CVS tops April permits

Renovations and a new drive-thru at CVS Pharmacy in Portland totaling $150,000 topped the April building report from the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Department.

A total of 31 permits were issued with estimated construction costs totaling $578,859.

Permits were issued to: Pharm Indiana Reality, LLC., CVS Pharmacy, 802 N. Meridian St., Portland, renovation and drive-thru, $150,000; Kevin Zimmerman, 6403 East 100 South, Portland, grain bin and grain leg, $30,000; Troy Barton, 3859 South 1000 West, Dunkirk, pole building, $22,000; Mark Bellante, 6440 North 550 West, Pennville, pole building and deck, $8,000; Alvin D. Graber, 4830 West 500 North, Portland, machinery shed, $13,000; Ron Hendricks, 4256 South 475 East, livestock building, $18,000.

Vernon Muhlenkamp, 7827 East 600 North, Bryant, steer building and storage shed, $105,000; Mahlon K. Shetler, 1415 East 800 North, Bryant, barn addition, $4,000; Rodney and Lisa Brenner, 10201 West 900 North, Montpelier, garage addition, $600; Keith Lehman, 405 S. Western Ave., Portland, fence, $350; Chen Waters, 709 E. Race St., Portland, fence, $500; Christina Daniels, 404 W. Walnut St., Portland, fence, $1,000; Clint Skirvin, 427 W. North St., fence, 400.

Gail Dues, Law Offices of Gail Siegrist Dues, 124 W. Walnut St., Portland, business occupancy; Gail Dues, Law Offices of Gail Siegrist Dues, 124 W. Walnut St., Portland, business signage, $275; Thomas Banta, 1413 W. Votaw St., Portland, business signage, $10,000; Richard Houser, 7314 North 50 West, Bryant, new home/garage, $75,000; Jim Zimmerman, 6922 West 700 South, Redkey, residential addition, $20,000; Edward May, 3992 East 125 South, Portland, residential addition, $7,000.

Mike and Ann Crooks, 1839 S. Nan-Del Lane, Portland, residential addition, $47,659; Reuben B. Hilty, 4839 N. U.S. 27, Portland, residential addition, $10,000; Angie Byrum, 914 East 500 South, residential addition, $20,000; Stephen and Theresa Jones, 2522 West 500 North, Bryant, deck with awning, $1,000; Jerry Kipfer, Paradise Pointe, Lot 22, Portland, deck with awning, $1,200; Ralph Huey, 1016 W. Walnut St., deck enclosure, $5,000.

Michelle Hibbard, 403 E. Arch St., Portland, deck, $600; Keith Bickel, 461 North 850 West, Portland, porch, $2,335; Adam Fugiett, 8032 West 600 South, Redkey, pole barn, $10,000; Ann James, 2479 West 125 South, Portland, storage building, $15,000; Steve Malinowski, 709 W. North St., Portland, storage shed, $440; Connie Frisch, 816 S. Joan Drive, Portland, storage building, $500.

Strong results

CVS Caremark Corp. posted strong drugstore business in the first quarter, perhaps attributed to the CVS's purchase of he pharmacy-benefits manager Caremark in 2007.

The company has benefited from allowing customers to pick up the pharmacy benefits manager prescriptions in store as opposed having those drugs shipped out by mail. Since customers often pick up other items during their trips, the move has created extra business for the drugstore chain.

The company reported a $738.4 million net income during the first quarter, slightly down from $748.5 the year prior, although the minor loss in the current economic climate is a bright spot for CVS.

Networking breakfast

The next Jay County Chamber of Commerce networking breakfast will take place Wednesday.

Ailesia Frankling, Dunkirk Glass Museum Director, will present a program about the museum with a tour following breakfast.

Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Dunkirk Elks with the tour of the glass museum following at 8 a.m. Cost is $4. Reservations should be made by the end of the day Monday to [email protected].

Walgreens sales

Walgreen Co. announced strong same-store growth and increased earnings during April, partly due to the Easter holiday falling during the month.

Sales in stores open for more than a year rose 5.7 percent and sales climbed to $5.38 billion from $4.85 billion the year prior.

Since Easter fell in April this year, the increased numbers account for the slightly lower March figures.

Retail item sales rose 8.9 percent and pharmacy sales were up 4 percent.

Tyson loss

Tyson Foods Inc. posted a more than $100 million loss in the second quarter.

For the period ended March 28, Tyson announced a $104 million loss, 28 cents per share. Analysts had predicted as loss of 6 cents per share.

Although chicken sales, which had been lagging, righted themselves about February, beef sales continue to suffer as it fell 11 percent in the quarter.

Banking award

First Bank of Berne recently received a marketing MAXI award at the Indiana Bankers Association conference in Indianapolis.

The bank won the Outdoor Display category for it's "With Age Comes Experience!" billboards, which brought attention to the group's 117 years of business.

The competition was among all association members and ad agencies representing members. The billboards ran in the region during July and August 2008.

Retirements

Five Ball Memorial administrators and members within the Cardinal Health System announced their retirement.

Former BMH president Brent Batman, Cardinal executive vice president of clinical development Dr. Tom Gardiner, chief financial officer Robert Gildersleeve, assistant to the president and CEO Karen Swank will retire at the end of the month.

Former Cardinal president and CEO Kelly Stanley will retire in December.

Best place to work

Two businesses with local connections were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2009 Best Places to Work in Indiana survey in Biz Voice Magazine.

Performance Services, Inc., Indianapolis, was ranked No. 1 among companies with less than 250 employees, while Edward Jones was ranked No. 2 in the large company category.

Performance Services, which is working on the state's first K-12 school in the South Adams School District, was also featured in a four-page story within the magazine.

CEO retires

Mercer Health CEO Jim Wermert announced he will retire on Oct. 1.

Wermert served as director of planning in 1982 until 1984 when he was promoted to assistant administrator. He was selected as chief financial officer in 1991 and stepped up as CEO in 2006.

Mercer Health will search for a replacement before the retirement date.

25 years

The Center for Neurological Development celebrated 25 years in business at the Fort Recovery American Legion Hall.

Providing services for people with neurological impairments, the center opened at a former elementary school before moving to its current home in Burkettsville in 2002.

Several volunteers were honored for milestone achievements, including: Mary Schmitz, Fort Recovery, 15 years; Randy Wendel, Fort Recovery, 10 years; Ray Sudhoff and Ben Schweiterman, both of Fort Recovery, 5 years.[[In-content Ad]]