March 4, 2021

Get the Visual version here: https://conta.cc/2NSom1P

COMMERCE WEEKLY NEWSBITES

Commerce UPDATES/NEWS

 

SAVE the DATE

 

March 30, 2021

Entrepreneurial Roundtable Series – II

Sponsored by sfcu

MWBE Certification – An intro

Time: Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Watch for more details.

We are excited to announce that we are in the process of creating a new Chenango County Relocation and Community Guide. While this publication provides Chenango County information, and promotes our new Commerce Chenango brand, you as a Chamber member, will have the opportunity to advertising your products and services. Details for advertising in the 2021 publication can be found here.

Commerce Chenango would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who so graciously donated funding through the Chenango Foundation during the COVID pandemic in 2020 to support projects that were important to the greater good of Chenango County. One hundred percent of the donations received through the Foundation from March to December, went directly to the projects that it served. Read the full release here.

 

MEMBER Section

 

Blueox Energy & Neighborhood Markets Hits 7,000

Blueox has officially grown to just over 7000 customers. They attributed this momentum success to their all of their customers and their entire workforce for working hard all year long to take care of our customers- from delivering fuel in a snowstorm - to fixing a furnace in the middle of the night - and all the conversations helping customers in between.

In 2019, Blueox Energy Products and Neighborhood Markets was awarded the Commerce Chenango Business of the Year. The award designation is a tribute to the business that demonstrates consistent business growth, dedication to excellence and quality, and investment in their business, employees and the community. Congratulations to a job well done!

Chenango River Theatre News

The CRT is planning for some kind of season later in 2021. It could be anything from 1-3 shows, with a 3 week run instead of our usual 4. If it’s only 1-2 shows, we won’t be selling “season” tickets. But, our prior season ticket holders and donors would have the first opportunity to buy tickets to each show individually before we open tickets up to the general public. It’s likely to be at least June or July before we really know what’s happening. 

APPLIANCE ALERT: We are hoping someone has a working dryer they could donate. Ours died 4 months ago and we hate to go out and buy a new one if we can get one that someone doesn’t need anymore.

 

ANNUAL WINTER GALA CANCELLED FOR 2021: It was hard to give up what is the winter’s best party, but clearly circumstances left no choice. The Winter Gala will be back in January 2022. For this year, our two big fundraisers will be the BIG CASH RAFFLE later this summer and our ANNUAL FALL APPEAL at the end of the year. Watch for more from the CRT.

UHS Chenango Memorial Starts New Outpatient Treatment for COVID Patients

NORWICH – Even as they work with local and regional partners to administer doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, caregivers at UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital continue to care for acutely ill patients battling the virus.

 

Now, thanks to a novel outpatient infusion therapy, they hope to keep those at highest risk of complications from the virus from ever ending up in a hospital bed.

 

“Over the last year, we’ve witnessed the negative outcomes patients battling this virus can have, particularly those with pre-existing conditions that place them at higher risk,” explained Chris Kisacky.

 

Last week, hospital staff introduced a new type of treatment designed to do just that. The treatment, known as monoclonal antibody therapy, involves infusion of a drug called Bamlanivimab. It received emergency use authorization from the Food & Drug Administration for use with COVID-19 positive patients in November.

 

“It allows people to get better faster, and decrease the need for hospitalizations,” explained Dr. Kurt Harding, Primary Care Medical Director at UHS Chenango Memorial. The physician leader was instrumental in launching the new treatment. Read more on the UHS infusion therapy here.

Welcome to the New Leadership Team at Norwich City Schools

 In January 2020, Norwich City Schools welcomed a new leadership team. Scott Ryan, longtime Norwich resident and NCSD alum, has taken on a new role as District Superintendent for the school system. Scott previously held positions as the Middle School Principal and Director of Teaching, Learning & Personnel. Jessica Poyer, a longtime teacher in the Oneida district, is new to Norwich and the school district, and will now be the Director of Teaching, Learning & Personnel. She is looking forward to connecting with the community in many ways, including mentorship programs and internships. Brian Bartlett, hails from Erieville, NY, and has joined the leadership team as the Director of Business Services. His role will be to focus on ensuring that the district continues on a path of financial sustainability and to streamline district operations. Congratulations to the team!

 

The Raymond Corporation

— IndustryWeek has selected The Raymond Corporation’s Muscatine, Iowa, manufacturing facility as a finalist for the 2020 Best Plants Award. The publication chose the facility due to Raymond’s robust continuous improvement program and increased efficiency.

 

Among the plant’s highest achievements IndustryWeek recognized are the facility’s warehouse optimization and continuous drive toward long-term excellence. In 2006, Raymond began implementing lean management processes through the Toyota Production System (TPS), which has helped standardize processes, visualize improvements and increase efficiency. Read more.

For the INTERESTED….

