The Columbia County Commissioners are providing $100,000 to reimburse private businesses for purchases of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to address safety issues due to Covid-19. Eligible businesses must be private, for-profit businesses and must be physically located within Columbia County.

Private businesses may apply for reimbursement by submitting the following information to the county:

On a single sheet, list the following:

• Name of the business
• Address if the business (include street, city, zip)
• Address to where a check may be mailed
• Business EIN
• A one-paragraph narrative describing the PPE and its purpose
• Amount requested

Additionally, the business must attach copies of receipts to confirm the purchases. Purchases are to have occurred between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

The grant window will be open from August 1-August 14. All grants will be considered. If the eligible requests exceed the available grant amount, businesses will receive a pro rata share of the available $100,000 fund.

Applications and attached receipts are to be emailed to: grants@columbiapa.org.

Trivium Packaging Expanding Columbia County Operations

Trivium Packaging, a metal packaging manufacturer, is expanding its manufacturing operations with upgrades to an existing production line, the installation of an interior sunken dock pit, and a building expansion for receiving steel coil shipments to accommodate new business, investing over $7 million into the upgrades, retaining 76 jobs at its South Centre Township, Columbia County site and creating 48 new, full-time jobs.

Trivium Packaging offers a variety of sustainable metal packaging with innovative shaping, decoration, embossing, debossing, and opening solutions to more than 1,300 customers. The company also has a location in Pittsburgh and has been at its facility in Columbia County since 2000.

“We are extremely excited to see the upcoming developments and upgrades that this new project will bring to our Bloomsburg plant and overall operations,” said Trivium President of the Americas Jens Irion. “The investments also illustrate the importance that manufacturing still plays for our society, so being able to retain 76 jobs and add an additional 48 makes us extremely proud, as these jobs will provide good living wages and benefits to individuals and their communities. We thank the Governor’s Office for providing us with this opportunity.”

The company received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for a $144,000 Pennsylvania First grant, a $400,000 Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) loan and was encouraged to apply for the department’s Manufacturing Tax Credit (MTC) program. The company has committed to investing $7.17 million into the project and creating at least 48 new jobs over the next three years.

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.

National Night Out Activities Planned in Bloomsburg and Danville

National Night Out is an annual event for the public to meet local law enforcement, fire department, and emergency services personnel in an informal gathering and learn about essential services such as substance abuse programs. The date of this year’s National Night Out is Tuesday, August 3rd. Activities will be held in Bloomsburg from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds and Liberty Hall near the Free Stage. In Danville, activities will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Washie’s Playground. Both events are free to attend and there will be free hot dogs.

Exchange Seeking Memories of 2011 Flood for Exhibit

“Watermark: A Community Album of the 2011 Flood” solicits artwork in any medium, as well as newspaper clippings, artifacts, and other memorabilia from anyone and everyone who lived through the event, anywhere in the Bloomsburg area. Everything will be displayed in the Exchange Gallery in downtown Bloomsburg as a tribute to the resilience of our community and the people in it.

You may bring your piece(s) to the Gallery during the week of July 26th to 31st — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

“Watermark” will run at the Exchange Gallery from August 2nd through September 10th, 2021 — ten years and a day after the crest.

A reception will be held in the Gallery on Friday September 10th — the tenth anniversary (plus one day) of the crest of the flood.

Children’s Museum Announces August Programs

The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum, 2 W. 7th Street, Bloomsburg, is pleased to announce its August programs which includes some free opportunities.

Dog Days of Summer
August 4: Under the Sea, 11:00 am-1:00 pm
Beat the heat and come to the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum. Enjoy a special summer-themed craft every other Wednesday with free adult admission.

Touch-A-Truck
Saturday, August 14 @ Rohrbach’s Farm, 10:00 am-2:00 pm
Join us at Rohrbach’s Farm Market for a fun-filled day with trucks of all kinds. Get an up-close, hands-on look at loaders, campers, tractors, fire engines, and more! Free admission.

For a complete listing of all programs, visit the-childrens-museum.org.

