With cold weather arriving, the Columbia County Emergency Management Agency has provided a chart to help employers and employees identify ailments.
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry is hosting a FREE virtual program –Bringing PA Back: Rise to the Challenge – for Pennsylvania’s business community. The program is open to all businesses (members and non-members alike) and will showcase Pennsylvania’s road to economic recovery, forecast what businesses can expect in the year ahead, and provide exclusive insight into the General Election and its impact on Pennsylvania.
The program will last 1 hour and will feature insight from Michael Smerconish, Salena Zito, Governor Tom Ridge, Michael Carney and other special guests. PA Chamber President and CEO Gene Barr will lead the program.
Click here for additional information and to register.
The National Main Street Center announces the second round of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program is now open.
In partnership with The Hartford, the program will continue to fund solutions that help small business owners respond and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also help to revitalize and strengthen older and historic downtown commercial districts. Grants of $5,000 to $15,000 will be awarded on a competitive and first-come, first-served basis. Businesses must have 20 or fewer full time employees and be located in a downtown or commercial district.
Apply by 10/29 at https://www.mainstreet.org/howwecanhelp/hartbeat.
The Small Business Administration and U.S. Treasury recently issued new guidance for small business owners with loans of $50,000 or less under the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP); more information is available here. Business owners who borrowed $50,000 or less can fill out a simplified one-page form and can ignore some of the calculations required of other borrowers. A link to the Form 3508S is available at sba.gov.
Candidates who will be on the ballot in the November 3rd election shared their views on business-related issues and the crisis on October 22nd. The Chamber hosted a Candidate Forum with individuals running for the PA Legislature. The registered candidates for the 27th Senatorial District and House 107th and 109th District seats participated.
The questions included the handling of business operations during the crisis, limited liability protection for businesses, the governor’s authority regarding emergency declarations, child care, and the state budget.
Each candidate was presented with the same five questions in rotating order with two minutes for each response. Fred Gaffney, president of the Chamber, was the moderator. The candidates were also given two minutes for closing remarks.
The following candidates participated:
27th Senatorial District – All of Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, and Snyder counties and a portion of lower Luzerne County
- John R. Gordner (R), incumbent, Berwick
- Michelle Siegel (D), Selinsgrove
107th House District – All of Montour County and portions of Columbia and Northumberland counties
- Ryan Bourinski (L), Mt. Carmel
- Kurt A. Masser (R), incumbent, Elysburg
109th House District – Most of Columbia County
- David Millard (R), incumbent, Berwick
- Bill Monahan (D), Bloomsburg
- Roger W. Nuss (I), Catawissa
A recording of the forum is available on YouTube.
My Benefit Advisor provides the information you need to make smart decisions with your health insurance plans. Enrollment for 2021 is here, making this the perfect opportunity to explore plan options and learn more about the latest laws, carrier news, and how the MBA program can benefit you.
To help aid in learning more about options, My Benefit Advisor will be hosting a series of Health Insurance webinars next week. Some of the topics include:
• Local, Regional, & National Healthcare Trends
• Consulting Solutions for Modern Healthcare Cost Drivers
• My Benefit Advisor Overview
Register for any of the dates and times below:
About My Benefit Advisor
My Benefit Advisor (MBA) is an employee benefits consulting firm designed to guide employers through the complexity of planning, communicating and managing a successful employee benefits program. Client relationships are driven exclusively through a select group of associations and brokers.
To learn more about My Benefit Advisor, visit www.mybenefitadvisor.com.
Telephone Town Hall for Solar Farm Project this Thursday
Talen Energy is partnering with Pattern Energy to develop a 1,000 solar farm in northern Montour County. A telephone town hall will be held Thursday, October 22nd at 7 p.m. to provide an overview of the project and answer questions. Information is available at montoursolar.com.
Your Neighbors: LGBTQ in Central and Northeast Pennsylvania
A community panel discussion on living in Pennsylvania as a member of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community will be hosted on Zoom the evening of October 22, 2020.
