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Once and for all: Buying a real Christmas tree is a good thing
University Park – The question of whether it is environmentally correct to buy a real Christmas tree has been asked repeatedly in recent years, and an expert in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences wants to lay it to rest permanently. asffad The answer, according to Ricky Bates, associate professor of ornamental horticulture, is an emphatic, “Yes!”
“It’s a silly debate — you can breathe easier knowing Christmas trees are being grown,” said Bates, whose research deals with problems faced by the nursery and Christmas-tree industries. He conducts research and extension education programs aimed at improving the profitability of these businesses.
“Christmas trees in the United States provide the daily oxygen requirements for millions of people. Approximately 34 million trees are sold every year, and more than enough seedlings are planted to replace them,” he said. “A million acres nationally are in Christmas tree production.
Finally, buying a real tree every year is good for the economy. Bates estimates that there are more than 15,000 Christmas-tree growers in the United States. The industry employs approximately 100,000 people. The total Christmas-tree crop recently was valued at more than $360 million.
Buying a real tree is especially good for Pennsylvania, Bates contends. “There are approximately 2,000 Christmas-tree producers in the state who grow approximately 46 million Christmas trees,” he said. “About 2 million of them are harvested annually. Six million new Christmas-tree seedlings are planted in Pennsylvania every year.
In recent history, Pennsylvania typically has ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the nation in the number of Christmas-tree farms, he added.
Category: General News /
3rd annual “Greenovation” award winners named
Williamsport – The third annual Greenovation Award winners have been named by the Williamsport-Lycoming Keystone Innovation Zone. The “Greenovation” competition invites participation from entrepreneurs with a “green, environmentally sound product.
The winner receives a prize [package of nearly $12,000 dollars that includes cash, entrepreneurial mentoring, operational advice and marketing and legal services.
This year’s winner is Jeff Rankinen, of Williamsport, president and CEO of Rankinen Engineering. His winning product was not name or explained, due to its highly proprietary nature. However, Rankinen did say that the product will assist homeowners in making major savings in their utility bills.
The 2008 winner of the Greenovation Award, Robert Boehnlein noted how the prize has helped him launch his successful manufacturing firm. asdfds Tom Ask was awarded second prize and received more than $5,000 in cash and services.
Category: General News /
Blair County Chamber negotiates favorable electric rates
Altoona – The Blair County Chamber of Commerce Energy Program, operated through OnDemand Energy and ChamberChoice, has negotiated significant rates on electricity and many Blair County Chamber Members already have signed-on to receive those savings.
This program guarantees that a business will pay less than the rate that an electric service provider will assess to area businesses once the caps are removed.
For more information on how to take advantage of this program, The Chamber will present two one-hour presentations on Dec. 9 at the Devorris Center for Business Development. The first presentation will be at 10 a.m.; the second at 2 p.m. There is no cost or obligation to attend the presentation.
Category: General News /
Economic indicators offer mixed message New orders down, personal income up slightly
Washington, D.C. – Data from the economic indicators from the Bureau of Economic Analysis reveal a mixed message on the state of the economy.
According to the EIB, new orders for manufactured durable goods in October 2010 decreased 3.3 percent, to $196.0 billion. Excluding transportation, new orders fell 2.7 percent. Capital goods shipments decreased 1.5 percent, while overall shipments fell 0.9 percent. Inventories rose 0.4 percent in October.
On the other hand, the news was better for personal income and outlays in October.. Personal income increased $57.6 billion, or 0.5 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) increased $48.3 billion, or 0.4 percent, in October, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $44.0 billion, or 0.4 percent. In September, personal income decreased $2.8 billion, or less than 0.1 percent, DPI decreased $8.6 billion, or 0.1 percent, and PCE increased $26.9 billion, or 0.3 percent, based on revised estimates.
Real disposable income increased 0.3 percent in October, in contrast to a decrease of 0.2 percent in September. Real PCE increased 0.3 percent, compared with an increase of 0.2 percent.
Category: General News /
Marcellus Shale Expert Urges Companies to Think Ahead
Region — The development of the Marcellus Shale industry is a huge “game changer” in Pennsylvania with the potential to generate 200,000 jobs across the state by 2030. Citing these figures, Alvin L. Thomas II, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Global Geophysical Services, Inc., emphasized that the time is now for Cambria County businesses to start looking at ways to become active members of the industry’s growing supply chain. Thomas joined J. Scott Roberts, Deputy Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Mineral Resources Management, to provide attendees of the 2010 Economic Summit with an overview of the developing industry. Their discussion also highlighted the long-term economic and environmental impact that the industry may have on Pennsylvania communities. The Economic Summit, held in Johnstown, also featured an opening address from Congressman Mark Critz and results from the annual Business Climate Survey Report. More than 240 business and civic leaders attended the event, which is sponsored by the Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce. Thomas, a Johnstown native now based in Houston, Texas, has been working with Johnstown Area Regional Industries (JARI) since June to help JARI gain a better understanding of the industry and how area businesses can benefit from it. This includes a recent survey of area companies to inventory their services and ways in which they may be able to support the growing Marcellus Shale industry. Looking ahead, it will also include efforts to attract new Marcellus Shale-related companies to the region. “We’re in the first five minutes of the first quarter,” Thomas told the crowd, stressing that the industry is in its infant stages. “So here’s the challenge – how can businesses be part of the supply chain? How can they take advantage of the opportunities that will be available?” Drawing comparisons to the 1880s Gold Rush, Thomas explained that Levi Strauss built his business supplying blue jeans to gold miners. Similarly, Marcellus Shale opportunities in the Johnstown area cut across a wide range of industries, from transportation and engineering to construction, machining and title searching. “The industry hasn’t had a big impact on our region yet but we expect that will change in the next 12 -18 months,” said Linda Thomson, president of JARI. “We want our businesses to be ready. As we begin to educate them about the industry, we’ll also be encouraging them to think about how their products and services can be a part of it. We know we have plenty of Levi Strausses right here.” Businesses interested in learning more are encouraged to contact JARI at 814-535-8675.
