WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. – A Hiring Fair is going to be held on Wednesday, April 15, from 7:30 to 4:30.
This event gives high school seniors who do not have postgraduate plans an opportunity to meet with local businesses in Wayne County. Seniors who interview and accept a job offer will participate in a Signing Day celebration.
Additionally, an Intern Fair will be held for current juniors, allowing employers to conduct interviews for summer or upcoming academic-year internships.
The fair takes place at First Bank Richmond Kuhlman Center at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
CAMBRIDGE CITY, Ind. – Residents and community members are invited to celebrate the official ribbon cutting of the new Cambridge City Outdoor Venue Space on May 8 at 4 p.m.
The venue, named Creitz Park Pavilion, is located at 127 W Maple Street.
The outdoor venue is a new community gathering space developed with support from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Lilly Endowment Inc., and the local community.
Free entertainment will follow the ribbon cutting. The event will include residents, partners, and stakeholders to mark the completion of the project.
PREBLE COUNTY, Ind. – Preble County’s Business Expo is bringing opportunities for both local businesses and community members.
The 2026 Business Expo takes place March 20 and 21 at the Preble County Fairgrounds Expo Center.
Hosted in partnership with the Preble County Development Partnership and the Chamber of Commerce, the Expo allows businesses to showcase what they do, how they operate, and attract new customers, while giving residents a chance to explore the county’s diverse business landscape. The main sponsors for the event include Reid Health, Kettering Health, Wallace Heating and Air, and the Preble County Development Partnership.
The Expo features around 150 booths, representing everything from large companies to small Main Street shops, at-home businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Public services such as the Sheriff’s Office, the City of Eaton, and the Visitors Bureau also have a presence.
“The goal of the event is interaction,” said Justin Sommer, Economic Development Director Preble County Development Partnership. “If you’re attending the event as a community member, stop at those booths. Don’t just take the free pen or the free can koozie that they have sitting out, engage with that business owner.”
In addition to showcasing local businesses, the Expo can also create job networking opportunities in a more casual environment than traditional job fairs.
Organizing the event is a three-to-four-month process, including arranging the space, advertising, and securing participating businesses. Booth rentals start at $125, offering an economical way to reach over 1,200 attendees.
While food trucks are limited due to power constraints, Frontland Coffee, Fatty Daddies, Morning Munchies, and Smoke Nation Barbecue will be on site.
Sommer said his favorite part of the Expo is visiting each booth and hearing the personal stories behind the business. “Each one of them has a unique story as to why they started the business and why they do what they do,” he said. “I think understanding that and finding out why they choose to operate in Preble County is very interesting.”
EATON, Ohio - The City of Eaton officially welcomed Dunkin' with a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside the Preble County Chamber of Commerce and Preble County Development Partnership.
According to a social media post on the city's Facebook page, Mayor Joe Renner says the new business brings more than 25 jobs and signals continued economic growth for the city.
As part of the celebration, Dunkin’ presented a one-thousand-dollar donation to Eaton High School to support local students.
RICHMOND, Ind. – Richmond’s new Wawa Travel Center is set to open on Thursday, January 29, with doors opening at 8 a.m.
Customers are encouraged to arrive early, as General Manager Tonya Mills will lead a countdown to the grand opening. The first 250 customers will receive free T-shirts, and free hot coffee will be available through February 1.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and will feature local officials alongside Wawa staff.
Opening-day festivities include a ceremonial fuel-up of Wawa trucks and partners, check presentations to local community organizations, music, and a “Hoagies for Heroes” contest involving first responders and local charity organizations.
The Richmond travel Center is the 15th Wawa location to host Ionna EV chargers and the company’s 225th location to feature Tesla Superchargers.
The site includes five high-speed diesel fuel lanes, 20 EV charging stalls, and 16 liquid fuel stations for passenger vehicles. Additional amenities include interior and exterior seating areas, a spacious fresh food and beverage market, a CAT weigh station, free tractor-trailer parking, restrooms, and a pet relief area.
RICHMOND, Ind. – For nearly a decade, Comic Relief has been a gathering place for readers, collectors and fans in downtown Richmond.
