Asphalt plant tops building permits

New construction in July totaled nearly $600,000, according to building permits issued by the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Office.

The largest single project was an $85,000 asphalt plant being constructed by Milestone Contractors at 1715 S. 200 West.

Other permits were issued to Jay Aerie No. 928 of the Fraternal Order of Eagles for a $7,500 breezeway enclosure at 320 N. Meridian St., Portland, Joan Stein for a $20,000 storage building at 3831 E. 100 North, Dennis Muhlenkamp for a $10,000 grain bin at 6263 E. 400 North, Chris A.C. Schwartz for a $40,000 barn addition at 1250 E. 400 North, Brady Johnson for a $10,000 barn addition at 6221 W. 650 North, John Stockton for a $14,000 barn addition at 328 S. 600 West, Levi L.R. Wickey for a $10,000 barn lean-to at 8544 N. 700 East, and Joyce-Dayton Corp. for a $73,000 addition at 1521 N. Meridian St., Portland. 

Also to Allen Bollenbacher for a $2,500 barn addition at 4831 W. 300 North, Chad and Kimberly McFarland for a $1,000 fence at 318 E. Elder St., Portland, John Reynolds for a $3,000 pond at 5828 S. 250 West, Lonnie Stout for a $30,000 residential addition at 1667 W. 300 North, John E. Fields for a $7,500 foundation elevating project at 2356 E. 100 South, Mike Tobe for an $80,000 residential addition at 1124 Meadow Lane, Portland, Pete A.C. Schwartz for a $70,000 residential addition at 2375 W. 650 North, John Siegrist for a $2,500 deck at 723 W. Main St., Portland, and Karen Resler for a $1,000 deck at 928 N. Franklin St., Portland.

Also to Rachel Bentz for a $1,500 deck at 4144 S. Boundary Pike, Portland, Melissa M. Wells for a $10,000 pool and deck at 815 S. Jean Drive, Portland, Joanna Devoss for an $11,000 deck and porch project at 2824 W. 600 South, Garry Homer for a $7,000 barn addition at 8657 S. 800 West, Toni Vinson for a $4,700 storage building at 7586 W. 400 North, Fay Ellen and Norman Dale for a $6,000 garage and storage building at 10543 W. 550 North, Chad Aker for a $2,000 lean-to at 1791 W. 100 North, Greg Huelskamp for a $2,500 storage building at 314 Meridian Heights, Portland, Paula Bonvillian for a $6,000 stoage building at 802 W. Seventh St., Portland, Jeff Stephen for a $20,000 garage at 2741 E. 200 South, Tyler Shannon for a $28,000 garage and apartment at 7045 S. 1150 West, and Gregg Minnich for a $20,000 garage at 1052 N. 800 East.



Break ground

POET Biorefining, parent company of POET Biorefining-Portland, broke ground this week on a $120 million expansion of its Marion, Ohio, plant.

The expansion is expected to boost the capacity from 70 million gallons per year to 150 million gallons of ethanol per year.

“Today we’re on the cusp of a new economic crisis, and biofuels and bio refineries like this one are once again prepared to provide an alternative to this downturn,” Jeff Broin, CEO of POET Biorefining, told The Star of Marion on Tuesday.



Unhappy

Wal-Mart’s chief executive was among the business leaders unhappy with President Donald Trump’s remarks on racial violence this week.

In a memo to employees, Doug McMillon criticized the president for not “unequivocally rejecting the appalling actions of white supremacists,” The Washington Post reported.

“As we watched the events and the response from President Trump over the weekend, we too felt that he missed a critical opportunity to help bring our country together,” McMillon said in the memo. It was later posted on Wal-Mart’s website.

McMillon said Trump’s later comments denouncing white supremacy groups “were a step in the right direction and we need that clarity and consistency in the future,” The Post reported.



Declare dividend

First Merchants Corporation declared a cash dividend Aug. 10 of $0.18 per share. The dividend is payable on Sept. 15 to shareholders of record as of Sept. 1. 

First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company comprising First Merchants Bank, which also operates as Lafayette Bank & Trust, The Arlington Bank, iAB Financial Bank and First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors which operate as divisions of First Merchants Bank.



Expanding plant

Tyson Foods Inc., parent company of Tyson Mexican Original in Portland, announced this week it will invest $84 million to expand its poultry operations in Union City, Tennessee.

More than 300 jobs are expected to be created with the expansion is completed in the middle of 2018.

“Customer and consumer demand for protein, especially chicken, is increasing so we’re investing in projects that build on our strengths, expand our capabilities and increase our capacity,” Doug Ramsey, group president of poultry, said in a prepared statement. “Expansions like this position us to grow and support our customers.”

The project, set to begin this fall, will increase capacity to the plant’s existing harvest area, add processing lines, as well as upgrades to supporting operations at the hatchery, feed mill and in transportation. About 25,000 square feet will be added to the plant facility.

The plant and related operations were built by Tyson Foods and opened in 1997. It makes partially fried chicken products for food service. The facility employs more than 1,000.