The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/616296
The Press-Dispatch Local Wednesday, December 16, 2015 A- 11 The Resurgent Library by Bart Stinson Economic Development by Ashley Willis I-69: New link, new opportunities Progress is impossible without change As a former copy editor, I pay attention to the nuts and bolts of news products, including headlines. Writing good ones isn't as easy as it looks. You could call me a headline gourmet. And the Evansville Courier's head- line about a new section of I-69 opening for traffic was inspired: "Hello, Blooming- ton." Hello Bloomington, in- deed. As of last week, our county seat was 69 miles at 70 miles per hour from Bloomington, home of Indi- ana University sports, con- certs, recitals, plays, world- class opera, art museums and ethnic restaurants, in- cluding 24-hour "burritos as big as your head." Bright Pike Central grad- uates can go off to the IU School of Optometry or study foreign languages or quantum physics in one of the world's premier aca- demic institutions, with the ever-present option to break for Mom's home cooking whenever they start feel- ing homesick. Maybe Larry Bird wouldn't have dropped out of IU if he'd had an I-69 from French Lick to Bloom- ington. I remember agreeing with a cousin several years ago, as we took turns cranking the ice cream in an Evans- ville back yard, that we should secede from Indi- ana. The neglected and un- derdeveloped road system, it seemed to us, was a symp- tom of Indianapolis's indif- ference to southwestern In- diana. We could get to Nash- ville, Tenn., quicker and more safely than we could get to our own state capitol. It's pretty bad when you en- vy Kentucky for its roads. It's still pretty bad try- ing to get to the Indianap- olis airport, but Blooming- ton is such a gem that I'm going to reconcile with In- diana. All is forgiven. The "white-knuckle trips," as the Courier called them, of two- lane traffic "creeping up and down hills at 25 mph behind log trucks and coal haulers" are a thing of the past. Our Boondocks Card has expired. Consider the potential eco- nomic impact of this Bloomington link: we are an hour away from one of the biggest concentrations of brainpower on the planet. If we cre- ate favorable business condi- tions, digital entrepreneurs might be attracted to the af- fordable real estate and qui- et lifestyle, without renounc- ing IU's library of 9.9 mil- lion books and Kilroy's just an hour away. We only need a few. Three or four would be great. With a more robust tax base, our public schools might stage a comeback. We might start funding our ro- botics team again. We are passing from one era into another. My hat is off to the men and women who toiled and sacrificed in the coal and agricultur- al economy for their fami- lies and for this community. That economy will not be a source of economic growth, however, so we have to look forward. If we don't have a new plan, we're going to lose the young people to emigration. That means that you may see your grandchildren once or twice a year. You'll hear about their concerts and ballgames, not witness them. And if they hug you, maybe it'll be because their mother told them to. This is the human price of econom- ic stagnation. In the digital age, in the information economy, we are going to be better served by innovation and imagination than by a grim and dutiful work ethic. It doesn't look like work to some of us old-timers, but it is, and it can be the en- gine for Pike County's eco- nomic development and job growth. I have saluted volunteer Robotics mentor Scott Wil- lis in this column before. His Pike Cen- tral kids pe- riodically as- semble in the library's con- ference room to brainstorm new technolo- gy, including computer-as- sisted design and 3-D man- ufacturing. It's moving to witness their commitment to imagination, despite be- ing stripped of their fund- ing to participate in com- petitions. They are anon- ymous; there is no trophy case, no pep rally. But they care. And therefore they study and collaborate, and pick the brain of retired en- gineer Willis. It gives me hope. One of our goals at the Pike County Public Library is to stoke the imaginations of our patrons with books and electronic resources about entrepreneurship, e- commerce, financial liter- acy and the opportunities of the digital economy. We hope not only to develop col- lection strengths in these areas, but reference exper- tise. It's a work in progress, but we have a plan. We don't have to con- vince Mark Cuban that Pike County is a good place to do business. Our future digi- tal entrepreneurs, our fu- ture job creators are prob- ably already here. They're sitting in advanced place- ment classes at Pike Cen- tral, or they're among the Pike County diaspora that has flowed out of this coun- ty for generations in search of opportunity. From now on, because of e-commerce, the informa- tion economy and I-69, the opportunity can be right here. It's not inevitable. We can still mess it up. But we have an opportunity to cre- ate a clean, thriving new economy in Pike County. What are we waiting for? We will close the gates on Christmas Eve at 6pm and will only be open online or by appointment until the barn is built in Spring 2016! Lamplight COUNTRY VILLAGE Last Chance Event of 2015 ursday, Friday & Saturday Dec. 17-19 • 10am-6pm EVERYONE will receive a FREE GIFT! 5290 E. State Road 58, Elnora (Exit 76 off I-69, Next to North Daviess Schools) 812-606-6969 (Call or Text 24/7) • www.facebook.com/lamplightcountryvillage COMING SOON: • Antique Mall (Dealers welcome) • Full-Service Florist (Flowers ALL hours) • Home Folks Restaurant Good Food. Good Friends. Good Times. • Lil' Country Church (Weddings and Sympathy) • Cosmetologist (support the cure) • Princess Parties (Ages 4 to 104) • Events and Catering • Flea and Farmer's Market (Dealers welcome) • Indoor and Outdoor Weddings • Tent Rentals • Wood and Cra Woodshop Blessings from Christy Lamplight Country Village will be the area's most unique barn market, including: Country, Victorian, Primitive, Shabby Chic, Home Decor, Gis and Floral, with SO MUCH MORE! Now Hiring Smiling Faces Change can be a scary thing… It's uncertain, it's a risk, but it's also exciting! Change means progress and that's where Pike County is now. We are changing and improving every day. We are add- ing new business- es, growing and expanding ex- isting businesses, and hir- ing more employees. Think of every risk you've taken; what was the payoff? Think of moments in your life when you accepted a new job, de- cided to join a cause, or chose to raise a family. All of these pivotal moments in time change you as an indi- vidual, and usually the re- turn of that uncertain risk was better than you ev- er imaged. Progress is the same way, it's a gamble but the return on the investment makes it worth it. In economic development, I look at things and see how to promote progress as a community. How to best uti- lize the interchange develop- ment, attract new business- es, diversify industry and increase the wealth of the county. Remember, prog- ress is impossible with- out change. Change can be scary and as we approach discussions about moving the county for- ward, I urge the communi- ty to embrace change for the return of posi- tive progress. That positive progress or the return on investment will include a di- versified workforce, thriv- ing industry, vibrant down- town and growing popula- tion. Everyone talks about di- versified industry and grow- ing population, but what does that really mean? It means that Pike County is a forward-thinking commu- nity of the generations to come. Those generations will have a wonderful future, secured with a great place to work and call home! So, when the community is ap- proached with change, re- member the special mo- ments where you took a leap of faith believing in yourself, in your communi- ty. Pike County has a bright future and possibilities are endless, but it takes prog- ress from the whole commu- nity. Support one another as we move the county forward and embrace these opportu- nities. Let's change togeth- er to promote positive prog- ress. "The secret of change is to focus all of your ener- gy not on fighting the old, but on building the new"— Socrates. For further information, contact Ashley P. Willis at pikegrowth@frontier.com or 812-354-2271. Pregnant... or think you are? Call:1-877-257-1084 or Locally Call: 1-812-354-2814 • Free pregnancy testing • Free counseling and info. on pregnancy options. • Confi dential counseling for women & men who are suff ering from post-abortion syndrome. • Residential Care • Health and assistance referrals. • Training and education. • Assistance in getting baby and maternity clothes washpcc@sbcglobal.net www.washingtonpregnancycenter.com Susan Bean oversees Tyler Craig and Kiersten Purkiser signing a large card that was signed by all the kids in JAM Club to be given to the Peters- burg Free Methodist Church, which hosts the JAM Club meetings. JAM volunteer Dee McKendree talks to Abigail Vest and Michaela Gray about what they will be doing next. Cade Morgan makes a personalized Christmas card during the Jesus and Me Club meeting last week in Petersburg. Kids in the JAM Club made Christ- mas cards to give to residents of the area nursing homes. JAM CLUB MAKES CARDS Celebrate the New Year with a First Day Hike on Jan. 1 Usher in 2016 with other outdoor lovers at one of the many First Day Hikes, and one First Day Horse Ride, offered Jan. 1 at Indiana's state parks. First Day Hikes are a healthy way to start 2016 and a chance to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and connect with friends. DNR's Division of State Parks is hosting 32 First Day events throughout the state, including a trail run/ walk at Monroe Lake, and a First Day Horse Ride at Tippecanoe River State Park. Information on First Day events in Indiana is at dnr.IN.gov/dnr/ parklake/2420.htm.