Thrive West Central presented with $5,000,000
Vigo Count Commissioners and the Vigo County Council presented $5 million to Thrive West Central on Wednesday. The money, which comes from American Rescue Plan Act funds, will support Thrive West Central's Homes for the Future program.
'This funding has just been instrumental,' said Ryan Keller, Thrive West Central CEO. 'This $5 million addition to the $5 million with the City of Terre Haute, as well as the Wabash River's RDA $1.8 million, that we initially got a seed funding. All of that funding has been instrumental in really getting the housing market reset here in Vigo County and throughout the West Central Indiana region.'
The Homes for the Future program offers incentives to homebuilders and developers to build new housing in the region. It offers homebuilders and developers funding to help offset project costs upon the completion of each home built.
'They've been working on this for the last year, handing out grants,' said Vigo County Commissioner Mark Clinkenbeard. 'We've seen a large increase in housing in the city and in the county, and it's doing just what we would have hoped it would do.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Shelby and Story counties to pursue U.S. Supreme Court action on local pipeline ordinance case
The Shelby County Board of Supervisors voted Aug. 19 to petition the county's case against Summit Carbon Solutions to the U.S. Supreme Court. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) HARLAN – County supervisors in Shelby and Story counties voted Tuesday to pursue further legal action in their case against Summit Carbon Solutions pertaining to county-specific ordinances on hazardous liquid pipelines. A U.S. district judge and federal appeals judges have previously ruled on the case in favor of Summit and now the counties are seeking a review of the rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, though a Summit filing holds the ordinances would still be preempted by state laws. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In Harlan, at the Shelby County Courthouse, landowners opposed to the pipeline gathered to thank the supervisors. Sherri Webb, an affected Shelby County landowner, said Iowans across the state look to Shelby County and say 'I wish you were our supervisors.' 'Thank you,' Webb said, noting that it's no small feat to decide to appear before the Supreme Court. 'No matter what, I'm behind you guys,' Webb said. Another landowner, Jan Norris who lives in Montgomery County and is a neighbor to the pipeline route, called the board a David standing up to a 'well-resourced and motivated' Goliath. 'Your constituents may not know how lucky they are, but I do,' Norris said. 'Because my board has chosen to play it safe and avoid the fight.' Norris and Webb have been active at their respective county supervisor meetings since they first learned of the Summit project several years ago. The pipeline would connect to biorefineries across the state and transport liquid carbon dioxide through Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and to underground storage in North Dakota. The two said the actions of the Board of Supervisors are important for maintaining local control and working toward standards they believe will be safer and better for their properties. Norris said if the outcome of the case is reversed and in favor of the counties, it will benefit many Iowa counties, and other states impacted by the pipeline and similar projects. 'You guys are doing your job and you shouldn't be sued for doing your job,' Webb said. Cindy Hansen, who lives in Ankeny but owns affected land in Shelby County with her sister, said the supervisors have restored some of the hope in the state that she had lost from the actions of the Iowa Utilities Commission and state legislators. The Shelby County board said the cost of the lawsuits 'have mounted,' but have been covered by the county's insurer, ICAP, and by a fund the board created, shortly after it was sued by Summit in November 2022, that uses American Rescue Plan Act dollars to cover the costs. A copy of both counties' letter of engagement, obtained by Iowa Capital Dispatch, shows fees for the endeavor would be capped at $60,000. Mike Kolbe, one of the Shelby County board members, said the budget was a consideration in the decision, but with the fund and continued coverage from ICAP, Kolbe said the county can afford it 'with no cost to the taxpayers.' Bryce Schaben, the chair of the Shelby board, said the feedback he has received from his community showed there was only one way forward. 'Everything we've heard is to do what we did today,' Schaben said following the meeting. 'When you get that kind of support, it's an easy decision.' Schaben said if the Supreme Court follows the direction of the previous courts on the case, he will be confused. 'It's very confusing that the rulings don't want to make our counties safe,' Schaben said. 'That's what it comes down to.' Ordinances in both counties established setbacks and permitting requirements for the pipeline company to construct in the county. Summit argued, and a federal judge in the Southern District of Iowa ruled, the ordinances were preempted by federal pipeline safety standards. The counties appealed the case, and judges for the Eighth Circuit court of appeals concurred with the lower court, though one judge partially dissented on the case. Story County supervisors approved the decision as part of a consent agenda and did not discuss the decision to engage the D.C. law firm on the suit. Steve Kenkel, a former Shelby County supervisor who now serves as an adviser to the board on topics related to the pipeline, quoted Iowa Code where it directs county supervisors to 'protect and preserve the rights of their constituents.' 'That's what we're trying to do here,' Kenkel said. 'Without county zoning ordinances, the tools supervisors presently have in their tool box … will be tools of the past if this ruling is allowed to stand.' Both counties voted to engage Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick P.L.L.C. to petition the Supreme Court. Summit has sued several counties for similar county ordinance issues, including Emmet, Kossuth and Palo Alto counties. The later-filed cases have been paused while Shelby and Story counties' case was heard and then appealed. The two counties also petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit for an en banc rehearing of the case in July, which the court denied. The other affected counties have requested stays through this process again as Shelby and Story counties decided to take the case to the Supreme Court. Summit's legal team submitted a motion to lift the stay for these other counties, arguing that regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court petition, the county ordinances would be preempted by state laws. 