Bloomfield News Blog

Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Greene County Daily World

The annual task of trimming the county budget got underway Tuesday morning and by day’s end $509,000 had been sliced from the General Fund for 2011.

For a first day of budget reviews, the council made good progress toward the goal of cutting at least $650,000 from the total submitted by the various officeholders and department heads that are within the tax levy.

The hearings will continue Wednesday and Thursday and final approval of the budget is slated for Sept. 27.

The total estimated maximum levy is $5,401,002 with the total budget projection at $16.3 million.

The requested General Fund budget within the tax levy amount to $8,137,000 from all the offices and the council has a goal of cutting that amount to between $7.3 million to $7.5 million. …<more>

Friday, September 3, 2010
Greene County Daily World

Crane pumps $1 billion into the economy each year and Indiana businesses are getting approximately 5% of that business.

In an effort to support local businesses and Crane a workshop on Federal Contracting is being offered.

Mary Kaczka of Partners in Contracting held an informational meeting this past week with follow-up workshops scheduled for Sept. 23 from 6-9 p.m. and Oct. 2 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The workshops are designed for two audiences:

* Session I: Sept. 23 — 6-9 p.m., computer lab at White River Valley High School.

This workshop will provide hands-on instruction and take people through the process of registering on line in the CCR database. At the end of this session participants will be registered in CCR and have a CAGIT code, both required registrations before continuing on to session two.

Cost for the session is $100. …<more>

Friday, September 3, 2010
Greene County Daily World

Are you a local artist, writer, photographer or other craftsperson with a product that is made in Greene County?

If so, then you may want to mark your calendar for Sept. 30.

Dave Benefiel, Greene County Tourism Advisory Board chairperson, provided details on the initial “Made in Greene County” meeting which is aimed at getting anyone with a “Made in Greene County” product in the same room.

“Basically the Greene County Tourism Advisory Board has been meeting for a couple of years or so … and obviously what’s being made in Greene County is of interest to tourism,” he explained.

Another purpose of the meeting is to gather contact information from the people who have a “Made in Greene County” product. …<more>

Friday, September 3, 2010
Greene County Daily World

A former Greene County Ambulance Service employee filed a civil suit Tuesday against the agency, the director, and the Greene County Emergency Medical Service Board.

Mary Michael of Bloomfield, who worked in the county ambulance service office full and part-time from 1993 until April 1 when she was terminated, filed the suit in Greene Superior Court.

Michael, who is represented by the Indianapolis law firm of Haskin & LaRue, LLP, asked the court for a jury trial in the four-count suit.

Named as defendants were Greene County Ambulance Service, (director) David Doane in his individual capacity, and the Greene County Emergency Medical Service Board.

Serving on the five-member G.C. Emergency Medical Service Board are: county commissioner Steve Lindsey, county commissioner Bart Beard, sheriff Terry Pierce, county councilman Brent Murray, and Bob O’Neall.

Doane has served as the EMS director since October 2007. …<more>

Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Greene County Daily World

CRANE — Naval Support Activity (NSA) Crane helped fight this season’s blood bank shortages by hosting the largest blood drive in Indiana so far this summer on July 28-29.

Employees donated more than 275 units of blood during the two-day blood drive, surpassing the command’s goal by nearly 50 units.

In a note to Capt. LaSota, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Skillman congratulated NSA Crane on this record-breaking accomplishment.

“Crane is always heads above the rest in reaching the community through impressive measures, and I am always proud of the accomplishments that Crane makes,” Lt. Gov. Skillman stated.

Giving blood during summer months can be especially critical to keep resources out of short supply. …<more>

Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Greene County Daily World

Two-year-old Westin LeDune watches Peabody Coal Company’s dragline move earlier this week near the former Storybook Village near Dugger. His daddy is an underground coal miner in Petersburg. He is the son of Dusty and Merry LeDune of Linton. Westin’s grandparents and great grandparents used to own …<more>

Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Greene County Daily World

The case where an off-duty police officer was out mushroom hunting last spring, and instead of finding mushrooms found three men suspected of being in the woods to do some “cooking” in a clandestine methamphetamine lab, is coming to a close.

Stephen C. Wood, 35, one of the suspects, was sentenced this week to 18 years in prison.

Michael A. O’Banion, 24, another suspect, was sentenced last week to 10 years with six years suspended.

The third suspect, David I. Johnson, 30, was scheduled to be sentenced this week but that hearing has been continued until October 13.

All three were originally charged with two counts each, all class B felonies — attempted dealing in methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit dealing in methamphetamine.

Both O’Banion and Johnson entered guilty pleas to the count of attempted dealing in methamphetamine and under the terms of their two separate negotiated plea agreements, the second counts of conspiracy to commit dealing in methamphetamine were dismissed. …<more>

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Greene County Daily World

The Greene County Council had a real clear message Monday afternoon for county clerk Jackie Winstead: Shop local.

The council directed Winstead to “shop around” inside Greene County and provide them with some additional quotes at the next regular meeting for office furniture she wants to buy for her courthouse office.

Winstead presented the council with a $8,166.40 quote and catalog photos of the furniture she wants to purchase from Bedford Office Supply.

The quote is for eight desks and one table, and she would be reimbursed 66 percent of the cost from the state, if the purchase is made by Sept. 30.

Bedford Office Supply is a regular vendor to many county offices and provides delivery service several times a week.

Winstead said she wants to purchase cherry furniture to match the office’s woodwork.

She explained that Bedford Office had given her a significant price break on the quoted items. …<more>

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Greene County Daily World

CARLISLE — American Pellet Supply, LLC launched its green renewable-based Lil Stoker fuel pellet product this month, expecting to capture a major share of the rapidly growing U.S. fuel pellet industry, according to Michael Myers, president.

Extremely popular in Europe where up to 50 percent of homes are heated with fuel pellets, fuel pellet use has more than doubled in the United States in the past few years. According to energy experts, the U.S. fuel pellet industry is expected to become a billion-dollar energy sector by the end of the decade for heating residences and businesses.

Major home centers like Lowes and Home Depot have already sold millions of pellet heating appliances, and American Pellet Supply intends to provide the fuel for those appliances, Myers affirmed.

American Pellet Supply’s renewable-based product, which is marketed under the brand name PELL-GEN has the advantages of higher BTU output, lower emissions and other benefits. …<more>

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Greene County Daily World

A Greene County bank is giving money back to the community through an employee payroll deduction plan that is boasted by a corporate match donation.

More than $2,000 was recently awarded to area community organizations through a payroll deduction program initiated at MainSource Bank in cooperation with the Greene County Community Foundation.

MainSource employees agreed to have a specified amount deducted from each of their payroll checks for the last year and MainSource corporate offices matched the donation.

“Employees designated their contribution to the local not for profit of their choice and the foundation mailed checks to those organizations last week,” Greene County Foundation Director Cam Trampke said in a prepared news release….<more>