Chamber calendar

Saturday, August 9: Downtown Gallery Stroll, 6-10 p.m.

Wednesday, August 13: Downtown Property Owners and interested parties, on city revitalization grant, 11:30 a.m., 17 East Restaurant.

Wednesday, August 20: Business After Business, Majestic Courtyard, 5-7 p.m.
BAB Registration

Thursday, August 21: Executive Committee, 8:30 a.m.

Monday, August 25: Ross County chapter of the Ohioans to Protect Jobs and Fair Benefits; 4 p.m., Ross County Service Center.

Thursday, August 28: Board of Directors, Horizon Chillicothe Telephone, noon.

Chamber-related links

Economic Development
www.edaso.org

Chillicothe Job Bank
www.chillicothejobbank.net

Downtown Chillicothe
www.downtownchillicothe.com

Chillicothe YPN
www.chillicotheypn.com

Visitors Bureau
www.visitchillicotheohio.com

Chamber event photos
www.chillicothe-chamber.smugmug.com

Click above to go to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce site for small business

For previous newsletter editions, click here

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Copyright 2008

Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce
45 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-702-2722

Ross County population

continues to grow: 75,398

By Marvin Jones

President and CEO

If it seems you have a little less elbow room lately, that’s because there are 243 more people living in Ross County.

New estimates from the Census Bureau put the county’s population at 75,155 as of July 1, 2007, which is 243 more than on the same date in 2006. That increase of 0.3 percent makes Ross the 26th fastest growing county in Ohio. Delaware County led the way with a growth rate of 3.5 percent.

For 47 of the state’s counties, the news was not good as they lost population, led by a 1.3 percent decline in Mahoning County in the northeast part of the state. Pike County had a decline of 0.2 percent or 63 people.

Compared to the official census of 2000, Ross comes in as the 25^th fastest growing county at a rate of 2.8 percent or 2,053 more folks. The state’s rate of growth was 1.0 percent.

Below is a chart detailing the latest estimates compared to a year ago. For a complete look, head to www.census.gov.

Making news again -- on several fronts

The unannounced visit by John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, in Chillicothe Wednesday brought attention, at least on the state front, if not nationally. The press corps that’s a huge entourage covered his visit to the firefighters at the station on East Water Street following a plant tour in Jackson County. That garnered front-page coverage in the Columbus Dispatch Thursday that also included a piece just below it on a Chinese family in Columbus where the father is employed at Glatfelter here in Chillicothe.

Also making news was our own John Robertson of InfoSight in a feature article in Columbus Business First. A former chamber Entrepreneur of the Year, Robertson talked about how he chose to come to Chillicothe for Mead’s research division, rather than take an offer in California from the founders of Hewlett-Packard. Check it out: Robertson feature.

The New York Times revisited Knockemstiff the place and “Knockemstiff” the book in an article Tuesday by Steve Rosen. Author Donald Ray Pollock was pictured and it was noted OSU President E. Gordon Gee visited the place after reading Pollock’s work. Check out the article: Knockemstiff in NY Times

New concept unveiled here for national store chain

Le Gourmet Chef, a division of Chillicothe-based Kitchen Collection, unveils its new store concept this Saturday and Sunday with its grand opening in the Zane Plaza Shopping Center off North Bridge Street. The new concept includes easier movement throughout the store, video screens delivering food-focused entertainment, stronger environmental statements and a new assortment of products.

The first 50 customers each day this weekend receive a gift with a purchase while everyone can register for the many door prizes. The store is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and weekdays and noon to 6 Sundays. You can also visit the website: Le Gourmet Chef

Resources to battle sick days initiative now onsite

A sample letter to employees, a fact sheet, a short and to-the-point speech about the sick days initiative almost certain to be on the ballot Nov. 4 are now available on the chamber’s website and ready for use by employers who need to begin a dialogue with their employees about the potentially devastating effects if the law is passed. This goes for all businesses, even if you don’t have the 25 employees which is the threshold in the proposal. The chamber also is asking all its members to download, complete and submit the support form on the site to go on record opposing this issue. We ask that you fax the form to this chamber at 702-2727 and we’ll get it to the state organization. The next meeting of the local group fighting the proposal is 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25 at the Ross County Service Center. Here’s the link you’ll want to mark as a Favorite or bookmark: www.chillicotheohio.com/saveourjobs

Old post office may become banquet hall

The city Planning Commission next week will hear a request to rezone the former post office property at Paint and Fifth streets to allow for a banquet facility. In addition, it appears other offices are planned for the second floor. Also on the commission’s agenda at Wednesday’s meeting is a request to rezone property on the north side of East Water Street just down from the municipal parking lot at the head of the park. Seems the land is still zoned for industrial use from the old days of the grain elevator there and never has been rezoned to conform to the present buildings. Both of these requests are prime examples of why City Council needs to consider investing in a firm to look at zoning issues all across the city, as proposed by the chamber’s Community Development and Advocacy Committee more than a year ago.