Wesley UMC to Host Choral Concert

A new choral/music educational ensemble will be holding its first concert for the community this Saturday, July 31st at 7:00 p.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church on Market Street in Bloomsburg. The new group will include 3-4 vocal ensembles for children and adults of all backgrounds, skill levels, and musical interests. More information is available at facebook.com/TheBloomsburgSingers.

The inaugural edition of the Pennsylvania: Work Smart, Live Happy magazine is out and now available online. This annual print and digital magazine is a new tool to help economic developers, corporate real estate agents, communities, and employers attract top talent and promote business growth in the Keystone State.

The digital content is easy to share and showcases Pennsylvania’s quality of life as an ideal home for entrepreneurs, remote workers, families, and businesses of all sizes.

The publication features articles on Pennsylvania’s top industries, innovation, career opportunities, quality schools and higher-ed institutions, abundant outdoor attractions, and diverse cultural offerings. The nine-county central PA region which includes Columbia and Montour counties is featured. 

The American Red Cross Ready Rating program is a free, self-guided program designed to help businesses, organizations and schools become better prepared for emergencies. Members complete a ReadyGo or ReadyAdvance assessment and have access to tools, tips and best practices to help improve their level of preparedness.

A free webinar will be held September 13th at noon to review how to improve your small businesses’ level of emergency preparedness.

Topics will include:

• Online and self-paced, free membership program – readyrating.org
• Self-Assessments uniquely quantify an organization’s level of preparedness.
• Customized reports with feedback help members plan improvement.
• Create basic or detailed Emergency Action Plans.
• Resource Center with 60+ tools help members implement their emergency preparedness program

Presenter: Erika Wolfe, Disaster Program Manager, PA Rivers Chapter, American Red Cross

Click here for more information and to register. 

Scott Edwards started his floral business at the age of 17 in the basement of his parents’ rural farmhouse. Since then, he has traveled to Europe, Japan and Hong Kong to study with master designers and teach floral design classes. Today, Edwards, his wife, Judy, and their daughters, Holly Edwards Hoffman and Heather Edwards Marks own and operate Scott’s Floral, Gift & Greenhouse on Rt. 11 in Danville.

Scott is an accredited professional floral commentator, a certified FTD judge and has represented the United States in the World Teleflora Designer of the Year competition in Tokyo. He is also a member of the American Academy of Florists, American Institute of Floral Designers and past president of the PA Florist Association.

Scott was selected as a member of the elite design team that created floral decorations for the Statue of Liberty Centennial Celebration in New York and the presidential inaugurations of George Bush and Bill Clinton.

Scott and his special event design team from Scott’s Floral provided all the floral decorations for the US Senior Golf Open in Allentown. These talented designers provide floral decorations for weddings and special events from Maine to Washington D.C., Philadelphia to Oklahoma, and everywhere in between.

Visit Scott’s Floral, Gift & Greenhouse’s website at scottsfloral.com for more information about their products and services.

Scott’s Floral joins over 400 members of The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce to receive benefits and support the Chamber’s efforts to enhance the region. 

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners is holding a public meeting for all residents, businesses, and municipal officials to learn more about the Fishing Creek Watershed and West End Flood Mitigation studies.

There will be two meetings on July 29, 2021 at the Columbia County Office at the Sawmill Road Complex, 702 Sawmill Road, Bloomsburg, PA 17815 in the large meeting room. Entrance for the large meeting room is in the rear of the building. The County will live stream both sessions for those who cannot make it or have COVID concerns on the Columbia County Resiliency YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/3kFzXiG

The meeting schedule is as follows:

6:00-7:00pm – West End Flood Mitigation Study, presented by Borton-Lawson
7:00-7:30pm – Break/Social Opportunity
7:30-8:30pm – Fishing Creek Flood Mitigation Study – presented by HRG, Inc.

Reservations can be accepted online at https://bit.ly/2Urvt43 or by calling Flood Resiliency Program Analyst Geralee Zeigler, SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) at 570-522-7218. Individuals who are interested in attending may register for the 6:00pm session or the 7:30pm session independently or for both sessions. SEDA-COG is assisting the County in the grant administration of the studies.

