MEMBER-TO-MEMBER: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT FOR FEB. 27, 2015

Feb. 27, 2015

 

From Ryan Craig

Executive Director

Logan County Chamber of Commerce

ryancraig@loganchamber.com

 

Happy Friday!

   It seems the snow might finally melt away next week. We might see temperatures in the upper 50s! It is going to rain a lot, but I will take a typhoon right now over another foot of snow, how about you? I’m ready to for it to be warm enough to worry about stepping on snakes and cold enough to not be worrying about snaking my way up my driveway.
  
Here is your Executive Director’s report for this week: 

COUGAR CAVE

   This past week I was able to be part of an event I felt was as good feeling as anything I have been a part of in a long time. Of course, I’m speaking about the Chamber’s ribbon-cutting and grand opening event at the Cougar Cave, located on the Logan County High School Campus. The store, which will be ran by the Exceptional Education Department and consisting of students with various levels of special needs, was a treat and the excitement of the teens was something to behold. We had a great turnout from the Chamber membership and I was glad to see so many show up on a cold Thursday morning.
   I included a couple photos with this report, but if you want to see more, visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/logan.chamber.7. Also, WBKO television station from Bowling Green covered the event and if you want to watch its report (which includes 2015 Chamber President Shane Hayes and 2014 Chamber President Brent Summers) click here: http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/Logan-County-High-School-Opens-New-Business-294301221.html

ANNUAL DINNER – NO CRAWFISH HEADS!

   The invitations have been sent out for the March 19 Annual Dinner and we have seen several RSVPs already. A couple times we have had phone calls asking just what, exactly, do we mean by a Mardi Gras-themed dinner?
   More to the point, as one caller asked us, “There won’t be any weird food, will there?”
   “What do you mean by weird food?” we asked.
   “You know, sucking out crawfish heads or anything like that.”
   No, no crawfish head sucking or alligator tails or sausage so hot your tongue falls off. But we are going to have such wonderful food as Cajun chicken, red beans and rice, green beans, gumbo, French bread and desserts, and we are going to have a great time. If you are looking for fun, food and fellowship, don’t miss this wonderful event!
   Also, if you would like to sponsor a table at the Annual Dinner, call Amanda Baker at the Chamber at 270-726-2206. We have just a few tables still available.

RIGHT-TO-WORK ORDINANCE

   The Logan County Fiscal Court unanimously passed, on second reading Tuesday, to go ahead with the countywide ordinance supporting what is known as right-to-work legislation that has been passed in surrounding counties such as Warren, Simpson and Todd.
   Briefly, in places where right-to-work laws exist, employees can’t be compelled to pay dues for fees of any kind to work in a union shop. That’s true even in cases where unions have exclusive representation agreements win which the unions are compelled to represent all employees. (C-J, Jan. 16, 2015.)
   Chamber President Shane Hayes addressed the fiscal court before the vote to relay the Chamber Board’s support of the measure. There were also several members of the Chamber and LEAD in the audience to show support as well.

WORK STUDY PROGRAM AT WKU

   If you want to join Logan County employers who already benefit from the WKU Kentucky Work-Study Program, you can be eligible to get good help. According to Jane Morris with the WKU program, employers who are eligible to participate in the program could receive $2 per hour reimbursement, up to a maximum amount, on any eligible students with funds provided by the KHEAA. The hours an employer can be reimbursed for a student may vary but can be as many as 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. It is possible that during the holidays and the summer semester, an employer could receive reimbursement up to 40 hours per week.
   Contact us here at the Chamber office if you are interested or call Morris at 270-745-3095 for more information. You can also visit their website at www.wku.edu/career.

MEETINGS

   We had two great meetings Wednesday: One was with the Chamber Ambassadors and the other was with Paige Dockins, Chair of the Tobacco and Heritage Festival Steering Committee for 2015.
   At the Ambassador meeting, we discussed upcoming events and having an Ambassador 101 class in April to kick off a newly structured program that will go along with the upcoming Chamber Strategic Plan.
   Paige has the majority of her steering committee selected and they are set to meet in March.


