Western Wayne News Podcast

An actor, software developer, and tireless volunteer, Julie Pickett has spent more than two decades weaving together technology, theater, and community in Wayne County. In this episode of the Western Wayne News podcast, Julie reflects on how studying at Earlham College, working at DoxPop, and finding her voice at Richmond Civic Theatre shaped her path, […]

Throughout her time in different educational and nonprofit settings, Rachel Ulrich has built her career around a simple commitment: staying rooted in Wayne County while helping students succeed. In this episode of the Western Wayne News podcast, she shares with Kate what it’s like to build a meaningful career in a small community, why she […]

Mary Anne Butters has spent a lifetime insisting that government work in the open, and that ordinary people use their voices. A journalist turned public servant, Butters moved from the newsroom to city hall, from advertising executive to Wayne County commissioner, carrying with her a deep belief in transparency, equity, and civic responsibility. In this […]

In this episode of the Western Wayne News podcast, Kate Jetmore sits down with Mary Crumley-Effinger, managing partner of the Richmond Texas Roadhouse, to talk about growing up in Richmond and Wayne County, choosing to stay, and building a career here from the ground up. Mary shares her path from hostess to restaurant owner, her […]

Darcey Meridith has spent decades supporting children and families in Wayne County, and in this episode she pulls back the curtain on what’s really happening inside our schools, homes, and community systems. On this episode of the WWN podcast, she traces her path from Earlham College to leading Children and Family Services at Centerstone, then […]

Born and raised in Cambridge City, Tamra Davis believes in the power of small, even anonymous, acts of kindness to strengthen the community. In this episode of the Western Wayne News podcast, she sits down with Kate to discuss Tamra’s work as president of the Cambridge City Chamber of Commerce, her 24 years at the […]

Richmond family physician Dr. Andrew Deitsch has spent decades caring for patients in the same community where he grew up — and where his father practiced before him. In this episode of the Western Wayne News podcast, he reflects with Kate on the power of long-term relationships in medicine, the joys and challenges of small-town […]

In this episode of the WWN podcast, funeral director Alan Austin reflects on his unexpected journey from Detroit to Cambridge City, where he now leads Waskom Capitol Hill Chapel and serves as an active community leader. From his family’s deep roots in the funeral business to his own calling to serve others, Alan shares how […]

In this episode of the Western Wayne News podcast, we talk with Karen Bays-Winslow, who left the big city behind in Oklahoma for small-town Cambridge City and discovered the warmth of local community. As Director of Cambridge City Public Library, she’s navigating funding challenges while championing libraries as vital community spaces where study groups, GED […]

In this episode of the Western Wayne News Podcast we talk with Kate Glen, co-owner of The Two Sisters: Books and More, located in Richmond’s Depot District. Kate shares how she and her sister turned a lifelong dream into a welcoming community space that’s as much about connection as it is about books. From hosting […]

In this episode of the WWN podcast, Aaron Nell reflects on the meaning of home, the power of the natural world, and the enduring value of connection — whether through music, friendship, or justice work. From kayaking the Whitewater River to bicycling around the country to coordinating prison education programs, Aaron shares a deeply personal […]

Like her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents before her, Judy Huddleston has spent her whole life actively involved in the local community. It wasn’t something she was taught, it was just “normal” life. That spirit of contributing has flowed through her career as a teacher, her volunteer work and her post-retirement role as a proofreader with […]

Farming roots run deep for both Lisa and Eric Stickdorn, who grew up on family farms in Ohio and Indiana. Today, the couple runs a 190-acre cattle operation known as Brookstone Terrace Farm while taking advantage of high speed internet access to run that business efficiently. In this episode of the Western Wayne News podcast, […]

“I find that we’re the perfect size. We’re not too big, not too small. And people can find connection here.” Lauralee Hites once thought that being successful meant leaving Wayne County. Now she knows better, and in this episode of the WWN podcast she shares her story with Kate, reflecting on the importance of small […]

After 35 years, Dan Merkamp has gotten pretty good at teaching. He went from a kid learning how to make every sound possible on a taped-together trumpet, to a young man surrounded by mentors whose wisdom has stuck with him. These days, he has stepped wholeheartedly into the role of mentor himself, and considers it […]

Mike Emery was the last man standing at another area newspaper until he joined the Western Wayne News in 2022 as a reporter and layout editor. In this episode of the WWN podcast, Kate talks with Mike how and why he became a journalist, the importance of building trust with sources, the ways layout and […]

Clayton Smith has been an educator for more than 20 years, and is currently the Middle School Principal at Northeastern Wayne School Corporation. When he sat down with Kate on this episode of the Western Wayne News podcast, he shared his love for Wayne County and his passion for teaching the next generation about its […]

“The strength of a small community is knowing each other, and stepping up when someone is going through a hard time.” Liz Ferris learned this important lesson when her father got sick, and the entire town of Milton, Indiana came together to make sure his crops were brought in on time. She has taken that […]

Elisa Worland spent five years at Purdue Extension in Wayne County as a Community Development and Health & Human Sciences Educator. Her years here began in the thick of the pandemic, and were sandwiched between her time with the Peace Corps in Paraguay, and her current position at UC Santa Cruz in California. In this […]

In this episode of the WWN podcast, artist India Cruse Griffin talks with Kate about how culture, family and faith have shaped her work and driven her to create art that provokes emotional connection for and between people who experience it. While she calls her early creations “the art of a perfectionist,” she now uses […]