News and Updates 8.6.24
| Let’s start with bullet points of local news as we blaze through August… |
 Who doesn’t love a sales tax holiday? It’s August 9th through 11th this yearThe Comptroller encourages all taxpayers to support Texas businesses while saving money on tax-free purchases of most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks (sold for less than $100) during the annual Tax-Free weekend. Qualifying items can be purchased tax free from a Texas store or from an online or catalog seller doing business in Texas. In most cases, you do not need to give the seller an exemption certificate to buy qualifying items tax free. This year’s sales tax holiday begins Friday, Aug. 9, and goes through midnight Sunday, Aug. 11. Hill Regional Hospital will be providing free mammograms for women ages 40 to 74, who are without insurance, and qualify. Please contact 800.405.7739 to inquire with the initiative publicized through Moncrief Cancer Institute at UT Southwestern. As the school year returns to session, Hill County Kids is seeking donations for feeding hungry Hill County kids, one child at a time. The local nonprofit sends home “snack packs” with kids to help assure they have enough food to eat on the weekends. The kids are selected with the help of the school counselors. If you are a business wanting to support our local nonprofits, please visit our Local Nonprofits link on the Chamber website to see giving opportunities, and connect with our Hillsboro and Hill County local organizations. Please take extra care when driving in neighborhoods and school zones this month. Schools resume in Hillsboro starting on August 7th, Penelope on the 8th, Itasca on the 12th, Bynum on the 13th , Whitney, Blum, Covington and Hubbard resume class on the 14th, Abbott on the 15th and Aquilla on August 21st. The start of a new school year brings a need for extra caution. Please pay special attention to watch for children and teens crossing the streets, waiting at bus stops, and entering and exiting buses. Autumnfest is coming Saturday, September 28th 2024 to downtown Hillsboro. The all day fall celebration features children’s activities, games, vendor booths and food trucks starting at 10:30 am, and then concerts and a cider walk continue the festivities in to the evening hours. Find our more here. It’s also not too early to start planning your entry into the Hillsboro Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting, which is typically scheduled for the first Saturday in December. The free outdoor concert series continues to grow a following, with Saturday night concerts running from 8-11 pm. Please follow THE YARD – Downtown Hillsboro on facebook to get info and updates on the remaining performances that run weekly through the end of September. To see the community calendar of all upcoming events, please check the Chamber website to see opportunities for both social and business community involvement, and be sure to add your events for free and let us help you spread the word about your upcoming event. |
| Please help us welcome our new members and businesses. You can follow the links below to get more information about them, and consider emailing or calling them to wish them success! |
 Our annual job fair at City Hall is this week, August 8th 2024. There is still time to register as an employer, as you don’t want to miss this very large annual event in Hillsboro. As part of the mission to strengthen and grow Hillsboro business, ensuring local employers are able to connect with local job candidates is high on our list. Job Candidates register here: https://form.jotform.com/241895624202153 Employer registration is at this link: > https://form.jotform.com/241896003173152 |
| While the annual Job Fair at City Hall is always very well attended, our jobs board on the Chamber website is working 24-7-365 to advertise our local employer’s jobs, with links to their current listings. The jobs board averages 2k searches per month, and is free resource to all Chamber member businesses. See the Jobs Board local listings, or add your job opening for free at this link. |
See the full Hillsboro, Texas calendar of events at this link
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| Here are some of the things we are busy working on: A Main Street merchants meetup with the downtown committees and board is being planned in cooperation with Hillsboro Main Street, to be held in August 2024. Lining up and writing press releases for our Business of the Week social media and press release campaigns to increase awareness of our great local businesses and their services. Planning the annual Chamber awards show and dinner, scheduled for Thursday, October 17th 2024 Attending City Council and other local and municipal meetings to better understand and advocate for current and changing business issues. Working with local companies on creating and promoting their upcoming open houses and grand opening events, and updating their online and local presence and visibility. Planning for the biannual Hill County Day in Austin trip where we take citizens and leaders to the state capitol to meet with our representatives, tour the capitol, attend house of representatives and the senate sessions, and enjoy lunch while hearing updates on significant topics that affect Hill County. The 2025 event is scheduled for Wednesday March 19th 2025. Get on the invite list or reserve your space by emailing us. Utilizing software that helps us better understand traffic, headcounts and business visits in areas of Hillsboro and Hill County to further analyze, strengthen, and inform local business owners and potential investors with available local data. Working with our region’s SBDC and other business resources to educate new and long term local entrepreneurs about free or low cost tools that are available to them. Continually updating both the Chamber and Visitor websites, social media, and external websites like yelp, tripadvisor, google, wikipedia and others, to drive traffic to Hillsboro business and position Hillsboro as a great place to live, do business, visit and invest. Fielding calls from locals, visitors, the press, and investors that are looking for information on Hillsboro area businesses and opportunities. |
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The Hillsboro Area Chamber of Commerce is the leading membership-driven organization committed to driving growth, momentum and alliance across Hillsboro and Hill County’s business, government, community and organizations.
The Chamber is a not for profit organization comprised of members that represent all facets of Hillsboro and Hill County stakeholders in building innovative local outcomes.
| …and a call from the City for board/commission/committee applications from individuals like you, or one of your rising team members. |
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