Tuesday, November 24, 2015 The Commercial Review Portland, Indiana 47371 www.thecr.com 75 cents Jay rate 29th highest in state By RAY COONEY ranked better than half of the October mirrored the state trend, was at 3.0 percent and Dubois est. The Commercial Review counties in the state in terms of and each of the other five coun - County extended its state-leading Blackford County: 5.6 percent, While unemployment in Jay its unemployment rate in 2013, ’14 ties in the region saw their rates streak to seven months at 2.9 per - up 0.6 percentage points, t-fifth County remains relatively low, its and the first three months of this climb by 0.1 to 0.6 percentage cent. highest. rate in relationship to the rest of year. As recently as October 2014 points. Blackford County was on the Delaware County: 4.9 percent, the state continues to head in the its rate was 19th lowest in the Indiana’s rate went up 0.2 per - opposite end of the spectrum, fin - up 0.3 percentage points, t-14th wrong direction. state. centage points to 4.2 percent. ishing with the fifth-highest highest. The county’s rate jumped 0.3 But since posting the 34th-high - Adams County continued to unemployment rate in the state at Jay County: 4.4 percent, up 0.3 percentage points in October est rate in the state in April, it has perform well, ranking among the 5.6 percent. Vermillion County according to estimates Indiana remained higher than more than top five in the state for the second had the highest rate in the state percentage points, t-29th highest. Department of Workforce Devel - half of the counties in the state. It month in a row. It tied for the for the eighth month in a row at Randolph County: 4.1 percent, opment released Monday. That hovered between 34th and 39th fifth-lowest rate at 3.3 percent 6.4 percent. up 0.1 percentage points, t-42nd puts it in a tie for 29th highest in highest for a six-month stretch after posting Indiana’s fourth- Area unemployment rates are highest. the state, 44 places higher than it before climbing to 29th highest in lowest rate in September. as follows: Wells County: 3.6 percent, up was at the same time last year. October. Bartholomew County came in Adams County: 3.3 percent, up 0.3 percentage points, t-17th low - Jay County consistently The county’s rate increase in at 3.1 percent, Hamilton County 0.2 percentage points, t-fifth low - est. Waste district to offer grants By RAY COONEY The Commercial Review With its finances in good shape and getting better every month, Jay County Solid Waste Management District is looking for more ways to promote recycling. The district board gave its approval Monday for a new grant program to offer money to teachers and schools for recycling-relat - ed activities. To implement the program, it created a new line item in its budget and approved an addition - al $10,000 appropriation. Board members also dis - The Commercial Review/Kathryne Rubright cussed bringing a percus - sion group to a local event for promotional purposes Filling in and got an update on elec - Sean Winget of Watson Excavating works this morning to fill in a hole on North Street between Middle and tronics recycling. Pleasant streets in Portland as part of a project to replace 10 catch basins on Race and North streets. The work is another District educator Bettie step in efforts to mitigate flooding on the city’s west side. Jacobs had approached the board with the idea for a grant program at its Octo - ber meeting and returned with a proposal Monday. It offers local schools the opportunity to request Dunkirk OKs flooding study grant money for recycling- related projects for which By VIRGINIA CLINE Bivens, who oversees the shed areas in the south and Hansel said. “I want to look Community develop - funding is not available in The Commercial Review sewage department. A tile southeast parts of the city and investigate and see ment director Ami Huff - the school budget. DUNKIRK — Precau - project will also be done in including Walnut Street, what the problem is and man said if the study is Those could include tions are being taken to the city to reduce flooding. Rick Drive, Second Street then come up with some done in time the city can classroom curriculum, a avoid further flooding in Also, council approved and Leisure Lane that expe - possible solutions.” pursue a spring 2016 Indi - recycling assembly, pur - the city. the purchase of two trucks rienced flooding last year. “I would like to see us go ana Office of Community chasing