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

June 15th, 2020

Quotes of Day

	“As businesses reopen, they will not be returning to business as usual. Each business and industry must have a plan to protect employees and customers, making physical work spaces safer, and implement processes that lower the risk of infection in the businesses.” - Hon Francis X. Murray, Village of Rockville Centre
	“The peaceful rallies/protests in Farmingdale demonstrates the community’s anti-racism / equality for all momentum. Let’s embrace the challenge to stand up for equality, unity and safety, as New York and other States across the US implement policy to protect citizens, regardless of color.” - Hon. Ralph Ekstrand, Mayor, Village of Farmingdale
The following are an ongoing collection of quotes in opposition to a proposal to remove local zoning in the middle of this pandemic.
	"While I respect what ABLI does, local government knows their business community best and are best suited to help them during these difficult times.  As co-founder and former President of the Riverhead Business Alliance, and a current Riverhead Town Board member; I was charged with the responsibility of fast tracking outdoor seating for our restaurants so that they could responsibly open and make up for lost revenue during the pandemic. We were the lead that surrounding jurisdictions shaped similar policies around to address their local needs and infrastructure. Time is of the essence for these small business owners, they do not need another level of bureaucracy.  Decisions should be made by local elected officials who are accountable to their communities." - Hon. Jodi Giglio, Riverhead Town Councilwoman
	“Long Island has many diverse communities with a diversity of cultures. These communities deserve to have input and a voice in land use and planning. and local zoning decisions. Creating zones that deter local input is antithetical to democracy." - Adrienne Esposito, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

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

Helping Main Street through the
Coronavirus Shutdown

Day 92 of Coronavirus Economic Shutdown –
Monday June 15th, 2020

The Coronavirus economic shutdown is on day 92.   This weekend brought some business back to downtown retailers and restaurants who can do outdoor dining.  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.    Over $100 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. 

Here are some updates:

• Governor Cuomo announced that gatherings of up to 25 people will be allowed in phase three of reopening. Full press release below.  Long Island is currently in phase two. To review information about phased reopening, please visit the NY Forward website: https://forward.ny.gov/

• The MTA needs nearly $4 billion to continue its operation and federal aid is requested.   Vision is co-sponsoring an event with Senator Schumer on 7:30PM Thursday on this topic. Join us to hear @SenSchumer talk about the transit crisis and his plan to #RescueRiders! http://bit.ly/Schumer-June18

• This statement from NYS Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker announced that sleep away camps in NYS will remain closed this year. Statement can be found at this link: https://health.ny.gov/press/releases/2020/2020-06-12_overnight_camps_statement.htm

• Deadlines have been extended on Absentee Ballots
The deadline to submit absentee ballots has been extended to June 23rd. To be counted, primary ballots must be postmarked by June 23rd. A previously issued Executive Order allows all New Yorkers to vote absentee in the June 23rd primary elections and ensures every New Yorker registered to vote receives a postage-paid absentee ballot application in the mail. Click here for more information.

• Nassau IDA Chairman Richie Kessel, Village of Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri, Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon are among the guests for LI Business News show on Thursday June 18th at 12:30pm.

• Great to see some economic activity in downtown Riverhead with the advancement of a 4 story 36 unit apartment building proposed by Greg DeRosa. Lots of hard work from multiple levels of government and the private sector have gone into making Riverhead revitalize through the years and the Coronavirus shutdown was very damaging. Important to see this project stay on track.

• The Town of Huntington is holding hearings on additional restrictions they have for apartments above stores (C6 zoning, hearing #9) and for building in general (hearing #10).

• The Village of Lynbrook was out with Terwilliger and Bartone to begin the demolition of the old Capri motel to make way for an 80 unit apartment development with the support of the local community.

• There are now over 800 locations statewide where New Yorkers can get diagnostic testing, and in order to make sure more New Yorkers are getting tested, Governor Cuomo has further relaxed the criteria for who can get a test and created some helpful online resources. 
If you are concerned you might need a test, but you’re not sure if you meet the criteria, take the online self-assessment at https://covid19screening.health.ny.gov/ 
To locate a testing site near you, visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you and enter your address to view a list and a map view of the nearest testing sites. The state has also partnered with Google Maps to display testing site results when you search "COVID testing near me" on Google Maps.
Please remember you must always schedule an appointment to get a COVID-19 diagnostic test by calling 1-888-364-3065 or your healthcare provider.

