As a result of the collaboration, Mercy Health will cover tuition and other fees for part-time and full-time hospital associates pursuing select clinical pathways such as nursing, medical assistant, and laboratory programs.

Guild Education is based out of Denver and works with companies in order to help manage education assistance programs.
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Representatives of Mercy Health stated in a recent news release that the hospital network’s associates will be eligible for that educational assistance on their first day of employment.

Mercy Health plans to will cover tuition assistance and tuition reimbursement for 115 academic programs, undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and nursing degrees as part of their new education program.

“We are committed to providing career growth to our associates as they serve our patients,” said Adam Groshans, president of Mercy Health-Springfield.

“Our collaboration with Guild will open many doors for our associates through strategic financial assistance, enabling them to realize their career aspirations and enhancing their ability to care for our communities.”

The hope is that the new education program will also help fill in-demand jobs in the healthcare field, according to the news release.

Overall employment in health care jobs is projected to grow 16% from 2020 to 2030 adding an estimated 2.6 million new jobs, the release from Mercy Health stated.

The new education program is designed to help aid Mercy Health associates in career growth opportunities such as getting degrees or clinical certifications such as in nursing or pharmacy.

Educational pathways that are part of the program will be provided through 16 universities and learning partners with the aid of Guild Education, the release added.

Other improvements underway include Clifford’s Railcar Café, a commercial kitchen, a new entrance vestibule, a remodeled concession area and an expansion of the stage.
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“The heartwarming generosity of our hundreds of donors and volunteers, and local organizations like the Champaign County Memorial Foundation and the Grimes Foundation, have made these wonderful improvements possible. We are especially excited to announce that Clifford’s Railcar Café is coming soon,” Weller said. In tribute to Billy Single Clifford who built the theatre in 1904, the café’s ambiance will reflect Clifford’s railcar and turn of century era.

According to Weller, the new restrooms, concessions and vestibule will show the Gloria’s commitment to providing excellent comfort and enjoyment for all its patrons. The expanded stage is the first step in the theatre’s ultimate goal of becoming a state-of-the art performing arts center in addition to the existing big screen movie theatre.

The Gloria Theatre and the Urbana Youth Center are projects of the non-profit GrandWorks Foundation.

GrandWorks Board Member, Jim Lillibridge said, “I remember almost 8 years ago when we first purchased the Gloria how many people thought we could never make it work. Here we are, almost 8 years later, after weathering several challenges, and with the outpouring of support and prayers from across the community, Gloria has made her way all the way back and now has an even brighter future. This grand ol’ gal is doing her part to achieve our mission to reach, restore and revive the community.”

The event was held at the Depot Coffeehouse and the Simon Kenton Trail where 99 participants competed in a 5K or 10K race. A 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk or a 1 Mile Mutt Strutt was also offered for participants. Runners also participated virtually and uploaded a photo and time to the event Facebook page. Over 30 dogs also participated in the various events. Blake relied on her 15 volunteers for water stations, registration, awards, photographer and traffic safety. Together the group raised $5,600 for His Hands Extended Sanctuary.

Pre registered participants received goody bags filled with numerous items as well as a t-shirt and finishers medal. Pre registered dogs received a doggy goody bag and all dogs received a treat bag at the finish line.

Participant Mike Gutierrez shared his story and served others as an example of hard work and determination.

Gutierrez has cerebral palsy. His parents were told that he would never walk. With lots of support from his parents and Gutierrez’s own determination, he not only walks, he runs. He ran the 10K in the Furry Scurry on October 9 as well as many other local races. He is currently training for the Happy Half Marathon in Springfield to be held in August.

Joe Rose is a wonderful mentor for Gutierrez. Rose finished his 5K and then went back out on the course to find Gutierrez and run back in with him for the 10K. They share an amazing bond.