Area companies report earnings this week

• Glatfelter posted record sales in the second quarter of this year and posted better-than-expected profits. Earnings were $3.2 million, or 7 cents a share, the second quarter, compared to $2.0 million, or 4 cents a share last year. Much of the increase came from the composite fibers segment, such as coffee filters and tea bags. A rough last six months of 2008 is anticipated, though. “Clearly we confront a challenging business environment in the second half of the year,” said Chief Executive George Glatfelter who was in town visiting local mill operations this week.
• USEC reported net income for the second quarter of $10.8 million, or 10 cents a share, against a net loss of $13.4 million or minus 15 cents a share a year ago. The results were in line with the company’s expectations. “While we are keenly focused on our American Centrifuge project (in Piketon), we continue to deliver improved performance in our core business operations, as these results attest,” said President/CEO John Welch.

BAB site switched to downtown courtyard

New chamber member Celebrations Etc. will supply the food and Chillicothe Tents for Events the cover at the next Business After Business Wednesday, Aug. 20 in the Majestic Theatre Courtyard on East Second Street. A last-second change was made in the original schedule. The Ross-Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau also is sponsoring and downtown businesses are invited to promote themselves with exhibits. Also, reservations are now being taken for those wanting to sponsor a BAB in 2010 in addition to the December 2009 event. If your business is interested in exhibiting this month or in sponsoring a future BAB, call Rosie Daughters at the chamber at 702-2722.

Make your mark with the commissioners

County commissioners from all across the state are converging on Chillicothe Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 19-20 for their annual summer conference and you have a chance to make an impression with them. Door prizes will be handed out throughout the conference, so if you’re interested in promoting your business, contact Kyrsten Vogel at the Ross-Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau at 702-7677 or Kyrsten@visitchillicotheohio.com. Also, it would be great if you’d welcome the commissioners by using your marquee or sign.

Short takes from here and there

• The NewPage facility to be vacated entirely by the end of November is now being marketed worldwide by the Binswanger firm’s office in Toledo. For those wanting information on the building and grounds, check it out: www.binswanger.com/chillicothe.
• Haines Publishing is expanding its telephone directory service into Ross County. The directory will include both Pickaway and Ross counties “to give residents quick and easy access to phone numbers and local information about both counties in a single book,” said General Manager Terry Pacelli. Information on the directory: 800-933-5143.
• Ohio 772 is slated to be closed Wednesday and Thursday next week for culvert repairs, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The area affected is just south of the city limits to Liberty Hill Road.

Newest members of the chamber:

• While Traditions of Chillicothe has been a member of the chamber for years (and a premium member the past few years), its parent organization, National Church Residences, signed up all of its properties in Ross and Pike counties this week. The newest members: Bristol Village in Waverly, Hopeton Village on University Drive, Hopeton Terrace on Western Avenue, NCR At Home, and the Traditions-Bristol Village Foundation.
• Paint Street Productions, 248 S. Paint St., by Sharon Alexander, 649-6142, web page design, www.paintstreetproductions.com
• LazerJam Music and Fun, Jackson, by Chris and Laura Armstrong, music and light shows for events.

Building permits issued recently by the Chillicothe Building Department:

• Mike Mead, 105 S. Paint St. (old post office), roofing, value $35,000.
• Mary Ann Dixon, 172 E. Main St., Anderson’s Pharmacy, HVAC, $13,000.
• Advanced Services and Solutions, 227 Renick Ave., new building, 9,374 square feet, $340,000.
• Bonnie Maughmer, 859 E. Water St., fire alarm system, $6,500.
• North Star Development, 885 N. Bridge St., alterations, $100,000.
• Development Enterprises, 107 N. Bridge St., signs, $24,000.

Vendor licenses issued recently by the Ross County Auditor:

• El Oaxaco Mexican Restaurant, 1641 N. Bridge St., by Cruz Brothers LLC

Celebrations Etc. officially held its own celebration last week with a ribbon cutting to spotlight the new catering and event planning business at 86 W. Water St. Sandy and Mike Thompson wield the scissors.