Chevrolet of Bloomsburg has been proudly serving the Columbia, Montour area for 16 years. A business dedicated to supplying the community with high-quality automobiles, expert automotive service, and friendly customer assistance.

As a full-service dealership, Chevrolet of Bloomsburg strives to meet their drivers’ every automotive need. Whether it’s finding a new family vehicle, automotive repairs, quality parts, or vehicle information, Chevrolet of Bloomsburg has you covered.

They are a five-time mark of excellence award winner with the highest service retention in the NEPA region. Customer experience has been their number one priority since they opened the doors in 2006. Another main objective is that you have a fast and easy car-buying experience. You can find out more information by visiting their website at www.bloomsburgchevy.com, or by stopping in for visit and seeing them in person at 420 Central Rd in Bloomsburg.

Chevrolet of Bloomsburg joins over 427 members of the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce to receive benefits and support the Chamber’s efforts to enhance the region.

As sanctions impact Russia’s economy and key Kremlin allies, experts warn that Russia may retaliate by using its significant cyber capabilities to attack Ukraine and its allies, including the United States. Ransomware groups have vowed to attack the critical infrastructure of any nation that retaliates against Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. As the fighting continues without a significant cyber incident to date, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) advises businesses and other entities large and small to remain vigilant and on alert.

An infographic from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce provides the top tips for protecting your organization:

• Raise the awareness of your employees for the increased risk of malicious emails.
• Enable multifactor authentication for all internet facing systems.
• Think about resetting privileged passwords.
• Update all software patches.
• Verify your cyber incident response plans are up to date and review, update, and practice your playbooks.
• Validate your backups.
• Move a copy of the backup outside the area of increased threats depending on your regulatory requirements – check with your legal team.
• Be prepared to block all traffic to/from areas with increased threats.
• Prepare to lift and shift “crown jewels” such as IP, credit card, financial systems, etc. into the cloud and – where necessary – outside the region.
• Prepare to increase the DDOS protection of your infrastructure.

Additional information, including how to report suspicious activity, is available on CISA’s website here.

Bloomsburg University: Winter 2022 Edition 

Here it is, the Winter 2022 edition of Bloomsburg: The University Magazine in digital form. You can read the magazine as a downloadable file in your browser or a flipbook on ISSUU.

Bloomsburg University highlights the accomplishments of its alumni, students, faculty, and staff. In this issue, the cover story focuses on the university’s most generous benefactor, Steph Pettit, CEO of Clean Earth Systems. Pettit’s gifts totaling more than $12.5 million have aided numerous students. The upper campus complex has been renamed in his honor.

We also feature a story about a recently announced gift from radio legend Kerby Confer, which will dramatically impact several programs of study, especially media and journalism.

From the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The U.S. and its allies in Europe and elsewhere announced severe new limits on business transactions with Russian companies and persons on February 27-28. In perhaps the most consequential move yet, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) prohibited U.S. companies and individuals from engaging in transactions with Russia’s central bank. The action blocks the central bank from accessing approximately 80% of its foreign exchange reserves, which are held in Western institutions.

The measures spurred bank runs in Russia, shuttered its stock market, and led quickly to a partial shutdown in payment systems. The ruble fell dramatically. These sanctions further cuts financial links between Russia and the rest of the world and follows sweeping sanctions on Russia’s banks that have hit approximately 80% of its banking system by assets.

Energy remains an exception: OFAC issued a general license authorizing ongoing transactions related to energy sales through June 24, 2022. Find updated Federal Register notices from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control here.

These sanctions on Russia’s central bank, which took effect immediately, aim to prevent it from moving its assets from international institutions in ways that could undermine the impact of the sanctions. The U.S. also sanctioned the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)(a sovereign wealth fund), and its CEO Kirill Dmitriev, who has connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin, to prevent Russia from being able to raise funds for its invasion and other priorities.

The U.S. also officially sanctioned Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and other Russian elites. These sanctions block all U.S. property held by those individuals and prohibit transactions with these individuals unless authorized by a general license. A host of “oligarchs” have also been sanctioned.

Most of these sanctions are being taken under Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, which authorizes sanctions against Russia for its harmful foreign activities, including violating well-established principles of international law such as respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states.

