More than 400 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and our region. Increased membership allows us to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities. The Chamber welcomes its newest member, Comfort Keepers, to help us fulfill our mission. Comfort Keepers is a national company made up of franchises that provide in-home, non-medical care for seniors and other adults. Locally, the Bloomsburg office, located at 7185B Columbia Blvd. (Rt. 11), is one of several offices run by the local franchise group, which also has offices in Allentown, Bethlehem, Hazleton, Drums, Pottsville, Quakertown, Shenandoah, Stroudsburg, Sugarloaf and Wilkes-Barre. Comfort Keepers caretakers provide personal care services such as bathing, grooming and hygiene, mobility assistance, transferring and positioning, feeding, dementia care and medication reminders. Caretakers also can provide companionship, meal preparation, laundry services, light housekeeping, grocery shopping and respite care or relief for family members. Comfort Keepers in Bloomsburg services all of Columbia County. For more information, call 888-450-0890 or visit its website.
Students from throughout the region can attend the Central Columbia School District’s award winning, state-of-the-art Career Pathway high school free of charge to parents. By enrolling in a state-approved program at Central, students whose home school district does not offer that program may attend Central Columbia. The approved programs are three or four-year programs in agriculture operations and agriculture mechanization and three-year programs in engineering and accounting.
Incoming freshman may apply for admission in the two agricultural programs and incoming 10th graders may apply for admission to engineering, accounting or the two agricultural programs. Once admitted, students must stay in an approved program and make progress toward graduation. Enrolled students are fully recognized students at Central Columbia High School and may participate in all courses, activities and extra-curricular programs.
From the student’s and parent’s perspective, these programs work similar to programs at Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech where the student is enrolled in that school full time. The difference is that the programs are hosted by Central Columbia.
Central Columbia High School’s community open house is Sunday, Aug. 20, from 2-4 p.m. when all community members and interested parents and students may tour the building.
Interested parents and students should contact Chris Snyder or Jeff Groshek at the high school office at 570-784-2850, ext. 1000 to schedule a private tour and meeting to discuss the options. The school year begins August 24, so act quickly if interested.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in its recent short-term energy outlook report, predicts that in 2017, natural gas will either exceed or equal coal as a source of electricity generation for the second straight year. Last year was the first that natural gas-fired electricity generation exceeded coal-fired generation, with coal generating 30% of U.S. electricity and natural gas responsible for 34%. In 2017, through the first four months, coal has provided 30% of U.S. electricity while natural gas has provided 28%, and the EIA expects that by the end of the year, both coal and natural gas will have each generated about 31% of the electricity in the U.S.
The EIA also recently released statistics that showed Pennsylvania as ranking second in the nation in natural gas production for the fourth straight year. Natural gas is a big part of the PA economy, and locally, a new natural gas pipeline is scheduled to get underway later this year. It will have an estimated economic impact of $85.5 million for Columbia County alone, and $1.6 billion for all of the project’s regions. The Atlantic Sunrise pipeline will expand the Transco gas pipeline system with a new pipe approximately 185 miles long connecting the existing pipeline just north of Columbia County to southeast Pennsylvania, which will allow for more efficient transportation of Marcellus Shale natural gas and should enable even more to be exported.
Williams is also encouraging all workers that come into the area to work on this project to patronize local businesses. More information about the opportunities for local businesses related to this pipeline project will be available at the Chamber’s next Learn at Lunch, sponsored by PPL Electric Utilities, this Tuesday, Aug. 8, at noon at Wesley United Methodist Church. Mike Atchie from Williams will talk about the different types of opportunities for local businesses to cater to the visiting workers and give an overall update on the project at this event. The cost to attend this event is $10 for lunch and those interested can register here.
From Bloomsburg Police Department
The Bloomsburg Police Department would like to notify motorists of pending parking restrictions on Main St. in Bloomsburg. These parking restrictions will be in effect for a micro-paving project contracted by PennDOT. The paving is scheduled to take place during the following nights.
Monday August 7, 2017; Parking WILL NOT be permitted on Main Street between East Street and West Street from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
Tuesday August 8, 2017; Parking WILL NOT be permitted on Main Street between East Street and West Street from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
Wednesday August 9, 2017; Parking WILL NOT be permitted on West Main Street between West Street and Ft. McClure Blvd. from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
Any vehicles found parked in these locations during the date and time when parking is prohibited will be subject to ticketing and towing at the owners expense.
Motorist are encouraged to use the public municipal parking lots off of Main Street while visiting downtown Bloomsburg.
For questions contact the Bloomsburg Parking Enforcement Office or the Bloomsburg Police Department.