The shop recently celebrated its nine-year anniversary, marking a milestone for a business that began with a simple realization as Richmond was about to lose its only source for new comics.
“The idea came into being when I saw Hastings was going out of business. One of my favorite places to frequent in Richmond. And I knew they were the only place in town to get new comics,” Fudge said.
Comic Relief officially opened on January 12, 2017, after what Fudge described as a steep learning curve, from contacting distributors and vendors to real estate agents and banks. “The process was arduous. I had no idea where to start and just fumbled my way through it,” he said.
Since then, adaptation and luck have played major roles in the store’s success. “Through opening the shop, I have met some amazing people in this town. People who are kind, generous with their time, money, understanding and they endured the speed bumps as we fine-tuned our process.” He also credits the store’s general manager, Josh Minor.
Now located at 100 North 9th Street, Comic Relief offers wall-to-wall shelves of weekly comics from major publishers, along with high-end action figures and collectibles. Fudge said these items can’t be found anywhere else within a large mile radius. Customers are greeted with new inventory each week, and a big welcoming smile from Josh.
Staff work hard to help customers find what they want, ordering to make sure readers never miss an installment with their subscription service. “If there’s something you’re looking for and we don’t have it in stock, ask us! We can order most anything,” he said.
“There are literally thousands of different titles, so let us know what you’re looking for.”
Fudge said if someone walks into the door at Comic Relief, staff are ready to help and also provide great conversation. “We’ve developed a great customer base that come in and feel like family and have formed a community with each other. It’s been an amazing experience,” he said.
“As a comic collector, you want to be able to speak about what you’re reading with someone who is also reading those titles. So, every week is like a little book club where you can come in and geek out over the latest issue or air out your grievances with it. Sometimes at the same time!”
Fudge started the store with his father, who has since passed. “Keeping the shop alive is also a part of me wanting to honor his memory and show my gratitude for everything he did for me as my father.” He was 27 when the shop opened, having returned to Eaton, where he lived in high school.
Today, he’s focused on keeping print alive and hopes the community will join him.
“Don’t let print die. Make sure you’re reading. Make sure you’re using that imagination muscle regularly.”
CENTERVILLE, Ind. - Main Street Centerville recently announced an upcoming event called “Love Centerville.”
The event takes place on the weekend of February 6-7.
If customers purchase from five participating local businesses, they will receive $25 in Centerville bucks. While shopping, customers will also receive a free small gift from each participating business.
FAYETTE COUNTY, Ind. – Residents can get an early look at the new Reid Health Connersville campus during an open house on January 31, located at 2500 Park Road.
Guided, 90 minute tours will run from noon to 4 p.m., and the first thousand visitors will receive a giveaway.
Once open, Reid Health Connersville will be home to several services including primary care providers, emergency medicine with an onsite helipad, laboratory, radiology, infusion therapy, and respiratory function testing. Eleven specialty care practices will also be available at the facility.
The new campus is expected to open by the end of March.
RICHMOND, Ind. - The Wayne County Taxi Service is reminding residents that it will be available around the clock on New Year's Eve.
The service will operate 24 hours from New Year's Eve into New Year's Day, with multiple drivers on duty throughout the day and night. Rides cost $10.
Because of expected high demand, the service is asking customers for patience. In a social media post, the company emphasized that "every life matters" and encouraged the community to stay safe.
WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. – The Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for its Annual Dinner and Awards celebration.
The dinner is set for January 23. This year the theme is “Wayne’s World: Party On, Wayne County.”
The event will honor more than 20 local businesses, organizations, and individuals for their achievements over the past year.
Guests will enjoy a buffet-style dinner catered by Old Richmond Inn, including gluten-free and vegetarian options. Attendees may also dress in traditional business attire or lean into the theme with Wayne’s World-inspired outfits.
The evening begins with a 6 p.m. cocktail reception, followed by dinner and the awards program at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $100, and a cash bar will be available.
RICHMOND, Ind. – Nearly two years into the Revitalize Richmond initiative, major redevelopment efforts continue to reshape downtown Richmond.
The five-year project, launched in 2024, is part of a $100 million strategic funding partnership through Lilly Endowment and Earlham College. The initiative is transforming historic buildings into new businesses and apartments.
