Here is the latest edition of LI Main Street News. We cover the launch of the We’re Open Facebook page and various updates and resources for the day. Check it out ….
presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance April 3rd, 2020
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– Hon. Ed Fare, Mayor, Village of Valley Stream
– Hon. Judi Bosworth, North Hempstead Town Supervisor
– Hon. John Tufarelli, Village of Valley Stream Trustee, former owner Wheeler Deli
– Frank Camarano, Vice President, Nassa Council of Chambers of Commerce |
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Helping Main Street through the
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“Support our Main Street Businesses & Each Other – Every Dollar Counts!“Multiple downtowns have teamed up to launch “We Are Open” Facebook Page to cross promote independent businesses that are safely in operation for takeout, delivery and online services.The LI Main Street Alliance featuring over 40 downtowns have launched a “We Are Open” Facebook Page. The page features an individual listing of well over 1,000 independent small businesses that are operating for takeout, delivery or online services. You don’t have to leave the house for delivery or online services. Curbside takeout can be accomplished safely with social distancing behaviors. The real experiences downtown small business owners, associated staff and local communities face from the Coronavirus shutdown range from not great to catastrophic. We surveyed over 375 independent small businesses and the results to date were miserable. A 40-50% reduction in most restaurants, bars and local services in the weeks leading up to the shutdown. After the closure the business that remained open business are down 80-90%. One third of all business told us they are considering permanent closure depending on the type, and expediency, of federal loans and grants, support they are able to muster if they are still open from the community and the timeframe of when the shutdown ends. The grocery stores, pharmacies and chain stores may be busy but the independent small businesses you love may not be there or radically restructured in the coming months. For the folks that are still working we hope you are humble, sober and aware of the fact that right now your neighbors are in pain. If you have resources to help – here is what you can do: 1) Like and Share the LI Main Street Alliance “We Are Open” Page on FACEBOOK Thankfully the problems we had from Sandy – lack of consistent information, sluggish delivery of public governmental support and lack of private resources moving directly to real impacted people are not being repeated. So far all levels of government have been working (remotely) around the clock with local business and community leaders to avoid these pitfalls and pull everyone together. “Every dollar counts and safely patronizing local businesses for takeout, delivery or online services provides a bridge to keep a skeleton crew going until stimulus funds come in and the Coronavirus crisis ends. Main Street shops are always there for community and local organizations we need now to be there for them.” Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island/LI Main Street Alliance This initiative is a product of collaboration with not only the 40 downtowns but the Nassau Council of Chamber of Commerce and the Suffolk County Alliance of Chambers of Commerce. Over the last two week local elected officials, chambers and civic leaders have expressed support and come together for the small businesses and Main Street villages. Here are some quotes and testimonials of support and some actions they have taken….. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone’s message to small businesses, “We will be with you for the long haul,” as the county continues to come up with solutions to the economic crisis. We are confronted with a public health crisis that comes with great economic impacts. Residents are encouraged to safely use local essential businesses for needed goods and service. Hon. William Doc Spencer, Suffolk County Legislator During this difficult time, our great small businesses have been struggling. Many local restaurants and bars are still serving the public in take-out and delivery capacities. If you can, please help by supporting our local businesses. Hon. Laura Schaefer, Nassau County Legislator We’re reaching out to all businesses to make sure that they’re OK to see if there’s anything that we can do in the interim to help them.” Richie Kessel, Nassau County IDA “While we have emphatically urged our residents to practice social distancing and to stay home whenever possible, we are encouraging everyone to support their local restaurants by ordering pickup or delivery,” said North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth. “We have some extraordinary local businesses in our downtowns, and as always, the town recognizes the importance of encouraging our residents to shop local, especially during these trying times.” Small businesses are the heartbeat of our economy as they keep our downtowns alive while employing our neighbors and sponsoring our youth leagues. Let’s do our part to support them by ordering takeout and purchasing gift cards during this public health crisis.” Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino “This pandemic has hit our Main Street businesses in a way that has many of them wondering how they will survive. Many are coming up with ways of conducting business without compromising the public. Bakeries are making DIY cookie kits to take home, restaurants are amping up takeout, realtors are filming available homes… they’re each finding their own recipe to make lemonade. And while the public must remain vigilant in social distancing, we can all find a way to safely support our local shops, be it sharing their social media posts or making a donation to those forced to close… the way through this is together.” – Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim. We are suspending parking meters in Bay Shore until further notice. I, along with the members of the Town Board, wanted to do our part to encourage residents to continue patronizing their local restaurants. Anything we can do to help our local businesses to facilitate taking advantage of To-Go orders, we need to do. It’s important that during these unsettling times, we do what we can to help one another.” “Please support all our small businesses whenever you can, but please stay healthy and safe while doing so…maintain social distancing.” – Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter “To assist our restaurant and business community, we are temporarily waiving parking fees in the entire downtown area.” – Town of Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci “Our small businesses are a critical component of our Town. And although the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis is yet to be fully measured, we know it is already having a huge, negative impact on our small business community. To the brave business owners who work tirelessly contributing to the foundation of Riverhead, we are with you and working daily with Federal, State and Local officials to ensure financial assistance programs are readily available.” Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar “Please stand by our small businesses during this difficult time.” – Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine “Now is the time to give back to our own community, “Our actions today, tomorrow and in the coming weeks can make or break many local businesses. We can make a real difference in the future of our small business community. Think about who you can support and consider the many options for take-out, delivery, gas, and any purchases you will be making in the foreseeable future.” Ed Fare, Mayor, Village of Valley Stream “We need to support small business, as they do not have a long safety cord. Without this support during these difficult times, these businesses may not be here when its over.” – Village ofWestbury Mayor Peter Cavallaro “It is important during this national emergency that we unite as a community, follow the advice of the experts, and take responsibility for our actions to slow the spread of COVID-19. To that end, many of our local businesses are no longer open to the public, but are still in need of our support. Purchasing gift cards is a terrific way to show your support. Also, carry out and delivery are still options at many of our local restaurants and eateries. You don’t have to cook and the restaurant is making some money – a win-win for all! As our Business Improvement District says, “Keep Lindy Healthy, Support Local Businesses, Take It To Go!” – Village of Lindenhurst Mayor Mike Lavorata “One of our greatest values in Babylon Village is our downtown business district. It is time to support our restaurants as best we can, as they certainly support our events, organizations and community throughout the year. To our downtown business district: should you need information on assistance during this time, please see below and email us! The Village of Babylon is here to help as best we can to assist you through this difficult time.” – Village of Babylon Mayor Ralph Scordino “Merchants have been dealt a significant blow and need everyone’s help in making it through,” says Village of Port Washington North Mayor Bob Weitzner. We have been doing take out every night from a different place. We put out on the Village website, and to all residents on our constant contact, a list of restaurant’s names and phone numbers which are doing delivery and take out. We have given all merchants the SBA information to file for money. We are trying our best to keep Farmingdale a Village to be proud of.” – Village of Farmingdale Village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand “As a former small biz owner for more than 20 years, I made my living from the loyalty of Valley Stream customers who made a difference in my business. I know what it is to make a living and support a family in business, and I owe my success to my Valley Stream neighbors,” “It is so important to shop locally. Please keep your money in Valley Stream, from deli to florist to pizzeria to gas stations,” John Tufarelli, Village of Valley Stream Trustee former owner Wheeler Deli “Our revitalization which had been taking off is now at a screeching halt. Curbside pickup is still going on with new and old businesses. Especially new businesses afraid of whether they are going to last. Some are staying open to keep people employed and hoping grants come through. Our Village and Business Improvement District are showing support, encouraging people to get take out once a week.” Hon. RJ Renna, Village of Lindenhurst “People are wondering what kind of assistance they’re going to get. Biggest need is some kind of grants or loans that are less than the posted 3.5% interest rate. They need very low interest loans or grants to keep going.” Hon. Dennis Siry Mayor, Village of Amityville “We have gone from a thriving town to a ghost town and our eateries are experiencing real hardships. The restaurants are doing yeoman’s work. They need all the advertising help we can give them, especially through the use of social media.” Hon. Jean Celender, Mayor, Village of Great Neck Plaza “We are hanging in there. Whatever our customers are comfortable with, we’ll do. We’ll deliver to the door, knock, or not, deliver curbside, or welcome you into the restaurant for takeout. Everyone is different and we understand.” – Joe Carusone, owner of Vincent’s Pizzaria and Restaurant in Lynbrook “We don’t know how long small businesses will survive, they don’t have workers, there is a lot of misinformation and we need people to stay calm.” – Harry Malhotra, South Asian Chamber of Commerce “People are leaving businesses and are stretched to the limit. We are hoping for guidance and that some resources will come.” – Dennis Jones, Hempstead Chamber of Commerce “Our businesses here in the village are already significantly impacted. A few retailers are still open but are only doing virtual shopping or private shopping appointments. There are a lot of business owners and employees of those businesses who are already concerned for their livelihoods considering the government has not provided a timeline on these shut downs. On the other hand, we are already seeing a wave of support from the community.” – Kelly Peckholdt, President of the Babylon Village Chamber of Commerce “This is as serious as it gets for the survival of businesses, especially small, privately owned restaurants, shops, and really any and all retail establishments,” commented “We encourage all residents of Valley Stream to shop local. When small businesses reopen they will need the help of our community more than ever. Whenever possible now, please patronize those few essential small businesses that have remained open during this difficult time. We can all do our part to help them survive this crisis, so when it subsides we will all be stronger together,” Dominick Minerva, President of the Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce. “We need to work together to minimize the toll this pandemic will take on our small business community.” – Tony Tanzi, Kings Park Chamber of Commerce “Over the last three weeks the chamber has launched a program to bring the Chamber and the Community together to support our essential workers, first responders and hard working small business owners.” Richie Krug, President, East Meadow Chamber of Commerce “I think this is going to go on for a while. This isn’t like a storm where you lose two days, you don’t know how long this is going to last and it’s scary in that respect.” – local business owner John Murray from Kilwins in Bayshore and Patchogue, and the Hero Joint Reports from Local DowntownsAt this time of uncertainty, we are beginning to see a number of downtowns being shuttered as bars, restaurants, and any place where multiple people congregate are running up against fears of and caution at spreading the Coronavirus. While this is a socially responsible action that will help to save lives, in the short term these actions are having a number of adverse effects on our local communities. Vision Long Island and Long Island Main Street Alliance members have collected a number of experiences from local restaurants and service businesses, but before we go into that we would like to encourage everyone reading this to find a way to responsibly patronize local establishments. Many stores are offering curbside pickup or online shopping to help them get through this difficult time. And your favorite restaurants are also currently open for business with takeout available. We also urge you to consider gift cards in order to purchase something at a later date for yourself, or perhaps to give as a present. Local shops are in a capable position to provide you with what you need in the short-term. Many will also be willing to accommodate you if you contact them ahead of time with requests that will minimize contact and help to lower the spread of this virus. Vision has connected to over 355 small businesses in over 40 downtowns as they weather the economic storm through the Coronavirus. We encourage people to responsibly patronize these and other open establishments who need your help in this time of crisis. Many of these businesses have been there for local organizations and philanthropy – they now need our support. In the