'Any county ordinance—including the one here—that attempts to impose additional permitting requirements, control pipeline routes, or regulate construction and operation is preempted by state law,' the motion said. The Summit motion for leave of stay in Kossuth County also said certiorari from the Supreme Court was 'unlikely in general' and 'particularly unlikely' in Shelby and Story counties' case. The motion holds that the Supreme Court could only review whether or not the ordinances were preempted by federal pipeline laws. Still in place, it argues, would be a piece of Iowa Code that gives the Iowa Utilities Commission the authority to set pipeline routes. This was noted in the ruling from the Eighth Circuit. Here, the judges explained that a county would be inconsistent with state law, and therefore preempted, if it denied a local zoning permit application from the pipeline company to build on a location that had been approved by the IUC. The appellate court decision notes some other states cede this power to local governments and might not be preempted as Iowa counties are. Kenkel argued Tuesday that if the Supreme Court did not act in the counties' favor, the IUC would not be able to route the pipeline based on safety considerations. These and permitting and setback regulations, he said, would instead be up to the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's rules. State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat who is running for governor, stopped in Harlan Tuesday as part of his campaign tour across the state. Among the things he was asked by the bipartisan crowd at Milk & Honey restaurant downtown: How would he protect property rights from such projects? Sand said he does not support eminent domain for CO2 pipelines, 'period.' The comment was met with applause, especially considering some of the crowd had filed across the street to the restaurant after the board meeting. Sand said there are two main reasons why he feels this way. He said he is 'deeply skeptical' that a carbon capture pipeline can be considered a common carrier and if 'there is a true public purpose' to the project. 'You can be a supporter of agriculture in the state of Iowa and a supporter of ethanol, and say that the carbon capture pipeline ain't it,' Sand said. Sand said there are other options to sequester CO2 that have an established market. Sand said Gov. Kim Reynolds' lack of action, or public opinion on the issue has been her 'single biggest failure.' 'Never in the state of Iowa, if there's a tremendous issue with lots of people showing up at the state capitol every single year for the legislative session, will I let five years go by before I decide to maybe share my opinion, only after a bill gets passed,' Sand said. Reynolds, a Republican, is not seeking reelection. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Solve the daily Crossword
Chicago Tribune
14-08-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Aurora City Council pushes back on possible reductions in support for Paramount
The city of Aurora is looking at pulling back on discussed financial support for the Aurora Civic Center Authority, which owns and operates the Paramount Theatre, but some City Council members are saying they're concerned about the possibility. The matter came up at Tuesday's Aurora City Council meeting, when the council heard a presentation on the city's 2024 audit and discussed the city's future financial concerns. The presentation described the city's use of American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, money which had to be obligated by 2024 and spent by 2025, Aurora Chief Financial Officer Stacy Peterson told the council. Much of that funding was spent on ongoing costs, she said, like the ShotSpotter system, body cameras and dash cameras for the police, the addition of 49 full-time employees and financial support to things like the Aurora Civic Center Authority. Peterson also noted that costs for the city went up in 2024, as did the city's debt, and revenue stayed the same or went down slightly. Aurora is facing a significant budget gap for the coming year, Mayor John Laesch recently said. In addition to other attempts to cut costs or generate more revenue, one recent move was the cancellation of the proposed City of Lights Center theater and event space that would have been managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority, according to past reporting. The project didn't make sense to him or others, and the price was just too high, Laesch has said. Laesch also recently said that the city has been giving the Aurora Civic Center Authority 'way too much,' according to past reporting. In addition to the Paramount, the Aurora Civic Center Authority owns and operates the Copley Theatre, Paramount School of the Arts and North Island Center, as well as manages the city-owned RiverEdge Park and Stolp Island Theatre. Earlier this month, ACCA said in a letter to subscribers that the city's previously-communicated financial support of the organization could be reduced by up to 65%, a change made after programming and budgeting had already been committed for 2026, according to past reporting. The organization said its Bold Series would be going on hiatus after the final performance of its current production, 'True West,' on Aug. 31 at the Copley Theatre in downtown Aurora. ACCA also reduced its full-time staff by around 20%, President and CEO Tim Rater previously said. ACCA was facing a $7 million shortfall in its 2026 budget, and under former Mayor Richard Irvin, the city was considering filling that gap, according to past reporting. That planned support represented roughly 20% of the organization's overall yearly budget, according to Rater. In a statement, Laesch reiterated that the ARPA funding that had previously been supporting the Aurora Civic Center Authority was no longer available, and he said that the city has offered to help with fundraising, cross-promotion and other initiatives to help the organization's finances. A spokesperson for the Paramount on Thursday said that it is continuing to negotiate with the city, but declined to comment further on the organization's plans going forward. At Tuesday's City Council meeting, council members noted that there had been pushback from constituents about the possibility of the city reducing financial support for the Paramount. Ald. Jonathan Nunez, 4th Ward, said that 'upset is an understatement' in terms of the response he's gotten from constituents. 