Thursday, June 10, 2021 The Commercial Review Portland, Indiana 47371 www.thecr.com $1 Abatement OK’d By BAILEY CLINE The Commercial Review Solar energy is on its way to Jay County. Jay County Council approved Council approves request a final tax abatement and eco - nomic development agreement from Invenergy as progress with sustainable energy compa - ny Invenergy for its proposed continues toward solar farm Skycrest Solar facility. The economic development agreement will go to Jay County Commissioners on Monday. those received by the county about 2,500 acres in Penn and They chose to hold off signing on from renewable energy projects. Jackson Townships. Construc - the document until after hear - Jay County Planning Commis - tion is expected to be completed ings this week. (They have sion will meet at 6 p.m. today to by 2024. The Commercial Review/Bailey Cline already OK’d decommissioning discuss the project to determine Invenergy analyst Tom and road use agreements in rela - whether it meets all of the Schoder and attorney Mary Sola - Invenergy analyst Tom Schoder speaks about the tion to the project.) requirements in the county’s da spoke about the proposed proposed Skycrest Solar facility Wednesday in the courthouse If approved, about $1.75 mil - ordinance. facility to the group of Jackson auditorium during a Jay County Council public hearing. A group lion in economic development Invenergy, a global firm with and Penn Township residents payments will be made to the headquarters in Chicago, is plan - gathered in the courthouse audi - of Penn and Jackson Township residents –– the 2,500-acre county over the course of four ning a $150 million, 155- torium. facility will be built in Penn and Jackson Townships –– years. This will be the largest of megawatt facility located on See Abatement page 2 attended the meeting but voiced no opinions of the project. Council gives OK to library funding Request to use wind farm $ for project now moves to commissioners By BAILEY CLINE The Commercial Review Extra funding to cover higher-than-expected construction costs for the expansion of the Pen - nville library took the next step in the approval process Wednesday. Jay County Council OK’d a request from Jay County Development Corporation to use $50,000 it was allocated in The Commercial Review/Bailey Cline wind farm economic development money to cover the additional costs. (The funding request also requires Field day fun approval from Jay Coun - Redkey Elementary School held its field ty Commissioners, who day Wednesday. Pictured above, Rachel Ray pours meet Monday.) Also Wednesday, coun - water into Daenerys Musgrove’s cup during a game cil approved a final tax in which students passed water to fill a bucket. abatement and economic Participants could only transfer water to the back of agreement with Invener - the line by pouring it into a cup held by the student gy, a sustainable energy behind them. At right, Karlee Kirby bounces past her company planning a classmate in a hopping ball race. solar farm in Jay County (see related story), and sent a request to use $30,000 in Jay County Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) funds for a state matching grant to Jay County EDIT Advisory Board. New COVID-19 cases have been low About 15 Pennville res - By RAY COONEY who have been vaccinated do not idents and JCDC execu - The Commercial Review need to wear a mask except for in tive director Travis Jay County is in the midst of its close-contact group settings such Richards approached lowest level of new COVID-19 cases as airports and theaters. Most council with the request since last summer. County has recorded two or coronavirus-related restrictions The county, which has not had for extra funding for the have been lifted in Indiana, with library project. Richards more than two new cases of fewer for 18 straight days; the exception of those regarding COVID-19 reported since May 20, cited the recent increase rating level remains ‘blue’ schools. Indiana Gov. Eric Hol - in material costs as a had a “blue” (low risk for the comb extended those restrictions result of the COVID-19 spread of coronavirus) rating for through the end of the school the second consecutive week in the year. pandemic. Indiana State Department of Coronavirus is mainly spread The project began after Health’s update released Wednes - state health department uses to Department and IU Health Jay. The through respiratory droplets or Jay Region! was awarded day. determine risk levels. Its cases per health department is accepting small particles from an infected $333,000 for being a final - The county recorded its 2,000th 100,000 residents were identical to walk-ins from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on