   That’s all until next week. Be safe, and if you hurry, you can still make a slushy snowman before it all melts away!

Ryan

USDA PROVIDES EXTENSION ON ARC/PLC PROGRAMS

USDA Provides One-Time Extension of Deadline to Update Base Acres or Yield History for ARC/PLC Programs

Farmers in KY Now Have Until March 31 to Update Yields and Reallocate Base Acres; Deadline for Choosing Between ARC and PLC also Remains March 31

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that a one-time extension will be provided to producers for the new safety-net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). The final day to update yield history or reallocate base acres has been extended one additional month, from Feb. 27, 2015 until March 31, 2015.  The final day for farm owners and producers to choose ARC or PLC coverage also remains March 31, 2015.  

If no changes are made to yield history or base acres by March 31, 2015, the farm's current yield and base will be used.  A program choice of ARC or PLC coverage also must be made by March 31, 2015, or there will be no 2014 payments for the farm and the farm will default to PLC coverage through the 2018 crop year.

Nationwide, more than 2.9 million educational postcards, in English and Spanish, have been sent to producers, and over 4,100 training sessions have been conducted on the new safety-net programs. The online tools, available at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc, allow producers to explore projections on how ARC or PLC coverage will affect their operation under possible future scenarios. 

Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice (which includes short grain rice), safflower seed, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat. Upland cotton is no longer a covered commodity.

To learn more, farmers can contact their local Farm Service Agency county office.  To find your local office visit http://offices.usda.gov.

ASIAN CARP FACILITY COMES TO GRAVES COUNTY

Blue Shore Fishery LLC to Locate in Graves County

Asian carp facility to produce innovative, healthy foods

(NOTE FROM RYAN: This is a good example of lemons being made into lemonade. One challenge we as a Chamber needs to tackle is identifying resources, taking resources - even crazy, habitat-killing fish - and making a business model with the potential to create revenue. We want your opinion on better ways to use what Logan County already has. If you have any ideas call or email us at the Chamber.)

 

   FRANKFORT Ky. (Feb. 24, 2015) - Asian carp in western Kentucky have met their match. Gov. Steve Beshear today announced Blue Shore Fishery LLC is locating a facility in Tri City.

Blue Shore, a manufacturer of healthy food products from Asian carp, is expected to create up to 66 new jobs and invest $1.3 million into the project.
   "We welcome Blue Shore Fishery to the Commonwealth," said Gov. Beshear. "Not only will the company be creating 66 jobs and investing $1.3 million, but also it will be adding to our overall exports. Exporting is big business, with Kentucky setting an all-time record last year with $27.5 billion in exports of Kentucky products and services."
Blue Shore will catch Asian carp in the rivers and lakes throughout western Kentucky and process the carp in a former catfish processing plant off State Route 97. The 11,000-square-foot facility, located on 53 acres, will be operational this spring. The company also plans to add an additional 5,000 square feet of space.
   "We are very pleased to be in Kentucky, where the environment for startup companies is tremendously supportive," said Andre Raghu, CEO of Blue Shore Fishery. "We are looking forward to creating a new vision for the Kentucky Fishing industry. Generations of families across small towns in this great state once built a promising future on fishing. We greatly appreciate all of the help we have received from the Kentucky Innovation Network office at Murray State University and the Graves County Economic Development Corporation and look forward to developing strong partnerships locally, regionally and internationally."
   Blue Shore produces innovative, healthy food products from Asian carp. Its products are designed from old-world Asian staple recipes and contain high-quality fish and fresh local ingredients with no fillers, additives or preservatives. The company plans to sell to wholesale and retail markets in the U.S. and China.
   Dr. Lan Chi Luu and John Crilly, two of Blue Shore's owners, received assistance from the Kentucky Innovation Network Office in Murray. The Network, which consists of 13 statewide offices that support Kentucky's small businesses, helped Luu and Crilly make connections for marketing and web development, finding access to capital and exporting.
   Luu and Crilly also own another Asian carp company, Fin Gourmet, in Paducah. Luu and Fin Gourmet won the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development entrepreneur pitch competition in Murray last summer. As the regional winner, Luu presented the company to the Kentucky Angel Investors Network back in the fall.
   To encourage Blue Shore's investment and job growth in Graves County, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $1 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
   "This announcement is a win-win for western Kentucky and especially Graves County," said Sen. Stan Humphries, of Cadiz. "The Asian carp is a problem for us, and Blue Shore Fishery will help deplete the Asian carp population while providing jobs and investment in the region."
   "We are all so excited and thankful that Blue Shore has decided to locate in Graves County," said Graves County Judge-Executive Jesse Perry. "It is always a good day when any industry big or small has chosen Graves County as its home."
   A detailed community profile for Graves County can be viewed here.<http://www.thinkkentucky.com/cmnty/quickfacts.aspx?cw=19>
   To learn more about how the Kentucky Innovation Network helps small businesses, visit www.kyinnovation.com<http://www.kyinnovation.com>.
   Information on Kentucky's economic development efforts and programs is available at www.ThinkKentucky.com<http://www.thinkkentucky.com/>. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/ThinkKentucky> or follow on Twitter<http://www.twitter.com/ThinkKentucky>. Watch the Cabinet's "This is My Kentucky" video on YouTube<http://www.youtube.com/ThinkKentucky>.