These actions follow on the formidable sanctions President Biden announced on February 24, which include financial sanctions and new export controls to impose severe costs on Russia’s economy, specifically its financial system and access to advanced technology. These measures include:

• Severing the connection to the U.S. financial system for Russia banks representing nearly 80% of all banking assets in Russia, including Sberbank, the country’s largest bank;
• Full blocking sanctions on Russia’s second largest financial institution, VTB Bank (VTB), and three other major Russia financial institutions;
• New debt and equity restrictions on 13 of the most critical major Russian enterprises and entities;
• Additional full blocking sanctions on Russian elites and their family members; and
• Costs on Belarus for supporting a further invasion of Ukraine.

Over the weekend, the White House also joined the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Canada in announcing the removal of select Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system. On top of blocking sanctions issued earlier, this move will greatly hinder their ability to operate globally. Japan later followed suit.

In another highly consequential move, the Department of Commerce published a new final rule on export controls applicable to Russia on February 24. The rule aims to cut off Russia’s access to cutting edge technology, primarily targeting the Russian defense, aviation, and maritime sectors. It imposes two new Foreign Direct Product (FDP) rules—a Russia-wide rule and a more extensive rule targeting Russian military end users—that restrict access to sensitive U.S. technologies produced in foreign countries using U.S.-origin software, technology, or equipment. It also imposes new license requirements, a review policy of denial to license applications for the in-country movement of certain products, and expands other restrictions on items subject to the export administration regulations. These restrictions took effect immediately on February 24.

For further details on these actions, see the White House announcement, the Department of the Treasury announcement, and a Department of Commerce fact sheet. Earlier, President Biden imposed sanctions on the company responsible for building Nord Stream 2 (Nord Stream AG) and its corporate officers. The administration made clear this was also part of the initial tranche. The move follows Germany’s decision earlier this week to halt the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

The Chamber will continue to monitor developments and engage with the administration and Congress as these policies are implemented. For further information, please contact Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy (jmurphy@uschamber.com) or Director for International Policy Isabelle Icso (iicso@uschamber.com). On matters related to Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis, please contact Marc DeCourcey (mdecourcey@uschamber.com)

Last week, the PA Department of Labor and Industry submitted final-form regulations that update rules on how employers pay tipped workers. The department has submitted its proposal to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission in advance of its March 21 meeting, where the new rules must be considered and possibly approved.

In December, the PA Chamber submitted comments to the department reflecting its disappointment in the timing of the proposed changes as many businesses are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic and subsequent shutdown orders. Although the PA Chamber and a coalition of other organizations requested an extension to the public comment period, it was denied without reason. In its remarks, the PA Chamber also offered guidance to minimize costs and disruptions to Pennsylvania businesses. The Columbia Montour Chamber also submitted comments requesting additional time for comment and sharing the concerns expressed by members about the additional burden of employee time tracking the regulation would create.

Under federal and state minimum wage laws, employers may pay tipped workers a lower base rate – $2.83 in Pennsylvania – known as taking the tip credit, but are required to ensure employees earn the regular rate of $7.25 an hour after tips. Surveys have shown many tipped workers earn well above the regular minimum wage.

The department’s final-form regulation released last week covers five primary areas for tipped workers, including the following.

• Updates to the definition of “tipped employee,” adjusted for inflation since 1977, increasing the amount in tips an employee must receive monthly from $30 to $135 before an employer can pay the tipped worker rate.
• Aligns with a recent proposed federal regulatory update governing employer tip credits to allow employers to take a tip credit only when they spend at least 80 percent of their time on duties that directly generate tips, commonly known as the ’80-20′ rule.
  
  
• Aligns with a recent federal regulatory update that allows for tip pooling among employees but, in most cases, excludes managers, supervisors, and business owners.
  
  
• Bans employers from deducting credit card and other processing transaction fees from an employee’s tip left with a credit card or other non-cash method of payment.
  
  
• Requires employers to clarify that automatic service charges are not gratuities for tipped employees.
  
  
• The department’s final-form regulation also updates the definition of “regular rate” for salaried employees whose overtime pay is determined by the fluctuating work week method, clarifying that to calculate overtime, the regular rate is based on a 40-hour work week.

The PA Chamber is still reviewing the final rule. The Columbia Montour Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee will be discussing the final rule at its upcoming meeting with additional information provided by the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association.

