Aug. 08--DANVILLE -- Representatives of large businesses in the Danville area told U.S. Sen. Bob Casey they have a tough time finding skilled workers.

"It took us nine months to find electricians. We aren't seeing the vocational training we used to see," Merck Cherokee Plant Manager Tom Forrestal said Monday during a roundtable at Old Forge Brewing Co.

He said Merck, a global multi-national corporation, needs to attract new talent in skilled trades.

Forrestal was one of about 30 representatives of large and small businesses, chambers of commerce, Danville borough, Montour County and child care centers who participated in the roundtable. Danville Business Alliance President Jim Wilson began the event by saying more than 11,000 people work in the county with one-third living in the Danville and Riverside areas. Businesses account for nearly $350 million a year in Montour -- the smallest county in area in the state, he said.

U.S. Gypsum Co. Plant Manager Nicholas Latkovic agreed with Forrestal, saying industrial arts are critical in manufacturing. He said his plant, in the Washingtonville area, plans to invest $12 million this year and $14 million next year in advanced automation technology to streamline its business.

Chris Hill, of the Pine Barn Inn, said small businesses have difficulties as well, particularly recruiting candidates out of college because of their amount of student debt.

Casey said interest rates should be reduced on loans.

"If homes can be refinanced, why can't student loans be refinanced?" Casey asked.

Lack of service

Lack of cell phone and internet service in parts of the region -- particularly in the Washingtonville area -- provide more challenges, said Jamie Shrawder, Danville's director of governmental affairs,

"We tried to work with Verizon and they said to tell residents to call them," she said. "It seems, in 2017, there should be some cell service most everywhere."

Bob Garrett, Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO, said a survey of chamber members showed their top need was broadband and high-speed internet.

"A small business can't compete with folks with very fast internet in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg or Philadelphia," he said.

Casey said a major national commitment is needed because 40 percent of rural America is without broadband. "In our state, it's 20 percent," he said.

Kids in rural areas are at a disadvantage compared with their urban counterparts, he said. The recent terrible derailment in Bedford County was another example he gave. The evacuation was undermined because they didn't have a cell tower, he said.

Montour, a county with a population of 18,000, has almost 6,000 people without broadband, he said.

Federal regulations

DRIVE Executive Director Jennifer Wakeman said Danville's newest business -- a medical marijuana growing facility bringing 50 jobs and eventually 100 -- can't do its banking in Pennsylvania because of federal regulations.

"It would be helpful for the federal government to keep up with state legislatures," she said.

Casey said the banking concern was news to him and that he would look into it.

Health care

Old Forge owner Damien Malfara and businessman Bob Dressler discussed health care. Malfara said he wanted to offer health insurance to his 40 employees, but after the Affordable Care Act was passed, costs doubled and he no longer could. Dressler said he was forced to drop the benefit because of the cost -- the consequences for his business were recruitment and retention of employees.

Premiums are too high for some folks, some people don't have insurance and for others, co-payments are too high, Casey said.

"At least several million are having problems," he said of the nation.

Casey hopes progress can be made on small focused bills on individual topics related to health care.

Grant woes

Danville Borough Council Vice President Bill Rogers said Danville needs help to increase the height of two sections of its flood levee system. The borough has until March to use an H20 grant for the engineering work.

"We are under the gun. The commissioners have been working with us on trying to get a grant," he said. "If we can't meet the time frame, we need help on an extension. We want to do this right."

Shrawder said the federal government is requiring the work. Currently, those parts of the levees aren't certified and residents are paying rates as if they had no flood protection, she said. The borough figured the first section, involving Hospital Run, would cost $450,000 but the sole bid came in at $1 million, she said.

Teri Provost, of SEDA-COG, said the borough isn't getting credit for its flood protection because of the lack of insurance claims. "We want to keep people here," she said, but flood insurance rates have risen 15 to 18 percent.

The county struggles to receive grants as well, according to Montour County Commissioner Trevor Finn. He said because the county "watches its pennies" and hasn't raised taxes in a while, but it is penalized when it requests financial aid.

The county would like to receive some tax dollars back from Washington, D.C., Finn said, suggesting counties like Montour get rewarded for good work.

Child care

Danville Child Development Center Executive Director Diane Verbeck thanked Casey for his work in early education and quality affordable child care.

"If kids learn now, they earn more later," Casey said. Nationally, legislators say they really care about children and folks in nursing homes, but people working with kids who are abused and those caring for nursing home residents are among the lowest paid in society, he said.

"If we really give a damn about folks who are vulnerable, why the hell not pay them more," he said.

Email comments to [email protected]. Follow Karen on Twitter @KLBlackledge.

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Agreement Reached with South Carolina Department of Insurance to Mediate the Pending Matter

Atlantic Coast Life and Southern Atlantic Re Dismiss Lawsuit Against Director Wise Without Prejudice

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Advantage Capital Holdings, LLC (“A-CAP” or the “Company”) today announced that Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Company (“ACL”) and Southern Atlantic Re, Inc. (“SAR”) have reached an agreement with the South Carolina Department of Insurance (“SC DOI”) to proceed to mediation as the parties work toward resolving their disputes and addressing outstanding regulatory matters. As a result of the SC DOI’s agreement to mediate the matter, ACL and SAR have dismissed their lawsuit against Director Wise without prejudice.

The agreement comes as A-CAP continues to advance capital-raising and corporate restructuring initiatives involving its insurance businesses. A-CAP believes a mediated resolution would reduce regulatory uncertainty surrounding ACL and facilitate consideration and implementation of those initiatives.

The Company stated: “We believe the decision to pursue mediation is a constructive step toward resolving the issues with the SC DOI and reducing uncertainty around the company. We intend to work constructively through the mediation process toward a resolution of the outstanding regulatory matters.”

ACL and SAR continue to dispute the SC DOI’s petition for rehabilitation. The petition is not an adjudication that either company should be placed into rehabilitation, and no rehabilitation order has been entered. The companies continue to pay claims and service their obligations to policyholders.

The South Carolina regulatory action was among the factors cited by AM Best in its recent rating action with respect to Atlantic Coast Life and Sentinel Security Life Insurance Company.

A-CAP believes the agreement to pursue mediation, together with the capital raise and corporate restructuring initiatives currently underway, represents important context for assessing the companies’ financial position and outlook.

The Company continued: “We disagree with AM Best’s rating action and believe it does not fully reflect these ongoing developments, including initiatives that AM Best itself acknowledged in connection with its review. Atlantic Coast Life and Sentinel Security Life have served policyholders for more than a century and through numerous economic and market cycles. We remain focused on completing the initiatives now underway and supporting the companies as they continue to meet their obligations to policyholders throughout the United States.”

About A-CAP

A-CAP is a holding company with a diverse portfolio of insurance and financial businesses operating on an integrated platform. These businesses include primary insurance carriers, an SEC-registered investment adviser, reinsurance vehicles and marketing organizations. With broad expertise across the insurance and investment sectors, A-CAP provides services to policyholders, insurance-company clients and capital partners. Founded in 2013, A-CAP is privately held and maintains offices in New York, Charleston, Miami and Salt Lake City.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260928497569/en/

[email protected]

Source: Advantage Capital Holdings, LLC