Category: News

Budget for the Greater Fort Wayne

By: Tze Wan Goh

Mayor Tom Henry announced the 2020 Fort Wayne City budget, which mainly focuses on public safety on Sept. 19 at the city council meeting. The aim of the budget focuses on strengthening neighborhoods and providing important and necessary services to residents, neighborhoods and businesses, according to the mayor.

The budget will contribute additional 15 new police recruits to the Fort Wayne Police Department academy class, four new police K-9 units, a new explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) robot and x-ray system for the bomb unit, which is part of the Fort Wayne Police Department’s Special Operations Division.

In conjunction to the increase budget for the Fort Wayne Police Department, there will be 480 officers patrolling the streets in the city to make sure that the public is safe. The mayor is aiming to have full target staffing for both the Fort Wayne Police Department and Fire Department with the allocated budget.

“Fort Wayne is a safe city. Our top priority is ensuring the safety and protection of residents, neighborhoods, businesses, and visitors,” Mayor Henry said. “We will continue to implement best practices as a community committed to being the very best.”

Fort Wayne’s crime rate has decreased this year, according to a joint statement released on Oct. 29 by Mayor Tom Henry and Police Chief Steve Reed. Homicide rates have decreased 44.44 percent, non-fatal shootings decreased by 16.09 percent and violent crime rates decreased by 7.3 percent, in comparison with the first three quarters of last year.

However, according to the September cumulative crime rate statistics from the Fort Wayne police department website, there were 19 homicides this year and 29 in 2018 during the years’ first three quarters, which is a decrease of 34 percent instead of 44 percent.

Joe Knepper, communications director for Republican mayoral candidate Tim Smith, stated in response that mayor Henry might be lying about the numbers, or is misleading “the public putting his election ahead of the truth,” according to News Sentinel.

Ruth Girma, a Purdue Fort Wayne student who has been living in Fort Wayne for more than 10 years, said that Fort Wayne is safe, and she did not need to worry about safety like she would when she was living in Chicago. She said that she had called the police in the past and the police officers responded efficiently by getting to where they needed to be on time and being very kind, patient and empathetic.

“To my knowledge I think that the crime rate in Fort Wayne is pretty low. There are some crimes here and there, but it is nothing compared to other big cities,” Girma said.

According to the Uniform Crime Reports released by the FBI, the crime rates in Chicago are higher than Fort Wayne. The city of Chicago, with a population of about 2.7 million, registered 27,357 reports of violent crimes – 563 of them were murder and nonnegligent manslaughter. Fort Wayne had 1,024 reports of violent crimes, including 40 for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, in a city of about 260,000.

Girma said that it is good to have extra precaution and adding more safety personnel in Fort Wayne will make people feel that they are living in a safe area. She said that this new budget will improve the safety of Fort Wayne.

“Anytime the police department gets more money, it allows the police to do more things and to do the things they’re already doing in a much better way. So, more money always helps,” said Trent Ruble, a Purdue Fort Wayne police officer.

Officer Trent gave some insights on the money allocation among the different departments in the city. “Since the city only has a certain amount of money and the other city departments have their needs as well, without knowing those needs, it is difficult to say if the police department is getting the right amount of money,” said Ruble.

Other than public safety, the 2020 Fort Wayne City budget is mainly focusing on neighborhood infrastructure and parks. Out of the $36.3 million that constitute the total budget for infrastructure projects, $23.9 million is allocated for neighborhood infrastructure projects, $1.4 million for bridges, $8 million for sidewalks and alleys, and $3 million for city park projects.

“We’re a city on the move with unprecedented momentum and excitement. By working together, 2020 will be an outstanding year in Fort Wayne as we strive for excellence in providing the best services possible to the public,” mayor Henry said.

Fort Wayne has achieved national recognition in 2019, having the lowest cost of living for four years in a row, according to Niche. It is also ranked as the 12th best run city and 10th best real estate market in the country by WalletHub, and 40th best place to live in the country by U.S. News & World Report, according to the City of Fort Wayne website.

