September 5, 2020 at 4:40 a.m.
Wells launches new tourism site
Business roundup
Wells launches new tourism site
Wells County has launched a new effort to attract visitors.
Wells County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development launched a new website — visitwellscounty.com — recently following a study by Ball State University, The News Banner (Bluffton) reported.
The chamber’s goal with the new site is to increase awareness of tourism opportunities such as events, places to eat and available lodging. Organizations hosting events will be able to upload information to the site.
“We are excited to offer a website for members of the community, as well as visitors, to have a central location to find information on events, activities and other things to do as they plan a trip through Wells County, Wells County Economic Development executive director Chad Kline said in a press release.
Clinic open
Adams Health Network has opened a free COVID-19 community testing clinic at the hospital’s Physicians’ Office Building, 815 High St., Decatur.
The effort is in partnership with Indiana Department of Health and Adams County Health Department.
The clinic will be open from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Results are expected to take two to three days.
Development planned
Bruns Construction Enterprises is planning a residential and entertainment district on West Bank Road in Celina, The Daily Standard reported.
The project is planned for West Bank Road and would involve housing, a community pool and playground, and an entertainment are with a stage and deck adjacent to the recently renovated Boardwalk grill. There is also room for retail space.
The Daily Standard reported that construction on the first phase of the project could begin as early as this fall.
Partners honored
Three companies that are customers of Ardagh Group were honored at the PACK Design Awards and the Wine Packaging Conference last month.
Ardagh, which operates glass manufacturing plants in Dunkirk and Winchester, makes bottles for Ken Wright Cellars, the second-place finisher in the best luxury package design category.
A customized gift set by A X R Napa Valley took first place for best assorted set design and The Debate finished second in the same division. Both companies glass bottles are manufacture by Ardagh in the U.S.
“We celebrate these brands for their commitment to innovation and recognize them for being leaders in wine packaging design,” said John T Shaddox, chief commercial officer for Ardagh’s North American Glass business unit, in a press release.
Scout adding
Scout Clean Energy this week announced plans to add solar and battery storage components to a proposed wind farm in Benton County, Washington.
Scout, which is in the final stages of constructing Bitter Ridge Wind Farm in southwestern Jay County, has been working on development of the Washington facility since 2016. The wind farm is expected to produce 850 megawatts of combined wind, solar and batter power.
“Scout has been monitoring power market interest for solar and storage technology along with wind, referred to as a hybrid facility,” said Scout project manager Dave Kobus in a press release. “Recent improvements in technology have created the economic conditions needed to support demand for co-locating a wind-solar-battery storage project in the Horse Heaven Hills.”
Lutheran honored
Lutheran Health Network’s Dupont Hospital this week received Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians.
The accreditation is based on best practices for geriatric care. Level 1 is the most comprehensive designation.
“This particular patient population requires a higher level of specialized care,” said Andrew Offerle, medical director of Dupont’s emergency department. “We understand that many of our older patients have complicated medical needs and we’ve set up our processes and physical location to help meet those unique needs.”
Bid revealed
NextEra Energy bid $11.05 billion to purchase JEA, a community-owned electric, water and sewer utility in Jacksonville, Florida, the Jax Daily Record reported this week.
NextEra, which owns and operates Bluff Point Wind Energy Center in southern Jay County and northern Randolph County, had filed suit to keep its bid private, asserting trade secrets. Judicial Circuit Judge Virginia Norton on Wednesday issued a ruling that the bid amount was a public record.
New design
Burger King has unveiled new restaurant designs with a focus on new ordering and pick-up options with plans to build the first of them in 2021 in Miami.
The sites will feature a double or triple drive-thru, a drive-in for on-site ordering, curbside delivery and pick-up lockers for advanced ordering through its mobile app. The footprint of the new designs is about 60% smaller than traditional Burger King restaurants.
“We took into consideration how consumer behaviors are changing and our guests will want to interact with our restaurants,” said Restaurant Brands International chief operating officer Josh Kobza. “The result is a new design concept that is attractive to guests and will allow our franchisees to maximize their return.”
President named
Walgreens Boots Alliance this week appointed John Standley as president of Walgreens.
Standley previously served as president, CEO and chairman of Rite Aid. He had also worked for Pathmark Stores and was chair of National Association of Chain Drug Stores.
“John’s leadership experience and strong understanding of our industry and the U.S. healthcare markets will allow him to hit the ground running, drive our transformation and fulfill our purpose to help people lead healthier and happier lives across America,” executive vice chairman and CEO Stefano Pessina said in a press release. “I’m confident John will build on and grow our momentum at Walgreens, and help us compete and win even more in the marketplace.”