HELP OUT 4-H BY RENEWING FARM TAGS

RENEWING FARM TAGS BENEFITS 4-H

   Russellville, KY - 4-H has an opportunity to raise funds for Logan County and statewide 4-H programs through the Kentucky Ag Tag Program.

Soon after taking office in 2012, Commissioner of Agriculture James Comer announced all farm license plate voluntary donations would be split evenly among 4-H, FFA and the Kentucky Proud program.
   Farmers can make the donation of $10 when renewing their farm license plates at the county clerk’s office in March. With more than 184,000 farm plates bought or renewed each year in Kentucky, the commissioner’s action can generate significant funds to support these outstanding programs.
   “Kentucky 4-H has been given a tremendous opportunity by Commissioner Comer to raise significant funds to support 4-H,” said Keith Rogers, executive director of the Kentucky 4-H Foundation.  “The donations made to the Ag Tag Program will help 4-H give young people around the Commonwealth opportunities that develop leadership, citizenship, and life skills.” 
   Over 256,000 youth are involved in Kentucky’s 4-H program. Kentucky ranks in top 10 in several 4-H enrollment categories nationwide. All 120 counties in Kentucky have 4-H programs, and all counties will receive a portion of the support from this fund raising opportunity.
    Last year Kentucky 4-H received $169,280.21, from the Ag Tag Program. These funds are split between the county where the funds originated and the Kentucky 4-H Foundation for state level programs.
   That means part of  the Ag Tag donations stay in Logan County funding programs and activities that teach children and teens about, leadership, citizenship, science and technology, communications, public speaking, agriculture, and more.
   Logan County 4-H’s share for 2014 was over $2,500.00 and benefited several 4-H programs.  This means more opportunities for youth to attend camp.  It means more leadership and civic engagement programs for our young leaders.  It also means more resources to purchase curriculum, host events, and use our researched based, hands-on education to educate our youth on topics relating to agriculture, natural resources, health, safety, public speaking skills, life skills and so much more.  This year Logan County has a great opportunity to increase financial support for our local 4-H Councils, clubs and programs by encouraging farmers to make the donation.
   Making the $10 donation on each farm license plate at renewal is an excellent opportunity for our agricultural community to support the youth of our community and help fund the programs that can make a lasting difference in their lives.
   For more information about Logan County 4-H, visit our Facebook page by searching for Logan County 4-H or our website at http://logan.ca.uky.edu/4HYouthDevelopment.

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   4-H youth are a living, breathing, culture-changing revolution for doing the right thing, breaking through obstacles, and pushing our country forward by making a measurable difference right where they live.

