Permit issued for JCH work (10/08/05)

Among the most expensive projects issued permits in September by the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Department is the planned renovation to the second floor of Jay County Hospital.

Hospital officials applied for a permit for the project at JCH, 500 W. Votaw St., Portland, which involves making a new nurses station and enlarging the pharmacy.

Renovations are expected to cost $896,417.

Projects granted permits in September totaled $1,704,867.

Other projects issued permits by the department include: William and Judy Schoenlein, 2229 North 600 East, Portland, grain bin, $15,000; Evelyn Green, 4513 South 750 East, Portland, grain bin, $2,000; Mike A. Fennig, 8284 South 800 East, Union City, pole barn addition, $6,000; Paul Eicher, 1863 East 500 North, Portland, storage building, $1,000; Monte and Christina Huntsman, 4563 South 475 East, Portland, barn, $8,000; Kenneth Hinshaw, 821 S. Bridge St., Portland, fence, $1,000.

James and Vicky Lochtefeld, 8521 East 700 South, Union City, pond, $5,000; Dick Haffner, 3413 West 100 South, Portland, pond, $3,500; Fred and Linda Horning, 705 E. Main St., Portland, roof, $2,500; Paul and Betty LeMaster, 1756 West Ind. 67, Portland, roof and lean-to, $10,000; Dave Arnold, 4554 East 400 North, Portland, home, garage and basement, $129,000; Terry and Carol Coby, 2658 East 800 South, Portland, home, $114,000.

Eric and Angela Stephens, 9519 West 300 South, Dunkirk, home and garage, $150,000; Troy and Angie Jacks, 2506 West 125 South, Portland, home with garage and basement, $250,000; Robert L. and Sherry Axe, 3578 North 250 West, Portland, shed, $4,700; Donald and Sherry Ainsworth, 6027 North U.S. 27, Bryant, barn, $20,000; Barbara Oxley, 211 W. 12th St., Portland, home addition, $17,000; Bill Williamson, 4299 South 850 East, Portland, addition, $10,000; Tim and Christina Manor, 3926 West 400 North, Portland, roof, $16,000.

Harold Kochersperger, 1469 West 200 North, Portland, porch, $7,000; Betty Ingram, 307 W. Penn St., Portland, shed, $1,500; Milo Miller Jr., 109 Bittersweet Lane, Portland, shed, $1,250; Dale and Ruth Ann Widman, 2804 South Butternut Creek, Portland, shed, $9,000; Nathan and Charlie McClain, 4662 West 400 North, Portland, garage, $3,000; Teresa Whitenack, 2859 North U.S. 27, Portland, garage, $15,000; Merle Jeffrey Shawver, 6679 South 100 East, Portland, garage, $7,000.

Also in the building and planning department office, Kent and Bonita Hampson, 1346 West Ind. 67, Portland, filed for a special exception.

Geneva chamber luncheon

The Geneva Chamber of Commerce will hold a networking luncheon on Tuesday at noon.

The event will be held in the Geneva Town Hall community room in Geneva.

Guest speakers are Ron Laux and Cindy Denney of Jay County REMC.

The meal and drink will be provided by Amishville USA for $5. Reservations are required by Monday.

Donations presented

Employees of Red Gold Inc. in Orestes recently presented the local chapter of the American Red Cross with an $11,508 check for hurricane relief efforts.

The funds were raised by Red Gold employees.

“I am very proud of our employees and how they stepped forward to help,” president and chief executive officer Brian Reichart said in a press release. “Employees at all six of our Indiana locations participated in the fund drive to donate to the American Red Cross for hurricane relief.”

In addition to the money, company officials donated ingredients, spices, fuel and packaging containers. Red Gold growers also donated tomatoes, bringing the total contribution to more than $200,000.

There is a Red Gold plant in Geneva.

Cards for children

First Bank of Berne is selling holiday cards designed by the patients of Riley Hospital for Children to raise money for the hospital.

The cards are available until December. They are being sold in packages of 10 for $6 at all of the bank branches, including the one in Portland.

