In The Know
The Weekly Newsletter of
The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce   



Friday, September 3rd, 2021
This Week's Featured Video

Stay Safe. Stay Smart. Stay Home.

It's Labor Day weekend, the last hurrah of summer, but it doesn't mean you have to travel out of the area to enjoy what looks to be a beautiful three days, weather-wise. Help our area continue on the right path by considering a weekend close to home, in addition to continuing helpful safety protocols. Wear a mask, if you are unvaccinated, not feeling well, or are in enclosed, crowded spaces. Continue to maintain distance when standing in line or whenever possible. Wash your hands often. If you are symptomatic, stay home. Get vaccinated. Get outside. Be gracious, polite, and patient with family, friends, neighbors and the local businesses who are still navigating uncertain and challenging times.

And what can you do in lieu of traveling? Click "Play" above to view a video from MojoTravels with 10 staycation ideas that might stoke your creativity and also support local businesses in the process. Need a handy list of our local, member retailers and eateries? Click below. And read below to learn about all the natural resources that Jefferson County has to offer.
Please Note: The Chamber offices will be closed on Monday, September 6th, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Regular business hours will resume on Tuesday, September 7th.
Jefferson County's Natural Resources: Check them out this weekend!

Jefferson County's natural beauty is something to be witnessed, regardless of the season. Its 411 square miles include wooded hills, over 900 miles of streams, rolling farmlands and, of course, the beautiful Ohio River which is fed by three main tributaries: Short Creek in the southern part of the county, Cross Creek in the center, and Yellow Creek in the northern section. The county is home to various other natural resource areas that provide excellent opportunities for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.  

Fernwood State Forest boasts over 3,000 acres with camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, a shooting range, and bird watching. The Brush Creek Wildlife Area is over 4,000 acres and, in addition to the amenities available at Fernwood, also has ATV trails. Jefferson State Lake Park's 962 acres includes horseback riding trails in addition to hiking, camping, boating, hunting, fishing and bird watching. And the county-owned Friendship Park, host site for the annual Jefferson County Fair, sits on 1300 acres, providing a beautiful setting for boating, mountain biking, camping, and fishing.

The Steubenville Parks and Recreation Department maintains 13 parks throughout the city in addition to the Belleview Municipal Pool and the Martin Luther King Recreation Center. The staff also offers a variety of recreational activities and programs free to the community throughout the year. From baseball fields and playgrounds to walking trails and shelter houses, the Steubenville park system has just what you're looking for when a little fresh air is in order.

Austin Lakes & Campgrounds, a local business icon, opened in 1946 and was named one of the "top urban campgrounds in the United States" by USA Today. Imagine stepping back in time but with all of the modern conveniences and updated amenities that make a day, weekend, or week away comfortable and convenient. Picnic shelters, RV, and camping sites, cabins, hayrides, swimming, pontoon boat rentals, paddle boarding, and more make Austin Lake a favorite among locals as well as haven enjoyed by guests from across the country and beyond. 
Annual Dinner Presenters Announced
Impressive Duo Of Speakers to Address the 113th Annual Dinner Meeting of the  
Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce 
The past 18 months have put unimaginable challenges in front of business and industry worldwide, with two of the hardest hit being travel and food service. With that in mind, The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that the theme for its 113th Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner is "The Long Road Back: Business In A New World." 

Even more exciting is the duo of speakers lined up for the evening: Cameron Mitchell of the Columbus, Ohio-based Cameron Mitchell Restaurants and Paul Hoback Jr., Chief Development Officer for the Allegheny County Airport Authority that operates both the Pittsburgh International Airport and the Allegheny County Airport. These dynamic and interesting business leaders will discuss how they navigated through the past 18 months and what the future looks like in a post-COVID world. 
Cameron Mitchell Restaurants began in a very humble place– Cameron Mitchell’s mother’s dining room table. It was there that Cameron mapped out his career goals that would eventually set the course for his restaurant industry career. 
In 1993, Cameron signed a lease for a small piece of storefront property, tucked in the northwest corner of Columbus. The space would be transformed into his first restaurant, “Cameron’s.” This contemporary American bistro wowed Columbus diners with its diverse flavors selected from across the American culinary landscape, as well as its extraordinary attention to service. Cameron’s was a notable success, especially when considering Columbus’ highly competitive restaurant business climate. Among the raving fans were investors and developers, who were hungry for more. And it didn't take long for Cameron to diversify and expand, discovering he had a gift for developing winning restaurant concepts in the process.  
While remaining independent and privately held, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants has grown to 39 restaurants and 18 different concepts with locations in 12 states. In addition to Cameron’s, the concepts are: Cap City Fine Diner & Bar, The Guild House, Hudson 29 Kitchen + Drink, Martini Modern Italian, Marcella’s, Ocean Prime, Molly Woo’s Asian Bistro, The Pearl Restaurant, Tavern & Oyster Room, The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek, The Avenue Steak Tavern, Del Mar SoCal Kitchen, Lincoln Social Rooftop, and El Segundo Mexican Kitchen.

