Unity says that in an environment of physician and nurse shortages, reimbursement rates are key to establishing and maintaining a high quality healthcare system.

“Decreasing reimbursement rates will have a direct, negative effect on our ability to invest in quality physicians, staff, new technologies and infrastructure,” said Gary Prah, M.D., President of Unity Healthcare. “Anthem’s proposal, combined with our region’s current physician shortage, may force patients to pay out-of-network penalties, wait longer to see a physician and increase the likelihood of out-of-town travel for treatments and procedures currently available at our facilities.”

Unity Healthcare leaders will continue to meet with Anthem in hopes that an agreement can be reached. In the interim, Unity is encouraging patients with Anthem coverage to learn more about the issues at unityhc.com/anthem and familiarize themselves with alternate insurance providers including Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealthcare.

About Unity Healthcare:
Unity Healthcare is a medical network with over 75 general and specialty physicians serving Lafayette, Indiana and surrounding communities. Unity provides care for more than 200,000 patients per year and employs over 575 healthcare professionals. Unity Healthcare physicians provide an array of medical services with specialists in allergy and asthma, anesthesiology, gastroenterology, general and trauma surgery, immediate care, obstetrics and gynecology, occupational medicine, ophthalmology, oncology, orthopaedics, orthopedic spinal surgery, otolaryngology, neurology, pain management, pediatrics, phlebology, physical and occupational therapy, plastic surgery, podiatry, primary care, psychology, radiology, radiation oncology, urology, and many others.

In Related News:

• St. Elizabeth Regional Health remains in Anthem network; negotiations continue
• St. Elizabeth Regional Health opts out of Anthem network November 2
• Unity appoints new CFO, new Director of Finance
• Kent Lancaster joins Unity Radiology
• Heartland Neurology joins Unity Healthcare

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

Unity Healthcare votes to terminate Anthem contract

“There was a period in late May that was suitable for harvesting hay, but for whatever reason many producers did not get their hay cut,” he said. “Now producers need to focus on getting the hay harvested. Producers who started in late May are starting their second harvest.”

As of June 14, 23 percent of Indiana’s alfalfa crop was still waiting to be harvested, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service crop and weather report released June 15.

Producers can take steps to make sure they are ready to cut hay when the ideal time comes, Johnson said.

First they should have a properly set mower conditioner that sufficiently crimps the stems and does not bruise the leaves.

“Keep in mind that there are two types of conditioners, a flail and rubber rolls,” Johnson said. “The flail mower is more aggressive with the crop, so using a flail mower on a legume like alfalfa is not recommended because more leaf loss will occur.”

Producers also should consider the optimal time to use a tedder - a fingerlike rake used to fluff hay after it has been laid in a swath. The tedder is an aggressive piece of equipment that is more useful when the hay crop has more than 50 percent moisture content. If the hay crop has a low moisture content and the tedder is used, the hay has a greater potential of losing nutritional value from the leaves.

Making bale silage is another option farmers have, Johnson said. Having the correct amount of wrap, a bale wrapper and baling the hay at 50 percent moisture content is essential to making this happen. Farmers can wrap in a single bale or in a row of bales.

Farmers harvesting their fields the traditional way should consider moisture content. If baling into small rectangular bales, the moisture content should be 20 percent. Large rectangular bales and large round bales should be at 18 percent moisture content. Higher moisture levels will result in moldy hay. Farmers should use a propionic acid preservative, which permits hay to be packaged at a slightly higher moisture content during baling.

After harvesting, the field may need to be fertilized, Johnson said.

“A soil test can tell you what nutrients the forage needs to improve yield and persistence in a perennial crop,” he said.

Along with maintaining the soil of the hay field, insect scouting is important, too.

Producers with alfalfa fields will need to scout for potato leafhopper, an insect carried to Indiana in the spring by weather systems from the southeastern United States. There are alfalfa varieties available that are up to 70 percent resistant to the potato leafhopper.

Because of the isolated and pop-up thundershowers across the state, Johnson encourages producers to check the weather forecast at least twice a day and look at the extended forecast in and outside of their local area.

