Inside the April 2008 issue:

Vigo County Graffiti, Terre Haute Gaffiti, Wabash Valley Graffiti

A big mess: Tim Popoff and his daughter examine graffiti on the back of Popoff Cleaners at 1519 Wabash Ave. Popoff said that the taggers even climbed onto his roof to paint his air conditioning unit. WVJB photos by James Hehman

By Timothy A. Brown
WVJB Writer

     For some, it's a work of art. For others, it's just another messy problem that needs to be cleaned up.
     That problem is graffiti, and the problem is growing nationwide.
     People who actively engage in graffiti call it "art" and "tagging," terms that stem from street gangs who paint their signs on property to claim the territory.
     Property and business owners who have to spend the money to clean up the "art" have another word for it: vandalism.

Read more about Graffiti & Vandalism in the Wabash Valley

Hillary Clinton, headquarters fire, Terre Haute, Tromp&Tread

Ashes: An empty shell is all that remains of Hillary Clinton's former headquarters.WVJB photos by James Hehman

By Robert L. Flott
WVJB Editor

     For many folks in Terre Haute, the past few weeks have been rather exciting.
     Visits by prominent politicians such as Hillary and Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have brought national attention to Terre Haute in ways the people of the city have not seen in years.
     For Joe Tanoos, the events were more stressful than exciting. Tanoos owns the building at 1424 S. Third St., which housed both the Hillary Clinton Headquarters and Westaff, an employment service.

Read more about the Fire at Hillary Clinton's headquarters.

Action Track sponsorship
means opportunities for ISU

By Dave Taylor
ISU Director of Media Relations

When the 2008 racing season starts May 2 at the Terre Haute Action Track, it will mark more than renewed interest in the legendary half-mile racing venue where such drivers as Parnelli Jones, A.J. Foyt, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart once kicked up some dirt. It will mean new opportunities for students in Indiana State University*s motorsports program.
The university will sponsor the first race of the season at the clay oval, The Clabber Girl Don Smith Classic Presented by Indiana State University. An agreement with DHK Promotions LLC, which signed a three-year deal with the Vigo County Fair Board in February to operate the track, also calls for students to be heavily involved in the facility's operations.

Read more about Indiana State & the Action Track.

Primary elections cap a busy Spring

Robert L. Flott This month, instead of my usual column, I have relinquished the space to Mr. John R. Bischoff, a Democrat Candidate for District 3 Commissioner in Vigo County.

Before anyone cries foul, I have always had a policy of offering space for other points of view, should they present themselves. I welcome ideas and inputs from other sources.
Besides, it's been a busy month for us at Flottsom Communications. We have essentially created four publications this month:

The April Journal of Business.
The May Senior Life.
A Special Primary Election Edition.

First Financial announces 8.2 % improvement in 1st

First Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:THFF) has announced net income for the three months ended March 31, 2008 of $6.95 million. This is an 8.2 percent improvement over the $6.42 million reported for the same period of 2007.
Earnings per share increased 10.4 percent to $0.53, an increase of $0.05 per average share outstanding. Return on assets and return on equity for 2008 were 1.23 percent and 9.62 percent, as compared to 1.18 percent and 9.36 percent for 2007. The Corporation increased net interest income for the first quarter of 2008 by $499 thousand or 2.7 percent over the same period of 2007. This was accomplished during a period in which the Federal Reserve Bank decreased the federal funds rate 2 percent, putting pressure on margins.

Read more about First Financial Bank