Articles
Governor Daniels Weekly Update: 5/14/08
Weekly Wrap-up
A look at news and events in the Daniels Administration
Volume 2, Issue 81
May 5-11, 2008
Regional laboratory to expand its headquarters, lab operations in Indianapolis
May 7, 2008 - Governor Mitch Daniels and Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard joined executives from DCL Medical Laboratories this week to announce the company's plans to expand its headquarters and clinical laboratory in Indianapolis, creating 125 new life sciences jobs.
The provider of clinical laboratory testing services to the diagnostic and pharmaceutical markets will invest more than $4.7 million and add more than 20,000 square feet of commercial laboratory space to its laboratory and headquarters facility on the city's northwest side.
"Indiana is becoming a leader in the Midwest in the life sciences, particularly in the service sector that supports this growing industry. Companies like DCL are creating new jobs and delivering results in an industry where accuracy and speed are of the utmost importance," said Daniels.
The Indianapolis-headquartered company, which specializes in providing women's health clinical laboratory testing services, currently employs more 150 in Indianapolis and has already begun hiring of additional pathologists, clinical laboratory professionals, information technology professionals and service personnel as part of its expansion.
"DCL has a distinguished history in providing exceptional cytology services to the medical community, and this laboratory expansion in molecular and clinical diagnostics will greatly enhance the company's opportunity to serve the healthcare needs throughout Indiana," said Michael Hanbury, president and chief executive officer of DCL Medical Laboratories. "The increased space and technical capabilities will enable DCL to leverage its collective experience in cytopathology, clinical trials and product development, combined with an exceptional specimen library, to facilitate commercialization of emerging diagnostic discoveries."
Founded in 1984, DCL has grown from a diagnostic cytology lab to a full-service regional reference laboratory with operations in Indianapolis, St. Louis and Louisville. Since its inception, the company has pioneered fine needle biopsy alternatives for conventional biopsy procedures, and was the first to introduce many leading advances in clinical testing and medical educational services focused in women's health.
64 state employees receive Public Service Achievement Awards
May 8, 2008- Governor Mitch Daniels this week presented the fourth round of Governor's Public Service Achievement Awards to 64 state employees representing 12 agencies.
"Services have been streamlined, millions of tax dollars have been saved, and efficiency has improved in many places because of talented state employees who are proving they can compete with anyone," said Daniels. "Those who deliver measurably better results for taxpayers deserve better recognition and tangible rewards."
The governor created the Public Service Achievement Award in December 2005. State agencies submit nominations of individuals or teams for review and recommendation to the governor. Teams receive up to $5,000 to be divided among team members while individual award winners receive a medal and $1,000. In 2007, awards were presented to 47 state employees.
Commercial glass manufacturer to expand its Michigan City operations
May 9, 2008- Trainor Glass, a designer, manufacturer and installer of custom glass doors, walls and storefronts, has announced it will expand its national drafting center in Michigan City, creating up to 25 new jobs by 2010.
The Illinois-headquartered company, whose custom glassworks were used in the renovation of Chicago's Midway and O'Hare airports, will invest more than $1.9 million to consolidate its Illinois and Indiana drafting operations into a newly purchased 20,000 square-foot facility in the northwest Indiana city that will serve as the company's expanded national drafting center.
"We are proud that Trainor selected Indiana for its new consolidated drafting center. We have worked hard to create a competitive environment that encourages businesses like Trainor to grow in Indiana," said Governor Mitch Daniels.
Trainor, which employs 28 associates at its existing Michigan City drafting center and more than 500 across the country, plans to begin hiring drafting and computer aided-design associates to staff the new national drafting center in the summer of 2008 to coincide with the opening of the new facility.
Governor's schedule for May 13 - 15
Note: All times local
Tuesday, May 13
-Governor Daniels will give brief remarks at the Indiana Surety Bail Agents Association 2008 Spring Meeting.
9 a.m.
Hilton Hotel
8181 North Shadeland Avenue
Indianapolis
-The governor will join local officials, project contractors and Indiana Department of Transportation representatives to break ground on the US 231 Spencer County Corridor construction project. The $146 million Major Moves investment includes the construction of a four-lane roadway from the Ohio River to Interstate 64, a 20.3 mile stretch.
1:30 p.m.
Lincoln State Park
Lakeside Shelter House
15476 North County Road 300 East
Lincoln City
Wednesday, May 14
-Governor Daniels will meet with junior and senior high school students at Loogootee Junior/Senior High School.
9:30 a.m.
Loogootee Junior/Senior High School
201 Brooks Avenue
Loogootee
-The governor will join junior and senior high school students at Wood Memorial Junior/Senior High School for a question and answer session.
1:15 p.m.
Wood Memorial Junior/Senior High School
943 South Franklin Street
Oakland City
-Governor Daniels will give the keynote address at the Vanderburgh County Lincoln Day Dinner.
6:15 p.m.
