January 23, 2026

Meet Our New Intern!

Please join us in welcoming Ella Haffey to the Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce! Ella is a first-year marketing student at Juniata College, and we're excited to have her joining our team this semester. We're grateful for her enthusiasm and look forward to the fresh ideas she'll bring. Welcome, Ella!

Where Education Meets Opportunity:

The Foundation for Free Enterprise Education

The Foundation for Free Enterprise Education (FFEE) is shaping a stronger future for Pennsylvania by equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to thrive. Through immersive and innovative programs, FFEE helps young people build real world skills, explore career pathways, strengthen financial understanding, and discover meaningful opportunities for lifelong success.

Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW) is the cornerstone of this mission and has transformed the lives of over 54,000 high school juniors and seniors since 1979. Students step into executive roles, work in diverse teams, and tackle real business challenges while building leadership, communication, teamwork, time management, critical thinking, and confidence. Many describe the program as life changing, offering clarity, purpose, and a new belief in their potential. This past summer, PFEW added a Reality Fair, an interactive personal finance simulation that teaches students how to navigate budgeting, expenses, saving, and planning. This hands-on experience equips students with essential financial skills for adulthood and will remain a key part of the PFEW experience moving forward.

FFEE also provides year-round programming that strengthens classroom learning and expands students opportunities. The Speaker Series connects middle and high school students with accomplished professionals across every National Career Cluster and provides powerful tools for educators, including a student workbook, a teacher resource guide, and a statewide directory of youth opportunities. These resources help students explore careers, build employability skills, and understand how their interests align with future pathways. The Stock Market Game brings financial literacy and investing concepts alive to students in grades 4-12, offering teachers ready to use curriculum and support while students develop teamwork, decision making, financial planning, and economic understanding through an interactive investment simulation.

None of this would be possible without the incredible partners who make these program thrive. Each summer, dedicated professionals, community leaders, and alumni volunteer as Company Advisors, Judges, Speakers and Reality Fair mentors a PFEW, providing students with life changing support and encouragement. Many volunteers describe their week at PFEW as one of the most rewarding and inspiring experiences of their year. Support from local businesses, schools, and community organizations ensures that every students can participate in PFEW regardless of financial circumstances.

To support PFEW or learn more about FFEE programs, visit www.pfew.org or contact VP of Marketing and Development Scott Lee at scott@pfew.org or Program Development Manager Alison Shughart at alison@pfew.org. Together, we create a place where education meets opportunity, and every Pennsylvania student can discover their own path to a brighter future.

NFIB - Progress Continues to Lower

Credit Card Swipe Fees

Congress reintroduced the Credit Card Competition Act to lower swipe fees. Take action to urge competition between credit card processing companies and provide choice for small businesses.

Credit card costs have more than doubled since 2012. More transactions than ever before use credit cards, which add a 2-3% fee per swipe. This amount to tens of thousands of dollars per year that small business owners are forced to pay credit card processing companies to operate their business. The Credit Card Competition Act encourages competition between processing networks, which will help drive down swipe fee costs for small businesses.

To continue reading this article, please click here.

Your feedback helps shape WIPP's policy priorities and advocacy agenda for the year ahead. The survey will help them better understand:

• Alignment with WIPP's policy priorities
• Emerging needs and opportunities
• Your experiences with federal and state contracting and certification over the past year
• The barriers and challenges your business is facing

The survey closes January 23, 2026 and is open to members and nonmembers. So please feel free to share with fellow business owners.

Broadband Expansion on Hold as Feds Miss Self-Imposed Deadline to Review Pa.'s Spending Plan

Charlotte Keith, Spotlight PA

January 20, 2026

Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand broadband access in Pennsylvania is still on hold, after federal officials failed to meet their self-imposed early December deadline to review the commonwealth's plan for spending the money. Without federal approval, Pennsylvania cannot finalize agreements with the companies that expect to receive the money, and they cannot begin construction. The cause of the delay is unclear. A spokesperson for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the federal agency responsible for approving the plan, declined to comment on the delay. Pennsylvania submitted its plan on Sep. 4. The federal government promised to review state plans within 90 days. But more than 120 days later, the commonwealth is still waiting. In a speech in December, NTIA administrator Arielle Roth said the agency was "working around the clock to approve as many states as possible by year's end." As of Jan. 7, federal officials had signed off on 42 of the 53 spending plans submitted by states and territories, according to a public dashboard. Pennsylvania is one of 10 states still waiting for approval.

To continue reading this article, please click here.

Study: A Dozen More Pennsylvania Hospitals Could Face Closure by 2030

Kris Mamula, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

January 21, 2026

Inadequate state funding makes running hospitals in Pennsylvania more challenging than in other states, which could contribute to the closure of more than a dozen hospitals over the next five years, according to a new study commissioned by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. New York-based consultant Oliver Wyman LLC found that the projected closures would add 22 minutes to the average drive to the nearest hospital for patients and cost $900 million in lost wages due to job loses. Twenty-five Pennsylvania hospitals have closed since 2016, according to the study. Rural hospitals have been especially hard hit by changing demographics and medical reimbursement trends. A report Tuesday from the Pennsylvania Health Cost Containment Council found that 22 of the state's rural hospitals reported operating loses totaling $80 million in fiscal 2024. Decreased reimbursement for services, aging populations and lower patient volumes were among the factors cited for the red ink.

To continue reading this article, please click here.

PATHS will offer over 25 training sessions in February to highlight American Heart Month and National Burn Awareness Week. Click on the links below to view the training objectives and register.

Just to Highlight a Few!