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East Allen county plans to expand trade schools

By: Jada Burtin

East Allen County will be adding another trade school to our community as they prepare for the launch of their Career and Technical Center in the 2020-2021 school year.

Trade schools have become a need in Allen County, and the United States as a whole. Construction and manufacturing industries hold the slot for one in five jobs, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD). They also predict that there will be a vast market and need for construction workers within the next ten years, estimating over 10,000 job openings within Allen County alone.

Kristi Sturtz, president at Sturtz Public Management Group and New Allen Rural Liaison attended the county council meeting on Oct.18 where she addressed the need for trade schools and what was being set in place to bring a solution to this issue.

Sturtz introduced the Career and Technical Center to the panel of council members and stated that the project will bring opportunities for students to learn skills in the trade field.

The Career and Technical Center will include the following six programs: automation and robotics, pharmacy technology, construction trades, health science, precision machining, and cybersecurity. The alternative school will also be housed there, a program designed to assist the educational and behavioral needs of students that could be difficult to accomplish in a traditional class setting.

The building will be a renovation project of the previous Meadowbrook Elementary School building, located on 1065 Woodmere Drive in New Haven, Indiana.

According to the media outlet IN Fort Wayne, Tim Wiegand, executive director of East Allen County’s Career, Alternative & Technical Education program, said that the institution is being designed to specifically accommodate the workforce needs of Allen County.

“All these programs are filling a workforce now that is really difficult to fill,” Wiegand said to IN Fort Wayne.

With the pressure of attending traditional college, many students miss out on the opportunities that trade schools offer which has caused a need for technically trained professionals.

Trade schools being offered during high school give students a head start at a potential career.
The Career Academy at Anthis has been providing students with technical and vocational training for over 30 years.

Robert Roebuck, assistant principal of the Career Academy at Anthis, gave insight on the importance of trade schools. He mentioned that studies have shown that students who attend a local career center are more likely to complete a college degree than a student who only attended traditional high school.

“Applied hands-on learning has always been the best way to teach a student, learn the theory and go practice the skills. This simple formula helps students to grow personally and professionally just like you did,” Roebuck said.

Roebuck also mentioned that finding space and teachers are their number one concern when it comes to expanding. He explained that the pay will need to increase in order to encourage teachers from different businesses and industries to work for them.

Janae Mcgill, former student of the Career Academy at Anthis, gave her perspective on attending a trade school and how it benefited her. She mentioned that attending the Career Academy gave her a head start in her career, as she currently is a licensed Cosmetologist and also a college student.

Mcgill also explained how attending a trade school saved her a lot of money.

“I only had to pay around $100-$200 for the two-year program versus paying anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000,” Mcgill said. “I also earned college credits for each year that I was in the program.”

She talked about the opportunities for networking that were provided to her through the Career Academy. Employers from different companies would come in and interview the students to prepare them for the real workforce. This also secured many students with job offers right after graduating, including Mcgill.

“Attending a trade school was one of the best decisions I’ve made,” Mcgill said. “I made many connections with other people in the same field. It also looks great on your resume.”

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NACS School Board and Teacher’s Union agree on teacher raises

By: Caroline Chastain

Northwest Allen County Schools Board of School Trustees and the Northwest Allen County Educators Association reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement on Sept. 25, outlining more than $1,800 in raises for NACS teachers.

Collective bargaining is a process for teacher unions that dates back to 1973. The process is a familiar one for NACS and NACEA, although this was the first time NACS hosted a public hearing in regard to the tentative collective bargaining agreement, which took place before the board’s meeting on Oct. 14.

The process to reach an agreement begins with an analysis of state funding for the fiscal year, and then salary changes for teachers are dictated respectively. According to Lizette Downey, NACS Chief Communications Officer, this was a relatively smooth year for this process, regardless of the newly implemented public hearing.

Throughout the entire process, the school board and NACEA representatives work closely.

“We really do work together during this process. It’s in our best interest to consider the teachers in this process so that we can compete for talent and so our kids have the best quality teachers we can find,” NACS Superintendent Chris Himsel said.

