Changes to Independent's 401(k) Plan

Changes to Independent’s 401(k) Plan

There are a couple of exciting changes to the Independent’s 401(k) Plan.

The company match will increase from $400 to $425 for the plan year that begins July 1.

We want employees to continue to have confidence in the company’s stability.  Increasing the match will demonstrate Independent’s desire to grow the participation to its retirement plan.  The auto-enrollment process which began July 2017 has been very successful.  Investment in your retirement is very important now days.  The 401(k) plans are generally the most well-known employer-sponsored plans because it is one of the most powerful tools to use to put aside monies.  A benefit is that the employees’ contribution is not taxed until it is withdrawn.  In fact, the contribution reduces your salary before taxes are withheld, meaning you pay less in taxes today.  Secondly, money held in the 401(k) plan grows.  The investment earnings on plan assets are not taxed as long as they remain inside the Plan.

Secondly, we are pleased to announce an important change in the service provider for the Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan. Beginning October 1, 2018, the Principal Financial Group (The Principal) along with our Third-Party Administrator, NFP Corporate Services PA, Inc. will be the new service providers for the company 401(k) plan.

We compared our current service provider (John Hancock)  with several other leading providers; and, decided to change because of the user-friendly system as well as reduced fees.

You will have several opportunities to learn more about this change and the transition process.  Group education meetings will be held at a later date. Regardless as to whether you are currently participating in the plan, we encourage you to attend a group meeting where information on The Principal and  the transition of the plan will be provided.      

These actions were recommended by the 401(k) committee members --- CEO/President Ed Dulin, Vice President and Plan Trustee Wanda Ford-Waring, and Accounting Manager/Treasurer Toni Jackson.  The recommendations were approved unanimously by Independent’s board of directors. We are excited about this change and are confident you will be pleased with the  new 401(k) service provider and the many features and benefits they offer us. 

For calendar year 2018, you can contribute up to $18,500 to the Plan on a pre-tax basis.  If you will be at least 50 years old by December 31, 2018, you can contribute an additional “catch-up” contribution of $6,000.  You may change the amount of your Elective Deferral contributions at any time. Any changes in contributions, including stopping your deferral contributions can be done by click  SELF SERVICE or by sending an email to inipayroll@newszap.com . 

If you have any questions regarding this change or the 401(k) Plan, please email inipayroll@newszap.com .

July Anniversaries

7/1	32 YRS	Sylvia Windsor	Dorchester Banner
7/1	2 YRS	Gina Sandoval	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Kevin Mahoney	Arizona Regional
7/1	2 YRS	Christopher Pitts	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Lynda Ottersbach	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Juliann Segura	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Shelly Brooks	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Richard Bolas	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Charlotte Morin	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Terri Rodgers	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Richard Smith	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Cheryl Harden	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Jacob Stanek	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Mona Lisa Navarrette	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Erik Maurer	West Valley
7/1	2 YRS	Stephen Chernek	West Valley
7/2	32 YRS	Sandra Stokes	Dorchester Banner
7/2	12 YRS	Donny Jacobs	Valley Printing
7/3	1 YR	Chris Felker	South Lake
7/3	1 YR	Eva Blackwood	Okeechobee News
7/4	46 YRS	Wanda Ford-Waring	Corporate Services
7/4	2 YRS	Chad Young	Valley Printing
7/4	7 YRS	Timothy Menasco	Delaware State News
7/11	11 YRS	Terrance Thornton	North Valley
7/12	13 YRS	Gerald Bradshaw	West Valley
7/16	2 YRS	Thomas Mulligan	Delaware Printing
7/18	1 YR	Daniel McCarthy	East Valley
7/21	21 YRS	Deborah Myers	West Valley
7/21	4 YRS	Matthew Bittle	Delaware State News
7/23	1 YR	Alexander Martin	Valley Printing
7/24	12 YRS	James Hoesch	Corporate Services
7/24	6 YRS	Katrina Sullivan	Delaware State News
7/25	7 YRS	Tyrell Sullivan	Delaware Printing
7/27	3 YRS	Philip Haldiman	West Valley
7/31	1 YR	Christopher Caraveo	West Valley

Katrina's hard work is appreciated

When I wonder if all the work I do on the environmental stories makes any difference I get an email like this one.
Katrina

Just when I had lost hope in all media sources, you came along. Thank you for another great factual article that you clearly studied about before publishing. You are a breath of fresh air.

Have a great day

Mike Elfenbein

Congratulations, Katrina, for not only being a great example in following our company's quest to produce excellent journalism, but also making us proud as heck in having you a part of the INI team!!!!  

Ed Dulin

Bisesi Retires

Phil Bisesi
02/03/1980 -6/22/18.
We wish you all the joy and happiness as you begin a new chapter in your life.
Be proud of the legacy that you leave us. 
You will be missed!
Happy Retirement😊!!

Sincerely
From all of us at Valley Newspapers.

Changing the Status Quo

London Anderson is changing the norm at Valley Newspapers....she is the first female to take on press operating responsibilities since the company established its commercial printing plant in the late 1970's.  

London first started as temporary worker helping to stack pallets.  As she worked her time through the temp service, John Salvate, Valley's first-shift team leader noticed her talent, so he spent some extra time coaching her.  When it came time to break away from the temp service and make a hiring decision, she had already acquired the skill to tend rolls for the press crew thanks to her quick learning.

Her ability to learn fast positioned her to make the next move to Valley's pressroom crew, where she will be moving up to an entry level press operator.  In addition to her normal duties of roll tending and keying ink, she will now be able to flourish and continue learning more about the press operations, without having to hang rolls.