4 Governor's Award for Safety Excellence - GASE 8:30-9:30 a.m.

5 Fire Extinguisher Use 1:30-2:30 p.m.

11 Home Fire Safety 8:30-9:30 a.m.

12 Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace 9:30-10:30 a.m.

17 First Aid Awareness 8:30-9:30 a.m.

19 Fatigue and Worker Safety 1:30-2:30 p.m.

26 OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping 8:30-9:45 a.m.

Certified Workplace Safety Committee (CWSC) Member Training

4 CWSC Member Training 9:30-10:30 a.m.

12 CWSC Member Training 1:30-2:30 p.m.

19 CWSC Member Training 9:30-10:30 a.m.

25 CWSC Member Training 1:30-2:30 p.m.

PATHS is a statewide service providing employers and employees with easy access to cost-effective health and safety resources. Services provided by PATHS empower participants in the workers' compensation system to foster safer and more proactive workplace environments.

Training is provided onsite by request, or you may register for online webinars on a wide range of topics through PATHS Training Calendar. Visit their website PA.gov/dli/bwc/PATHS for other safety-related resources.

We're beyond thrilled to announce our inaugural Women's Conference presented by Geisinger, Leading As You Are: Confidence in Leadership and Life, focused on encouraging authenticity, confidence, and courage in leadership.

The conference will take place on Friday, March 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Ellis Hall Ballroom at Juniata College. (We thank Juniata College for their partnership on this event!)

As we prepare for this exciting event, we are seeking businesses and organizations interested in investing in the professional development of women. This conference will bring together women from across our community for a full day of inspiration, learning, and meaningful connection - and your support can help make a lasting impact.

We would the opportunity to partner with you and highlight your commitment to leadership, growth, and community engagement. Sponsorship opportunities offer visibility, connection, and the chance to directly support women as they lead in business, organizations, and life.

Thank you for considering being part of this impactful event. We look forward to connecting with you.

Please click here for the full pdf version of the investment package.

We invite you to join us as we co-host for another year of Community Improvement Awards and to celebrate the accomplishments of the Huntingdon County Planning Commission during 2025.

The Annual Dinner Meeting of the Huntingdon County Planning Commission will be held Thursday, February 26, 2026 at Greenland's Lodge. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. for a networking reception and cash bar, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. The menu includes: a salad bar, roast beef, turkey, mashed potatoes, beef gravy, gourmet vegetable blend, dessert bar, and beverages.

The Planning Commission will host the Annual Meeting at 7:30 p.m. with the presentation of their Annual Report, 2025 Community Improvement Awards presented in partnership with the Chamber and Kish Bank, and guest speaker, Bradley Esposito.

The cost is $35 per person.

Payment must be submitted prior to the event in the form of cash or check to:

The Huntingdon County Planning Department (HCPDD)

205 Penn Street, Suite 3

Huntingdon, PA 16652

RSVP by February 9, 2026 via email to planning@huntingdoncounty.net.

The Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce, Huntingdon County Business and Industry and Huntingdon County Arts Council are working together to promote "Raystaurant Week," February 21-March 1, 2026. To participate, a restaurant, food truck or caterer need not be a member or partner of any of the organizations, but must agree to participate in at least one of the theme days. Participation does not necessarily mean offering discounts, but rather featuring daily special menu items or partnering with another entity to do cross-promotion that fit the day's theme, as well as providing a check-in incentive provided through the campaign to your customers when they come to your restaurant during the week.

HCVB will be featuring paid advertisements for Raystaurant Week in The Daily News, WTAJ-TV, and on Seven Mountains Media and Quick Rock radio stations that will drive customers to a landing page on Raystown.org featuring all of the week's participants. Several of the media outlets will also offer opportunities for each participating restaurant to purchase advertisements at a cooperative discount rate to feature their own establishment.

This is the second year coordinating a restaurant week promotion, and our target market is locals and travelers within 50-100 miles of Huntingdon County. We know some of these questions might involve other members of your staff, so the form is set-up so you can come back to it and edit as needed.

If you own or represent multiple restaurant locations, please complete one form for each.

Grants available to host entertainment and more

The Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau (HCVB) Winter Tourism Stimulus Grant is designed to encourage the development of new or enhanced visitor experiences, events and targeted marketing campaigns that specifically attract tourism activity and overnight stays during the non-peak season (defined as January 1st through March 31st).

The primary goal of this grant is to diversify the county's tourism offerings and increase wintertime occupancy and visitor spending, thereby strengthening the year-round economic resilience of the hospitality sector.

Questions?

Feel free to contact any of the following get your questions answered!

Matt Price, HCVB Executive Director

mprice@raystown.org

Lissy Kinder, HCVB Director of Marketing & Digital Engagement

lissy@raystown.org

Christa McGeary, HCBI Entrepreneur Coach

cmcgeary@hcbi.com

MacKenzie Huntsman, Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce President & CEO

mhuntsman@huntingdonchamber.com

Interested in advertising in our enews?

Contact MacKenzie at mhuntsman@huntingdonchamber.com.

The cost is $25.00; $10.00 for 501(3) organizations. Yearly rates are available.

If you are hiring, please send position information to mhuntsman@huntingdonchamber.com or login to the member section of our website to post your jobs.

Contact Us

MacKenzie Huntsman

President/ CEO

mhuntsman@huntingdonchamber.com

Trinity Smith

Program Director

trinity@huntingdonchamber.com

500 Allegheny Street

Huntingdon, PA 16652

Phone: 814-643-1110

Fax: 814-643-1115

www.huntingdonchamber.com