(Knoxville, TN)--Another court hearing has been set for Joshua Smith.  The 19-year-old faces a murder charge and numerous other felonies in connection with the September shooting and death of Cecilia Hargrove in Richmond.  Smith remained in a Tennessee jail cell Friday morning and is now due to go back before a judge there on Wednesday of next week.  The reason for the hearing has not been specified in online court documents.  Smith faces a charge of evading in Knoxville.  It will be the second hearing for Smith since his capture earlier this month.

(Whitewater Valley)--It’s hard to imagine just a little more than two months of historic flooding, but parts of the Whitewater Valley are now officially in a drought.  A new U.S. Drought Monitor map was released Thursday by the federal government.  Parts of Randolph and Henry County are now classified as being in a moderate drought.  Nearly all of the rest of the Whitewater Valley is classified as abnormally dry.  Richmond has had only 1.8 inches of rain since fall began on September 22.

(Connersville, IN)--It’s earned the nickname “the Connersville Can Opener.”  And, Thursday, it struck again.  The top of a box truck was sheared off as it tried to pass under the railroad trestle on Central Avenue, which is only slightly more than 11 feet from the street to the bottom of the bridge.  No injuries were reported.  There’s no definitive number on the amount of times the bridge has been struck, but it has happened as many as 25 times in a single calendar year.

(Richmond, IN)--The Richmond Community School Board met this week to discuss policy and, in particular, class sizes.  Superintendent Dr. Curtis Wright said that the belief by some that classrooms are oversized is simply not accurate.  "I believe that there has been a concern for many years that classroom sizes are extended and enlarged when that has not been the case," Wright said.  The policy would eliminate specific requirements by number for student-teacher ratios.  "Even after historic reduction in force, we still are below what the guidelines call for," Wright added.  The policy would leave class size at the discretion of the superintendent and would be monitored on a regular basis.

(Richmond, IN)--The man who faces numerous charges connected to allegations that he led police on a chase that ended in a crash last month is now back in the Wayne County Jail.  Brian Burdette was critically injured in a crash that ended a chase near South 16^th and I Street in Richmond.  Burdette has now recovered and was returned to Wayne County from Dayton this week.  He faces two charges of dealing meth.  His brother, Jason Burdette, surrendered on the same day this week on a lesser charge.

(Union County, IN)--A wanted Wayne County man was located in Union County Wednesday night.  Law enforcement agent executed a warrant at a home on U.S. 27 just southeast of Cottage Grove at 9:30 Wednesday night.  Wayne Delaney was taken into custody.  A warrant for a probation violation was issued for Delaney earlier this week by a Wayne County judge.  Two years ago, Delaney beat a neighbor in the head with a piece of lumber in a dispute over trash that had been thrown into his yard.

(Knoxville, TN)--Accused Richmond murderer Joshua Smith made his first appearance in court in Knoxville, Tennessee on Monday.  Smith allegedly shot and killed Cecilia Hargrove and wounded two other teenage girls in late September in a dispute over a pair of shoes.  A low bond has been set for his Tennessee charge of evading, but he remained held without bond Tuesday morning on the Richmond murder charge.  Dates for any future hearings do not appear yet in online court records.

(Darke County, OH)--Two people were killed in a Darke County crash Monday morning.  Investigators say it happened when 20-year-old Michael Miller of Union City rear-ended another vehicle on North Star – Fort Loramie Road in northern Darke County.  The impact forced a car occupied by 66-year-old Kenneth Goubeaux and 97-year-old Rita Goubeaux off the road and then to overturn.  They were both pronounced dead.  Miller suffered minor injuries.  The investigation is continuing.

(Richmond, IN)--A pedestrian was struck and killed Sunday night on National Road West in Richmond.  And, investigators suspect that the man who allegedly caused the incident was under the influence.  It happened at around 7:45 Sunday night just west of the intersection of South West 5^th by Roots Bistro.  First responders performed CPR on the victim for 20 minutes, but he or she could not be revived.  60-year-old Robert Tate was taken into custody and taken to Reid Health.  His blood-alcohol content was zero, but another substance is suspected to have played a role.  Tate was taken to the Wayne County Jail and charged with OWI causing death.  He had already bonded out and was free Monday morning.  The name of the victim has not yet been released.

(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond man who has averaged one felony case per year for the last eight years picked up another one over the weekend.  30-year-old Zachary Neathery was charged with both dealing and possession of cocaine or other drug at Reid Health.  Details of what led to his arrest and the quantity of drugs recovered have not been released.  Neathery’s previous criminal cases involve drugs and resisting arrest.