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    About Kentucky 4-H Foundation: The Kentucky 4-H Foundation exists to advance today’s Kentucky 4-H Youth Development Program. The Kentucky 4-H Foundation raises funds to support Kentucky 4-H programs that provide leadership development, life skills, citizenship, and positive experiences and opportunities. Kentucky ranks in the top 10 of several 4-H enrollment categories nationwide, with over 256,000 different youth involved in 4-H programs, 32% of the K-12 grade population in Kentucky.  Please visit the 4-H Foundation’s website at www.kentucky4hfoundation.org.

MEMBER-TO-MEMBER: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT

WELCOME TO THE ONLINE MEMBER-TO-MEMBER NEWS LETTER!

Feb. 20, 2015

 

From Ryan Craig

Executive Director

Logan County Chamber of Commerce

ryancraig@loganchamber.com

 

   This is the first in a weekly report that we will have to inform the members of the Logan County Chamber of Commerce about happenings, goings-on and all things Chamber-related, plus when there is an article that we feel is important or even of general interest we will post it on this blog.

   (Don't worry about remembering the name or address of the blog, we will always send an email with a link when we post something.) 

   I often say that information is the key to a strong organization and if the membership is not informed then we are not doing our part in helping strengthen and foster the business community in Logan County.

   So, here is your first weekly news letter and next week we hope to have more to report since most of what happened this week involved shoveling, slipping, sliding and freezing (and falling a couple times) in historically cold weather and nearly a foot of snow!

 

Right-To-Work

   The Chamber Board of Directors voted unanimously on Feb. 10 to support the county-by-county Right-To-Work legislation. 2015 Chamber President Shane Hayes will be speaking on behalf of the Chamber at the next Logan County Fiscal Court meeting to voice the board's support of the legislation before the fiscal court votes on the second reading of the ordinance.

   We have also been asked to relay to the membership a request for ANY MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER who supports the ordinance and wants to show that support to the fiscal court to be at the fiscal court meeting. The meeting will start at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, on the second floor in the old Logan County Courthouse.

   You may ask, what is Right-To-Work and why did the Chamber board vote to support it?

   Briefly, in places where right-to-work laws exist, employees can't be compelled to pay dues or fees of any kind to work in a union shop. That's true even in cases where unions have exclusive representation agreements in which the unions are compelled to represent all employees. (Courier-Journal, Jan. 16, 2015) Also, the ordinance will help with Logan County economic development and is seen as a good pro-business move for Logan County.

   The Logan County Fiscal Court passed an ordinance on first reading on Jan. 27. Surrounding counties, Warren, Todd, and Simpson have passed the ordinance. Currently, there are several other counties in Kentucky who have passed or considering the ordinance.

   If any member wants it, I have compiled some press clippings of Right-To-Work legislation. It is long, but it gives a great overview of what has happened so far in the state legislatively. Shoot me an email at ryancraig@loganchamber.com or call the Chamber at 270-726-2206 and I'll be glad to send you the electronic press clippings.

   We hope that everyone who can do so makes it to the fiscal court meeting on Tuesday.

 

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT: Ribbon Cutting at Logan County High School next week

   There will be a ribbon cutting on Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. at the new Cougar Cave student store at Logan County High School. We need your support for this (indoor) ribbon cutting. The store will be ran by the school's Exceptional Youth Department. These students have a wide range of disabilities and special needs and this is a very worthwhile thing for the Chamber to support. So let's try to have as many as possible show up to the ribbon cutting next Thursday.

 

Annual Dinner

   Invitations have been sent out for the Logan County Chamber Annual Dinner and it should be a hoot! This year will have a Mardi Gras theme and food so good it will make a Cajun slap an alligator.

   The dinner, which will feature a lightly-Cajun themed menu, will be on March 19 at the Logan County Extension facility with the doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and the programs beginning at 7 p.m.

   We hope to have a sell-out crowd and I hope to see you there. Look for more information in the coming weeks as we draw closer to the dinner.

