force Indiana to continue giving an extra $300 per week in unemployment. That federal benefit is scheduled to end in Indiana on Saturday. Since Governor Holcomb announced that deadline, Wayne County’s jobless claims have dropped drastically. Local jobless claims dropped 54% after the announcement, another 21% the week after that, and another 22% the week after that. When the last stimulus check was received a couple of months ago, Wayne County jobless claims ballooned to 723. Last week, there were 50.

(Richmond, IN)--In Wayne Superior Court III today, a Black Lives Matter protestor goes on trial. It was September of last year when a vehicle allegedly drove into a group of protestors who were crossing the street at North 7th and A. Both the driver and several protesters were ultimately charged. All of the protestors have had their criminal cases settled except for one who decided to take the case to trial. He’s Elijah Gamber. Gamber faces a misdemeanor charge of obstructing traffic. Several people who protested last year are expected to testify. The criminal case against the driver, Joshua Carey, is still pending.

Looking for a fun family adventure to enjoy with the kids this summer? Head east to Richmond and Wayne County, Indiana, where you’ll find a great seasonal slate of attractions, recreation and artsy activities to fill up a day or a weekend!. The weather’s perfect for outdoor explorations, and Richmond’s...

(Richmond, IN)--Wayne Circuit Court Judge David Kolger has retired. Kolger had presided over Circuit Court since 2005. Before that, he had served as Wayne County’s prosecutor or deputy prosecutor since 1984. Kolger was presented with Indiana’s Sagamore of the Wabash Award on Wednesday. Governor Holcomb has replaced Kolger by appointing Wayne County’s first female judge. April Drake will now preside over Circuit Court. Drake has been a part of the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for the last ten years.

(Richmond, IN)--The Wayne County Sheriff’s Department is making a renewed effort to locate Todd Volker. Volker has several felony warrants, including one for neglect of a dependent causing death. Volker is a sex offender who is accused in the death of a two-year-old child last year. Volker and Pamela Barger were operating a babysitting service on North 19th. Volker failed to appear for a hearing last fall and has been wanted ever since.

(Wayne County, IN)--Less than 400 Wayne County residents have become fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in the last week. The number stood Friday morning at 22,708 residents fully vaccinated. The exact number to become fully vaccinated since last Friday is 389. It means that just over 34% of Wayne County’s population is now fully vaccinated. That’s well below both state and federal averages. Franklin County now has the third worst vaccination rate in Indiana.

(Whitewater Valley)--Indiana’s updated color-coded Covid-19 map is full of good news for the Whitewater Valley. That map is updated each Wednesday. Not only is every county in our area now in the blue, but two counties – Union and Franklin – have a metric score of zero. It’s the first time that’s happened since the mapping system began. Wayne County’s positivity rate is 2.1%. There have been only eight new cases reported in Wayne County since Monday.

RICHMOND, Ind. — The recipe for aquatic weeds is a mixture of warm water, sunlight and nutrients. In order to disrupt weeds, one of those ingredients must be disrupted. But first, it’s a good idea to remember that some weeds are good, said Jonathan Ferris, Purdue Extension educator in Wayne County, during a webinar.

(Richmond, IN)--A wanted Richmond woman surrendered at the Wayne County Jail Tuesday. 32-year-old Ashley Phillips had multiple drug warrants, including two for possessing cocaine and two more for possessing methamphetamine. She’s now being held on a $50,000 bond. Phillips was sentenced to two years in prison last fall for possessing meth in a different case, but nearly all of that jail time was suspended.

(Whitewater Valley)--Check out these numbers of Covid-19 cases in area counties…Randolph County, 4. Franklin County, 2. Fayette County, 1. And Union County, 0. But that’s not for a day. That’s all of last week. Since last Monday, some area counties have seen the lowest number of new Covid-19 cases in more than a year. Wayne County has reported 19 cases in the last week. That’s the lowest weekly total since last June. There were only two Covid-19 patients in Reid Health containment areas Monday morning.

RICHMOND, Ind. — When managing animals on your pond, it’s critical to know the laws and regulations that may protect those species. Once you understand the rules, there are several approaches to managing animals that you may consider a nuisance. “We have options when it comes to dealing with nuisance...