December 2020

Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibition postponed to 2023

Marshall, IL’s Marshall Public Library was one of 50 U.S. libraries selected to host Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.
 
The touring library exhibition — based on the special exhibition of the same name at the Museum in Washington, D.C. — was to travel to U.S. libraries from 2020 to 2022.  The exhibit tour has been temporarily suspended due to Covid-19 and Marshall Public Library’s exhibition has been postponed to 2023.
 
 
Based on extensive research of that period, Americans and the Holocaust addresses important themes in American history, exploring the many factors — including the Great Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism and antisemitism — that influenced decisions made by the U.S. government, the news media, organizations and individuals as they responded to Nazism. The exhibition specifically challenges the commonly held assumptions that Americans knew little and did nothing about the Nazi persecution and murder of Jews as the Holocaust unfolded.
 
Americans and the Holocaust: A Traveling Exhibition for Libraries is an educational initiative of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association.
For more information about Americans and the Holocaust and the new tour dates visit ushmm.org/americans-ala or contact Marshall Public Library at 217-826-2535 or online at www.marshallillibrary.com.
 

Renewed Investors

Wal-Mart

Marshall American Legion Post 90
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Warren LeFever

Meehling & Bernardoni

Kirchner Building Center
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Coale Insurance Services, Inc
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Buck Valley Wildlife Preserve
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The Equity
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First Financial Bank
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Heartland Labels, Inc
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EnerStar Power Corp
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Marshall Mutual Shore Murphy
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Super 8 Motel
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Central State Construction, Inc
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Clark County Title
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Richey Automotive
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First Mid Bank & Trust of Marshall
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Marshall Schools
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Bennett, Schroeder & Wieck
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Welsh Ag Enterprise
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January 2021

From the Director's Desk:

2020 felt like a never-ending, brutally unforgiving game of whack-a-mole. We were the naive, smiling moles who kept popping up with confidence and optimism each time we had finally adjusted to new set of unreal, mind-boggling circumstances and COVID-19 was the sledgehammer that delighted in crashing itself down on our hope with each twist, turn, restriction, and rule!

The hope and sense of renewal that comes with a new year is especially significant in 2021.  Finally, I’d add that 2020 will go down as a year that I am most proud of both personally and professionally. As any Board Member or family member will tell you, I am notoriously adverse to change and risk, thrive on order and well tested, established processes, have high expectations of myself (and others) and my biggest fear is failure. While I’ll never wish for the chaos of last year again, I am grateful for the lessons it taught, and how it made me really think about what the role and purpose of the Chamber is- none of which can be measured on paper if we’re doing it right.

Happy New Year to each of you- I’m excited for whatever 2021 brings and THANK YOU for letting the Chamber and me be part of it.
Happy Holidays,
Jennifer Bishop 

Annual Dinner & Awards 2021

Minimum Wage Set to Increase January 1

Illinois’ minimum wage will increase to $11 per hour with the start of the New Year – the third in a series of incremental steps that will bring the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. The first increase to $9.25 per hour came on Jan. 1, 2020, and the second step to $10.00 per hour came on July 1, 2020.

To help offset increased costs to the business community, small businesses are encouraged to take advantage of a tax credit available to businesses and nonprofits with 50 full-time equivalent employees or fewer. The Minimum Wage Credit will allow small businesses a maximum credit of 25 percent of the difference between the new minimum wage and what each employee was paid previously. The percentage allowed each proceeding year will decrease before it sunsets in 2026.  Businesses can begin to claim the credit on their quarterly Illinois Withholding Income Tax Returns.

While this is not a long-term solution for small businesses, it will provide a measure of relief to employers as they face the hardships imposed by the minimum wage increase. More information on the Minimum Wage Credit is available here

 

Arts in the Interim


The Paris Center of Fine Arts Facebook page is highlighting arts from the area, singers, artists, dancers, any form of performance is welcomed and encouraged.  To be featured, contact, Kristin Chittick, Fine Arts Manager, (217) 251-2016

Synopsis for Considered provisions, reported by the IEDC

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) - SBA

501(c)6 organizations are eligible to participate, including economic development organizations that are registered as 501(c)6 organizations, if:
  • Less than 300 employees
  • Not more than 15% of gross receipts from lobbying activities
  • Not more than 15% of organization activity constitutes lobbying
  • Not a professional sports league or political campaign or activity
The effective date is ‘as if it were included in the CARES Act’, meaning 501(c)6 organizations are effectively retroactively eligible
Program extended until March 31, 2021
Tax issues resolved:
  • Gross income does not include any forgivable amount of the PPP loan
  • Deductions are allowed for deductible expenses paid for by any forgiven amount from PPP loan
Forgiveness simplified:
  • Loans less than $150,000 require simple certification in the form of a one-page letter from the borrower to the lender stipulating basic criteria and providing simple, high-level details
Eligible uses formally expanded:
  • Covered operations (software, tech, human resources, etc), covered property damage (associated with ‘disturbances’ happening during 2020), covered supplier costs (supplies, inventory, etc), covered health and safety expenses (PPE, testing, etc) were further clarified as eligible uses of PPP loans and eligible for forgiveness
  • Benefits such as life insurance, disability insurance, vision, and dental were also clarified to be eligible covered expenses
Borrower may select their covered period end date, between 8 and 24 weeks after origination
$284.45 billion appropriated in the latest round of PPP (program total authorization rises to $806.5 billion lifetime) and includes a number of carve-outs:
  • $35 billion set aside for first-time borrowers
  • $25 billion is set aside for smaller organizations with 10 employees or less or loans less than $250,000 in low-income areas.
  • $15 billion in guarantees for CDFI’s and MDI’s to participate in the program
Establishes 2nd Draw criteria:
  • Max loan amount of $2 million
  • For organizations with less than 300 employees
  • Must have used or will use the full amount of first PPP loan
  • Must show at least a 25% reduction in revenue in the first, second, or third quarter of 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019; applications submitted on or after January 1, 2021, may use a fourth-quarter 2020/2019 comparison
  • 60/40 cost allocation between payroll and non-payroll costs to receive full forgiveness remains the same for 2nd Draw

Unemployment Insurance

  • Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) is extended until March 14, 2021, and the maximum number of weeks of eligibility is extended from 39 weeks to 50 weeks
  • Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PUEC) is extended until March 14, 2021 and the number of weeks of eligibility is extended from 13 weeks to 24 weeks
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation is reinstated at $300 per week from the week after December 26, 2020 and runs through March 14, 2021
Holidays - December 2020