“This initiative is all about bringing that life back to downtown,” said Dakota Collins, Director of Community Relations at Earlham.
Approved in 2023, the project started at the very beginning of 2024. It will be considered complete by Dec. 31, 2028.
Over the next several years, about 265 apartments are expected to be added to the downtown area, with a focus on bringing more urban style living to Richmond.
“These are going to be filled with a lot of different people. We’re talking about empty nesters who no longer need a larger home. We’re talking about young professionals just getting their own place for maybe the first time,” Collins said.
He added that downtown living naturally attracts cafes, restaurants, and shops. Historically, Richmond hasn’t had enough downtown residents to support those businesses.
“And so it's a chicken and the egg situation, but we're trying to do both at the same time,” Collins said. “When we talk about large employers trying to attract employees, moving them from other places to Richmond, their first stop is to come downtown and see what's going on.”
Revitalize Richmond is organized around three pillars: activate, build, and connect.
AP Development and Flaherty & Collins are developers on the project. AP Development is renovating five historic buildings downtown. This includes the Knollenberg’s Building, which has been around since the 1880s and was a former department store.
“It’s a huge piece of Richmond’s history, and it’s been empty for decades now. We want to bring that life back,” Collins said.
Restoration plans also include the BMO Harris Building 10th and Main, commonly called the “cheese grater,” along with the nearby Hittle Building. The goal is to keep these buildings looking familiar but refreshed. The goal is to preserve the character of these structures while giving them new life. At the BMO site, the current metal façade will be removed to reveal the original early-1900s stonework.
“A lot of people don't necessarily see as they drive by because it's brown and unattractive and just something that you wouldn't necessarily notice unless you're looking. But when you do take a chance to look at it, it is a gorgeous, very cool building and it's also been empty forever,” he said.
The project recently completed work on the Readmore Building, refinished inside and out by Richmond Neighborhood Restoration.
“They put in such incredible quality and care into this building and have given us an example of what a downtown could look like, if we took that and did it 50 times over,” Collins said.
The project’s planning involved local stakeholders from the beginning. Earlham and the city convened a community-based steering committee, and three working groups followed, involving 50-60 participants in total.
An equitable development advisory team was created to evaluate ongoing projects and identify potential risks.
“We’re constantly looking at how projects like this could unintentionally do harm to the community rather than the good that we anticipate,” Collins said.
Getting projects across the finish line has taken longer than expected, but Collins added that Revitalize Richmond is not intended to be a final endpoint.
“I doubt a finish line even exists, but this is a launching pad to get us to the next point or even to get us to a tipping point where things start to happen a little bit more naturally,” he said.
Collins said the initiative fits into a much larger set of housing needs across the community.
He noted that Richmond requires a wide range of options, from affordable and subsidized housing to urban market-rate apartments, single-family homes, and owner-occupied renovations in established neighborhoods.
“This is one piece of the puzzle,” he said.
The project’s focus downtown is specifically aimed at strengthening market-rate living options. Collins also pointed to major developer investment as a positive sign.
“To have two different development companies both AP Development and Flaherty and Collins… investing tens of millions of dollars of their own money is really to me proof of market viability for these projects,” Collins said.
Beyond housing and retail, new community spaces are also part of the revitalization. A makerspace planned for 10th and Main aims to open in 2027, offering equipment and resources for residents to experiment, learn, and build.
"This is really about supporting creativity in all of its forms," Collins said.
Revitalize Richmond is also contributing to the Whitewater Gorge Activation Plan led by Richmond Parks and Recreation. Funding is going toward invasive species removal, accessibility improvements, and efforts to reconnect people to the river. The plan is also introducing kayaking and canoeing opportunities along with this project.
Collins noted that the downtown initiative aims to encourage college graduates to remain in Richmond, creating pathways to establish both professional and personal lives in locally.
While construction continues, Collins said the most impactful way residents can support revitalization is by choosing to spend time and money downtown.
