In The Know
The Weekly Newsletter of
The Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
Friday, February 5, 2021
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This Week's Featured Video
NAACP leader on the Importance of Black History Month
Plus: 5 Recommendations to Celebrate Black History Month
From CBS News: NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson joins CBSN to discuss the importance of understanding Black history as well as how the NAACP is marking its 112th anniversary. And here's a bonus video from Fast Company: From Amanda Gorman's books to Maya Angelou Barbie dolls, senior staff writer Liz Segran has some great recommendations to celebrate Black culture and talent this Black History Month. Click here to watch.
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Utilize Shop Where I Live For Valentine's Day!
More Chamber Members Add Their Storefronts & Gift Cards!
Looking for the perfect Valentine's Day gift or plan? Support your local businesses by shopping the Chamber's new "Shop Where I Live" Website.
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It's Coffee & Connections Time!
As we work toward an eventual face-to-face event, we want to get the ball rolling with Coffee & Connections, virtual-style. Grab a cup of coffee and get ready to be gonged (you have one minute to tell us about your product, service, event, or special offer). This popular speed-networking and promotional event is fun, effective, and efficient.
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What: February "Coffee & Connections"
When: Wednesday, February 10th
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Where: Via Zoom. You will receive your link after you register.
Cost: $15 Per Person.
RSVP: By clicking here or the button below.
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Jefferson County selected for program
that provides economic development guidance
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From Lexi Biasi at WTOV9: Jefferson County is one of five communities that has been selected to participate in an initiative called the Prepared Communities Program.
The program, facilitated by Ohio Southeast Economic Development and Bricker and Eckler LLP, aims to prepare communities with economic development tools and a plan that fits that community's needs.
Jefferson County officials will now be awarded six free consulting hours with Bricker and Eckler to discuss upcoming projects.
"As we look forward to 2021 and putting 2020 in the rearview mirror, we want to develop a plan that we can execute upon," explained Robert Naylor, executive director of the Jefferson County Port Authority.
"It allows us to have more personalized, more specific targeting at job creation, business retention, and expansion in that area."
"It's just not Steubenville, it's just not Toronto, it's not just Wintersville, but we have to bring in the southern end of the county, the far western end of the county, and the northern end of the county.”
Jefferson County was one of over 60 participants to apply.
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Chamber Billboard Available for 2021
The Chamber billboard is located at the top of Market Street hill and is able to be used by Chamber member non-profits at the discounted rate of $300 per month. There are a few openings available for the remainder of 2021. If you are interested, please contact Hannah Ward at 740.282.6226 or hannah@jeffersoncountychamber.com.
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First Membership Directory & Community Guide In Many Years
Virtual version, changeable display ads and more
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Be a part of the beautiful full-color 2021 Membership Directory & Community Guide that will be out this spring. Your display ad is designed for free and you are able to change it throughout the year at no charge. Perfect for seasonal messages or promotions, events that you want to advertise, or even job openings. Your ad also links directly to your website or social media page.
Be on the lookout for a call from Lunar Cow Publishing, our partner on this important projects. Questions, contact the Chamber offices at 740.282.6226.
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US Chamber Virtual Event:
Jim Collins: The Roadmap to Greatness
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Date: Wednesday, February 17th, 2020
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This live, virtual event provides direct access to Jim for over 2 hours of deep learning, allowing time for Q&A on how Jim’s extraordinary guide to business success can be implemented into your company in 2021.
You Will Learn:
- The Map — a one-page framework taking you on a sequential path to implement the Good To Great® concepts
- How to achieve the outputs of a great company: superior results, distinctive impact, and enduring change
- What great companies have in common that distinguish them from their competitors
- Critical strategies, disciplines and practical tools to build a great organization
- And much more...
As part of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce network, you can save $50 on tickets.
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Ask the Expert - Patent Law Webinar- Register Now!
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The SBDC invites you to join attorney, Jake Ward as he discusses Patent Law, when you need it and when you may not. This one-hour, live "Ask the Expert" web-chat was created for inventors, business owners, and professionals who want more information on Intellectual Property law, trademarks, patents, trade secrets and more.
Date: Thursday, February 11th, 2021
Time: Noon to 1 p.m.
Cost: Free of charge
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Governor DeWine's Press Conference Highlights
Below are the updates from Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted’s latest press conference. The next press conference is currently scheduled for Tuesday, February 9th, at 2:00 P.M. You may view it on the WTOV9 website.
