Patriot Paints shuts down

After more than 25 years of production, Patriot Paint in Portland ceased operations on Friday.
Patriot Paint’s Jeff Weesner said Friday that about 25 people will be put out of work as the plant closes.
“It’s sad,” Weesner said of the final day, noting that many employees, himself included, had worked more than 10 years at the location.
Employees had known that the Portland location between Blaine Pike and South Middle Street would be closing as the company shifts production to its Wisconsin facility. A few extensions carried operations into 2012 before those last orders were completed.
The company, which Weesner said made paint “from scratch,” started in a location on West Water Street in 1985 before relocating to the facility on Middle Street in 1988.
Patriot Paint produced paints for metals that are used in markets from commercial transportation to casket production.
According to a press release from Quest Specialty Coatings, the Portland business was acquired by Quest in October. The Michigan company supplies paint to the automotive industry.

Faster service?
AT&T says it is upgrading wireless Internet/data services in and around Muncie in hopes of matching Verizon Wireless.
AT&T announced last week that it will roll out 4G long term evolution (LTE) service this year.
Verizon is in the middle of upgrading cell towers and adding equipment to boost coverage across the region and state. Ongoing work by Verizon has caused service outages in and around Portland the past several weeks.

Awarded grant
St. Vincent Randolph Hospital, Winchester, has been awarded an $88,000 federal grant to come up with strategies to reduce chronic diseases in the area.
The hospital was one of only 15 across the nation to be given the ACHIEVE grants.
Work done under the grant could include education about the use of tobacco products, as well as helping education the public about consequences of poor nutrition and lack of physical activity.
Plan advancing
A plan to construct a 25,000-square foot plant between St. Henry, and Maria Stein, Ohio, which would convert manure into fertilizer is moving forward.
Ag Conversions Ohio plans to create 60 direct and 180 indirect jobs at the site, which is located on U.S. 127, just north of Ohio 119.
The company says that the plant will help rid the area of excess animal waste and help restore Grand Lake.
Neighbors of the plant site have expressed concerns about odor and truck traffic.
The plant would store approximately 3,000 to 5,000 tons of dry manure under cover, with approximately 7 million gallons of liquid manure in lagoons.

Support withdrawn
Delaware County Commissioners agreed Monday to withdraw $5 million in property tax support for a company whose promises to create hundreds of jobs hasn’t panned out.
Brevini Wind, which announced plans in 2009 for a 450-worker plant near Muncie that would build gearboxes for wind turbines, currently has about 70 workers and will receive $1.7 million in tax increment financing (TIF) assistance, The Star Press (Muncie) reported.
Delaware County will also attempt to recoup $250,000 it paid for a wind vane that would have been put up near Interstate-69 to brand the county as a hub for “green” manufacturing.
“It’s a hard lesson learned,” Commissioner Larry Bledsoe said.
Brevini has been unsuccessful in landing contracts in the wind energy industry. Company officials are hoping to reach employment of 250 by the end of 2013 under an extension of a job creation agreement with Delaware County.

Expo planned
The third annual Mercer Healthy Living Expo is scheduled for Saturday, March 31, at The Galleria, Celina, Ohio. The event will be held from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Among the featured displays and activities will be the COSI on Wheels, the prescription drug take-back program, health screenings and exhibits and other activities from more than 30 Mercer County agencies an businesses.
For more information, call (419) 678-5613 or go to www.facebook.com/mercerhealth.[[In-content Ad]]