THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGING IS ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR OUTSTANDING OLDER INDIVIDUALS TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE 2013 OHIO SENIOR CITIZENS HALL OF FAME. THE HALL OF FAME HONORS THE VITAL ROLE OUR ELDERS PLAY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, ACROSS THE STATE AND NATIONWIDE, WHILE PROMOTING THE BENEFITS OF ACTIVE, PRODUCTIVE AND PURPOSEFUL LIVING AT ALL POINTS IN OUR LIVES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION OR WANT TO NOMINATE A NEIGHBOR, COLLEAGUE, FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND, GO ON-LINE TO: WWW.AGING.OHIO.GOV . NOMINEES MUST BE AGE 60 OR OLDER AND BE NATIVE-BORN OHIOANS OR RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF OHIO FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS. THE NOMINEE OR A REPRESENTATIVE MUST CONSENT TO THE NOMINATION. THAT’S WWW.AGING.OHIO.GOV .
OCTOBER IS NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS MONTH AND ATTORNEY GENERAL MIKE DeWINE URGES OHIOANS TO BE PROACTIVE IN PROTECTING THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. HE SHARES, “AS OHIOANS CONTINUE THE USE OF CELL PHONES, TABLETS, AND THE INTERNET BOTH FOR BUSINESS AND TO KEEP CONNECTED WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE TO BE CAREFUL AND USE GOOD SAFETY PRACTICES IN CYBER SPACE.” CONCERNS CAN RANGE FROM THE POSSIBILITY OF IDENTIFY THEFT TO MALWARE OR VIRUS INFECTIONS AS WELL AS HAVING FINANCIAL INFORMATION HACKED OR FALLING VICTIM TO AN ON-LINE SCAM. WE WILL LOOK AT SOME OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S ADVICE ON FUTURE NEWSCASTS ON THESE CONCERNS, AS WELL AS TIPS FOR KEEPING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE ON-LINE! YOU CAN ALSO VISIT ON-LINE: WWW.OHIOATTORNEYGENERAL.GOV OR CALL 1/800-282-0515 FOR MORE INFORMATION.’’
NAVISTAR INTERNATIONAL HAS BEEN SUFFERING ONGOING PROBLEMS CAUSED BY FAILED ENGINE TECHNOLOGY AND INVESTOR FIGHTING ON WALL STREET. A REPORT IN THE NEWS SUN SAYS NAVISTAR’S FINANCIAL ISSUES RECENTLY RESULTED IN 800 BUYOUTS AND LAYOFFS AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL, PLUS THE CUTTING OF PRODUCT LINES. ALL OF THIS AFFECTS SUPPLY COMPANIES IN OUR LISTENING AREA. THE NEWS SUN HAS CONFIRMED EIGHT LOCAL COMPANIES WHICH ARE AFFECTED, INCLUDING KREIDER CORPOATION, AOT INC., KAFFENBARGER TRUCK EQUIPMENT, BENJAMIN STEEL COMPANY, SUPERIOR TRIM, BEECH MANUFACTURING AND OHIO DISTRIBUTION WAREHOUSE. NEW NAVISTAR CEO LEWIS CAMPBELL WILL LOOK TO CUTTING SPENDING, MINIMIZING CONTRACTORS AND REDUCING THE WORKFORCE…POSSIBLY EVEN CUTTING PRODUCTION PLANTS IN RESPONSE TO LOSSES OF $172 MILLION IN THE SECOND QUARTER AND $153 MILLION IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR. NAVISTAR SAW A NET GAIN INCOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF THIS YEAR OF $84 MILLION. THE LOCAL PLANT IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ACTUALLY GROWN THIS YEAR, HIRING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY A DECADE, AND TAKING ON PRODUCTION LINES FROM OTHER PLANTS.
