Studebaker named citizen of year by Geneva chamber

Jay Studebaker of Cardinal Electric was named citizen of the year by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.
Crossroads Pantry was named business of the year, and Sean Dedert was recognized as volunteer of the year.
Recently retired Decatur Daily Democrat reporter Eric Mann received the Geneva chamber’s lifetime achievement award.

Skillman visit
Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman will be in Jay County Tuesday as she continues the 92-county Hoosier Crossroads Tour.
Skillman, who is visiting each county with a focus on local development, will stop at the Community Resource Center in Portland and speak with local officials.
She is expected to arrive in Portland at 2:30 p.m.
Skillman is blogging about her experiences on the statewide tour at www.beckyskillman.blogspot.com.


Loan applications accepted
Applications for emergency farm loans for losses caused by drought and excessive heat that occurred from July 1 through Oct. 18 of 2011 are being accepted by the Farm Service Agency.
Jay, Blackford, Dela-ware, Grant, Hamilton, Howard, Madison, and Tipton counties are seven of 78 Indiana counties that have been declared as eligible for the loans to cover part of actual damages and losses.
Farmers may be eligible for up to 100 percent of their actual losses or an operating loan needed to stay in business or $500,000,whichever is less. For farmers unable to obtain credit from commercial lenders, the interest rate is 3.75 percent..
For more information, contact FSA farm loan manager John T. Simmons at (765) 668-8983.

Job fair planned
Franklin Electric will hold an engineering job fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 26 at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne.
The Bluffton-based maker of water and fuel pumping systems said it wants to fill several positions
Interested candidates should bring an updated résumé to the job fair that includes professional references and be prepared for an on-site interview.

Dots a partnership
Moser Motors of Berne is again partnering with “dots in blue water,” a South Adams student initiative providing water purifiers in Haiti.
The dealership will contribute $25 for every test drive taken today between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Any driver 18 years old or older with a valid driver’s license is eligible to take part.

Comments sought
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Consumer Counselor is seeking public comment on a proposed rate hike by Ohio Valley Gas Corporation.
The proposed increase would apply to the utility’s base distribution rate. For a customer using 20 therms a month and a bill of $36.06, the proposed rate would be $39.62. For those using 100 therms a month with a bill of $122.30, the proposed bill would be $138.09.
Comments may be sent to the Consumer Services Staff, Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, 115 W. Washington St., Suite 1500 South, Indianapolis, IN 46204. They may be faxed to (317) 232-5923 or emailed to [email protected].
Comments should be made before July.

Adding jobs
Pretzels Inc. in Bluffton
See Business page 6
Continued from page 5
 is converting 50 to 60 temporary positions to regular full-time jobs. Starting wages begin at $10.25 an hour and include benefits.
Pretzels Inc. employs about 270. Many are represented by Teamsters Local 414.
Applicants may contact WorkOne Northeast for more information at (260) 459-1400.

Acquisition complete
Raymond James Financial has completed its acquisition of Morgan Keegan, creating one of the largest full-service wealth management firms in the country not headquartered on Wall Street.
Raymond James funded the transaction with cash on hand and the proceeds of $350 million in 6.9 percent senior notes due in 2042, $250 million in 5.625 percent senior notes due n 2024, and a public offering of 11,075,000 shares of common stock.
The aggregate price of the acquisition was $1.2 billion.

Biofuels plant in bankruptcy
The New Castle Courier-Times has reported that e-biofuels of Middletown has shut its doors and is in Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Its 45 employees have been laid off.
The New Castle newspaper said the company’s bankruptcy filing lists its debt as about $17.3 million, compared to its $11.3 million in assets. Creditors include First Merchants Bank, the Department of Homeland Security and Chad Ducey, one of the brothers who started the business.
The bankruptcy filing is the result of a significant downturn in biodiesel sales. When the plant opened in 2006, thousands of other biodiesel companies were opening their doors. There was a demand for the product, and at one time, e-biofuels had as many as 70 employees to meet that demand.

China ties
IPFW Chancellor Michael Wartell will lead a delegation to China from April 14 to 25 to explore potential agreements between the Fort Wayne university and Chinese institutions of higher education, IPFW officials announced.
Last year, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne established a research collaboration with Panda Research Base in Chengdu.

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