meantime, here is a featured downtown for today. For a complete list of downtowns we’ve been to and what’s still open, please check out our website here. Port WashingtonThrough the commitment of town, community groups and generous individuals, Port Washington’s Main Street has experienced a wonderful revitalization. Development that balances existing architecture with new zoning has generated novel and exciting storefronts, improved streetscapes and arts activities. Port Washington exemplifies public-private partnership at its best, while enhancing its community through shared ideas, expertise, time and financial support. As the coronavirus outbreak grows, it continues to have an economic impact on downtown Main Streets, including Port Washington. “Merchants have been dealt a significant blow and need everyone’s help in making it through,” says Port Washington North Mayor Bob Weitzner. He has some advice for the community, “Shop local to the greatest extent possible. If possible, where inventory is not available in the local store, make an attempt to order through the local store and have them bring the item in through their larger network versus going to a ‘big box’ store.” Purchases you will make in the future, by now buying gift certificates, provides the merchants cash immediately to offset their large decline in immediate revenue.” “The mood in the community is pretty resilient,” explains Mindy Germain, Executive Director of Residents Forward. “We are being proactive. The restaurants are finding creative ways to break through.” She recognizes that some “small businesses don’t know how to transition to an online presence, so the Chamber and BID are looking into creating tutorials/webinars to help.” “While we have emphatically urged our residents to practice social distancing and to stay home whenever possible, we are encouraging everyone to support their local restaurants by ordering pickup or delivery,” said North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth. “We have some extraordinary local businesses in our downtowns, and as always, the town recognizes the importance of encouraging our residents to shop local, especially during these trying times.” Here are some restaurants and eateries that are open for takeout and delivery: Ale’Port 708-1264 take out delivery Amalfi Ristorante & Pizzeria 883-4191 take out Ayhan’s Shish-Kebab Restaurant 883-9310 take out delivery Bareburger 708-9920 take out delivery Bellisimo Pizzeria 439-5152 take out Bistro Etcetera 472-7780 take out delivery Bosphorus Café Grill 321-9999 take out delivery Cactus Cafe 570-6060 take out delivery Di Maggio’s Trattoria 944-6363 take out delivery Diwan Indian Restaurant 439-4200 take out Domino’s Pizza 944-5500 take out delivery Dynasty 883-3730 take out delivery Finn Mac Cool’s 944-3439 take out delivery Frank’s Pizza 883-9390 take out delivery Gino’s Pizzeria & Restaurant 944-0276 take out delivery Harbor Deli Too 883-8877 take out delivery Harbor Delicatessen 883-9597 take out delivery Haven Diner 883-5252 take out Hickory’s Bar-B-Que Grill 883-7174 take out delivery Hinck’s Delicatessen 883-3730 take out delivery La P’tite Framboise Bistro 767-7164 take out La Parma on the Bay 439-4960 take out La Piccola Liguria Ristorante Let There Be Bagels 944-8822 take out Louie’s Grille & Liquors 883-4242 take out delivery Margaritas Cafe VIII 570-2949 take out delivery Mojito Café 439-4666 take out Mole Mole 321-9707 take out Narinatto 883-1913 take out Pepe Rosso 24 944-9477 take out Port Thai Place 883-3940 take out delivery Restaurant Yamaguchi 883-3500 take out Saint Honore 767-2555 take out Salvatore’s Coal Oven Pizzeria 883-8457 take out Schmear Bakery & Market 439-4077 take out delivery Smash Burger 439-4736 take out Spectrum Bakes delivery custom orders available Steiner’s Bakery 612-9730 take out Sullivan’s Quay Restaurant & Bar 883-3122 take out Toscanini Ristorante Italiano 944-0755 take out delivery Tropical Smoothie Café 441-5150 takeout Waterzooi 472-7484 take out delivery Wild Goose 441-5505 take out delivery Other Businesses that are open: 3V Dental Associates on call for emergencies Alper’s Hardware 767-0508 curbside online deliver to home or store AR Workshop Port Washington 944-6028 curbside DIY kits to go Bach to Rock 441-5526 online instruction Beautyfluff Cosmetics & Spa 767-7778 delivery free delivery of product Berest Dance Center 944-6687 online instruction Bill’s Auto Repair 883-5969 all services Black Tie Wines & Liquors 767-9000 curbside Bluetique 734-1002 online orders Dance Arts Centre 883-7202 online instruction Danceworks, NY 767-3262 online instruction DeLux Transportation Services 883-1900 call to schedule Evolution Pilates, Inc. 917 273 5266 online instruction Fusion Wireless/ AT & T 944-9800 by appointment Home Town Transportation 407-3477 call to schedule Impulse Boutique 528-8477 online personal shopping North Shore Vision Services 883-8388 by appointment Om Sweet Om Yoga 944-YOGA online instruction Pilates In Port 767-8109 Port Fitness Studio, LLC online classes Port Pop Up Boutique 375-3940 online shopping or by appointment Port Wireless/Verizon 944-5600 Private Prep online instruction Rainbow Paint & Collision Co. 944-5555 emergency repairs Spectrum Suds pick up/drop off laundry service Suite 275 439-4480 Sylvan Learning Center 303-9955 remote tutoring The Coding Space online instruction Vintage Grapes 918-9999 take out delivery wit & whim online, etsy Yoga Life, LLC 767-9642 online instruction |
