Bloomsburg University students are on Spring Break the week of March 9-13. As of Tuesday, March 10th, the University does not have any reported or confirmed cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).  However, over health and safety concerns for campus and the surrounding community, spring break for students is being extended by one week, with classes anticipated to resume on Monday, March 23.  During this extension, faculty will be provided training, both locally and remotely, specific to online course delivery methods.  This will enable continuity of instruction if further delays of students’ return to campus become warranted. 

More than 430 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Jim & Vera’s Hoagie Hut to help us fulfill our mission.

Jim & Vera’s Hoagie Hut offers a variety of hoagies, sandwiches, cheesesteaks, hoagie trays, desserts, and beverages.  Visit their Facebook page for more information.

Adrienne Mael (right), President and CEO of the United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties recently welcomed Olivia Oden (left), as the organization’s new stigma reduction and education coordinator.

The United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties along with Geisinger Health Plan have joined forces on a two-year program for those struggling with substance use disorder. A $118,500 grant from Pennsylvania’s Commission on Crime and Delinquency enabled the United Way to hire Olivia Oden as their new stigma reduction and education coordinator as well as expand their current United in Recovery program. The Columbia Montour Chamber is a partner organization in United in Recovery to help individuals lead more healthy and productive lives.

“Through a cooperative agreement with Geisinger, Olivia is also an employee with the health insurance company which gives her access to its vast resources and network of providers,” said Adrienne Mael, President and CEO the United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties. The main goal of this program is to reduce stigma surrounding addiction, support individuals in recovery, and reduce opioid overdose deaths. Last year the country saw 192 overdose deaths per day, and Pennsylvania is the third-worst state impacted by overdose related deaths.

“We have to realize the disease of substance use can affect anyone,” said Oden. “One in three people are directly affected by substance use disorder or SUD, if not in their immediate family then someone they know.”

Oden’s outreach will include presentations to schools, health care professionals, civic organizations, and employers in an effort to change society’s view on those suffering from substance use disorder. In addition, the United Way is also hosting Recovery Resources Events throughout the year. These community events bring local and state organizations together in one place to offer a judgement-free atmosphere where those in recovery or active addiction can find free assessments, childcare resources, counseling and so much more. The United Way has developed a resource guide (link to attached file) to assist individuals struggling with substance use or other issues.

For more information on the United in Recovery program, upcoming Recovery Resources Events, or the United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties in general, visit www.cmcuw.org or call (570) 784-3134.

Anyone is welcome to attend the Columbia Montour Chamber’s Member Orientation, which will be held at one of its members, Hampton Inn, Thursday, March 12th from 8:00-9:30 a.m..  Whether you are a new or existing member, this orientation will help you discover the multitude of benefits and marketing opportunities offered through the Chamber, as well as its ongoing initiatives aimed at economic and community development.  A light breakfast and beverages will be served, free of charge.

Register today online or by calling 570-784-2522.

Member Orientations are sponsored by USG, Kawneer, Bloomsburg University, SEKISUI SPI, PPL Electric Utilities, and Geisinger. 

More than 430 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Beaver Valley Environmental, LLC to help us fulfill our mission.

Beaver Valley Environmental, LLC offers a range of services including: septic services, portable restrooms, cleaning & hauling services, septic systems inspections, and more.  They serve all of Bloomsburg, and the surrounding areas.  For more information, visit their website.

• N4C’s Open House- Saturday, March 7th
  Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center– N4C’s will have their Open House, Saturday, March 7th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Click here for the N4Cs Open House Itinerary.
  
  
• North Shore Railroad Invests in Regional Promotion to Attract Investment
  
  

  Shown Left to Right: Diana Williams, North Shore; Todd Hunter, North Shore; Loni Martz Briner, North Shore; Lauren Bryson, Focus Central PA; Jeb Stotter, North Shore; and Joe Kantz, North Shore

The North Shore Railroad Company (NSHR), rail freight service provider to the Central Pennsylvania region and proponent of community development, is investing $3,750 in Focus Central PA for regional promotion of the region to attract new investment.

Presenting the check to Lauren Bryson, Executive Director of Focus Central PA from North Shore Railroad Company & Affiliates was Diana Williams, Treasurer/Controller; Todd Hunter, Chief Marketing Officer; Loni Martz Briner, Public Relations & Media Manager; Jeb Stotter, President & CEO; and Joe Kantz, Business & Development Manager.

