presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance

June 10th, 2020

Quotes of Day

	"As a daughter of the first African American Police Detective in Suffolk County, you can be 100% pro police and 100% against police misconduct" - Tracey Edwards, NAACP Regional Director for Long Island
	“The business owners are waking up every day and they’re wondering how they’re going to pay their bills. There’s a lot of stress in the business community. It’s time to get back to work.” - Hon. Jodi Giglio, Riverhead Town Councilwoman
	"We are two months into our selling/service season and losing money and businesses every day. We need to move to phase 4 opening now. Our peak season is quickly approaching and we will lose the ability to recover from months of closure and delays in guidance if we wait any longer. The opportunity to keep small businesses open and take care of our families is quickly fading. The stimulus was not enough to sustain months of closure for the east end small business economy." - Bob Kern, Riverhead Chamber of Commerce
The following are an ongoing collection of quotes in opposition to a proposal to remove local zoning in the middle of this pandemic.
	"Zoning and planning decisions are fundamentally local in nature as they determine the success of the local economy and thereby require the unique knowledge and input of local government, stakeholders and community. Removing these decisions from those impacted the most strikes at the heart of community. Taxpayers and stakeholders are entitled to self determination in critical local decisions rather than being the forced into a one-size-fits all approach." - Hon. Marsha Silverman, Glen Cove City Councilwoman
	“Long Island is made up of a patchwork of villages and towns each with its own unique character and individuality which is supported by local zoning and is approved according to the needs and strengths of each locale. A blanket override of these zoning requirements at the state level would undermine local authority, take away the voice of residents and compromise the basic structure that gives each area its identity.” - Holly Byrne, Executive Director, Greater Port Washington Business Improvement District

A message from Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance...

Helping Main Street through the
Coronavirus Shutdown

Day 87 of Coronavirus Economic Shutdown –
Wednesday June 10th, 2020

The Coronavirus economic shutdown is on day 87.   Peaceful protests condemning the murder of George Floyd continue in multiple local communities on Long Island with the support of local community, business and government leaders.   Retail businesses on Main Street have begun to safely reopen along with outdoor dining for restaurants as we entered into Phase 2 of the NYS reopening plan today.  East End businesses are looking to fast track additional phases as we are in the midst of their prime operating season.  $150 billion is still available in the SBA PPP program and the Federal government has relaxed many rules that were a barrier to some businesses.  Many small businesses still don’t know about this opportunity and the program will close out on June 30th.  The Village of Valley Stream is hosting the “Split the Bill” program that helps business in their Rockaway Ave business district.  See the article below

Here are some updates:

• NYS has allowed LI to enter Phase 2 or reopening which includes:

Restaurants can reopen for outdoor dining with restrictions:

- Servers and staff must wear masks at all times
- Patrons must wear masks when not seated at their table
- All other social distancing rules apply including maintaining 6 feet between tables

All office-based jobs can resume with restrictions:

- Office building will be limited to 50% of occupancy capacity
- Employees will need to undergo daily screenings with tools like temperature checks and questionnaires
- Masks, plexi-glass, or other barriers will be required if 6 feet distance can’t be maintained
- Signage and distance markers will be required in close quarters like bathrooms and breakrooms
- No congregation will be able to take place in small areas and in-person meetings will be limited
- No meetings can take place without social distancing
- No communal sharing of food or beverages.

In-store retail shopping can resume with restrictions:

- Retail stores will be limited to 50% maximum occupancy
- Employees must wear face coverings when interacting with customers and coworkers
- Customers must wear face coverings, if medically able
- Stores must control foot traffic with designated signage and markers
- Stores should continue use of curbside/in-store pick-up where possible
- Shared amenities should be closed including self-serve sampling stations and bars
- Store owners can prohibit customers who don’t wear masks
- Malls are closed except stores that have external entrances. All mall retail may proceed with curbside pickup.

Barbershops and hair salons will reopen with limited services and restrictions:

- Salons and barbershops will be limited to 50% of maximum capacity
- Only hair services will be available. Massages, hair removal, beard trimmings, facials, and nail services will remain prohibited.
- Employees must wear face coverings and face shields while performing hair services at all times
- Customers must wear face coverings at all times
- Services will be available by appointment only
- Employees are strongly encouraged to get tested before reopening
- Customers are urged to inquire about employee testing status
- Employees interacting with customers must be tested at least once every two weeks
- Shops will be required to keep a log of customers to perform tracing in the event staff test positive

Real Estate Services like building and property management, leasing, rental, and sales may resume with restrictions, and motor vehicle leasing, rental, and sales may also resume with restrictions. 