Category: Marcellus Shale News /
Pennsylvania eggs safer Penn State program reduces Salmonella risk in eggs
University Park — Although a Salmonella scare and egg recall is taking place across much of the country, Pennsylvania-produced eggs are safer to eat, according to poultry experts in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
That’s thanks to a program Penn State researchers helped Keystone State egg producers start almost two decades ago, which was the model for the national program to guard against egg contamination implemented just this July.
“If the federal regulations to protect against Salmonella contamination of eggs had been in place earlier, the current outbreak and egg recall may not have occurred,” said Paul Patterson, professor of poultry science.
Pennsylvania was the first state in the nation to institute steps to reduce the risk of Salmonella enteritidis with flock-testing and management programs in 1992.
That’s thanks to a program Penn State researchers helped Keystone State egg producers start almost two decades ago, which was the model for the national program to guard against egg contamination implemented just this July.
“If the federal regulations to protect against Salmonella contamination of eggs had been in place earlier, the current outbreak and egg recall may not have occurred,” said Paul Patterson, professor of poultry science.
Pennsylvania was the first state in the nation to institute steps to reduce the risk of Salmonella enteritidis with flock-testing and management programs in 1992.
Category: General News /
Weak jobs report
…may spell trouble for Pennsylvania
Harrisburg – With the national unemployment rate rising to 7.2 percent, Pennsylvania may be in store for some troubling economic times, according to the Keystone Research Center in Harrisburg.
The Pennsylvania economy lost 26,000 jobs last November and is expected to lose more when the December numbers are calculated.
According to labor economist Mark Price, that unemployment claims in Pennsylvania were 52 percent higher in December than they were during the same period last year.Slumping construction numbers
…continues to slump
Washington – According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, building permits, housing starts and housing completions were all down in December of 2008. The figures showed major declines from November 2008 as well as sharper declines from the same month in 2007.
Building permits for privately-owned housing units were off by 10.7 percent from November. They were down 50.6 percent from the same month a year ago.
An estimated 892,500 housing units were granted bu7ilkding permits in 2008 compared to 1,398,400 in 2007.
Housing starts were also down 15.5 percent from November and 45 percent from a year ago.
Housing completions declined by 5.2 percent from November and 23.6 percent from 2007.
Overall, an estimated 1,116,600 housing units were completed in 2008 versus 1,502,8u00 in 2007, a decline of 25.7 percent.
Category: General News /
Tags: Census Bureau, Commerce, Construction, Housing, Urban Development, Washington
Orders for durable goods
…fall in December
Washington, D.C. – According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Economics and Statistics Administration, new orders for manufactured durable goods in December 2008 fell 2.6%, to $176.8 billion. Overall shipments declined 0.7% in December, to $191.3 billion, while capital goods shipments declined 1.1%, to $73.7 billion. Inventories rose 0.4%, to $343.5 billion. For the full year 2008, new orders for manufactured durable goods fell 5.7%, overall shipments declined 2.7%, capital goods shipments rose 2.0% and inventories increased 7.0%
Category: General News /
Tags: Census Bureau, D.C., durable goods, Economic, manufactured, Statistics, Washington
Graystone Financial Corp.
…reports record earnings
Harrisburg – Graystone Financial Corp., the parent company for Graystone Bank, announced that the Company recorded net income of $2.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2008. Net income was $545,000 for the 2008 fourth quarter compared to net income of $662,000 for the 2007 fourth quarter. On a pre-tax basis, income was $768,000 in the fourth quarter of 2008 compared to pre-tax income of $549,000 in the fourth quarter of 2007, an increase of $219,000 or 39.9%. Non-interest income increased to $3.1 million in 2008, up 95.4% from 2007, contributing to the earnings growth.
The Company also reported that total assets grew to $641.3 million from $446.4 million representing an increase of $194.9 million or 43.7%. Loans and deposits also continued to grow, totaling $571.1 million and $525.5 million, respectively, representing increases of $181.1 million or 46.4% and $166.4 million or 46.3%, respectively.
“We are pleased to report that Graystone again demonstrated solid financial performance during the fourth quarter of 2008, with our loans and deposits growing at significant rates and our asset size steadily increasing,” said Andrew Samuel, chairman and chief executive officer of Graystone Financial Corp.
Category: General News /
Tags: assets, Graystone Bank, Graystone Financial Corp., Harrisburg, record earnings