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• Grant writing workshop, March 18 and April 22
• Conference lets producers graze over smorgasbord of topics
• Women in Ag Conference covers it all, from energy to wine
• Purdue program provide primer on immigration issues
• Extensive spring floods delay Indiana soybean planting

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

Undesirable weather slows down hay production

Patriot Express, launched June 28, 2007, builds on the more than $1 billion in loans SBA guarantees annually for veteran-owned businesses, and the counseling assistance and procurement support it provides each year to more than 200,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans and Reserve members.

“This commitment to more than 25 million veterans across the country, and the thousands returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is something we at SBA take seriously,” SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills said. “The Patriot Express initiative, in conjunction with other SBA programs, goes directly to the needs of our veterans who want to start, or already have their own businesses. This critical access to capital helps them grow their businesses and create good paying jobs in their communities.”

Patriot Express is a streamlined loan product based on the agency’s highly successful SBA Express Program, but with an enhanced guaranty and interest rate. The Patriot Express loan is offered by SBA’s network of participating lenders nationwide and features one of SBA’s fastest turnaround times for loan approvals. Loans are available up to $500,000 and qualify for SBA’s maximum guaranty of up to 90 percent.

The Patriot Express loan can be used for most business purposes, including start-up, expansion, equipment purchases, working capital, inventory or business-occupied real-estate purchases. Local SBA district offices will have a listing of Patriot Express lenders in their areas. Details on the initiative can be found at www.sba.gov/patriotexpress

Interest rate maximums for Patriot Express loans are the same as those for regular 7(a) loans: a maximum of Prime + 2.25 percent for maturities under seven years; Prime + 2.75 percent for seven years or more. Interest rates can be higher by two percent for loans of $25,000 or less; and one percent for loans between $25,000 and $50,000.

Patriot Express is available to military community members including veterans, service-disabled veterans, active-duty service members participating in the military’s Transition Assistance Program, Reservists and National Guard members, current spouses of any of the above, and the widowed spouse of a service member or veteran who died during service, or of a service-connected disability.

Patriot Express loans have been approved in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam and generally range from $5,000 to $375,000 in individual loan amounts. The average loan amount is almost $85,000. Nearly 15 percent of those loans have gone to military spouses. After loan applications are approved by the bank, they are submitted to SBA for approval. Most applications are approved by SBA within 24 hours.

SBA has veterans’ business development officers in district offices in every state and territory able to provide military community members full access to the SBA’s range of programs and services. There are also eight Veterans Business Outreach Centers located in: Albany, N.Y; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Lynn Haven, Fla.; Edinburg, Texas; Sacramento, Calif.; St. Louis, Mo.; Boston, Mass.; and Flint, Mich.

In addition to district offices, SBA’s resource partners SCORE, Counselors to America’s Small Business, Small Business Development Centers, and Women’s Business Centers provide local and online assistance with: writing a business plan, financing options to start or grow your business, managing the business, expanding the business and selling goods and services to the government.

For those who are already small business owners and who expect call-up, the SBA and its resource partners have expertise to assist with preparing their businesses before deployment, managing their businesses, selling goods and services to the government, obtaining other SBA financing and financial assistance, and obtaining loans for economic injury – Military Reserve Economic Injury Disaster Loans (MREIDL) – Loans of up to $2 million are available for small businesses sustaining economic injury because an owner or essential employee has been called to active duty as a military reservist.

The SBA and its Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) provides comprehensive assistance, outreach and support to veterans. Each year the SBA assists more than 200,000 veterans, service-disabled veterans and reservists. Go to www.sba.gov/vets.

In Related News:

• SBA Patriot Express Loan initiative delivers $150M to vets and military community
• Loans available to Indiana small businesses boosted by Recovery Act
• SBA applauds Stimulus Bill, planning underway for maximum small biz impact
• Financing small business online workshop
• SBA to conduct small business financing workshop

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

Patriot Express Loan initiative delivers $315M to 3,750 vets, military community

Lilly announces senior leadership change

The dividend is payable September 10, 2009, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 15, 2009.

