News for January 15, 2008

East to offer C4 Biomed Classes
WCSI News
Columbus East High School will begin a new biomedical sciences program when school starts in August. Bartholomew Consolidated School Board voted unanimously Monday to join a number of schools nationwide piloting the Project Lead the Way four-course sequence in the district’s C4 advanced Health Careers curriculum. BCSC offers a PLTW Engineering sequence. The biomedical program, supported by four years’ state funding, will begin with the Principles of Biomedical Sciences course. If successful, the course will be joined by one new course, open to all students in C4-participating schools, each fall for the next three years.

Mindy Lewis Diversity
WCSI News
BCSC school board awarded the 2008 Mindy Lewis Above and Beyond Diversity Awards Monday night. The awards went to Jay Cherry, Nancy Conner, Peggy Myers, Mary Ellen Nelson, and Dana Nyffeler. BCSC is very excited about the interest being generated for the Columbus Signature Academy. Director of secondary education Bill Jensen says there are already over 500 applicants for the 480 spots in K-9.

Indiana Legislature
WCSI News
The Indiana General Assembly is discussing Property Taxes in some form just about every day. State Representative Milo Smith says he had a chance to speak with Governor Mitch Daniels last week and says just yesterday, there was some good news on the House Floor where democrats and republicans on both sides of the isle said they would like to work together to see the Governors plan for property tax relief implemented. His plan would increase the state sales tax to 7 cents on the dollar, shift child welfare and some school costs to the state, limit local government spending to a rolling six-year average personal income growth, require referendums for major building projects and eliminate township assessors.

Flat Rock FD Fundraiser
WCSI News
The Flat Rock Volunteer Fire Department is going to have a fundraiser this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the fire department on State Road 252. Doyle Swanson says the fundraiser is for a new tanker. Cost for the meal is $6.95 for all you can eat, but the fire department will also take any other donations that you are willing to give.

Commissioners Pass Zoning Ordinance
WCSI NewsThe Bartholomew County Commissioners passed a comprehensive replacement zoning ordinance on the first reading for the county on Monday. The plan will now go to city council Wednesday night for approval and be read and voted on a second time at the commissioners meeting on January 28th. Bartholomew County Commissioner Carl Lienhop said the plan needed to be updated. The commissioners passed the ordinance after changes were made to the including an increase in the number of very small animals allowed on a particular property and changing telecommunications towers to conditional use from permitted use.

Delinquent Taxes to Come From Rebates
WCSI News
The Bartholomew County Commissioners passed an ordinance Monday that may leave some people without a Homestead Credit rebate. The ordinance allows for the 2007 additional Homestead Credit to be applied to delinquent property tax bills. Commissioner Carl Lienhop said the law was passed by the state to help counties. The commission also appointed Dennis Crider to the city plan commission to complete the term vacated by Joan Tupin Krietz.

Agreement Makes Meijer Founding Partner Of Colts' Stadium
WCSI NewsThe Indianapolis Colts have made retailing giant Meijer a Founding Partner of the team's new Lucas Oil Stadium. Meijer will have a themed area at the stadium, and also receive signage and advertising opportunities. Lucas Oil Stadium will be complete in time for the 2008 football season. The Grand Rapids, Michigan-based company operates 24 stores in Indiana. Meijer's Indianapolis Market Director Mike Frattini calls it a "very logical step" to broaden the company's relationship with the Colts. A statement from the team did not indicate a financial arrangement.

Study Finds Nursing As Biggest Job To Fill In Indiana
WCSI News
Registered nurses are in greater demand across Indiana than any other profession, according to a new study. The Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University has found that the number of nursing jobs will grow 30-percent by 2014. Rachel Justis with the IBRC says the need for registered nurses ranks first in seven of the state's 11 economic regions. A majority of the nursing expansion is expected in the southern half of Indiana. The average nurse's salary in the state for 2006 was well over 51-thousand-dollars. Accountants, auditors, elementary school teachers, and medical and health services managers are other Indiana "hot jobs," according to Justis.