(Knoxville, TN)--The teen accused of shooting and killing one teenage girl and seriously injuring two others has been captured.  18-year-old Joshua Smith, who is referred to as “J-Murda”, has been taken into custody by U.S. Marshals in Knoxville, Tennessee after having been on the run since Cecilia Hargrove was shot and killed in September.  Details of exactly how Smith was located and captured by marshals have not been released.  A photo indicates he was captured outside and taken to the ground.  Smith had several ties in Knoxville and had also lived there.  According to court documents, Smith fired multiple shots into a door at a home near South 9^th and E Streets in Richmond as part of a dispute over a pair of tennis shoes.  One of those shoes was found at the scene.  The other shoe was found in a fire ring at another Richmond home.  The clothes Smith was allegedly wearing were also found in that fire pit.  A gun was recovered in a wooded area nearby.  Smith was listed as still being held in Knoxville Friday morning.  Now that Smith has been captured in Tennessee, the process begins to bring him back to Richmond to face a murder charge in connection with the September death of Cecilia Hargrove.  When he is returned to Richmond depends on the extradition process.  If he waives extradition, Wayne County deputies could go to Knoxville and bring him back within just a few days.  But, if Smith fights extradition, it will be a much longer process that would involve a court hearing.  When he is returned to Richmond, Smith will be held without bond in the Wayne County Jail.  His criminal case will then begin with an initial hearing.

(Richmond, IN)--An alleged Richmond drug dealer was taken into custody Thursday night.  Deputies arrested 44-year-old Jimmy Davis II at a home in the 1400 block of Hunt Street.  Davis is charged with dealing methamphetamine as well as possession of meth and cocaine.  Details of quantities recovered and what led to the arrest have not been released.  Davis has another meth possession case pending from an arrest in May.  He is due to go on trial in that case next month.

(Richmond, IN)--There’s a clear discrepancy between the city of Richmond and Wayne County when it comes to a proposed sewer rate increase for the city.  The rate increase that’s being considered is six percent each year for four consecutive years.  The increase would help to cover the cost of major infrastructure upgrades at the Midwest Industrial Park.  On Monday night, Richmond Common Council member Jerry Purcell said this:  "We did also meet with the county to try to get them to subsidize this, and they have turned that request down."  But Wednesday, Max Smith with Wayne County Council said this:  "There has not been an official request.  This council has not acted on anything.  We have not turned it down because we have not acted on it."  Richmond Common Council will revisit the proposed increase a week from Monday.

(Wayne County, IN)--Alan Moore begins his second day as Wayne County Sheriff on Thursday.  Moore takes over as sheriff following the election of Randy Retter as a state representative on Tuesday.  Under Indiana law, a person cannot simultaneously hold two lucrative public offices.  Retter returns to the enforcement division as a lieutenant.  He’ll serve in that roll until his retirement at the end of January.  Moore had most recently served as the county’s chief deputy.

(Preble County, OH)--Details of a fatal crash in Preble County have been released.  It happened on Tuesday night on Fisher-Twin Road south of West Alexandria.  A vehicle occupied by three elderly people left the roadway on a curve, went through a yard, and struck a tree.  91-year-old Chie Demeter of Eaton was riding in the back seat and was pronounced dead at the scene.  Two 83-year-old front-seat occupants were both injured.

(Fayette County, IN)--An identity has now been made in connection with human remains that were found 36 years ago.  Mushroom hunters found the remains in a shallow grave in a remote area of southern Fayette County back in 1990.  Through the efforts of multiple agencies and advanced DNA technology, those remains have now been identified as those of Jay Bell, who was born in 1945.  Now, investigators are seeking his two biological sons:  Jason Williamson, who was born in 1974, and Jay Williamson, who was born in 1970.  Investigators have been unable to locate any other family members who were alive when Bell’s remains were discovered.

(Connersville, IN)--Details of a drug bust in Fayette County were released Wednesday.  It happened on Illinois Avenue in Connersville.  During a traffic stop there, indicators of drug activity were detected.  A canine then gave a positive indication.  A further search of the vehicle turned up methamphetamine, fentanyl, and more than 600 pounds of stolen copper.  Donald Lynch, Charles Simpson, and Caitlin Allen were all taken into custody and face a host of felony charges.

Two newcomers will join the Richmond Community Schools Board following Tuesday's general election, while several contested races across Wayne County and surrounding communities were decided by narrow margins.

Rod Weiss and Tevin Thomas won the two available Richmond school board seats, with Thomas finishing just 94 votes ahead of third-place candidate Kym Pickering. In another close contest, Democrat Jade Rockwell defeated Republican incumbent Susan Isaacs for Wayne Township trustee by 67 votes.

Here's a county-by-county breakdown of the unofficial results from the November 3 election.

Richmond and Wayne County

Richmond Community Schools Board

Five candidates competed for two at-large seats.

• Rod Weiss — 29.13% (Elected)

• Tevin Thomas — 20.76% (Elected)

• Kym Pickering — 19.96%

• Bruce Laudermilk — 16.38%

• Mike Elorreaga — 13.76%

Wayne County Superior Court II Judge

Republican Austin Shadle won the race to succeed retiring Judge Gregory Horn.

