Story by Lindsey McClain, RHS Intern

​Her vision and love of fashion drove her, and in 2019 she started selling merchandise from her grandmother's shop. It was only two years later on January 26, 2021 that she had opened her own space where JaeMae Boutique was officially rooted. What Julia believes sets her business apart is the care she has for her customers stating, “I just want to be here to brighten people’s days.” A part of this she believes is making cute clothing accessible for everyone. This is why she takes great care filling her store with both petite and plus sized options. Julia said she's had times when she’s gone into a store and felt defeated that nothing would fit her, so it's extremely important to her that her store is inclusive for everyone.
 
 
Julia Allen is somewhat of an anomaly among residents of Richmond. People are intrigued by her young age and maturity, as well as her commitment to the community. Since starting her business, Julia has offered discounts for shopping small at other local businesses; Her website invites members of the community to park clean ups-- organized by JaeMae boutique seller Yahairi Patoja, founder of Diverse Curls. To Julia and the women she works with, Wayne County is home. She said that her favorite things about Wayne County are its mix of history and newness as well as the close-knit sense of community she feels here. 

You will find JaeMae Boutique located at 191 Fort Wayne Ave, Richmond, IN and at local events such as Archway Days and Octoberfest. You can also stay up to date on new products through the JaeMae Instagram, Facebook, and website. Julia has big plans for the future of her boutique. Besides just expanding, she wants to create a business template modeled after her own. She hopes that women would be able to use this and the information she provides to pursue their own business endeavors--pushing others to follow their dreams just as she has. Julia’s passion and drive show through in every aspect of her business. This is truly a place to feel welcome and inspired. I encourage everyone to stop by and see for yourself just how special JaeMae Boutique really is.

Connect with JaeMae Boutique!
 
Website:http://www.jaemaeboutique.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaemaeboutique/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaemaeboutique/?hl=en

Article supplied by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

After decades of neglect, the state of American infrastructure is poor. America currently ranks 13th in the world when it comes to the overall quality of our infrastructure and the American Society of Civil Engineer’s 2021 Report Card rated it a C-.
It is past time we brought our infrastructure into the 21st century, and that is exactly what the $1.2 trillion bipartisan bill passed in the Senate and now up for consideration in the House does. It is the largest federal investment in both public transit, clean drinking water, and waste water infrastructure in American history. It is the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak and makes the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill will benefit all Americans by creating millions of jobs, improving global competitiveness, and adding trillions of dollars in economic growth at a time when we need it most.

Article provided by Frank Kenny

​Let’s face it. You can’t throw a rock these days without hitting a help wanted sign. If someone wants to work, there is little stopping them on the employer side. (There may be things like childcare or scheduling on the employee’s side but that’s another article.)
 
If you’re running ads along with all the other employers out there, you’re at the mercy of their budgets—and if they have a larger one than you—they may be able to get their wanted ads in more effective places more often. A sign in your place of business can also be effective but only if the right person passes your place. To stand out in this employee’s market, you need to get creative.

Story provided by Reid Health.

July 30, 2021 -- Reid Health and Meridian Health Services have joined together to launch a maternal treatment program in Richmond called The Nest.
Substance use disorders, drug overdose deaths, and neonatal abstinence syndrome continue to be a significant problem in Wayne County. From January to August 2019, Reid had 543 deliveries and of those, 170 had a positive drug screen at the time of delivery.
The Nest aims to address those issues through integrated mental health, addictions, and medical services for pregnant women and those who have recently given birth.
"The program provides a welcoming and supportive environment where women can go without feeling judged or overlooked," said Erika Brandenstein, M.D., Reid OB/GYN and Medical Director for The Nest.

Provided by the Office of Community & Rural Affairs
​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INDIANAPOLIS (July 23, 2021) –Today, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced the five community finalists of the PreservINg Main Street Pilot Program. The finalist communities include the towns of Attica, Brookville and Cambridge City, and the cities of Kendallville and Jasper. 
​
In partnership with Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Humanities, PreservINg Main Street is designed to build a sustainable historic preservation ethic while building local capacity and a comprehensive downtown revitalization model. ​

​Daniel Arthur
Communications Coordinator
Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce
Daniel@wcareachamber.org
765-962-1511

​The Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Indiana Governor Holcomb will be visiting Richmond on September 9, 2021. A Governor’s Luncheon, hosted at Forest Hills Country Club, will include a “fireside” chat with Indiana’s Governor.
 
This member-exclusive event will give Chamber members the opportunity to interact with the 51st Governor and hear about the current state of Indiana. From COVID recovery to the workforce, infrastructure development and more, the conversation will be informative for all those that attend.

Provided by Indiana University East

Provided by the Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County.
1717 S L Street / Richmond, IN 47374
Kathryn Glen, Director of Marketing & Human Resources / kglen@bgcrichmond.org
(765) 962-6922​

Richmond, IN, June 23, 2021 – Bruce Daggy, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County, will be retiring in December 2021 after a long 40-year career within the Boys & Girls Club movement.

Daggy started attending the Club as a young teen and was named the Boys Club of Richmond’s Boy of the Year in 1976. Daggy served as a Jr. Staff member that supervised the gym and taught trampoline to other youth members. After graduating from Richmond High School, Daggy went to Indiana University where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Recreational Programming & Leadership in 1981. That same year, Daggy moved up to Michigan where he served as the Program Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lansing at their Northside Unit until 1984. Daggy then was promoted to a Unit Director at their Southside location.

Provided by Reid Health

June 11, 2021 -- Reid Health President/CEO Craig Kinyon was one of four people inducted Thursday night into Junior Achievement's Eastern Indiana Business Hall of Fame.
Kinyon was recognized alongside Roger Golden, President of Golden Engineering in Centerville, and Brent and Kent Fortman, owners of Cutshaw's Market in Cambridge City, during the ceremony at Forest Hills Country Club in Richmond.
"I'm incredibly grateful to be chosen for this honor," Kinyon said. "As much as anything I've done, this is a reflection on the wonderful team members who I've been privileged to work with at Reid and their passion for the communities we serve.

Wellness Grant
The purpose of the IHW grant is to provide workplaces with funding and technical assistance for health focused activities and programs that benefit the wellness of employees and their families. The Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity (DNPA) prioritizes health equity* in our funding for initiatives in all settings. Therefore, workplaces that reside in, or serve communities that rank high (.5 and above) on the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index, will be prioritized for funding.
 
*The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation defines health equity as "… everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care."
 
Funded requests should demonstrate the ability to promote wellness in the workplace through healthy lifestyle choices, increased physical activity, improved breastfeeding strategies, and/or reduced stress. This grant will fund initiatives from October 1st, 2021 through September 30th, 2022. The DNPA aims to support sustainable projects that will last beyond the life of the grant funding. We will not fund chair massages, equipment without any effort of lifestyle-change strategies, one-time events, treadmill desks, food, or retreats.