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SEDA-COG primarily
serves the 11 Central Pennsylvania counties of Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, and Union. |
| 1986 ─ SEDA-COG's Weatherization services expand from four to seven counties when County Commissioners in Columbia, Montour, and Perry counties direct SEDA-COG to assume the operation of their counties' Weatherization programs. |
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What Pennsylvania community is the mushroom capital of the world?
Click here for the answer
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Halloween is Here
You could Trick or Treat for a month with everything you'll find here. Planning a party?There are games, songs, recipes (Dead Sea Soup, Brain Cell Salad), and invitations.
You'll find ghost stories (not necessarily suitable for children), lots of do-it-yourself costumes, and a good piece on the history of Halloween.
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"There was this thing called the Internet starting to show up that was getting a lot of hype, and the school administration was adamantly against allowing access," he says. "The big fear was pornography and predators, some of the same stuff that's there today. And yet...can you imagine a school not connected to the Internet now? "
The Case for Social Media in Schools
Sarah Kessler
Features writer, Mashable
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SEDA-COG is a publicly funded development organization based in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and serving an 11-county region. We help the counties ─ and the communities and citizens within them ─ address challenges related to their economies and infrastructure, and we assist them in responding to new opportunities in such areas as energy, technology, market development, transportation, and locally-based resources. |
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Transit Service in Central Pennsylvania - What Do You Think?
As the SEDA-COG Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) prepares to update its public transportation plan, it is surveying residents about concerns regarding transit service in the region. The survey, which can be found here, is being conducted with the MPO in Lycoming County.
"In general," said Jim Saylor, SEDA-COG Transportation Director, "the survey will help us determine unmet needs, information that is critical as we and transit service providers develop strategies to improve public transportation." The deadline for individuals to complete the survey is October 16.
Transit service in our region is generally limited to "fixed route," such as buses running on established routes and schedules, and
 | | River Valley Transit, based in Williamsport, is one of the few "fixed route" services in the region. |
"demand responsive," which primarily serves senior citizens and disabled persons. SEDA-
COG's survey seeks to determine how people travel, i.e., alone or with others, the type of service available to them, and whether or not they use it.
Respondents are also asked their primary uses for transit service, e.g., shopping, getting to work or medical appointments, long distance trips, or accessing social services. They are also asked why they may have never used or no longer use public transportation.
There are questions regarding conditions which may persuade individuals to use public transportation. Among these are air quality issues, highway congestion, gas prices, and parking costs. In general the survey should take no more than ten minutes to complete.
Saylor said, "The transportation plan is a guide for service providers as they develop locally driven solutions to fill the unmet needs in the region. We need to remain aware and in touch with those needs so we can continue to give our local providers the support they need in today's tough funding environment."
Read more about transit planning in the region. View photos on Facebook. Learn more about SEDA-COG's Transportation Planning program.
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Update: $9.1M Railroad Bridge Project
Construction of the Loyalsock Creek railroad bridge in Lycoming County is about 10% complete as the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) continues to target a summer 2014 completion. The original 85-year old structure was demolished after being severely damaged in floods resulting from Tropical Storm Lee in September 2011.
The $9.1 million project is currently focused on the foundation for the first pier, the only one of the bridge's two piers that will be in the water under normal
 | | As water from the creek flows around the barricade, construction crews work on steel piling that will support one of the bridge's two piers. |
water levels. Seventy steel piles will be driven into bedrock, approximately 50-feet below the creek. The 1927 bridge across Loyalsock Creek sat on timber mats buried only eight feet below the stream's bottom. Jeff Stover, Executive Director of the Rail Authority, expects the foundation for the first pier to be completed by the end of November.
In addition to the two piers, the center section of the railroad bridge will employ a truss, comprised of nearly 3,600 pieces of steel. The new bridge will be higher than the old structure ─ 3-feet above water flow, based on 100-year storm levels, and 1½-feet above flow, based on Tropical Storm Lee. The new bridge will also be longer than the old one ─ 474-feet compared to 350-feet ─ and have a wider hydraulic opening.
"This is going to be a solid, massive structure," said Stover, "and a valuable addition to Central Pennsylvania's shortline railroad system."
Read more about the new Loyalsock Creek railroad bridge. View photos on Facebook. Learn more about the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority.
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Regional Trends in Global Marketing
The world of international trade is as varied as the world itself with opportunities to successfully export products as diverse as software, heavy equipment parts, financial services, and even scented candles. Pennsylvania's Authorized Trade Representatives, taking part in SEDA-COG's recent International Trade Conference, highlighted the variety of products and services that do well in their countries.
In South Africa, for instance, the mining industry offers great opportunities for firms selling parts for heavy equipment. Construction is also on the upswing in the region, especially since 2010 when South Africa was the site of the World Cup. There are also markets for less traditional products. Recently, Charmaine Martin, the region's Trade Representative,
 | | Within a few hours, company representatives can learn about sales opportunities in several international markets. |
was approached by a Pennsylvania company selling scented candles. While there are plenty of candles for sale in South Africa, this Pennsylvania product is hand-made, and Ms. Martin recommended the company pursue export sales for it.