The three major components of the negotiation are insurance benefits, retirement, and salaries and stipends. One of the newer focuses of this year’s agreement is on continued education for teachers.

“We have been focusing on changing the contract over the years to give an incentive for professional growth and reward teachers for their commitment to the district,” said Jim Walker, one of the teacher union’s chief negotiators.

Among the salary increases for NACS employees is an addition of $245 for continuing professional learning. Teachers with more than 5 years of experience will also be eligible for $273 in stipends.

Himsel said that this stresses NACS’s desire to employ only the most experienced and expert staff, to provide its students with the highest quality of education.

Coincidingly, teachers are now offered a stipend of $800 for earning a National Board Certification. According to Himsel, very few NACS teachers are currently Board certified, so this incentive has been put in place to encourage more teachers to work towards one.

With this agreement reached, NACS teachers will receive a minimum base salary of $41,250 this school year. Teachers with a bachelor’s degree are eligible for a maximum base salary of $66,000, and those with a master’s degree, a maximum base salary of $70,125.

Additional potential stipends are available for performance based on teacher’s annual reviews. Reviews with indication of “ineffective” or “needs improvement” are not eligible for raises, while those receiving “effective” or “highly effective” can earn up to $1,007 of additions to their salary.

NACS teachers are also seeing a raise in their pay checks by $842 because the general assembly recently reduced the amount school districts are required to pay into teachers’ state retirement funds.

Five NACS employees were contacted to comment on the raises, and none wanted to discuss the topic.

With all of these changes implemented in this year’s NACS and NACEA tentative collective bargaining agreement, teachers are experiencing a $1,849 minimum increase in their base salary. Those already at the maximum base salary will receive these increases as stipends.

NACEA President Steve Driver shared that these changes are in an effort to both reward and retain the best teachers.

“Essentially these changes make us a better school system and help our students because of how it rewards our teachers to work to their fullest,” Driver said.

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Three Rivers Visiting Dogs fosters love and reduces stigma

By: Lydia Braswell

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is at its close, but Three Rivers Visiting Dogs promote visibility all year round. The Fort Wayne-based organization has a goal to reduce the stigma with the help of trained dogs certified to make a difference in our community.

College students engaged in activities during Mental Health Week at Purdue University Fort Wayne to raise awareness and help prevent suicide – the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-34, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The center of attention was dedicated to floppy ears and wagging tails who welcomed love and attention from students as we took a break from dealing with the daily stresses of college life.

“It really helps the kids– coming here, petting the dogs,” said Bob Everest, founder of the nonprofit. “It lowers your blood pressure and changes things in your day that are going bad.”

Trained service dogs can detect oncoming anxiety and provide stress relief, according to Medical News Today. Three Rivers Visiting Dogs’ immersion into the Fort Wayne community gives the team members a chance to share their own stories and show that mental health issues don’t have to always be associated with negative memories.

Ginger is a Cavalier lap dog with a special talent for service to her owner. To some, she is a physical reminder that a person relies on her help to tackle their daily life. To others, she is a reminder that mental health issues don’t have to be kept secret.

Charlotte Coburn, Ginger’s owner, reminisced on how she bonded with her service dog. “We got her for our 50th wedding anniversary… and that was ten years ago,” Coburn said with a laugh.

Raising awareness is a primary way to reduce the stigma around mental health. PFW’s counseling center is a free, convenient resource for the general public that has not been heavily advertised. Dr. Joel Givenz, a counselor at the center, explained how the “disease model” impacts a person’s choice to either stay quiet about the issues they tackle or not tackle them at all.

“Depending on cultural norms, sometimes a person will believe that counseling is for ‘crazy people’ or ‘really sick people’, so sometimes counseling is associated with severe mental illness, and that’s kind of the disease model,” Dr. Givenz explained.

Sending positive messages about seeking professional help is necessary for turning over the stigma. Tim Hill, counselor-in-training at PFW’s center, said that one benefit of forming a connection with a client is creating an environment for change.

“It’s no different than if they had a cold and they went to see their doctor,” said Hill, who juggles a full-time job and providing for his family with volunteering as a counselor. “It’s still just a part of who they are, and if they think they need to improve it… then we are here and willing to help.”

