News Podcast – COVID-19 Updates From Salem & Gloucester – Weather – Videos of the Day
Moynihan Lumber Beverly location will again be open on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting this week, May 9. The North Reading and Plaistow stores are open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Weather – OK today, possible showers later tonight, bigger threat of rain Friday night
City of Salem COVID-19 Response Update – May 5, 2020
The City of Salem continues to advance measures to help slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), lessen impacts on healthcare providers responding to this evolving situation, and support Salem residents and businesses during this public health emergency. To view previous updates, please visit www.salem.com/news and click on a previous COVID-19 update.
New Updates
The Commonwealth’s face covering order goes into effect tomorrow, May 6th. Face coverings are to be worn in public by most individuals if they are unable to maintain a physical distance of at least six feet from other persons. Read the order here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/may-1-2020-masks-and-face-coverings/download
- The Commonwealth’s Reopening Advisory Board has created an online feedback form to enable direct input. Any resident, organization, business, or industry interested in providing feedback to the Board can do so here: https://www.mass.gov/forms/submit-comments-to-the-reopening-advisory-board.
- New resources on www.salem.com/together: planning steps for patients and families, health and safety guidance for businesses in the travel and tourism sector, and Gateway City small business grants.
Status of Cases
As of 4:00 p.m. on May 5, 2020, 433 Salem residents have tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and 20 Salem residents have died from the virus. Since the outbreak began, at least 99 Salem residents who had been infected by the virus have cleared their isolation period. There are currently 334 active cases.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.coronavirus.gov and www.mass.gov/coronavirus. Mass DPH has posted an FAQ at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/frequently-asked-questions-about-covid-19 and has activated an information line that can be reached by dialing 2-1-1.
City of Gloucester Announces Small Business Loans / COVID-19 Financial Relief
GLOUCESTER — Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken announces that the City of Gloucester is launching a grant program to provide relief to small local businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program will provide grant funding of up to $10,000 to qualified businesses in Gloucester.
“The goal of this program is to alleviate the financial burden small local businesses are facing due to COVID-19, and provide them short term assistance,” Mayor Romeo Theken said. “We’ve worked hard to develop this opportunity, which we hope will help our small businesses retain employees and stay afloat during this crisis. I’d like to thank our business owners for their resilience and cooperation through this unprecedented time, as well as everyone who has collaborated to make this program a reality.”
The Gloucester Small Business Grant Program is being funded by Community Development Block Grants allocated to the City of Gloucester by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. At this time, approximately $500,000 is available through Gloucester’s Small Business Grant program.
The initiative is similar to others statewide that are funded by Community Development Block Grants in an effort to support small businesses struggling as a result of COVID-19.
“I think it is terrific that the city is offering these small grants to businesses in need, and is another example of their outstanding support of our community during this most challenging time,” said Ken Riehl, chief executive officer of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must have experienced a loss of 50% or more of business revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, be a for-profit business, have no outstanding tax liens or legal adjustments, have less than $2 million in gross annual receipts and meet United States Department of Housing and Urban Development eligibility requirements. For more information, click here.
The new program will offer two possible avenues of support. Businesses that qualify as a “micro-enterprise” with five or fewer employees and a business owner who earns a household annual income of 80% or less of the area median income may be awarded up to $10,000 in grant funding. Businesses with any number of employees that would be able to retain at least one low to moderate income employee as a result of relief funding through the program may also qualify for a forgivable loan of up to $10,000.
Applications for the program are due Wednesday, May 13. To fill out an application, visit click here.
Business owners with questions regarding the program or application process can email: grants@gloucester-ma.gov.
Videos of the Day