Jeb Stotter, says Focus is an essential investment. “Our company strives to be civic partners with the communities we serve, and Focus Central PA plays an important part role, joining in that mission. The work and commitment of Focus helps bring business to our region.”

Joe Kantz added, “I have had the opportunity to be a part of many economic development entities, and we are very fortunate to have FOCUS Central PA in our portfolio here in Central PA. Every business in our market who relies on the economic growth of our area should be an investor in this wonderful economic development marketing organization.”

For the past 36 years, NSHR, a privately owned company, has provided rail freight service to the six short line railroads they operate. These short line properties span across almost 250 miles of track. They are: the Juniata Valley Railroad, the Lycoming Valley Railroad, the Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad, the North Shore Railroad, the Shamokin Valley Railroad, and the Union County Industrial Railroad. The company’s mission is to be the most customer focused and safest transportation system possible, provide quality regional rail freight service to customers in Central Pennsylvania, conduct our business with the highest degree of integrity and professionalism, and be responsible civic partners with the communities we serve.

“The quality rail service and infrastructure we have in the region is a significant competitive advantage for manufacturing and distribution prospects. It is of extreme value to have partners like North Shore Railroad engaged and supporting our efforts” said Bryson.

Focus Central Pennsylvania is part of a committed team in the region that is driving economic development for communities in Centre, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Union, Snyder, and Mifflin communities. The mission of Focus is to effectively promote new corporate investment that results in growth of family sustaining jobs in the region by being a premier economic development marketing alliance for committed partners. Focus pro-actively connects with site location consultants and companies looking to relocate or expand. This work helps our communities become an even greater place to live and work.  

For more information about the North Shore Railroad, contact:
Joe Kantz, 570.898.4910, jkantz@nshr.com

• PPL Electric Utilities Invests $9,500 for Smart Regional Economic Growth
  
  
  

  Image Shown left to right:  Lauren Bryson, Focus Central Pennsylvania and Tracie Witter, PPL Electric Utilities.

Focus Central Pennsylvania received a $9,500 check from PPL Electric Utilities to support the mission of Focus to attract and support expansion of capital investment that creates quality career opportunities for the families of Central Pennsylvania. The investment was presented by PPL’s Regional Affairs Director, Tracie Witter to Focus Central Pennsylvania‘s Executive Director, Lauren Bryson.

The contribution includes funds to support the organization’s annual marketing initiatives as well as a grant to fund a Smart Capacity initiative. The initiative supports a comprehensive business attraction partnership to provide significant increased capacity that will leverage existing resources and efforts to effectively promote new corporate investment, career creating location decisions in Central Pennsylvania. This grant will provide a year of Site Location Partnership (SLP) business attraction services with specific deliverable metrics that include targeted industry prospect development, site selector appointment setting, trade show representation and online exposure.

“Delivering safe and reliable electric service is just a part of our commitment to the communities PPL Electric Utilities serves,” said Tracie Witter, PPL’s regional affairs director. “As a founding partner in Focus, PPL helps create strong and healthy communities where business and residential customers thrive.”

PPL Electric Utilities provides electric delivery service to more than 1.4 million homes and businesses in Pennsylvania and ranks among the best utility companies in the country for customer service and reliability. With 2,300 employees, PPL Electric Utilities is a major employer in the communities it serves. It is a subsidiary of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL). For more information, visit www.pplelectric.com.

“Focus Central Pennsylvania’s efforts to attract quality investment and companies providing career opportunities are possible because of the generous investments and support from PPL Electric Utilities. Investors in Focus recognize that smart economic growth is achieved through collaboration, regional partnerships and effective promotion of what Central Pennsylvania has to offer growing companies” Focus Executive Director Lauren Bryson said.

Focus Central Pennsylvania is part of a committed team in the region that is driving economic development for communities in Centre, Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Union, Snyder and Mifflin communities.  The mission of Focus is to attract and support expansion of capital investment that creates quality career opportunities for the families of Central Pennsylvania. Focus pro-actively connects with site location consultants and companies looking to expand.  This work helps our communities become an even greater place to live and work.  

• Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Sent Twelve Students to PA Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) Science Fair, Six Heading to State Competition

  

  Pictured are: Emeline Snook, 11th grade, Selinsgrove High School, Katie Corbeill, 10th grade, Homeschool, Brett Covey, 11th grade, Bloomsburg Christian School, Nathan Corbeill, 7th grade, Homeschool, Micah Campbell, 8th grade, Bloomsburg Christian School, Robert Everly, PJAS Region 5 Coordinator, Susquehanna University, Brooke Rhoads, 9th grade, Bloomsburg Christian School, Kathryn Polstra, 9th grade, Bloomsburg Christian School, Abigail LaValley, 9th grade, Benton High School. Not pictured Katherine Rapp, 9th grade, Danville Area High School, Jyoti Alaparthi, 10th grade, Danville Area High School, Olivia Beishline, 9th grade, Benton Area High School, Chloe Musser. 9th grade, Benton Area High School.

  The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum sent twelve 7th-12th grade students to the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) science fair held on February 29, 2020 at Susquehanna University. The students, representing 4 area Middle/High Schools and Homeschoolers, placed in the top 30% of projects presented at the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum’s science fair, sponsored by the PPL Foundation, which is held annually in January. This accomplishment qualified the students to attend the PJAS Regional Science Fair.

  Six of these students will be moving on to the PJAS State competition held on May 18, 2020 at Penn State University after scoring first awards at the regional competition. Two students, Brooke Rhoads and Jyoti Alaparthi, not only scored high enough to move on to the state competition, they received the top score in their section for the Regional Fair.
  
  Science Fair results:
  -Emeline Snook “Disintegration Rates of Over-the-Counter Pain Medication” 1st Award*
  -Katie Corbeill “Glowing Blue – Investigating the Luminol Reaction” 1st Award*
  -Brett Covey “Acid Rain” 2nd Award
  -Nathan Corbeill “Studying the Growth of the Magical Beanstalk” 1st Award*
  -Micah Campbell “Nucleation” 2nd Award
  -Brooke Rhoads “Gravitropism and Plant Growth” 1st Award* Junior High Top Score for Biological Sciences
  -Kathryn Polstra “Caffeine and Metabolic Rate” 2nd award
  -Abigail LaValley, “Does the Color of Text Affect Readability” 2nd Award
  -Katherine Rapp “Prediction of Somatic Cell Count Through Thermal Imaging” 1st Award*
  -Jyoti Alaparthi “Lemna Minors Cleaning Capacity of Oil Spills in Ponds” 1st Award* High School Biological Science Top Score Award
  -Olivia Beishline “Crystal Creations” 2nd Award
  -Chloe Musser “Growing Crystals” 2nd Award
  *Denotes a student moving on to the State Science Fair
  
  

The program developed to help people build basic management and team leadership skills will begin sessions March 17. This five-module management and leadership certificate program is appropriate for existing leaders, managers, and supervisors; or those who are new or emerging in any business sector. The Chamber collaborated with Bloomsburg University to launch the program this spring with applications for the Spring cohort due Friday, March 6th.

Professional course materials include assessments, activities, and other learning enhancement components to help each participant individualize their learning experience. Participants will receive a certificate from Bloomsburg University upon completion and will have identified personal development goals to provide to their employers.

The five, three-hour modules are: supervisor effectiveness; effective communication for managers; conflict management; navigating a multi-generational workforce; and being a great mentor or coach.

Click here (link to: https://columbiamontourchamber.com/wp-content/uploads/Management__Leadership_Spr20.pdf) for additional information, including a program application. The program qualifies for WEDnet funding. For eligibility information, visit wednetpa.com or contact Jennifer Williams at 570-389-4004.

From the PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Despite a strong state and national economy, Governor Tom Wolf’s budget proposal is not realistic according to legislative leaders. The PA Chamber Foundation and the PA Bankers Association joined forces to host the Eighth Annual Economic Forecast and Business Leadership Summit in late February, where leading economic experts weighed in on the state and national fiscal outlook and legislators talked about the upcoming budget negotiations. 

The event kicked off with a presentation by Senate Appropriations Chairman Pat Browne, R-Lehigh, who went over details of the governor’s 2020-21 state budget proposal.  He explained that while the economy is performing well and revenues are slightly above estimates for the year, the gains are not sustainable enough to increase spending by 6 percent, which is what Gov. Wolf has proposed for the coming Fiscal Year in his $36.1 billion budget plan.

