The National Craft Championships (NCC) is seeing an overwhelming demand for the 2016 competition and intents-to-compete currently number more than 200. With the intent deadline immediately following the busy Thanksgiving holiday, the NCC Committee wants to ensure all chapters and contractors have the opportunity to participate and is extending the deadline to Dec. 15. Some competitions may already have reached their maximum, so contact Lisa Nardone for wait-list information. 

On Nov. 17, the ABC National Tax Advisory Group (TAG) gathered in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the tax priorities of merit shop contractors and the broader construction industry. TAG members from the Eastern Pennsylvania, Florida East Coast, Central Florida, and Georgia chapters were in attendance as the group met with senior staff representing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the Senate Finance Committee, and key members of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

The ABC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter and Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) have partnered on an effort to bring nine Little Free Libraries to Pinellas County in Florida. Little Free Libraries are “take a book, leave a book” libraries designed to encourage kids to read by making books easily accessible at no cost.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its latest regulatory agenda on Nov. 20. The agenda lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release in 2016, their final year. An update on rulemakings affecting the construction industry is below.

Registration is now open for all 2016 sessions of ABC's Project Management Institute, held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.

Do your apprentices and craft trainees have what it takes to win the national title of ABC Craft Champion? The 2016 National Craft Championships (NCC) intent-to-compete deadline is around the corner; get your forms in before Dec. 1 to participate in the 2016 NCC in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., March 1-4.

The ABC Student Chapter of Montgomery College will be competing in the 2015 Canstruction competition in Washington, D.C., which is transportation themed. ABC members can help the Montgomery College team and help fight hunger  by “voting” for their project before Nov. 30. Votes are tallied based on contributions made during the event and on the donation page.

Soltek Pacific Construction Company of Clovis, Calif., and a member of the ABC Northern California Chapter has been awarded Accredited Quality Contractor (AQC) status by ABC. 

ABC members can now register for the 2016 Workforce Week, to be held March 1-4, at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

During its Nov. 10 meeting in San Diego, Calif., the ABC Board of Directors elected David Chapin, president of Willmar Electric Service, Lincoln, Neb., to serve as the association's 2016 national chair. Chuck Goodrich of Gaylor Electric, Inc. in Noblesville, Ind., was elected to serve as ABC’s 2016 chair-elect.