BUSINESS UPDATES | Penguin City teams up with Southside Boxing to bring fights to downtown Youngstown

Penguin City Brewing Co. and Jack Loew, owner of Southside Boxing Club, are teaming up to bring boxing to the brewer’s new downtown Youngstown facility at 460 E. Federal St.

Penguin City’s taproom will open in April, and the first amateur boxing event is scheduled to take place in July. The second boxing event is planned for Sept. 17, and a third event will take place later in the year, according to a news release.

Aspasia Lyras-Bernacki, co-owner of Penguin City Brewing Co., said the brewery is the “perfect atmosphere” for boxing.

“Boxing has such a rich history in Youngstown — so many great fighters from our area,” Lyras-Bernacki said in the release. “[Co-owner] Richard [Bernacki] and I are big boxing fans and attend local fights in our area. We’ve always talked about bringing boxing into our brewery.”

Loew, who trained middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, has a gym at 3311 Erie St.

“Southside Boxing Club is extremely excited about partnering up with Penguin City Beer for multiple amateur boxing shows in downtown Youngstown,” Loew said in the release.

JCC and JFCS mobile meals program now includes private pay option

The Jewish Community Center of Youngstown and Jewish Family & Community Services’ mobile meals program now includes a private pay option.

“To date, over 200,000 meals have been delivered to nearly 800 individuals 60 and older in need in Mahoning, Trumbull and northern Columbiana counties,” Ken Bielecki, JFCS director, said in a news release. “There is a clear need for home delivery of meals. However, funding for this critical service is ending, prompting us to offer it to the community for a nominal fee.”

The fully prepared, frozen meals are now available to anyone in Mahoning and Trumbull counties for home delivery or pickup. The kosher style meals are cooked by JCC staff and include an entrée and two sides. The cost per meal is $6, with a five meal minimum. Payment can be made by check or credit card.

For more information or to join the meal program, call 330-746-7929.

Pilot to celebrate Austintown travel center upgrades, donate $10K to school district

Pilot Co. will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday to celebrate the upgrades at the Pilot Travel Center in Austintown, and will also present a $10,000 donation to Austintown Local Schools for its technology program.

“At Pilot Flying J, we believe it’s essential to give back to our communities that have given so much to us,” Clint Wimer, regional manager at Pilot Co., said in a news release. “We are committed to supporting local, regional and industry nonprofit and charitable organizations.”

The upgrades to the travel center at 1150 N. Canfield-Niles Road include an expanded kitchen to feature Pilot’s in-house foods such as pizzas, breakfast sandwiches, homestyle meals and a greater variety of beverages, the release states. Other enhancements include interior and exterior finishes, updated laundry and shower areas and a newly paved parking lot.

Octapharma Plasma donation center opens on Belmont Avenue

Plasma collection company Octapharma Plasma Inc. has opened a new donation center at 3495A Belmont Ave., Liberty.

“We’re looking forward to becoming a part of the existing fabric of the Youngstown community,” Alice Stewart, chief operating officer at Octapharma Plasma, said in a news release. “Our goal is to provide the industry’s best customer service to new and returning donors, and educating people about the large and constant need for plasma.”

The release states that the center “will be partnering with local businesses and community organizations to educate others about the importance of plasma donations.”

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