| Upcoming Events | |
"How to Become a Better Communicator"
Presented by
Leadership Huntingdon County Class of 2010
Wednesday, June 22
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Comfort Inn Huntingdon
Click here for more information
Majik Rentals & Sales
Business After Hours
Thursday, June 23
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Click here for more information
LEPC
Hazardous Material Planning and Training SARA Summit
Friday, July 8
8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Smithfield Vol. Fire Department
Click here to register
Media Savvy Marketing Series Session # 7
"Putting on a Show"
Trade Shows and Special Events
Thursday, July 14
9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Inn at Edgewater Acres
Click here
for more information
Coffee Connection
"State Budget & Unfunded Mandates"
Senator John Eichelberger
& Representative Mike Fleck
Thursday, July 21
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
Huntingdon Country Club
Sponsored by
First National Bank
Click here for more information
Annual Membership Luncheon
Friday, August 12
11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Westminster Woods
Click here for additional information
Annual Awards Gala
Thursday, October 6
Huntingdon Country Club
ChinaTrip
November 3-11, 2011
Click here for more information
Winter Blues
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Raystown Lake Region Home & Outdoor Show
May 4, 5 & 6, 2012
Fairgrounds
|
| Join Our List | |
|
|
|
| Urgent Electric Rate Information | | |
There are several companies calling members to offer them "better rates" on their electricity. They are not calling on behalf of the Chamber or our OnDemand Energy Program. The electric rates they are quoting are not all inclusive, since they do not include the gross receipts tax. One company is offering a rate of .07223 which is actually .07667 or 7.7 cents once tax is included. The current commercial rate offered to members who've not yet signed up with OnDemand is 7.40 cents per kWh. Click here for the enrollment form. The current residential rate being offered to members is explained in the next article.
Some of these companies are telling members they are not registered in the OnDemand program. These companies DO NOT have access to that information. If you agree to sign up with one of them and are signed up with OnDemand you will likely receive bills from both companies. |
|
Hot New Summer Rate for Penelec Residential Electric Customers | | |
Penelec residential customers can now get a special low price on home electric - all summer long!
Here's how it works:
Enroll residential accounts in our electric savings program now - and get a special introductory summer price of 6.90 cents per kilowatt hour until the September 2011 meter read date, adjusting to 7.25 cents per kilowatt hour until June 2013.
To enroll - and compare this special offer to current utility rates -visit:
fes.com/chamberchoice and click "Select Savings Program" under Residential Electric Savings. Offer open to accounts not currently enrolled with FirstEnergy Solutions.
Please encourage your employees, family and friends to check out this offer. With summer's high temperatures and increased electricity, this is the perfect time to secure your home electric savings. |
|
China Trip Excitement Continues to Grow | | |
Currently between the Blair and Huntingdon County Chambers of Commerce there are 131 people traveling to China November 3-11. Originally we had one flight to China with 100 seats. Since we've surpassed that number, we requested additional seats and were lucky enough to secure a second flight with 80 seats. The trip includes round trip bus transportation from Huntingdon, round trip air transportation from JFK, 3 meals each day while in China, bus transportation in China, hotels and all sightseeing. Sights include the Great Wall, Tian An Men Square, the Forbidden City, the Ming Tombs, and Tiger Hill. Travelers will visit Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou and Hangzhou. The trip is being offered for $1,999.
"I was fortunate enough to go on this trip last October with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives and am excited to offer others the opportunity to experience what I did. The Chinese people treated us very well." stated Yvonne Martin. Travelers will stay in excellent 4-star and 5-star hotels that generally would compare to Hilton or Sheraton. Breakfast is always at the hotel, and is a combination of Chinese and American-style food, with a good selection. Lunch and dinner are family-style at local Chinese restaurants, with 8-10 Chinese entrees being served (rice, noodles, vegetables, fish, shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, fruit, soda, tea and beer).
