presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance April 7th, 2020
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Reports from Local DowntownsAt this time of uncertainty, we are beginning to see a number of downtowns being shuttered as bars, restaurants, and any place where multiple people congregate are running up against fears of and caution at spreading the Coronavirus. While this is a socially responsible action that will help to save lives, in the short term these actions are having a number of adverse effects on our local communities. Vision Long Island and Long Island Main Street Alliance members have collected a number of experiences from local restaurants and service businesses, but before we go into that we would like to encourage everyone reading this to find a way to responsibly patronize local establishments. Many stores are offering curbside pickup or online shopping to help them get through this difficult time. And your favorite restaurants are also currently open for business with takeout available. We also urge you to consider gift cards in order to purchase something at a later date for yourself, or perhaps to give as a present. Local shops are in a capable position to provide you with what you need in the short-term. Many will also be willing to accommodate you if you contact them ahead of time with requests that will minimize contact and help to lower the spread of this virus. Vision has connected to nearly 400 small businesses in over 40 downtowns as they weather the economic storm through the Coronavirus. We encourage people to responsibly patronize these and other open establishments who need your help in this time of crisis. Many of these businesses have been there for local organizations and philanthropy - they now need our support. In the meantime, here is the featured downtown for today. For a complete list of downtowns we've been to and what's still open, please check out our website here.The City of Glen CoveDay 22 of the Coronavirus shutdown takes us up to the City of Glen Cove. The City of Glen Cove has undergone over two decades of revitalization efforts from its waterfront to its core downtown. In recent years multifamily housing, a renovated movie theatre, shared office suites and new restaurants including a craft beer establishment have brought street life back to Glen Street. The City has great infrastructure including two downtown parking garages, walkable amenities like a library, senior center, catering facility, public space and the summer Downtown Sounds program organized by the City's Business Improvement District. If course this Coronavirus shutdown has hurt the community like every other but they are pulling together. The BID and the City are promoting the businesses that are open and the effort of the downtown restaurants feeding the Glen Cove hospital staff is heartwarming as well. Creative ideas like the "Spring Egg Hunt To Go" replacing the big event done at their park also continue community spirit during these times. "Many of our local businesses are currently open. Please support them where you can. I want to thank our local grocery stores for remaining open and I want to say a special thanks to the employees who come to work every day despite the risk." Mayor Tim Tenke, City of Glen Cove. Here are the Downtown Restaurants Open for Takeout/Delivery: La Famiglia Pizzeria & Restaurant: 516-759-7549, 5 School St. Andros Grill: 516-674-3888, 61 Glen St. Downtown Café: 516-759-2233, 4 School Street Meritage Wine Bar: 516-801-0055, 90 School Street Jade Fortune: 516-671-7272, 36 Glen Street, takeout and delivery El Tazumal: 516-674-9465, 6 Glen Street Jr’s Deli: 516-674-3380, 67 Glen Street, takeout Thaiana: 516-218-9814, 63 Glen Street, takeout/delivery Glen Cove Deli: 516-609-0252, 35 Glen Street Henry’s Confectionary: 516-671-3222, 8 Glen Street Machu Picchu: 516-759-1382, 15 Bridge Street Edible Arrangements: 516 582-4000, 64 School Street American Café: 516-656-0003, 5 School Street Noble Savage: 516-953-9175, 27 Glen Street Simpliciti Cafe: 516-801-1468, 17 Bridge St. Curbside Pickup/Delivery/UberEats, Grubhub Communites Helping Communities: Carroll's KitchenIn a bit of good news, Suffolk County Legislator William Doc Spencer has highlighted local charity Carrol’s Kitchen, which is now working to create affordable meals for delivery to those in need. The company is the brainchild of Ryan Carroll and James Destasio, who launched the nonprofit after they both lost their jobs as chefs. Since then they have launched Carroll’s Kitchen along with a number of out-of-work restaurant workers who got to cooking in order to help those in need. They use proceeds from those meals along with money raised from a Go Fund Me page to help out those in need across Long Island. To help get the word out about their new organization, they recently joined with Legislator Doc Spenver and Legislator Tom Donnelly, Pastor Dan Rivera, and Reverend Kim Gaines from Helping Hand Mission to bring meals to Huntington Station. They all participated in a grab-and-go event at the Huntington Assembly of God to provide 250 hot meals to residents in need. We applaud the efforts of these people giving back to members of the community at a time when it’s needed the most. We hope that they, and more like them, can keep local residents fed in this time of crisis. You can view their Facebook page and menus here. |
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Cuomo talks about the Flattening Curve and what is Needed for an Economic RestartGovernor Cuomo began his latest update by talking about the numbers of newly hospitalized patients of the COVID virus. While the number rose today from yesterday, the three day average shows a decline in new patients. Daily ICU and intubation numbers are also down while the discharge rate remains fairly steady. New York is currently projecting that they are reaching a plateau for the state, though it’s still in the early phases and things aren’t perfectly clear. The unfortunate news is that 731 New Yorkers lost their lives yesterday, which is the largest single day increase since the pandemic began effecting the state. The total number of New Yorkers who have died because of complications from COVID-19 now numbers 5,489. Governor Cuomo noted that the number of deaths is a lagging indicator behind hospital admissions, so that number will not correspond directly to the plateau of cases. Cuomo noted that the number of beds currently available in the hospital system is stable at the moment, partially due to new temporary hospitals being opened and a shrinking number of non-COVID patients. He also noted that the Navy hospital ship Comfort has now been approved to treat COVID