County unemployment continues to improve
HANCOCK COUNTY — The county’s unemployment rate was 3.9% for October 2020, down from September’s 4.6% but higher than October 2019’s 2.5%.
Unemployment in the county has been decreasing since the COVID-19 pandemic-induced spike to 14.2% in April 2020. In March, it was 2.7%
On a list ranking October unemployment rates for Indiana’s 92 counties from highest to lowest, Hancock County comes in at 51st. Orange County is the highest, at 8.2%, while Daviess County is the lowest, at 2.7%.
Indiana’s October 2020 unemployment rate was 4.8%, a percentage point lower than September’s but almost two points higher than October 2019’s.
The U.S. rate was 6.6% for October 2020, 7.7% for September 2020 and 3.3% for October 2019.
Community Recovery Loan Program available
HANCOCK COUNTY — The John Hancock Community Development Corporation’s Hancock County Community Recovery Fund Application is available to support eligible small businesses that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.
The John Hancock Community Development Corporation was formed in 2019 as a public benefit corporation. The Hancock County Community Recovery Fund was instituted to provide gap financing to small privately owned businesses in Hancock County for the purpose of creating and/or saving jobs. The perpetual loan fund will be replenished through the repayment of loans by previous borrowers to allow it to serve as a long-term loan source of funds for emerging and expanding businesses in the future.
The loan fund offers up to $5,000 to eligible businesses. Loans will be governed by the Loan Review Committee of the John Hancock Community Development Corporation. The initial funds for the loan program were provided by a grant from the Hancock County Community Foundation.
Requirements and more information on the loan program are available at sites.google.com/view/hancock-county-revolving-loan-/home, and business owners can also email [email protected].
New Farm Bureau agent joins Greenfield office
GREENFIELD — Jon Howard has joined Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance as an agent and is based at the Greenfield office located at 540 Green Meadows Drive.
Howard lives in Pendleton and has two kids, Cole and Andi. Outside the office, he enjoys woodworking, boating, playing guitar and attending concerts.
Insurance agency holding open house
GREENFIELD — State Farm’s new office at 325 E. Main St. is holding a socially distanced open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5.
The public is invited to pop in for a quick visit, meet agent Adam Jurs and his team and grab a bag of goodies.
