Monthly Archives: March 2010

2010 Graduates: Get a (Good) Job!!!

This May, about 1,000 high school seniors will graduate from Monroe County schools.  An estimated 750 of these will go off to college next fall.  Many of the remaining 250 will stay close to home and will need a good job as a new member of the full-time workforce.

The Chamber’s Franklin Initiative connects qualified young adults with entry-level jobs in the local economy.  We also teach them about the job search process and about what it takes to become a successful member of the workforce.  Franklin Initiative Graduation Coaches at each area high school work one-on-one with students to prepare them for life after graduation.

On Wednesday, April 29, the Franklin Initiative is holding the 3rd annual Employment Fair for Graduation Seniors.  At least 20 local employers from a wide variety of industries will be present to meet with soon-to-be graduates, tell them about their company, and accept applications.  Representatives from life sciences, manufacturing, banks, food and retail services, construction apprenticeship programs and others will be in attendance.  Ivy Tech and WorkOne will also be on hand with advice about continuing education and support for job seekers.  The event is open to seniors from surrounding counties as well, including schools in Morgan, Owen, Greene, Lawrence, and Brown Counties. Continue reading →

Legislative Wrap Up

The 2010 Legislative Session adjourned March 13th, with the Indiana General Assembly passing some pretty significant legislation during the short session.  A Constitutional amendment for property tax caps will be on the ballot this fall – amidst a possible local referendum for school funding. The Legislature delayed the unemployment insurance tax increase and created a new tax incentive aimed at aiding in job creation.

The Legislative Wrap Up Luncheon next Monday, March 29th will be a great opportunity to better understand what business issues were or were not addressed and how it affects your business and our community. Continue reading →

The Bottom Line Favors Chamber Membership

When asked by potential, and current, members of The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce what value membership brings to their business, we have an arsenal of information that can demonstrate the proven value it brings.  Whether it is The Chamber’s ability to represent your business interests through promotion, be an advocate at the local and state level for a pro-business environment or relaying to consumers that your business has credibility, we bring it. Continue reading →

Reality Store Prepares Kids for the Future

Students Participate in Reality Store

The Chamber’s Franklin Initiative Reality Store is a fun simulation that helps 7th and 8th graders connect academic achievement with the kind of lifestyle they envision for themselves as an adult.  In the activity, students pretend to be a 28-year-old just starting out in their career.  They are assigned salaries based on their actual GPA, and can decide if they are married or single and how many children they have, if any.  Then, they proceed from table to table (staffed by Franklin Initiative volunteers) to buy housing, transportation, food, insurance, child care, etc.  Leftover money can be used at the pets, electronics, and vacations tables. Continue reading →

Decatur Vein Clinic Ribbon Cutting

The Decatur Vein Clinic will be hosting a Ribbon Cutting to celebrate the grand opening of their new facilities on March 15. All Chamber members are invited to help welcome Decatur Vein Clinic to the community, tour the facilities, and enjoy lunch. The ceremony and pictures will take place at 11:30, with a buffet provided by Mac Grill immediately following. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Katie Bruhn at kbruhn@chamberbloomington.org, or 336-6381.

Founded more than a decade ago to deliver high-quality, a patient-friendly vein treatment to people in need, the Decatur Vein Clinic has been helping patients look, feel and live better. Located at 3209 West Fullerton Pike, Suite C, the Decatur Vein Clinic specializes in non-surgical procedures for the treatment of vein disease, such as varicose veins, spider veins, and venous insufficiency. More information can be found at http://www.decaturvein.com/.

City to host public meeting on Google Gigabit for Communities project

The City of Bloomington will be hosting a public meeting to receive input from the community for compelling, creative and outside the box uses for an experimental broadband network being proposed by Google.

According to Google’s Web site, the company “plan[s] to test ultra-high speed broadband networks in one or more trial locations across the country. Our networks will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today, over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections.”
Continue reading →

BEAD's March Exhibit to feature work from photographer John Bower

This month the City of Bloomington’s Entertainment and Arts District (BEAD) will showcase photography by local artist John Bower in an exhibit entitled “Capturing the Soul of Indiana, The Documentary Photography of John Bower.”

The exhibit will contain a variety of his black-and-white images capturing remnants of Indiana’s rapidly disappearing past. Bower’s photography is motivated by the quest to rediscover that which has been ignored, forgotten or cast aside. Bower states that, “By using the inherent drama of black-and-white photography, I am able to capture the essence -the élan vital- of these subjects. The abandoned houses and rusting automobiles dotting the countryside retain a special energy left behind by their former owners.” Continue reading →

City Recognizes Local Women For Community Service

Mayor Mark Kruzan has announced that three local women have been selected by the Women’s History Month Committee to be honored during March for their outstanding service to the Bloomington community.

Kerry Thomson has been named Bloomington’s Woman of the Year, Tomilea Allison has been named the recipient of the Lifetime Contribution Award and Maggie Sullivan has been chosen to receive the Emerging Leader Award. Continue reading →