April 23, 2020

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Downtime leads to lauch of Elmira podcast People. Places. Pictures. Profiles. Perspectives. CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITIES. C OV I D - 1 9

Virus shows signs of slowing in region, say health officials

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VOLUME 25 | ISSUE

17

APRIL 23, 2020

FORCING CHANGE

BY DAMON MACLEAN dmaclean@woolwichobserver.com

While there’s been a decrease in the number of community-spread cases of COVID-19 in the region, acting medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang warns residents they need to continue to follow protocols that have been created to flatten the curve. “It is important to not let up on any of these measures,” she explained during a digital press conference Wednesday morning. Although community-spread cases are down, along with a drop in general positive tests, it is still of the utmost importance to follow physical distancing, added regional Chair Karen Redman. “I have e-mails daily saying ‘is physical isolating really making a difference?” And yes it is, now is not the time to be complacent about this. ... People need to internalize the fact that their action by physically distancing is actually what is keeping the community spread going in the right direction.” “No large gatherings. ... I am confident they know what to do – stay with the current guidelines,” added chief administrative officer Mike Murray, specifically adCORONAVIRUS | 05

Karen Martin and Kathy Brox operate The Mercantile, a gift shop inside the the Crossroads building. They reopened this week with curbside pick-up.

[DAMON MACLEAN]

Crossroads Restaurant shutters Popular Elmira restaurant permanently closes doors, a victim of the coronavirus crisis BY STEVE KANNON skannon@woolwichobserver.com

Something of an institution in Elmira, At The Crossroads Family Restaurant has fallen victim to the coronavirus crisis, closing its doors permanently. Like many businesses, the operation went on hiatus following the sweeping lockdown ordered

by the province. After weeks of on hold, Anton Heimpel made the decision last week to make the closure permanent. It was a difficult choice for Heimpel, who’s owned the place since 1996. “It was hard to know exactly when to make the decision to close down. At first, things sounded very temporary. But

timelines just keep getting extended and it’s hard to know when restaurants will be allowed to open up again. Bills keep coming in, expenses pile up, but there is no income whatsoever,” he said in an email. “The government is offering some help, but so far for small businesses it’s just promises... nothing is actually available yet.

The wage subsidy has been rolled out, but no one can apply yet. They are offering money to small business, but it’s still a loan. It will need to be paid back eventually too.” While some restaurants have remained open to provide takeout and delivery services, that wasn’t seen as a viable option for The Crossroads, said Heimpel, CROSSROADS | 06


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