The Geisinger Education and Medical Simulation (GEMS) Center has recently been updated to provide opportunities for medical students and professionals to enhance their skills. The GEMS Center was designed to provide a comprehensive program of clinical skills education and assessment. This includes such things as standardized patients, task trainers, simulations, web-based modules and workshops for medical students, residents, attending physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team.
The GEMS Center promotes clinical skill activities that support and enhance interprofessional and interdisciplinary teamwork, educational accreditation, maintenance of certification and patient safety and quality of care initiatives. These initiatives integrate simulation to effectively train and objectively assess applied knowledge, adequacy of skills and level of competence.
The newest section of the GEMS Center is located on the Geisinger Medical Center campus in the former Interim Lab Building by the School of Nursing.
Member News
LCCC Berwick Center Hosts Open House and Financial Aid Workshop Tonight
Luzerne County Community College will host an Open House on Wednesday, Aug. 2 from 3-8 p.m. at its Berwick Center, located at 107 S. Market St., lower level, Berwick. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn how to apply, what programs and degrees are offered, costs, as well as clubs and activities available to LCCC students. A financial aid workshop will be conducted at 5 p.m. as a part of this event. For more information, visit here, or call Rose Goin, center director at 570-759-3900 or email.
Weis Center at Bucknell University Announces 2017-18 Season Schedule
The 30th anniversary season at the Weis Center for the Performing Arts at Bucknell University features 33 events from across the United States and around the globe and includes Americana/roots, bluegrass, zydeco, classical, jazz, blues, world music, dance, and Family Discovery performances. Ten performances are free. Performances begin in late August and continue through April 2018.
The season will kick-off on Friday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. with a free outdoor concert on the Weis Center Plaza by Grammy-nominated Zydeco innovator Corey Ledet & His Zydeco Band. A second free outdoor concert will be offered on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. on the Weis Center Plaza by Ranky Tanky, a South Carolina-based quintet that performs Sea Island Gullah music.
For details of all 33 events of the Weis Center’s season, visit its website. To request a free hard-copy brochure, contact Lisa Leighton, marketing and outreach director, at 570-577-3727 or email.
Philadelphia Federal Credit Union to Host Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of New Branch
Philadelphia Federal Credit Union (PFCU) will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony next Thursday, Aug. 10, at 11 a.m. at their new branch office located in the Route 11 Marketplace, 1615 Columbia Blvd. (Rt. 11), Bloomsburg. The ribbon cutting will be followed by a public grand opening featuring free food and giveaways, which will run until 2 p.m.
Next First Step Seminar in Bloomsburg Aug. 11
Have you ever thought about starting your own business, but weren’t quite sure if it would be right for you? Or maybe you want to know what paperwork you need in order to open your doors? These and several other common questions for small businesses will covered at the next First Step Seminar given by the Wilkes University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on Friday, Aug. 11, at noon at the Downtown Bloomsburg, Inc. Business Incubator, 151 E. Main St., Bloomsburg. Laura Haden of the SBDC will speak about the different legal structures a business can be, how to write a business plan and create financial projections, and much more. Cost is $15 for the First Step book. Walk-ins are welcome but pre-registration is preferred. Register by calling 570-408-4334, email or online.
Bucknell SBDC Hosts Cybersecurity Workshop
Are you as secure as you think? Join Michael Frauenhoffer of MePush as he talks about compliance vs. actual security at StartUpLewisburg, 416 Market St., Lewisburg on Tuesday, Aug. 15 at noon. Hosted by the Bucknell Small Business Development Center, this event will also feature local pizza, networking and tours of StartupLewisburg, Bucknell University’s home for innovators and entrepreneurs in downtown Lewisburg. Register here.
Mandated Child Abuse Reporting Training Session Available
Montour County Children and Youth Services will host a free training for individuals who are mandated by law to report suspected child abuse on Thursday, Aug. 17, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. The training program is put together by the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance. Though this training is free, pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, fill out this form on the PFSA website. Those registering will receive an email once their registration has been processed, which will include the address for the training location.
Wild For Salmon Hosts Annual Fishtival Aug. 19
Help the crew at Wild For Salmon celebrate the return of its fishing team from its record-breaking season in Bristol Bay, Alaska as it hosts its annual Fishtival on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. outside its Bloomsburg store at 521 Montour Blvd. (Rt. 11). Owner Steve Kurian and his crew caught over 100,000 pounds of wild salmon during this year’s fishing season, and with harvest numbers so high, they want to share some with the public. There will be free samples of salmon cooked by Chef Josh and the Wild For Salmon crew, and several other visitors will be on hand to free tastings, including beer and wine samples from fellow Chamber members Turkey Hill Brewing and Freas Farm Winery. There will also be an educational booth this year discussing the importance of preserving the lifeblood of the business, Bristol Bay.
