Exciting news for the Hoosier Southern Railroad as it continues its upgrades to the rail line to provide better service for its customers.

State education officials awarded $6 million in grants to schools implementing programs to reward teachers financially for achievement in the classroom. At a Statehouse ceremony, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett announced 28 recipients of Indiana’s “Excellence in Performance for Teachers” grant, which the General Assembly created last year to help school districts and charter schools retain effective educators. Perry Central School Corp was awarded  $80,042 for its exceptional educators

“Great teachers change lives,” Bennett said. “This grant program lets us support schools in their efforts to identify, develop, recruit and retain highly effective teachers. There is a dramatic culture shift happening in our schools. Teachers and school leaders are working together to build evaluation and compensation systems that reflect our unwavering commitment to excellent instruction for Indiana’s students.”

Bennett said the grant program allows the state to “highlight those who are leading this charge.”

The grant program is part of a larger effort by the superintendent’s office and the General Assembly to change the way Indiana teachers are compensated. New state laws require schools to differentiate teacher performance, provide meaningful feedback to help all teachers improve, and financially reward their best teachers.

The Perry County Industrial Park North is now certified Shovel Ready. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s (IEDC) Shovel Ready Program reduces potential costs of site development for businesses and enhances the marketability of certified sites.

The minimum standards listed below must be met for a site to be considered for certification:

• Executive-level local government official support. (Elected official or executive is defined as a Mayor, County Commissioner or Town Council President).
• Site Ownership / Control:
• Clear title or development option
• 50-year title search
• Letter from property owner/option holder stating that site is for sale/lease
• Maps:
• ALTA Map
• Site map showing lot layout
• USGS Topographical Map
• Aerial Map
• Phase I Environmental Site Assessment performed by a certified professional within the prior six months (Phase I Report and supporting information based on ASTM standards E 1527-00 or E 1527-05.) Remediated sites provide documentation of liability protection.
• Wetland delineation demonstrating that impacts to waters of the state will be avoided or mitigation plan approved by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
• Water and wastewater infrastructure to property line or demonstrate the ability to construct and pay for the infrastructure up to property line. Capacity clearly defined.
• Transportation infrastructure to property line or demonstrate the ability to construct and pay for the infrastructure up to property line.
• Electric infrastructure to property line or demonstrate the ability to construct and pay for the infrastructure up to property line. Capacity clearly identified.
• Natural gas infrastructure to property line or demonstrate the ability to pay for the infrastructure up to the property line. Capacity clearly identified.
• High speed communications infrastructure to property line or demonstrate the ability to construct and pay for infrastructure up to property line. Capacity clearly identified.

A 10,000-square-foot facility proposed by the executive director of the Perry County Development Corp. would help attract residents back after they complete college and serve as an “incubation center” for start-up businesses.

Chris Kinnett asked the county commissioners at their regular meeting Wednesday to endorse the proposal as an application for funding is submitted to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. Placing artist renderings before the county leaders, he said the PCDC has been working for three years “trying to figure out what we can do to help diversify our economy, how we can bring new people into the area, retain those people and find a location for (them) to be able to start a business. We now have an opportunity, I believe, to go before the United States Economic Development Administration and apply for a grant.”

In addition, a company has expressed interest in anchoring the facility to help pay its long-term costs so it wouldn’t be a financial burden on the PCDC or county, he added. He said Friday he was not at liberty to identify the company, but its use of the building would facilitate a growth opportunity for it.

To be called the Innovation Center of Perry County, the building would be constructed on the northeast side of the intersection of Indiana 37 and Indiana 237 on land owned by the Perry County Memorial Hospital. Kinnett said that facility’s board of directors was to be presented information in the near future.

Half of the Innovation Center would be leased by a tenant, he told the commissioners, “and the other half would be used as an incubator.”

It would contain a basement that could be used for various functions, he continued, and “we’re still working with Universal Design to determine what that functionality should actually be. We feel there will probably be room for a large conference center that would help with our current employee base.”

It could also include a video-conferencing capability, which is currently not available on an “all-encompassing” basis in the Perry County area, he said.

The facility could serve surrounding communities, as well.

“We see this as a regional opportunity,” Kinnett said. “It could be somewhat of a technology park” and would be sited along a fiber-optic line, so computer services would be available.

The development corporation is working to partner with everyone who could benefit from the facility, and hoped the commissioners would endorse the project “as we go to the EDA, No. 1, and we’d like you to consider that there will be some funding opportunity” for the project. “It may be a long shot that we even get the grant,” he said, “but if you don’t try, you don’t know.”

The “anchor” business wants to add garage space at the back of the building that would be shielded, so it would not be visible from the front or back, “so there will be some additional investment beyond what we’re looking at for the incubator.”

That business would lease half the building and would provide a receptionist who would be available to others renting space.

The PCDC hopes to attract students who have gone to college back into the area with opportunities such as animatronics, other computer-science work or third-party logistics, areas of work that could be performed here for companies elsewhere.