This event is made possible through a confluence of organizations concerned for the cultivation and growth of the LGBTQ community in Pennsylvania.
It is through sharing our experiences that we hope to show our similarities, provide insight into our struggles, and help inspire understanding.
All those who would like to learn more about the lives of LGBTQ people in Central and Northeast Pennsylvania, and how to support them, are invited to attend this event.
Spellbinding Social Media Strategies Webinar
Social media isn’t just for social media sake, it’s a low cost high impact marketing option for small businesses if you know how to use it. Using it isn’t complicated and there are ways to get a big bang for a few bucks.
Topics covered will include:
*Understanding the Algorithms
*Tag you’re it: how many hashtags should you use and how do you choose?
*Cross-posting: do you post the same thing everywhere?
*Video killed the radio: why you need video content
Join PA Careerlink and Press Enterprise on Tuesday, October 27th from 10-11 am as they partner together for a virtual webinar on how to create effective job posting and ads.
Civil, Social, Human Services and Healthcare Expo at Bloomsburg University
Bloomsburg University
will be holding an expo to help connect employers with students interested in careers in the Social, Health, and Human Services & Non-Profit career fields on October 28 & 29 from 2-5 p.m. Recommended employers include: Health Care Providers, Non-Profit Organizations, Government Agencies and Residential Treatment Facilities. Primary student attendees are those majoring in Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Exercise Science, Communication Studies, Languages & Cultures, Social Work, Sociology, and Psychology.
The standard registration fee includes your participation on both dates of the expo and our Fall Finale Bonus Expo in November.
Upon registration, we will review the details you submitted for approval. At our fair, you’ll be able to engage with students in a variety of formats, including:
- Video, audio, and chat communication with students
- Group meetings with up to fifty students
- 1:1 meetings scheduled in advance or after a group session
- Share documentation with students ahead of time and have access to students who register to attend one of your sessions, resumes and contact information.
Note: During registration, you’ll be asked to share the number of representatives who plan to attend the fair—up to 15 representatives per employer are able to participate in the fair. Each representative you register will be able to create their own unique schedule to engage with students. To learn more about these features check out this Handshake-hosted training webinar.
Employers are invited to discuss job shadowing, internship or employment opportunities with freshmen through graduate students and alumni. All expos are open and promoted to students from all majors and class years.
Although recruiting at Bloomsburg may look a little different this Fall, we are available to assist with all of your recruitment needs! Please review the toolkits provided by Handshake which will answer many of the questions you may have about participating in virtual events.
If you have any remaining questions after reviewing the toolkits or need help registering for the event in Handshake, please contact our team at hireahusky@bloomu.edu.
Veterans Day Dinner Celebration with Geisinger
Geisinger thanks all of our veterans for their service to our country, and hopes you’ll join them for an appreciation dinner for U.S. veterans. Pick up your complimentary dinner via a drive-through arrangement on Thursday, November 12th.
Reservations are required by Thursday, November 5th. Servings are limited, so reserve your meal today.
Complimentary for all U.S. veterans and one guest. You must wear a mask when picking up your meal.
To make a reservation at Geisinger-Bloomsburg, call 866-462-5127 or visit go.geisinger.org/VetsDinner/GBH.
To make a reservation at Geisinger-Danville, call 866-578-3427 or visit go.geisinger.org/VetsDinner/GMC.
To make a reservation at Geisinger-Shamokin, call 866-278-9806 or visit go.geisinger.org/VetsDinner/GSACH.
More than 425 businesses and organizations belong to the Chamber to receive benefits and support efforts to strengthen their businesses and the region. Increased membership allows the Chamber to offer additional programs and benefits, have a stronger voice in advocacy and be involved in more activities and initiatives. The Chamber welcomes Neighborhood Advisors Insurance Agency.