In Related News:

• NAACP, reps file for class certification against Eli Lilly
• LSB Financial Corp announces profitable Q1, cash dividend
• Lilly reports strong first quarter 2009 results
• Lilly announces more leadership changes
• Lilly announces senior leadership change

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

Lilly declares third-quarter dividend

The power increase, from 5,000 watts to 14,000 watts, will allow WBAA Radio to potentially reach an additional 90,000 listeners, station general manager Tim Singleton said.

In order to upgrade the power, WBAA-FM (101.3), will be off the air for at least one day while a tower crew removes the antenna to modify it. While the transmitter will be off during construction, Internet listeners can still listen online at http://www.wbaa.org.

When the work is finished, the station will be at higher power and also broadcasting in analog and with HD radio technology.

Singleton said the crew is scheduled to work on the tower next Wednesday (July 1), weather permitting.

The station received permission last year from the Federal Communications Commission to increase its power transmission after another radio station moved its transmitter.

WBAA-AM, licensed in 1922, is Indiana’s longest continuously operating radio station, and 920-AM provides news, information, public affairs, jazz, folk and other eclectic music. The AM and FM signals are available digitally. The programming can be heard globally via the station’s Web site at http://www.wbaa.org

WBAA-FM provides Tippecanoe and surrounding counties a mix of classical music and fine arts programming.

In Related News:

• Purdue West Lafayette Campus Events, Thursday, April 10

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

Purdue’s WBAA-FM to increase power to 14,000 watts

Two are U.S. Department of Energy BestPractices workshops:

• Fundamentals of Compressed Air Systems will be offered June 22 in Fort Wayne, June 23 in West Lafayette and June 24 in Evansville.

  This workshop is appropriate for anyone in a plant’s work force who uses compressed air or has responsibility for the system. Cost is $125 per person.

  Participants will learn how to tailor a compressed air system management action plan for a plant; compute the current cost of a plant’s compressed air system; determine the impact of different compressor control types; measure and create a baseline of system performance; identify steps for proper system operation; and cut costs.

• Steam Systems End-User Workshop will be offered Aug. 4 in Fort Wayne.

  It is designed for industrial and institutional plant personnel who have steam system responsibilities, such as energy managers, steam system supervisors, engineers and equipment operators. Cost is $125 per person.

  Participants will learn about steam generation efficiency, resource utilization effectiveness and steam distribution system losses.

A TAP Green Specialist Energy Management Workshop will be offered July 9 in Indianapolis. It is part of the Green Enterprise Development program aimed at engineers, green team participants and environmental managers. Cost is $395 per person.

TAP has designed its Green Enterprise Development program for manufacturers and others interested in learning how to apply sustainable, environmentally friendly practices in the workplace. Participants in the program can earn a Green Specialist Certificate accredited by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

Participants in the Indianapolis Level 2 Energy Management workshop will learn energy basics, how to manage energy usage and invest in energy efficiency, the pros and cons of renewable energy sources and how to include all system costs in a project evaluation.

Information on all of the workshops and registration are available at http://www.IndianaMEP.org/events

The Technical Assistance Program connects companies with Purdue resources and helps them implement industry best practices and invest in state-of-the art technologies. It also provides a portfolio of continuous improvement, energy and sustainability assessment, training and implementation services.

In Related News:

• Identity theft and fraud workshop hosted by PEFCU
• SIA Auto Safety Fair to educate, inform drivers about realities of road
• Free workshop provides tips for debt management
• Go green on St. Patrick’s Day with green energy program
• Purdue offering two summer electric guitar-making workshops

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

Technical Assistance Program to offer energy workshops

Douglass Jacobs, an associate professor of forestry and natural resources, found that American chestnuts grow much faster and larger than other hardwood species, allowing them to sequester more carbon than other trees over the same period. And since American chestnut trees are more often used for high-quality hardwood products such as furniture, they hold the carbon longer than wood used for paper or other low-grade materials.

