Shovels at SJC, scissors at Plevna

 On Friday there were two events heralding the start of something new. At SJC there was a groundbreaking ceremony signaling the start of the new Building & Trades program. This program, which will train students to build houses, has previously been discussed here.  This sign at the site, (which is not where the first house will be built) lists partnerships and sponsors.

On the left is Ernest Watson, fourth from the left is the chair of the Board of Trustees for SJC Mike Van Eekeren, and on the right is Mayor Phillips. 

A short video showing dirt flying.

I talked to a number of the people attending.  I asked about the prospect of training EMTs and was told that the program needs a medical doctor to be very involved in the program and they have not found one willing to devote the time and effort. The various medical certificate programs will be scheduled a year in advance so prospective students will know when they are coming. The new CDL Academy has started and has had its graduates get their CDL licenses. I met the new CEO and I think we will see a more responsive SJC going forward.

The new signs along the highway have three of the four tracks that the College is offering: Building & Trades, the CDL Academy, and Health Sciences. The fourth is for-credit college courses offered with a cooperating and accredited college.

There is no prospect of the old SJC coming back, but there is a good chance that SJC will become a better neighbor to Rensselaer in the years ahead.

Plevna ribbon cutting and grand opening

The former McAllister dealership is no more. The building is now an outlet for the Plevna Implement Company.

MacAllister was primarily a dealer in Caterpillar equipment and Caterpillar has been focusing more on construction equipment and less on agricultural equipment. MacAllister followed that direction and there is a limited market for construction equipment in Rensselaer. In contrast, Plevna is focused on the agriculture markets, so when they saw a chance to buy the MacAllister building and move to this part of Indiana., they took it. They originally had considered a grand opening in June but decided that was not a good time because planting went late this year. A grand opening during County Fair weeks seemed like a better bet.

There was some miscommunication between the City and Plevna about the timing. The City thought the ribbon cutting would take place at 10:00 but Plevna thought it would take place at noon, when they would start serving lunch to guests. Because the Chamber of Commerce had the ribbon and the Mayor had another commitment at noon, the ribbon cutting did take place at 10:00. At first there was an attempt to line people under the big Plevna sign.

But more people decided to line up by a row of equipment and that is where the ribbon was cut.

Below is a very short video showing the ribbon being cut.

Plevna offers a variety of brands of farm equipment, most brands that are under the AGCO umbrella. In addition to selling new equipment, they service old equipment. Currently they have seven employees and hope to increase that to about 15 in a year. Below is the front of the building, where customers would most likely enter.

Behind the front are storage spaces for parts and a large area for working on equipment. On Thursday it was set up for a lunch. I was surprised at how many place settings there were, but was told that they had sent out 1400 invites to area farmers.

In the back was an enormous combine.

In the supply room I did see one piece of equipment that I could afford.

From the building they have a fine view of airplanes taking off and landing at the airport, which has been very busy this week with crop dusters.

A closing

While the events above celebrate beginnings, another institution announced a closing. The Jasper County Recovery House issued a press release stating that it will be closing because they "could not find adequate employees to keep the center open." The Jasper County center opened in 2018.