“When you're doing your holiday shopping or when you're going out to eat, go downtown, check out local restaurants and local shops, start there when doing your shopping. Be active downtown, come to the festivals and do things,” Collins said. “That is the single greatest way to be involved. Not only is it a huge benefit to you, but it also allows us to report a lot of great metrics back to the funder.”
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By Amy Dillon, General Manager, Brewer Broadcasting Corporation
Hometown Headlines, launched October 25, 2025, serves as a free online local news outlet that focuses on sharing positive stories in Wayne and surrounding Indiana and Ohio counties. Instead of controversy or crime, Hometown Headlines highlights uplifting developments, accomplishments, and community events to generate local pride and support economic development.
Free content consists of articles by Content Manager Ella Chew, the editorial team and the community at large on quality of life, economic development, health, and education. We invite you to contribute with press releases and story ideas with photos here.
Brewer Broadcasting believes that by focusing on positive, community-oriented content, the Hometown Headlines provides several benefits to the region:
Aids economic development. By concentrating on positive business, education, and development news, the publication helps support local economic growth.
The crucial role of small businesses in community revitalization.
Initiatives to attract workers to our region.
Investments in new housing and revitalization projects.
Promotes civic engagement. The site will spotlight events and efforts from various organizations like the area Chambers of Commerce, museums, the arts, civic clubs like Kiwanis Clubs and Rotary Club, the YMCA, and youth organizations, encouraging residents to get involved.
Builds community morale. By focusing on positive and inspiring local stories, the Hometown Headlines helps instill a sense of pride among residents. It highlights the good work of volunteers, non-profits, and businesses, reinforcing a positive self-image for the community.
Enhances quality of life. The publication will cover news that directly improves the quality of life for residents, such as community grants, improvements to public spaces, and initiatives by local organizations.
Brewer Broadcasting looks forward to collaborating to highlight the positive stories shaping our community and to helping build a stronger, more connected region.
RICHMOND, Ind. – Damar Services Inc., a nonprofit organization based out of Indianapolis, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week to mark its official welcome to the Richmond community. Local leaders, including the mayor and members of the Chamber of Commerce, gathered to celebrate the occasion at Damar’s newly acquired campus on the east side of town.
“We received so much support today,” said Jim Dalton, President and CEO of Damar Services Inc. “It was really about welcoming Damar to the great Richmond community and an introduction to some of the services we may provide here.”
Damar is focused on behavioral and developmental support for children and adults.
The property that is now home to Damar, was formerly known as the Wernle Youth & Family Treatment Center. After acquiring the property in February of this year, the buildings have all been repurposed for Damar’s vision.
Damar expects to begin programming on the campus in early to mid-2026. Services will initially include residential psychiatric care for youth with autism, but the organization also aims to create broader partnerships with local and statewide agencies to address more complex behavioral and developmental health needs.
The campus includes eight main buildings and lots of green space. While not all facilities will be fully operational by 2026, Damar anticipates employing more than 100 staff by that time. Plans include independent living apartments for youth transitioning out of foster care, specialized group homes, educational facilities, and clinical offices.
“The state has a lot of challenging issues with kids that have high acuity needs and they’ve been looking for ways to solve some of these problems. One of our ideas is that we’re going to bring in a lot of experts on this campus and help the state solve some of those problems,” Dalton said. “We’re really looking at community partnerships in addition to the expansion of our core mission.”
Initial hiring announcements began this week, with full-scale recruitment expected later this year and into January. Open positions range from clinical professionals to direct care staff, groundskeeping, food service, and administrative roles.
Dalton emphasized a commitment to transparency and accessibility as a core part of its campus culture, contrasting with the previous perception of the site as closed off.
“We want to be an open and transparent organization. Things like visiting hours, we don’t have visiting hours. If your child or family is here, you can come anytime. You don’t have to call ahead, you can show up,” Dalton said. “We have nothing to hide; we’re doing our best.”
RICHMOND, Ind. - Chick-fil-A is set to open on October 30, bringing its popular chicken sandwiches and signature waffle fries to Richmond for the first time. Located at 5901 National Road E, the new restaurant marks the first local Chick-fil-A in the area, a long-awaited addition for many residents.
The location is expected to create jobs for the community and could serve hundreds of customers each day once its fully operational.
