Chamber deadlines approaching

Two deadlines are looming for members of Jay County Chamber of Commerce.
Thursday, Jan. 22, is the final day to make nominations for the chamber’s community awards, including Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year, Industry of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Young Professional of the Year, and the Elwood Haynes Innovation Award.
And Monday is the last day to make reservations for the chamber’s annual meeting.
The annual meeting is set for Thursday, Jan. 29, from noon to 1 p.m. at Jay Community Center in Portland.
At that time, the finalists for the community awards will be announced.
The annual meeting is free to chamber members.

Cut the plan?
An infrastructure overhaul plan by Indiana Michigan Power may have to be trimmed back by about $200 million.
The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor said this week that the $787 million, seven-year plan lacks details and includes work outside the scope of what the state defines as infrastructure.
Final approval of the plan rests with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. If approved as originally proposed, it would cost I&M customers an estimated $1 per month.

Speaks at luncheon
Portland chiropractor Oakland Gaerke was the featured speaker this week at the Geneva Chamber of Commerce networking luncheon.

Meat donated
Cooper Farms donated more than 190,000 pounds of meat last year to organizations in northwest and west central Ohio, the company said this week.
The food donations are in addition to monetary support from the Cooper Family Foundation.
Most of the donated meat went to food banks serving the company’s main areas of operation, including CALL Food Pantry in Celina, Ohio.

Expanding
Montpelier-based Creek Run Environmental Engineering, which specializes in environmental issues surrounding underground gasoline tanks at service stations and convenience stores, is expanding this year to a much larger headquarters.
Currently the company is based in a former bank building in downtown Montpelier. In July, it will move to an 11,000-square-foot building under construction on a 20-acre site in Montpelier Industrial Park. The building is being constructed by Marquis Builders, Berne, at a cost of about $1 million. Creek Run has 45 employees and has offices in Indianapolis and LaPorte.

DRG honored
The Berne Chamber of Commerce has named the Muselman family’s DRG as its Business of the Year.
The company’s Annie’s division produces magazines, books, kits and supplies from its Berne location. DRG’s Strategic Fulfillment Group is based in Texas.