Douglass Jacobs examines a young hybrid of the American chestnut. He expects the trees could be reintroduced in the next decade. (Purdue University file photo/Nicole Jacobs)

“Maintaining or increasing forest cover has been identified as an important way to slow climate change,” said Jacobs, whose paper was published in the June issue of the journal Forest Ecology and Management. “The American chestnut is an incredibly fast-growing tree. Generally the faster a tree grows, the more carbon it is able to sequester. And when these trees are harvested and processed, the carbon can be stored in the hardwood products for decades, maybe longer.”

At the beginning of the last century, the chestnut blight, caused by a fungus, rapidly spread throughout the American chestnut’s natural range, which extended from southern New England and New York southwest to Alabama. About 50 years ago, the species was nearly gone.

New efforts to hybridize remaining American chestnuts with blight-resistant Chinese chestnuts have resulted in a species that is about 94 percent American chestnut with the protection found in the Chinese species. Jacobs said those new trees could be ready to plant in the next decade, either in existing forests or former agricultural fields that are being returned to forested land.

“We’re really quite close to having a blight-resistant hybrid that can be reintroduced into eastern forests,” Jacobs said. “But because American chestnut has been absent from our forests for so long now, we really don’t know much about the species at all.”

Jacobs studied four sites in southwestern Wisconsin that were unaffected by the blight because they are so far from the tree’s natural range. He compared the American chestnut directly against black walnut and northern red oak at several different ages, and also cross-referenced his results to other studies using quaking aspen, red pine and white pine in the same region.

In each case the American chestnut grew faster, having as much as three times more aboveground biomass than other species at the same point of development. American chestnut also sequestered more carbon than all the others. The only exception was black walnut on one site, but the American chestnut absorbed more carbon on the other study sites.

“Each tree has about the same percentage of its biomass made up of carbon, but the fact that the American chestnut grows faster and larger means it stores more carbon in a shorter amount of time,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs said trees absorb about one-sixth of the carbon emitted globally each year. Increasing the amount that can be absorbed annually could make a considerable difference in slowing climate change, he said.

“This is not the only answer,” Jacobs said. “We need to rely less on fossil fuels and develop alternate forms of energy, but increasing the number of American chestnuts, which store more carbon, can help slow the release of carbon into the atmosphere.”

Carbon dioxide is considered a major greenhouse gas, responsible for rising global temperatures.

Jacobs said that since this study looked at aboveground carbon sequestration, future studies would seek to understand more about how forests that contain American chestnuts store carbon below the ground. The Stry Foundation, Electric Power Research Institute, and Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center funded the research.

In Related News:

• Trading carbon credits worth examining, Purdue expert says
• Earthworm activity can alter forests’ carbon-carrying capabilities

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

Reviving American chestnuts may mitigate climate change

Accompanying the class certification motion and amended complaint were certified declarations by more than 100 members of the class throughout the United States regarding their adverse employment experiences at the company.

The legal actions were announced at 11 a.m. Tuesday on the steps of the U.S. District Courthouse in Indianapolis by Angela Ciccolo, National General Counsel of the NAACP; plaintiffs’ spokesperson Cassandra Welch; and the plaintiffs’ attorney and new Co-lead Counsel David Sanford, of Sanford Wittels & Heisler LLP.

Sanford Wittels & Heisler, a national civil rights firm with offices in Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco, and the Morelli Ratner firm, a New York City-based plaintiff’s firm have joined with Rose & Rose, a civil rights firm in Washington, DC, as Co-lead Counsel in the matter. The plaintiff’s local counsel in Indiana is Rob Dassow of Hovde, Dassow & Deets, LLC.

The NAACP, Cassandra Welch in her individual capacity, as well as Raynard Tyson, Sheryl A. Davis, Clara Walker, Delores Ryan, Allison Carter, Lawanda Rutledge, Joy Mason, Kelly French and Jackie Colbert are named as class representatives on behalf of themselves and the class of current and past employees of Eli Lilly who experienced pervasive and longstanding racial discrimination as Lilly employees. There are an estimated 2,000 members of the class.

