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https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCPc-6zI91a28_Dh343kdwmQ
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VOL. 9, NO. 18
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE CASUALTIES OF CORONA CRISIS California Governor Weighs ‘Meaningful Changes’ to Stay-atHome Order
A large banner of hope has been erected below the entrance to Old Town Monrovia. - Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
Terry MILLER tmiller@beaconmedianews.com
T
he new sign below the entrance to Old Town Monrovia, albeit a bit cliché, says it all. We are in this together and never before has the element of neighbor helping neighbor been more critical. There are thousands of small businesses in the United States that have been forced to shut their doors, permanently in the fog of the
COVID-19 lockdown of the economy. In recent weeks we’ve mentioned the plight of local restaurants who cannot maintain their business model on take-out orders alone. The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a devastating impact on small businesses and hourly workers whose hours, shifts, and operations are coming to an abrupt and devastating full stop. The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) Research Center’s latest survey on the current impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on small business shows “continued
deterioration of the small business sector. The severity of the outbreak and regulatory measures that cities and states are taking to control it are having a devastating impact on small businesses.” A rather sad Facebook post emerged over the weekend from one of the long-time businesses in Monrovia being forced to liquidate and close as a (partial) result of COVID-19. The Dollmakers’ Katttywompus announced Saturday that after nearly 30 years in business SEE SMALL BUSINESSES PAGE 18
Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday said he is considering a strategy for slowly reopening business in a state divided between rural areas with small numbers of coronarivus cases and urban areas struggling with still-rising death tolls. On Monday, Newsom said the state is “a few weeks away, not months away” from making “meaningful changes” to the order. It was his most optimistic timeline yet, though he didn’t specify what “meaningful” meant.” The process of reopening will take place in four phases. The state is currently in Stage 1, which is concentrated on safety and preparedness. The goal of Stage 1 is to make the essential workforce environment as safe as possible. Stage 2, which according to the governor is weeks away, will include creating opportunities for lower risk sectors to adapt and re-open. This stage will also include modified school programs and childcare re-opening. Low-risk workplaces include businesses like factories with spaced-out works stations, retail stores with curbside SEE MEANINGFUL CHANGES PAGE 4