'Our budgeting and our revenue and expense proposals are basically a reflection of our community's values,' Ald. Carl Franco, 5th Ward, said at Tuesday's meeting. 'I think we all know how the community feels about the value down there … it seemed like that was a harsh way to start.' Laesch said at the council meeting that the city has never had a budget line for ACCA, and that Aurora is facing significant financial challenges. The city will provide an update to the council on its financial situation on Aug. 26, per the presentation from Tuesday's meeting. 'I think when you get the Aug. 26 financial update, I think you'll probably realize just how serious of a financial situation the city's in,' Laesch said. 'I'd say that it (is) probably going to be pain felt all over.' But City Council members expressed concern that possible cuts to the Paramount would have an impact beyond the theater itself, to surrounding businesses and restaurants, for example. 'The engine, as we know, is the arts down here, and I hope it doesn't affect them,' Franco said. 'I hope … that it doesn't see them leaving, because that's revenue for us.' Ald. Patty Smith, 8th Ward, said it might mean less people coming to Aurora overall. 'The cuts are going to come back at us,' Smith said. 'The people that come to Aurora because of our Paramount will no longer be coming here because we're not going to be offering the quality and the shows and the amount of shows that we have had in the past.' Ald. Edward Bugg, 9th Ward, said there was a 'gap here … in terminology,' noting that city funds for ACCA hadn't been budgeted yet, but were merely projections for next year. Ald. Will White, at-large, said he believes the city should support the arts, but asked if there is any oversight from the city as to how money is spent when they give it. Laesch said he thinks the city can look at its finances, and said that the city will need to have some oversight on the accounting at ACCA. As the city continues to grapple with its financial troubles, the council on Tuesday suggested some direction for how it wants the city to proceed in supporting the Paramount. Ald. Michael Saville, 6th Ward, for example, advocated for 'more of a soft landing to assist them, rather than something so drastic.' 'I think everybody recognizes that (funding) needs to be cut,' Saville said. 'The question is: can we do it in such a way where it doesn't hurt their programming and doesn't hurt the businesses and doesn't hurt the economic activity that we've established here?'
Boston Globe
05-08-2025
- Boston Globe
Boston launches program to support small minority-, women-owned businesses seeking city contracts
The city has historically struggled to give increased to 12 percent, following the implementation of new legislation aimed at supporting those businesses, Wu said. 'We are on track to continue that positive momentum,' she said. 'When businesses like these are working for Boston, it works for all of Boston.' Advertisement Hansy Better Barraza, the co-founder of Latino-owned 'By allowing us access to city-owned contracts, we don't necessarily have to ride the highs and lows,' Barraza said. SCALE provides an avenue for companies to build wealth in the future, Wu said. The city, she said, needs to ensure that local businesses can benefit from upcoming global events, such as the Advertisement While developing the program, Andrea Caruth, the director of supplier diversity at Boston, said her department surveyed people and asked: 'What are the gaps? What are the barriers?' The department found that one of the biggest challenges facing minority- and women-owned businesses was capacity, she said. Entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds have to find time to squeeze in a phone call and spend hours on a laptop — while balancing familial commitments, officials and grantees said. Recipient Shonté Davidson, CEO of Davidson said SCALE will help her business increase its operational capacity. The company currently has a Better Together Brain Trust ha s received $50,000 of the grant money so far. After Davidson completes the six-month program — which requires weekly meetings and classes, she hopes to receive up to another $150,000. 'We're going to use [the money] to scale — pun intended,' Davidson said. Irene Li, CEO of Prepshift, is working with six grantees in the food and dining industry as a consultant in developing their business plans. Restaurants deal with expenses, like tariffs, insurance, ingredients, and labor — all of that adds up, she said. 'Most mom-and-pop and independent restaurants are barely surviving,' Li said. Advertisement After reviewing more than 180 applications, the city chose 27 grantees from a spectrum of industries to receive money through funds from American Rescue Plan Act, totaling up to $6.5 million. Of those applicants, about a third were food and dining businesses, according to Li. 'We have a lot more to do. We've made a great start,' she added. started the business, because as an infant, Bennuamen was diagnosed with acute malnutrition and severe allergies, meaning he couldn't eat eggs, milk, and dairy. 'It was a call to action,' Tonya Johnson said. 'I had to do something as a mother to save him.' The business worked out of a shared kitchen and sold products at farmers markets, hospitals, and colleges — a 'grassroots kind of growth,' Johnson said. Now, the Ancient Bakers is in the middle of a 'pivot,' trying to focus on e-commerce, offering multi-purpose bakery mixes and finished cookies to customers. The business is working on building its online presence, which the grant money will help go toward. '[The grant] is the fuel that is going to help us come back to a marketplace strong,' Johnson said. Jessica Ma can be reached at