- Ohio’s COVID-19 case data:
- 791,191 confirmed cases
- 119,656 probable cases
- 910,847 total cases
- 47,110 hospitalizations
- 10,225 confirmed deaths
- 1,284 probable deaths
- 11,509 total deaths
- 806,397 presumed recovered
- 6,800 ICU admissions
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More data is available on the COVID-19 Dashboard HERE.
VACCINE UPDATE
- Ohio is among the top five states for delivering COVID-19 vaccine doses to long-term care facility residents.
- As a result of this aggressive effort to vaccinate those in long-term care, Ohio is beginning to see a drop in cases.
- Pfizer has notified Ohio that they believe they will increase their shipment of vaccine by 40 percent around mid-to-late February.
- Shipments could additionally increase even more by the end of March. Pfizer is currently shipping approximately 73,000 doses to Ohio per week.
- Moderna doses have increased from 73,200 two weeks ago to 105,600 doses that are expected next week.
- Ohio was one of the first states to draw unused doses from the long-term care program, and those 77,000 extra doses are being delivered this week to select CVS and Walgreens pharmacies.
ODJFS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TEAM:
- Governor DeWine announced the formation of a new Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Public-Private Partnership Team to improve Ohioans’ experiences with the unemployment system.
- Members of the team will include highly-skilled experts, most of whom are on loan from some of Ohio’s top banking and insurance companies:
• Fifth Third Bank
• Nationwide
• Western & Southern Financial Group
• Encova Insurance
• KeyBank
- Pat Tiberi, President and CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable, worked with business leaders to identify the best talent for the partnership team who have experience in large organizations’ call centers, claims processes, and fraud detection.
- The team currently has around 16 members but is expected to grow.
UNEMPLOYMENT UPDATE:
- This week, Ohio has paid out nearly $100 million to more than 110,000 Ohioans receiving traditional unemployment.
- This represents some extended weeks of benefits plus an additional $300 a week, which were included with the new federal aid.
- Starting this Saturday, more than 155,000 Ohioans will also start seeing benefits from this new federal aid package.
- This includes Ohioans who recently lost a job as a result of the pandemic as well as Ohioans who continue to be impacted due to the pandemic.
- By the last week in February, all Ohioans impacted by unemployment will have the ability to claim all the weeks and supplements available under the law and receive the benefits they are owed.
OPIOID SETTLEMENT:
- Governor DeWine also commented on Ohio's $24.7 million settlement with McKinsey & Co. for its role in fueling the opioid crisis.
- The settlement is part of a $573 million national settlement encompassing 47 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.
- Settlement funds will be distributed as part of the OneOhio plan which focuses funding to programs that address prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery as well as criminal justice and public awareness costs that promote the overall health and well-being of Ohioans.
- Ohio was one of the first states to file lawsuits against the opioid manufacturers and distributers that pushed millions of addictive pills into Ohio.
- Last year, the state developed the OneOhio partnership with Ohio townships, villages, cities, and counties that filed suit against these same companies.
INVESTING IN OHIO: OHIO’S FY 22-23 OPERATING BUDGET
Statements of Support for Governor DeWine’s Executive Budget:
Broadband:
“OhioX applauds Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Husted, and their entire team for a technology and innovation-focused proposed biennial budget. Tech-focused companies, organizations, and people will play an important role in growing our economy as we build for the future. This budget is the latest example of our State’s commitment to becoming a leading technology innovation hub.” - Chris Berry, President, OhioX
Law Enforcement:
“Body- worn cameras come with very high costs associated not only with the purchase, but with storage. The Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association (BSSA) fully supports this funding request, and if funding is secured, this will be a huge win for law enforcement.”- Keith Everhart, BSSA President and Hardin County Sheriff
Kids:
“The Governor’s budget demonstrates Mike DeWine’s deep commitment to Ohio children and families. With implementation of the federal Family First Prevention Services Act in October and a brand-new Kinship Support Program rolling out, 2021 will be a pivotal year for county children services agencies. The Governor maintained the bulk of the unprecedented increases made two years ago. In challenging budget years, we sometimes see reductions in county allocations, but the Governor kept his word to continue moving forward his vision for stabilizing the children services system and working toward transformation.” - Angela Sausser, Executive Director, Public Children Services Association of Ohio
Local Government:
The Ohio Township Association appreciates Governor DeWine’s continued support of local governments, particularly through broadband funding outlined in the Executive budget proposal. Over the last year, it has become undeniably apparent that connectivity is a necessity, not an option – and yet, broadband is a crucial tool to which so many township communities still lack access. Additionally, the OTA appreciates the support directed to infrastructure, MARCS, and the recently reinstituted local government indigent burial reimbursement program, among other items. The OTA looks forward to our continued partnership with the DeWine administration and the Ohio General Assembly on these funding areas and other programs to support township services.” - Heidi Fought, Executive Director, Ohio Township Association
Ohioans can apply for unemployment benefits online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at unemployment.ohio.gov. It is also possible to file by phone at 877-644-6562 or TTY at 888- 642-8203, Monday through Friday 7AM to 7PM, Saturday 9AM to 5PM, and Sunday 9AM to 1PM. Employers with questions should email UCTech@jfs.ohio.gov.