Investment firm sold

Old National Bancorp has sold Fund Evolution Group, LLC to the FEG management team.

The sale was finalized on Sept. 30.

FEG is a Cincinnati, Ohio based investment-consulting firm. The company specializes in portfolio construction, investment manager research and performance reporting.

Old National is one of the largest financial services holding companies in Indiana. There is an Old National Bank in Portland.

Wal-Mart to host event

The Portland Wal-Mart will host a community health event on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The free event will include free bone density screenings and craft demonstrations. There also will be handouts and information tables.

Speaking of Women’s Health, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating women so they can make informed decisions about their health, well-being and personal safety, also will be on hand to distribute brochures at the event.

Health, beauty and well-being professionals also will have booths at the event. A free book about women’s health also will be available.

Initiation fee waived

Women who decide to join the Curves in Portland or Berne during the week of Oct. 10, and who have had a mammogram in the last 12 months will not have to pay a service fee.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women aside from skin cancer,” June Domingo, owner of Curves, said in a press release. “We at Curves are committed to improving the health of women in your town. Waiving the $149 fee is significant because it allows us to talk about the importance of mammograms, which are a woman’s best chance for the early detection of breast cancer.”

For more information about breast cancer, visit www.nbcam.com.

6k collected for victims

Pacesetter Bank has collected a total of $6,234.95 for victims of Hurricane Katrina through donations at each of its east-central Indiana locations.

The funds have been given to the American Red Cross.

“We wish to thank all of our customers, members of the community and our employees for their compassion,” company president Ted Leas said in a press release. “We are grateful for this generous outpouring of support for those suffering through the devastation that Katrina left behind.”

The Pacesetter Banks in Portland, Dunkirk, Hartford City, Montpelier, Union City and Upland were involved in the collection process.

After hours at museum

The next Portland Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours event will be held at the Jay County Historical Society Museum, 903 E. Main St., Portland.

The event will be Wednesday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Those who attend can expect food, drinks and plenty of business networking.

Chancellor leaves

A longtime chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana is leaving the east-central Indiana region to take a promotion within the college’s system.

Rob Jeffs, who has been with the local region for eight years, has been named executive director of the community college’s Department of Workforce and Economic Development.

Gail Chesterfield, dean of academic affairs, will serve as interim chancellor.

Sales to close next month

The sales closing date for 2005 crop insurance for apples is Nov. 20.

Last year in Indiana, more than $1.49 million in insurance was provided to perennial crop producers.

Apple growers are encouraged to contact their agents for assistance. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all local Farm Service Agency offices and by visiting www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agents.

Patients chose meals

Bluffton Regional Medical Center now offers a new food service program for patients.

The hospital’s patients can now order their own meals. Menus are available for meal selection. Patients are given the option of selecting all meals for the day at once, or they can call just before they would like to eat.

The orders are placed with trained dietary order specialists.

“The new kitchen equipment is set up for short order style cooking so that each meal is prepared fresh to order,” BRMC director of food and nutrition Sue Jewell said in a press release. “The meal is delivered within 45 minutes right to the patient’s room, just like room service at a five-star hotel.”

ECIHRA annual event

The East Central Indiana Human Resources Association will conduct the Eighth Annual Workshop and Exhibition on Friday, Oct. 21, at the Ball State University Alumni Center in Muncie.

Registration is at 7:30 a.m., and the workshop will run from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The cost is $69.

Speakers for this all-day event include:

•Mike MacLean, attorney at law with Baker & Daniels — “The Unvarnished Truth About HSAs.”

•Gloria Swardenski, professional coach — “Seven Simple Strategies for Smiling Employees: How You Can Have Happy Employees Who Accomplish More, Get Along Better and Stick Around Longer!”

•Karl Alrichs, director, SPHR, with Professional Staff Management — “People as a Competitive Advantage - Hiring Smart, Retaining Smarter.”

Registration forms and additional information are available on the ECIHRA web site at www.ecihra.com. Registration forms can be faxed to Darla Brown at (765) 751-7818.[[In-content Ad]]