A local amateur radio club is inviting all Federal Communications licensed amateur radio operators, as well as those who would like to obtain a license, to join and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow operators and great programs about amateur radio (also known as ham radio) technologies, and the latest news about activities in the area. The Hamilton County Amateur Radio Emergency Services Club has programs each month to provide information and discussion about all areas of the rapidly-growing hobby.

HCARES meets the first Saturday of every month and features programs about various topics of ham radio interest in the area. While the thrust of the club is public service, its activities include virtually every facet of amateur radio, including occasional field trips.

There are more than 700 licensed radio amateurs in Hamilton County and the number increases daily. Today’s ham radio encompasses the latest microprocessor technologies in digital radio and satellite operations. Local hams are able to communicate “when all else fails,” enabling them to set up emergency communications when severe storms or other disasters knock out cell towers, commercial power and landline communications everyone depends on every day. Full Story

Hamilton County Commissioner Steve Dillinger gives his annual State of the County address.

Finances and infrastructure were the main topics of Hamilton County Commissioner Steve Dillinger’s State of the County address to the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce Jan. 25 at The Mansion at Oak Hill.

County officials had to make $11 million in budget cuts for 2012 – approximately 9 percent of the General Fund, according to Dillinger. He said the cuts were made possible with “creative budgeting and creative management.”

“We’ve struggled, just like you have in your business or government agencies,” he said. “We asked department heads and elected officials to identify budget cuts they could make without affecting services.”

Other cost-cutting measures included reduced personnel costs through attrition, consolidating the Juvenile Detention Center and reducing the number of employees needed to safely operate the facility, in addition to using $3.2 million of the rainy day fund and cash balance (the county still maintains a balance of more than $28 million).

The county also changed health insurance networks, which Dillinger said resulted in $1.8 million in savings. Like Noblesville schools and the city, the county has developed a county employee health clinic with Riverview Hospital, which will house two doctors and three nurse practitioners. Initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles and an agreement to provide prescription drugs offer an additional $800,000 in savings. Full Story

Resolutions requesting USDOT to unite all of Indiana in the same time zone by restoring the Eastern Time counties to their original Central Time Zone, have been introduced in the Indiana Senate sponsored by Senators Mike Delph and Lindel Hume and in the House by Representatives Jeff Thompson and Dale Grubb. Signatures are being gathered in support of Central Time on petitions sponsored by the Central Time Coalition. With a goal of 100,000 signatures, the petition can be viewed and downloaded from the website www.hoosiersforcentraltime.com. Full Story