Michiana’s greatest media hoax of the post-mortgage crisis is shaping up to be the death of South Bend. The city of South Bend was once placed alongside Elkhart as one of the poster children for the recession’s hardships. In recent articles, large media leaders such as Newsweek, and even some local outlets have tried to paint the town as a fatality of the recession.

Yes, the city has undergone some major changes since 2008. The collapse of the RV industry was certainly no help. The city’s unemployment rate spiked at 12.3%, and foreclosure rates were edging toward 3% of homes in the area at the height of the crisis. Both numbers are well above the national averages–at their peak–for unemployment (9.8%) and foreclosure rates (1.8%). But these numbers, though dire, are no need to write the city of South Bend’s obituary just yet. In fact, doing so may just lead to more than a little “egg on the face,” as the saying goes, when the city recovers, and recover it will. Here are only few of the many reasons why South Bend is not down for the count just yet:

New Business

Yes, the RV and automotive industries were large contributors to the economy in the South Bend area prior to their unexpected collapse in 2008 and 2009. The town was dealt a  significant blow, but was not crippled for good. In fact, the bustling service industries have already done much to pick up the slack, as the manufacturing industry is slowly coming back to life, and many would say that the down time was time well spent. In 2011, South Bend will welcome:

• South Bend Gear LLC, a joint venture of Schafer Gearworks, Inc (a South Bend native) and Italian company Somaschini S.p.A. The new company will employ many people making gears for heavy-duty trucks.

• The Career Academy Charter School will open in August 2011 creating new jobs for teachers and a new opportunity for middle school teens to learn using “a career-vocationally based curriculum” (something that was said to be lacking in South Bend).

• McCormick & Company, the spice and sauce maker, has announced an expansion in 2011 that will bring new positions and new product brands to their current South Bend facility.

• Indiana University and University of Notre Dame will collaborate on a new cancer center opening in April. The 55,000 square foot facility is being created from a $10 million donation from ConAgra Foods’ former CEO Charles M. Harper.

These are a handful of examples that illustrate South Bend’s continued appeal to new business. Had the town really been in a tailspin, these businesses and others would have quickly reconsidered the millions of dollars needed to build or expand in an allegedly dying city.

Incoming Funding

In 2011, the city of South Bend will receive $310,000 in grant funds to hire firefighters for the city. This money comes from Assistance to Firefighters Grant created in 2010. That’s not the only funding. The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Agency or HUD will receive $36, 748 to aid families in need and the organizations that aid those families. Such investments are being made in a town that is recovering from the recession, not dying as a result of it.

Dropping Stats

The numbers speak for themselves.

Indicators predict that the unemployment rate will go down from its peak in 2009 to 9.8 % when adjusted for seasonal job losses. This will be the first time since the recession that the city is under double-digit unemployment, even when surrounding cities like Elkhart are still struggling.

Analysts project South Bend to have lower costs of living and doing business than around 82% of cities in America.These numbers have improved from 2009, but have been consistently lower than most other cities in the U.S. throughout the recession.

The city that boasts seven movie theaters, over 1,000 restaurants, and 28 libraries in a 15 mile radius is far from dying out. In fact, the city of South Bend is poised for a rebound, with the help of new industry, new funding, and citizens who realize that their hometown’s swan song has yet to be sung.

Sometimes the hometown bank can suit your needs better than the national branch. However, many small business owners will disagree, stating that community banks are more conservative lenders and less likely to loan to a new business. On the contrary, community banks like Mutual Bank located throughout the Midwest are very small business-friendly institutions.

In truth, there are many reasons why a community bank is better, especially for small business owners.

Lenders know the area and its needs

The loan officer at you community’s bank may even be in your bowling league or your kids’ soccer coach. They live and work in the community and are better equipped to know what a business in Michiana needs in order to grow.

At Mutual Bank, they make a considered effort to getting to know their community. Visit their Resources Page, and you’ll be able to watch videos from various members of the Mutual team welcoming you to the site with a story about what local banking means to them.

Community banks look beyond the spreadsheets

Local bankers will also consider your savings history, as well as your relationship with your checking account. Your place in the community is also a consideration, as small businesses that are firmly anchored in the community tend to survive at a much higher rate than others that struggle for a foothold. National bank chains don’t have these options and must rely only on the numbers, making your chance of getting a loan less likely.