The race was not only a successful fundraiser, it also brought together people of all ages. Whether a walker, jogger, runner or dog walker, everyone did something good for his or herself by exercising and taking in the beauty of the Simon Kenton Trail. Everyone also participated in doing something positive for our community. His Hands Extended Sanctuary provides a crucial service to the community with their low-cost clinic. They also take in senior dogs and cats as well as sick and injured pets.

The volunteer group sponsored a race in 2020 called “Run with Heart,” which benefited two local families of babies in need of heart surgery. The group is currently praying about the 2022 race and considering organizations to benefit from next year’s race.

Furry Scurry business sponsors were: ARC Staffing Solutions, B Edwards Surveying, Donay Chiropractic, Johnson Welded Products, KTH Parts Industries, Parker Trutec Urbana, Snyder’s Heating & Cooling, Thrivent and Vallance Okinawan Martial Arts. We also received generous donations from individuals wanting to support the Sanctuary.

The results from the races are as follows.

5K results

Boys under 12: first place, Noah George 31.04; second place, Bently Dingy 40.33.

Girls under 12: first place Hannah George 32.00; second place Haley Whitehead 32.07; third place Madison Whitehead 32.08.

Female 13 – 35: first place, Kayla Reese 31.06; second place MacKenzie Baumgartner
34.16; third place, Jennifer Espich 36.51.

Female over 36: first place and overall winner, Karen Baker 26.53; second place, Tammi
Flaherty 31.06; third place, Emy Varaufhese 31.48.

Male over 36: first place, Linz Vallelil 28.29; second place, Joe Rose 32.10; third place, Daniel Gamble 33.27.

10K results

Under 35 female: first place and overall winner, Kate Tremblay 50.35; second place, Olivia Huffman 57.07; third place, Emilee Gieseke 57.55.

Under 35 males: first place, Samuel Gieseke 52.50; second place, Mike Gutierrez 1.24.11.

Over 35 females: first place, Kelly Jacobs 54.13, second place, Mary J Huffman 57.04; third
place, Kely Pryfogel 1.01.00.

Over 35 male: first place, Tom Huffman 54.13.

Discover the answers to these questions – and learn a whole lot more – during a walking tour of Urbana’s Oak Dale Cemetery on Friday, October 22 and Saturday, October 23.

Led by historian John Bry, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Southeast Missouri State University and a Master’s of Science in Historic Preservation from Ball State University, tour-goers will visit 5 private family mausoleums (including the Marshall, Brown/Murphy/Milligan, Weaver, Marvin and the Miller/Mosgrove families) and the former Receiving Vault to hear about history, locations and significant people who have touched Urbana and Champaign County.

There will be four walking tours each evening beginning at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8 p.m., and each tour will be limited to approximately 40 minutes each. The walking tour is not handicap-accessible and will require participants to wear comfortable shoes in order to walk carefully in grass and on asphalt. No pets are allowed to attend this event, and the tour will be well-lit but tour-goers are encouraged to bring flashlights.

Face masks are not required at this time, but the CCPA will adhere to any COVID-19 mandates in place at the time of the event. Tours allow 45 people to go at once; social distancing is encouraged. To secure yourself a spot, please go online at https://www.ccpapreserveohio.org/events.html to purchase tickets directly from the CCPA. Tickets are $10 each. Once purchased, tickets are non-refundable.
If you’d like to become a member of the CCPA or would like to donate in kind, please visit this website to learn more: https://www.ccpapreserveohio.org/.

Walter will relate the development and actions of the heaviest navy bombers of WWII, the PB4Y-2 Privateers, throughout the Pacific Theater. Included will be a brief history of the first Privateers, the ships and crews who fought in the Revolutionary, 1812, and Civil Wars. His presentation will contain personal stories and photos relayed to him by one Privateer pilot, his father, Lt. jg Joe Walter, who was awarded the DFC and three Air Medals. In addition, 42-year navy veteran, Edwin Corwin, will be on hand to share his experiences flying in PB4Y-2s and later P-3 Orions during the Cuban Missile crisis.