Senator Browne touched on the governor’s plan to institute a $15 an hour minimum wage increase, saying that it’s because of the PA Chamber’s leadership that a compromise measure was reached between the Wolf administration and Senate Republicans last year to raise the wage to a more reasonable $9.50 in exchange for rescinding a controversial overtime eligibility expansion.  The state House has not yet taken up this legislation after the Senate’s passage, and the overtime regulation has since been approved by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission and is currently being reviewed by the legislature (the PA Chamber supports a disapproval resolution pending before the General Assembly.)

Browne also noted that the administration’s proposed implementation of combined reporting – a complex and costly tax reporting scheme that the PA Chamber has long opposed – has not been shown to have a positive economic outcome and that it has raised concerns among legislative leaders.  He expressed that the best thing for elected officials to do in crafting the budget is to remain fiscally responsible which includes: managing obligations including pension payments and human services payments; holding the line in spending; prioritizing workforce development; and making sure that the programs the state is funding are producing the desired result.

Downtown Bloomsburg Inc, invites you to join the Easter Bunny, Winnie the Pooh, and others on a one hour train ride, Saturday, April 4, 2020 with 3 scheduled rides at: 10:00 am; 12:00 noon; 2:00 pm! Listen to festive music and hear the story of Peter Cottontail while you enjoy the ride. On the return trip, the Easter Bunny makes an appearance and greets children of all ages on board the train. 

All trains depart from Sherwin Williams parking lot at 607 Market Street in Bloomsburg, PA.  FREE parking is available at the Bloomsburg YMCA (30 East 7th Street), and along Market Street.  NO parking in Sherwin Williams parking lot. Arrive approximately 30 minutes before your scheduled train ride. The train departs from Sherwin Williams in Bloomsburg and travels west, towards Catawissa, for approximately two miles past the Rupert Covered Bridge.  It follows the same route on its return trip to Bloomsburg. 

Tickets are $12 for ages 1 and up.  Children under 1 that can sit on an adult’s lap are FREE!   
Tickets can be purchased online, or in person at:
The Exchange, 24 East Main Street, M-F 10 am – 6 pm
Exclusively You, 53 West Main Street, T, Th, F  11 am – 5 pm,  M&W 11 am – 8 pm, Sat 10 am – 4 pm.
Towne Camera, 154 West Main Street,  M-F 10 am – 5 pm, Sat 10 am – 1 pm

Downtown Bloomsburg Inc., partners with the North Shore Railroad, Penn Valley Railroad, LLC, and the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation today released a report examining the impact of childcare issues on Pennsylvania’s state economy. The report is part of a broader “Untapped Potential” study of four U.S. states – Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania – that reveals the cost of childcare challenges in each state and provides opportunities to unlock economic potential for states and employers.

The study found that Pennsylvania loses an estimated $3.47 billion annually for the state’s economy. This number includes an estimated $591 million annual loss in tax revenue as well as an estimated annual loss to Pennsylvania employers of $2.88 billion on absences and employee turnover as a result of childcare breakdowns.

“The lack of affordable, quality childcare is a critical component of the workforce issues plaguing Pennsylvania and states across the country,” said Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr. “This issue has acted as a barrier for many people to enter the workforce – leaving an entire segment of the population that is ready and able to work, out of career paths that pay family-sustaining incomes. As part of the Pennsylvania Chamber’s workforce initiative, Start the Conversation Here, we are pleased to partner with the U.S. Chamber Foundation and elected officials across the Commonwealth and nation on solutions to address this workforce challenge.”

Key study findings include:

• Childcare issues result in an estimated $3.47 billion loss annually for Pennsylvania’s economy.
• Pennsylvania loses an estimated $591 million annually in tax revenue due to childcare issues.
• Absences and employee turnover cost Pennsylvania employers an estimated $2.88 billion per year.
• At least 55 percent of parents in Pennsylvania reported missing work due to childcare issues in the past 3 months.
• Approximately four in 10 parents in Pennsylvania postponed school or a training program due to childcare issues.

“Each state’s challenges are unique – as are their childcare systems, and the diversity of their employers – so the solutions that tackle these challenges must be unique as well,” said Cheryl Oldham, senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Center for Education and Workforce. “To solve this complex issue, it will take a collaboration of partners, including federal and state investment, support from the business community, philanthropic organizations, and expertise from early education advocates and providers.”

The series of reports was unveiled at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s national Early Ed Summit at the Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., where workforce leaders and early education advocates discussed the economic impact of childcare breakdowns, unique challenges faced by each state, and the role of business in solving this childcare crisis.

The full reports, videos, report methodology, and other resources can be found on the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s website.