In addition to these restaurant ventures, Cameron Mitchell Premier Events continues to thrive as the premier caterer in Columbus, Ohio. After the sale of two of its most popular concepts – Mitchell’s/Columbus Fish Market and Mitchell’s/Cameron’s Steakhouse – to Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Inc. in early 2008,

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants is focusing on developing new restaurant concepts as well as expanding concepts currently in the company’s portfolio. Founded in 2002, the Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern, a sister company of CMR, currently operates 22 locations in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Florida, and North Carolina. 
If you ask Cameron, the spark for such growth and success is the “people first” culture and philosophy that’s deeply embedded in every level of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. The company doesn’t just hire great people; it also treats them great. This inspires Cameron Mitchell associates to radiate genuine hospitality that guests, vendors, and the community at large can feel and appreciate.
Pittsburgh International Airport is often in the headlines with its progressive and interesting happenings. Most recently, it made news for reaching a milestone this past July when it took itself completely off the local power grid, establishing its own microgrid based on on-site natural gas wells, as well as solar power. In doing so, PIT not only insulates itself from power outages affecting the surrounding area, but it also provides a working model for clear-eyed thinking about balancing concern for the environment and combating global warming with the need to power our world. Another recent announcement was the addition of Breeze Airways, which is receiving about $560,000 in incentives to fly to four cities from Pittsburgh International Airport. It marks the latest subsidy deal offered by the Allegheny County Airport Authority, which operates the Findlay airport, in its efforts to attract more flights to the region. Breeze started service from the airport to Charleston, S.C.; Hartford, Conn.; Providence, R.I.; and Norfolk, Va., last month. The new airline, based in Salt Lake City, just received the first $140,000 of the half-million dollar subsidy under its arrangement with the authority.
Paul L. Hoback Jr., Chief Development Officer for the Allegheny County Airport Authority, will address the Chamber membership at the upcoming annual dinner. In this role, Paul is responsible for Pittsburgh International Airport’s $1.39 billion Terminal Modernization Program, as well as strategic leadership for all airport capital development projects. Mr. Hoback has been with the Airport Authority for nearly 21 years (since December of 2000), serving in numerous capacities, from Engineering Project Manager and Director of Maintenance and Capital Improvements to Senior Vice President of Engineering, Planning and Capital Development.

Paul has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Geneva College. He serves on aviation and construction industry committees and on various community boards within the Pittsburgh region.  

Resources: Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, JDSupra.com, and Forbes.com.
The Chamber's Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner Meeting is held each year to bring local businesspeople together to celebrate the year’s successes and to hear from informative and inspirational presenters. The date is Wednesday, October 20th, National Chamber of Commerce Day. Tickets are $65 per person and include dinner, presentation, and an after-dinner drink and dessert bar. Tables of eight may be reserved.

St. Florian Event Center in Wintersville is the location for this year’s event, with cocktails beginning at 5 and dinner and presentations at 6. Watch your mail for your official invitation in the coming weeks. Online registration is also open. Click below to begin.
The Chamber would like to thank the 2021 Gold Sponsors of this important Chamber event that include:

A limited number of sponsorships are still available for Chamber member businesses. Please call the Chamber offices for details at 740-282-6226 or click the button below.
Save The Date!
2021 Holiday Open House Is Set.
The Chamber is happy to announce that the 2021 Holiday Open House will once again be sponsored by our friends at Apollo Pro Cleaning & Restoration with an exciting, new location: Hellenic Hall in downtown Steubenville. Mark your calendar now for Wednesday, December 8th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and join us at this beautiful venue located at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.
Business Start-Up Webinar
Part 1 - Mon., Sept. 13, 2021, Noon-1 p.m.
Part 2 - Wed., Sept. 15, 2021, Noon-1 p.m.

