CAFOs top construction list

Confined feeding operations accounted for about $5.5 million in new construction issued building permits by the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Office in December.
Minnich Poultry LLC was issued a permit for a $2.7 million project involving five to ten chicken layer buildings, an egg processing building, and a lagoon in the 8000 East section of county road 300 North.
Hemmelgarn Livestock LLC was issued a permit for two swine confined feeding buildings and a utility building at a construction cost of $1.5 million on 300 East south of Division Road.
Trevor G. Homan was issued a permit for two swine confined feeding buildings and a generator building at a construction cost of $843,000 in the 3000 South section of county road 400 West.
Steve and Marg Reier were issued a permit to build two chicken pullet buildings at 8560 E. 400 North at a cost of $442,800.
Other permits were issued in December to Collett Church of the Nazarene for two carports at 4525 S. 100 West at a cost of $12,000, Alan Dirksen for a $20,000 storage building at 1205 N. 800 West, Ray Swingley for an $8,000 building addition/lean-to at 1024 W. 700 South, Craig McCoy for a $2,500 fence at 1102 S. Meridian St., Indoor Comfort Pros for a $1,500 sign at 227 N. Meridian St., Jason Drumm for a $170,000 at 6656 N. 375 West, Chester Hopper for a $2,000 storage building at 2390 W. 50 North, and Mike Schilling for a $9,000 garage at 411 S. Helen St.

Not closing
Though J.C. Penney has announced plans to close about 40 stores this year, neither the Penney store at Muncie Mall nor the one at Glenbrook in Fort Wayne will be affected.
The only Indiana store on the list of those to be closed is in Michigan City.
The closings will cut about 2,250 jobs.

Named a ‘hero’
Vicky Barga, life enrichment coordinator at Briarwood Village, Coldwater, Ohio, has been selected by the Ohio Health Care Association as its Hero of Long-Term Care for December.
Barga will be recognized at the association’s annual convention later this year.

Three hired
Family LifeCare, a non-profit organization providing home care, hospice and palliative services to Adams and surrounding counties, including Jay, has added three new staff members.
Haley Provost RN and Wendy Beitler RN are both from Adams County. Stephanie Haley CNA is from Jay County.
 Provost will work as a pediatric nurse and Beitler as a home care nurse.

Retires from board
Neil J. Diller is retiring from the board of directors of Second National Bank after nearly 29 years of service.
Former chief financial officer of Cooper Farms in Fort Recovery, Diller joined the board in 1986. He served as chairman from 2007 to 2010.
He and his wife Pat reside in Fort Recovery where they are active members of the community.
Headquartered in Greenville, Ohio, Second National Bank also has offices in Versailles, Arcanum, Fort Recovery, and Celina. It is part of the Park National Corporation, a family of community banks.

Needs leader
The LaGrange County Economic Development Corp. has a job opening, The Kendallville News-Sun reported.
The LCEDC is looking for a new president and CEO to run its day-to-day operations. Keith Gillenwater, the former president and CEO, left the position to take a similar job this month with the Economic Development Group of Wabash County.
According to an ad published by the LCEDC, the nonprofit organization is looking for someone able to lead its efforts to retain LaGrange County businesses, expand the county’s business base and attract companies to the county.
The LCEDC will accept résumés until Jan. 26. The position is expected to be filled by late February or early March.
Lora Tormanen, project manager at the LCEDC, will act as its interim president until the position is filled.

The LaGrange County Economic Development Corp. has an annual operating budget of $280,000 and an investment fund of more than $200,000.