From PA Chamber of Business and Industry

Responding to skyrocketing claims of Unemployment Insurance Fraud, the PA Department of Labor and Industry has provided employers with helpful tips for reporting fraudulent claims. When responding to a Notice of Claim Filed that you believe to be fraudulent, keep the following tips in mind:

• L&I does not need any of the person’s actual employment information for identity theft situations. The fields on the response form do not need to be completed unless the system requires it (e.g., start date, end date, termination date).
• The “Reason for Separation” field is always required. For identity theft claims, you should enter the reason as “Still working full-time.”
• For employers using the new benefits system, a step-by-step guide is available here.
• For employers not yet able to log into the new system but enrolled in SIDES, a guide is available here.
• Employers who have hired a Third-Party Administrator (TPA) for unemployment matters can disregard any Notices of Application as the administrator should handle this matter.

The Department also wants to remind employers:

• Appealing the financial determination is not the appropriate way to report a fraudulent claim. As the employer, you should respond to the claim notices but should not file a fraud report.
• Ultimately, you will not be charged for benefits paid to fraudulent, identity theft-related claims. Once benefits are denied, your account will be credited.

The Department also noted they are implementing additional verification processes for the UC claims process. Earlier this year, L&I announced that it was expanding a partnership with ID.me, an identity verification vendor, to dissuade fraudsters targeting the UC system.

On July 22, The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce co-signed a letter with other chambers from across the state calling for immediate action to address the UC fraud that has become rampant. The letter was sent to Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, Auditor General, Treasurer, Secretary of Labor & Industry, and Secretary of Revenue. 

Pandemic shutdowns significantly affected restaurant owners and operators last year. Because of these shutdowns, the industry needed financial relief. In this free educational session hosted by the National Restaurant Association, Randy Crabtree, CPA, Co-Partner of Tri-Merit Specialty Tax Professionals will help restaurants navigate the nuances of how to claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit, provide real life examples of what to expect, and share additional ways to get money back through other tax credits and incentives.

Please note that this webinar will be offering one (1) CPE credit to attendees who acknowledge they’d like to receive it through the registration form.

Key Takeaways:

How to identify if your restaurant is eligible for Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC)
What to expect from the application process
How to maximize your tax credits & incentives

Click here to register.

BTE Presenting Free Play in Bloomsburg Town Park

School’s out for the summer, and the New Mexico air is hot, even in the darkest part of the night. But 8-year-old Sheila and her scrappy pack of pals aren’t going to let the summer heat get them down. When their fantastical junkyard fort draws the attention of a mysterious furry stranger, this band of misfit kids suddenly find themselves deep in the desert, face to face with the walking, talking critters who live there. It’s a whirlwind adventure about humans’ effect on the environment and the animals with whom we share the planet. And, spoiler alert: somebody swallows a cactus! Presented outdoors at Totsburg in Bloomsburg Town Park, The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus features a cast of BTE members and friends. This unique twist on traditional fable-style storytelling will captivate the imaginations of audiences of all ages.

There are lots of chances to catch this exciting family adventure in Bloomsburg Town Park.
Thursday, July 22nd, 11AM
Friday, July 23rd, 7PM
Saturday, July 24th, 7PM
Tuesday, July 27th, 11AM
Wednesday, July 28th, 11AM
Thursday, July 29th, 11AM
Friday, July 30th, 7PM
Saturday, July 31st, 7PM

Performances of The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus are free of charge to all audiences thanks to underwriting from the Columbia County Commissioners and longtime Summer show sponsor, Renco Ace Hardware.

Attorney Julie Steinbacher Earns LLM Degree in Elder Law and Estate Planning

Attorney Julie Steinbacher, CELA®, the founding shareholder of the elder care and special needs law firm of Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak, recently completed her LLM degree in elder law and estate planning from the Western New England School of Law.