The annual Bloomsburg Nationals car show will be held next week, from Aug. 10-13 at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds. The event’s Gridlock on Main Street, which will kick off the event on Thursday, Aug. 10, will result in Main St. in Bloomsburg being closed from 6-8 p.m. to accommodate the festivities. Main St. will reopen at 8 p.m., with the cars cruising to Quaker Steak & Lube in Buckhorn to continue the event from 8-10 p.m.
More information on Bloomsburg Nationals, including a complete schedule, is available on its website or Facebook page.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
In a close 26-24 vote held July 27, the state Senate narrowly passed a revenue package that will significantly increase the cost of doing business in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 542, the Tax Code bill, contains $600 million in tax increases on Pennsylvania residents and job creators. The Senate’s revenue proposal includes: a new tax on residential and commercial use of natural gas; an increase to residential and commercial electric bills; a higher tax on phone bills; as well as a severance tax on the natural gas industry. In addition to these tax increases, the Senate’s plan calls for borrowing $1.3 billion against the state’s Tobacco Settlement Fund; $200 million in special fund transfers and $200 million from a yet-to-be enacted gaming expansion bill in order to balance the 2017-18 budget.
Prior to the vote on final passage, the PA Chamber sent a memo to the entire Senate, raising concerns with the impact the new and increased taxes will have on Pennsylvania’s economy and urging Senators to oppose the bill. In a statement released following the vote, PA Chamber President Gene Barr said: “We’re disappointed that the Senate has voted in favor of a $600 million tax increase that will hurt Pennsylvania’s ability to compete and will increase job creators’ operating costs for electricity, natural gas and communications services. At a time when the state’s unemployment rate has consistently been above the national average, proposals like H.B. 542 – which will make Pennsylvania’s business climate more burdensome – will only further weaken the state’s economic growth.”
While the proposal is supported by the Wolf administration, its fate in the House is uncertain. The PA Chamber is encouraging businesses to urge the House of Representatives to oppose this bill. Contact information is available on the Columbia Montour Chamber’s website.
(l-r) Dean Girton, Girton Manufacting and Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board member; Donna Eyerly, CareerLink business services rep; Michael Baron, CareerLink; Fred Gaffney, president, Columbia Montour Chamber; Julia Dwilet, CareerLink; Megan Bair, CareerLink; Melissa Amato, CareerLink; Wendy Gearhart, CareerLink; Kelly Johnson, Link outreach coordinator; Robert Eddy, Link outreach coordinator; Stacie Snyder, CareerLink site administrator; Mark Gardner, chair, Columbia Montour Chamber Board of Directors
The Columbia Montour Chamber stopped by the Columbia/Montour PA CareerLink office in Bloomsburg on Monday, July 31 in the middle of its public open house and conducted a ribbon cutting for The Link, PA CareerLink’s new mobile career center.
The Link is operated by Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc. and will provide services to Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties. Its schedule will include recurring stops, as well as time for special events like recruitments, job fairs and other community events. To see its latest schedule of stops, visit The Link’s Facebook page. If your organization in interested in scheduling The Link for a special event, contact Kelly Johnson, The Link’s outreach coordinator, at 570-220-0003, by email, or send a message on Facebook.
From T-Ross Brothers Construction
More luxury townhomes are coming to Danville along the Susquehanna River. A groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Aug. 9 to kick off construction of Phase Two of Jacobs Landing, presented by Villager Realty.
The upscale residential community is located on the north bank of the Susquehanna River. The homes are just upstream of the site of the historic ferryboat, operated by Jacob Gearhart beginning in the early 1800’s. Gearhart’s ferry was vital to commerce in this region of the Susquehanna River Valley.
In this next phase of construction, eight additional brownstone units will be added along with eight riverfront condominiums, in a total of three buildings. This adds to the existing 12 homes at Jacobs Landing. The primary design-build contractor for the project is T-Ross Brothers Construction Inc.
Jacobs Landing enjoys spectacular views of the Susquehanna River from every one of the new condominiums. Downtown Danville is a five-minute walk from Jacobs Landing, with Geisinger Medical Center just a five-minute drive away.
The groundbreaking ceremony at Jacobs Landing Way in Danville will take place Aug. 9 at 1 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Those scheduled to attend include representatives from the Columbia Montour Chamber, the Danville Business Alliance, T-Ross Brothers Construction Inc. and Villager Realty. The public and press are encouraged to attend.