THE GREATER SPRINGFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND WORK PLUS ONE-STOP CENTER HELD A JOB FAIR IN NEW CARLISLE THIS PAST FRIDAY THAT HAD 32 LOCAL EMPLOYERS LOOKING FOR WORKERS! A JOB FAIR IS A GREAT WAY TO MAXIMIZE AN EMPLOYER’S CHANCES OF FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB. MYRA STARR WHO WORKS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES FOR THE CHAMPION COMPANY SAID, “PEOPLE COME TO JOB FAIRS BECAUSE THERE’S MULTIPLE EMPLOYERS, AND THEY CAN ADVERTISE ALL THEIR SKILLS.” WITH THE DIVERSITY OF THOSE ATTENDING AND THEIR SKILLS, HOPEFULLY MANY WERE ABLE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYERS FOUND THE RIGHT CANDIDATES!
THERE IS GOOD NEWS IN THE AREA AS GERMAN-BASED MEVA FORMWORK SYSTEMS WHICH MANUFACTURES, RENTS AND SELLS FORMWORK PRODUCTS IN THE CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, ANNOUNCED A $2.5 MILLION EXPANSION AT ITS NORTH AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS AT AIRPARK OHIO. THE EXPANSION SHOULD BRING 15 NEW JOBS OVER THREE YEARS.
A BELLEFONTAINE MAN WAS INJURED VERY SERIOUSLY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. OFFICER DOUG WALTERS SAID 31 YEAR OLD TYSON J. WALTHER WAS DRIVING ERRATICALLY AND HIT A PARKED PICK-UP TRUCK. WALTHER WAS TRAPPED AND UNCONSCIOUS AND TAKEN TO MARY RUTAN HOSPITAL IN BELLEFONTAINE THEN TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL BY MEDICAL HELICOPTER. OFFICER WALTERS SAID WALTHER’S 1955 CHEVY THAT HE WAS RESTORING, BECAME LODGED UNDERNEATH A 2006 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CHEVY WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND THE TRUCK SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE. WALTHER WILL BE CHARGED WITH FAILURE TO CONTROL AND OTHER CHARGES COULD BE FILED AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.
AN EASTBOUND CAR ON JOHNNY LYTLE AVENUE RAN A STOP SIGN AT SOUTH CENTER STREET RESULTING IN A TWO-CAR ACCIDENT, INJURING FIVE PEOPLE, THREE SERIOUSLY. ALL PATIENTS WERE TAKEN TO SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER AFTER THAT ACCIDENT SATURDAY MORNING.
A COLLEGE FAIR AT THE FAIR WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH FROM 7-8:30PM AT THE CLARK COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IN THE ARTS & CRAFTS BUILDING. ADMISSIONS REPRESENTATIVES FROM OVER 50 COLLEGES FROM SEVERAL STATES WILL BE PRESENT TO TALK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS. THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL FINANCIAL AID PRESENTATION AT 7:30. ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THIS FREE EVENT. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
LOCAL MANUFACTURERS SAY THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND SKILLED EMPLOYEES TO FILL OPEN POSITIONS THAT PAY WELL. MORE THAN A DOZEN CHAMPAIGN COUNTY BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE JOINED FORCES TO BREAK A LONG-HELD BUT OFTEN INCORRECT PERCEPTION AMONG YOUNG WORKERS THAT MANUFACTURING JOBS OFFER LOW PAY IN A TOUGH ENVIRONMENT. JON HELMAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF ROSEWOOD MACHINE AND TOOL SAID, “WE NEED TO BRING YOUNG PEOPLE IN IN ORDER TO GROW AND SURVIVE.” LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO EXPOSE MORE WORKERS TO THE FIELD. CHAMPAIGN COUNTY WILL HOST A MANUFACTURING EXPO, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH AT URBANA UNIVERSITY TO SHOW THE KINDS OF PRODUCTS BEING CREATED AND THE KINDS OF JOBS AVAILABLE. THE EXPO WILL BE HELD IN THE STUDENT CENTER FROM NOON-7PM.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS CALLING FOR MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES TO START OUT TONIGHT, THEN IT WILL GRADUALLY CLEAR. LOWS WILL DROP TO A COLD 38 DEGREES. LOOK FOR SUNSHINE FOR BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, WITH HIGHS ON TUESDAY AT 61, GOING UP TO 70 DEGREES ON WEDNESDAY. WE HAVE A 30-50 PERCENT CHANCE FOR RAIN THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
