Penn State offering ‘Toss Your Hat in the Ring’ workshop

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Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bridge hosting Game Night

<p>HARRISBURG &#8212; More than two dozen Luzerne County businesses will receive more than $1.3 million in tax credits as part of the Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) Program, Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin announced Friday.</p><p>David announced $15 million in tax credits were awarded to 263 companies across the state through the KIZ Program via a press release.</p><p>Twenty-nine companies in the Luzerne County KIZ, the second-highest number of companies in one area, received tax credits as part of the program. Eighteen businesses in the Lackawanna County KIZ received tax credits.</p><p>Companies located in a KIZ can apply for and receive tax credits if they have been in operation for less than eight years and fall under specified industry categories such as information technology/new media, healthcare and others.</p><p>Joseph Boylan, vice president of economic development for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, believes the announcement is a sign the program is flourishing downtown.</p><p>&#8220;It validates the strategy and the momentum we are generating in this tech movement,&#8221; he said. &#8220;(Entrepreneurs) are understanding the system and being provided the services and resources they need. It&#8217;s a great sign to see that many are taking advantage.&#8221;</p><p>Tiffany Luciani, of TecBridge and overseer of the Northeastern Pennsylvania KIZ Program, was unavailable for comment Friday.</p><p>The program is designed to support and encourage entrepreneurship in and around Pennsylvania&#8217;s colleges and universities by providing young Pennsylvania companies with vital working capital to meet critical needs, including covering capital expenditures, workforce expansion, operational expenses, and making companies more attractive to venture investment, according to the press release.</p><p>&#8220;It is important that we support Pennsylvania&#8217;s talent pipeline, from higher education to business ownership, and provide opportunities for entrepreneurial success and the KIZ Program does just that,&#8221; said Davin in the press release. &#8220;It is an important tool that contributes significantly to young companies&#8217; ability to transition through the stages of growth.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Refer Local on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre is one of 29 businesses in Luzerne County to receive tax credits via the Keystone Innovation Zone Program. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/web1_TTL010716referlocal2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Refer Local on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre is one of 29 businesses in Luzerne County to receive tax credits via the Keystone Innovation Zone Program. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>$1.3 million in tax credits approved for Luzerne County businesses</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Sarah Hite Hando</p><p>shando@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>COMPLETE LIST</strong></p><p>For a complete list of approved Keystone Innovation Zone awards, visit <a href="http://bit.ly/2iQMaBH" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2iQMaBH</a>.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Sarah Hite Hando at 570-704-3945.</p></shirttailMeta></div>