From InnoTek Computer Consulting, Inc.

Research has revealed that over half of all users end up opening fraudulent emails and often even fall for them. Phishing is done with the aim of gathering personal information about you, generally related to your finances. The most common reason for the large number of people falling for fraudulent emails is that the phishing attempts are often so well-disguised that they escape the eyes of a busy email reader.

Here are a few tips that can help you identify if an email is an attempt at defrauding you:

1. They ask for personal information – Remember, no bank or financial institution asks you to share your key personal information via email, or even phone. So, if you get an email where they ask for your ATM PIN or your e-banking password, something’s amiss.

2. The links seem fake – Phishing emails always contain links that you are asked to click on. You should verify if the links are genuine. Here are a few things to look for:

-Spelling – Check for the misspellings in the URL. Be aware of 1-letter variants.
-Disguised URLs – Sometimes, URLs can be disguised…meaning, while they look genuine, they redirect you to some fraudulent site. You can check the actual URL upon a mouseover, or by right clicking on the URL, selecting the ‘copy hyperlink’ option, and pasting the hyperlink on a notepad file ONLY. NEVER paste the hyperlink directly into your web browser.
-URLs with ‘@’ signs – If you find a URL that has an ‘@’ sign, steer clear of it! Browsers ignore URL information that precedes an ‘@’ sign. For example, the URL www.test.com@mysite.net will take you to mysite.net and NOT to test.com

3. Other tell-tale signs – Apart from identifying fake URLs, there are other tell-tale signs that help you identify fraudulent emails. Some of these include:

-The main message in an email is in the form of an image, which, upon opening, takes you to the malicious URL.
-Another sign is an attachment. Never open attachments from unknown sources as they may contain viruses that can harm your computer and network.
-The message urges you to do something immediately. Scammers often induce a sense of urgency in their emails and threaten you with consequences if you don’t respond.

Bloomsburg University Siren Test

Bloomsburg University’s emergency notification system campus sirens (located on Elwell Hall, McCormick Center for Human Services, and Nelson Field House) will be tested on Thursday, March 25 at 10:15 AM.

Ongoing Commitment to Service Earns Local Agents CENTURY 21 2020 Quality Service Pinnacle Award

Century 21 Real Estate LLC recently recognized the following local sales affiliates with the CENTURY 21 2020 Quality Service Pinnacle Producer Award.

* Angela Young of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Carey Smith of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Daniel Young of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Dolly Hollinger of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Dorothy Rhone of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Karen Roadarmel of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Melinda Newhart of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Ruth A. Killian of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Samantha Capita of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Susan Barchik of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg. 

* Theresa Krasucki of CENTURY 21 Covered Bridges Realty, Inc., located at 395 Tenny Street in Bloomsburg.

For more information, please contact Susan Barchik at (570) 204-2475 or sue@c21cbr.com.

“The Quality Service Pinnacle Producer Award is an integral part of our brand’s commitment to excellence and recognizes dedication to making each and every client interaction a positive one,” said Michael Miedler, president and chief executive officer, Century 21 Real Estate LLC.

The annual award is based on results from the CENTURY 21 Quality Service Survey (QSS) which is e-mailed to consumers immediately after the purchase or sale of a home. To earn the CENTURY 21 Quality Service Pinnacle Producer Award, an agent must receive completed customer surveys for at least 50 percent of their transactions surveyed from January 1 – December 31, with an average survey score of at least 95 percent or better for 2 consecutive years.

Each recipient will receive a customized glass trophy, in addition to being recognized at the CENTURY 21 Global Conference.

BHS Alumni Celebrate Panther Pride Through New Scholarship Fund

The Community Giving Foundation: Bloomsburg is pleased to announce the creation of a new scholarship fund to benefit Bloomsburg High School (BHS) graduating seniors. The fund was established by a group of BHS alumni who were moved to celebrate and award students that serve as positive role models through a strong work ethic and genuine school spirit.

Students from the BHS Class of 1986 have reflected on all the great memories of their time together in school, and many have stayed in touch over the years through summer “mini-reunions” and larger events. As the class considered the impact the Bloomsburg community had on each of their lives, they started to look for opportunities to give back and celebrate other local students.

“Bloomsburg High School and the surrounding community were an important part of creating who we are as adults. We are grateful for the role the community had on our lives. It’s a wonderful place to grow up, and many of us still live in Bloomsburg or nearby,” explained the scholarship committee.