patients. Unfortunately, hospital workers are being adversely affected because of the crisis. Hospital staff are putting themselves and their families at risk every day during the fight while also having to work long hours. The good news is that about 7,000 healthcare workers have entered the system, with the state drawing from a poll of returning workers and volunteers from out of state. New York is currently on a tristate cooperative to help coordinate policies with this and in other regards. Cuomo also spent time talking about how we can restart the economy after the virus and get to a way we can approach doing so regionally. Testing will be a major component as that as we will need a way to quickly and accurately determine who previously had, currently has, or who never has had the virus. New York is working with companies to approve and develop tests that can be deployed at large to determine who has the antibodies and is no longer contagious or susceptible to COVID-19. Part of this will be bringing the testing capacity to scale quickly. Cuomo pledged to work with both New Jersey and Connecticut to get testing deployed. Private companies that have these tests and are interested in investments from the state can contact New York at 212-803-3100 or COVID19supplies@esd.ny.gov. The Governor talked about the need for assistance on the federal level and called for the next round of federal legislation addressing this issue to fix the shortcomings of the previous bill. Many state and local government budgets have simply collapsed due to the virus shutdown. While Cuomo conceded that the past legislation does do good, it does not address New York’s needs. Finally, Cuomo ended on a tone of understanding with how everyone has been living through a bizarre reality in the past 37 days. But he also stressed the need to modulate our behavior in order to slow the spread and limit the number of deaths. He talked about the 1918 Influenza Pandemic and how it peaked for six months with approximately 30,000 deaths. He contrasted that with our current efforts and how the numbers are starting come down or level off after just 37 days. He talked about how this time in history is about “we” and not “me” and what is good for all of us. Our health is in each of our hands and we bear responsibility for ourselves and the healthcare workers who are on the frontlines every day. We will get through this together if we stay smart and safe about it. You can watch his full press conference here. Paycheck Protection Program for Small Businesses Goes into EffectThe US Department of Treasury has released guidelines for small businesses seeking relief from payroll costs during the Coronavirus pandemic. This program called the Paycheck Protection Program, will provide small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. Funds are provided in the form of loans that will be fully forgiven when used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities (due to likely high subscription, at least 75% of the forgiven amount must have been used for payroll). Loan payments will also be deferred for six months. No collateral or personal guarantees are required. Neither the government nor lenders will charge small businesses any fees. Forgiveness is based on the employer maintaining or quickly rehiring employees and maintaining salary levels. Forgiveness will be reduced if full-time headcount declines, or if salaries and wages decrease. All loans under this program will have an interest rate of 0.5%, maturity of 2 years, be 100% guaranteed by the SBA, and the first payment will be deferred for 6 months. Small businesses with 500 or fewer employees—including nonprofits, veterans organizations, tribal concerns, self-employed individuals, sole proprietorships, and independent contractors— are eligible. Businesses with more than 500 employees are eligible in certain industries. Maximum loan amounts will be up to $10 million. People can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating. All loans will have the same terms regardless of lender or borrower. A list of participating lenders as well as additional information and full terms can be found at www.sba.gov. You can find more information on the loans here. You can read more at Long Island Business News. Small Businesses Urged to Apply for SBA LoansThere are still a lot of questions in regards to the impact of the Federal aid package on small businesses. Here is the latest fact sheets from US Congresswoman Kathleen Rice that outlines the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (here) and the SBA’s Paycheck Program Loan with the updated guidelines (here). Congressman Lee Zeldin recently had an SBA representative encourage folks to apply for loans no matter what. In the meantime, there has been an effort to encourage small businesses to work to apply for loans asap. The LI Main Street Alliance and the Nassau & Suffolk Chambers are working to get information out to the small business community to help as much as possible. Newsday and the LIA are both hosting, and will continue to host, video conferences on a range of business resources as well. This past Friday morning, the Queens Chamber of Commerce hosted a webinar for businesses to learn how to apply for SBA loans. Man-Li Lin, from the New York District office of the U.S. Small Business Administration presented information to explain how to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). This information is subject to change as the situation remains fluid. The local Small Business Development Centers at Farmingdale State College (here) and Stony Brook University (here) will have new information as updates occur. While SBA loans are typically only available for small businesses, during a declared national disaster, they are also available for private not for profit entities as well. Most small businesses and non-profits are eligible except for businesses relating to gambling, religious organizations, investment or lending companies, charitable organizations, speculative activities, or agricultural enterprises. Loans of up to $2 million are available with no payments for 12 months. They can be used to pay expenses such as fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, or other bills affected by the disaster. Interest rates are 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for private non-profits and long term repayments for COVID crisis will be 30 years. Loans cannot be used for lost revenue, just for expenses. Typically, businesses are not eligible if they are able to secure credit elsewhere. However, they are currently allowing applications without denial letters from other lenders. There is no cost to apply and no obligation to take the loan if it is offered. The amount of the loan application should reflect six months of operating expenses. Documentation of a typical months expenses is required. Businesses are eligible even if they already have a previous SBA loan, disaster loan or other types of SBA loans. Loans over $25000 require collateral, but won’t be denied simply for lack of collateral, they will require a pledge of what is available. Criteria for approval will include eligibility, credit history and the ability to repay. US Small Business Administration Processing and Disbursement Center You can also contact the SBA disaster customer service center at 1-800-659-2955, disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or TTY:1-800-877-8339. They recommend email as the best way to get in touch with someone. If applicants are receiving a 404 error, they recommend clearing your cache and trying again. |
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Don’t let the News take Control of your LifeThe following op-ed was written by Fair Med Council CEO & Executive Director Jaci Clement, and originally appeared in Long Island Business News Here’s the thing: You’re in control of the news you allow into your life. That’s the most essential advice I can offer in this extraordinary time. It also happens to be the one thing about the media that the majority of the public doesn’t get. No doubt, by now you’re suffering news and information fatigue from the 24/7 news coverage of the coronavirus. Truth is, this news cycle is just beginning to ramp up, as it follows a pandemic that has yet to hit its peak. (The two go hand-in-hand.) That means the time to get control over your news habit is right now. You probably recall a simpler time, pre-Information Age, when you waited for the newspaper to hit your doorstep or you turned on the evening news to discover what was happening in the world. Fast forward to today, where the news follows you and provides an incessant white noise to fill your head with too much information. Left unchecked, it becomes the soundtrack of your life, which can be quite a dismal development, even in the best of times. The good news is this: It’s actually quite easy to get your news habit in check. To begin with, set limits on your exposure to news coverage. You don’t need to check the news every few minutes. The beauty of today’s news formats is that they repeat information throughout the day, and the Internet provides the news with infinite hang time. This lets you catch up on what’s happening and stops the news from invading your life. As a best practice, read your newspapers in the morning, check television news and the Internet at intervals throughout the day for updates. If the fear of missing out is lurking in your subconscious, keep this in mind: In normal times, breaking news should be taken with a grain of salt. In a historic pandemic, the likelihood of the information that’s being reported as it happens will often change dramatically. Why? It’s less about the quality of the news media and more about the state of the situation: Authorities are trying their best to provide answers, but they themselves don’t know if they’re right. Social distancing started at three feet, then moved to six. The CDC now advises six-to-10 feet. The story evolves as more becomes known. Relax and treat breaking news like the 1.0 version of any app, where you know it will be full of bugs that will need to be worked out later. Also, note this: If you’re watching cable news, and you’re now re-watching the same news being repeated, the reality is you’ve sat on the couch too long. Go get some exercise, talk to your kids, do anything but what you’re doing. Wait a few hours before you pick up the remote. If your phone is your constant companion, you will be getting pinged each time a news outlet updates a Coronavirus story. Getting multiple pings doesn’t mean the world is ending faster than anticipated. It simply means each outlet is doing its job. Pay attention to the news, not the number of pings. And, when it comes to social media, remember it’s the land of reaction and animal videos, not a reliable source of fact-checked information. So, unless you’re friends with a bunch of infectious disease experts, don’t go to Facebook for your news. Don’t share information from unnamed sources, or advice from people who aren’t recognized authorities. That’s what got people making hand sanitizer with vodka. (Spoiler alert: It doesn’t work.) Break things down for yourself so it’s not you against “the media.” Tune in to reporters that you trust. Look for those who put their stories into perspective. A quality news report should make you feel armed with facts. Last, but not least, pay attention to what the news is doing to your kids. While you may be setting limits on the amount of time they are online or watching television, you may not realize that news playing in the background is something they can actively absorb. While you may know images of people wearing facemasks are coming from remote places, a small child sees it happening in his or her living room. Be sure to talk to children about what’s happening and offer reassurance they are safe. When all is said and done, the news should empower you. Don’t waste your time on anything less than that. |
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Upcoming Webinars for Small Businesses Seeking Relief LoansWhile this process is still evolving, businesses are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and provide all required documentationfor relief loans from the Small Business Administration. Representatives from the SBA will follow up with questions. Webinars will be held to help guide businesses through the application process, the times are as follows: April 8th, 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm, Zoom link here, Phone number: 1-929-436-2866 April 14th, 12 pm to 1 pm. Zoom link here. Phone number: 1-929-436-2866 April 15th, 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Zoom link here. Phone number: 1-929-436-2866 April 16th, 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Zoom link here. Phone number: 1-929-436-2866 |
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CDC Guidelines on Coronavirus PreventionAs concern about the ever-expanding impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) grows, we can minimize or prevent the spread of coronavirus by taking these steps:
These are everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses. CDC does have specific guidance for travelers. For more information see the CDC website or call the NY State Coronavirus hotline to speak with a representative 888-364-3065 |
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