• For Town of Oyster Bay Residents: Supervisor Saladino and the Town Board announced a Drive-In Concert Series for town residents this summer. All concerts are free, open to residents only and begin at 8pm in the parking lot at TOBAY Beach. Concert goers will experience a wide variety of genres that range from country to rock, providing free family-fun entertainment for all music lovers. Residents are invited to bring a cooler and the entire family. For more information and the full schedule, visit http://oysterbaytown.com/town-announces-free-summer-drive-in-concert-series-at-tobay-beach/
Concerts not your thing? There are drive in movies for TOB residents too courtesy of the town! More info at http://oysterbaytown.com/drive-in-movies-to-return-to-town-of-oyster-bay-for-first-time-in-22-years/

• For TONH residents: Supervisor Bosworth and the Town Board are holding free drive in movie nights for town residents on weekends! Get more info and register at https://northhempsteadny.gov/drive-in

• 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.

• Nassau County began accepting applications 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.

• We 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

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PinkTie Continues to Deliver Across Long Island

Vision was out this past Friday 12th with the Pink Tie Delivers team for 4 more stops to deliver food and financial contributions to the communities Central Islip/Brentwood, Babylon, Hicksville and Hempstead.

The Long Island based charity, Pinktie, has partnered with a number of local community and religious organizations and businesses to help feed to families across Long Island. The program, PinkTie Delivers, encourages people to leave grocery donations on their doorstep. All donations are then picked-up and dropped-off at partnering food pantries throughout the week. Long Island residents who want to donate can text their name, address and schedule a pickup time to (631) 397-1234.

“This pandemic underscores how we are all connected. We are staying home to protect society. We are sacrificing for the greater good -- donating, volunteering and supporting our neighbors. That mentality will continue to resonate with our community. People will remember the business, companies and volunteers that helped each other -- especially those that have done well by doing good. Our partner organizations like Late Night Chauffeurs, 1st Equity, Dime Community Bank, Keller Williams, Valley Bank, Long Island University, Vision Long Island and HoneyFlower Foods have helped us innovate and support families through this disaster. Right now, we are doing everything we can to provide immediate assistance to those in need,” says Mike Cave, Co-Founder of PinkTie and CEO of 1st Equity Title and Closing Services.

Over the last four months, the PinkTie Delivers initiative has collected and dropped-off over 25,000 pounds of groceries to twenty partner food pantries. The organization launched a Pink Day to replace PinkTie’s annual charity gala.

Stop one took us to the Yes Community Center in Central Islip that feeds Central Islip, Brentwood and all areas of the Town of Islip. Debbie Cavanaugh from the Central Islip Coalition of Good Neighbors set up the visit with support from local nurses and elected officials. Town of Islip Councilman Jim O’Connor gave a proclamation to Pink Tie founders Mike and Rich Cave who were joined at the event by their mom Sue Cave as they grew up in Central Islip and have shown their commitment to helping the community. NYS Senator Phil Boyle, Suffolk Legislators Tom Cilmi Sam Gonzalez voiced their support to the many efforts needed to address food insecurity for the community. Maryann Pfeifer from the YES Center spoke about the amazing work of the center feeding the local residents each day.

Stop two took us to the Neighbors Supporting Neighbors food operation at the the North Babylon High School. The group toured the facility led by Kim Skillen and Stefani Montgomery that provides hundreds of freshly prepared meals a day along with shelf stable food to go with their drive thru service. Town of Babylon Councilman Terrance McSweeney also joined us in support.

The Pink Tie Delivers team made it over to Hicksville at the St.Ignatius Loyola Parish Outreach food pantry for stop 3. Father Jim Stachacz, their outreach director Joseph Samodulski and volunteers served the prepared meals to those in need. Nassau Legislator Rose Walker and Legislator Laura Schaefer joined the event along with Town of Oyster Bay Councilwoman Vicki Walsh. All three organized a food drive weeks prior at this location in coordination with other local pantries. They emphasized the ongoing increased need due to the impact of the Coronavirus shutdown.

The 4th and last stop included a visit to the Hempstead Salvation Army. Captain Charles Roberts gave a powerful and inspiring summary of the needs communities are experiencing but also how best to respond. The Salvation Army in Hempstead was the first stop in the Pink Tie Delivers journey and it was great to end the day there!

With the generous support of local businesses and organizations, the PinkTie Delivers team dropped-off the following items to the Brentwood/Central Islip Youth Enrichment Services food pantry, Neighbors Supporting Neighbors Babylon food pantry, St. Ignatius Parish Outreach pantry in Hicksville and the Hempstead Salvation Army.

• Gift-cards (40 cards per pantry)
$50 amount – Shoprite
Total: 160 gift-cards donated

• Food Essential Pallets (1 pallet per pantry) Donated by Krantz Motorsports
500 lbs of food
Total: 2000 lbs of food dropped

• 10 water cases per pantry donated by Keller Williams Points North
Total: 40 cases of water donated

• Doorstep Donations Keller Williams & Valley Bank
Total: 2 Doorstep Donation Corporate Programs

• $1,000 check per pantry from PinkTie
$1,000 from Valley Bank
Total: ($5,000)

• 250 meals prepared meals per pantry from HoneyFlower Foods
Total: (1,000 meals)

Companies that participated in the visits this week included Keller Williams, Valley Savings Bank, Honeyflower, 1st Equity Title, Late Night Chauffers, Trinity Solar, Vision Long Island and ReCommerce.

The team has five more stops this coming week with two in Nassau County and three in Suffolk.

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

Downtowns Begin to Safely Reopen

Vision Board and staff were out this weekend in different downtowns across Long Island celebrating some return to normalcy with retail shops open outdoor dining in place to support local restaurants. We counted over 45 Main Streets that had outdoor dining on sidewalks, parking areas, parked or portions of the streets blocked off.

Outdoor dining was fast tracked in New York State's phasing regulations thanks to the numerous local plans that came forward from Great Neck Plaza, Farmingdale, Northport, Riverhead, Patchogue, Port Jefferson, Oyster Bay and many, many others.

Local retail shops were finally allowed to open despite big box stores being open for months. While these small businesses that support local organizations and charities were at a huge disadvantage the great weather this weekend brought out masked customers and friends for a huge show of support for our local communities.

Congratulations to all levels of Government, local chambers and our residents who worked diligently to safely begin the process of reopening. The economic damage from the shutdown will take some time to recover from and some businesses are still not open yet but the strong early efforts to "shop local" are good early trends and will help bring about a recovery.

Peaceful Protests Continue on Long Island

Protests in the wake of George Floyd’s May 25th murder continue on Long Island last week.

On Tuesday, June 9th, the day Mr. Floyd was laid to rest, there were several demonstrations, venues included Syosset, Lindenhurst, Islip, West Hempstead, Smithtown, and Hewlett/Woodmere. The message was the same, more than two weeks after Mr. Floyd's death, reform is needed to remove systematic racism in our society.

In Hewlett, hundreds gathered at the hamlet’s LIRR station for a candlelight vigil to honor victims who died while in police custody. In Smithtown, which saw some tension days prior when counter protestors and demonstrators clashed, Tuesday’s protest, with up to 500 participants, was peaceful. West Hempstead protest at Hall’s Pond Park also drew approximately 500 people.

On Tuesday, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said at her daily briefing on the coronavirus outbreak, "The protesters are continuing to make their voices heard. This is part of a national movement" and thanked police "for handling this whole protest movement with professionalism and respect."

At his daily press briefing Tuesday, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone expressed support for the larger message of the protests. “We do need to address the type of structural racism that we have talked about here; the type that was covered in a comprehensive report on housing by Newsday,”  Bellone continued, “We need to do that in areas across our society including in law enforcement and housing and hiring and education; so we need to look at all of those areas.”

On Wednesday and Thursday crowds grew even larger. West Islip, Patchogue, Westbury, Central Islip, Commack, Port Washington, Lakeview/Malverne, Farmingville and Syosset/Woodbury saw demonstrations.

In Central Islip, as many as 1,000 protesters assembled in front of the county courthouse. During this peaceful protest, there was call for increased voter turnout in communities of color. A voter registration table was set up on the grass in the middle of the protesters’ meeting area.

An anti-racism protest march was held in Farmingdale on Sunday June 7th and had a huge turnout.  We are very proud of the community; as there were no problems or issues. Clearly people are filled with emotions in these difficult times and voices were clearly heard at the rally. Hopefully this will be a bridge to the future for equality, and again our sincere respect and thanks for the marchers / participators who rallied with class, along with all of our civic groups and law-enforcement.

“The peaceful rallies/protests in Farmingdale demonstrates the community’s anti-racism / equality for all momentum. Let’s embrace the challenge to stand up for equality, unity and safety, as New York and other States across the US implement policy to protect citizens, regardless of color,” said Mayor Ralph Ekstrand

More protests will be taking place in more than 25 venues. Some communities include Commack, Westbury, Hicksville, East Meadow, Oyster Bay, Coram, Rocky Point, Amityville, Syosset, Riverhead, Copiague, Coram, Baldwin, Roosevelt, Rockville Center, Farmingdale, Shelter Island, Lindenhurst, and Babylon.

Calendar of Events

LIBNOW to host Special on June 18th: "Re-opening Long Island: What Now?"

Businesses across Long Island are poised to head back to work, as the region initiates reopening procedures despite an uncertain future in the wake of COVID-19. How will Long Islanders make the step into a “New Normal” a successful one?

LIBN|NOW will explore that question with some of the region's top newsmakers in a live, interactive webinar on June 18 at 12:30 p.m.

The event will feature a panel with Hon. Paul Pontieri, Mayor of the Village of Patchogue, Errol D. Toulton Jr, Suffolk County Sheriff, Chgristine M. Rirdan, President of Adelhpi University, and Richard Kessel, Nassau County IDA. The discussion will be moderated by LIBN Editor & Associate Publisher Joe Dowd.

You can register for the event here.

"Riders Talk the Transit Crisis" Webinar with US Senator Charles Schumer on June 18th

Vision Long Island is a co-sponsor to a conversation with US Senator Chuck Schumer on Thursday, June 18th, at 7:30 pm, titled "Rider Talk the Transit Crisis."

Whether it be LIRR transit service, NICE Bus, Suffolk Transit, Huntington HART, Long Beach Transit, Glen Cove or East End Ferris, needed safe walking paths, or biking/resurfaced road improvements, federal transportation investments are critical to our communities.

Let's bring a Long Island voice to this conversation.

Registration is required in advance. Please click here to sign up, and you'll receive a link to the Zoom webinar, which you can join by phone or computer. 

Senator Schumer was key to ensuring the MTA got the funding it needed in the CARES Act, but we need at least another $3.9 billion to #RescueRiders. Hearing the latest from him will be particularly important as we fight to ensure that funding for public transit is non-negotiable in the next Senate relief package.

Complete Streets Virtual Summit to be Held on June 25th & 26th

Please join us for the 2020 Complete Streets Virtual Summit on June 25th & 26th from 9:00 to 10:30 AM each day. This event will feature two days of conversation on how to make our citizens and Main Streets healthier places to live.

Day 1 will feature conversations with Denise Carter and Paula Flores from Greenman Pedersen, Bernard Macias from AARP, and Keishia M. Pollack Porter from Johns Hopkins. Day 2 will feature Elissa Kyle from Vision Long Island, Hon.Ralph Ekstrand, Mayor of the Village of Farmingdale, Hon. Margot Garant, Mayor of the Village of Port Jefferson, Rich Vandenburgh from the Village of Greenport BID, Clariona Griffith from the Hempstead Chamber of Commerce, and Jacob Dixen from Choice for All.

Complete Streets can help to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. Since the onset of the Coronavirus, people have been using our streets for walking and biking more than ever. In addition, our Main Streets need to allow space for outdoor dining as well as room for shoppers to safely social distance. How can we ensure our streets can fulfill these roles and support public health?

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, 2020, 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!

• Don’t miss the next “Business Unusual” webinar as Joe Campolo and Peter Klein discuss Long Island business recovery, the markets, and strategies to move forward productively. Richard Humann, President and Chief Executive Officer of H2M architects + engineers, will discuss infrastructure investment.

The event will take place on Tuesday, June 16th at 11:30 AM. You can register for it here.

• The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will hold a one-day, virtual joint monthly meeting of the MTA Board and the Board’s committees on Wednesday, June 24, at 10 a.m. 

Chairman Patrick J. Foye will convene a joint meeting of the MTA Board and the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, New York City Transit, MTA Bridges and Tunnels, Finance and Capital Program Oversight Committees. Materials for the monthly meeting of the Capital Program Oversight Committee will be posted online only. New Yorkers are encouraged to visit https://new.mta.info/transparency/board-and-committee-meetings/june-2020 to view the meeting online. 

Island Harvest Searching for Government Relations Liason and Social Media Specialist

Island Harvest is currently looking to fill two positions in-house at their organization, including a Government Relations Liaison and a Social Media Specialist.

The Government Relations Liaison will develop and coordinate all government relations activities, maintain all relationships with electeds and their staff, and leverage potential funding and legislative opportunities to enhance our hunger-relief work.

You can read the full duties and requirements for the Government Relations Liaison position here.

Meanwhile, the Social Media Specialist will support our communications, public relations/marketing program by assisting in the execution of Island Harvest’s brand voice across all channels, including digital ads, website, social media, electronic and print materials.

You can read the full duties and requirements for the Social Media Specialist position 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.

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Albanese & Albanese

Albanese & Albanese LLP is one of the region’s preeminent full-service firms, providing its clients with specialized and diverse legal services. Their reputation for excellence derives from their commitment to deliver high quality legal services and individual attention while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness.