The public is invited to showcase their artistic talents! All skill levels are welcome to contribute to a community mural at the Dublin Skating Rink. The community mural is a part of the 2024 Wayne County Murals Program and is designed by Indianapolis-based artist, Joy Hernandez.
Other activities will include opportunities for sidewalk drawings, coloring pages for kids, and a firetruck sprinkler party by the Dublin Fire Department. Snow-cones will be available. All events are free. The community mural painting event is part of the 2024 Wayne County Murals Program Competition being held this summer. Eleven artists were selected from as far away as Germany and Canada to design and install murals throughout Wayne County to win cash prizes. Wayne County is currently home to over 90 towering pieces of art and with the addition of the new eleven murals, will help contribute to Wayne County’s already awe-inspiring cultural attractions. The event takes place Saturday & Sunday, July 20 and 21, 2024 at the Dublin Skating Rink, 1764 S. Foundry Rd., Dublin, Indiana, from 11:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. each day. To join in the activities, please RSVP with your name, phone number and ages of persons in your party to [email protected]. Participants will be required to sign a release of liability form. For more information, call Pamela Bliss, Wayne County Murals Program Manager, at (317) 696-7349. The Wayne County Mural Festival is funded thru the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP), Wayne County Foundation, and Wayne County Convention and Tourism Bureau.
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Richmond Neighborhood Restoration is thrilled to announce the sale of 720 and 724 East Main Street to the City of Richmond’s PLACE Program on July 11, 2024. RNR purchased the property from Jeanne Rush in 2021 for renovation efforts to take place on the second and third floors. In partnership with the City of Richmond, the Redevelopment Commission, the Economic Growth Group and RNR, the renovation costs included a complete demolition of the upper floors, new HVAC, plumbing, and designs that match a modern look for a historic building. The renovation created three 1 bedroom apartments, one 2 bedroom apartment, and a large office space. The PLACE (Placemaking Loans Accelerating Community Entrepreneurs) program is operated by the City of Richmond's Community and Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund Board. The purpose of the program is to provide entrepreneurs with opportunities to accelerate their businesses. The program allows entrepreneurs to apply for a downtown building with subsidized lease payments during the first 5 years. Roxie Deer, Executive Director of RNR says, “Secret Ingredient is an incredible accomplishment for our downtown district. It is the first of many projects that will bring life and movement back to the heart of our community. We are thrilled to show this renovation off to our community and cannot wait to announce our next property downtown.” Dave Stidham from the Economic Growth Group says, “It’s a great improvement to Main Street and will hopefully encourage others to make investments in the district.” Richmond Neighborhood Restoration is a local 501(c)3 that revitalizes Richmond’s historic neighborhoods through community building, citizen participation, and preserving our local legacy. To date, RNR has completed five residential properties and Secret Ingredient is the first commercial building they have completed. RNR is currently working on a residential property on North 12th Street with plans to continue working in downtown Richmond, utilizing funds from the Revitalize Richmond grant from Earlham College. To learn more about the PLACE program please contact Beth Fields at the City of Richmond. To learn more about Richmond Neighborhood Restoration visit RNRinc.org. When the time comes to expand, consider these questions to make sure your strategy is solid.
By: Emily Heaslip , Contributor Expanding your business is an exciting prospect, but it requires careful consideration and planning to achieve the next level. Factors like timing, location, cash flow, and staffing all determine whether your expansion plan is successful. As you think through your strategy, consider these key elements that will impact your small business growth. Is there enough demand?One of the most significant risks in planning a small business expansion is the level of demand for your product or service. You may be ready to open a new location or launch an e-commerce site, but are your customers also prepared? "When you have regular customers that keep returning and a steady stream of new customers, you have proof that your product or service is driving ongoing demand," wrote Pay.com. "Once you know your demand is consistent, you can feel comfortable knowing that your customers will support your expansion." You may find that you can't keep up with demand — an even more positive sign that your business is ready for expansion. If you're struggling to keep products in stock, find your establishment gets too crowded, or often feel short-staffed, those are good signs your business is stretched and ready to grow. What does expansion look like for your business?Expansion doesn't necessarily mean opening a new storefront. Expansion can take many forms, so consider the various options available to your business to find the best fit. For instance, you could:
Do your finances support expansion?Expanding can be expensive. Prepare a detailed budget covering all expansion costs, including marketing, staffing, and new equipment. Cash flow is also important: Your existing cash flow may not give you enough to cover all your costs, but it should help provide a financial safety net for investment and growth. Consider your funding options, such as loans, savings, or investors to cover expansion costs. How will you stay true to your brand?As your business grows, it can become harder to maintain a consistent brand for your customers and your staff. Think about how you will keep the look and feel of your new location or website aligned with your existing branding. How will the customer experience feel familiar while simultaneously adapting to local preferences? The same consideration should be paid to your employees, too. How will you translate the work culture you've created in a new setting? "Working in expanded geographic locations can be daunting, as the management of teams becomes more challenging due to differences in time zones, cultural norms, and language barriers," wrote Upwork. Marketing experts can help you figure out how to translate your brand to a new sales channel. Consider creating training and formal orientation programs to help enforce your company culture to new staff members. Do you have the right team in place?Speaking of staff members, when it comes time to expand, you can't do it alone. Small business owners wear many hats, but it's impossible to do everything, especially with a new sales channel in the mix. Surround yourself with a team that you feel confident delegating to. This team may include business mentors, managers, temporary staff or fractional hires, or existing team members who have years of experience working with your business. Consider who will helm the ship at your existing business to keep everything running smoothly while your attention is elsewhere. CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation. Manage customer relationships, keep organized, and stay on top of finances with these apps for small business owners.
By: Jamie Johnson , Contributor Staying organized and productive can be challenging for remote entrepreneurs. Fortunately, the right apps make this much easier. Here are the seven best apps for on-the-go entrepreneurs. WhatsApp Business WhatsApp Business is an excellent option for entrepreneurs who need to communicate with customers — anywhere they may be located. You can create a virtual storefront with information about your business, like your website and business hours, and schedule custom messages to welcome new customers to your business. You can also schedule away messages when you know you'll be unavailable and quick responses to frequently asked questions and promote your WhatsApp Business channel on Facebook and Instagram. Square Square makes it easy to accept customer payments from anywhere. It's one of the best point-of-sales options for business owners in the service, beauty, retail, and restaurant industries. There are no long-term contracts or chargeback fees, and Square’s free plan is one of the best on the market. Square offers all the essential hardware small businesses need to accept customer payments. If you only need a way to accept payments on the go, you can purchase a contactless and chip reader. But you can also choose from a register, terminal, and stand. Notion Notion began as a note-taking app, but it can help you do so much more than that. It's a tool you can use to manage ongoing business projects and stay organized. The software is highly customizable and a great way to consolidate multiple tools into one platform. You can use Notion to collaborate with your team in real time and store everything related to your project in one central location. You can assign owners to different tasks and track any changes your employees make. Notion integrates with popular apps like Slack and Asana. Pocket Pocket is a social bookmarking app for saving articles and videos you find throughout the day. If you find an interesting article you want to refer back to later, you can save it in Pocket and read it when you have more time. That way, you're not getting derailed during your workday, but you don't forget useful content you find. Audible Making time for ongoing learning and personal development is essential, but it can be hard for most entrepreneurs to find the time. Audible gives you access to thousands of audiobooks and podcasts you can listen to when you're driving or between tasks. You can try Audible for free for 30 days, and Amazon Prime members receive two free audiobooks with the trial membership. After that, it costs $14.95 a month, and you receive one free audiobook per month. Todoist Todoist is a to-do list app and productivity tool for staying on top of ongoing business tasks. You can write down to-do list items as they come to you and schedule them to be completed at a later date. You can also schedule recurring due dates so you never forget an important task. The Todoist app is available for desktop, Android, and iOS devices, or you can install it as a browser extension. The software is user-friendly, and beginners will have no problem getting started. Expensify If you regularly travel for your business, you need a simple way to capture and organize your business expenses. Expensify helps you do just that. Once you download the app, you can take a photo of your receipts on your smartphone. The app automatically pulls out relevant information to track and categorizes everything for you. Your employees can also use Expensify, and you can set up an approval workflow so employees know what they'll be reimbursed for. Expensify integrates with the most popular accounting software so you can sync all your expenses with your accounting system. CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation. As the July 1 effective date approaches, HR should determine which employees will be affected, attorneys say. By Kate Tornone, Lead Editor - HR Dive With just a few weeks left until the U.S. Department of Labor’s updated overtime rule takes effect, employers may want to have a plan in place. The rule recently saw its first lawsuit, but HR professionals shouldn’t bank on its success or the success of other possible challenges, experts say; noncompliance could result in significant liability, attorneys previously wrote for HR Dive. Below are three articles detailing DOL’s changes and suggested steps employers can take to prepare for the July 1 effective date. DOL will raise overtime salary threshold to $44K in July, $59K next year The final rule expands overtime pay eligibility to millions of U.S. workers, the department said. Read the full article ➔ DOL’s ‘unprecedented,’ two-pronged overtime rule adds new HR wrinkles Employers must decide whether to incrementally comply with the rule’s salary threshold updates or move straight to compliance with the higher 2025 threshold, attorneys told HR Dive. Read the full article ➔ A new overtime threshold takes effect in mere weeks. HR should assess its impact now. Expecting DOL’s rule to be blocked by July 1 and taking no action could result in millions in liability exposure for even a few misclassified employees, Farella Braun + Martel attorneys write. Read the full article ➔ By: Danielle Fallon-O'Leary , Contributor
Under the Corporate Transparency Act, U.S. small businesses must file beneficial ownership information reports with the Department of the Treasury. The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), aimed at combating illicit financial activity, went into effect on January 1, 2024. Under the act, small businesses across the United States need to file beneficial ownership information reports, also known as corporate transparency reports. Here’s everything small business owners need to know about filing a corporate transparency report. [Read More: What Every Small Business Needs to Know About the Corporate Transparency Act] What to know about beneficial ownership information reportingThe CTA was developed to increase transparency in business ownership and curtail the use of anonymous shell corporations for tax fraud, money laundering, and other illegal financial activity. Under this act, all businesses that fall under the definition of a reporting company must file a beneficial ownership information report (BOIR) with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). A reporting company is any privately held company, whether domestic or foreign, registered to conduct business in the U.S. Publicly traded companies do not fall under the CTA, as they are subject to their own reporting requirements. A beneficial owner is any individual who owns or controls at least 25% of an organization, or directly or indirectly exercises substantial control in any of the following roles:
Reporting requirements for small businessesEligible small businesses will need to report the following information about their companies:
How to file your corporate transparency reportAs of January 1, 2024, FinCEN has begun accepting beneficial ownership information reports. Here are four steps you can take to prepare your corporate transparency report. 1. Determine whether your business is required to file.Under the CTA, LLCs and corporations must file beneficial ownership information reports unless they qualify for an exemption. The following entities are exempt from reporting:
2. If your business qualifies, learn who the beneficial owners are.List out any individuals who own or control 25% of your company, or otherwise exercise substantial control as defined above. If you are unsure if an individual meets the requirements of a beneficial owner, consult with a legal professional. Once you have identified any beneficial owners, contact each to inform them that the CTA requires your business to report their personal information to FinCEN. Beneficial owners can choose to apply for a FinCEN Identifier and provide information to FinCEN directly. Otherwise, they can send the necessary information directly to you (the company) to be included in your business’s beneficial ownership information report. 3. Create a procedure.Whether your beneficial owners are submitting their information via FinCEN or to your company, establish a process to keep all personal information organized, secure, and current. In addition to your initial report, you will need to file updated reports should there be a change in personal information or beneficial ownership. [Read More: How to Choose the Best Business Entity for Your Small Business] 4. File your report online.All companies required to submit beneficial ownership information reports must file online via FinCEN. You can file one of two ways:
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation. CO—is committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here. Richmond, Ind. - Wayne County ATHENA Leadership Awards will accept nominations beginning today (April 29) for its ATHENA Leadership Award, ATHENA Young Professional Award, and the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award.