As always, Coronavirus.Ohio.Gov and the Department of Health hotline, 1-833-4-ASK-ODH are great resources for those who have questions.
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Love is in the air!
Share Your High School Photos & You Could Win A $50 Gift Card!
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With Valentine's Day just around the corner, there's an opportunity for a much-needed break from the "serious and senseless" that has been consuming our days and nights. And nothing brings a smile to someone's face like really bad high school photos.
Send us your "young love" pictures from prom, homecoming, or sock hop (depending on your age), and we'll share them to Facebook all of February, allowing people to guess who's in each picture. Check out our first brave participant to the left! And visit our Facebook page to see who it is.
Email your photo to hannah@jeffersoncountychamber.com with "Young Love" in the subject line. Everyone who participates will be entered in a drawing for a $50 gift card to a Chamber member business of your choice.
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CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL EATERIES, BREW PUBS, BAKERIES, AND WINERIES.
As the Ohio Valley continues to reopen safely, remember to continue supporting our local, Chamber member food businesses. They are working hard to adapt to your needs and come back from months of restrictions and limitations. Click here for the latest issue of "Let's Eat!"
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Member Morsels
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.
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Check Out General Rental's Tool and Equipment Closeout Sale!
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J.K. Auto Glass Exclusive Chamber Member Windshield Chip Repair Discount
Did you know that a simple rock chip can quickly spread into a crack the whole length of your windshield? And did you also know that temperature changes can help to expedite the spread of a crack?
This is a great time to get those chips filled! It's significantly cheaper to have a rock chip filled than to replace your windshield! J.K. Auto Glass currently offers a discount to Chamber members who would like to have their windshield rock chips filled. Remember, J.K. Auto Glass offers mobile services so they come to you.
Special Chamber Member Discount: $49.99 plus tax. (Regular $75)
Offer expires February 15th. Phone 740.381.1234 for more information or click here for a printable flier.
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Around the State. Around the Country.
Up-to-Date Information from the Ohio and United States Chamber of Commerce
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Ohio Senate Takes Quick Action in Support of Ohio's Business Community
The Ohio Senate Wednesday unanimously passed Senate Bill 13 (SB 13) – legislation that will improve the state’s business and legal climates by reforming Ohio’s contract laws. The bill, sponsored by Senator George Lang, mirrors House Bill 251 from the prior General Assembly which passed the Ohio House and Senate with broad bi-partisan support but failed to get across the finish line during the final days of the lame duck session.
Under the bill, Ohio’s statute of limitation on written contracts will move from eight years to six years, and the limitation period for oral contracts will move from six years to four years. This reduction will have numerous benefits for Ohio employers including lower operating costs and greater certainty about their legal obligations which helps employers in the Buckeye State grow their business and compete with other companies across the country.
Read the article in its entirety by clicking here.
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Why Full Time Workers Are Unlikely to Qualify for Public Assistance
The many issues surrounding workers’ pay can be complicated and highly charged. But as discussions about these challenges play out on Capitol Hill and across the country, it is important to ensure the conversation is centered around facts.
One claim that proponents of wage increases sometimes make is that the government subsidizes businesses whose workers include low-wage earners. They say that the burden is shifted away from businesses in the form of a fair salary and to the government in the form of public support programs, including welfare and others.
The reality is that this is seldom the case.
A full-time employee is unlikely to qualify for public assistance.
Read the article in its entirety by clicking here.
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The Library Link
Great Books About Business With Just A Click
Please Note: The Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County is open for curbside service. Visit www.steubenvillelibrary.org to order books, then call your library branch to schedule an appointment to pick up your library items. Library branch contact information and operating hours are available by clicking here on this link from the website.