“I’m delighted to join Clark State. I’m excited about the work that the college is performing to serve our community,” Bommer said. “As Dean of the School of Business and Applied Technologies, my focus is to support students, faculty, and staff to ensure success in their efforts.”

In her new position, Bommer will have many responsibilities including to provide leadership for several programs and directs the administrative and managerial functions of the school; supervises all school personnel; and advocates for the school, according to a release from the college.
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“I want to continue to enhance student educational experience and foster an inclusive environment where all feel welcomed,” Bommer said. “My goal is to understand our students to guarantee that we are meeting their needs. In addition, I will work to maintain an awareness of industry requirements so that our programs are focused on the demands of the changing market. Finally, I look forward to working with my team to expand our current capabilities of providing additional academic programs and resources in the business and applied technology fields.” 
 
Bommer brings years of industry and educational experience, including as an assistant professor for the department of Engineering Management, Systems, and Technology at the University of Dayton, as a research scientist at the Air Force Institute of Technology, and an adjunct professor in the department of Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering at Wright State University, the release stated.

“Dr. Bommer will bring a wealth of industry-based experience as well as higher education experiences that will allow us to strengthen the work of the School of Business and Applied Technologies,” said Dr. Tiffany Hunter, Provost and vice president of academic affairs. “She is eager to learn more about Clark State and how she can contribute as a leader to overall student success.”

Bommer has a Ph.D. in Engineering, Industrial and Human Systems from Wright State University; has served on several professional, educational and community boards; and has contributed to several professional written publications and offered many technical and invited presentations, the release stated. 

Digital platforms offer free and low-cost tools that help small businesses find customers, sell their products, and grow. Those same tools became a “digital safety net” during the pandemic when storefronts shuttered and e-commerce, online advertising and remote communications became even more important. As Congress considers several bills that would fundamentally change the way large technology companies operate, or even break up “Big Tech,” small business owners worry that this will hurt their bottom lines as online advertising, marketing, communications and other services become more expensive and less effective.

“It was an honor to participate in these meetings and discuss how important digital tools are to my business. I hope Congress considers this before passing laws that could inadvertently make it harder for my small business to thrive,” said Berry.

Ryan was joined by 15 other 3C Congressional Champions, who met with more than 11 Members of Congress and staff this week to ensure that small businesses are heard by Congress.

“We are 18 months into a global pandemic that has sent shockwaves through the economy and especially through small businesses. Ryan is doing a great service by reminding Congress that small businesses are the backbone of our economy and every issue, even technology issues, are small business issues,” added 3C Executive Director Rob Retzlaff.

The Criminal Justice program is for students who want to serve the community and have a career in public service. Students develop communication, teamwork, leadership, and human relations skills while learning and implementing patrol protocols and tactics through a variety of simulations. Students also study constitutional law and explore a variety of career opportunities in criminal investigations, forensics, emergency response and security. Certifications for the Criminal Justice program include: CPR/First Aid, OC/Pepper Spray, ASP Baton Certification, Taser Certification, Certified Protection Officer, and ORDC Correctional Officer- Provisional.
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From Urbana Daily Citizen

On Wednesday morning, Sutphen Corporation held an official groundbreaking celebration at its new project site, 935 S. Edgewood Ave., Urbana.

The new facility will be 185,000 square feet, built on 55 acres of former farm land — which will provide plenty of room for future expansions. This new facility will combine three Urbana-area operations into one location while retaining 160 jobs and adding an additional 20 to 25 jobs in Champaign County. The new facility will be built by Bruns General Contracting. Sutphen hopes to have the project completed by December 2022.

Sutphen, founded in 1890, is the nation’s largest family-owned and operated fire apparatus manufacturer.

“This new facility will provide an incredible opportunity for our family’s business and for the city of Urbana to grow together,” said Sutphen Corporation President Drew Sutphen, a fourth-generation family member. “For the last 131 years, our family business has worked to build the safest, most reliable fire apparatus in the world. This step will help ensure that our family continues doing the same for the next 131 years.