For more details, and to read the complete safety guidance documents for all industries reopening in phase two, visit https://forward.ny.gov/phase-two-industries

• Nassau has partnered with the Nassau County IDA’s sister organization, LEAC and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin, to introduce the “Boost Nassau” initiative which launched two new programs specifically designed to support small businesses and non-profits during this challenging time:

- Small Business Recovery Loan Program for eligible small businesses, non-profits, and MWBEs.

- PPE Kit Giveaway for eligible small businesses and non-profits, fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.

- Apply for both programs at: www.boostnassau.net

• Guidance for child care and day camps has been posted on the NY Forward website under "statewide guidance." Please share this information with anyone who may be interested. Day camps and child care facilities should read the guidelines, submit an affirmation, and complete and print the safety plan. The guidance can be found at this link: https://forward.ny.gov/statewide-guidelines​.

• Guidance for Phase 3 industries has been posted on the NY Forward website. Phase 3 includes restaurant/food service and personal care. As per the guidance, personal care includes "non-hair-related personal care  businesses and services including tattoo and piercing facilities, appearance enhancement practitioners, massage therapy, spas, cosmetology, nail specialty, UV and non-UV tanning, or waxing." Phase 3 guidance can be found at this link: https://forward.ny.gov/phase-three-industries​.

Ahead of Long Island entering Phase 3, businesses should go to the website, read the guidelines, submit an affirmation, and complete and print the safety plan.

Outdoor, low-risk recreational activities are permitted so long as social distancing and cleaning/disinfecting measures are in place:

- tennis;
- non-motorized boat use and rentals, such as row boats, kayaks, canoes; 
- golf and driving ranges, except miniature (mini) golf, with food and retail services subject to the restrictions that are currently in effect within the region;
- racket games, such as badminton, pickleball, racquetball;
- toss/bowl games, such horseshoes, bocce, bean bag toss, croquet;
- flying disc games, such as disc golf and frisbee;
- shuffleboard;
- aerial rope courses or zip lining;
- rope courses including aerial rope courses;
- batting cages;
- shooting ranges; and
- swim classes and swim instruction.​

Link to the essential business guidance: https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026

• The Governor also announced he would issue an Executive Order allowing commercial buildings to conduct temperature checks for anyone entering the building as office workers begin to return to the workplace. That executive order can be found here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-20238-continuing-temporary-suspension-and-modification-laws-relating-disaster-emergency

• If you’re a small business owner who offers paid family leave and medical leave to your employees, and you have an employee unable to work due to the coronavirus, you may be entitled to receive a credit in the full amount of the required sick leave and family leave. Learn more at go.usa.gov/xVwTS

• The President has signed a bill into law that will give PPP recipients more latitude in how they spend funds received through the program. The new law extends the amount of time borrowers have to use PPP funds from 8 weeks to 24. It also extends the deadline to rehire laid-off and furloughed employees and still qualify for loan forgiveness from June 30 to December 31. Additionally, it reduces the amount of PPP money that must be spent on payroll and expenses for the loan to be forgiven completely, from 75% to 60%. And finally, it gives borrowers five years to repay the loan instead of 2.

• Houses of Worship reopened today at 25% capacity as part of Phase 2

• The Long Island Railroad resumed nearly full service starting Monday (it’s still called Essential Services though), and they reopened ticket offices at Penn Station, Jamaica, and Atlantic Terminal, along with the Penn Station lost and found office. Off-peak fares will remain in effect and summer travel packages are not being offered.

• Nassau County began accepting applications last Wednesday from small businesses for free face masks, hand sanitizer and other personal protection equipment. Owners of businesses that have been open at least one year, have 20 or fewer employees and gross revenue of less than $3 million are eligible for the free "PPE starter kits" from the county. Each kit comes with a no-contact digital forehead thermometer, five face shields, 400 face masks, 100 pairs of gloves, 1,800 sanitary wipes and two gallons of hand sanitizer. The one-page application may be found at boostnassau.net.

• I would like to make you all aware of the Suffolk County Small Business COVID -19 Supply Request Information. You can find the form here.
Submission of this form is an agreement with Suffolk County that this business will use the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) provided by Suffolk County only for the purpose of addressing the threat to the public health posed by Covid-19 in compliance with State Executive Orders and guidance for reopening businesses. PPE provided will consist of two reusable cloth face coverings per employee and one gallon of hand sanitizer per business/organization.

