The Board of Directors of the Palestine Cemetery, Inc., of Palestine, reminds its patrons that all grave decorations must be removed or brought into compliance with the cemetery regulations by April 1, 2023, to allow for spring cleanup. 

Decorations not in compliance with cemetery regulations after April 1 will be disposed of. 

The following are regulations of the Palestine Cemetery, Inc. regarding plantings, flowers, and shrubbery:

All flowers must be placed within the line of the headstone, on cement or in a cement urn, or fastened to the headstone securely. 

No wires, glass, shepherd’s hooks, or hanging baskets may be set in the ground.

All shrubbery shall be maintained or it will be removed at the owner’s expense.

Winter grave blankets are permitted if removed by April 1.

All plantings and/or shrubbery must have approval of the Cemetery Board prior to planting.

Questions may be directed to the sexton of the Palestine Cemetery, Inc., Brett Boggs, at (574) 551-2432.

The Fulton County Chamber of Commerce recognizes that our county’s success is dependent upon the hard work of the organizations, businesses, and individuals who give of themselves to make our community a better place.

Please take a moment to make a nomination that recognizes this hard work.

Organization of the Year

Open to both businesses and non-profit organizations, this award is presented to an organization or business in the Fulton County area with proven growth and stability, provides innovative products and services, and demonstrates economic support of the Fulton County area business community.

Business Professional of the Year

This award is presented to an Individual who demonstrates growing excellence, creativity, and initiative in their profession, is engaged in the community, and shows a strong commitment to good business practices. This person serves as a role model for other professionals both personally and professionally, and possesses vision and passion to mentor and lead others.

Emerging Business Award

Open to both businesses and non-profit organizations, this award is presented to an organization or business established in the last 0-5 years in the Fulton County area that demonstrates growing success in community, and exhibits commitment to good business practices, community relations, and employee relations.

Community Service Award

Original Chamber Award. Prestigious award presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the community.

Nominations can be submitted by contacting Kellie Scobie at kellie@fultoncountychamber.com or 574-224-2666 through Friday, March 17. Please provide business/individual name and category for nomination.

Nominees MUST be a member of the Fulton County Chamber (with exception of the Community Service Award).

Nominated businesses and individuals will be notified by the Chamber and asked to complete an application by Friday, March 31st. Members will vote on award winners. Winners will be announced at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting on April 29th.

The Indiana Homeowner Assistance Fund (IHAF) is a support program for eligible Hoosiers who have experienced hardship from income loss.

Administered by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), the IHAF has helped more than 3,500 eligible applicants and disbursed more than $40 million through the program to date.

"As the time for annual property assessments approaches, it is important for Hoosiers to know that IHAF can possibly pay for delinquent and future property charge fees, including property taxes," said Indiana Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Indiana's Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. "Homeowners in Indiana who anticipate having difficulties paying their property taxes, or who already have delinquent property taxes, should visit www.877gethope.org for more information and to start an application."

Applicants can also connect with a housing counselor who can provide advice and information on their options.

Homeowners may be eligible for assistance if they meet the following requirements:

• Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced a financial hardship on or after January 21, 2020;
• Own only one mortgaged home;
• Property to be assisted is the primary residence;
• Have an income equal to or less than 150% of the Area Median Income adjusted for household size, or 100% of the National Median Income, whichever is greater; and,
• Live in Indiana.

"In addition to property tax assistance, applicants may also be eligible to receive mortgage reinstatement, up to six months of monthly mortgage payment assistance, and assistance with other property charge fees including homeowner insurance and homeowner association fees," said Jake Sipe, executive director of IHCDA.

Schools

Rochester Community Schools - 2-hour delay

Culver Community Schools - 2-hour delay

Argos Community Schools  - 2-hour delay

Eastern Pulaski Community Schools - 2-hour delay

Maconaquah Schools - 2-hour delay 

Peru Community Schools - 2-hour delay

Tippecanoe Valley Schools - 2-hour delay

North Miami Schools - 2-hour delay

Triton School Corp. - 2-hour delay

Caston School Corp. - 2-hour delay

Legacy Christian Academy - 2-hour delay

Did you know the North American wild bird population has lost 2.9 million birds since 1970? Did you know native plants directly tie to their survival?