The Centre
715 Locust Street
Thursday, May 15
-Governor Daniels will join executives for an economic development announcement.
10 a.m.
1800 Fort Harrison Road
Terre Haute
IN THE NEWS:
The Lebanon Reporter
By: Rod Rose
May 14 2008
After finishing a breaded tenderloin with pickles and ketchup, Gov. Mitch Daniels visited with some of the lunch crowd at Sigler's restaurant Wednesday.
Martha Sigler, co-owner of the restaurant on Indiana 39 just south of Sugar Creek, said the governor is a familiar visitor. He's stopped at the restaurant before - he was especially pleased that butterscotch pie was on Wednesday's menu - during his first run for office.
"We kinda knew" Daniels was on the way, said waitress Dawn Shauinger.
Daniels was en route to Frankfort from Indianapolis.
Some diners stopped, stunned, when they saw Indiana's governor casually chatting with their friends.
Daniels joined Kevin McKechnie and Jay Schaumberg at one table.
"I'm very impressed with him," McKechnie said when the governor had moved to another table. "He has a businessman's sense of running things."
Schaumberg told Daniels he appreciated the governor's efforts to reduce taxes. "He's a business person," Schaumberg said. "That's what it takes."
Daniels had come from the north side of Indianapolis - five blocks south of Boone County - where a company had announced it was adding 125 new jobs.
"I am mad at myself," Daniels said when he joined reporters at the lunch counter.
He was scheduled to speak at Frankfort High School in the early afternoon, he said. Because his itinerary required an overnight stop, Daniels had packed a bag.
"I couldn't find my electric blue Frankfort Hot Dog golf shirt," he said. He had looked through "a stack of shirts" without success.
Is the chance to meet the public informally and spontaneously a secret joy of being governor? "Not so secret, but absolutely," he said. He tries to make stops "a couple of days a week," Daniels said. "Otherwise, I get restless and grouchy."
By: Aleasha Sandley
May 7, 2008
The national economy might be headed toward recession, but Indiana has given itself a buffer zone that could keep it out of harm's way, Gov. Mitch Daniels said Wednesday in Crawfordsville.
Indiana has instituted the Major Moves program, which funds major road construction through the privatization of the Indiana Toll Road in the northern part of the state. The program provides more construction jobs and contracts that can help keep Indiana ahead in times of economic turmoil, said Daniels, who spoke at the Crawfordsville/Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce's 90th anniversary banquet at Crawfordsville County Club.
"It will give us a little edge, a little protection, that other states don't have," he said.
Daniels' property tax cap plan, recently passed by the General Assembly, also will put more money in the hands of consumers, which could strengthen the economy and help counter the fear that schools and other taxing entities will see less of an increase in funding than in years past, Daniels said.
Lower property taxes could help draw more people to Indiana, ultimately increasing the tax base and helping schools and other taxing entities, he said.
Daniels touted Indiana's status as an "oasis" of economic growth in the Midwest, citing the state's No. 1 ranking in the country in capturing inbound international investment and its competitive tax structure to draw business. Although Crawfordsville has recently lost two factories, FujiColor and Heidtman Steel, Indiana's overall economy is doing well, he said.
"Your state is beginning to show up and separate from its competition," he said. "The competition of the economy will always be squeezing out some business somewhere. The goal is to find two or three jobs for every one competed away. We're winning the race by far, but you can never do enough."
Renewable energy is one area that will help Indiana stay ahead of other states, Daniels said. The state has begun to invest in clean coal, biofuels, wind energy with nearby Benton County containing the largest windfarm project in the country and waste to energy programs.
"We had been sitting out the biofuels revolution," Daniels said. "We have jumped in with a vengeance."
The Chamber of Commerce is one of Montgomery County's most important tools to maintain its economy, he said.
"The best chambers like this one are where businesses learn from each other," he said. "They provide one of the most important sources of community adhesiveness and activism."
Daniels will be on hand today for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Dixie Chopper Distribution Facility in Waveland. This is his 10th trip to the county since he's been governor, and he tries to visit at least once a year, he said.
Also at the Chamber's banquet, the county's small and large businesses of the year were awarded. Downtown Crawfordsville's Moon Dance Cafe took Small Business of the Year for its contributions toward community programs like Lunch on the Plaza, First Fridays and downtown movie nights.
St. Clare Medical Center was named Large Business of the Year for its $12 million in community benefits and multimillion-dollar expansion in its new cancer center.
Four businesses celebrated milestone anniversaries at the banquet, including Wyatt Communications with 10 years, Morris Neal Collision Center with 25 years, Cook Heating and Air Conditioning with 30 years and Horner Pontiac, Buick and GMC with 75 years in the community.
The Chamber will begin a new initiative to coordinate services among city and county economic development organizations, who will analyze and make recommendations about working together, Chamber President Stu Weliever said.
Chamber Executive Vice President Dave Long was pleased with Wednesday's event, which the Chamber had been working on for about eight months.
"I don't know of a way that we could have done any better at celebrating our 90th," he said.
Shortfall for governments means more for taxpayers
The Lebanon Reporter
By Rod Rose
May 14 2008
A revenue shortage for local governments also means taxpayers have more money in their pockets, Gov. Mitch Daniels said during a stop at Sigler's Restaurant Wednesday.
House Bill 1001, the property tax reform measure passed this session by the Indiana General Assembly, is considered a revenue killer for counties, municipalities and schools, among others.
For government officials to say they will have less than expected is another way of saying that taxpayers will have more, Daniels said.
"That's exactly what we started out to do," Daniels said.
"Just remember ... the best way to provide government services is not to tax people more; it's to have more people in business sharing the load," Daniels said.
"I recognize some (local governments) will have to be very careful, but it was essential to leave more money in the pockets of Hoosiers," he said.
Some of those pockets belong to businessmen, and tax savings will attract new jobs to improve things for everyone, Daniels said.
He cited Boone County's Anson development. "Over the years, that's going to bring in lots of tax dollars," he said.
Daniels prefers local government "be creative" about spending taxes rather than "how they get their hands on them."
"We can save millions, tens of millions of dollars, at state government, by buying smarter," he said.
"We need to look for ways to be a lot smarter" in how the state spends its income.
The state will do what it can to help ease the impact of soaring gasoline prices, but there's "not too darn much" that can be done, he said.
We can leave more money in people's pockets," he said. "That's what property tax redemption (will do) ... leave more money to help them, I hope, deal with the high prices."
"We'll do the little that any state can do," Daniels said. "But this is a problem Washington has helped create and will have to take the lead in solving."
On a TV screen in a corner, a cable network showed Sen. Hillary Clinton at a campaign stop.
Daniels pounced.
"I don't have much patience with these Washington types," he said, "who have blocked supplies (of oil) on American soil ... and then yell because the price is too high."
Had President Clinton not vetoed the bill allowing oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Daniels said, "we'd have a million barrels a day coming down that pipeline right now."
"We don't have it," he said, "because they stopped it."
The Paper of Montgomery County
By: Rick Holtz
May 8, 2008
It was a night filled with laughter, courteously of the governor.
Governor Mitch Daniels was the special guest and keynote speaker Wednesday night at the Crawfordsville/Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce annual dinner.
"We worked for many months to make this happen," Chamber Executive Vice President Dave Long said.
Governor Daniels helped the Chamber members, as well as members of the community, celebrate the Chamber's 90th anniversary.
"I love coming this way," Daniels said. "I love events like this."
Daniels spoke for less than an hour, mixing in jokes before getting down to business. The governor spoke on issues ranging from property taxes to gas prices and energy.
After speaking to the crowd, Daniels opened the floor to questions. When asked what was his biggest disappointment from his first term, he said that it was only seeing minimal progress in public education. He said that while there was some progress, it was not enough.
"I will be offering up some options," he said.
Daniels spoke on the need to make decisions when it comes to different forms of energy.
"We need to make grownup decisions in this country when it comes to energy," he said.
Daniels' visit to the Chamber dinner is not unusual for the governor. Daniels said that he typically is out on the road two to three nights a week, sometimes making six to eight stops a day.
When out on the road, he stays with families in the community he is visiting.
"It started as a way to save money," Daniels said.
Over time, there was another reason to continue staying with local families.
"You can learn a lot in the last hour before lights out," he said.
Daniels said that he tries to visit every county at least one time each year.
"It's a big state, but this is a fun place to come," he said.
Dixie Chopper cuts ribbons at Waveland facility
Lafayette Journal & Courier
By MAX SHOWALTER
May 9, 2008
Editor's note: Dixie Chopper Distribution Center is in Waveland. An previous version of this story included the incorrect location. The following version has been corrected.
WAVELAND -- With assistance from Gov. Mitch Daniels, officials with Recycled Goods and Trucking Co. held ribbon cutting ceremonies here Thursday for the Dixie Chopper Distribution Center.
The $2.3 million facility employs approximately 25 people who handle shipping requirements for the machine that is built at plants in nearby Greencastle and Coatesville and is advertised as the "World's Fastest Lawn Mower."
"Not only is our new warehouse an investment in the future of Dixie Chopper, but it is an upgrade to our logistical approach to product management," said Dixie Chopper general manager Jeff Haltom.
"The addition of this new warehouse enables us to better serve our dealers as we continue to grow. We believe it is money well spent."
Created by Art Evans in 1980, Dixie Chopper builds zero-turning mowers, which are sold at dealerships in all 50 states and Canada.
RGT, which is owned by the father and son team of Ralph and Shane Jones, invested an additional $1.2 million in site preparation and other costs on the 30-acre property.
"These are Hoosier-made mowers being exported throughout the country," said Bill Henderson, executive director of Montgomery County Economic Development.
"This is the kind of project that really benefits a community and the state."