ClearView Asset Protection specializes in the design, manufacture and integration of customized security and power solutions, from large pharmaceutical facilities to standalone self-contained mobile threat detection platforms for first responder and commercial applications.

Located in Hughesville, ClearView Asset Protection’s mission is to continually improve and expand the range of services and products to meet the needs of its clients. The principals of the company include former law enforcement officers with a broad range of expertise in domestic and multi-national criminal and counterterrorism/intelligence matters.

The patent-pending SmartTower by ClearView Asset Protection is a compact, lightweight, eco-friendly platform, used to provide power to multiple electronic systems. Powered by lithium batteries that are charged using a vertical solar-tower system combined with a fuel-cell generator. The efficient system ensures reliable power operation for multiple electronic devices without the loss of power for periods of up to 1-year or longer. You can read more and check out their website at www.clearviewassetprotection.com.

ClearView Asset Protection joins over 426 members of The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce to receive benefits and support the Chamber’s efforts to enhance the region.

Community Giving Foundation is administering the Private Innovation Grant in partnership with the Columbia County Commissioners.  This grantround is designed to provide funding to a private business or entrepreneur with a home address in Columbia County. The Columbia County Commissioners may choose to provide funding to multiple grantees in amounts determined by the Commissioners up to a total of $100,000.

Interested applicants can review the guidelines and submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) online until March 31, 2022, by 11:45pm. The LOI is limited to a two-page document introducing your business, project/product description, service area, and requested budget summary. If the LOI is approved, an application will be made available. Those invited to submit a full application will be notified on April 12, 2022. Completed applications with supporting documents will be due by May 10, 2022, at 11:45pm. Full application submissions will also require an in-person presentation with the grant committee on May 25 or 26, 2022.  Final grant decisions will be announced in June 2022.

Online applications opens on March 1st. Click here to view more

Application Guidelines and Criteria

The Columbia County Commissioners will use the following criteria to identify a proposal that best fits the following strategy:

• The proposal serves as a breakthrough in addressing a community or workforce need
• Is a new and innovative project or product
• Contains a sustainability plan beyond ARP funding
• Contains a plan to show tangible or quantifiable results
• Services take place in or product produced in Columbia County. The more segments of the Columbia County population that benefit or utilize the project services, the better.

Ineligible Requests for Funding

• Retroactive funding for projects that have been complete or will be complete prior to the grant decision date

Timeline

• March 1 – Letters of interest process opens
• March 31 – Deadline to submit letters of interest online by 11:45 pm
• April 12 – Applicants notified of letters of interest decisions and invitation to submit full application
• May 10 – Deadline to submit full application online by 11:45 pm
• May 25 & 26 – Applicant presentations (time TBD)
• June – Grant decision announced

Contact

Contact Christine Orlando, senior program officer, at corlando@csgiving.org or Karri Harter, programs associate, at kharter@csgiving.org or 570-752-3930.

Two Local Non-Profits Announce Upcoming STEM Collaboration: For The Cause Teen Center and Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Partner for the First Time

On Tuesday, February 22, the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum offered a Lego Robotics class at the For the Cause Teen Center located at 1130 6^th Avenue, Berwick, PA 18603.

The class was open to any student in grades 6-12 and was the first in a series of monthly programs the Museum will offer at the Center.  Future classes will feature coding, electronics, 3D printing and more. These classes will be offered on the fourth Tuesday of each month.

The Children’s Museum’s Director Dr. Ginny Weibel, said serving the Berwick area is important to the mission of the Museum. “The Museum is located in Bloomsburg, but we serve a large region. Berwick is one of our target areas and we are thrilled to partner with the For the Cause Teen Center to bring these programs to Berwick students.”

Danielle Pearson, the Teen Centers program coordinator, said, “We’re excited that the Teen Center and the Children’s Museum have this opportunity to collaborate in an effort to provide even more educational opportunities to the youth in our community, through creative and imaginative programs that make learning fun.” 

Events provided for the teens will be interactive and stimulating. Since this collaboration is geared towards older students, important topics will be taught and discussed throughout the program.

“Our goal with the class is to help youth become critical thinkers in a playful way,” stated Teresa Peters, Director, For the Cause Teen Center. 

The Teen Center is youth-led and is governed by a board of 19 high school students from three different school districts in Columbia County. 

Dylan Smith, a senior at Berwick High School and member of the Youth Action Board said, “The Teen Center has discovered how to engage youth in the community with a fun and exciting activity while simultaneously teaching concepts they will be able to use in their future careers.  Personally, I cannot wait to participate in this class because it has to do with Legos, and who doesn’t love Legos?”

The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum strives to offer unique, sustainable, and dynamic learning opportunities for youth through year-round interactive exhibits, programming, and community outreach.

For more information on all the programs the Museum offers visit, www.The-Childrens-Museum.org.

McKonly & Asbury Wins ClearlyRated’s 2022 Best of Accounting Award for Service Excellence

For the fourth consecutive year, McKonly & Asbury has won the Best of Accounting Award for providing superior service to its clients! ClearlyRated’s Best of Accounting® Award winners have proven to be industry leaders in service quality based entirely on ratings provided by their clients. They received satisfaction scores of 9 or 10 out of 10 from 91.8% of its clients, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 53% in 2021. You can view McKonly & Asbury’s ClearlyRated profile and read what the clients had to say.

“It’s a great honor for the entire team to be recognized as a Best of Accounting Award winner for the fourth consecutive year.” McKonly & Asbury’s Managing Partner, Michael Hoffner said. “Superior client service was a founding principle of the firm nearly fifty years ago and continues to be at the forefront of everything we do. Faced with the challenges and uncertainties of the past year, our team still excelled at what they do best and dedicated themselves to serving our clients. This award recognizes our unwavering commitment to the many businesses and organizations we work with on a daily basis.”

The Career Fair at the Columbia-Montour Area Vocational Technical School is scheduled for Friday, March 25. There will be two portions throughout the day. One portion will feature a students-only session, while the second portion will be for the public.

Agenda

• Set up/gym is open at 11:00 a.m.
• Job Fair for CMAVTS Students Only begins at 12:20 p.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m.
• Private interviews may be scheduled beginning at 2:00 p.m. with the last interview scheduled for 2:45 p.m. All students must be back to classroom by 3:00 p.m. (employers will give chosen student a hall pass with interview time)
• Break: 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. / Snacks will be available in the School House Café
• Job Fair for the public: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

Partnering with Main Street America, American Express is launching a $1.65 million year-round grant program called Inclusive Banking. More than 250 grants of $5,000 each will be awarded in four cycles over 12 months to small business owners in older or historic commercial districts across the country, with priority given to businesses that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.  

Types of personal service-based small businesses that are eligible, but not limited to:

• cleaners, tailors, beauty salons, spas, cobblers, barbers, and nail salons.
• brick-and-mortar location in an older or historic main street, downtown or commercial district —businesses in strip malls, residences, and shopping malls not eligible
• preference to: People of Color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, veterans, and women
• been in operation since January 1, 2020.

What types of grant expenses are eligible?

• The business must be a business entity in good standing in the state in which it was formed and the state in which it does business.
• The applicant’s business has a “brick-and-mortar” location and operates in an older or historic main street, downtown or commercial district in the United States—businesses in strip malls, residences, and shopping malls are not eligible for this grant program.
• The applicant’s business employs 20 or fewer full-time employees, including the owner.
• The applicant’s business has been in operation since January 1, 2020.
• The applicant is an owner of the business and is 18 years of age or older.  

All applications will be judged based on:

• Feasibility of proposal.
• Extent to which grant will help address an acute business need or help a business owner implement innovative solutions to address COVID-19-related challenges.
• Opportunity for other businesses to learn from work.
• How the Inclusive Backing grant will help improve the viability of business.
• The business’s commitment to giving back to their community.

How to apply:

Click here to apply: It should take about 15-20 minutes to populate this form. As you work through it, the application will auto-save. Please note that the application deadline is March 1, 2022.

Please review the application questions in advance and keep a separate record of your answers, as your work will not be saved on the form prior to submission. They cannot accept changes to your application once it has been submitted, so please review it carefully. All non-public business and financial information provided in the application will be kept confidential.

Finalists considered for an award may be contacted by Main Street America for additional information, including financial statements, before being selected as a recipient.