Dec. 31—When it came time to compile the Tribune's top stories from the past year, 2022 made it easy on the reporters, editors and photographers who determine what stories make the list.

It was in late May that a press conference was scheduled at Ivy Tech Kokomo, where state and local officials were scheduled to speak. We at the Tribune knew it was going to be big. We had three out of our five reporters and a photographer set to cover to the event.

There, Gov. Eric Holcomb declared a "dream come true" for the region: A new electric vehicle battery plant would be built in Kokomo. The joint venture between Stellantis and Samsung SDI would employ 1,400 workers and mark a $2.5-billion investment in the city.

"Kokomo, Indiana, is a community that is resilient, it is trusted, and it's going to make you look good," Holcomb said to representative of both companies who were also in attendance. "... It's a perfect home for your new venture. We're proud to have you as part of our family."

The plant was a major coup for the City of Firsts. Charlie Sparks, then-CEO of the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance who has since retired, said the market-ready site, located at 2644 N. 50 East, just southeast of the Kokomo Engine Plant, put the community in a solid position to compete for the battery plant.

And according to The Detroit News, Kokomo beat out a handful of potential sites for the battery plant, including Dundee, Michigan, where Stellantis also has an engine plant.

Holcomb also directly praised Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore and Howard County Commissioner Paul Wyman for bringing a "positive force to the discussion and the negotiation table."

"They always responded with quickness and always with a smile, and that's endearing as well when you're going after something as competitive and fast-moving as this whole process has been," he said.

Moore said the new battery plant is another example of the city and Stellantis leading the way in the auto industry.

"We have extreme excitement and pride in the fact that our team was able to put together a package that allowed them to choose Kokomo as the site," the mayor said following the announcement in May. "But it's kind of a nervous excitement. Now that it's real, the real work will begin."

Bulldozers were already moving dirt and starting the grading process on the 3.3-million-square-foot factory by September. The new factory will supply battery modules for a range of vehicles produced at Stellantis' North America assembly plants. It will support the company's new strategic plan, Dare Forward 2030, which calls for all of its passenger car sales in Europe and 50% of passenger car and light truck sales in the U.S. to be BEVs (battery electric vehicles) by the end of the decade.

"Kokomo and the state of Indiana has always had a rich automotive heritage," Holcomb said in May. "But with today's news, we all just became a lot richer."

Man charged in McClerkin case

18-year-old Karena McClerkin was last seen Oct. 11, 2016, at a residence in the 1000 block of South Washington Street. The investigation into the disappearance of the Kokomo teen went on for years, with officers with the Kokomo Police Department following up on numerous leads.

It wasn't until July 19, 2022, that police would announce the arrest of Flint Vincent Farmer, 56, of Kokomo, on a charge of murder for his alleged involvement in the case.

Heavily redacted court documents released in May pieced together the initial days and hours following McClerkin's disappearance. According to the records, about a week after McClerkin was reported missing, an unidentified man told authorities that Farmer and McClerkin spent time at the man's apartment Oct. 11, 2016.

Farmer and McClerkin then left together, and the unidentified man believed they were going back to Farmer's apartment. Other unidentified individuals also told police they witnessed McClerkin with Farmer that evening and possibly even inside his apartment, court records noted.

One person told police she believed she saw a person "covered up and lying" on Farmer's floor.

In July 2018, investigators began reviewing phone call records that dated back to November 2016, when Farmer was in the Howard County Jail on an unrelated case. During one phone call, highlighted in the affidavit, authorities stated that Farmer sounded "nervous and scared," telling the person on the other end of the phone line that "they are trying to get him for everything" and that "the whole world is going crazy." Farmer also reportedly stated that everything was "about to get really ugly."

Over the next three years, detectives continued to speak with witnesses and comb through any additional evidence until August 2021, when police obtained additional information in connection to the case, though they have not publicly stated what that information is.

Much of that information is also redacted out of the probable cause affidavit, but two witness statements provided to police did detail what was referred to as a "struggle" or a "fight" coming from Farmer's apartment the night of Oct. 11, 2016. Those two individuals also told police they heard what sounded like a person "gasping" or "whimpering."

One day after announcing Farmer's arrest, officers with the Kokomo Police Department announced skeletal remains had been located in rural Miami County.

In KPD Chief Doug Stout's statement July 20, he did not indicate what led authorities to search that particular area, but he did note the remains had been transported to Fort Wayne for further investigation by a forensic pathologist. On Aug. 5, 2022, the remains were positively identified at those of McClerkin.

Farmer is being held without bond at the Howard County Jail.

Wyman leaves local politics

When the clock strikes midnight Sunday, it will mark the first time in 16 years Paul Wyman is not involved in the county political scene.

The Republican announced in January he would not seek a fourth term as county commissioner, a seat he has held since 2011.

During that time, he's worked closely with local nonprofits and operated his real estate company, The Wyman Group.

He said the decision not to seek reelection this year was based on the time commitment required to serve another four years in office.

"It's really demanding, and to be running a real estate company, doing the commissioner job and being involved in nonprofits ... it's really day and night a lot of times," Wyman said in January.

His last Howard County Commissioners meeting was Wednesday, where Wyman thanked his family for their support over the years.

"Sixteen years as an elected official is a long time, and when you look at my two kids that are here today, it's really all they've known," Wyman said teary-eyed. "And I'll never forget when I first told my wife Shelly that I was going to run for office. It wasn't why, it wasn't a million questions. It was just immediate support. ... And every step of the way, every campaign, every difficulty, every challenge and every triumph, you guys have just been by my side the entire time. That means the world to me, and I love you guys for it. There's no way I could have done this without you."

County Council president Martha Lake said after Wyman's final meeting that it will be difficult to replace him.

"I know we'll go forward — because we always do — but it's certainly going to be a change," Lake said.

County allocates opioid settlement money

On March 21, Howard County Commissioners voted 2-0 to join the city of Kokomo in opting in to Indiana's class-action lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors.

By opting in to the settlement, Commissioner Paul Wyman said, the county government will receive close to $5 million over the next 18 years before attorney fees, which is 8.7%.

Wyman called the board's actions "incredible news" for the county.

"It's been an interesting few years to get to this point, but I will tell you that this is an absolute win for our community on something that has really hurt our community in the last seven years," he said.

On Dec. 5, commissioners announced a handful of local organizations on the frontline of fighting drug addiction and the opioid epidemic would be the recipients of the settlement money. The organizations and their share of the first two years of county settlement money included: Turning Point — A System of Care, 63%; Howard County Drug Free Task Force, 13%; Valley of Grace, 8%; Gilead House, 8%; and Family Service Association of Howard County, 8%.

"Each one of those organizations have been directly involved with us over the years in the fight against this opioid epidemic," Wyman said after the December vote to distribute the funds. "We're confident in the work that they do."

Litter box post goes viral

In late April, Kokomo School Corporation officials spent days responding to calls and emails after a post was made on Facebook by a satirical site called The Kokomo Press. The April 26 post was a screenshot of a fake email informing Kokomo High School staff about a new policy for students who identify as part animal.

The fake email stated litter boxes would be provided in restrooms, among additional accommodations for otherkin students, including time between classes for "free movement on all fours."

Though the Kokomo Press is a satire site, plenty of people replied to the post believing it to be true. Three days after the post was made, it had been shared 11,000 times. The post went national when Snopes debunked the post and USA Today Fact Check replied to the Kokomo Press saying the claims were false.