WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Technology Student Council, made up of students from Purdue University’s College of Technology, is holding a food drive Dec. 1-12 to benefit Food Finders Food Bank in Lafayette.

Each of the eight departments in the college will have its own donation box, as will staff and administration members in the college not associated with a department. A trophy will be awarded to the department that garners the most food donations.

Boxes for staff and administration members, and for the departments of building construction management, computer graphics technology, computer and information technology, electrical and computer engineering technology, industrial technology, and mechanical engineering technology will be located in the lobby of Knoy Hall. The box for organizational leadership and supervision will be on the fourth floor of Young Hall. Aviation technology will have two boxes: One in Hangar 6 and one in the department head’s office in the Niswonger Aviation Technology Building.

To kick off the food drive on Dec. 1, the Technology Student Council will hold a breakfast bar from 8-10 a.m. in the lobby of Knoy. Hot chocolate and granola-type breakfast foods will be sold. Proceeds will benefit the Technology Student Council.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Boiler Volunteer Network collected more than 12,000 pounds of food this month thanks to Purdue University students, faculty and staff.

The eighth annual Fall Harvest Food Drive solicited donations from the Purdue community, with all items going to the Food Finders Food Bank, which serves 16 Indiana counties.

Twenty-five student organizations participated, and the Boiler Volunteer Network Student Leadership Team donated the most food in that category, with 933 pounds turned in.

Six residence halls made donations, with Owen Hall turning in the most at 648 pounds.

Nine university academic and administrative units participated in the food drive, with Purdue Telefund donating the most in that category, with 1,310 pounds.

In the fraternity, sorority and cooperative house category, Theta Chi gave the most, with 506 pounds. Eight other organizations also participated.

Four people also made donations as individuals, with Josh Garrison, a junior majoring in prepharmacy from Noblesville, Ind., giving the most at 63 pounds.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s fire department is making use of a video specifically produced to inform college students about fire prevention and safety in and around campus.

The video, called “To Hell and Back: College Fire Survival,” is available by going online to http://igot2kno.org. Produced by the People’s Burn Foundation of Indiana and funded by the Department of Homeland Security, the video is the third installment of the “Hell and Back” series about fire prevention and burn safety, said Purdue fire chief Kevin Ply.

Igot2kno.org informs college students about fire prevention and safety in and around campus.

“College Fire Survival” is meant to spread awareness to college students living both on and off campus, he said. Lt. John Guerra of the Purdue Fire Department has been presenting the 20-minute video and its related information in residence halls, fraternities and sororities around campus. Ply says he wants to spread the word, as well, to those living off campus. “College Fire Survival” is available to anyone with a Purdue career account by logging onto the Web site.

Purdue is a pilot university for the program, and Ply served as one of several experts during the production.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — CityBus will host “Office Hours” on the Purdue West Lafayette campus to discuss the bus sytem with customers. Purdue students, faculty, staff, and all other CityBus riders are invited to share your ideas, make suggestions, or ask questions of CityBus managers.

During the event, CityBus will also host public meetings to discuss possible changes to route 5 Happy Hollow.

The proposed changes include:

• The addition of a direct return trip for residents along Soldiers Home Rd.
• Service along Salisbury & Barlow will be discontinued.
• Service along S. Grant and Wood St. will be discontinued.
• Service along Catherwood will be discontinued.
• Weekday reduction in service of 1 hour 22 minutes.

Route 5 riders will have the chance to review the changes and share comments.

Office Hours With CityBus will take place on Monday, December 15, from 10:00a to 6:30p, in room 206 of Stewart Center. Public meetings regarding the possible changes to route 5 will take place in the same location at 10:00a, 2:00p and 5:30p.

WASHINGTON, DC — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2009 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2009, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups, or panel trucks) will be:

• 55 cents per mile for business miles driven
• 24 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

The new rates for business, medical and moving purposes are slightly lower than rates for the second half of 2008 that were raised by a special adjustment mid-year in response to a spike in gasoline prices. The rate for charitable purposes is set by law and is unchanged from 2008.

The business mileage rate was 50.5 cents in the first half of 2008 and 58.5 cents in the second half. The medical and moving rate was 19 cents in the first half and 27 cents in the second half.

The mileage rates for 2009 reflect generally higher transportation costs compared to a year ago, but the rates also factor in the recent reversal of rising gasoline prices. While gasoline is a significant factor in the mileage rate, other fixed and variable costs, such as depreciation, enter the calculation.

The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs as determined by the same study. Independent contractor Runzheimer International conducted the study.

A taxpayer may not use the business standard mileage rate for a vehicle after using any depreciation method under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) or after claiming a Section 179 deduction for that vehicle. In addition, the business standard mileage rate cannot be used for any vehicle used for hire or for more than four vehicles used simultaneously.

Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.

Revenue Procedure 2008-72 contains additional information on these standard mileage rates.