person coughing, sneezing, talk - ist in the 2019 Stellar confirmed case of the disease last last week at 34 while its seven-day Tuesdays and Thursdays. ing or breathing. The CDC reports Communities designa - week. positivity rate dropped slightly to As of Wednesday, 11,472 doses of that it may be possible those par - tion, a multi-million dol - Jay County has had two or fewer 3.24% from 3.28% last week. the coronavirus vaccine had been ticles and droplets remain sus - lar investment initiative new cases of COVID-19 confirmed The state map showed overall administered in Jay County. So far, pended in the air for an unknown headed by Indiana Office for 18 consecutive days. That’s the improvement with 65 counties 5,625 individuals have been fully period of time and travel beyond 6 of Community and Rural longest stretch since last summer, rated blue and 27 rated “yellow” vaccinated. feet, especially indoors. Affairs. Jay County Com - when there were two or fewer cases (moderate risk). Last week, 56 were About 5.33 million doses have The virus causes a range of missioners also agreed to for 63 consecutive days from June 5 blue while 36 were rated yellow or been administered statewide with symptoms, including fever and provide a 10% match for through Aug. 6. “orange” (high risk). about 2.62 million fully vaccinated. shortness of breath, which can the project in August The local numbers stayed virtu - Vaccination clinics continue to Centers for Disease Control and appear two to 14 days after expo - 2020. ally the same in the metrics the be open at Jay County Health Prevention guidelines say those sure. See Library page 2 Deaths Weather In review Coming up Jay County had a high tem - perature of 81 degrees for the The Indiana Pacers on second consecutive day Wednesday fired coach Nate Friday — Results from the Renee Huber , 50, Tipp City, Wednesday. The low was 70. Bjorkgren after one season. JCHS boys golfers at the Ohio Scattered showers and What qualities should the regional tournament. Jackie Markley Jr. , 58, thunderstorms are expected team be prioritizing as it looks Indianapolis tonight with a low of 67. Fri - for a new coach? Tuesday — Coverage of Details on page 2. day’s high will climb into the Send letters to the editor to Monday’s Jay County Com - upper 80s with a 30% chance [email protected]. There is missioners meeting. of rain. See page 2 for an a 700-word maximum. extended forecast. The Commercial Review Page 2 Local/Nation Thursday, June 10, 2021 Obituaries Renee Huber and sisters Robert and Tim Miller, Portland, Jay and Catholic Church, Chickasaw. Bur - St. Jude Catholic Church, 5353 and Frances Lan - Joyce Huber, Maria Stein, Ohio, ial will follow at St. Sebastian McFarland Road, Indianapolis. Anoth - Nov. 29, 1970-June 8, 2021 genkamp, Port - Jenny and Ted Ripploh, Minster, Cemetery. Friends may call at the er service will be held at 5 p.m. June Renee C. Huber, age 50, of Tipp land, Indiana, and Amy and Steve Schmitz, Fort Hogenkamp Funeral Home, Min - 19 at Williams-Spencer and Penrod City, Ohio, died Tuesday, June 8, Rhonda and Dave Recovery. ster from 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Funeral Home, 208 N. Commerce 2021, at her home in Tipp City, Hoying, Portland, She was preceded in death by June 11, 2021, from 9 to 10 a.m. on St., Portland. Ohio, after a two-year battle with Indiana, Roger her parents, in-laws and sister Saturday. •••••••••• glioblastoma. and Debbie Lan - Ruth Langenkamp. In lieu of flowers, the family The Commercial Review pub - She was born Nov. 29, 1970, to genkamp, Port - Huber She was a member of St. John requests donations be made to lishes death notices for those with the late Robert and Carol (Burn - land, Indiana, Rita the Baptist Catholic Church, Tipp the Ohio Hospice of Miami a connection to our coverage area ham) Langenkamp. She married and Donny Stephen, Dunkirk, City, and a graduate of Jay Coun - County. free of charge. They include the Gerald Huber on June 4, 2005, at Indiana, Rose Langenkamp ty High School. She was also a Condolences may be expressed name, city of residence, St. John the Baptist Church, Tipp Stephen, Portland, Indiana, Ray member of F.O.E. Auxiliary, Tipp at hogenkampfh.com. birth/death date and City. He survives in Tipp City. and Jackie Langenkamp, Fort City, and a lifetime social member time/date/location of services. She is also survived by children Recovery, Ryan Langenkamp, of the VFW, Tipp City. Jackie “Jack” W. Markley Jr. , Indi - There is a charge for obituaries, Jessica Bruggeman and fiancé Salamonia, Indiana, and Roxann Mass of Christian Burial will anapolis, Aug. 9, 1962-June 4, which are accepted only from Taylor Fenter, Troy, Ohio, and Abels, Celina; in-laws Ann and be held at 10:30 a.m.