Invested in Your Community

When involved with a local bank, your banker has most likely considered similar projects in and around your area.  Therefore, a local bank like Mutual Bank has funded many other projects within the community. Thus, they have an interest in seeing not only your business flourish, but also that it contributes to the betterment of the community as a whole.  Another bonus feature is that your bank can point you in the right direction for resources that your small business may need.

Banks like Mutual Bank are ideal for small business in Michiana, because they are a community based. So, in addition to competitive rates and multiple loan offerings, Mutual Bank is invested in the community and the success of your business. They can be a link between the business you run and the community you live in, one that strengthens your business success in the future.

The scenic Michiana beaches, parks and public landmarks are opening for the summer season. This means many positions in park maintenance, housekeeping, concessions, hosting and even retail positions will be opening. In addition to these, look for some unexpected jobs that many Indiana and Michigan area cities and counties need to fill for the summer season.

10 Seasonal Jobs to Pass the Summer in Michiana

1. Waterpark Lifeguard

Deep River Water in Lake County Indiana has opened applications for summer workers they will need concession workers, cashiers and maintenance. In addition, there are lifeguards positions. These trained attendants overlook the different activities, protecting the people using them.

2. Golf Pro/Instructor

Michigan and Indiana have many municipal golf courses. These courses staff the usual seasonal employees, and also the golf pros, caddies and instructors that private courses employ. Although some of these positions may be competitive, try taking a regular position in the pro shop and concession stand. When a position opens during the season, you will be familiar enough with the people and the facility to have an edge over the competition.

3. Zoo Keeper

The cities and counties in which they are located own the few zoos in the area. If you are an animal lover, apply for work as a hand or keeper in the zoo.  There are also seasonal positions in the gift shop, concessions and housekeeping.

4. Dockworker

The municipal marinas in Michigan City, New Buffalo, Hammond, Gary, and other lakeside towns come alive after Memorial Day. They look for people with welding, heavy equipment, machine and forklift experience. In addition, anyone with experience in fishing, boating and jet skiing can find work here. These jobs are more specialized and do tend to pay more than the average seasonal position.

5. Guide



Michigan has the largest number of lighthouses in the Midwest. Most are historical sites open to the public. They are staffed by volunteers and  also historians who work as paid guides. The battlegrounds, mansions, museums and other attractions also hire seasonal workers to guide visitors. Some experience local history will give you an edge on the competition but isn’t necessary.

These jobs and more await you. Instead of spending the summer inside, lamenting about your unemployment, take a seasonal position. You’ll meet new people and maybe learn a new skill. Some of these organizations like the municipal marinas do tend to keep a few good people for permanent positions.

What is Cash for Clunkers?

The official name for Cash for Clunkers is the Car Allowance Rebate System or “CARS.”  It is a 3 billion dollar government program that helps consumers buy or lease a more environmentally friendly vehicle by trading in a less fuel-efficient car or “clunker.”  The goal of this program was to have more fuel-efficient and cleaner cars on the highways.

What are Some of the Requirements?

However, in order to participate in this program, there are many requirements.  The car you are trading in must be eligible.

1. First, your car must be less than 25 years old and should get less than 18 miles per gallon.
2. Second, you need to be the owner of this car with a clear title and have a proof of insurance.  All of these requirements go back a year, you must have owned this car and had it insured for over a year.
3. Third, your trade-in car must be scrapped.  The dealer will disclose to you the amount of the scrap value.  With this amount 50 dollars will be subtracted for dealer fees, the remaining amount is your rebate.

How is it Affecting the Car Market?

While this should be a helpful stimulus project for the country, it is unclear if it is really helping.  First, there are so many requirements that the average person may not be able to benefit from this deal.  As explained above, your car must meet the requirements, but you must also have the appropriate credit to get a car.

You have to be able to acquire financing and be able to pay for this brand new car.  While this system does help an individual get a nicer car, some individuals are driving these older cars because they cannot afford a new car.  This may place an individual in a difficult situation, instead of helping them.

For the car dealerships, it is definitely keeping them busy.  However, it is also a cumbersome system for the dealers to follow.  What are some of the benefits?

• The local BMW dealers have been able to expand their target market.  For example with the cash for clunkers deal (up to $4,500) and other incentives, you can get up to $10,000 off the purchase of a new BMW.  With this discount, this car may be more affordable.
• In a California dealership, it was shown that they were averaging 40 sales per day, instead of the 12 average they usually had due to the interest in this program.
• In the Michiana area, it was reported that the calls on the program started before the official start date.  The most common sale in the Michiana area has been the older car worth only about $1,000 being traded for a new car.