Members of the ’86 class had a desire to provide more broad opportunities for students, so the class came together to establish the BHS Class of ’86 Scholarship Fund. The Fund will provide annual scholarship(s) to BHS graduating seniors pursuing post-secondary education or other certification program. Students must demonstrate kindness and loyalty to others, an ability to get along with others without prejudice, and a genuine school spirit and “Panther Pride”.

“We want to see the scholarship recipient pool expand to students that don’t qualify for other scholarships—maybe they are holding down a job or have other responsibilities that limit their participation in traditional clubs and activities. These students are often ‘off the radar,’ but equally deserving. We are honored to be able to give back in some small way that helps other BHS students reach their educational goals.”

Contributions can be made to the BHS Class of ’86 Scholarship Fund online at csgiving.org (click Donate and search “BHS”), or mail to the Community Giving Foundation, Attn: BHS Class of ’86 Scholarship Fund, 725 West Front Street, Berwick PA 18603. To apply for this scholarship and other opportunities available through the Community Giving Foundation, visit csgiving.org/scholarships.

Bloomsburg is an affiliate of the Community Giving Foundation, which manages nearly 300 charitable funds and makes grant investments throughout the region to improve the quality of life in the Central Susquehanna area. For more information, visit csgiving.org or call the Foundation at 570-752-3930.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced that the application portal for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program will open on Thursday, April 8, 2021. The program will distribute $16 billion in funds to live venue operators, including movie theatres, concert spaces, museums, and performing arts organizations.

Prior to the official SVOG application opening, the SBA will host a national informational webinar to highlight the application process for potential eligible entities from 2:30 to 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 30. Those interested in participating can register here.

To ensure eligible venues do not miss a window to receive assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program, the American Rescue Plan Act amended the SVOG program so entities that apply for a PPP loan after Dec. 27, 2020, can also apply for an SVOG, with the eligible entity’s SVOG to be reduced by the PPP loan amount. The PPP loan applications have been updated to reflect this.

As the SBA builds and prepares to open the program, the dedicated SBA website, www.sba.gov/svogrant, which includes frequently asked questions, video tutorials and other SVOG details, is the best source for information for those looking to apply for a grant. To prepare in advance of the SVOG application portal opening on April 8, potential applicants should get registered in the federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM.gov), as this is required for an entity to receive an SVOG, and reference the preliminary application checklist and eligibility requirements.

Specialty Roller and Machine, located in Berwick, plans to have forklift driver training and / or testing done, on site soon for three (3) of their employees. They would like to extend an invitation to local companies/organizations/etc. who are in need of forklift driver training and / or testing for their employee(s).

Once a common date & time is agreed upon, the training and testing will be scheduled. 

If interested, please contact Joe Canfield at (803) 960-1592 and his email address is jcanfield@specialtyroller.com.

From McKonly & Asbury, LLP

On Thursday, March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. While much of the attention on this law has centered on additional direct stimulus payments to individuals, extension of unemployment benefits and other tax credit matters such as increases in the child tax credit, a few key critical elements significantly impact the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). A summary of these changes is noted below:

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans

 The American Rescue Plan Act significantly increases access to PPP loans for 501(c)(3) and (6) organizations. Previously, all 501(c)(3) and (6) organizations with employee counts greater than 500 for 501 (c)(3) or 300 for 501 (c)(6), were impacted by the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) affiliation rules in regard to access to a first round PPP loan. The affiliation rules outlined by the SBA stated:

“Concerns and entities are affiliates of each other when one controls or has the power to control the other, or a third party or parties controls or has the power to control both. It does not matter whether control is exercised, so long as the power to control exists. Affiliation under any of the circumstances described below is sufficient to establish affiliation for applicants for the Paycheck Protection Program.”

Control, for purposes of the affiliation rules, focused on 1.) Affiliation based on common ownership; 2.) Affiliation arising under stock options, convertible securities, and agreements to merge; 3.) Affiliation based on management; or 4.) Affiliation based on identity of interest. For a number of 501(c)(3) and (6) organizations, the affiliation rules around common management and identity of interest impacted their ability to apply for PPP loan round one funding. Well, good news! The American Rescue Plan Act now lifts the “affiliation rules” for 501(c)(3) and (6) organizations. More specifically, the legislation allows an organization’s headcount to be considered “per physical location” rather than in-total and across all locations. As such, a 501(c)(3) with more than 500 employees and/or a 501(c)(6) with more than 300 employees – but at multiple locations – are now eligible for PPP.

