Merchant trick-or-treat is Thursday

Jay County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Merchant Trick-or-Treat has changed locations.

Because of the ongoing construction on Meridian Street (U.S. 27), the event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the parking lot east of Freedom Park. The following chamber members will still hand out candy at their own locations: Youth Service Bureau, CrownPointe, Flatline Ink, Elite Eye Care, Jay County Public Library, CrossRoads Financial Federal Credit Union, Bob & Son’s Insurance Agency, Persimmon Ridge Rehabilitation Center, Portland Eagles, Trinity Archbridge Church, Family Dollar and First Presbyterian Church.

The chamber is also accepting entries for the 2024 Winterfest Parade of Lights scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. Registration forms, which are available at the chamber office, 118 S. Meridian St., Portland, must be turned in by Monday, Nov. 18.

Local businesses and organizations are also invited to participate in the Winterfest Festival of Trees. Those participating can bring trees to the courthouse between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. beginning Monday. Entry forms, available at the chamber office, are due by Friday, Nov. 14, and trees must be decorated by Wednesday, Nov. 20.

Hosting session

Mercer Health and Coldwater Public Library are partnering to hold an education event on MyChart at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4, at the library, 305 W. Main St.

MyChart is an online service that allows patients to access and manage their health information. Attendees will learn about how to use the services.

Via MyChart, patients can message providers, schedule appointments, review test results, look at visit summaries and appointment notes, schedule medication refills, get preventative care reminders, and review and pay bills.

For more information, contact Mercer Health by email at [email protected] or call (419) 678-5247.

Screenings offered

Bluffton Regional Medical Center will extend its imaging hours Nov. 9 for National Lung Cancer Screening Day.

The facility that is part of Lutheran Health network will offer lung cancer screenings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9. To schedule an appointment, call (833) 546-4968.

“National Lung Cancer Screening Day is a great opportunity to raise screening awareness and encourage eligible individuals to get screened,” said Dr. Harish Ardeshna, Bluffton Medical Center’s chief of staff, in a press release. “Many people must work during the week, which makes it difficult for them to get screened. That’s why National Lung Cancer Screening Day is on a Saturday — to make it easier for people to take more control of their health by getting screened when it’s convenient. Get screened so we can help reduce disparities, promote equity, and save more lives.”

Added to team

Rural 1st has added Ashlee Smith as a loan officer based in Bluffton.

Smith, a Decatur native, has worked for 11 years at a credit union. She will join Rural 1st, the consumer lending division of Farm Credit Mid-America.

“Ashlee’s experience in the financial industry, combined with her commitment to serving Rural communities, makes her a valuable asset to the Rural 1st team,” said Tom Sloma, regional vice president for Rural 1st in a press release. “Her passion for helping customers achieve their dreams, whether it’s building their family home or securing a piece of land, reflects our dedication to supporting rural lifestyles.”

Smith will serve Jay, Adams, Wells and Allen counties.

Name changed

Bowen Center has changed its name to Bowen Health.

The organization focuses on helping the underserved with healthcare in northern Indiana.

“We changed our name to Bowen Health because we wanted our name to reflect all the services we provide,” said Shannon Hannon, Bowen Health’s chief operating officer, in a press release. “We offer convenient, high quality, compassionate healthcare for your mind and body. When you and your family need healthcare, we invite you to make an appointment and get the care you need.”

Bowen Health has locations and programs in more than two dozen counties and also offers online services.

Ardagh implements

Ardagh Glass Packaging – Europe has implemented an automated fire detection system it developed with Fire Camera.

The IS Protect Plus System has been put into use at Ardagh’s facility in Knottingley, England. It uses multiple cameras to detect fire and other incidents by monitoring all areas of the facility.

“This system is the first system of its kind to use both thermal image and HD camera vision to detect a precise trigger and act accordingly,” said Knottingley plant manager Robert Fisher. “It can automatically divert the glass to the basement, activate IS machine safe mode and automatically initiate the fire suppression system depending on the severity level of the trigger. This is the biggest advance in Health & Safety risk reduction I have witnessed in my 20 years working in the industry. I have no doubt that it will contribute greatly to keeping people safe and protecting our assets for years to come.”

Ardagh operates glass manufacturing facilities in Dunkirk and Winchester.

Hospital honored

Healthgrades recently awarded Reid Health as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Pulmonary Care.

Reid received the honor for the second year in a row. It also was recognized with Excellence Awards for stroke care and critical care, and ranked second in Indiana for critical care and pulmonary care.

The hospital was rated five stars for treatment of heart failure, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, gastrointestinal bleeding and sepsis.

“Each of these awards is a reflection of our commitment to delivering exceptional care year after year to those we serve,” said Reid Health president and CEO Craig Kinyon in a press release. “These achievements are the result of many hours of hard work and dedication from each member of the Reid team to fulfill our mission to lead our communities to well-being, one person at a time.”

For additional details, visit healthgrades.com.

Awards scheduled

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce annual awards dinner is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13.

The dinner will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. NBC chief political analyst Chuck Todd will be the guest speaker.

To register, visit indianachamber.com.

Also, the chamber’s 2025 Indiana Safety and Health Conference has been scheduled for Feb. 24 through 26 at the Indiana Convention Center. The event will feature the Indiana forklift rodeo, various speakers, educational breakout sessions and an innovation showcase featuring safety tools and products. Continuing education credits will be available for wastewater operators.

To reserve a spot, visit insafetyconf.com/registration.

Cookie introduced

Subway restaurants will begin offering its Double Chocolate Peppermint Footlong Cookie on Friday.

The cookie, which is topped with candy cane pieces, is being rolled out for the holiday season.

“Since their debut earlier this year, millions of Footlong Cookies have delighted our fans — now we can’t wait for them to experience how we’ve reimagined another classic cookie flavor into even more footlong indulgence,” said Paul Fabre, senior vice president of culinary and innovation at Subway, in a press release. “The holiday season is synonymous with cookies, making it the perfect time to introduce this new warm, flavor-packed footlong cookie to our snack menu.”

Drug approved

Eli Lilly has received approval to sell weight loss drug Mounjaro in Hong Kong.

The Indianapolis pharmaceuticals firm received approval from the Hong Kong government to sell Mounjaro, Reuters reported. It had received approval from Chinese regulators in July.

••••••••••

Does your business have news to share? Email us at [email protected] to be included in our weekly business roundup.