TRULAND donates to FR FFA

TRULAND Equipment made a donation last week to Fort Recovery FFA.

The $100 donation was in celebration of National FFA Week. Fort Recovery was one of 18 chapters in Ohio and Indiana to receive a contribution.

“Everything FFA stands for and values, aligns with our company’s beliefs as well,” said Jameson Ringger, CEO of TRULAND Equipment, in a press release. “The importance of hard work, servant leadership, and strengthening the communities in which we live are also at the core of what we do. We are happy to help support the future of our workforce in any way we can.”

Fair scheduled

Jay County Chamber of Commerce announced that the 2024 Jay County Career Fair is scheduled for Sept. 12 at Jay County Junior-Senior High School.

Additional information about the event will be provided in the coming months. Businesses that would like to be placed on the list to participate should call the Jay County Purdue Extension office at (260) 726-4707.

Donating to project

Celina Insurance Group recently pledged $100,000 toward Mercer County Fairgrounds’ Grant Event Center project while Monfort Vorhees Family McDonald’s is matching donations this month.

The event center is planned to have more than 100,000 square feet to host a wide range of events including livestock shows, tractor pulls and concerts. More than $4 million has been raised locally toward the project.

“The Grand Event Center will be an asset to our community for years to come, and we’re proud to be a part of it,”said Celina Insurance Group president and CEO Bill Montgomery in a press release.  

Monfort/Vorhees Family McDonald’s will match donations up to $2,500 during March.

Donations can be made at mcgrandeventcenter.com, by phone at (419) 585-3239, or in person at Mercer County Fairgrounds, 1001 W. Market Street, Celina. 

Awarded for meat

Winner’s Meats of Greenville and Osgood in Darke County, Ohio, earned 10 awards recently at the Ohio Association of Meat Processors Convention in Columbus.

Its three grand champion awards were for its blue ribbon bologna, slab bacon skin off and BBQ ribs. It also received reserve champion awards for its jalapeno summer sausage, wieners, pork shoulder BBQ, slab bacon skin on and flank steak roll up.

Winner’s added a pair of first-place awards for its homemade beef brisket BBQ and beef smokey sticks.

The company is showcasing some of its award winners in a “Best of Ohio Bundle” this week that can be ordered at winnersmeats.com or by visiting any of its locations.

Work beginning

Indiana Michigan Power is starting work this week to rebuild an underground power line along Tillotson Avenue in Muncie.

The company will rebuild 1 mile of the power line, beginning between University Avenue and York Prairie Creek. Work is planned from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Those traveling in the area should expect lane closures and detours.

For the latest project updates, please visit IndianaMichigan Power.com/TillotsonAvenue.

Also recently, Indiana Michigan Power named TMI Compressed Air Systems, ARI Energy Consultants, Ringo Marketing, NexRev and Midstates Energy Solutions as its 2023 Indiana Trade Allies of the Year.

New members named

Ball Brothers Foundation last week announced the appointment of Laura Hill and Dennis Trammel Jr. to its board of directors.

They will fill seats being vacated by longtime board members Terri Matchett and Terry Walker.

Hill most recently served as chief investment officer at Advocate Health. Trammel has served on the boards of Muncie Sports Commission and Cardinal Varsity Club.

"We are excited to welcome Laura and Dennis to the foundation’s board," said Jud Fisher, president and CEO of Ball Brothers Foundation, in a press release. "Their diverse backgrounds, deep ties to the community, and commitment to our mission make them invaluable additions to our team. As we look ahead to our centennial year, their leadership will be instrumental in guiding BBF into its next century of impact."

Star shuttering

Gannett will shut down its Indianapolis printing operation next month.

The parent company of the Indianapolis Star announced that its Pulliam Production Center at 8278 N. Georgetown Road will close after the first week of April. The site has been home of the Star’s printing since 1995.

The closure is expected to impact about 90 employees. (Gannett had laid off more than 50 employees from the plant in early 2023.)

The Indianapolis Star will shift to Gannett’s press in Peoria, Illinois, beginning with the April 9 edition.

Nominations open

Indiana Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for its 2024 Ogletree Deakins Human Resources Professional of the Year Award.

The award goes to full-time human resources employees in Indiana who “have made significant contributions to their organization over the past year through implementation of best practices, organization design and effectiveness, and alignment and accomplishment of the strategic direction of their company.”

The award will be presented during the Indiana HR Conference April 30 through May 2 and the Indiana Convention Center.

“Managing human resources is one of the most vital functions of any business or organization,” says chamber president and CEO Vanessa Green Sinders in a press release. “It can also be an extremely complicated task, and the job has only gotten more challenging since the pandemic with hybrid work schedules, labor shortages and changing employee needs, and government regulations.”

To nominate, visit indianachamber.com/hrpro. The deadline is March 8.

DG hits milestone

Dollar General last week celebrated the opening of a new site in Alice, Texas, with the store bringing its total to 20,000 locations.

As part of the grand opening celebration, the company awarded $20,000 – $10,000 each to Alicia Salinas Public Library and Boys & Girls Club of Alice – to support educational and tutoring programs. It also provided new books to Saenz Elementary School in Alice.

“Today marks an incredible milestone in Dollar General’s history,” said Steve Deckard, Dollar General’s executive vice president of store operations and development, in a press release. “We believe each store provides a positive impact in our hometowns through convenient access to affordable essentials, career growth opportunities for employees, and the ability for local nonprofits, schools and libraries to advance through Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants.”

Resolution reached

Dollar Tree announced last week that it has agreed to a plea in connection with the Consumer Protection Branch of the U.S. Department Of Justice’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas regarding an investigation into operations at a Family Dollar distribution center in West Memphis, Arkansas. 

Family Dollar, which is owned by Dollar Tree, had been subpoenaed for information, documents and records regarding contamination at the distribution center. 

The plea agreement is to one misdemeanor for a violation that led to products becoming compromised. Family Dollar agreed to pay $200,000 in fines and a forfeiture judgment of $414.5 million. (The amount is related to the value of the products that were contaminated.)

“We are continuing to move forward on our business transformation, safety procedures and compliance initiatives,” said Dollar Tree chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling in a press release.