Rob Giarraputo, Valley's production manager, said "It is a nice sight to see all of the new personnel coming into our pressroom. They bring new passion for our craft while showing others what they can learn and achieve.  In this case it is even more impressive to see a female enter what has been dominated by men in the past."

Congratulations, London!!!!!

Big Celebration

The Delaware State News advertising, news, layout and graphics teams celebrated their awards from the Maryland Delaware DC Press Association’s 2017 Editorial | Design | Revenue Contest this week with a picnic-style lunch on the patio at the Dover campus.  Everyone enjoyed grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, along with all the traditional side items and cookies.  After the lunch, Publisher Darel La Prade presented the certificates to all the winners.  He pointed out that this was the most wins for the combined Delaware State News teams and many of the awards were for multiple teams which emphasizes the team spirit of our company.  You can view all of the MDDC 2017 award winners at this link:  MDDC 2017 Contest winners. 

Sun City Independent Helps Lucky

Received by Rusty Bradshaw, Sun Cities editor, in Arizona.

I am not sure if the people at Sun City 4-Paws Cat Rescue Shelter ever thanked you for the story your paper did on LUCKY the cat who was shot 20+ times with a BB gun.  At the Arizona / Maricopa Animal Rescue Annual meeting, LUCKY was awarded the award of rescue pet of the year.  This is the first time a cat received the award.  Your news story and photos got allot of recognition in the pet rescue community.

Thanks,

Scott Mitzner

Scottsdale murder case makes national news

News Services Editor Melissa Fittro was asked to appear on the national TV show, Crime & Justice with Ashleigh Banfield, on Monday, June 4, as a multi-victim murder case unfolded in the city of Scottsdale. The show aired during the 6-7 p.m. EST slot on CNN’s sister network, HLN.

Here’s what Melissa shared on Facebook about appearing on the show:

Today was a first: updating a live national audience on a string of murders in Scottsdale minutes after listening to the press conference live with Crime & Justice host Ashleigh Banfield. Thanks for having me on HLN!

On the murders: up to six slain victims now and the suspect died by suicide after shooting a handful of rounds in a Scottsdale hotel room just after 8 a.m. this morning. Suspect is identified as Dwight Lamon Jones, 56. The motive is believed to stem from his 2009-10 divorce, local police, FBI and ATF officials said this afternoon. #AZNEWSMEDIA

This Bud's For ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Anakaren Salinas at the LaBelle office, is doing an amazing job selling especially for a new hire. She hit the road and sold several grad ads and even got a memorial ad. She also has been working with a local hospital and should be bringing in a really nice contract with them. I can’t brag on her enough.

Dale Conyers

News and Advertising Services Coordinator

Caloosa Belle/Immokalee Bulletin

Okeechobee News is top source for local information

By Katrina Elsken

Okeechobee News

The Okeechobee News, Okeechobee’s hometown newspaper since 1914 is Okeechobee’s oldest continuing business. The newspaper office is at 107 S.W. 17th Street, Suite D. The website is okeechobeenews.net. The newspaper also has a popular Facebook page with more than 16,000 followers.

Since 1915, the Okeechobee News has celebrated Okeechobee’s accomplishments, pointed out the problem areas, and documented the community’s own history, week after week, without fail.

The Okeechobee News survived the Great Depression and more than one recession. The newspaper kept publishing through hurricanes and floods. The Okeechobee News even managed to keep publishing a newspaper when its own offices burned to the ground.

The print edition of the newspaper is published thrice-weekly, with editions on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The newspaper is also available online as an e-edition.

The newspaper’s website is updated seven days a week, providing the community with daily news.

The business started in 1914 when the postal permit was first obtained. A postal permit was necessary not only to deliver the papers out of town, but also to establish the paper as a newspaper of record, authorized to run legal advertisements such as government notices.

The Okeechobee community needed a newspaper of record, as community leaders had big plans for the area. In 1915, they would put the City of Okeechobee on the map as an incorporated city. Two years later, Okeechobee County would be established.

To help organize the community, the Okeechobee Call began in 1914 with a series of fliers similar to a newsletter, printed on 8X10 paper.

Actual publication of the broadsheet edition of the newspaper did not begin until 1915, with the first edition hitting the streets on July 1, 1915.

While the newspaper has changed names over the years, it has been published under that same original postal permit for 103 years.

The newspaper has changed owners many times. But what has maintained constant for more than 100 years is a dedication to community service and to giving Okeechobee community members the local news and information they need to make decisions in their everyday lives.

The Okeechobee News was a weekly newspaper from 1915 until 1981. The day

of the week that it was published varied.Independent News Media Inc. (then called Independent Newspapers Inc.) acquired Sunshine Newspapers in 1978.

In November 1981, the newspaper began to publish twice a week. Seven years later, the paper added a Sunday edition.

From Sept. 14, 1992 until 2008, theOkeechobee News was a daily newspaper with seven editions a week. The paper survived the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005 without missing a single edition. When the newspaper offices were left without electricity, staffers hauled computer equipment to an employee’s home in order to meet the deadlines. But the paper could not maintain daily publication in the face of an economic storm. After the housing boom went bust in 2008, there was no longer enough advertising to support a daily newspaper and the Okeechobee News returned to three days a week publication.

The Okeechobee News is part of IndependentNews Media, which has newspapers in Florida, Delaware, Maryland and Arizona. Independent News Media is an organization dedicated to community journalism. It does not have shareholders or an owner. INI pays taxes like for-profit companies, but is 100 percent owned by a non-profit journalistic trust that allows all after-tax profits to be reinvested in the company’s community service mission. INI gives each community the best newspaper it will support.

Over the years, the newspaper has had a number of slogans including, “The only newspaper in Okeechobee County,” “Home of the Speckled Perch Festival,” and “It’s News. Read It.”