Have you ever considered owning your own business or are in the early stages of starting a business? If so, join us for Business Start-Up web chats LIVE with Sue Gaiser, SBDC Advisor and business owners. .
The Business Start-Up web chats are an overview of issues related to starting and operating a business.

Part one will cover:

  • Concept of your business
  • Being prepared for a start-up
  • Creating a business plan
  • Funding your venture

Part two will cover:

  • Permits and licensing
  • Types of Business Structures
  • Record keeping


Register online by clicking the button below. A link will be sent to you the morning of the webinar. And take a moment to check out the SBDC's ongoing series of live webinars by clicking the button to your right.
Stay up-to-date with the Chamber's Updated 2021 Event & Promotional Calendar!

Don't miss any of the events or programs coming up for the remainder of the year! Click below for a printable event and promotional calendar so that you may take advantage of all the Chamber is offering. It includes dates & times for Coffee & Connections, provides information on Eblast packages, In The Know blurbs, has the latest Chamber social media info, and important holiday shopping, buy-local, and promotional programs that are just around the corner!
It's Time For Coffee & Connections!
Come enjoy the Chamber's most popular networking event.
Join us on Wednesday, September 8th, at a Coffee & Connections' favorite location. We will be gathering at Margaret's Cafe in Toronto to network and mingle with fellow Chamber member businesses and organizations. 

Coffee & Connections is casual, fun, and the perfect way to share news about all that your business or organization has to offer. Bring business cards, marketing pieces, coupons, and/or giveaway items. We'll have you in and out in no time. 

What: "Coffee & Connections"
When: Wednesday, September 8th, 2021 - 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. (Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.)
Where: Margaret's Cafe, 805 North 5th Street, Toronto, OH 43964
How Much?: $15 Per Person. $20 for walk-ins.
MEMBER MORSELS
Labor Day Concert

End the summer season with the final performance of the Fort Steuben Concert Series on Monday, September 6th, at 7 p.m. Local favorite The Fossils will open for Silver Springs: A Fleetwood Mac Experience at the Berkman Amphitheater/Fort Steuben Park.

Bring a blanket, some goodies from local eateries, and relax by the Ohio River. For more information, please call the Visitor Center at 740-283-1787.
When Disaster Strikes,
We Can Help Strike Back!

The Chamber has teamed up with the American Red Cross to share volunteer opportunities available locally, that can have a big impact on our community. As the Red Cross continues to deliver critical services,volunteers are needed in order to meet critical needs during emergencies. It's easy to get started, very rewarding and a great way to support neighbors, family, friends and the local business community. Current openings include the following areas:

Shelter Support

Compassionate and committed individuals are needed to support sheltering efforts this disaster season. Shelter volunteers support the day-to-day activities within a shelter, which may include working in reception, registration, feeding, dormitory, information, or other vital areas within a temporary shelter. Free online training will be provided.

Disaster Health Services

Are you a licensed healthcare professional? If so, we also have a high need for people like you to provide assistance and health care to shelter residents. Free online training will be provided and you may also obtain CE credits. If the need arises, volunteers are asked to commit to multiple local shifts of 4, 8, or 12 hours each. Licenses needed include: RN, LPN, LVN, EMT, Paramedic, MD, DO, PA, NP, APRN.
Virtual informational sessions about these positions are available to watch at your convenience. You can hear directly from Red Cross volunteers who have been deployed as shelter support and Disaster Health Services volunteers. For more information or to register for a session, visit www.redcross.org/carhelptoday.

The number-one priority of the American Red Cross is the health and safety of its employees, volunteers, blood donors, blood recipients, and the people we serve. Be sure to review the CDC guidance for more information, consult your healthcare provider, and follow local guidance.

If you would like to volunteer in any of these positions or if you would like more information, please contact CARVolunteerServices@redcross.org (304) 340-3650 or visit www.redcross.org/volunteertoday.
Sycamore Center Summer Concert

This week's Sycamore Summer Concert will take place on Saturday, August 21st, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and will feature the "Honkytonk Sweethearts" and Bluegrass music by Jim McLaughlin & Bailey Stephenson. The concert is free and open to all ages.