• Austin Shadle (R) — 62.66%

• Jessica Richert (Independent) — 37.34%

Wayne County Council

District 2

• Barry Ritter (R) — 64.70%

• Ryan Ogden (D) — 35.30%

District 4

• Richard Tincher (R) — 53.08%

• Tom Pennington (D) — 46.92%

Wayne Township Trustee

Democrat Jade Rockwell won one of Wayne County's closest races, defeating Republican incumbent Susan Isaacs by 67 votes.

• Jade Rockwell (D) — 50.37%

• Susan Isaacs (R) — 49.63%

Union County

County Auditor

• Barry Boggs (R) — 61%

• Dennis Spaeth (D) — 37%

County Council District 2

• Tyler Clavell (R) — 57%

• James Hensley (D) — 41%

Fayette County

County Commissioner District 1

• Kay Peyton (R) — 64%

• Dale Strong (D) — 36%

County Council District 4

• Gary Keener Jr. (R) — 80%

• Jaime West (D) — 20%

Fayette County School Board District 3

Three candidates competed for two available seats.

• Dennis Perkins — 47% (Elected)

• Chris Hunt — 37% (Elected)

• Jared Glaub — 16%

Randolph County

Superior Court Judge

• Olivia Faddis (R) — 71.6%

• Christen Commers Smith (D) — 28.4%

Preble County, Ohio

Voters considered several local tax levies and funding proposals, with mixed results.

• Preble County Council on Aging: Renewal levy passed with 65% support.

• Camden: Police levy renewal failed, with 51% voting against it.

• College Corner: Fire levy renewal received 76% support in the Preble County returns.

• West Elkton: Emergency services levy failed, with 55% voting against it.

• Lewisburg: Parks levy renewal passed with 62% support.

• West Alexandria: Proposed municipal income tax failed, with 64% voting against it.

Indiana State Election Results

Secretary of State

Democrat Beau Bayh defeated Republican Max Engling.

• Beau Bayh (D) — approximately 50%

• Max Engling (R) — approximately 44%

Indiana Constitutional Amendments

Indiana voters approved two proposed constitutional amendments.

Public Question 1 — Bail Requirements

The amendment expands the circumstances under which judges may deny bail when the state meets specified legal standards.

• Yes — 58%

• No — 42%

Public Question 2 — Judicial Residency

The amendment changes residency requirements for city and town court judges, allowing them to live in certain neighboring counties.

• Yes — 62%

• No — 38%

Indiana Senate District 27

• Jeff Raatz (R) — 61%

• Ronald Itnyre (D) — 39%

Indiana House District 56

Republican Randy Retter, currently serving as Wayne County sheriff, won the race to succeed retiring State Representative Brad Barrett.

• Randy Retter (R) — 59%

• Thomas Rockwell (D) — 41%

Ohio State Election Results

Governor

Democrat Amy Acton will become the first woman elected governor of Ohio.

• Amy Acton (D) — approximately 51%

• Vivek Ramaswamy (R) — approximately 46%

U.S. Senate

• Sherrod Brown (D) — approximately 49%

• Jon Husted (R) — approximately 46%

Ohio Issue 3 — Voter Identification

Ohio voters approved the proposed constitutional amendment addressing voter identification requirements.

• Yes — approximately 66%

• No — approximately 34%

Editor's note: Election results are based on returns reported November 4, 2026, and are subject to official certification. Some percentages are rounded and may not total 100% where additional votes or candidates are not displayed.

Sources: Wayne County Clerk's Office, Indiana Election Division, Preble County Board of Elections, WISH-TV election results and regional election reporting.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Sanitary District rates were discussed when Richmond Common Council met Monday night.  Significant upgrades to the stormwater and sewage systems are needed at the Midwest Industrial Park to allow the industrial park to grow to capacity.  A variety of sources to finance the upgrades are being sought, but that could include a rate increase.  Jerry Purcell, who sits on the city’s finance committee, said that the city sought help from the county, and that request was turned down.  That denial means this..."that means that the full 24% increase in rates would have to come into effect at six percent per year for four years in a row," Purcell said.  Council did not vote on the issue Monday night.  It will address the proposed increase again in a couple of weeks.

(Fayette County, IN)--Fayette County Commissioner Dale Strong gave an update on the Nulltown Bridge over the Whitewater River on Monday.  That bridge has been closed since shortly after August flooding.  Strong said that one of the bridge’s piers has been damaged beyond repair.  Options now include removing and rebuilding two sections of the bridge or replacing the bridge entirely.  A full bridge replacement is estimated to cost between $10 and $12 million.  Whichever option is taken, the estimate now is that it will take two years to complete.  The Nulltown Bridge is the only bridge across the river in the 11-mile stretch between Connersville and Laurel.