The Huntingdon County Foundation is establishing an Endowment Fund to honor David K. Goodman Jr.  Endowment Funds create enduring memorials to the ideals and work of dedicated community members. Dave was a huge supporter of his community, often silently, so his philanthropy went unnoticed. He supported many organizations over the years and the Foundation would like continue his support of area non-profits.  

Foundation President, Lawrence Newton stated "Dave Goodman was everything to everyone. He made our community a better place. Our Board felt that an endowment fund to be utilized to assist non-profit agencies in the county would be an appropriate way to honor Dave and to perpetuate his memory."      

A fund raising goal of $100,000 has been set by Foundation Trustees to establish the endowment fund. Contributions can be made to the Huntingdon County Foundation, 500 Allegheny Street, Huntingdon PA  16652. Please note on your check that the contribution is for the Goodman Endowment Fund.

Click here for additional information about the Huntingdon County Foundation. Contact Yvonne Martin at 814-643-1110 or ymartin@huntingdonchamber.com or any of the following members of the Board of Trustees if you have questions -  Bill Alexander, Dee Dee Brown, Denny Cisney, Eric Crouch, Ann Dunlavy, John Eastman, Jim Foster, Beverly Green, John Hille, Lawrence L. Newton, Helen Pyzowski, Marlene Sample, Richard Stahl or John Swigart.

The Chamber is accepting applications for the Huntingdon Borough Façade Grant Program designed to assist downtown business in improving their appearance. The Façade Grant Program works to support property owners and conserve historic architectural features of businesses located in the Borough of Huntingdon. 

Interested property owners should complete and sign an application stating the work proposed and commit to do the work after the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development approves the Borough's application. Applications are available at by clicking here and may also be obtained at the Chamber office at 500 Allegheny Street, Huntingdon. Applications will be considered on a first come first served basis. Only complete applications will be considered. 

Façade grant funds are available for commercial property only. Applicants may apply for up to $2,500 per façade that is visible from a public right away. The maximum grant for four facades is $10,000. The property owner is required to match 50% per façade and pay a 5% fee on the grant and direct dollar match. Property owners may not begin work until their grant is approved. Owners must finance 100% of the project and submit proof of payment along with the invoices for the work completed to obtain their façade funds. It is anticipated that projects will begin in the next construction year. After receipt of the contract reimbursement may take six to twelve months. 

Applications must be received by October 30 in order to apply for funding through the state.  Applications received after October 30 WILL NOT be processed. 

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Broad Top Chamber and Others to Host Marcellus Shale Forum

A Marcellus Shale Forum will be held September 20 at 6 p.m. at the Reality Theater in Robertsdale. The event is open to the public and will feature speakers from the Penn State Cooperative Extension office. The session will be informational in nature. Topics will include fundamentals of drilling operations, community, economic and water issues. Click here for the the news release.  

Anyone wishing to attend the session should call 814-643-1660 to register by Sept 15.  

Bring your family and friends to eat delicious foods from a variety of public vendors, take the little ones to a special Kids' Area, listen to live music on the beach, check out a classic car show, and watch the competitors' reactions as the award winners are revealed at the end of the event. Want to feel like you're part of the action? Become a Barbeque at the Beach VIP! VIP's will enjoy special privileges that aren't available to the general public.

Pre-purchase a weekend VIP pass, and go on a one-hour "Meat and Greet" Cruise with the competitors on the Princess Lake Cruiser, boarding at Seven Points Marina on Friday, September 16 at 9:00 p.m. You'll also get a Barbeque at the Beach, Raystown Lake 2011 commemorative t-shirt, VIP seating to watch the competition judging in action, VIP-only seminars, and VIP-only beer and wine tasting events, complete with souvenir cup. The full weekend VIP experience is only $25.00 per person.

If you can't be there for the whole weekend, you can purchase a one-day VIP pass for Saturday or Sunday for just $10.00. You'll enjoy the same benefits as the full weekend VIP's, minus the cruise and the t-shirt. Signing up is easy! Call the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau at 1-888-729-7869, or visit www.raystown.org/Barbeque, and click the "Get the VIP Treatment Here" link. You'll also find more great information about the event, including a site map, a link to the official KCBS website, and information on how you can become a Barbeque at the Beach vendor, sponsor, or volunteer.

There is a company calling and mailing local businesses offering grant assistance. You pay $10,000 and can get up to $300,000 in funds. A concerned member contacted us, please be advised that this is a scam.  

As the upcoming filing extension tax deadlines approach, the Internal Revenue Service, in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services, is announcing a new round of outreach to small employers and the professional service providers they rely on to encourage them to review the new Small Business Health Care Tax Credit to see if they are eligible.

"As the filing deadlines approach, we want to make sure that small business owners don't leave any money on the table," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "Small businesses that offer health insurance should learn about this credit and claim it if they are eligible."

The small business health care tax credit was included in the Affordable Care Act enacted last year.  Small employers that pay at least half of the premiums for employee health insurance coverage under a qualifying arrangement may be eligible for the small business health care tax credit. The credit is specifically targeted to help small businesses and tax-exempt organizations that primarily employ 25 or fewer workers with average income of $50,000 or less.

Small employers face two important tax filing deadlines in coming weeks:

• September 15. Corporations that file on a calendar year basis and requested an extension to file to September 15 can calculate the small employer health care credit on Form 8941 and claim it as part of the general business credit on Form 3800, which they would include with their corporate income tax return.
• October 17. Sole proprietors who file Form 1040 and partners and S-corporation shareholders who report their income on Form 1040 and request an extension have until October 17 to complete their returns. They would also use Form 8941 to calculate the small employer health care credit and claim it as a general business credit on Form 3800, reflected on line 53 of Form 1040.

In addition, tax-exempt organizations that file on a calendar year basis and requested an extension to file to November 15 can use Form 8941 and then claim the credit on Form 990-T, Line 44f.

• Businesses who have already filed can still claim the credit: For small businesses that have already filed and later determine they are eligible for the credit, they can always file an amended 2010 tax return. Corporations use Form 1120X and individual sole proprietors use Form 1040X
• Businesses without tax liability this year can still benefit: The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 provided that for Tax Year 2010, eligible small businesses may carry back unused general business credits (including the small employer health care tax credit) five years.  Previously these credits could only be carried back one year.  Small businesses that did not have tax liability to offset in 2010 should still evaluate eligibility for the small business health care tax credit in light of this expanded carry back opportunity.
• Businesses that couldn't use the credit in 2010 can claim it in future years: Some businesses that already locked into health insurance plan structures and contributions for 2010 may not have had the opportunity to make any needed adjustments to qualify for the credit for 2010. So these businesses may be eligible to claim the credit on 2011 returns or in years beyond. Small employers can claim the credit for 2010 through 2013 and for two additional years beginning in 2014.

HHS has posted additional information on this credit to HealthCare.gov at: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/blog/smallbusiness09072011.html.

Additional information about eligibility requirements and calculating the credit can be found on the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit for Small Employers page of IRS.gov.