Nominations will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 7. Nomination forms are available at waynecoathena.com. All ATHENA award recipients will be announced before the dinner. The awards will be presented at the annual dinner at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 8, at Forest Hills Country Club, located at 2169 South 23rd St. in Richmond, Indiana. The ATHENA Leadership Award® will be presented to an exemplary leader who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, served the community in a meaningful way and, most importantly, actively assisted women to achieve their full leadership potential. Previous award recipients include Mary Jo Clark, Jackie Carberry, Kim Poinsett, Angie Dickman, Janis Buhl-Macy, Melissa Vance, Tracie Robinson, and Kathy Girten. The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award celebrates emerging leaders. ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Nominees are 18-35 years of age. Nominees demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession. They provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community and clearly serve as role models for young women both personally and professionally. Previous award recipients include Jessie Pilewski, Ashley Sieb, Roxie Deer, and Tai Muldoon. The ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award recognizes businesses and organizations that ignite, amplify, and celebrate leaders that are women. ATHENA organizational nominees are businesses or organizations, in the profit or non-profit sectors – who create an organizational culture that encourages women employees to achieve their full leadership potential or gives back to the larger community of women and girls by providing and/ or supporting leadership development opportunities and initiatives. Previous award recipients include Girl Scouts – Wayne and Union County Service Unit and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wayne County. ATHENA International is a catalyst for developing diverse, transformative leaders worldwide through experiential programs that ignite, amplify, and celebrate girls, women, and allies —from young scholars to seasoned professionals. At the heart of everything we do are the Eight Principles of Enlightened Leadership™ (ATHENA Leadership Model®): Live Authentically, Learn Constantly, Build Relationships, Foster Collaboration, Act Courageously, Advocate Fiercely, Give Back and Celebrate. ATHENA is driven to bring empathy based, compassionate, and inclusive leadership culture to the workplace, educational institutions, and individuals. For over four decades, ATHENA International has recognized exceptional women and pioneering leaders with ATHENA Leadership Awards on global, national, and community levels. Their impact extends to nearly 8,000 award recipients who stand as change-makers and trailblazers, opening doors of leadership opportunities for girls and women in communities worldwide. The program is facilitated locally by Wayne Bank and Indiana University East, licensed ATHENA host organizations. Nominations are sought throughout the community and recipients are selected by a diverse group of community leaders based on the criteria above. ATHENA Leadership Award® recipients hail from all professional sectors. The award’s rich history, international scope and emphasis on mentorship make this award unique and amongst the most prestigious leadership awards one can receive. Award recipients demonstrate The Eight Principles of Enlightened Leadership™ in all aspects of their life. Wayne Bank and Indiana University East are honored to bring this award to Wayne County, established locally in 2014. ATHENA Leadership Award® recipients are presented with a hand-cast, bronze or crystal sculpture that symbolizes the strength, courage, and wisdom of ATHENA recipients. Proceeds benefit local organizations dedicated to serving leadership building for women of all ages. To nominate visit waynecoathena.com. For more information contact JoAnn Spurlock, Vice President, Director of Operations at Wayne Bank, at (765) 259-0209, [email protected], or IU East Office of External Affairs at (765) 973-8492 . Paul Sniegowski Ph.D., a distinguished biologist and the Stephen A. Levin Family Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, will become the 21st president of Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion on Aug. 1. He succeeds Anne M. Houtman, D.Phil., who will retire in July after a successful five-year term as president.
