Red Cross Seeking Volunteers; Garza Names Treasurer
July 17, 2020 at 8:56 p.m.
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The Red Cross is looking for people to help sew and distribute face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Indiana, more than 8,000 face coverings have already been sewn and distributed over the past seven weeks to agencies providing childcare, senior and veteran services, according to a news release.
“These face coverings are so important. Wearing them is a simple way to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19,” said Jeff Imel, American Red Cross–Indiana Region director of Service to the Armed Forces and International Services. “This project – a remnant from our past – remains a powerful team effort and wonderful way for people to take action during an overwhelming and uncertain time.”
Non-sewers are needed for ironing, cutting out patterns, disinfecting and packaging, and inventorying and delivering to organizations.
To learn more, visit the Red Cross website, www.redcross.org/local/indiana/volunteer/make-face-coverings.html, or contact Imel at [email protected]
GARZA NAMES A TREASURER – In a news release we received Tuesday, Democrat Anthony Garza – who is running for Kosciusko County Superior Court III judge against Republican nominee Chad Miner – announced that Sally Mahnken, Syracuse, agreed to be his campaign treasurer.
The general election this fall is scheduled for Nov. 3.
Readers may remember that Miner won the GOP nomination after defeating Karin McGrath, Lindsey Grossnickle and Robert Bishop in the party’s primary June 2.
In the press release from Garza, Mahnken is quoted as saying, “Across the years I have known Tony, he has been committed to serving his clients by not only representing their interests under the law, but with the utmost respect. He is intelligent, experienced and competent. Tony has extensive trial involvement (both bench and jury), and his work has been crucial in family law, including mediation, as well as criminal defense and prosecution. I know he will serve the Kosciusko County Court system ethically, and I am very pleased to be asked to be his campaign treasurer.”
LONG-RANGE SURVEY – The Warsaw Community Public Library is asking patrons to help it plan for the next 10 years of service and innovation at the library by completing a survey.
The survey is available on the library’s Facebook page and on the library’s website.
UNEMPLOYMENT – Indiana’s unemployment rate drops to 11.2% for June, and the national rate is 11.1%, according to a news release we received Friday from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. The monthly unemployment rate is a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicator that reflects the number of unemployed people seeking employment within the prior four weeks as a percentage of the labor force.
Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 53,484 over the previous month. This was a result of a decrease of 28,747 unemployed residents and an increase of 82,231 employed residents. Indiana's total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.39 million, and the state’s 64.3% labor force participation rate is above the national rate of 61.5%.
REVENUE DOWN – On Thursday, the Associated Press reported plunging tax collections caused by the coronavirus pandemic delivered a $850 million hit to Indiana’s state budget reserves. Indiana closed the 2020 fiscal year June 30 with about $1.4 billion in reserves – a drop of 37% from the state’s nearly $2.3 billion a year ago. That stems from a $1.5 billion, or 23%, drop in tax revenue for the four months since widespread business closures and other restrictions prompted by the coronavirus outbreak that started in March.
In a press release we received Thursday from State Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Bremen), chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, he said, "Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the accompanying economic fallout, Indiana finished the year with revenue down $1.4 billion. The silver lining to this difficult situation is that years of responsible fiscal management by the General Assembly and multiple governors have put Indiana in a much better financial position than we would find ourselves in otherwise. We started this economic downturn with $2.3 billion in reserves, and had to use almost $1 billion in reserves to get us through the year. Having $1.4 billion left in reserves will allow the state to begin this upcoming year of uncertainty once again in a strong financial position.
"It will take a variety of measures including reserves, federal stimulus funds and spending holdbacks to get us through the next year and beyond. I look forward to continued collaboration with the Holcomb administration in order to make the tough but necessary decisions to move our state forward."
MORE THAN REFORM NEEDED – On Friday, in an op-ed published by the Indianapolis Recorder, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) wrote about the need for police reform and other important changes following the death of George Floyd.
“I’m embarrassed that nearly two months after George Floyd’s death, Congress has still not passed much-needed police reform. I co-sponsored Sen. Tim Scott’s JUSTICE Act, but partisan politics kept it from even being debated publicly, much less voted on,” Young wrote. “Still, I remain optimistic that Republicans and Democrats will come together to reform procedures, require and fund body cameras, mandate transparency and accountability in use-of-force incidents, and more to ensure that we don’t lose any more innocent lives.
“But as I’ve listened to Black leaders across Indiana — not just this summer, but over the last three years — I’ve also heard loud and clear that criminal justice isn’t the only concern that needs to be addressed. Affordable housing, health care, job opportunities and education. These are all issues that you’ve told me are important.”