Removal of invasive plant species allows space for native plants to grow. This is why we wrangle invasive weeds!

Join members of Upper Wabash Invasive Network (UWIN) for a Volunteer Workday to help combat and remove invasive plant species along the Wabash River Trail on March 11. The Weed Wrangle will begin at 1 p.m. and work until 3 p.m.

Meet at the Trailhead located East of 760 E. Hill St., Wabash. Location coordinates are 40.805912, -85.807869.

Volunteers will learn proper techniques in hands-on removal of targeted invasive plants.

Dress for the weather. If you have hand tools, bring them (no chainsaws, please). Consider becoming a member of UWIN!

For more information, contact Teresa Rody at 260-468-2127, or email Trody@dnr.in.gov.

Free FAFSA help is available this weekend with "College Goal Sunday".

On Sunday. volunteers will be at sites around the state to help students with the financial documents that make up the FAFSA form.

The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships, and federal student loans, at most schools. The FAFSA filing deadline in Indiana is April 15 to guarantee state aid for those who qualify

Students and parents who attend College Goal Sunday should bring completed 2021 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2021 income and benefits information. Students who worked should also bring their income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their completed 2021 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2021 income and benefits information.

Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at studentaid.gov before logging in to the event.

The FAFSA filing deadline in Indiana is April 15 to guarantee state aid for those who qualify.

Sites include: 

Logansport – Ivy Tech Community College at 1 Ivy Tech Way
Plymouth High School at #1 Big Red Drive
 

Woodlawn Hospital is honored to welcome Francisca Turen Burgos as a new nurse practitioner.

Turen Burgos is originally from Chile and her first language is Spanish. She is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner who has worked as a Registered Nurse in Intensive Care, Progressive Care, Medical/Surgical, Surgery and Obstetrics/Gynecology units.

She recently joined the clinical team in Akron.   

“It is an exciting day when we can add such a positive and caring professional to the Akron Community.  We are delighted to have Francisca join the Woodlawn Hospital family,” Brad Rogers, COO of Woodlawn Hospital stated.

To meet the need of those whose first language is Spanish, the medical assistant supporting Turen Burgos is also bilingual.

When asked what Turen Burgos most anticipates about her new role, she responded, “A long-term relationship with patients, promoting wellness and helping patients meet their healthcare needs is what I am most looking forward too,”

New patients are now being accepted and can call (574) 598-2020 to schedule an appointment.

Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs) often work behind the scenes without gaining attention until events like snowy weather, floods, tornadoes, etc. Governor Eric J. Holcomb is honoring this group of critical personnel by celebrating EMA Appreciation Week Feb. 19-25.

EMAs are part of the first line of response to natural and man-made disasters. County emergency managers help draft disaster response plans, organize trainings that include first responders and community partners, work with state and federal agencies to find the most effective disaster recovery methods and offer knowledge and expertise to local community leaders.

“Emergency managers play a pivotal role in their counties. Their decisions carry a heavy weight on how a community responds to and recovers from a significant incident or event,” said Joel Thacker, executive director of IDHS. 

Every emergency begins and ends locally, like the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted all 92 Indiana counties. It is important for Hoosiers to recognize the dedication and accomplishments of these highly-trained professionals. 

IDHS will be celebrating EMAs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow along to learn about the people putting in countless hours to keep you safe. 

The state of Indiana is now accepting nominations for the Governor's Century and Half Century Business Awards.

The awards honor Hoosier businesses that have remained in operation for at least 100 or 50 years, respectively, and have demonstrated a commitment to serving the community. 