“Earlham has an important and longstanding place within the distinctive liberal arts tradition in the United States. It is a place that brings together a diversity of people to explore ideas, to learn to think and to go out and contribute to the world for good,” Sniegowski says. “Serving that ideal, and serving Earlham’s students and faculty, is why I am so excited to become part of the community.” An Indiana native, Sniegowski received his bachelor’s in music from the Indiana University School of Music; an M.A. in biology from Indiana University, Bloomington; and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He joined Penn’s Department of Biology in 1997 after a postdoctoral fellowship at Michigan State University. Since his appointment as dean in 2017, Sniegowski has been responsible for the direction of Penn’s liberal arts undergraduate curricula, programs and students in academic departments and interdisciplinary programs across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Sniegowski worked closely with faculty members and students in the College and across the university in adapting the College’s teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, establishing consultative faculty committees to plan for online teaching and steering the College’s return to in-person instruction after the pandemic. Under his leadership, the college launched new minors in environmental humanities and data science and has initiated a review of its longstanding general education requirement. At Penn, Sniegowski is an advocate for first-generation, low-income (FGLI) students, participating in the establishment of the Penn First Plus Office and launching a student advisory board in 2018 to provide a voice for FGLI students in the College. He also has played a key role in Penn’s five-year grant to support inclusive teaching in the sciences through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Inclusive Excellence 3 program, serving as project director in the first year of the grant. Sniegowski’s scientific work focuses on evolutionary and population genetic theory as a framework for understanding genetic mutation rates and mutational phenomena. His research has been supported by the Sloan Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and NASA; he is a co-author on nearly 70 peer-reviewed and other scientific papers, has mentored dozens of graduate, undergraduate and high school students, and is an award-winning teacher. Throughout his career, Sniegowski has also maintained an active commitment to outreach and regularly engages with public audiences to promote better understanding of science. He is currently writing a book, Persistence of Error: A Natural History of Mutation, explaining genetic mutation for non-scientists. “Paul has been impressive and thoughtful in his excellent career as a faculty member specializing in evolutionary genetics and as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania,” says Earlham Board Chair Tom Thornburg ’84. “He is a strong researcher, a frequently honored teacher, and much appreciated academic leader. His work as a faculty member and leader resonates with Earlham’s mission and Principles and Practices. He and his wife, Gail Kienitz, bring to us the knowledge of recent Earlham parents as well.” Sniegowski and Kienitz, a former associate professor of English at Wheaton College in Illinois, are parents to Ben Kienitz Sniegowski ’23. Their daughter, Emma Kienitz Sniegowski, is a 2018 graduate of Kenyon College. Paul and Gail — along with their Golden Retriever, Willa — look forward to deepening their engagement on campus and in Richmond. “We are coming to Earlham because we want to be a part of this community,” Sniegowski says. “We want to help make this evermore a place where, once you’re here, you don’t want to leave.” *** About Earlham College Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with transformative opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review. Media contactBrian Zimmerman Director of media relations Reid Health announced this morning their negotiations spanning the past several months with insurance provider Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) insurance have concluded with favorable results for Wayne County employers and residents. A Reid press release confirmed they will remain in-network with all Anthem/BCBS plans: commercial (employer-sponsored), Medicare Advantage, Managed Medicaid, and worker's compensation.
"Through this agreement, we see that Anthem and Reid Health are equally committed to investing in excellent rural healthcare," said Craig Kinyon, Reid Health President/CEO. "Our first priority has always been to ensure our patients have access to the care they need. We appreciate the patience and support of our community and patients as we have worked through this process." A letter sent to 44,000 patients in January gave a date of March 17 when patients under Anthem coverage would become out-of-network. Had this occurred, area residents would need to choose to pay the higher cost of care or utilize other providers. With Wayne County being medically underserved already, this would likely require many to drive out of the area for needed services. "I applaud the effort of both parties to ensure local residents and employees can receive medical care and remain in Wayne County to do so," said Chamber President and CEO Melissa Vance. "They now have the right to choose among several providers without having to compromise valuable time at work or with their families, and they can avoid the expense of travel." For businesses already operating in a tight labor market, the ability to ensure their employees are receiving preventative care is essential. Additionally, quick attention to medical concerns is often a significant factor in successful outcomes. Those with questions are encouraged to visit reidhealthaccess.org or call our community helpline at (765) 965-4250. For a complete list of Chamber member hospitals and healthcare providers, visit the Chamber business directory. |
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