Community Broadband Visioning Session to be held May 24th

by with No Comment Member News

The Indiana Broadband Offices is holding a county stakeholder engagement session on May 24th from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the Pine View Government Center Assembly Room, 2524 Corydon Pike, in New Albany, IN. To RSVP for this event, click here.

PURPOSE
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce responsible for overseeing the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access across the country. The Program requires Indiana to submit a Five-Year Plan detailing the current state of broadband in Indiana, the State’s vision of broadband, and how the State plans to execute this vision.
The team writing the Five-Year Plan is conducting 18 in-person visioning sessions across the State. Indiana is diverse in many ways, and every community has distinct needs. The purpose of these sessions is to adequately understand and address the barriers to broadband deployment and unique community challenges.


The visioning sessions are being hosted by the Indiana Broadband Office (IBO). The IBO, led by Deputy Director Earnie Holtrey and State Infrastructure & Broadband Administrator Steve Cox, assists Hoosiers in need of affordable and reliable broadband connectivity. The IBO has done extensive work to provide broadband to Hoosiers wherever they need it – at home, work, and school – and strives to continue their work until every last Hoosier is connected. The IBO is currently engaged with Guidehouse, a private consulting firm, to complete this Five-Year Plan.

For more details, click here to download an informational flyer.

Bluegrass Supply Chain Services to Invest Over $16 Million in Jeffersonville. 

by with No Comment 1si News1si Press ReleaseEconomic Development

NEW ALBANY, IN (May 15, 2023) Southern Indiana continues to build on its momentum in the logistics industry, as Bluegrass Supply Chain Services, LLC and Bridgeport Partners REIG, LLC announce plans for a new facility at 1205 Bridgeport Drive in Jeffersonville, Indiana.  The Bowling Green, Kentucky-based companies plan to invest $15,931,000 in the new facility, along with an additional investment of $835,000 in machinery and equipment.  The new facility will add up to 25 new employees at an average hourly wage of $27.22, which is above the average hourly wage for Clark County, Indiana.   

“We’re extremely excited to bring this new, state-of-the-art logistics center to Jeffersonville,” said John Higgins, CEO of Bluegrass Supply Chain Services, LLC and Bridgeport Partners REIG, LLC. “Supply chain management, logistics, and advanced innovation plays a critical role in the economic health and vibrancy of our country.  This new facility positions us to combine the best of breed technology with integrated solutions to continue playing a key part in this vital area.  We appreciate all the efforts made from the State of Indiana, the City of Jeffersonville, and One Southern Indiana to help us expand our footprint and our workforce with job wages at or above the Clark County average.”

The company was approved for over $1.3 million in tax abatements from the City of Jeffersonville, including $1,299,680 in real estate taxes over the next five years, and $11,693 in personal property taxes over the same period, as approved by the Jeffersonville City Council during its May 1 meeting. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) is supporting this project by expanding their existing 2018 incentives to incorporate this additional investment in Indiana. 

“We’re thrilled to partner with Bluegrass Supply Chain Services on this project,” said Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore.  “It’s yet another example of Jeffersonville’s vibrant business climate, and further evidence of our quality resident workforce in the area which supports economic growth across our region.  We look forward to assisting in any way we can to bring this exciting project to fruition.”

Wendy Dant Chesser, President and CEO of One Southern Indiana said, “This is wonderful news for Jeffersonville and Southern Indiana.  We continue to attract dynamic companies at the forefront of their industries, and with their focus on innovation, technology and continuous improvement in logistics, Bluegrass Supply Chain Services is certainly no exception.  1si is delighted to be a part of this process, and we look forward to watching their progress.”   

About Bluegrass Supply Chain Services
Bluegrass Supply Chain Services offers a full suite of value-added warehousing services and transportation management solutions to enhance operational efficiency. By offering expanded capabilities and capacity, reducing time touch and travel, and improving on-time performance, they help companies expand their customer base, venture into new markets, and create positive consumer experiences, so they can focus on core business and becoming more competent, and competitive, in the market. 

About One Southern Indiana
One Southern Indiana (1si) was formed in July of 2006 as the economic development organization and chamber of commerce serving Clark and Floyd counties. 1si’s mission is to help businesses innovate and thrive in the Southern Indiana / Louisville metro area via the three pillars of Business Resources, Economic Development and Advocacy. For more information on One Southern Indiana, visit www.1si.org.

Contact:

Wendy Dant Chesser
President & CEO, One Southern Indiana
Wendy@1si.org
812.945.0266

John Higgins
CEO
Bluegrass Supply Chain Services, LLC
Bridgeport Partners REIG, LLC
jhiggins@bsc3pl.com
270.535.7010

Nonprofit Spotlight | YouthLink Southern Indiana

by with No Comment 1si NewsNonprofit Spotlight

Youth Link Southern Indiana
1740 Williamsburg Drive, Suite G
Jeffersonville, Indiana 47130
Business Phone: 812-280-0028

Website: www.youthlinksi.org
Contact Person: Lauren Wagoner, Marketing and Development Manager
Contact Email: lwagoner@youthlinksi.org

 

Please use 300 words or less to describe your agency and your impact in the community.

Youth Link Southern Indiana is a local youth-serving organization that provides academic support, mental health services, and basic needs resources. Youth Link Southern Indiana partners with all four school districts in Clark County and New Albany High School in Floyd County, providing support to 19 schools and 4,500 students through their vital programming. The organization’s focus is Linking Youth to Pathways of Success by removing barriers for students. Youth Link Southern Indiana was formerly known as Community in Schools in Clark County.

 

Youth Link provides a variety of programming through their school day services. Resource Coordinators provide 1-on-1 and small group tutoring, distribute Bare Necessities items, and oversee the 321 Read Program. The Bare Necessities program provides coats, shoes, hygiene products, and other basic needs to students. The 321 Read program matches a community volunteer with a struggling reader for a 1-on-1 weekly session. Youth Link Southern Indiana also partners with Centerstone Mental Health to provide licensed, clinical therapists to students in need at no cost.

 

Youth Link Southern Indiana provides programming outside of the school day. The 21st Century Community Learning Center sites offer after school academic and behavioral interventions for referred students grades 1-12. In addition to homework assistance and tutoring, students participate in a variety of enrichment activities. The Extended Day Learning Program (EDL) provides engaging and enriching before and after school care for elementary students in a nurturing environment.

 

Agency Mission Statement or Description: 

Linking Youth to Pathways of Success 

Year established: 2002

Counties/regions serviced: Clark and Floyd County

 

Focus areas: Education, Academic Support, Enriched Activities, Bare Necessities Supply Closets, Mental Health Services, Literacy Mentor Program

 

Impact in community: We remove barriers for students to reach their full potential.

 

Volunteer Opportunities: 321 Read matches a community volunteer with a struggling reader for a one-on-one weekly session of reading to and with the student. Each week, the student is given a new book of their own to take home and add to their home library. Once the student is matched with a “reading friend,” we make sure they have a volunteer to read with them for a full three years, from first through third grade, the most critical years for reading mastery.

 

How 1si members can help your organization:

  • Volunteer for 321 Read Program (just 30 minutes a week at the school of your choice)
  • Donate essential clothing and hygiene items to the Bare Necessities Supply Closets
  • Donate directly to Youth Link Southern
    • A gift of $25 per month provides:
      • 40 new books for our 321 Read Students
      • 10 personal items for low-income youth
      • 1-month student scholarship for our after-school programs
      • 20 hours for 1 student – in-school tutoring or academic support
      • 1 year of school-based therapy – Access for one student for an academic year