recycling contain - Dunkirk City Council and snowplows for the Hansel said water builds up through with the study,” and Rural Affairs (OCRA) ers, buying books for the agreed Monday to have sewer and water depart - in the ditch and a detention Bivens added. construction grant to help library or a variety of Fleis & Vandenbrink Engi - ments and the roof replace - pond will give the water Dunkirk Mayor Dan Wat - fund the project. If other activities. Educators neering do two flood stud - ment on well houses at the another place to go instead son said he will talk to approved, OCRA would are encouraged not to limit ies at the recommendation water department. of flooding homes. county surveyor Brad pay 80 percent and the city themselves to a list but to of engineer Mitch Hansel Council approved spend - “It’s just a study to inves - Daniels about possibly pay - would pay 20 percent. bring any ideas they have and councilman Jesse ing $4,960 to study water tigate what you can do,” ing for part of the study. See OKs page 5 to the table. “I just look at the funds that we have … and we need to be using them,” Cost unclear for tile replacement said Jacobs of the cash bal - ance that is now By KATHRYNE RUBRIGHT watershed. But a landowner point - repairs, which haven’t cost enough The board members — Jay $482,252.47, more than The Commercial Review ed out that an open ditch serves to necessitate a joint meeting. County Commissioners and seven times what it was Jay and Blackford County resi - about 180 acres. Daniels had an estimate of drainage board members Faron five years ago. “We need to dents who will pay for a new The next step is to inspect that $53,000; Blackford County drainage Parr, Jim Zimmerman and Doug get out there more. drainage tile will have to wait a land to determine how many acres board member Harry Pearson said Inman, Blackford County Com - “What we want is aware - while longer to find out what the drained by the ditch are not $57,000. Based on a cost of $55,000, missioners and drainage board ness. We want to get more cost might be. served at all by the tile, and every acre would be assessed for members Fred Walker and Pear - and more awareness out The counties’ joint drainage exclude them from assessment, about $112, a sum that would be son, along with a neutral third there.” board found out Monday that not Jay County surveyor Brad Daniels paid over five or more years. party, Wells County surveyor Jar - With board members every acre in the watershed is nec - said. If only 310 acres can be assessed, rod Hahn — decided to hold a Jeanne Houchins, Dan essarily served by the tile. About 2,900 feet of tile, all in that cost would rise to $177. It’s also hearing Jan. 25 at which Watson, Jim Zimmerman, The tile, which originates in Jay Blackford County, need to be possible some land is served by the landowners will receive a better Bill Gibson, Faron Parr, County and crosses into Blackford, replaced. Blackford County has ditch and the tile, which would put idea of cost. Randy Geesaman and drains the 490-acre W. B. Chaney been making smaller annual the cost somewhere in the middle. See Unclear page 2 Doug Inman approving the proposal, Jacobs plans to send letters to schools in the coming weeks. The application deadline will FR schools test scores remain strong be Feb. 28. By RAY COONEY said students performed at dle school, where two stu - eighth grade math (90) tests. were: 76 - third grade math; “Bettie, I think it’s a The Commercial Review or above state average on the dents had confirmed cases. Fifty-five percent ranked as 83 - fourth grade ELA; 80 - great idea,” said Watson. FORT RECOVERY — Test Partnership for Assessment At least 70 percent of stu - “accelerated” on the eighth fourth grade math; 85 - “That’s what we’re sup - results for 2014-15 were simi - of Readiness for College and dents were rated as profi - grade math test. fourth grade social studies; posed to be about. I’m all in lar to those from previous Careers (PARCC), which has cient on each of the tests in Its lowest rate was in fifth 87 - fifth grade math; 82 – favor of it.” school years. since been eliminated by the math, social studies, science, grade science at 70 percent, sixth grade ELA; 85 – sixth “If it’s successful and we Principals Jeff Hobbs, state, and American Insti - history and English/lan - which was still 11 percentage grade math; 71 – sixth grade have some good ideas, then Matt Triplett and Tracy tutes for Research (AIR) guage arts (ELA).