• Outdoor movies are happening around LI as the movie industry has to change its operations.

• The New York State Liquor Authority has posted new guidance on outdoor expansion of licensed premises. This is following the Governor's early announcement that outdoor dining is permitted in phase two of reopening.​ SLA guidance can be found at this link.

• The Town of Babylon sets aside a $2.5 million fund for its local small businesses.

• The $1.5 billion budget deficit created by the Coronavirus economic shutdown was alarming to Suffolk County officials.  The push to maintain services will include the call for bailout from the Federal government.

• At least a third of society are identified as clinically depressed, which is not a surprise

• Summer day camps can open statewide on June 29th, and folks are expecting that specific rules and guidance will be released soon, potentially as early as this Wednesday. A decision on sleep-away camps has not yet been made, but will be announced in the coming weeks. 

• The Nassau Inter-County Express, or NICE Bus, announced that it was suspending all service to Queens each day while the New York City curfew remains in effect. The agency had announced last Monday the temporary closure of its busiest hub, the Rosa Parks Hempstead Transit Center.

•Please see the below update from the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles about the department's reopening plan. DMV will resume limited remote services starting June 1st. The release also includes additional opening information, such as: "As regions enter phase 3 of reopening, DMV will offer limited in-person transactions in state-run DMV offices by reservation only, prioritizing critical services, and will resume road tests for all drivers at that time."

If you cannot see the release below, you can access it at this link: https://dmv.ny.gov/press-release/press-release-05-30-2020.

• Please find attached the flyer that can be shared on the New York Forward Loan Fund. The NYFLF is a new economic recovery loan program aimed at supporting New York State small businesses, nonprofits, and small landlords as they reopen after the COVID19 outbreak and NYS on PAUSE. 
The application for NYFLF is available at this link: nyloanfund.com
Additional resources, such as PowerPoint presentation and FAQ can be found at: https://esd.ny.gov/nyforwardloans-info

• Phase 2 guidance has been posted on the NY Forward website here. Phase 2 includes all office-based jobs, real-estate services, retail in-store shopping, vehicle sales, and limited barbershop and hair salon services.

• The Governor has signed a new executive order that will allow business owners to refuse entry to customers not wearing a mask or face covering.

• In a surprise to no one LI’s unemployment has soared in April to 16% with 16.4% in Suffolk and 15.6% in Nassau.  This is higher than NYC, Westchester and higher than any time during the 1989-92 recession which were the highest in recent decades.  For those saying this shutdown is an inconvenience maybe speak with someone out of work.

• Governor Cuomo signed Executive Order 202.32 which extends the period for paying property taxes​ 21 days, without interest or penalty, for the certain municipalities. This EO includes Suffolk County. The order is attached and can also be found here.

• The Governor signed an Executive Order allowing businesses to deny entry to customers without masks.

• The state has launched the New York Forward Loan Fund (NYFLF), a $100 million fund to provide flexible and affordable loans to help our small businesses, especially MWBEs (Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises) that did not receive federal Covid-19 assistance. The program will take a smart, targeted approach for distributing these loans, focusing on truly small businesses, with 20 or fewer employees and less than $3 million in gross revenues. If you’re a small business who didn’t get federal assistance, check out esd.ny.gov/nyforwardloans for more information and to pre-apply

• The Nassau County BAR Association is accepting emails for COVID-19 related legal inquiries. Emails should be sent to Covidhelp@nassaubar.org.  Member volunteers are helping residents with a variety of issues, especially landlord/tenant and employment.  They can also help answer questions about Federal Small Business Administration loans. 

• There is an enormous amount of confusion out there. There is no comprehensive reopening as there are first steps taken to reopen. NYS will allow Long Island communities to have select categories of businesses reopen in addition to the industries already allowed to work if they are an "essential" businesses.

Industries that are eligible for Phase 1 reopening include:
- Construction
- Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
- Retail - (Limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop off)
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale Trade

All businesses eligible to operate in Phase 1 should read the guidelines for their industry and submit an affirmation. In addition, they should print and complete the safety plan and display in their business.

