Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce

Weekly Update      August 15, 2003

 

PLENTY OF TIME TO TAKE RESERVATIONS: One of the biggest responsibilities in the planning each year for the chamber’s annual dinner meeting is securing the main speaker. Now that we’ve lined up Ohio State Head Football Coach James Tressel, the real planning begins. The only details we know for certain now is that Tressel will be the guest of honor and that the event will be held on Thursday, Feb. 26 in the evening. We are not yet taking reservations for the event that promises to be one of the best attended in chamber history, probably beyond the more than 400 who enjoyed last year’s dinner that featured another OSU football star, Ross County’s own Ben Hartsock. So stay tuned for details. And we’re taking any and all suggestions on how to make this a stellar event.

 

BAB TAKING ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN: Wednesday’s Business After Business on Paint Street sponsored by the Downtown Associates promises to be a signature event for the chamber this year. The block between Water and Second streets should be teeming with people from 5-7 p.m. eager to sample the fare of downtown restaurants as well as the usual camaraderie. Plus the fact a $1,500 front-row table for 10 at the Boston Pops concert and a guest conductorship will be auctioned adds to the excitement. The auction actually begins at 9 a.m. Monday when bidders may call the Ross-Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau at 702-7677. Starting bids are $1,500 for the table and $250 for the conductorship. Bids will be taken 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with the final wrap-up at the BAB at 6. The registration table will be at the Second Street entrance. And don’t forget to pre-register: BAB registration

 

IN THE NEWS: Two Chillicotheans were prominent in news stories this past week that had national and state implications. Noah Hanners, son of Paints owner Chris Hanners and his wife, was quoted several times in a front-page story Monday in the Washington Post about a skirmish north of Baghdad. It brought the ongoing battles in Iraq as close to home as possible. To read the story, go to www.washingtonpost.com and type in Hanners in the search box. In the other piece, Chillicothe Schools Superintendent Dennis Leone is featured on the front page of Friday’s Business section of the Columbus Dispatch. “Leone … has become a hero to Ohio educators and retirees for having uncovered evidence of millions of dollars of excessive and wasteful spending” at the State Teachers Retirement System, the Dispatch said. Leone’s persistent questioning forced the resignation of the system’s executive director and has led to many changes.

 

TIM HORTON’S ON SCHEDULE: Tim Horton’s hopes to open its first Ross County store at Pawnee Road and Bridge Street the day after Labor Day, Sept. 2. The managers said they were extremely pleased with the more than 100 candidates they interviewed late this week at the local WIN office that was coordinated through Lynette Reed, the chamber’s Workforce Development manager. And if all goes well, a second store on East Main Street could open in 2004.

 

MAX & ERMA’S UPDATE: Work should begin within a month on the Columbus-based restaurant in front of Kohl’s off North Bridge Street. It might be a little pressed to open in October as originally thought, but we’re told construction goes fast.

 

PATHFINDERS SOUGHT: The deadline to register for the Pathfinders leadership series which begins Sept. 9 is fast approaching. Registration for the best training program in this area will close on Monday, August 25. Complete details plus an online application can be found at Pathfinders information

 

NEW TEACHERS GOT TREATS: Thanks to nine of our members, new teachers in Chillicothe and Ross County schools received a warm welcome with our second annual ”goodie bags.” Contributing this year were Panther Publishing, Litter Industries, USEC, Manpower, Petland, Preferred Medical Personnel, Sunshine Tanning, Sandra McAllister Allstate Insurance and Camco Mortgage. The chamber also tossed in buyers’ guides and maps.

 

DOWNTOWN’S HOPPIN ON FRIDAYS: Tonight is the continuation of the Sizzlin Summer Nights in the downtown dining/entertainment district. It’s a great chance to stroll through stores that stay open later and to dine in one of the many eateries as well as take in music in several venues. The Downtown Associates also voted to continue the every-third-Friday event the rest of the year, renaming it Fabulous Fridays. So mark your calendars each month for the special events.

REP. NEY ENLIGHTENED MEMBERS: From Iraq to prescription drug programs, Rep. Bob Ney touched on the issues of the day at the luncheon this past week sponsored by the chamber’s Governmental Affairs and Networking Committees. Held at the new RiverView Conference Center, the luncheon also provided our congressman the chance to talk of his support for the project on the Herron property north of town. About 50 people attended, including Stoss Pope of Innovative Functions shown speaking to the congressman.

 

WELCOME NEWEST MEMBERS: In the last two weeks, five more firms have been added to the chamber family:

 

VENDORS LICENSES: The list of those who acquired licenses in the auditor’s office is long, partially due to recent changes in state laws requiring more firms to charge sales tax to customers:

 

JOBLESS NUMBERS NAGGING: The most recent figures from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (for the month of June) show Ross County with 500 more unemployed than the same time a year ago, but with an increase of 300 in the workforce to 36,000. That puts the jobless rate at 7.2 percent for the month. It’s also an increase of 200 more jobless from May.

 

CHAMBER CALENDAR:

 

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