An LLM is a Master of Law degree, and a graduate qualification in the field of law. It was created for attorneys to further expand their knowledge or study a specialized area of law, and is generally a one-year program if studying full-time. The elder law and estate planning LLM from Western New England is the only live, interactive and online program of its kind in the United States. 

Julie becomes the second attorney at the firm to add an LLM degree to her resume. Attorney Amos Goodall also has an LLM in elder law. The LLM is also just the latest item to be added to her resume. Earlier this year, she was named a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), a national organization of more than 2,500 attorneys and law professors, becoming one of just 96 ACTEC fellows in Pennsylvania, and two of only five from the northeast and north central portion of the state ranging from the Poconos and west through State College (Amos is one of the others).

Along with Amos and Attorney Brittany Smith, Julie is also one of three Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELA) at Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak, one of just 67 in Pennsylvania and of just over 500 in the entire country. The CELA is given by the National Elder Law Foundation and is frequently referred to as the “gold standard” for elder law and special needs practitioners. Julie has a “superb” AVVO rating for attorneys and last year was also named a Super Lawyer® for the first time in Thomson Reuters’ annual listing of the same name. Earlier this year, Julie was named to the Pennsylvania Business Central Top 100 People list for the second straight year and the fourth time overall.

Julie has lectured extensively for several organizations including the Elder Law Institute, Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and many more, and is the president of Estate & Long Term Care Planning, Inc. She has also authored several books in a Protect Your Family series that informs people about planning for the second half of life. In 2020, Julie, along with Attorney Jenna Franks, co-published the 2021 Supplement to the Pennsylvania Trust Guide. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Widener University School of Law, Julie founded the law firm Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak in 2002. She sits on the board of Hope Enterprises, Inc. and is also a trustee for the YWCA of North Central Pennsylvania.

Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak is an elder care and special needs law firm offering quality representation to clients throughout Pennsylvania. Since its beginning in 2002, the firm has dedicated itself to practicing law with extraordinary standards of ethics and values. The vision of the firm has been to provide individuals and their families with a unique plan to protect their assets for their spouses and future generations, while providing for their immediate and long-term needs. More information, including resources and seminar information, can be found at www.paeldercounsel.com. To schedule your appointment, call 1-800-351-8334.

McKonly & Asbury Expands Leadership Team; Hires Director of Client Engagement and Growth, Robert Duffield

 McKonly & Asbury – one of Central Pennsylvania’s premier accounting and business advisory services firms – is pleased to announce the expansion of their leadership team by welcoming Robert Duffield as Director of Client Engagement and Growth. Rob will be joining the firm on July 19, 2021, and brings a tremendous depth of experience in growing client-focused relationships, establishing strong business connections, and directing strategic growth. 

“We are thrilled to have Rob join our team to spearhead our business development efforts across the region,” said Michael Hoffner, Managing Partner of McKonly & Asbury. “Rob is joining McKonly & Asbury at an exciting time in our history, and the focus and understanding he brings to growing a professional services firm, coupled with the development of people and enhancement of culture will contribute significantly to our clients, our people, and our firm’s goals in the coming years. McKonly & Asbury has always had a value-based approach to the accounting, tax, and advisory services we offer, and Rob is uniquely positioned to help us bring these services to our clients as they seek to become increasingly competitive in an expanding marketplace.”

Rob joins McKonly & Asbury with more than 20 years of experience as a performance-driven sales and marketing professional, most recently with a large professional services firm. Earlier in his career, he was a Senior Account Executive with a professional staffing firm focused on placing finance and accounting, human resources, IT, engineering, and administrative services professionals. 

“I am honored to be joining the team at McKonly &Asbury,” said Duffield. “For nearly five decades, the firm has enjoyed a stellar reputation for excellence, providing profound business insights to our clients and being actively involved in the communities we serve. The leadership team continues to expand in new and exciting directions, while always maintaining our core commitment to excellent responsiveness to our clients. This is an incredible opportunity for me to leverage the professional skills learned over a lifetime of teaching, coaching, sales, marketing, team building, and more, to bring incredible value to our clients, our employees, and our firm.”

