Table of Contents
One-on-One with PA's Gobal Trade Reps
School Kids Learn about Energy Efficiency
It's Back. Rail Freight Service to Allenwood
Financing News
Byte-sized News
Calendar of Events
 


 


 


 


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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.
 


 


 


 


Historic Factoid
  
1989 - SEDA-COG publishes Taking on the World:  Successful Strategies for Building a Regional Export Assistance Program.  Funding is provided by the Economic Development Administration.


 


 


 


 


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Just as spring follows winter, weight loss ads come after the holidays.  Get started now and enjoy that extra pumpkin pie.  There's advice here to help you stay motivated and lots of information about walking, which the American Heart Association says is the simplest positive change you can make to improve your heart health.
 


 


 


 


 


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Our Digital World

 

 

But are people really willing to give it all up and go back to an "Internetless" world? I'm not so sure. At this point in time, it's like saying you want to go and live in the jungle without the aid of modern medicine.

 
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Do You Remember Your Pre-Internet Self?

 



 
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.

Meeting One-on-One with Pennsylvania's International Trade Representatives

 

Individuals from 38 area companies ─ 52 people ─ participated in SEDA-COG's Central Pennsylvania International Trade Conference earlier this month in State College.  They met one-on-one with Pennsylvania's Authorized Trade Representatives from countries and regions around the globe.  In all, 204 such meetings took place.

 

The event, which is held annually, drew a larger than average attendance, according to Noelle Long, Director,

Our annual Trade Conference is always busy.  Here, Doug Cummings (r.) of Cummings Veneer Products, meets with Susanna Hardy, Pennsylvania's Trade Representative for France.

SEDA-COG Export Development program.  "About a third of the companies were new to the event," she said.  Among participating companies were those representing such services and industries as software, outdoor furniture, horse feed, wood products, and higher education.  Three colleges took part.

 

The 17 Trade Representatives at SEDA-COG's Conference serve 40 unique international markets and, according to Ms. Long, all 17 were busy throughout the day.  "The most requested meetings," she said, "were with Brazil's Representative, followed by the United Kingdom, then Canada, India, and Australia."  That varies from year to year, and generally depends on market, economic, and political conditions within a country.  This year, however, there was another consideration.

 

Due to a 20% reduction in Pennsylvania's world trade budget, five Trade Representatives were unable to participate in the conference and meet with companies.  Among them were Representatives from China and Germany.

 

Santander and National Penn Bank were among key sponsors of the Trade Conference.  Others included McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, M&T Bank, Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County (CBICC), Fulton International Group, and the Pennsylvania Office of International Business Development (OIBD).

 

The Trade Conference was funded in part by OIBD under World Trade PA, which is coordinated through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.  The Conference was part of Pennsylvania International Week.  Similar events were held throughout the Commonwealth.

 

Learn more about SEDA-COG's Export Development program.

A Unique Introduction to Energy Efficiency

 

Local students got a unique introduction to energy efficiency and renewable energy this month when the National Theatre for Children (NTC) presented assemblies at Penns Valley Elementary and Centre Hall Elementary School.  Each assembly was for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.  The two schools are

Nikki Neutron helped teach school children in Centre County about energy efficiency.

located in Centre County.

 

Click here to view a video clip.

 

Based in Minneapolis, MN, NTC has been providing live professional theatre since 1978, focusing on current issues such as conservation and the environment.  As young people are introduced to characters like Nikki Neutron and U.R. Fired, they learn the basics about saving energy, green energy and renewable resources.

 

Each school year NTC reaches millions of children, making it the largest touring children's theatre in the world.  Productions are available to participating schools as the result of NTC's sponsors, which often include electric utility companies.   Assemblies in the Penns Valley Area School District were sponsored by FirstEnergy/West Penn Power as part of several energy efficiency programs offered by FirstEnergy's Pennsylvania utilities under Act 129, passed in 2008.

 

The SEDA-COG Energy Resource Center (ERC) assisted in facilitating the delivery of these assemblies for Penns Valley and Centre Hall elementary school students as part of the Renewing Millheim's Energy Independence project being launched this fall to assist the entire community of Millheim in reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. 