Located on Market Street in Bloomsburg, Neighborhood Advisors is a local independent insurance agency specializing in automobile insurance, home insurance, flood insurance, landlord insurance, business and workers compensation insurance. The agency provides insurances from many companies and provides serves the Columbia and Montour area.
For more information on Neighborhood Advisors Insurance Agency visit its website, Facebook page or call 570-784-1673.
Adults and out of school youth who would like to improve their chances of getting a job can take advantage of a new, free program. The Chamber’s Foundation is partnering with Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School (CMAVTS) to help people strengthen skills needed to pursue and start employment. Skills That Pay is a new program is being made possible with funding provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Columbia County Commissioners through the CARES Act.
The program will help individuals develop a portfolio useful in pursuing employment, entering military service or college. Participants will cover the following topics over four, three-hour sessions:
- Explore your value system to determine how it affects your job performance
- Demonstrate communication skills
- Demonstrate proper grooming and dress for success
- Work as part of a team
- Identify and describe safety practices and procedures
- Evaluate employer – employee relations
- Write an effective cover letter
- Prepare an effective resume
- Complete application forms
- Participate in a mock job interview
Sessions will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on November 9, 11, 16 and 18 at CMAVTS, 5050 Sweppenheiser Drive, Bloomsburg.
Upon successful completion of the ten modules, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion and have the opportunity to interview with local employers, including Bloomsburg Carpet, Design Group, Dyco, and Great Dane. A goal is for every graduate to be offered at least one job opportunity.
Additional information and the registration form is at www.skillsthatpay.org or by contacting Jeffrey Emanuel, director of The Foundation at foundation@columbiamontourchamber.com or 570-784-2522.
From Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)
Did you know there are an estimated 4.8 billion internet users or 62% of the world’s population?
This year’s theme is Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart. The idea is for each of us to take ownership of the role we play in making cyberspace safer and more secure. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility.
Is there anyone that is safe from a cyberattack?NO! Computer systems and mobile technologies are vulnerable regardless of whether they are part of a large corporation, small business, or belong to a home user.
Can children be victims of cybercrime?
Every age group is vulnerable to cyberbullying, but teenagers and young adults are common victims. Cyberbullying is a very common problem in schools. The internet is fairly anonymous, so it is appealing for bullies because it is difficult to trace. That is how rumors, threats, and photos can be disseminated on the internet very quickly.
How can we protect children during COVID-19?
Schools, communities, families and caregivers have experienced a disruption to their sense of security, structure and routine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With many schools across Pennsylvania moving to a virtual or a hybrid model, more children are learning from home. Creating a safe, virtual learning environment is vital to protecting children.
- The PA Department of Education provides information on internet security and additional resources for how to be cyber smart and cyber safe while learning remotely.
- The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General provides a brochure on Protecting Our Children Online.
It’s not just children at risk.
With the increased use of computers, tablets, and smartphones by older adults, they are also more vulnerable to online scams and fraud.
Whether using technology in public or at home, protect yourself and loved ones by following these tips to, “Do Your Part” and #BeCyberSmart:
- Secure your Wi-Fi network. Your home’s wireless router is the primary entrance for cybercriminals. Change the factory-set default password and username.
- Enable stronger authentication. Add an extra layer of security by using a multi-factor authentication.
- Keep a clean machine. Make sure software is up-to-date and install updates for apps on your device’s operating system.
- Know your apps. Review and understand the details of an app before downloading and installing it. Also, check to make sure the vendor or creator of the app is reputable.
- Consider what you share. Limit the amount of personal information you share about yourself online.
Learn More
To learn more about cybersecurity and what you can do to prevent it and report it, visit these resources:
- CISA National Cyber Security Awareness MonthOpens In A New Window
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Cybersecurity Guide
- Ready.gov Cybersecurity ResourcesOpens In A New Window
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Stop Think Connect Opens In A New Window
- Be sure to check out this month’s tip sheets for more cybersecurity tips for kids and older adults!