Despite saying that the effort to try again to pass an extension of the unemployment benefits bill would not happen, Senate Democrats on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 introduced a new version of the bill that would make such benefits retroactive to the end of May, and would extend benefits for those qualifying through the end of November.  Last week this bill in a different format failed to avoid a Republican filibuster and was dropped. 

In addition, House Democarts tried to pass simlar legislation to that now being pressed in the Senate through an expedited procedure, but while that effort was not successsful, they did on July 1 begin the  regular procedure that would only require a simple majority vote to pass.  That effort was successful  in the House, but the Senate has adjourned for a 10-day holiday without taking any action.

What this means to people in Indiana is that about 45,000 Hoosiers have lost job benefits since the most recent extension ran out at the end of May, and it is estimated that an additional 10,000 unemployed workers in Indiana will lose their benefits each week as long as no resolution is made to extend the benefits.

UPDATED, July 2, 2010

The United States Senate, in a 57-41 vote last week failed to muster the necessary 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster of a bill that would have further extended unemployments benefits for those workers who have been jobless for more than 6 months.  This was the second effort made in the Senate to extend such benefits, and according to Senate Majority Leader Reid, will be the last attempt at passage of this bill.  It will mean that new claims for unemployment beneifts will be limited to the standard 26 weeks of benefits, and for those who are currently receiving extended benefits beyond the 26 weeks, those benefits will gradually run out when such persons finish the current tier of benefits that they are on.  The program has previously been extended four times because of high unemployment throughout the country.

The United States Census Bureau last week released some preliminary estimates of population for all incorporated areas as well as Counties as of July 1, 2009.  These estimates have nothing to do with the ongoing 2010 Census, but rather, each year in between the Census taking, estimates are provided as of July 1 each year.  For Starke County, the period between July 1, 2008 and July 1, 2009 showed an increase of 100 persons, from 23,430 up to 23,530.

The City of Knox experienced an increase of 12 persons during that time period, while North Judson saw an increase of 4, and Hamlet an increase of 1.  The estimated populations of those three communities as of July 1, 2009 is Knox, 3,796; North Judson, 1,865; and Hamlet, 783.

Congressman Jos Donnelly has announced that two job fairs will be held in August, the first in Kokomo on August 9, and the second in South Bend on August 24.  Each Job Fair is free and open to the public without advance registration, and will feature businesses and educational institutions.  Each Job Fair will run from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm EDT.

The Kokomo Job Fair will be held at the Memorial Gym at 200 North Apperson Way, and the South Bend Job Fair will be held at the IUSB Student Activities Center at 1700 Mishawaka Avenue.

Purdue University Calumet’s Center for Entrepreneurship Success is offering a three-part Business Plan Course beginning Tuesday, June 29. The course is organized to be a guide to best practices for researching, developing and writing an effective business plan.

Managing Director of Purdue Calumet's Center for Entrepreneurship Success Dushan Nikolovski will lead each of the course’s three sessions which will include the following topics:

· June 29 -- Developing Your Idea and Company Structure;

· July 6 -- Marketing Plan & Financial Plan; and

· July 13 – Operating Plan, Funding Opportunities & Finalizing Your Plan

Each three-hour session begins at 6 p.m. at the Center for Entrepreneurship Success, located one and one-quarter mile west of campus at 1247 169th Street. Registration cost is $99.

To register or obtain other information, contact Jessica Dean at 219/989-2388; 800/HI-PURDUE, ext. 2388; or Jessica.dean@calumet.purdue.edu. More information about Purdue Calumet’s Center for Entrepreneurship Success is available at www.calumet.purdue.edu/ecenter.

Women who are interested in starting or growing a business are invited to attend the 4^th annual “Advancing Hoosier Women in Business Seminar” on July 15, 2010 in Regina Hall on the campus of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana from 10:00 – 2:00 local time.  Sponsored by Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), and the Indiana Small Business Development Center Network, the seminar will feature Hoosier businesswomen who have been successful in starting new businesses, and they will share their success stories with those in attendance.  The Lt. Governor will also speak at this seminar.

The fee for registration is only $25.00, which includes the cost of lunch, and anyone interested may sign up either by calling 800-824-2476, or going online at http://www.in.gov/ocra/2341.htm.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) released its preliminary unemployment figures for the month of May, 2010 this morning.  While the Indiana rate remained unchanged at 10.0%, and the U.S. rate fell .2% to 9.7%, the rate for Starke County fell .7% down to 11.8% from 12.5% in April.  While still the 8th highest rate in the State of Indiana, this does mark the 4th consecutive month that the Starke County rate has declined.  In fact, since 2010 began, the Starke County rate has gone from 13.6% in January to the current level of 11.8%.  The May rate is also the lowest rate for the County since December of 2008, when the rate was 11.5%.

In relation to its closest neighbors, Indiana received good grades in the 2010 version of the Manufacturing and Logistics Report Card, put out by Conexus Indiana and The Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER).  Here’s a summary of Indiana and its adjoining states:

In terms of the nation as a whole, Indiana performed well in the areas of manufacturing, logistics, global reach, and tax climate, finishing in the top 7 or better in each of those categories.  Indiana received no grade lower than a C- in any area, a far cry from the performance of several other states.

In its 2010 Manufacturing and Logistics Report Card, Conexus Indiana and The Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) found that while Indiana grades highly in various areas, there are weaknesses as well.  One of those weaknesses is in the area of workforce readiness.

The Report said that Indiana ranks near the bottom in percentage of workers who have graduated high school or gone on to complete more advanced training or a college degree, and that a continuation of that fact could put Indiana in an unfavorable position in the future.  The Report found that Indiana ranked 31^st in percentage of the workforce with a high school diploma or greater, and 42^nd in college-educated workers.

Indiana also received a grade of C in the area of Productivity/Innovation, due in large part to a shortage in an educated workforce, which appears to be tied to worker productivity and innovation.

Tomorrow’s blog will look at how Indiana did in relation to its adjoining states as well as the nation as a whole.

Last week the Manufacturing and Logistics 2010 National Report was issued by the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) from Ball State University and Conexus Indiana.  Today is the second in a series of articles highlighting some of the findings of that report, especially as it relates to Indiana.

The report graded each state in 9 categories believed to be the categories most likely to be considered by site selection firms for manufacturing and logistics firms.  Indiana received the following grades:

Manufacturing                                                  A

Logistics                                                          B+

Human Capital                                                 C-

Benefit Costs                                                   C

Global Position                                                 A

Productivity & Innovation                                  C

Tax Climate                                                      A

Diversification                                                   C-

Venture Capital                                                 C

In summarizing those grades, the Report noted that, “Indiana continues to do well in terms of the total share of manufacturing, ranking No. 1 in the nation.  Indiana’s global position continues to be a high point for the state – as measured by the size and spread of exports across the globe, the state ranks second.”

The Report goes on to state that, “tax climate also is an enormously important facet of the strength of manufacturing and logistics in Indiana.  The state currently ranks fifth nationally for overall tax climate, making it a location of significant interest for firms wishing to relocate or expand in the United States.  Indiana’s logistics industry ranks 6^th nationally.”  The Report also says that Indiana ranks with the leading states in per capita employment, economic output, exports and foreign investment.

Tomorrow’s blog will look at what the Report says about Indiana’s weaknesses.