Trends come and go, however. Since 1998, the market for processed food in the Middle East has "dried up," according to Seth Vogelman, Trade Representative for the region. Today, however, there's great potential for goods and services related to the military, and for high-end medical products. While such products from America are generally more expensive, their high quality is attractive.
Exporters must be aware of cultural difference, cautioned Vogelman. One company, whose logo involved a pig, wondered why its products weren't selling in the Middle East. It had handed out coffee cups with its logo.
The cultural diversity of London, England's upscale population, however, offers a different type of opportunity. Products which are first exported to the United Kingdom (UK) are often introduced throughout Europe.
The UK is an excellent market for service providers, says Martin Lewis, Trade Representative for the region. Among enterprises he mentioned are legal and financial systems, information technology, plus media, creative, and architectural services. Outside of London, potentially lucrative export markets include aerospace, defense, bio-tech, and health care industries.
The UK is also looking to its own shale reserves for the extraction of natural gas, which could be an opportunity for Pennsylvania firms already experienced in drilling and related operations. Energy, both conventional and alternative, is one industry creating worldwide interest and, thus, opportunity. Even nuclear energy, said Lewis, is being given new consideration as countries around the world seek to control their own energy future. It's another trend, which area firms would do well to follow.
Read more about Pennsylvania's Authorized Trade Representatives. View photos on Facebook. Learn more about SEDA-COG's Export Development program.
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Financing News . . .
The SEDA-COG Local Development Corporation has given preliminary approval to several SBA (Small Business Administration) 504 loans. In each case the U.S. SBA will review and take final action on the loan proposals:
Perry Diversified Holdings, Inc. requested a $438,356 SBA 504 loan to construct a TrueValue hardware store on Route 11 & 15 in Duncannon, Perry County. The company has two similar stores in the County, one in Duncannon and another in New Bloomfield. Cash equity and bank financing are anticipated
$ $ $
FloorMax, Inc., in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, is seeking a $366,000 loan to construct an office, showroom, and warehouse facility in a Township business park. The company, which serves residential and commercial clients, specializes in a variety of flooring materials and services. In addition to bank financing and cash equity, a loan through SEDA-COG's TEAM program is anticipated
$ $ $
An Enola, Cumberland County firm, Fuel City Truck Stop, Inc. has requested a $494,100 SBA 504 loan to add a Burger King restaurant to its property and renovate the convenience store portion. Bank financing and cash equity are anticipated
$ $ $
Preliminary approval was also given for a $577,600 loan to Intech Acquisition Company, Inc. for the purchase of Intech P/M Stainless in Ridgway, Elk County. The company produces stainless steel powdered metal parts. The project is expected to include bank financing and cash equity.
For more information on SEDA-COG's Business Development Financing program, contact John Reichard at 570-524-4491, ext. 7251, e-mail reichard@seda-cog.org, or visit us on the web.
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Byte-sized News . . .
Trish Carothers, Executive Director of the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership, has been appointed to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail Advisory Council, which deals with trail-related matters like public access, recreation, and conservation.
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The 2012 Economic Census, the government's five-year measure of American business and the economy, is currently underway. Businesses that were mailed a form but have not yet responded are urged to do so as soon as possible.
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The Tiadaghton Valley Municipal Authority will receive a $450,000 competitive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), secured through SEDA-COG, to help low- to moderate-income homeowners connect to the Authority's sewage collection system. The $89,000 from Lycoming County's 2011 CDBG entitlement allocation will also go toward the project. In addition to sewer laterals, CDBG funds will be used to properly decommission on-lot sewage disposal systems for income-eligible homeowners.
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The Commonwealth recorded employment gains in both the public and private sectors in August, adding 9,200 in the goods-producing and private service-providing industries. More information is available here.
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The Juniata County Commissioners have approved their housing rehabilitation agreement with us. This will be the fourth rehab grant the county has received. It's for $500,000 and will fund home improvement projects for eligible families, up to $25,000 for improvements and $10,000 for lead-based paint mitigation measures.
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Export Development assistance we've provided to Penn State's School of Law is paying off. After we put them in touch with Pennsylvania's Authorized Trade Representative in Chile, the school enrolled its first three students from the South American country.
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Upcoming Events & Activities
Government Contracting Seminars
Chambersburg ─ Oct. 8
Harrisburg ─ Oct. 16; Nov. 20
Shamokin Dam ─ Nov. 7
Williamsport ─ Nov. 15
International Trade Seminar on
Product Classification
State College ─ Oct. 24
Roadway Maintenance & Safety Training
for Municipalities
Berwick ─ Oct. 24
Northumberland ─ Nov. 6
SEDA-COG Board of Directors
Lewisburg ─ Oct. 23
SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority
Lewisburg ─ Oct. 9
SEDA-COG Metropolitan Planning Organization
Lewisburg ─ Oct. 11
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For further information or questions about The SEDA-COG Report, contact Steve Kusheloff, Manager, Public Information, tel. 570-524-4491, ext. 7217; or e-mail skusheloff@seda-cog.org. |
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