What are Some of the Disadvantages?

The program is time consuming.  While the individual may already have their car, the dealership is still waiting on the government rebates.  After the dealer processes all the forms, it has to wait for the federal government to review, process the applications, forms and then release the money.

Also reported in Michiana are problems for the used car dealers and the salvage yards. While the salvage yards may be busy destroying the old clunkers, they may also be destroying cars that someone could buy.  For example, a 1995 Ford Explorer could meet the requirements of a clunker, but that could be a great cheap car for your high-schooler to drive.   With this program, the price of a used car is rising drastically.

Las Vegas is falling apart at the seams. Tourism to the area has slowed tremendously. The housing market has almost halted. Although there are still some out there looking for a good time, the lighted streets of Las Vegas are just about silent.

Conversely, Midwestern casinos like our very own Blue Chip Hotel and Casino and Four Winds Casino Resort are expanding and growing.

The Blue Chip opened a new $130 million expansion in Michigan City. The gambling facility now includes a 302 room hotel, spa, 18,000 square foot event center, two “Vegas style” clubs.

The Four Winds Casino, has issued a check to the local New Buffalo and Three Oaks communities in an amount of over six million dollars. This is a mere two percent of the profits made since the casino opened in 2007 (just before the economy in the U.S. tanked).

While the Harrah’s Casino properties in the Las Vegas region were reporting a revenue loss of over 20 percent, the casinos in the Indiana/Illinois region experienced a gain of over three percent. In fact, this area is the only one of Harrah’s holding not seeing revenue losses for the first quarter of 2009.

How can Las Vegas, the town praised by Sinatra and the backdrop for many great movies, slow down while our hometown venues find success? The answer lies in target markets. Vegas casinos made millions from tourists hailing from outside Neveda. As travel incomes continue to shrink, Vegas continues to suffer.

Our local casinos, on the other hand, are a short drive from their patrons. Patrons seeking a vacation with the amenities and luxuries of Vegas at lower costs find Michiana casinos.—Four Winds, Blue Chip and even Harris—very entertaining.

5 Success Tips To Borrow From the Casino

Of course, the survival of the casinos in the Michiana area has much to teach other businesses struggling to stay afloat. That lesson is diversification.

The local casinos have a lock on gambling, but who wants to throw their money away on slots and tables? Also, many people lose it all within an hour, how does the casino keep them as a customer?

1. Offer complimentary but separate services. Diversification is all about juggling more than one product or service. Casinos like Blue Chip added nightclubs, concert space, a spa and luxury hotel suites to their gambling services. These complimentary, but separate services give the gambler something else to do after he loses at the tables, or tires of the slot machines. In fact, these services attract people who aren’t interested in gambling, but come for the club, concert or simple relaxation.
2. Think about convenience. The Michiana casinos also share another quality. They have several services in one location. The complimentary services offered in one location also offers a convenience factor that few entertainment establishments in our area can beat. In addition, those who overindulge can sleep it off in a luxury room without the worry of cab fare or designated drivers. You can do the same for your business offer your customers convenience. Just think about the types of things that compliment the things you offer.
3. Be sensible. The casinos stay in the entertainment business. They don’t build libraries or add grocery stores. Those businesses do not compliment gambling and would therefore be a deterrent. Nightclubs and the business of running them falls in the same realm of business as a casino.
4. Talk to your customers. Talk to the people who patronize your business and see what ides they may have. Sometimes the users of your services can see a complimentary service better than you can.
5. Research. Study both your target market (potential customers) and competition. You must know who you are catering to and what you are competing against before coming up with a plan for success on diversification.

Diversifying takes many more steps. However, just like our local casinos, it can benefit your business. It is worth the effort, especially in a down economy (when your competition is low and concentrated on surviving and not on expanding).

Unusual Ways to Save Your Business Money

Michiana is abuzz with daily news of the toll the economy has taken on the community. Whether its news on the rising unemployment rates, falling home values, increasing foreclosure rates and decreasing revenues have small businesses in every industry reeling. However, there is a way to survive this financial meltdown, with your sanity and business intact. It’s going to take an open mind, creative thinking and maybe a few business “lifestyle” changes.

Just as the American household is reducing its excess expenditures and bolstering savings, so must the small businessperson do the same to survive. Some of the same concepts apply, like reducing and reusing. The difference is the focus of the changes. Even in this economy, there are ways to save money in business. One of those is the good old-fashioned rule of sharing.