Yum! investing
Yum! Brands has announced plans to invest $6 million in Louisville, where it is headquartered, to “tackle inequality and uplift Black students, educators, entrepreneurs and social change agents” over a five-year span, the Courier Journal reported.
The funds will be invested in a variety of programs, including the Academy of Music Production Education and Development, which provides help with technology skills and workforce development. Funding will also go to Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Simmons college of Kentucky, Evolve502 and Black L.O.V.E.
“At Yum!, we know our brands, frontline restaurant teams and communities are much stronger when we have diverse people, voices and ideas at the table to tackle our biggest challenges,” said CEO David Gibbs in a press release.
Participating
CVS Health reported this week that executive vice president and CEO Larry Merlo and executive vice president and chief financial officer Eva Boratto will be participating in a fireside chat with investors.
The event will be part of the Morgan Stanly Annual Global Healthcare Conference. The chat is scheduled for 8 p.m. Sept. 15.
Walgreens contributes
Walgreens last weekend announced that it was donating $10,000 to the American Red Cross to help residents of Iowa and Illinois recovering from a storm that battered the region.
Walgreens stores in both states also planned to accept donations, with 100 percent going to the Red Cross.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to everyone throughout communities that have been impacted by the storm. It is imperative that we do our part to help during such difficult times,” said Walgreens regional vice president of the Midwest region Lynn Stover in a press release.
Earnings announced
Dollar General on Thursday announced second-quarter revenue of $8.7 billion during the second quarter.
The earnings represent an increase of nearly 25% over the $7 billion in the second quarter of 2019. Shareholders will receive a quarterly cash dividend of 36 cents per share to be paid on or before Oct. 20.
“We continue to operate from a position of strength and are excited to announce the acceleration of several key strategic initiatives, including the rollout of DG Pickup, DG Fresh, and our Non-Consumables initiative, as well as an increase in our expected number of real estate projects for fiscal 2020,” Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said in a press release.
Increase reported
Dollar Tree, which owns Family Dollar, has reported net sales of $6.28 billion during the second quarter.
That was up 7.2% over the company’s $5.74 billion during the same period last year. It noted that gross profit increased by 16.2%.
“Our store and distribution center teams have done a remarkable job of serving customers through an incredibly dynamic time in retail,” Dollar Tree president and CEO Mike Witynski said in a press release. “The teams delivered strong same-store sales of 7.2%, a 180 basis point improvement in gross profit margin, and a 130 basis point increase in operating profit margin, despite incurring COVID-19 and civil unrest-related costs exceeding $150 million in the quarter.”
Wells County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development launched a new website — visitwellscounty.com — recently following a study by Ball State University, The News Banner (Bluffton) reported.
The chamber’s goal with the new site is to increase awareness of tourism opportunities such as events, places to eat and available lodging. Organizations hosting events will be able to upload information to the site.
“We are excited to offer a website for members of the community, as well as visitors, to have a central location to find information on events, activities and other things to do as they plan a trip through Wells County, Wells County Economic Development executive director Chad Kline said in a press release.
Clinic open
Adams Health Network has opened a free COVID-19 community testing clinic at the hospital’s Physicians’ Office Building, 815 High St., Decatur.
The effort is in partnership with Indiana Department of Health and Adams County Health Department.
The clinic will be open from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Results are expected to take two to three days.
Development planned
Bruns Construction Enterprises is planning a residential and entertainment district on West Bank Road in Celina, The Daily Standard reported.
The project is planned for West Bank Road and would involve housing, a community pool and playground, and an entertainment are with a stage and deck adjacent to the recently renovated Boardwalk grill. There is also room for retail space.
The Daily Standard reported that construction on the first phase of the project could begin as early as this fall.
Partners honored
Three companies that are customers of Ardagh Group were honored at the PACK Design Awards and the Wine Packaging Conference last month.
Ardagh, which operates glass manufacturing plants in Dunkirk and Winchester, makes bottles for Ken Wright Cellars, the second-place finisher in the best luxury package design category.
A customized gift set by A X R Napa Valley took first place for best assorted set design and The Debate finished second in the same division. Both companies glass bottles are manufacture by Ardagh in the U.S.
“We celebrate these brands for their commitment to innovation and recognize them for being leaders in wine packaging design,” said John T Shaddox, chief commercial officer for Ardagh’s North American Glass business unit, in a press release.
Scout adding
Scout Clean Energy this week announced plans to add solar and battery storage components to a proposed wind farm in Benton County, Washington.
Scout, which is in the final stages of constructing Bitter Ridge Wind Farm in southwestern Jay County, has been working on development of the Washington facility since 2016. The wind farm is expected to produce 850 megawatts of combined wind, solar and batter power.