Three Rivers Visiting Dogs and local counselors are doing their part to foster a welcoming environment that reduces stigma. We as a community can get involved, too. Dr. Givenz said that the more that students are involved with awareness events, the more the stigma is lowered, concerns are normalized, and people can talk about those concerns without embarrassment.

Sessions at the counseling center can be scheduled in Room 131 of the Dolnick Learning Center for Mondays 5-8 p.m, Tuesdays 12-2:30 p.m, Tuesdays 5-8 p.m, Wednesdays 5-8 p.m, and Thursdays 5-8 p.m. Call 260-481-5405 for more information.

Dr. Givenz and Everest both said that mental health professionals are transforming the way they think about treatment, and the presence of therapy dogs raises awareness for visibility. “We see the importance of touch,” said Dr. Givenz. “When it comes to an animal, it could be doing a lot of work for a person just to have something soothing nearby.”

Everest founded Three Rivers Visiting Dogs in 2000. He and his team of about 100 members go to suicide prevention events, health fairs, hospitals, and nursing homes throughout the year. The team’s many experiences led the founder to share stories that show the mental and physical impact dogs in his organization have on the public.

“We’ve had people in comas waking up petting a dog,” Everest said. “We can’t explain it… but they do a big thing.”

Everest said that he has been on several visits to people with Alzheimer’s who remember their time with the dog, and even the pet’s name, but not anything else. In another instance, the dog encouraged progression in a burn victim. Over the course of several visits, the patient went from only being able to pet the dog with one finger to embracing the animal with strength.

The team trains dogs in an immersive eight-week program to determine how they react and interact. A simple test such as bringing the dog in a hospital elevator can play a factor in whether they become certified therapy dogs or not.

Ginger passed the program with flying colors despite her own disability. “She’s completely deaf, but you would never know,” Everest said. “She loves what she’s doing.”

Three Rivers Visiting Dogs works with the National Alliance on Mental Illness by attending support groups for people with mental illness and their families every Tuesday night to reduce the stigma.

NAMI provides free crisis counseling by texting NAMI to 741-741. The National Suicide Hotline is 1-800-273 TALK (8255).

Editor’s note: A related version of this news article was featured on the Journal Gazette’s Nov. 12 edition.

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Closure of College Access TV impacts activities on campus

By: Sam Frick

This video describes the impacts of the closure of College Access TV (CTV) at Purdue University Fort Wayne. CTV unexpectedly closed in the Summer of 2019, which led to the firing of all of the CTV staff, and leaving the basement floor at Helmke Library mostly empty. Rooms and equipment that could have been in use by faculty and students (CTV Edit Suite, the Broadcast Newsroom) are all locked up, and access is restricted.

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Students find opportunities at job and internship fair

By: Troy Gooch

Students gathered at the annual Mastodon Job and Internship Fair earlier this month to look for job opportunities, internships and connections. The event, organized by Career Services, took place on Tuesday, October 1, in the Lutheran Health Fieldhouse at Purdue University Fort Wayne.

The Mastodon Job and Internship Fair had 145 employers from the state of Indiana who were looking to hire students on the spot, and for interns during the upcoming summer. Students and outsiders had various opportunities to connect with recruiters throughout the day.

Leading up to the fair, Career Services provided events for students to get prepared for their upcoming week by offering free haircuts and the opportunity to get their resume reviewed by a professional.

Susan Byers, the executive director of Career Services at Purdue University Fort Wayne provided some insight on the Mastodon Job and Internship Fair. Byers said the event is beneficial for all students because seniors can make relationships with employers for the near future, while underclassmen can also network and become more seasoned to the whole process of this event.

Career Services is an on-campus department that prepares students for the job market. They help create resumes and provide practice job interviews which prepares students for the future. Byers said that the staff also talked with employers about other opportunities to connect with students, such as the ‘Immersion Excursions’ and the ‘Lunch and Learn’ events. This allows recruiters the opportunity to spend more time connecting with students one-on-one.