“More than 100 African American employees have filed declarations outlining the toll of Eli Lilly’s discrimination on them and their families. Lost earnings and benefits coupled with the humiliation and distress of years of not being recognized for their merit and being held back because of the color of their skin,” said Mr. Benjamin Jealous, President of the NAACP. “Companies like Eli Lilly who practice the anachronistic policies of racial discrimination harm not only the victims, but the competitiveness of U.S. business which must conduct business in an increasingly diverse marketplace.”

The plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief, back pay, front pay, and attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses to redress Lilly’s pervasive and discriminatory employment practices.

All of the plaintiffs worked at Lilly locations in the U.S. over the past three decades and many continue to work there today: Mr. Tyson resided in North Carolina and was employed by Lilly from 1999 through 2004; Ms. Davis has been employed as a sales representative by Lilly in Memphis, TN, since March 2000; Ms. Walker resides in Indianapolis and has been employed at Lilly since 1988; Ms. Ryan resides in Indianapolis and has been employed at Lilly since 1977; Ms. Carter resides in Indianapolis and has been employed at Lilly since 2000; Ms. Rutledge resides in Olympia Fields, IL, and has been employed at Lilly since 2003; Ms. Mason resides in Indianapolis and has been employed at Lilly since 1998 and Kelly French resides in Indianapolis and was employed at Lilly from 1999 through 2008.

“Lilly discriminates against its African-American employees by advancing the company’s white employees more quickly, and by denying African-American employees equal job assignments, promotional opportunities, training, compensation and other benefits of employment,” said Mr. Sanford, Co-Lead Class Counsel. “These actions are part of Lilly’s continuing pattern and practice of treating African-American employees differently from white employees. Such callous and unlawful behavior gives a new and warped meaning to the term ‘lily white.’ It cannot be allowed to continue.”

Ms. Welch resided in Indianapolis during her employment by Lilly from 1992 until 2004. She is a long-time member of the NAACP, which is committed to the improvement of the social and economic status of minority groups, the elimination of racial prejudice and discrimination, and the attainment of civil rights and equal opportunities for its members and others. The majority of the members of the NAACP are African American.

“I have been subjected to blatant and persistent pay discrimination throughout my tenure at Lilly,” said Ms. Welch. “I had to endure years of racist comments and threats — including having a dark-colored doll with a noose around its neck left on my desk — just to remain employed. My complaints to supervisors were never properly investigated, and I was ultimately let go by the company based on an untrue allegation by a co-worker.”

Similar employment horror stories of the nine class representatives are described in the filing and in the more than 100 declarations.

“As these individual and collective employment experiences make clear, for several decades Lilly has intentionally engaged in discriminatory practices with indifference to the federally protected rights of its African American employees,” said Ms. Ciccolo, General Counsel of the NAACP. “This company’s longstanding policies and patterns of discrimination have injured and damaged these nine class representatives and all of the other African-Americans it employs. The legal actions we are taking in Indianapolis federal court are required to bring that injury and damage to a prompt and permanent end.”

In Related News:

• Lilly reports strong first quarter 2009 results
• Lilly announces more leadership changes
• Lilly announces senior leadership change
• Lilly sets date, conference call for Q4, FY2008 results

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

NAACP, reps file for class certification against Eli Lilly

The initiative - called “smart grid” - would employ advanced digital technology to save energy, improve the reliability of the power delivery system, improve customer service and reduce the impact on the environment.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK)

The settlement was reached between Duke Energy, the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, the Duke Energy Indiana Industrial Group, Nucor Steel, and the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana Inc.

“The existing power grid is an engineering marvel, but its design is more than a century old. It’s an analog-based system designed to deliver power with little communication between the utility, the power grid, the meters and our customers,” said Jim Stanley, president of Duke Energy Indiana. “Smart grid, with its digital, two-way communication capabilities, will transform how we operate our system - improving customer service, power reliability, and the efficiency of our transmission and distribution system.”