 

Business Card Holder

   WE NEED YOUR BUSINESS CARDS! The Chamber now has a new, very large, business card holder we are in the process of hanging in the lobby. It can hold up to 100 spots for businesses and when we fill those, we will hang up some more holders. The card holders are a membership benefit and we want you to send us your cards so we can have them on hand for the many visitors that pass through the Chamber door.

 

Retail Development

   We had hoped to have a report from a meeting with Melissa Halsell, who is in charge of retail development for the TVA, but the weather has pushed back our meeting until March 6.

   The meeting is a first step in the Chamber's upcoming retail development initiative. We first have to update/find information and then the TVA, along with the Kentucky Small Business Development Center at Western Kentucky University, will help us develop a plan for attracting retail. There will be much more on this to come, but we are hoping the Chamber can help bring some missing retail to Logan County while at the same time giving shoppers and consumers options so that some of the money that is spent in other counties and in Tennessee stays here.

 

Weather problems

   The weather caused all kinds of issues this week, including the cancellation of the Ambassadors Meeting and Leadership Logan for February. The Ambassadors meeting has been rescheduled for Feb. 25 at noon. Leadership Logan will next meet on March 26.

 

Executive Director visits

   I was making traction (pun intended) with my membership visits but the snow and a dead battery in the cold kept me from visiting last Friday afternoon and all this week. But, as an uncle of mine used to say, "If the good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise (or freeze)," I'll be making my rounds starting back next week. If you want a visit sooner than later shoot me an email or call the Chamber office and I'll put you at the top of the list. I look forward to visiting each one of you.

 

   That is it for now. Stay warm and stay safe and remember, if it looks like ice, feels like ice and even smells like ice ... you will probably fall on it.

 

Ryan





KENTUCKY NEXT TO LAST IN WELL-BEING INDEX; ALASKA FIRST

Story Highlights from Gallup and Healthways

• Hawaii and South Dakota round out top three well-being states
• West Virginia ranks last for the sixth straight year
• Hawaii and Colorado only states in top 10 every year since '08

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Alaska residents had the highest well-being in the nation in 2014, reaching the top spot for the first time since Gallup and Healthways began tracking well-being in 2008. West Virginia and Kentucky rank 50th and 49th, respectively, for the sixth consecutive year. Hawaii and Colorado are on the top 10 list of highest well-being states for the seventh consecutive year.

For the entire story visit: http://www.well-beingindex.com/alaska-leads-u.s.-states-in-well-being-for-first-time

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW DIRECTOR

CRAIG NAMED LOGAN COUNTY CHAMBER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jan. 20, 2015

   Ryan Craig has been named Executive Director for the Logan County Chamber of Commerce.

Craig, who is the owner and publisher of the Todd County Standard newspaper in Elkton, is a graduate of Western Kentucky University with bachelor's degrees in both public relations and history. 

    He is a former reporter for the News-Democrat & Leader as well as copy desk chief of the Kentucky New Era in Hopkinsville and page one designer for the Leaf-Chronicle in Clarksville, Tenn. During Craig's time at the Standard, it has been named best small weekly newspaper in Kentucky for eight straight years by the Kentucky Press Association and Craig has won over 132 individual awards.

   Craig was also the lead journalist on a series of stories which received both state and national recognition for uncovering serious flaws in the Kentucky social services system in wake of the murder of 9-year-old Amy Dye.

   Craig, also owner of Craig Media, LLC., currently serves on the Kentucky Press Association's executive board of directors as treasurer, the Western Kentucky University Student Publications Committee and the Curriculum Committee for WKU's School of Journalism and Broadcasting.
   Craig lives in Russellville with his wife, Jenni, and four children, Owen, John, Summer and Sparrow. He is a member of Bellview Baptist Church in Allegre.
   "I am excited about the opportunity to work with the Logan County Chamber of Commerce, its members and the community and continue the fine tradition and purpose the Chamber holds," Craig said. "I plan to visit every current member of the Chamber as well as prospective members and hope to build upon standing programs and expand services so the Chamber may be an even more valuable resource for Logan County and its citizens."