Also, just announced, the application deadline for PPP loans has been extended from March 31 to May 31. This 60 day extension also provides an additional 30 days for the SBA to finish processing applications received by May 31.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)

On March 12, 2021, the SBA announced that borrowers have until 2022 to meet their obligations under the EIDL program. The SBA announced that the first due date for repayment of EIDL’s made in 2020 will be extended from 12 months to 24 months from the date of the note. For loans made in 2021, the first payment due date is extended from 12 months to 18 months from the date of the note. Borrowers will resume their regular payment schedule with the payment immediately preceding March 31, 2022, unless the borrower voluntarily continues to make payments while on deferment. It is important to note that interest will continue to accrue on the outstanding balance of the loan throughout the duration of the deferment.

Other Key Changes to Business Credit Programs

• Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is extended to December 31, 2021. Previously, the ERC ended on June 30, 2021. The American Rescue Plan Act now allows for an additional 6 months of the ERC on qualifying payroll costs at a credit percentage of 70% on qualified payroll capped at $10,000 per employee per quarter. Gross revenue reduction and/or partial or full shutdown requirements must be met to qualify for the ERC.

• Paid Leave Credit is extended to September 20, 2021, and increases the credit to $12,000 (up from $10,000) per employee.

We are here to assist businesses and non-profits with all questions related to PPP, EIDL and ERC. If at any time you need assistance, please visit our COVID-19 Resource Center to access these specific support pages.

If you have any questions regarding this article, or how our team can help, contact David B. Blain, CPA, CVA, Partner and Director of Entrepreneurial Services for McKonly & Asbury and leader of the firm’s PPP Consulting Services at dblain@macpas.com.

From PA CareerLink Columbia/Montour Counties

Is your organization struggling with recruitment and retention?  Do your employees need help understanding their potential for growth within your organization?  Do you see the value in connecting with local students to raise awareness about career pathways in Central PA? 

If you are thinking YES to any of these questions, we hope you can join the virtual session Building Career Trees® to Support Local Workforce Pathways scheduled for Friday, March 26th from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, via zoom. Sending a representative from your business will connect you to a network of educators and community partners working to raise awareness of existing career pathways.

This free, virtual event will introduce your business to Mark Perna, an international speaker and bestselling author who also serves as CEO of TFS Results, a strategic consulting firm at the forefront of the national paradigm shift in education and workforce development. Participants will hear from Mark regarding what businesses can do to promote career awareness in their region and be introduced to his groundbreaking Career Tree^® concept and software. Learn more about Career Tree^® and find examples here.

The morning will kick off with a keynote address from Mark Perna, followed by an introduction to and training on his Career Tree^® online platform, to which all participants will receive complimentary access for three years. The morning session will build the “why” behind the use of Career Trees^® in career development and be grounded in local, high-priority occupations (HPOs).

The afternoon will then utilize small-group breakout work to create Career Trees^® in a variety of industry pathways, based on HPOs, with your input as a local business. Those in attendance will have access to the Career Tree^® platform, the Career Trees^® that are created, and a library of Career Trees^® that can be used and edited specifically for your business. Your business-specific Career Trees^® can help incumbent workers see potential career ladders and pathways within the company, and be used as a recruitment and retention tool for entry-level workers to see their potential for growth within the organization.

Businesses can register by emailing interest to Chris Herman: cherman@csiu.org. Please include the names and emails of those wishing to attend.

 Please register by 8:00am on Thursday March 25th. A Zoom link will be sent prior to the event. 

If you have any questions about participation, please reach out to Alice Justice (alice.justice60@gmail.com) or Chris Herman at (cherman@csiu.org). 

This opportunity is being provided thanks to the contributions of Central PA Workforce Development Corporation, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, Williamsport Area School District, and Central Columbia School District through grants awarded by the PA Dept. of Labor & Industry.

B.I.D.A. Executive Director Selected as Top 25 Women in Business 

Berwick Industrial Development Association (B.I.D.A.), a leader in economic development focusing on industrial development and manufacturing is excited to announce their Executive Director, Kelly O’Brien for her nomination and selection to the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal’s Top 25 Women in Business, published March 2021 in honor of women’s month. 

Kelly O’Brien has been working in economic development for 15 years, with most efforts in the entrepreneurial arena. Ms. O’Brien, in her role with B.I.D.A. has focused her efforts on the Northeast Central PA region in recruiting, retaining and developing business and industry of all sizes. 

