News 7-28-18

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 7-28-18 News Stories

 

New Era For Old Bank Building:

It is the beginning of a new era for a landmark building in downtown Washington.  Today’s Washington Times Herald reports that the former German American Bank building, downtown’s tallest, will be used as something other than a bank.   Dr. Gerald  Stroud plans to turn at least part of the building into a medical clinic. 

“It is a move of necessity,” said Dr. Stroud. “We received a notice to move from our current facility from the hospital in 60 days. We got together with the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation and looked at the old bank. We felt we could make it work well as a clinic and that’s what we are going to do.  Downtown suits us,” he said. “I really feel that a traditional medical family practice will bring a lot of people to downtown. I believe in the downtown and want to be part of the ongoing revitalization there.”

German American donated the building to the DCEDC when the bank moved to a new location.  Getting the first floor of building leased is “really exciting,” said Special Projects Coordinator for DCEDC Natalie Smith. “We had always envisioned the building becoming a medical facility.”

The movement of a medical office into the building at Main and East Second streets represent  a case of coming full circle. Old timers say the upper floors of the building used to house doctor and dental offices.

 Dr. Stroud told the paper he hopes to have the building updated and the clinic in operation by August 13th

 

 

 Street Closing notice:

The City of Washington advises that this coming Tuesday,  E. 11th Street from the railroad tracks to Bedford Road will be closed for paving.  The release asks that you try and avoid that area if possible.  Again E 11th from the RR tracks to Beford Road, closed Tuesday for repairs. 

 

 

(INDIANAPOLIS) – The U-S trade war with China is making farmers jittery, and the 12-billion-dollar bailout announced this week hasn’t solved all their concerns.

China is a gigantic market for Indiana corn, hog and soybean farmers. Indiana Congresswoman Susan Brooks (R-5th) says farmers in her district want and need customers, and can’t afford to see that market shrivel.

Brooks says the U-S needed to respond to Chinese trade practices, but says the tariffs the U-S has imposed have been too broad. She says a program intended to exempt certain companies isn’t working because there isn’t enough staff to process the applications.

Brooks says farmers are willing to be patient while trade negotiators try to resolve issues, but there’s not a lot of time to do it. She says if the trade war is still raging by harvest time in a few months, farmers could be stuck with silos full of unsold grain.

And Brooks says while she supports President Trump’s suggestion of a completely tariff-free zone in trade with the European Union, it’s not something that can be accomplished overnight. She says an agreement this week to cool tensions with the E-U is just a truce to stop escalating the conflict — the underlying issues still need to be resolved.

Brooks says she’s signed on to eight separate letters to the White House urging more permanent solutions to trade issues hurting Hoosier industries, from semiconductors to tomato farms who need tin cans.

 

 

For older adults falls are the leading cause of emergency room visits and nursing facility admissions.  The RSVP Center is hosting falls prevention classes on Monday August 6th and Wednesday August 8th at the Kiwanis Cabin at Eastside park in Washington.  The free classes will take place from 9 am to noon and will include lunch both days.  Topics will include exercise, nutrition, home safety, medications, foot care, and more.  The program is called Healthy Steps of Older Adults and is geared for anyone age 50 and over at any level of mobility.  Attendance at both sessions is required.  There is not cost but participants must register by calling RSV at 812-254-1996.