BIDA Holds its 59th Annual Meeting

Berwick Industrial Development Association, a leader in economic development focusing on industrial development and manufacturing, is excited to have held its annual meeting in person at the Forge Pub & Eatery.
This was the 58th meeting in 59 years, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced B.I.D.A. to cancel the meeting in 2020.
Board President, Dan McGann, presented to the audience the work that B.I.D.A. was able to accomplish despite the pandemic. Those accomplishments were assisting business and industry during the pandemic with navigating the changing guidelines and restrictions as well as the financial assistance that was offered through state and federal agencies.

B.I.D.A. closed on two properties within the Complex perimeter that had previously been sold to others. One of which was the former Ingredion manufacturing facility, which is now the satellite facility for Dyco, Inc.

Berwick is experiencing growth and development with our existing business and industry, not to mention the numerous inquiries that are coming in every month looking at our region and as much as we want to recruit new business, right now that would adversely affect our existing employers. The central northeast region of Pennsylvania needs “skilled labor”; which means, those trained in the vocational/industrial arts: welders, pipe fitters, building and trades, HVAC, plumbers and machinists.

B.I.D.A. Board President McGann told the B.I.D.A. board of directors, members and guests, “You all have homework, we need everyone to encourage our youth to seek education and training in vocational studies…to also encourage adults to gain the necessary training for the jobs we have now and going into the future…”.

Mr. McGann, also asked for people to encourage family and friends that may have moved out of our region to “come home”. Berwick alone has lost 10% of its population over the last ten (10) years.

Kelly O’Brien, Executive Director for B.I.D.A., wanted the audience to know that B.I.D.A. does so much more than manage a physical industrial complex. B.I.D.A. provides services to entrepreneurs, small and mid-size companies and large corporations with access to resources, facilitating project development, strategic planning, as well as working with colleges and universities locally to formulate research and development projects that include product development.

Congressman Meuser presented at the event, he reiterated McGann’s call for increasing interest in the vocational trades. The Congressman also stated his commitment to the region as a whole and will be working with B.I.D.A. as we continue to move into the future. “Workforce development is a challenge”, Congressman Meuser stated and explained that he put forth a bill for a new jobs tax credit, which is up for approval this budget cycle.

State Representative Dave Millard, a long-standing supporter of B.I.D.A., stated that the work that B.I.D.A. does for business and industry is invaluable. The Representative discussed the strength and resilience of the businesses in the region and how that resiliency shows in the strength of our economy. “Communicating with leaders like Kelly [O’Brien, Executive Director] … [W]orking hand in hand to overcome any challenges is what builds that resiliency. I pledge to continue to work with B.I.D.A. and our community leaders to make our region better and stronger.”, stated Millard.
Commissioner Dave Kovach also attended and represents Columbia County at B.I.D.A. board meetings monthly.

Commission Kovach gave recognition to the administrative staff of B.I.D.A. for the work that they do on a regular basis, ensuring that the work of the organization is done effectively and efficiently and that the businesses in our region are taken care of. “There are opportunities coming to our region and Kelly [O’Brien] is taking advantage of those opportunities. B.I.D.A. is an economic driver for our region.”, Kovach stated. B.I.D.A.’s Stacy Whitmire, Controller, received her notary public during the pandemic and B.I.D.A. now offers notary services.

The overarching message of the annual meeting and the distinguished guests is the need for and the support for vocational training and education and the demand for employment in industry. Our region is hiring in every industry sector and those jobs must be filled before we can set our sights on the new business and growth that is knocking on the door of the Central Northeast region of Pennsylvania.

From PA Chamber of Business & Industry

Governor Wolf opted to neither sign nor veto H.B. 336, the Administrative Code bill that is one of four bills accompanying the state budget passed in late June. Without action by the governor, legislation passing the General Assembly becomes law after 10 days.

Among the bill’s key provisions is a one-sentence entry worked out as a compromise between the Republican legislature and the Governor’s office that nixed a regulation promulgated in 2019, which would have significantly expanded the scope of individuals mandated by the state to receive overtime compensation.