I&M offering opportunity to help

Indiana Michigan Power is continuing its I&M Neighbor to Neighbor Program this year.

Neighbor to Neighbor is an emergency relief fund to provide assistance with electric bills to income-qualified customers. It is made possible via the Dollar Energy Fund and assistance from local organizations.

I&M customers can contribute a fixed monthly amount or round up their bill to the next whole dollar.

For more information, visit indianamichiganpower.com.

Hospital recognized

The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program recently recognized Mercer County Community Hospital as a Gold Safe Sleep Hospital.

The honor goes to facilities that are committed to best practices and education regarding infant safe sleep. The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program is dedicated to preventing infant sleep-related deaths because of sudden unexpected infant death and accidental suffocation.

“We are proud to join the national effort to reduce infant mortality,” said Ashley Piper, clinical coordinator for the Childbirth Center at Mercer Health. “We have always been promoters of safe sleep. The Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification is an important step in our efforts to provide parents and caregivers with the evidence based information they need to ensure their babies sleep safely from day one.”

DG adds

Dollar General recently completed a remodeling project at its store in Montpelier.

The revamped store now offers produce. It is one of more than 4,400 Dollar General stores that sells fruits and vegetables, and the company plans to more than double that total in the coming  years.

“At Dollar General, we strive to be a positive business partner and good community neighbor in Montpelier,” said Dollar General senior vice president of real estate and store Matthew Simonsen in a press release. “Although we are not a grocery store, we believe the addition of produce in our Montpelier store highlights our commitment to deliver a pleasant shopping experience that includes affordable prices on quality products in a convenient location.”

Training offered

Delaware County Airport is now offering a fast track to being a pilot.

The airport is partnering with Rapid Flight Training of Indianapolis to offer the program. Founder Matt Lehtinen said trainees can receive a pilot certificate in as little as four weeks and instrument training in 14 days.

“It’s an under-utilized airport with a fantastic training infrastructure, a very supportive airport authority and business in Muncie Aviation,” said Lehtinen in a press release. “We feel like the Muncie region is fertile ground to grow a flight school to attract local students but also pilots from around the country.”

Accepting toys

All Menards stores are serving as drop sites for a toy drive.

Stores will have drop boxes near their exit doors to collect new, unwrapped toys through the end of November. They will be distributed to those in need through non-profit organizations.

Menards has locations at 3401 N. Nebo Road, Muncie; 3800 National Road East, Richmond; and 1920 Havemann Road, Celina, Ohio.

Providers purchased

DASCO Home Medical Equipment recently announced the purchase of P&R Medical Connection.

P&R is a home infusion pharmacy and medical equipment provider with locations in Van Wert and Defiance northwest Ohio. The purchases bring DASCO to more than 25 locations in Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, Michigan and Texas, including one in Richmond.

“P&R Medical Connection shares our dedication to delivering exceptional patient care and a complementary product line that will be an excellent addition to DASCO’s robust service offerings,” said Ann Cornelius, vice president of strategic partnerships and operations at DASCO, in a press release. “We are excited to welcome their skilled team to our family and look forward to integrating their expertise to better serve our communities.”

Funding provided

The Tom and Julie Wood Family Foundation recently made a $4.5 million gift to Indiana University Health for a mobile lung cancer screening program.

IU Health said it will provide matching funds for the project. The screening program, with a mobile CT scanner unit, is expected to launch in 2025.

“Lung cancer screening unequivocally saves lives by catching it in its earliest and most treatable stages,” said Nasser Hanna, a lung cancer clinical research professor at the IU School of Medicine and an IU Health lung cancer physician, in a press release. “All of us at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center and IU Health know how valuable these painless and safe imaging tests will be for those at risk of lung cancer–especially those who face barriers to accessing such screenings.”

Papers closing

A study by Northwestern University shows that an average of 2.5 newspapers per week were shut down in 2023.

Northwestern reported that more than 200 counties in the United States have no local news outlet. Another 228 are listed as being at “high risk” of losing local news, including four in Indiana.

“The significant loss of local news outlets in poorer and underserved communities poses a crisis for our democracy,” said Medill visiting professor Penny Abernathy in the report. “So, it is very important that we identify the places most at risk, while simultaneously understanding what is working in other communities.”

There are currently 134 newspapers in Indiana, 65 of which are daily publications. The study shows that the state had five weekly papers cease publication from 2022 to 2023.

For more on the study, visit localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu.

Bottle launched

Ardagh Glass Packaging – North American added two new bottles to its list of American-made products this month.

The Boston Round glass bottles hold 16 ounces and are available in amber and clear glass. They are sold in 12-pack cases.

“Ardagh Glass Packaging continues to focus on developing its portfolio of American-made glass bottles on the BOB site to meet the demand of craft brewers and beverage producers,” said Rashmi Markan, Ardagh – North America vice president for beer and beverage in a press release. “The new Boston Round bottles complement a wide variety of craft beverage brands, offering brand differentiation with a trusted, sustainable glass bottle that fully protects the flavor of their beverage.” 

Ardagh operates class manufacturing facilities in Dunkirk and Winchester.

Donated for research

Scooter’s Coffee recently donated $277,032 to The Pink Agenda for breast cancer research and awareness efforts.

The coffee chain donated $20% of sales of Courage Cookies along with customer contributions to the organization. The Pink Agenda funds four major research projects through its strategic partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

“For the fourth year in a row, we are so grateful for the direct and meaningful impact our partnership with Scooter’s Coffee has had on those fighting breast cancer,” said The Pink Agenda managing director Serra Eken in a press release. “This partnership helps fund groundbreaking research and care needed to save lives while raising awareness. We continue to strive to engage people today to find tomorrow’s cure.”

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