3 Ways to Work With Businesses Near You to Boost Business

Remember that lesson we learned as kids, share your toys with others and they will share their things with you? Well, that applies now, at a time when people can afford to do very little on their own. Sharing goes a long way in not only reducing costs, but increasing the benefits of a service to those who would otherwise do without.

Save on Advertising

Share your ads with a business of a complimentary service or product to your own. This could mean sharing ad space for your greenhouse with a local landscaper or that of a local restaurant with your video store. The ad for the latter could tout carryout dinner and a movie at home. Use your creativity and see what you can come up with.

Order Supplies With Other Businesses

Many small businesses skimp on essential supplies when revenues go down. Some try to switch suppliers only to find that the real discounts are in the bulk orders. Such ordering is impossible for a strapped business. But, by sharing a bulk shipment with one or more other businesses, you all can get the supplies you need at the much cheaper a bulk rate.

Simple Way to Save on Services

Another great way to share expenses is through the services that businesses use and need to survive. An accountant, for example is vital for small business. Try to gather several businesses and then approach that accountant for a group rate. In many cases, the accountant is also in need of steady clientele and will be willing to negotiate.

Think of other ways in which you could save by sharing products or services with another business. In these hard times, it is more about survival to fight another day than fighting against the competition. After all, until the recession ends, we are all in this fight together.

Next time we look at the savings in becoming an “expert” in the community…

As a college student in the Notre Dame community, I have to say that it is indeed an honor to have President Obama come speak at Notre Dame’s commencement. He is not the first president to do so, and hopefully will not be the last. The 2008 Presidential Election was one of the most exciting races in history, with amazing campaigning and a new idea of “change” and “hope”. There is no doubt that many students at Notre Dame took part in this election — and many of them voted for President Obama. With the recent protests and disagreements with the idea that President Obama is now coming to campus, it is important to realize that he is not coming to campaign.

In all fairness, I admit that I was not an Obama supporter throughout the election season. I wasn’t thrilled with the outcome of the election, but I respect Barack Obama because he is our President, and I have to believe that he would not steer our country in the wrong direction. Do I agree with all of his beliefs and ideas? Certainly not, and there is a definite time for voicing those oppositions. However, the University of Notre Dame commencement ceremony is not one of those times.

President Obama is not coming to the University to speak about abortion, religion, or any other idea that might be considered conflicting to Notre Dame’s ethics, values, and beliefs. He is undoubtedly going to speak about hope and promise for the future of the graduating students. He is going to encourage them, give them advice, and provide them with a sense of security in his words. Issues of morality will not be brought up, simply because they are never brought up in graduation speeches. President Obama isn’t coming to South Bend to cause controversy, he’s coming to spark a fire in the graduating seniors of Notre Dame, and as a community, we need to fuel that fire.

Our President declaring this week (in a foreign country), that the United States of America is “losing its religion” and “is no longer a Christian nation”?

He then, stood on French soil, a country that our troops liberated in World War II, a country still holding the remains of thousands of Americans dead from the beaches of Normandy…and called the United States “arrogant”, and then he apologized for our arrogance!

The United States spent billions of our tax dollars rebuilding Europe and we’ve spent billions and billions more defending our allies in Europe under NATO. If it weren’t for the American blood that was shed Europeans would be living under Nazi, fascist communist control today! All America ever asked was for a little ground to bury our dead who defended their Liberty. Mr. President…we have nothing to apologize for!

And closer to home, the South Bend Common Council is reporting that it is trying to pass and ordinance declaring that any organization who invites anyone that requires South Bend to spend “unbudgeted” funds for the security of that invited person – should have to pay for that “unbudgeted” expenditure so that taxes would not have to be raised to cover the short fall of funds already earmarked for other “budgeted” expenditures. Sounds like a good ordinance to me!

All this, along with the President’s positions that are in direct conflict with the Catholic Church – make me realize why it so important that he be honored by Notre Dame in a couple of weeks at their commencement.

Irene M. Right

Today we are beginning our Blog on how the news of today affects us locally. Each week we will be posting our thoughts about various items of interest in our area, from politics – local and national, to sports, to just stuff around the community. FinditLocal411.com is all about local and we will give you our thoughts and we’d like to hear yours in return.

So let’s start with….What are the effects of President Barack Obama coming to Michiana in May?