According to the company, benefits of a smarter energy grid include:

• The ability to provide customers with more detailed information regarding their electricity usage and more information for managing their bills. Today, customers receive only their total usage for the month. With smart grid, customers will be able to know their usage daily. As smarter appliances become available, combined with home energy management systems, customers will be able to control their level of comfort, convenience, cost and environmental footprint.
• The digital gateway necessary to eventually offer customers a variety of sophisticated cost-saving energy efficiency programs. For example, customers could eventually monitor and manage their real-time energy usage online.
• A state-of-the-art communications system along thousands of miles of power lines in Indiana to help detect and prevent power line trouble before outages or other electricity delivery problems develop. Today, most utilities don’t know that a customer is out of power until the customer reports the trouble.
• New smart meters that allow two-way electronic communication between the utility and the meters, greatly reducing the expense of on-site meter reading, providing more detailed usage information, enabling service to be reconnected or transferred remotely.
• Advanced technology to further monitor and automate Duke Energy’s power delivery system, which will increase overall reliability.

If the settlement is approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, Duke Energy will work to begin installing smarter energy meters and related equipment within six months.

The settlement provides for periodic program evaluation by all the parties and gradually ramping up meter installations. Duke Energy’s goal is to install more than 800,000 smart meters throughout its 69-county service area over approximately five to six years.

In addition, the settlement agreement provides for a renewable “distributed generation” pilot, in which photovoltaic panels, wind turbines and solar thermal water heaters will be installed at a specified number of homes and small businesses. Further, the company will pilot advanced pricing options for customers, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and residential home energy management systems. The residential home energy management system pilot would allow participating customers to manage their energy usage through an Internet portal.

“The energy future demands an intelligent power grid to handle distributed generation, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and provide our customers with more energy efficient options and control,” said Todd Arnold, Duke Energy senior vice president of smart grid and customer systems. “When combined with our smart grid rollout already under way in Ohio, Duke Energy continues its leadership position in the transition to a smarter power grid.”

Arnold also said the company will soon apply for economic stimulus funds provided through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help offset the costs associated with deployment of the smart grid system. Over the five- to six-year deployment schedule, the company is expected to invest approximately $445 million.

In Related News:

• Duke Energy Indiana proposes sweeping modernization of power delivery system
• Indiana Utility Regulators approve updated costs, carbon capture study for Clean Coal Gasification Plant

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

Duke Energy reaches agreement with key groups on modernizing Indiana electric grid

The courses are sponsored by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, part of Purdue’s Technical Assistance Program, for those currently working and for displaced professionals. Those who are unemployed may be eligible for training funds to pay for some of the courses. Interested persons should check with their local WorkOne office for eligibility.

Six Sigma Green Belt and Six Sigma Black Belt courses combine a detailed roadmap with statistical tools to resolve critical business issues. These are recommended for owners or management teams, engineers or technical staff from small- to medium-sized companies. Participants should have some knowledge of basic statistics.

Green Belts typically work in teams to implement improvements. Black Belts independently apply more sophisticated tools to guide improvements throughout a business or organization.

Advanced Manufacturing (Lean) Practitioner training focuses on waste removal from production or office processes. It covers principles of lean manufacturing, the 5S visual workplace, principles of stream mapping, quick changeover/setup reduction and total productive maintenance.

Training Within Industry (TWI) focuses on job relations and job instructions. These classes help supervisors and team leaders increase productivity, improve morale and reduce training time.

Course specifics and registration information are available at http://www.indianamep.org/events. Displaced professionals seeking to apply for training funds should print course brochures from the Web site and take them to WorkOne for review.

The Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center provides technical skills development and implementation services to manufacturers that want to increase productivity and profitability, enhance customer satisfaction and advance workforce skills. Areas of expertise include advanced manufacturing processes, lean implementation, quality management systems, Six Sigma, green enterprise development and energy efficiency.

In Related News:

• Manufacturing Extension Partnership helps companies get ‘lean’
• Manufacturing Extension Partnership helps companies get ‘lean’
• Indiana manufacturing jobs ‘most vulnerable’ to cap-and-trade bill, analysis finds
• Ivy Tech Community Colleges Six Sigma Institute graduates nine Black Belts
• Indiana manufacturing jobs dropped 2.2 percent in 2007

News via Lafayette Indiana Online

Purdue to offer lean manufacturing, Six Sigma training in Indianapolis