Qualifying criteria are as follows: 

• The business must have had continuous operations in Indiana for 100 or 50 years by Dec. 31, 2022.
• The business must have participated in the same line of work for the duration of its operations. If different, an explanation of the evolution into the current business must be provided on the nomination form. 
• The business must have had its base in Indiana since it was founded.
• The business must recognize, acknowledge and agree that it is in full compliance with the Indiana Secretary of State.
• The business must not have previously received a Century or Half Century award from the state of Indiana. Previous Half Century award recipients may qualify for a Century award.

Eligible companies are encouraged to complete the online application by April 14.

You can see more at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation website for additional details.

The Fulton County Chamber of Commerce donated $462.40 to the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce Fund.

Established in 2022, the fund was created through the Fulton County Community Foundation to help with educational projects and community beautification.

The sale of round barn ornaments created by local artist Erica Coffing generated the donation dollars.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) announced the collection of more than 30,000 gallons of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) firefighting foam from Indiana fire departments.

Since April 2022, this free program, provided by IDEM, Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), and Indiana Finance Authority (IFA), has collected and safely disposed of foam from more than 220 Hoosier fire departments across the state.

“When we first began collection, we set a lofty goal to collect 30,000 gallons of PFAS foam,” said IDEM Commissioner Brian Rockensuess. “We have exceeded that goal in less than a year’s time and are still scheduling more pick-ups. This is a major accomplishment in protecting the environment and the health of our bravest Hoosiers.”

PFAS foam is used to suppress or extinguish Class-B (toxic chemical) fires. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans. PFAS foam has been linked to four of the top eight leading causes of cancer in firefighters: testicular, prostate, mesothelioma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

In 2020, the Indiana General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act 1189, prohibiting the use of firefighting foam containing PFAS for training purposes.

Indiana is one of only a handful of states in the country to create a PFAS foam collection and disposal program. This program allows the state to offer a free pick-up and environmentally safe disposal service, which saves fire departments thousands of dollars in disposal costs while protecting Hoosiers and the Indiana environment.

Fire departments across the state can voluntarily register for this free program by visiting the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) website at dhs.IN.gov. Real time collection data can be viewed via the PFAS Collection Status Map on the IDHS website.

Woodlawn Hospital Auxiliary candy sale will take place on February 9 from 9 am to 4 pm in the Hospital cafeteria. Wakarusa Dime Store will be onsite with their candy.

This event is open to the public, and all are welcome to come.

"It is going to be a fun day!" said Karen Tislow, auxiliary member, "This historic candy store is a gem in northern Indiana, known for giant jellybeans, taffy, and nostalgic candy. We invite the community to stop by and pick up treats for Valentine's Day in support of the Auxiliary's mission."

Woodlawn Women’s Auxiliary raises funds for scholarships for local students who want to pursue a career in the healthcare field. They also fund needed equipment for the hospital. 

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is reminding Hoosiers to check for assets waiting for them after the recent National Unclaimed Property Day (Feb. 1) .

Last year, the Unclaimed Property Division returned over $61 million to Hoosiers.

Here are the types of property that might go unclaimed:

Unclaimed wages or commissions

Money orders

Safety deposit box contents

Savings and checking accounts

Refunds

Overpayments such as:

Credit card balances

Cell phone bills

DMV payments

There are also some tangible items received from dormant safe deposit boxes.

Individuals and/or businesses have 25 years in which to claim money once it is reported to the Unclaimed Property Division. All you must do is supply proof of rightful ownership.

“Protecting Hoosiers’ liberty is my office’s top priority,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Returning unclaimed property to the rightful owners is just one way we carry out this larger mission. Who knows — you might find $5 or $1,000, but it’s worth a look.”

Check IndianaUnclaimed.gov or text CLAIM to 46220 to search your name, family, or business.

The Fulton County Health Department will be hosting two free flu vaccination clinics.

The clinics are by appointment only in February for anyone (with or without insurance from age 6 months and up) until supplies run out.  

Dates for the clinics are Thursday, February 9, from 8:30 am – 3 pm  and Thursday, February 16, also from 8:30 am – 4 pm

Call the Fulton County Health Department at 574-223-4218 for an appointment or to get more information.