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PPE Safety Toolkits Distributed to Local Champaign County Businesses

7/24/2020

 
PPE Safety Toolkits
PPE Safety Toolkits
On Tuesday, July 21st the Champaign Economic Partnership(CEP) spent the day distributing PPE Safety Toolkits to small businesses throughout Champaign County. These businesses range from local restaurants, manufacturers and salons to groceries, and retailers.
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​CEP Director Marcia Bailey and staff, Caty Shoemaker received nothing but appreciation for these now necessary supplies. ​Many businesses mentioned they were running low on items and the costs to maintain necessary PPE has continued to put a strain on their finances. ​

​A partnership between the Dayton Development Coalition and JobsOhio provided the donation of PPE kits as a way to assist small businesses in Ohio. . Each Toolkit includes 100 3-ply masks, 10 KN-95 masks and a 24-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer.
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“Small and medium sized businesses make up the backbone of Ohio’s economy and with grit and determination, they and their employees have persevered through unprecedented economic and health challenges during this pandemic. JobsOhio is pleased, along with our network partners, to provide them with PPE toolkits, to aid them in their efforts to get back to work and operate safely.” said J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio president and CEO. “While we don’t know what the future holds, we are optimistic that Ohio businesses will succeed and continue to play an essential role in Ohio’s economic recovery.

​The CEP advised that while they were not able to reach every business in the county they will have additional kits available at the CEP and Municipal buildings of Mechanicsburg, North Lewisburg and St. Paris. These kits will continue to be distributed until they have been depleted. Businesses in need of a PPE Safety Toolkit should contact their office at 937-653-7200. ​

CEP Enters 5th Year Advancing Local Economic Development

4/26/2019

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Marcia Bailey
Marcia Bailey
By Marcia Bailey, Director Champaign Economic Partnership
There’s power in working together for a shared purpose of business expansion and job creation. The Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) has proven that, since becoming Champaign County’s economic development agency, nearly five years ago.
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The CEP couldn’t do this without the financial support, talent and leadership of our partners, the City of Urbana, the Champaign County Commissioners, Mechanicsburg, North Lewisburg and St. Paris, more than 20 local businesses and our 19-member board.
Key development projects
Thanks to economic development investments by private businesses working with the CEP, Urbana – for the first time ever – ranked 41st in the Site Selection magazine’s 2017 list of top U.S. micropolitan communities.
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Recent successes include the new Navistar distribution center, Memorial Health’s medical building, expansion of Weidmann Electrical Technology, opening of Nutrien Ag Solutions, Sutphen Corporation’s new Service, Parts and Refurbishment Center, expansion of Old Souls Farms hydroponic operations, expansion of Advanced Technology Products and purchase of the former Robert Rothschild Farm property.

Champaign County manufacturing jobs have grown from under 3,000 jobs in 2013 to nearly 4,000 in 2018.

Major projects for 2019 include:
  • Construction of a 54-room Cobblestone Hotel in Urbana, owned by local investors
  • Completion of cleanup of the former Q3/Johnson Manufacturing site 
  • Development of the proposed Legacy Place project to transform the former Urbana North and South Elementary schools and the Douglas Hotel into 51 affordable senior living apartments.
Preparing the workforce
The CEP is partnering with schools and businesses in numerous ways to help make sure Champaign County has the skilled workforce required by new and expanding businesses.

Results of these partnerships include:
  • The CEP's new business liaison, Ashley Cook, who helps coordinate workforce development initiatives with schools and businesses 
  • Internships and job shadowing opportunities
  • Job fairs and in-school presentations by businesses 
  • The online Community Job Connect job board, where local employers post job openings 
  • 11 TV monitors placed around Champaign County broadcasting news about local training programs, job openings, and economic development 
  • Ohio Hi-Point Career Center’s Advanced Manufacturing program at Triad Local Schools
  • YouTube videos of our local manufacturers
  • The Champaign County Business Advisory Council, partnering with schools and businesses preparing students for the local workforce.

Future development
  • Also in the works for economic development:
  • The City of Urbana will be reviewing results on development ideas for the South Main Street Corridor as well as the South High Street Corridor for potential improvement of pedestrian and bicycle traffic, drainage and parking
  • The Sowles Hotel building will be redeveloped for office and retail space.
  • The CEP will help St. Paris market its enterprise zone.
  • The CEP will be establishing a Community Reinvestment Area in Mechanicsburg 
  • The CEP will continue promoting Urbana’s Certified Opportunity Zone (COZ) which offers incentives for development in economically distressed areas.
  • Downtown property owners are moving ahead with redevelopment projects, following the Moving Downtown Forward initiative launched by the CEP in 2018.

For more information, call the CEP at 937-653-7200 or browse CEPOhio.com.
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Hemisphere to Host Coffee Fest

10/12/2018

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Hemisphere Coffee Fest
Hemisphere Coffee Roasters employee Andy Carter roasts beans to sell at the Mechanicsburg facility. Photo by the Urbana Daily Citizen.
Kurtz to focus on coffee education, experience
​By Christopher Selmek, Urbana Daily Citizen

MECHANICSBURG - Hemisphere Coffee Roasters will host their inaugural Coffee Fest on Saturday, October 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at their new facility at 275 E. Sandusky St. in Mechanicsburg. The event follows their official ribbon cutting held Friday at noon, facilitated by Mechanicsburg mayor Greg Kimball, and continues a grand opening weekend which started Thursday. During the weekend, customers can get $2 off any pound of coffee.

Paul Kurtz, who founded Hemisphere in 2002 with his wife, Grace, said he plans to make the Coffee Fest an annual event. The fact that they moved into their new building in mid-summer this year has added to the festivities, but Kurtz acknowledges that the festival involving food trucks, kids activities, vendors, coffee cupping and music is not solely about promoting his own business.