 

Quote of the day:  

“There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” - Sam Walton 

Click here to see the Better Business Bureau March Webinar Offerings

 

CDO Workforce News:

The Chenango-Delaware-Otsego Workforce is the agency to link businesses with workers, and workers with the resources they need to develop their careers. They offer a wealth of information & free services for both businesses and job seekers. Please visit the website for an overview of their services. https://www.cdoworkforce.org/

 

Do your Federal Individual Income Taxes for FREE:

The IRS Free File Program is a public-private partnership between the IRS and many tax preparation and filing software industry leaders who provide their brand-name products for free. It provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax online for free:

 

Traditional IRS Free File provides free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner sites. Our partners are online tax preparation companies that develop and deliver this service at no cost to qualifying taxpayers. Please note, only taxpayers whose adjusted gross income (or AGI) is $72,000 or less qualify for any IRS Free File partner offers.

 

Free File Fillable Forms are electronic federal tax forms you can fill out and file online for free. If you choose this option, you should know how to prepare your own tax return. Please note, it is the only IRS Free File option available for taxpayers whose income (AGI) is greater than $72,000. Learn more here. https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

 

Community Members Asked to Weigh In On Various Issues:

Senator Fred Akshar has released his latest Community Voice Survey online to poll the community on various issues facing constituents across the 52nd Senate District.

 

Senator Fred Akshar said, “Our Community Voice Surveys are another way for the people I represent to tell me how they feel about pressing issues in our state. With New York facing an over $15 billion deficit. It's more important than ever for our community members to stay engaged, stay informed and offer feedback to their representatives.”

 

Survey questions cover a wide array of topics, including rescinding the Governor’s emergency executive powers, continuing to defer rent and eviction during the pandemic, the Governor's proposal to eliminate this year's scheduled $400 million Middle Class Tax Cut and the legalization of recreational marijuana. https://www.nysenate.gov/webforms/2021-community-voice-survey

 

COVID-19 UPDATES

 

Commerce Chenango would like to remind you that it still mandatory to wear a mask and to social distance.

 

Only a few days remain for businesses of under 20 employees to receive an exclusive eligibility period for the SBA PPP.

 

The SBA has established a 14-day, exclusive PPP loan application period for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 20 employees and allow sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals to receive more financial support by revising the PPP’s funding formula for these categories of applicants. The 14-day exclusivity period will start on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 9 a.m.

 

To that end, during this exclusive two-week period the Small Business Administration will not review or accept applications from businesses with more than 20 employees. After the 14 days, all qualified businesses can resume applying.

 

We urge you to complete and submit your PPP loan applications now to help ensure that your application is reviewed earlier. We highly encourage you to take advantage of this benefit, including the opportunity to apply for a second draw loan.

Resources to get vaccinated:

 

Guidance for?the New York State COVID-19 Vaccination Program

 

NYS Am I eligible site: https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/ or call 1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829).

 

Chenango County waitlist for those in 1A and 1B/ including age 65+ group: Email name, D.O.B, address, phone number and eligibility criteria to COVID19@co.chenango.ny.us

Looking forward to some in-person gatherings in 2021? Reminder that businesses must certify that they have read and understand the guidance before they can move forward with the large events. Please let Commerce Chenango know if we can assist you. Continue to be safe and follow the guidance as directed.

 

BEGINNING MARCH 15:

Weddings and Catered Events

•           Venues are restricted to 50 capacity, with no more than 150 people per event. 

•           All patrons must be tested prior to the event. 

•           Sign-in with contact information required to assist with potential contact tracing. 

•           Venues must notify local health departments of large events, above the social gathering limit, in advance. 

•           Masks will be required at all times except when seated and eating or drinking. 

•           Ceremonial and socially-distanced dancing allowed under strict guidelines. 

 

This guidance can be found on the NY Forward website under Phase Three Industries, Food Service. The detailed guidelines can be found here.  

For more information on COVID-related news from Commerce Chenango visit our COVID resource page. https://commercechenango.com/covid-19-resources/

 

Tourism Updates

Coronavirus Resources for Travelers: Updated 03/01/21

https://www.iloveny.com/travel-tools/coronavirus-resources-for-travelers/

 

U.S. Travel Reacts to COVID Relief Bill

 

U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the COVID relief package advancing through Congress. “The relief package includes several provisions that will help accelerate the travel industry’s recovery from the devastating impacts of the virus. Among them: resources for vaccine distribution, airport funding, and Economic Development Administration grants. Given the severity of the impact on the travel and tourism industry, more work remains to provide critical recovery and stimulus measures to safely restore our industry." Read the rest of her statement here.

Last but not least…

 

How Active Listening Can Boost Your Career:

People often assume it’s what they say that matters most in job interviews or in conversations with supervisors or coworkers. After all, you can’t prove yourself and what you’re capable of without first telling the people around you what you know, right?

 

What if we told you the key to making advances in your career isn’t just about what you say? What if boosting your career has as much to do with how you listen? Or how proficient you are at active listening, to be precise. Read more.