The full op-ed can be found at www.indianapolisrecorder.com/opinion/article_9ac6cc70-c780-11ea-940e-775783e7bb72.html
The Red Cross is looking for people to help sew and distribute face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Indiana, more than 8,000 face coverings have already been sewn and distributed over the past seven weeks to agencies providing childcare, senior and veteran services, according to a news release.
“These face coverings are so important. Wearing them is a simple way to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19,” said Jeff Imel, American Red Cross–Indiana Region director of Service to the Armed Forces and International Services. “This project – a remnant from our past – remains a powerful team effort and wonderful way for people to take action during an overwhelming and uncertain time.”
Non-sewers are needed for ironing, cutting out patterns, disinfecting and packaging, and inventorying and delivering to organizations.
To learn more, visit the Red Cross website, www.redcross.org/local/indiana/volunteer/make-face-coverings.html, or contact Imel at [email protected]
GARZA NAMES A TREASURER – In a news release we received Tuesday, Democrat Anthony Garza – who is running for Kosciusko County Superior Court III judge against Republican nominee Chad Miner – announced that Sally Mahnken, Syracuse, agreed to be his campaign treasurer.
The general election this fall is scheduled for Nov. 3.
Readers may remember that Miner won the GOP nomination after defeating Karin McGrath, Lindsey Grossnickle and Robert Bishop in the party’s primary June 2.
In the press release from Garza, Mahnken is quoted as saying, “Across the years I have known Tony, he has been committed to serving his clients by not only representing their interests under the law, but with the utmost respect. He is intelligent, experienced and competent. Tony has extensive trial involvement (both bench and jury), and his work has been crucial in family law, including mediation, as well as criminal defense and prosecution. I know he will serve the Kosciusko County Court system ethically, and I am very pleased to be asked to be his campaign treasurer.”
LONG-RANGE SURVEY – The Warsaw Community Public Library is asking patrons to help it plan for the next 10 years of service and innovation at the library by completing a survey.
The survey is available on the library’s Facebook page and on the library’s website.
UNEMPLOYMENT – Indiana’s unemployment rate drops to 11.2% for June, and the national rate is 11.1%, according to a news release we received Friday from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. The monthly unemployment rate is a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicator that reflects the number of unemployed people seeking employment within the prior four weeks as a percentage of the labor force.
Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 53,484 over the previous month. This was a result of a decrease of 28,747 unemployed residents and an increase of 82,231 employed residents. Indiana's total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.39 million, and the state’s 64.3% labor force participation rate is above the national rate of 61.5%.
REVENUE DOWN – On Thursday, the Associated Press reported plunging tax collections caused by the coronavirus pandemic delivered a $850 million hit to Indiana’s state budget reserves. Indiana closed the 2020 fiscal year June 30 with about $1.4 billion in reserves – a drop of 37% from the state’s nearly $2.3 billion a year ago. That stems from a $1.5 billion, or 23%, drop in tax revenue for the four months since widespread business closures and other restrictions prompted by the coronavirus outbreak that started in March.
In a press release we received Thursday from State Sen. Ryan Mishler (R-Bremen), chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, he said, "Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the accompanying economic fallout, Indiana finished the year with revenue down $1.4 billion. The silver lining to this difficult situation is that years of responsible fiscal management by the General Assembly and multiple governors have put Indiana in a much better financial position than we would find ourselves in otherwise. We started this economic downturn with $2.3 billion in reserves, and had to use almost $1 billion in reserves to get us through the year. Having $1.4 billion left in reserves will allow the state to begin this upcoming year of uncertainty once again in a strong financial position.
"It will take a variety of measures including reserves, federal stimulus funds and spending holdbacks to get us through the next year and beyond. I look forward to continued collaboration with the Holcomb administration in order to make the tough but necessary decisions to move our state forward."
MORE THAN REFORM NEEDED – On Friday, in an op-ed published by the Indianapolis Recorder, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) wrote about the need for police reform and other important changes following the death of George Floyd.
“I’m embarrassed that nearly two months after George Floyd’s death, Congress has still not passed much-needed police reform. I co-sponsored Sen. Tim Scott’s JUSTICE Act, but partisan politics kept it from even being debated publicly, much less voted on,” Young wrote. “Still, I remain optimistic that Republicans and Democrats will come together to reform procedures, require and fund body cameras, mandate transparency and accountability in use-of-force incidents, and more to ensure that we don’t lose any more innocent lives.
“But as I’ve listened to Black leaders across Indiana — not just this summer, but over the last three years — I’ve also heard loud and clear that criminal justice isn’t the only concern that needs to be addressed. Affordable housing, health care, job opportunities and education. These are all issues that you’ve told me are important.”
The full op-ed can be found at www.indianapolisrecorder.com/opinion/article_9ac6cc70-c780-11ea-940e-775783e7bb72.html
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