Phase Two
- Professional Services
- Retail
- Administrative Support
- Real Estate / Rental & Leasing

Phase Three
- Restaurants / Food Services

Phase Four
- Arts / Entertainment / Recreation
- Education

Read https://forward.ny.gov/ to review the regulations and affirm their industries safety guidelines.
Check out this initial article in Huntington Now. Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci is quoted along with the Huntington Chamber and Vision.

• A new bill led by Rep. Carolyn Maloney would create a federally backed business interruption insurance fund to cover losses from a pandemic.

• Lots of folks were talking about this Washington Post article about NYC residents contemplating moving. 

• The NYS Legislature returned to Albany to debate a number of Coronavirus related bills with looming $13 billion deficit as a backdrop

• As we begin to slowly reopen our communities, its important that no New Yorker feel unsafe at work or be put into harms way unnecessarily. If your employer doesn’t make appropriate accommodations for your safety, for the safety of the public, or fails to provide you with PPE to do your job safely, you’re urged to call the state coronavirus hotline at 888-364-3065

• If you are outside more with your kid here are some resources to get you child more appreciative of the natural world courtesy of Nassau BOCES and the LI PreK Initiative

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Watch us on YouTube

Join us on LinkedIn

View us on Instagram

Visit our website

PinkTie Delivers to 4 More Stops

Vision was out this past Wednesday and Thursday with the Pink Tie Delivers team for 4 stops to deliver food and financial contributions to the communities of Baldwin, two locations in Huntington Station & East Northport.

First stop was St. Christopher’s Church in Baldwin. Father Zientarski and Parish Outreach Coordinator Julia Santiago have seen their needs triple during the shutdown. Nassau Legislator Debra Mule joined the group along with Baldwin Civic Association’s Karen Montalbano.

Next stop was St. Hugh of Lincoln’s Project Hope at Manor Field in Huntington Station. Dan Diviney and Kevin Thorbourne and the Suffolk Police are working diligently to feed a long line of cars assembled. They have seen the number they are feeding go up dramatically with over 500 per day.

The Pink Tie team then headed over to Salvation Army’s East Northport location to assist their food pantry. Vanessa and Pedro Espinoza have also tripled their numbers in the recent months as well.

The day ended with a visit to the Helping Hands Rescue Mission.

Their Director Kim Gambino and her team expressed the increased numbers they are seeing. The Keller Williams realty team were at all the stops to donate food but also donated to the Helping Hands Rescue Mission.

Darren Krantz from ReCommerce and his son provided two palettes of food as well.

Town of Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci joined the group to provide support to an important service in his Town.

Companies that participated in the visits included Keller Williams, Dime Savings Bank, 1st Equity Title, Late Night Chauffers, Trinity Solar, and ReCommerce.

If folks want to donate food, join a corporate doorstep donation program or financially support these efforts check out PinkTie.org.

East End Chamber Alliance hosts Press Conference Calling for Expedited Reopening

Vision was happy to be out in support of the East End Chamber Alliance in downtown Riverhead this week as they held a press conference to support picking up the pace of reopening Main Streets.  The East End Chamber Alliance is an organization that represents local chambers, including Riverhead, the North Fork, Montauk, East Hampton, Shelter Island, etc. 

During the conference the Alliance noted that museums, Historical Societies, special places like the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium, and other similar businesses are better able to manage small gatherings through ticketing and management of their spaces.  Because of this they should have the option to open sooner so long as they can follow guidelines to protect customers.

Bryan Deluca from the Atlantis Marine World spoke of the negative impact that the Coronavirus shutdown has had on his operation, but shared his readiness to safely reopen.  Meanwhile, the Town of Riverhead Councilwoman Jodi Giglio spoke for the Town Board and shared the impacts of the extended closures on local business and revenue.

Bob Kern from the Riverhead Chamber shared this statement in advance of the event:

“The east end of Long Island is a micro economic region that narrowly sustains itself without a winter season unlike the rest of Suffolk County and Long Island. It spans from Riverhead east on both forks to Montauk and Orient points.

We are two months into our selling/service season and losing money and businesses every day. We need to move to phase 4 opening now. Our peak season is quickly approaching and we will lose the ability to recover from months of closure and delays in guidance if we wait any longer. The opportunity to keep small businesses open and take care of our families is quickly fading. The stimulus was not enough to sustain months of closure for the east end small business economy.

We are a sought-after destination for many NYers who want to get away during normal times. Now that the temperature is heating up, it has become obvious that the desire for staycations and visiting local beaches and boating is a necessity and inevitability. To that end, the state and Suffolk county health department guidelines are woefully inadequate to meet the needs of the tourism and residents of the east end by creating unsafe environments by limiting access to places to visit. This has shown to encourage crowding and clusters of people waiting for service. This goes against the governors’ previous efforts to mitigate crowding. With more businesses open, people can spread out naturally and each business/restaurant can mandate appropriate occupancy.

Restaurants alone, according to the Washington Post, will lose 25% of consumer spending, another 25 to 40% of consumers with safety concerns. No business expects anywhere near 100% of what they had. But we need a fighting chance to bring customers back to our small businesses. Reports from members have come in to the chamber of guests calling hotels and cancelling because restaurants and amenities are closed. If one business opens – we all must open. A rising tide lifts all boats.”

We were happy to see the East End Arts’ Diane Burke, Reeni Brill from the Westhampton Beach Chamber, and many other small businesses out in support.

Check out the coverage on CBS 10/55, Riverhead News Review, Riverhead Local and other sources.

Split the Bill NY Initiative Expands to Valley Stream

Today, Split The Bill NY, a charitable initiative created by Sidgmore Family Foundation, announced the second phase of their campaign which aims to drive business to local restaurants struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic. Taking place tomorrow, June 11, in the Village of Valley Stream, Split The Bill NY encourages locals to order takeout, delivery, drive-through or dine-in (at the restaurants that are now offering outdoor seating) from any of the Participating Restaurants listed on the Split The Bill NY website. After customers have enjoyed their meal, they can then submit a Reimbursement Form confirming purchase of their meal, and within 3-7 days they will receive a reimbursement for 50% of their restaurant receipt, up to $30.

The pilot phase of the initiative took place in the Village of Farmingdale in May, and successfully drove over $40,000 in retail spend to participating restaurants. Several restaurants in the Village of Valley Stream are participating in the program in the hope of driving more business to their restaurants.

“Local restaurants are struggling,” explained Randi Sidgmore, Founder and Director of Sidgmore Family Foundation, the private family foundation behind the creation of Split The Bill NY. “Split The Bill NY is a way for locals to support these restaurants and their community, in a mutually beneficial way.”

Split The Bill NY is keeping local officials optimistic about the future of our downtowns. “After seeing the success of the Village of Farmingdale campaign, we’re hopeful about the positive effect Split The Bill NY will have on our local restaurants,” said Valley Stream Village Mayor Edwin Fare.

Split The Bill NY is in the process of planning more campaigns in various towns on Long Island, which they will be announcing over the next few weeks.

Split The Bill NY is an initiative created by Sidgmore Family Foundation, that aims to support local restaurants, their hardworking employees and the community during this time of economic hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic. They will reimburse 50% of your restaurant receipt, up to $30 per order, when you order takeout, delivery, drive-through or dine-in (at the restaurants that are now offering outdoor seating) at any of their partner restaurants in the Village of Valley Stream.

Long Island Enters Phase 2 of Reopening

Today marks a limited reopening for businesses across the region as Long Island entered Phase 2 of the Governor’s reopening plan.

Long Island follows Hudson Valley as the most recent two regions to being reopening in the state. It also marks the beginning of a two week period before Phase 3 of reopening can occur assuming there is not a spike in rate of infections.

The previous implementation of Stage One has allowed certainly industries to come back online including construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, limited retail not involving in-store purchases, manufacturing, and wholesale trade.  Phase two will now allow hair salons, car dealers, and professional offices to reopen with restrictions, limited in-store retail shopping, and residents to eat outside at restaurants.  Film work will also be allowed to resume.

However, businesses will still be required to function at or below half capacity in order to limit social contact.  People will also need to observe minimal distances of six feet when not interacting with others.  Meanwhile, waiting rooms will remain closed, masks will be required, lines will be prohibited, and nonessential amenities will not be allowed. 

Something that a lot of people are looking forward to is the return of dining opportunities in our region.  Restaurants will be allowed to reopen outdoor dining sections so long as tables are kept at a 6 foot distance and people are required to wear masks when not eating.  In preparation of this a number of local municipalities have announced plans to close off streets during prime dining hours to help accommodate these new rules. 

Local chambers of commerce have also asked residents to be mindful that this is new territory for a lot of businesses and that there will be growing pains during implementation.

New York will be monitoring local infection rates and, so long as there is not a sustained increase, the region should be on track for Phase 3 in about 2 weeks.  However, if infection rates rise continuously across a 4 to 5 day period, business will be required to close once more as the outbreak is brought back under control.

In the meantime, NY has also released the Phase 3 guidelines for businesses preparing for that stage.  You can read them on the New York Forward website here.

You can read more at Long Island Patch and Huntington Now..

Long Islanders Return to Streets for more Peaceful Protests

Many thousands of Long Islanders returned to the streets last week to lend their voices to the call for justice and healing in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, the unarmed black Minneapolis man who died on May 25th after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.

Peaceful protests were held throughout the Island, including Shirley, Lindenhurst, Mineola, Huntington, Bethpage, Valley Stream, Peconic, Greenport, Mastic, Merrick, Bellmore, Garden City, to name a few.

Last week’s news of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin’s charges having been upgraded to second-degree murder, coupled with charges brought against the three other former officers present during the killing, was met with exhilaration by the protestors.

Thousands turned out in Merrick and Bellmore to march on Wednesday, June 3rd. At the Merrick demonstration, the LI Herald reports a number of Merrick residents participated and disavowed the behavior of the 30 or so counter-protesters who showed up the evening before and attempted to interfere with the night’s peaceful protest. Royce Winnick, who has lived in Merrick for eight years, said she was horrified to see it on video. "I'm literally disgusted," she said, with her 13-year-old daughter, Emily, by her side at the LIRR station. "These are not my people," Winnick said, noting, "We welcome this," referring to the protest. "I was ashamed," she added.

In Mineola, about 50 protestors gathered in front of the Nassau County Court House on Old Country Road. Newsday reports among the protesters were two dental assistants from NYU Winthrop, who took part in scrubs. “We fought a virus for weeks in the hospital, only to wake up to see another virus plaguing our world with the murder of George Floyd,” Stacy Wright, 38, of Carle Place said. “Police are also there to save lives. Just like we save lives in the hospital, we should be saving lives on the street, not taking them.”

In Shirley, protesters shut down Montauk Highway on Wednesday night, kneeling for 9 minutes and holding photos of George Floyd.  Their purpose, just like those in every town, was to peacefully demonstrate to inspire change. Again, the events were filled with young and old, and all colors and religions.

Vision had the opportunity to join in a peaceful rally in Hempstead, with hundreds of Village residents, on Friday. Concerned residents, the Village Mayor, NYS representatives and Chamber members gathered at Town Hall and walked down Hempstead Turnpike around Earle Ovington Blvd., past the Coliseum, to the Meadowbrook Pkwy, over to Merrick road and back. The teaming rain did little to dampen the message that was largely focused on the racial injustice of police brutality.

Vision was also happy to also join with the Long Island NAACP’s “We are Done Dying” Caravan event that started in Mineola Courthouse and what seemed like 1000 vehicles made it over to the H.Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge.

Tracey Edwards from the LI NAACP and all their local chapters organized the event.  Speakers included Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, NAACP’s Gary Johnson, Civil rights attorneys Fred Brewington and Stuart Moore among many others.

Tracey Edwards said it best "As a daughter of the first African American Police Detective in Suffolk County, you can be 100% pro police and 100% against police misconduct"

Great to see Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, Suffolk Legislator William Doc Spencer, Nassau Minority Affairs Director Lionel Chitty, Elmont community leader Danilo Archibold, Long Beach MLK Centers James Lodge, Sergio Argueta and Rahsmia Zatar from STRONG for youth, videographer Antonio Kelley and Ethical Humanist Society’s Kori Schroeder and family. 

Like the dozens of other demonstrations on Long Island this one was peaceful and respectful throughout.  I attended with my wife and daughter as a family show of support.  Folks should join one of the many upcoming events in support of our neighbors.

Moving into the weekend, these peaceful protests saw even larger turnouts. With over 40 demonstrations dotted throughout Long Island, the message for the need for change was in the air – everywhere.

On Sunday, June 8th, Vision was happy to be out at the Long Island NAACP’s “We are Done Dying” caravan event that started at the Mineola Courthouse, with what seemed like 1000 vehicles, and traveled to the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge.

Tracey Edwards from the LI NAACP and all their local chapters organized the event. Speakers included Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, NAACP’s Gary Johnson, Civil rights attorneys Fred Brewington and Stuart Moore, among many others. In attendance also was Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, Suffolk Legislator William Doc Spencer, Nassau Minority Affairs Director Lionel Chitty, Elmont community leader Danilo Archibold, Long Beach MLK Centers James Lodge, Sergio Argueta and Rahsmia Zatar from STRONG for youth, videographer Antonio Kelley and Ethical Humanist Society’s Kori Schroeder and family.

As has been the case these past weeks, the vast majority of the demonstrations have been thoughtful and peaceful. There were at least five demonstrations on Monday, and many more scheduled in the upcoming days and likely weeks.

Calendar of Events

Salvation Army to host Virtual Benefit Concert

This pandemic has impacted us all, yet the Salvation Army continues to do what it has always done: serve those most in need.

The Salvation Army has served 2.5 million meals since March, but the need is truly staggering and growing, and so the Army’s cupboards are nearly depleted. Nearly thirty percent of all meals served by The Salvation Army  in the Greater New York Region have been to our neighbors here on Long Island.

Now, they need your help again.

Please text ‘CHEERFUL’ to 91999 to make a donation that will allow them to continue their important work, and they’re having a virtual party and concert to celebrate!

Join the “Share Your Love: Virtual Benefit Concert to Support The Salvation Army’s COVID-19 Relief Efforts on Long Island.”

The event is Monday, June 22, 20, and can be viewed on https://www.facebook.com/salvationarmyny/ The Concert will be hosted by Emmy Award winning News 12 veteran anchor Carol Silva. By each of us doing something, we can create something big for Long Islanders facing the challenge of their lives.

You can send a donation right now to:

The Salvation Army on Long Island
c/o The Hempstead Citadel Corps
65 Atlantic Avenue
Hempstead, New York 11590
Attn: Captain Charles F. Roberts
charles.roberts@use.salvationarmy.org

The following is a list of upcoming and ongoing calendar events. Check back on each publication for updates:

• Virtual Walks: The Health Education Council will be holding Virtual Walks every Monday at 12:30 pm EST and Wednesday at 3 pm EST, with a Spanish language virtual walk each Friday at 3 pm EST.

If you're interested in taking a walk with friends while still practicing social distancing you can head to the the website here to sign up for a virtual walk. A Spanish speaking version is available here. You will then receive a zoom link and all you'll need is a smart phone and a good pair of shoes and you'll be in business!

• LIBN invites you to join their team every Friday at 2PM on libnow, LIBN's live end-of-week recap, where they take the pulse of the Long Island business community and chat with experts on the state of their industry.

Participate in an interactive Q&A where YOU tell them what your business needs to know to stay ahead of the curve, as Long Island inches toward going back-to-business.

You can register for the event here.

New York State Launches NY Forward Loan Fund

Yesterday, New York State opened pre-applications for the New York Forward Loan Fund. Loans from this fund are available to small businesses, nonprofits, and small landlords in New York State that did not receive a loan from either the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for COVID-19 in 2020. New York Forward loans must be fully repaid over a 5-year term with fixed annual interest rates of 3 percent for small businesses and landlords.

Small businesses may apply for the lesser of $100,000 or up to 100% of the average monthly revenues in any 3-month period from 2019 or the first quarter of 2020.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as industries and regions reopen however, priority for New York Forward Loans will be given to industries and regions that have been reopened. Resources are available to assist in preparing applications for small businesses, landlords and nonprofits in industries and regions that have not yet reopened.

CDC Guidelines on Coronavirus Prevention

As 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.

Our Daily Sponsor

Rivkin Radler

Through three offices and 160 lawyers, Rivkin Radler consistently delivers focused and effective legal services. They are committed to best practices, requirements that go beyond professional and ethical standards. Many clients have been placing their trust in them for more than 25 years. Unwavering commitment to total client satisfaction is the driving force behind the firm.

They are the advisors-of-choice to successful individuals, middle-market companies and large corporations. Rivkin Radler’s attorneys are leaders in legal, business and political arenas. Many attorneys have received Martindale Hubbell’s AV Preeminent® ranking, signifying that “a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.” Their attorneys are recognized as leaders by peer-review programs including Best Lawyers/U.S. News & World Report and Super Lawyers. The Firm is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

Their attorneys and professional staff occupy leadership roles in many organizations. They have been named among the Top 100 Private Companies on Long Island by Newsday, and are consistently ranked among the New York Law Journal’s 100 Largest Law Firms in New York.  The Firm is proud to have received Advancement for Commerce, Industry & Technology’s Commitment to Excellence and Leadership award.