Registration packets can be obtained from the Chamber office or at www.huntingdonchamber.com. Reservations will be taken until July 15, unless the second flight sells out prior to then.
|
| Free Unemployment Compensation Session | | | A Special FREE Session for Employers on Unemployment Compensation will be held Tuesday, June 28, 2011 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at the Comfort Inn-Huntingdon. Time will be available after the session for specific questions!
Topics will include quits & discharges and refusing suitable work. This session will be presented by Vincent Negro whobegan with UC in 1991 at a local Job Center in Western PA. In 2004 he became a claims examiner. In 2006 he moved to Harrisburg to become an investigator in the Benefit Accuracy Measurement unit. In March of 2010, Vincent moved into his present position as Workforce Development Coordinator in Harrisburg.
This event is being sponsored by the CareerLink's Employer Advisory Council, the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce and the Huntingdon Comfort Inn
Please RSVP to Helen Pyzowski at 814-641-6408 ext 107 or email Pyzowski@uplink.net
|
| Leadership Huntingdon County Sessions Planned | |  The Leadership Huntingdon County Steering Committee has an exciting program planned for the Class of 2012. Sessions begin in September and are the second Thursday of each month from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. The new class reception is September 15, followed by a Leadership Retreat September 17. At the retreat Dr. Patricia Shope will help attendees develop their leadership skills. Other sessions focus on business & industry, local government & community planning, diversity, team building & conflict management, education, legal system and health, human services & housing. There are two field trips - local history & heritage and recreation & tourism. The final session will focus on "Putting Leadership to Work." The Class of 2012 will graduate May 24, 2012.
If you'd like to participate in the class click here for more information. The deadline to register is July 29. |
|
Visitor Wake-Up Reception Invitation from the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau | | |
Summer is here and with your help this year's Wake-Up Receptions are promising to be better than ever! The HCVB created the Wake-Up Reception series as an opportunity for your business to get guaranteed exposure on a weekly basis with visitors to the area who are consistently asking "What can I do while I am here?" Over the past few years their average attendance per week has been 90-110 and their largest attendance ever was 180 visitors to one of the Wake-Up Receptions.
The Visitor Wake-Up Receptions will be held each Tuesday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. beginning June 21, 2011 and continuing through August 16, 2011, at the Raystown Lake Region Visitors Center in the Seven Points Recreation Area. The multi-purpose room will be set up with tables for vendors; however they ask that you bring any other necessary supplies with you (staplers, tape, pens, etc). You must donate a door prize valued at $10.00 or more or pay a $10.00 fee for each week that you will be attending. They are encouraging restaurants or any business to sponsor a Tuesday to provide coffee, cold beverage, and finger food, which will be served in the lobby. (If you sponsor the beverage and finger food no door prize or fee is needed).
HCVB asks that you review your calendar and check all of the available dates that you will attend the receptions. In addition to this please include a description of the door prize you are willing to donate for the events. Please submit the following forms ASAP to Vicki Smith at the Visitor Center. Feel free to call or email her if you have any questions at 814-658-0060 or vsmith@raystown.org
CLICK THIS LINK FOR A PDF REGISTRATION FORM Fax to:
(814) 658-0068
Or Mail to: Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau
attn: Vickie A. Smith
6993 Seven Points Road, Suite 2
Hesston, PA 16647 |
|
Key Senate committee vote on Fair Share Act expected next week | | |
Senate Bill 1131 is now the vehicle for Fair Share Act re-enactment, but the bill in its current form is unacceptable as true, meaningful joint and several liability reform. PA Chamber members and supporters of the Fair Share Act are urging the Senate to amend the bill with acceptable language, which could take place Monday, June 20.
Both H.B. 1 and S.B. 2 -- Fair Share Act bills supported by the PA Chamber and a coalition of business, health-care, insurance and local government groups -- have been bottled up in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Judiciary Committee Chairman Stewart Greenleaf, R-Bucks/Montgomery, an opponent of the Fair Share Act, refused to move the bills. Instead, he introduced his own so-called Fair Share Act bill (S.B. 1131), which contains an exception so broad that it is meaningless as a reform measure. The committee advanced the bill this last week, with many lawmakers voting to do so in order to move a vehicle for Fair Share Act re-enactment.
