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VOL 7 | ISSUE 309 | FEBRUARY 26, 2021
HOW’S BUSINESS? THE T HE PAIN PAIN O OF F2 25 5P PERCENT ERCENT CAPACITY CAPACITY Y By B yK Kevin ev viin nO Opsahl psah ps ahll Sun Su S un Correspondent Co C orr rres spo onden nden nd nt
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hen GallupM c K i n l e y Chamber of Commerce Co om mm mer erce ce eC CEO EO EO Bill B Bi ill ll Lee Le ee ew was as a as asked sk ke ed dh how ow wb busiusius iinesses ne ess s es es h have aavve ffa fared areed over o er tthe ov he llast astt as year ye ear ar b because ecau ec ause se of of the the coronavith co oro rona navi vi-vi russ p ru pa pandemic, an nd deem dem miicc, he he p paused. ausse au aus ed. ed d. ““It’s “I Itt’’s bee be been een en pretty pre ett tty ty tough,” tou to ug g gh, h,,” Le L Lee ee said. ssa aid aid d. But B Bu ut th tthe he C Ch Chamber ha am mbe mb ber ha h has as be b been een en on the on th he e frontlines fro ront ntli lin line ne es of es of economic eco con no o omi mic mi rre reco recovery, eco c ov ve ery r y, he he said, sai a id, d, providing prov r ov ro viidi d ing i ng ng information in nfo form rmatio atiio at o on n on on b best esst pr p pra practices rac actice acti tice ti ces fo ffor or staying sst tay ayin ing op ing o open; peen n; writing wrrit w rit itin itin ng grant ggrran ant appliap pp pllii-ccations ca ati tio on ns to to Gallup Gal allu lup and and McKinley an MccK M Kiin nlley ey County Co C ou un nty ty for fo orr relief; reellie liieef; f; and and nd advocating ad dvvo occat a in ing on o n behalf beh hal alf of of businesses bu ussiin neessse ses to to state sta tate ate te lawmakers lla aw awm wm ma ak ker ers fo ers ffor or pr or p programs rog ogra ogra am mss that tha h at will wi w illll h help ellp th elp tthem. hem em. em. “We “W We continue cont co nttin iin nue ue to to see see ev se every very er y er bu b business usi sine sine essss a ass im important mpo port r ta an nt in nt no our ur ur community,” comm co om mm mun unittyy,,” Lee unit Lee said, Le saaid id, noting no n ottiin oti ngg the the he Chamber’s C Ch ham mbe berr’’s Bo ber’ B Board oar ard of o D Directors irec ir ectto ors rs made made ma de a d decision e is ec isio ion io n to oh help elp el p any any business bu b usi sine iness ness ne ss iin n th the he a ar area rea ad during urin ur rin ing th ing tthe he pandemic. pand pa ndem nd em mic ic. . .
McKinley Mc McKi cK Kii nl n ley nley y C County ou nt ou nty t y iiss iin n a rredre red-level edd-le eve vel c vel ca category, ate teg go ory r y, th that hatt ttransra n ra ran nsssllates la atte eess in into ntto o business bus usin ines esss re rrestrictions, essttri riccttio rict on nss, which w wh hic ich include iin ncl c ud ude de no no indoor in nd doo or di d dini dining ini niing ng ng and a an nd keep k ke keeping eep epin ng essential ess se e sent nt ia ia l reta rretail re etta a ill spaces ssp p pac ac a ces es tto o2 25 5p percent erc er ce ent nt c customer usto us tome to tome m r capacity. ca capa apa paci citty city y. Lee y. Lee iss hopeful Le hop opef eful ul that tha h at more mo m ore ev vaccinations accina ac ciin na ation tion ti ns can ca n occur occ oc cu ur sso o tthat hat ha at th the c the co county oun unty unty ty can can an move mov o e to o the less-restrictive the th less le ss-r -res estr tric iic cti tive ive yellow yello elllo ow level, lleeve leve vel, el, l, which w wh hiic ch co c could ou ulld help help he lp m make ak a ke up p ffor o or tthe th he reve re revenue ev ve enu nue e that th hatt was was as lost los ost last lastt la summer. summ su umm mer er. r. “What “W Wha at ha has h ass been bee be en n extremely ex xttre reme me ely y frustrating fr ru usstr trat atin in ngg h ha has as been been the be the h m moving ovin ov ingg in goal go a posts al possts ts by by the t e state. th stat st tat atee.. O One nee d day, ay, ay yo you ou cca can an op open; pen n; the thee next th neextt d day, ay,, yo ay you ou
ccan’t,” ca aan’ n’’tt,,” Lee n Lee said. Le ssa aid id. d. The Th T he Ch C Chamber ham amb beer does do d oeess n not ot k ot keep eeep ttrack tr trac ra ac ck of of revenue reve ev venue enu en ue e generated gen ener erated ated at ed or or lost llo ost st from frro om ea each ac ch ho off its iitts me m members, emb mber erss,, but bu b ut according ac a cco c rd diin n ng g to to Lee, Le ee e, at at least least ea ast st 12 2 businesses bus usin ines nes essse esse es ha have v c ve closed lose lo sed ed pe p perererrmanently ma m ane ane ent ntly y ssince ince in ce tthe he p he pandemic an a nde demi emi mic sstarted. st tar arte ed d.. L ee a Le Lee ad added dd de e d th t h at that at G Gallupa l lu al u ppMc M McKinley’s cK Kiin i nl n ley nley ey’ss e economic cono co no omi m ic recovreco re c v v-ery er ry from from om coronavirus coron oron or onav onav vir irus uss is is “going “goi “g going oiing to b be e ex extremely x tr trem trem emel ely el ly ha hard,” a rd rd,” d,” , g given iven iv iven en non-essential n no onn-essse sent ntia ia al bu busi businesses, sine si n ssses es,, like lliike k theaters thea th hea eate ters rss and and nd bowling, bow owli ling ing g, have have ha ve not not
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