“Very rough” estimates based on similar facilities would put the cost at $4 million, Kinnett said. He told the commissioners he hoped to obtain the majority of funding from the federal agency, and asked them to consider contributing some of the money the county has earmarked for infrastructure development.

“I think it’s a great project, (and) a great location,” Commissioner Jody Fortwendel said. “It couldn’t be any better. A lot of infrastructure is already there.”

Kinnett agreed, noting it’s close to Perry County Industrial Park South, that water and sewer lines are in place and an energy substation is located behind ATTC.

Saying again he was tossing out a rough estimate, Kinnett put the county’s contribution at $200,000 to $250,000.

“We don’t want to deplete anything,” he said. “we just want to show that there is interest.” For the moment, he was seeking a letter of support, and said “we would not accept the funds until such time as we actually receive the grant. If we don’t receive the grant, we’re not taking the funds.”

Commissioner Tom Hauser asked if Kinnett wanted a commitment the county would provide the funds.

“Today we’re looking for support with your acquiescence that you’ll consider a commitment once we turn the application in.”

The deadline for the current funding cycle is March 9, he added, “but there’s no guarantee we’ll even be considered (during it). We don’t want to get hopes up. We just want to make sure we get as much as we can in line as best we can.”

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that new home sales nationally declined 2 percent from November to December and were down 7 percent on a year-over-year basis. Total construction spending, however improved during December.

In December, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 25 states and the District of Columbia. Eight states recorded statistically significant changes in employment

Indiana experienced the highest gain in jobs at 15,100 new jobs.
Top Five Industries Ranked on the Greatest Growth in Employment in Perry County for the fourth quarter 2009 - the 4th quarter of 2010 were;

• Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, & Similar Organizations14.0%
• Social Assistance7.2%
• Nursing & Residential Care Facilities 4.5%
• Transportation Equipment Mfg.3.5%
• Food & Beverage Stores 2.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Local Employment Dynamics/Industry Focus,

Twenty-three people have been selected to participate in USI’s Connect with Southern Indiana Program.

The annual regional leadership program was established through a grant from the Lilly Endowment in 2006 and is currently sponsored by USI’s Center for Human Resource Development.

The intent of the program is to boost Indiana’s retention of intellectual capital by helping participants strengthen their skills and opportunities for involvement in community and regional projects, meet business and civic leaders, and gain greater awareness of community and regional needs.

The 2012 class includes:

• Dubois County – Jessica Beck, sales and marketing manager, Dubois County Visitors Center; Brad Brown, supervisor, Plant 8, OFS Brands; Brian Dale, people department representative, Jasper Engines and Transmissions; Jill Jahn Schenetzki, production planner, Leed Selling Tools; Arnold Tempel, facilities project manager, Kimball International
• Perry County - Patrick Rich, State Farm Insurance, agent
• Posey County - Hans Schmitz, extension educator, Purdue Extension
• Spencer County - Sabrina Harpenau, student worker, News Information Services, University of Southern Indiana; WG Bud Schaaf, city letter carrier, US Postal Service
• Vanderburgh County - Anu Asthana, financial adviser, New York Life; Jerry Clark, president and CEO, Evacus Technologies, LLC; Jessica DeLorenzo, director of student services, Vincennes University, Jasper campus; John Foster, executive director, Wesselman Nature Society; Carey Franks, assistant to the provost, University of Southern Indiana; Kacheyta McClellan, assistant director, Multicultural Center, University of Southern Indiana; Ashley Murray, auctions-events manager and event fundraising, WNIN; Sara Rhoades, senior gallery associate, New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art; Andy Robling, financial advisor, German American Investments
• Warrick County - Lori Blackford, sales and customer service, WineStyles; Candy Cooper, community relations coordinator, Boston’s Restaurant; Richard Martin, president/registered patent lawyer, Martin and Martin, Attorneys at Law; Carol Schaefer, executive director, Historic Newburgh, Inc.; Matt Zoccola, economic development analyst.

Program participants will attend 10 full-day sessions over a six-month period and will develop a collaborative project that will be presented at the end of the program.
Topics for this year’s class include community overviews, critical thinking, personality profiles, opportunity identification, project management, public skills, presentation planning and government relations. USI faculty and staff and southern Indiana community leaders will facilitate each program.

Connect with Southern Indiana is open to Indiana residents living in Perry, Spencer, Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Pike, Posey, Vanderburgh or Warrick counties who would like to improve the quality of life in their communities.
Applications to participate in the 2013 Connect with Southern Indiana class will be available this summer at www.usi.edu/extserv/outreach/connect.asp.

The Indiana Horticulture Congress is holding a workshop for farmers who want to start or grow an agritourism operation. The event next month will include sessions on legal issues, marketing and budgeting.

The workshop is part of the annual Indiana Horticulture Congress and Trade Show, a three-day event featuring exhibits and presentations on current agriculture topics. Attendees have the option to register for only the workshop by selecting one-day registration on the website.

In addition to Purdue Extension, the Horticulture Congress is sponsored by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Cooperative Development Center and the Indiana Office of Tourism Development.

For more information about the full conference, visit http://www.inhortcongress.org.