While S.B. 1131 keeps the 60 percent threshold, a problematic provision would still apply joint and several to cases where a minor has a "beneficial interest" (not necessarily the actual victim). This language could be broadly interpreted to apply to just about any case. No other state has this distinction or one for minors generally.
In a memo to the Senate Appropriations Committee, the PA Chamber and its allies spelled out the dramatic differences between H.B. 1/S.B. 2 and S.B. 1131 in its current form.
The PA Chamber urges the Senate to gut S.B. 1131 and replace it with Fair Share Act language that passed bipartisan muster in two prior legislative sessions.
We thank Senator Eichelberger for co-sponsoring S.B. 2 and helping to lead the charge in the Senate. We thank Representative Fleck for his support of H.B. 1.
|
|
Agreement reached on UC reform | | |
The PA Chamber welcomed an agreement between the state House and Senate on unemployment compensation reform that will represent $133 million in annual savings. The House passed the legislation (S.B. 1030) unanimously on Thursday, June 16, setting up an imminent concurrence vote in the Senate.
PA Chamber Vice President Gene Barr said the agreement on S.B. 1030 is a reasonable compromise that begins to ensure that the UC system works as intended -- a safety net for unemployed individuals who are out of work due to no fault of their own.
Under the bill, recipients would be required to prove that they are actively looking for work. In addition, the bill would establish a 40 percent severance pay offset, which changes the current UC Law in which recipients can collect severance pay and UC benefits at the same time.
The legislation also would begin to address the $4 billion debt facing the state's UC Trust Fund.
Provisions that would freeze the maximum weekly benefit rate for one year, and limit annual increases to 1 percent to 1.5 percent over five years, among other reforms, will produce cost-savings for the system.
The bill also would allow for work share programs, which give employers options to reduce employee hours in order to prevent layoffs, keeping more individuals employed.
Barr said while the business community sought additional commonsense reforms and greater cost-savings, the agreement at least begins to recognize the serious fiscal challenges plaguing the current system.
Nonetheless, the PA Chamber urges lawmakers to address the UC Fund's insolvency in the near future.
"The large debt owed to the federal government, which itself has its own serious debt problems, is something that cannot be put off much longer," he said. "Senate Bill 1030 in its latest form is a good start, but certainly more needs to be done to shore up the unemployment compensation safety net for those truly in need. We welcome the opportunity to continue working with lawmakers to find a reasonable solution to the fund debt."
We thank Senator Eichelberger and Representative Fleck for supporting S.B. 1030. |
|
OSHA seeks applications for $4.7 million in new Susan Harwood Safety and Health Training Grants | | |
OSHA is soliciting applications for $4.7 million in Susan Harwood Safety and Health Training Grants. The grants are available to nonprofit organizations to provide safety and health training and education for workers and employers. Nonprofit organizations, including qualifying community and faith-based organizations, employer associations and labor unions, that are not an agency of a state or local government, are eligible to apply. Additionally, state or local government-supported institutions of higher education are eligible to apply in accordance with 29CFR Part 95.
"The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that businesses and workers are fully aware of health and safety rules," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The programs funded by these grants will supply small businesses, hard-to-reach workers and those in high-hazard industries, with the knowledge and tools they need to support safe and healthful workplaces."
There are four types of safety and health training grants: Capacity Building Pilot; Capacity Building Developmental; Targeted Topic Training and Training and Educational Materials Development. The grants focus on training workers and employers to recognize workplace hazards and appropriate control measures, and to understand their rights and responsibilities under OSHA regulations and standards. Targeted topic areas for the grant application include safe bin entry in grain handling operations, crane safety, fall protection, chemical exposure/hazardous communication, and shipyard safety hazards. See the news release for more information on the grants and how to apply. |
|
|
|
|