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:
Honest to Greatness:
How Today's Greatest Leaders Use Brutal Honesty to Achieve Massive Success
by Peter Kozodoy
In Honest to Greatness, serial Inc. 5000 entrepreneur Peter Kozodoy shows how today's greatest business leaders use honesty--not as a touchy-feely core value, but as a business strategy that produces game-changing, industry-dominating success.
Through case studies and interviews with leaders at Bridgewater Associates, Sprint, Quicken Loans, Domino's, The Ritz-Carlton, and more, Kozodoy presents fresh business concepts that anyone in the workplace can implement in order to:
* Reach, engage, and retain your best customers
* Attract and inspire the best talent in any industry
* Create an unbeatable culture of innovation that dominates your competitors
* Earn your team's respect and loyalty
* Unlock deep personal fulfillment by setting the "right" goals
Filled with powerful lessons for current and future leaders, this timely book demonstrates how to use honesty at both the organizational and individual level to achieve true greatness in business and in life.
Click here to borrow a copy!
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Today in History
United Artists created
- February 5, 1919 -
From History: On February 5, 1919, Hollywood heavyweights Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith joined forces to create their own film studio, which they called the United Artists Corporation.
United Artists quickly gained prestige in Hollywood, thanks to the success of the films of its stars, notably Chaplin’s The Gold Rush (1925), as well as the work of actors such as Buster Keaton, Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson. Chaplin directed UA films as well as acted in them, and Pickford concentrated on producing after she retired from acting in the 1930s. With the rise of sound during that decade, UA was helped by the talents (and bankrolls) of veteran producers like Joseph Schenck, Samuel Goldwyn, Howard Hughes and Alexander Korda. The corporation began to struggle financially in the 1940s, however, and in 1951 the production studio was sold and UA became only a financing and distributing facility.
By the mid-1950s, all of the original partners had sold their shares of the company, but UA had begun to thrive again, releasing such films as The African Queen (1951), High Noon (1952), Witness for the Prosecution (1957), Some Like It Hot (1959), The Apartment and The Magnificent Seven (both 1960) and West Side Story (1961). In addition, the company was responsible for the James Bond and Pink Panther film franchises. UA went public in 1957 and became a subsidiary of the TransAmerica Corporation a decade later.
UA films garnered a slew of Best Picture Academy Awards over the course of the 1970s, for Midnight Cowboy (1969), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), Rocky (1976) and Annie Hall (1977). Soon after that, however, five top executives left the company in a disagreement and formed the Warner Brothers-backed Orion Pictures. UA sustained an even more devastating blow in 1980, when it released the big-budget flop Heaven’s Gate, directed by Michael Cimino. Two years in the making and way over budget, the film earned less than $4 million at the U.S. box office. After that debacle, UA struggled throughout the 1980s. In 1981, MGM bought the company, merging with it in 1983 to become MGM/UA Entertainment. In a highlight of those relatively dark years, UA did release another Best Picture winner, Rain Man, in 1988.
In 1992, the French bank Credit Lyonnais acquired the corporation and changed its name back to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., abandoning the United Artists name altogether. The James Bond and Pink Panther franchises were revived, with varying degrees of success. MGM changed hands and was reorganized repeatedly over the next decade and a half, during which UA was repositioned as a boutique producer of smaller, so-called “art house” films such as Bowling for Columbine (2002), Hotel Rwanda (2005) and Capote (2006). In November of 2006, MGM gave the actor/producer Tom Cruise (star of Rain Man) and his production partner, Paula Wagner, control over the United Artists production slate, announcing the decision as a “reintroduction” of the UA brand in the spirit of its founders. Cruise and Wagner, whose former deal with Paramount Pictures ended amid reported acrimony earlier in 2006, released their first co-production with UA, Lions for Lambs, in 2007. Thereafter the UA brand was subsumed into MGM, and revived in 2018 as United Artists Digital Studios.
For more events that took place on
February 5th, please click here.
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Did You Know?
Punxsutawney Phil's full name is “Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary."
Phil has correctly predicted the beginning of spring 100% of the time, according to his owners. However, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the ground hog shows “no predictive skill” for the last few years. Which should be a relief for those who are disappointed by his prognostication earlier this week,
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Questions about Oil & Gas?
These non-profit organizations are here to help you stay up-to-date on the oil and gas industry in Jefferson County:
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Get The Information You Need - The Chamber Staff Is Here To Help
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Hannah Ward
Administrative Assistant
Contact Hannah with changes to your membership information, questions regarding events or programs, or assistance with scheduling an Eblast or Member Morsel.
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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.
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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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