Since Ms. O’Brien joined the B.I.D.A. team, the organization has implemented a vocational scholarship for Berwick Area School District students that are extending their education in a vocational arts profession. B.I.D.A. is a founding partner and current facilitator of the Employer Round Table focus group (working with employers to identify and implement solutions for workforce development), created the virtual and physical manufacturing incubator (set to launch this year) with partners, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of NEPA, Community Strategies Group (CSG), Rural Business Innovation Corporation (RBI) and Wilkes University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), written and awarded grants for business retention and development, and closed on the purchase of the former Ingredion manufacturing facility in the B.I.D.A. Industrial Complex. 

B.I.D.A. is proud to have Kelly O’Brien with this on their team and working with our economic development partners in the Northeast Central PA region to bring ideas to reality. B.I.D.A. would like to thank Ms. O’Brien for her service and ask the rest of the region to celebrate the women in your business and industry. 

BloomCON Hak4Kidz

Following the Super Bowl on February 7^th, CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert featured a small book store in Boone, North Carolina as a way to support a business impacted by the pandemic. Following the piece, sales at Foggy Pine Books have tripled and the business has hired five additional employees to keep up with demand. The show is offering other small businesses the opportunity to be featured.

Additional information is on YouTube and on CBS’s website.

From PA Chamber of Business and Industry

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, President Joe Biden signed a third round of COVID-19-related financial stimulus funding. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan includes $1,400 direct checks for individual taxpayers making $75,000 or less and families making $150,000 or less; and $350 billion to state and local governments across America. It also extends an existing $300 weekly unemployment benefits through Sept. 6 and provides a tax break on $10,000 in unemployment benefits.

Specific to Pennsylvania, the new law will provide more than $13.7 billion for state and local governments and direct payments to more than 5.5 million households. It will also extend federal unemployment insurance benefits to more than 480,000 Pennsylvanians.

The bill also includes an unprecedented expansion of the child tax credit that would provide $3,000 a year for each child ages 6 to 17, and $3,600 for each child under 6. According to a story in the Washington Post, this tax credit will be sent via direct deposit on a “periodic” basis as a way to offset costs families face day-to-day, instead of sending families one annual payment.

Other notable provisions in the new law include:

• Tens of billions of dollars for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing; increasing the size of the public health workforce and funding vaccine distribution and supply chains.
• Nearly $130 billion will be set aside to help K-12 schools reopen. That money would go to improving ventilation systems, reducing class sizes, buying personal protective equipment and implementing social distancing.
• Funding for colleges and other higher-education institutions will go toward financial aid grants to help students who have faced pandemic-related financial challenges.
• Child-care provider funds would be distributed through the Child Care and Development Block Grant program. The new package also sets aside $1 billion for the Head Start Program, which helps fund early education for young children from low-income families.
• It expands the Employee Retention Tax Credit for start-up companies and other businesses hit by the pandemic.
• Establishes a $10 billion infrastructure program to help local governments continue crucial capital projects.
• For education funding, the bill sets aside $1.25 billion for summer enrichment; $1.25 billion for after-school programs and $3 billion for education technology.

As COVID-19 cases have declined and vaccination rates are climbing, Governor Tom Wolf today announced the lifting of some targeted restrictions on restaurants and other businesses, as well as increased gathering limits.

Effective April 4, restaurants may resume bar service; alcohol service will be allowed without the purchase of food; the curfew for removing alcoholic drinks from tables will be lifted; and indoor dining capacity will be raised to 75 percent for those restaurants that are currently self-certified and those that undergo the self-certification process, which involves agreeing to strictly comply to all public health safety guidelines and orders, including the cleaning and mitigation protocols and other operational requirements contained in the Governor and Secretary of Health’s mitigation and enforcement orders issued on November 23, 2020, as amended. Those restaurants that do not self-certify may raise capacity to 50 percent. Outdoor dining, curbside pick-up and takeout are still encouraged.

Requirements such as mask-wearing, and social distancing, including 6 feet between diners, also still apply.

Capacity for other businesses also will be increased effective April 4, including moving personal services facilities, gyms and entertainment facilities (casinos, theatres, malls) to 75 percent occupancy.

The governor also announced revised maximum occupancy limits for indoor events to allow for 25% of maximum occupancy, regardless of venue size, and maximum occupancy limits for outdoor events to allow for 50% of maximum occupancy, regardless of venue size. Maximum occupancy is permitted only if attendees and workers are able to comply with the 6-foot physical distancing requirement.