“Scout has been monitoring power market interest for solar and storage technology along with wind, referred to as a hybrid facility,” said Scout project manager Dave Kobus in a press release. “Recent improvements in technology have created the economic conditions needed to support demand for co-locating a wind-solar-battery storage project in the Horse Heaven Hills.”
Lutheran honored
Lutheran Health Network’s Dupont Hospital this week received Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians.
The accreditation is based on best practices for geriatric care. Level 1 is the most comprehensive designation.
“This particular patient population requires a higher level of specialized care,” said Andrew Offerle, medical director of Dupont’s emergency department. “We understand that many of our older patients have complicated medical needs and we’ve set up our processes and physical location to help meet those unique needs.”
Bid revealed
NextEra Energy bid $11.05 billion to purchase JEA, a community-owned electric, water and sewer utility in Jacksonville, Florida, the Jax Daily Record reported this week.
NextEra, which owns and operates Bluff Point Wind Energy Center in southern Jay County and northern Randolph County, had filed suit to keep its bid private, asserting trade secrets. Judicial Circuit Judge Virginia Norton on Wednesday issued a ruling that the bid amount was a public record.
New design
Burger King has unveiled new restaurant designs with a focus on new ordering and pick-up options with plans to build the first of them in 2021 in Miami.
The sites will feature a double or triple drive-thru, a drive-in for on-site ordering, curbside delivery and pick-up lockers for advanced ordering through its mobile app. The footprint of the new designs is about 60% smaller than traditional Burger King restaurants.
“We took into consideration how consumer behaviors are changing and our guests will want to interact with our restaurants,” said Restaurant Brands International chief operating officer Josh Kobza. “The result is a new design concept that is attractive to guests and will allow our franchisees to maximize their return.”
President named
Walgreens Boots Alliance this week appointed John Standley as president of Walgreens.
Standley previously served as president, CEO and chairman of Rite Aid. He had also worked for Pathmark Stores and was chair of National Association of Chain Drug Stores.
“John’s leadership experience and strong understanding of our industry and the U.S. healthcare markets will allow him to hit the ground running, drive our transformation and fulfill our purpose to help people lead healthier and happier lives across America,” executive vice chairman and CEO Stefano Pessina said in a press release. “I’m confident John will build on and grow our momentum at Walgreens, and help us compete and win even more in the marketplace.”
Yum! investing
Yum! Brands has announced plans to invest $6 million in Louisville, where it is headquartered, to “tackle inequality and uplift Black students, educators, entrepreneurs and social change agents” over a five-year span, the Courier Journal reported.
The funds will be invested in a variety of programs, including the Academy of Music Production Education and Development, which provides help with technology skills and workforce development. Funding will also go to Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Simmons college of Kentucky, Evolve502 and Black L.O.V.E.
“At Yum!, we know our brands, frontline restaurant teams and communities are much stronger when we have diverse people, voices and ideas at the table to tackle our biggest challenges,” said CEO David Gibbs in a press release.
Participating
CVS Health reported this week that executive vice president and CEO Larry Merlo and executive vice president and chief financial officer Eva Boratto will be participating in a fireside chat with investors.
The event will be part of the Morgan Stanly Annual Global Healthcare Conference. The chat is scheduled for 8 p.m. Sept. 15.
Walgreens contributes
Walgreens last weekend announced that it was donating $10,000 to the American Red Cross to help residents of Iowa and Illinois recovering from a storm that battered the region.
Walgreens stores in both states also planned to accept donations, with 100 percent going to the Red Cross.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to everyone throughout communities that have been impacted by the storm. It is imperative that we do our part to help during such difficult times,” said Walgreens regional vice president of the Midwest region Lynn Stover in a press release.
Earnings announced
Dollar General on Thursday announced second-quarter revenue of $8.7 billion during the second quarter.
The earnings represent an increase of nearly 25% over the $7 billion in the second quarter of 2019. Shareholders will receive a quarterly cash dividend of 36 cents per share to be paid on or before Oct. 20.
“We continue to operate from a position of strength and are excited to announce the acceleration of several key strategic initiatives, including the rollout of DG Pickup, DG Fresh, and our Non-Consumables initiative, as well as an increase in our expected number of real estate projects for fiscal 2020,” Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said in a press release.
Increase reported
Dollar Tree, which owns Family Dollar, has reported net sales of $6.28 billion during the second quarter.
That was up 7.2% over the company’s $5.74 billion during the same period last year. It noted that gross profit increased by 16.2%.
“Our store and distribution center teams have done a remarkable job of serving customers through an incredibly dynamic time in retail,” Dollar Tree president and CEO Mike Witynski said in a press release. “The teams delivered strong same-store sales of 7.2%, a 180 basis point improvement in gross profit margin, and a 130 basis point increase in operating profit margin, despite incurring COVID-19 and civil unrest-related costs exceeding $150 million in the quarter.”
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD