Local insurance agent celebrates 50 years
GREENFIELD — Fred Applegate is celebrating a half-century with Farmers Insurance.
Applegate, whose office is at 705 N. State St., Greenfield, reached the milestone in July. He also worked for Farmers Insurance in Columbus, Ohio, before coming to Indiana.
He said he enjoys staying busy and helping customers with their insurance.
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“I just feel great about it — that I was able to spend 50 years with the company — because a lot of people don’t get that opportunity,” he said.
Owner of former restaurant property updating building
GREENFIELD — The owner of a downtown Greenfield building that housed a restaurant for more than a decade is preparing the property for a future owner or renter.
Carol Stover closed Carol’s Corner Stone Cafe at 301 E. Main St. late last month after running the restaurant for 12 years.
Jack Wesley, the owner of the building, said updates are under way at the property, including exterior brick work and interior floor improvements. He said he’s getting the property ready to sell or lease.
Stover said she had trouble finding employees and found it difficult to take on more work. The cafe had three employees at its close after starting out with 16 in 2007, she added.
Stover, who’s always liked to cook, said she has fond memories of hosting live music at the cafe, preparing free meals for first-responders and serving everyday customers.
She said she’s considering getting back into home health care for seniors, which she did before starting the cafe.
Greenfield Toastmasters Club achieves honor
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Toastmasters Club is raising a glass to itself.
The club achieved Distinguished Club status at the end of the Toastmasters’ year, which was June 30, according to a news release. To earn the award, members completed education goals, officers received training and the club submitted dues on time. The club also welcomed five new members.
Greenfield’s Toastmasters earned the award for the first time in several years.
The club meets 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at First Merchants Bank, 1810 N. State St., Greenfield.
Real estate prices climb in Hancock County, region
HANCOCK COUNTY — Monthly statistics from an Indianapolis real estate firm indicate prices continue to rise in Hancock County and the surrounding region.
F.C. Tucker Co. reports that in July, pending sales in Hancock County increased 16.4 percent compared to July 2018. Home prices increased 7.5 percent to $219,571 compared to a year earlier.
Across the 16-county central Indiana region, July 2019 pending sales increased 5 percent compared to July 2018, while the average year-to-date sale price increased 4.5 percent to $224,479.