"What we are trying to do with our Staurday event here, the once-a-year Coffee Fest, is really to educate people to what is coffee, how to taste cofee, and what to look for," he said. "It doesn't mean that they're all going to come buy their coffee here, because we hear some people are coming from Dayton. But if they're educated, it will help all roasters that are direct importing."

According to Kurtz, the last several years have seen a resurgence in local coffee roasting. One hundred years ago, every cluster of blocks in a large city would have had their own roaster, but since the advent of large, international brands, it has been more common for people to buy their coffee from the supermarket until recently.

Hemisphere imports beans direct from farmers in Thailand, Kenya, Guatemala and Nicaragua, then ships to locations all over the United States including about 200 churches, 25 coffee shops like The Spotted Cow in Urbana, and some markets including Whole Foods. But while this this direct trade model has been good for local businesses, Kurtz says it is even better for the farmers who produce the coffee.

Read more in the October 12th edition of the Urbana Daily Citizen.
Learn more about Hemisphere Coffee Roasters at their website, ​www.hemispherecoffeeroasters.com/.
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Mechanicsburg's Anderson Family Receives Outstanding Young Farmer Award

9/25/2018

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Mechanicsburg Women That Farm
Brandi and Nick Anderson of Mechanicsburg have been named winners of Ohio Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Young Farmer Award.
Brandi and Nick Anderson of Mechanicsburg have been named winners of Ohio Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Young Farmer Award.

The contest helps young farmers strengthen their business skills, develop marketing opportunities and receive recognition for their accomplishments. Contestants are judged on the growth of their farm businesses and involvement in Farm Bureau and their community.

The Andersons will receive 250 hours use of an M-Series Kubota tractor, courtesy of Kubota, a $1,000 Grainger gift certificate and an expense-paid trip to New Orleans to attend the American Farm Bureau’s annual convention in January 2019.
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The Champaign County Farm Bureau members raise cattle and sell the meat at farmers markets under the Women That Farm name. Brandi is a grain branch manager for Heritage Cooperative and Nick is farm manager of Van Raay Dairy. They are on the Champaign County Farm Bureau board of trustees and are the parents of three young children.
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Screens Provide Career, Education News

8/14/2018

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Downtown Urbana Monitors

CEP placing monitors around county

With the help of financial sponsors, the Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) will be placing TV monitors around the county – like the one in the CEP’s Monument Square office window – to broadcast information about economic and workforce development, career training and local jobs.
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Ten monitors will be placed in public areas – one each at the five Champaign County high schools; in the villages of Mechanicsburg, North Lewisburg and St. Paris; Urbana University; and Ohio Hi-Point. The monitors will be installed beginning in late August. Content shown on the monitors will be generated by the CEP.

Urbana University and Ohio Hi-Point Career Center are providing funds to purchase the monitors and associated equipment, while DP&L and FASTLANE are assisting with funding for ongoing media service to broadcast content on the monitors.

CEP Director Marcia Bailey added that Berry Digital Solutions is helping the CEP manage the project and that Weidmann Electrical Technology Inc. funded the original monitor at the CEP.

The purpose, she said, is to inform students and other county residents about local career opportunities and education and training available to prepare students for the workforce “I’m a strong believer in the education-workforce ecosystem. And the CEP is leading the way to organizing education and employers, preparing talent to meet the needs of our employers,” said Christopher Washington, executive vice president and CEO of Urbana University, a branch campus of Franklin University.

The monitors are the ideal way to deliver the information, he adds.

“Kids today are digitally wired and pay attention to what’s on the screen.”

​Kelsey Webb, Ohio Hi-Point director of communications and marketing, said, “We’re participating because this is completely in our wheelhouse to prepare students for career or college. We’re excited to help spread the message that there are great opportunities here for students.”
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MIXX165 in Mechanicsburg offers craft beers

6/28/2018

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Mixx 165 Mechanicsburg
The new MIXX165 offers a variety of food and adult beverages for your local cuisine desires.
By Justin Miller, Urbana Daily Citizen - [email protected]
MECHANICSBURG — MIXX165 is open for business in Mechanicsburg at 165 W. Sandusky St. The new restaurant has an extensive menu featuring appetizers, sandwiches, salads and burgers.

“Our belief is that great food needs to be made from great ingredients. MIXX165 sources most of their proteins from sister company Market at The Ridge in Springfield, whose meat department has decades of experience in the meat industry,” said owner Brad Winner.

The new joint is the latest venture for the Winners, who already own Winner’s One Stop and Zoom Zoom Drive Thru in the village.

“Mechanicsburg is a very supportive community and we are very proud to be a part of the village,” Winner said. “(We) have forged longlasting relationships with staff members and individuals within the community.”

Winner hopes the patrons will like the atmosphere and the food.

“The decor is a blend of rustic and industrial styles with accent pieces that pay homage to the history of the building, which was formerly the Village Inn Tavern,” he said.

The family hand-picks most of the menu.

“Sourcing the meat internally allows (us) to inspect the meat on multiple occasions, which leads to a fresh, never frozen, high quality product. The customers can tell the difference. Fresh food simply tastes better,” Winner said. “MIXX165 also offers a full bar and focuses on Ohio craft beer selections. We believe in supporting our fellow Ohioans.”
​

Reach Justin Miller at 652-1331 (ext. 1775) or on Twitter @UDC_Miller.
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CEP Office Location:
1512 South US Highway 68, Bay 14,
Urbana, Ohio 43078

Mailing Address: 
PO Box 268, Urbana Ohio 43078
937-653-7200
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All drone photography courtesy of Jassen Dobyns of UAVisions LLC. Additional photography courtesy of ​Dave Millner of the Champaign Camera Group.
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