Many of the 145 employers at the Mastodon Job and Internship Fair – 20 more than last year provided their company’s understanding of what they want from an employee.

“When looking for an employee, I am a firm believer that experience is a plus, but I don’t necessarily think that it is a definite deal breaker,” said Renna Jennings, a human resources generalist from Fort Financial Credit Union. “I obviously think you hire on character and train on experience.”

“It is always nice recruiting from your backyard, and the several employees from Purdue University Fort Wayne have been reliable for our company in the past,” Jennings said.

Another popular company that students talked to was The Autism Society of Indiana. Samantha Drudge a supervisor at this organization, said they have many internships and job opportunities available for students upon graduation.

“We are looking for someone who can be fun and outgoing,” Drudge said. “We work with kids and adults with autism so, finding that person who can help others out with a outgoing personality is a perfect balance.”

With many companies attending this event, there were plenty of opportunities for undergraduates to connect with recruiters and find employment. Many students graduating this semester came out in search of a job. Faculty, staff and students had the opportunity to connect with recruiters during this event.

Kolbie Knorr, a senior business major, said she felt prompted to go to this event because she had previously worked with one of the companies at the Fair and wanted to tell the recruiter she is still interested in the company upon graduation.

“Today was extremely beneficial to me,” Knorr said. “I was able to meet my number one company, and I had the opportunity to meet other recruiters that I was not aware of until I came here this afternoon.”

The next Mastodon Job and Internship Fair organized by Career Services will occur on Thursday, April 2, 2020.

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A night to cherish

Purdue University Fort Wayne hosts first Students with Families Night of the semester. The next event will be Nov. 2 for a skate night at the Roller Dome North.

By: Moriah Weaver

Purdue University Fort Wayne students and faculty gathered at Crazy Pinz for a night of fun festivities on Sept. 27 during the first “Students with Families Night” of the fall semester.

Those who attended the event from 6-8 p.m. enjoyed free pizza, beverages, and passes for bowling, laser tag, mini golf and the arcade.

The university has been offering these free and fun-filled nights to students for several years, allowing families to engage in unique and entertaining activities each month. The program, which is led by Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, was created with the goal to provide leisure activities for families that would not typically be able to spend nights out together—low-income families in particular.

According to Bachelor and General Studies Student Outreach Coordinator Cicelle Beemon, who currently plans and organizes each of the Students with Families Nights, the periodic events have attracted several regular attending students and their family members during her few years in the position.

She said it takes an immense amount of time to put together such events, but the outcome and grateful reactions from students are worth the work invested.

Beemon also explained that she feels it is of growing importance that students have this time to spend with loved ones as they get busier and pick up more responsibilities.

One Purdue University Fort Wayne student who attended the Crazy Pinz event, Nicole Bowe, definitely knows and appreciates the value of the night.

She was able to enjoy the Students with Families event with her 1-year-old daughter, Meris. The two spent time watching friends and family compete in rounds of bowling while indulging in their pizza.

Nicole Bowe poses for picture with 1-year-old daughter, Meris Bowe.

Bowe said that it can be hard to take her daughter out much while in college full-time, so she takes full advantage of the Students with Families nights.

According to Bowe, the time spent with her daughter is priceless. She hopes to savor every moment she can while bonding during fun activities.

It appears the difficulty families face with spending time together is not limited to Purdue University Fort Wayne students and their families, either. According to a 2018 study conducted by Visit Anaheim, the average amount of quality time American families spend together each day during the week is about 37 minutes.

The study also found that 60% of American families describe their lives as ‘hectic’ and attribute the lack of quality time to busy work and school schedules.

Beemon and Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs recognize the struggle American families face and created the Students with Families Nights as a response to this dilemma. The faculty believes in the positive impact a night out with loved ones can have and will be continuing to host the events periodically throughout the school year.

The next Students with Families Night will be Nov. 2 for a skate night at the Roller Dome North.

Dates and times for the rest of the Students with Families Nights during the fall can be found in the Purdue University Fort Wayne Fall Programming Guide. For more information, visit https://www.pfw.edu/offices/cwra/programs/students-with-families.html

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