I&M looking to expand solar

A company that provides electricity locally is looking to expand its solar footprint.

Indiana Michigan Power announced this week that it has filed plans with the state for four solar power plants to be in operation by mid-2026.

The plants are planned to be able to generate enough power for more than 200,000 homes.

Indiana Michigan Power is also seeking proposals for wind, solar, battery storage and natural gas in an effort to diversify its energy sources. The company’s goal overall is to achieve net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2045.

“I&M is taking these major strides in transitioning to cleaner, more diverse energy sources to best serve our customers, the environment and the economies of the communities we serve,” said Steve Baker, Indiana Michigan Power president and chief operating officer, in a press release.

“These steps are the result of exhaustive studies and a stakeholder process that included input from advocates for customers, communities, the environment and more,” Baker added. “Importantly, they are also consistent with the energy policies of both states we serve.”



Training set

John Jay Center for Learning will host ServSafe training sessions.

Training is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 24.

For more information, call (260) 729-5525.



Peacock awarded

Chris C Peacock of Halderman Real Estate Services of Winchester was recently recognized through the 2022 APEX Producers Club by the REALTORS Land Institute.

Peacock was honored during an awards ceremony March 7 in Denver.

“We are proud of Chris and all of our members that were recognized as part of our award programs for their accomplishments in 2022,” said CEO Aubrie Kobernus of the REALTORS Land Institute in a press release. “They truly are the most accomplished professionals with the highest levels of expertise in land real estate.”



Nominations open

Indiana Manufacturers Association is now accepting nominations for its 2023 Manufacturing Excellence Awards.

The awards highlight Indiana companies and individuals “for the outstanding work they do, exceptional contributions made to the industry, and their impact on the future of manufacturing in Indiana.” Awards include “talent champion,” “emerging leader,” “community impact,” “innovation excellence” and “lifetime achievement.”

Any Indiana manufacturer or its employees can be nominated. Anyone is eligible to make a nomination.

For more information, or to make a nomination, visit indianamfg.com/2023-mfg-exc-awards.



Project resumes

A $190-million construction project to rebuild a runway and taxiway at Indianapolis International Airport has resumed.

The second phase of the project is expected to take until late October. It is part of plans to increase capacity at the facility.

“We continue to maintain the Indy airport’s critical infrastructure, and doing so in a way that ensures the airport remains a valuable public asset over time,” said Indianapolis Airport Authority executive director Mario Rodriguez in a press release. “Our award-winning operations and engineering teams, along with our business partners, are delivering a project that meets the airport’s needs to accommodate the more than 8 million travelers who fly out of the Indy airport each year.”



New leadership

Kelly Miller was recently named group publisher for The Courier-Times (New Castle), The News Examiner (Connersville) and The Shelbyville News.

Miller took over leadership of the newspapers March 27. They are owned, along with papers in Marion, Huntington, Wabash, Peru and Frankfort, by Paxton Media Group.

“I am happy to be back in these communities and I know we can provide a strong product, print and digital, for years to come,” said Miller, who had previous stints as publisher of both the newspaper in New Castle and the one in Connersville. “I hope to get to know these communities again and provide quality, hyper-local content that readers can not get anywhere else. I strive to keep the circulation strong and the business solid.”



Seeking to attract

Choose Southern Indiana on Wednesday announced plans to attract employees to the area with a new initiative — the Employer Incentive Program.

Local economic development organizations will participate by providing financial incentives to new, out-of-state employees hired by local businesses. The organization had previously partnered with MakeMyMove, an online platform that offers opportunities to remote workers moving to new locations. (Jay County is currently partnering with MakeMyMove.)

“This investment in talent that our businesses need will help them maintain and improve their productivity and competitiveness,” said Christy Johnson, population attraction program coordinator for Radius Indiana. “This will be a limited test of the incentive program to allow our LEDOs and Radius to evaluate if this is an effective way to support our businesses and communities.”