 

Learn more about SEDA-COG's Energy Resource Center.
Rail Freight Service is Back at Allenwood

 

Over 110 people took part in a special rail excursion recently, celebrating the return of rail freight service to the Allenwood area.  Service, via the White Deer & Reading Railroad (WD&R) has been extended to the southern edge of Great Stream Commons business park in northern Union County, and that might just be the beginning.

 

The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA), which operates over the WD&R, is exploring funding possibilities to further extend the line into the northern portion of Great Stream Commons.  An application for Rail Transportation Assistance funds through PennDOT may be

Union County Commissioner John Showers (r.), a member of the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority, addresses participants in the special rail excursion. Also pictured (l. to r.) Union County Commissioners John Mathias and Preston Boop; and Jerry Walls, Chairman of the Authority.

submitted in February.  

 

Representatives of local and county government, banking, and economic development groups took part in the rail excursion.  Recounting the history of Great Stream Commons, Union County Commissioner John Showers said the County bought the land in the late 1990s to prevent hazardous waste from being shipped into the County.

 

The newly purchased property was to be used for a business park, but development was slow, particularly in light of the severe nationwide recession. 

 

In an effort to attract more companies to Great Stream Commons, the Commissioners, JRA, and the Union County Economic Development Corporation pursued rail service, working out logistics, and looking for funds.  Grade crossings had to be constructed, four miles of rail line rehabilitated and the White Deer railroad bridge ─ closed since it was damaged by floods in 1996 ─ had to be rebuilt.

 

The $3 million project was completed several months ago, with primary funding through a federal TIGER II grant and over $210,000 through the JRA.  Already the availability of rail service at Great Stream Commons is drawing the attention of potential tenants to the business park. 

 

Learn more about the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority.

Financing News . . .

 

SEDA-COG's Board of Directors has approved two loans, both from the Commonwealth's Small Business First Fund.  A loan of $200,000 was approved to Kevin and Valerie Fry to start a hog farm operation on 47 acres in Winfield, Union County.  Additional financing will be provided by First Columbia Bank and Trust, and the Farm Service Agency.

 

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The Board also approved a loan of $65,000 to UMI Performance, a manufacturing firm in Philipsburg.  UMI plans to purchase the building which they're currently renting.  Additional financing will be provided by the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership.  UMI primarily designs and manufactures a line of products for the automotive speciality equipment industry.

 

 

For more information on SEDA-COG's Business Development financing program, contact John Reichard at 570-524-4491, ext. 7251, e-mail jreichard@seda-cog.org, or visit us on the web.

Byte-sized News . .

 

Complete one of our Online Broadband Technical Training courses, and you'll get a 4GB memory stick and be entered into a drawing for a Microsoft Surface2 tablet.

 

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Funds are available to help Central Pennsylvania companies train their employees.  Click here for details.

 

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Our Housing Development Corporation has been awarded a state grant to clean up a site in Lewistown, which will be used for new housing.

 

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The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will hold a special workshop in State College on grants for recreation and conservation projects.

 

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We're working with the Town of Bloomsburg on a program to assist homeowners whose properties were damaged in September 2011's flood events.  Learn more. 

Upcoming Events & Activities

Click on the date for more information

 

Government Contracting Seminars 

Bellefonte ─ Dec. 4  

Harrisburg ─ Nov. 19; Dec. 17 

Williamsport ─ Nov. 6; Dec. 5

 

Public Meeting - Draft Public Participation Plan for Transportation Planning

Lewisburg ─ Nov. 12

 

Roadway Maintenance & Safety Training
for Municipalities

Linden ─ Nov. 6

Northumberland ─ Dec. 9

Turbotville ─ Nov. 13

 

SEDA-COG Board of Directors

Lewisburg ─ Dec. 10

 

SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority

Lewisburg ─ Dec. 10

 

SEDA-COG Metropolitan Planning Organization

Lewisburg ─ Dec. 12

 

Workshop - Grants for Recreation and Conservation Projects

State College ─ Nov. 21

For further information or questions about The SEDA-COG Report, e-mail Steve Kusheloff, Manager, Public Information, or call 570-524-4491, ext. 7217.