"Cafe Sy" Coffee House will provide coffee, tea, soda, and baked goods (donations welcome). We hope to see you there. The Sycamore Center is located at 301 N. 4th Street in Steubenville.

Questions? Contact Bobbyjon Bauman at bobbyjonbauman@gmail.com or by phone at 740-409-2986.
Member Morsels are free and an easy, fast way to reach hundreds each week. It reaches the entire Chamber database each Friday - that's over 850 local business owners, managers, and employees.
Remember to visit individual member websites by clicking on the business name or logo. Submit your Member Morsel by clicking the button below.
WEEKLY LIBRARY LINK
  Great Books About Business With Just A Click

Your link to success begins at the library. With each week of "In The Know," 
 you to a business book or magazine that will inspire, teach, inform, or elevate you, professionally and personally. This week:


Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
by Adam Grant

The bestselling author of Give and Take and Originals examines the critical art of rethinking: learning to question your beliefs and to know what you don't know, which can position you for success at work and happiness at home.

The difficulty of rethinking our assumptions is surprisingly common--maybe even fundamentally human. Our ways of thinking become habits that we don't bother to question, and mental laziness leads us to prefer the ease of old routines to the difficulty of new ones. We fail to update the beliefs we formed in the past for the challenges we face in the present. But in a rapidly changing world, we need to spend as much time rethinking as we do thinking.

Think Again is a book about the benefit of doubt, and about how we can get better at embracing the unknown and the joy of being wrong.


Click here to borrow a copy of this book.
CHAMBER MEMBER RESOURCES

The Chamber is excited to announce that its podcast series, "In Good Company," is now live on the iHeartRadio app and site! Click below to listen or tune in via your cell phone or laptop at www.iheart.com by searching, "Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce." And watch for new episodes in the coming months. Have someone you'd like to have as our guest? Email suggestions to info@jeffersoncountychamber.com.
Today in History

- September 3, 1777 -
The Stars and Stripes flies in battle
for the first time

From History: The American flag is flown in battle for the first time, during a Revolutionary War skirmish at Cooch’s Bridge, Delaware.

Patriot General William Maxwell ordered the stars and stripes banner raised as a detachment of his infantry and cavalry met an advance guard of British and Hessian troops. The rebels were defeated and forced to retreat to General George Washington’s main force near Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania.

Three months before, on June 14, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution stating that “the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white” and that “the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”

The national flag, which became known as the “Stars and Stripes,” was based on the “Grand Union” flag, a banner carried by the Continental Army in 1776 that also consisted of 13 red and white stripes. According to legend, Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross designed the new canton for the Stars and Stripes, which consisted of a circle of 13 stars and a blue background, at the request of General George Washington.

Historians have been unable to conclusively prove or disprove this legend.

To read this entire article, please click here.
As Labor Day approaches, it is a time to both celebrate American workers and take a critical look at how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the U.S. has largely reopened and a significant portion of the population is vaccinated, the national unemployment rate is still far higher than it was prior to the pandemic, at 5.4% as of July 2021.

Did You Know?

  • Labor Day travel is up. 48% more people will travel this Labor Day than last year.
  • Consumers plan to shop more. 24% more people plan on going shopping this Labor Day than last year.
  • Mixed feelings on unemployment benefits. 38% of people do not think that Congress should continue to give extra unemployment benefits.
  • Americans fear new variants. 81% of Americans think that new COVID variants will have a negative impact on the economy.
  • Many people support restrictions based on vaccination status. Half of Americans think it's good for the economy to restrict indoor venues to people who are vaccinated only

Text: WalletHub
Picture: City of Miami 
Tricia Maple-Damewood
President

Contact Tricia with suggestions, input or feedback on member programming, how to get involved on a committee or special project or with questions related to Chamber membership.
Hannah Ward
Administrative & Membership Coordinator

Contact Hannah with changes to your membership information, questions regarding events or programs, or assistance with scheduling an Eblast or Member Morsel.
Craig Cribbs, Reso, Inc.
Billing Support
740-275-4940
Contact Craig with invoice or billing questions and to make a dues, event or sponsorship payment.
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Contact Us
The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
630 Market Street
Steubenville, OH 43952
Phone: 740.282.6226
Fax:  740.282.6285
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