Chamber calendar

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

Tuesday, September 2: Ribbon cutting at iForce, 82 Consumer Center Drive, Shawnee Square, 10 a.m.

Thursday, September 4: Deadline to submit application for matching grant for downtown owners. More info ...

Tuesday, Septeember 9: Membership and Events Committee, chamber, 11:30 a.m.

Thursday, September 11: Ross County Safety Council, free picnic lunch, speaker and special appaearance by MedFlight of Ohio, Yoctangee Park, 11:30 a.m., Safety Council registration

Wednesday, September 17: Business After Business, sponsored by Glatfelter at the Adena Mansion and Gardens, 5-7 p.m.
BAB Registration

Thursday, September 18: Executive Committee, chamber, 8:30 a.m.

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

You are receiving this newsletter as a benefit of your membership in the chamber. If you wish not to receive it, please reply to mjones@chillicotheohio.com and write "Unsubscribe" in the subject.

Copyright 2008

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

Governor’s opposition to sick days

issue sends a strong message

By Marvin Jones

President and CEO

“We cannot support the paid sick-day ballot initiative.” So said Gov. Ted Strickland and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher in a joint statement Thursday about what will be Issue 4 in the statewide election.

It was a bold move for the southern Ohio Democrat who has strong support from organized labor groups. The Service Employees International Union provided most of the funds and support to get the issue to the ballot.

“While we would hope that all Ohio businesses would make paid sick days available to their employees whenever possible, we believe that this initiative is unworkable, unwieldy and would be detrimental to Ohio's economy, and we will be opposing it and asking Ohioans to oppose it as a result,” Strickland and Fisher said of the issue that would mandate employers of 25 or more in the state provide no fewer than seven paid sick days per year for full-time employees and a pro-rated amount for all part-timers.

Employers and others looking for information on the issue and becoming involved in the campaign to defeat it can turn to www.chillicotheohio.com/saveourjobs for some resources. Employers also need to show their support for the campaign by downloading, completing and faxing the form included on the website.

Exciting changes coming to chamber’s website

In the next couple of weeks, the chamber plans to roll out some major changes to its website that will allow you as a member to reach out to both other members and the community as well as update your organization’s information at any time. We’re working through some of the final issues, but expect to have things ready by no later than Labor Day. We’ll send special email and fax notices to tell you about the new features.

Visitors bureau helped make them all successful

In the past several months, the community played host to the Mid-American Conference baseball tournament, the Ohio County Recorders Association, the regional championship for American Legion Baseball and this past week the Ohio County Commissioners Association. The one common element in all of these was the Ross-Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau. The support and behind-the-scenes logistical assistance provided by the bureau helped the main organizers of all those events achieve the success they envisioned. Led by Executive Director Kyrsten Vogel, her staff of Betty Fornwald and Paula Cercek and the volunteers they enlisted have had an extremely busy summer showing these visitors why we consider this a great place to live. Sometimes when you work with a group every day, you lose sight of the impact an organization can have. The bureau’s impact lately has been immeasurable.

Chicken couldn’t be fried fast enough at BAB

New chamber member Celebrations Etc. had a tough time keeping up with the demand for its pulled pork and then its fried chicken as the crowd at Wednesday’s Business After Business proved ravenous. The Majestic Theatre courtyard was a perfect setting for the BAB also sponsored by the Ross-Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau, LazerJam DJs and Chillicothe Tents for Events. The Tents crew won the grand prize of a three-month advertising package provided by the new partnership of Upclose Advertising and Horizon Chillicothe Telephone, valued at $460. Photos from the BAB are now online: www.chillicothe-chamber.smugmug.com. Glatfelter sponsors the next BAB to be held at Adena Mansion and Gardens on Sept. 17.

Safety Council firing back up

A free lunch and a special visit from MedFlight of Ohio is on tap for the first session of the Ross County Council on Thursday, Sept. 11. The shelter next to Bolmer Field across from the swimming pool in Yoctangee Park is the setting with plenty of parking available. Chillicothe Fire & Security will provide training and certification on fire extinguisher use also. To sign up now to attend: Safety Council registration

Short takes from here and there

• Clare Schwemlein, a financial consultant with Janney Montgomery Scott is now an Accredited Wealth Management Advisor following completion of a six-month program at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
• USEC is estimating its American Centrifuge Plant project in Piketon will create about 3,300 direct and indirect jobs in Ohio and more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs at manufacturing sites across the U.S. More information about the jobs with its suppliers is available at www.americancentrifuge.com/rebuilding.
• For a little peace of mind, you can have a microchip implanted in your pet at a special clinic at the local Petland store Saturday, Aug. 30 from 12:30-4 p.m. Veterinarian Michael Henricks from the North Fork Animal Clinic will handle the procedure for $29.99 for each dog or cat. The chip can be scanned should your pet become lost and wind up in an animal shelter or veterinary clinic without a tag.
• Ross County ranked 26^th of Ohio’s 88 counties in terms of unemployment rate in July at 8.2 percent. Meigs led the state at 11.0 percent and Holmes had the lowest at 5.1 percent.

Newest members of the chamber:

• Picture This, 14 W. Water St., by George and Lynn Berry, custom framing and OSU-related gifts, 773-5966.
• Jividen Photography, 30 E. Main St., by Jerry and Barb Jividen, 774-6243, www.jividenphotography.com
• Two Roasting Joes, 509 Woodview Drive, by Tom Johnson, fresh roasted coffee, 773-0331, www.tworoastingjoes.com.

Vendor licenses issued recently by the Ross County Auditor:

• The Paxton Restaurant, 108 W. Main St., Bainbridge.
• Walker’s Body Shop, 343 Ohio 28, Greenfield, by George Walker.