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Governor Cuomo Gives Daily Briefing on Coronavirus Crisis ResponseAmid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo will issue an Executive Order allowing the state to redistribute ventilators and personal protective equipment, or PPE, from institutions that don’t currently need them and redeploy the equipment to other hospitals with the highest need. The National Guard will be used to transport the ventilators and PPE across the state. The equipment will be returned to the hospital or the hospital will be reimbursed for the equipment in the future. Governor Cuomo also announced the temporary hospital facility at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center will now be used for COVID-19 patients only. Yesterday, President Trump granted the Governor’s request for the Javits facility to accept COVID-19 positive patients. Governor Cuomo also announced the launch of www.ny.gov/covid-19tracker, which will provide New York State’s comprehensive coronavirus testing data to the public. The website, which will be updated daily with the latest data, presents visualizations of statewide and county-level testing and results. The public can also access the testing data through Open NY at data.ny.gov, New York State’s open data portal, which offers machine readable datasets in downloadable standard formats that can be sorted, searched, analyzed and applied to new uses. The Governor also announced the State will open a critical new COVID-19 mobile testing site for the Capital District region in partnership with Albany Medical Center, St. Peter’s Health Partners and The University at Albany. The mobile testing center will be located in a parking lot at the State University of New York at Albany campus – 1400 Washington Avenue, Colonial Quad parking lot, accessible from main UAlbany entry, off Washington Avenue, Albany. The site will prioritize tests for individuals that are among the highest risk population. Residents who would like to be tested must make an appointment by calling 888-364-3065. There will be no walk-ins allowed and all patients must be in a vehicle. The center is slated to be operational on Monday, April 6, at 10 am. Site hours will be Monday – Sunday, 8 am – 6 pm. Drive-through mobile testing facilities help keep people who are sick or at risk of having contracted coronavirus out of healthcare facilities where they could infect other people. New York is currently testing more than 16,000 people per day, more than any other state and more than China and South Korea on a per capital basis. “We have taken extraordinary measures to build our stockpile of ventilators, masks and other personal protective equipment, but we still do not have enough,” Governor Cuomo said. “Our greatest challenge has been ventilators – we are running out of them in our most stressed regions of the state, and there are hospitals in other parts of the state that have ventilators that they are not using and I will not be in a position where people are dying and we have several hundred ventilators in our own state somewhere else. I am signing a new Executive Order that will allow the state to redistribute these ventilators from institutions that don’t need them now and send them to hospitals in other parts of the state that do need them. And when our curve is over, New Yorkers are going to take our equipment, our personnel and our knowledge and we will go to any community in this nation that needs help, because that outpouring has been there for us.” Finally, the Governor confirmed 10,482 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 102,863 confirmed cases in New York State. You can watch the full press conference here. Paycheck Protection Program for Small Businesses Goes into EffectThe US Department of Treasury has released guidelines for small businesses seeking relief from payroll costs during the Coronavirus pandemic. This program called the Paycheck Protection Program, will provide small businesses with funds to pay up to 8 weeks of payroll costs including benefits. Funds can also be used to pay interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. Funds are provided in the form of loans that will be fully forgiven when used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities (due to likely high subscription, at least 75% of the forgiven amount must have been used for payroll). Loan payments will also be deferred for six months. No collateral or personal guarantees are required. Neither the government nor lenders will charge small businesses any fees. Forgiveness is based on the employer maintaining or quickly rehiring employees and maintaining salary levels. Forgiveness will be reduced if full-time headcount declines, or if salaries and wages decrease. All loans under this program will have an interest rate of 0.5%, maturity of 2 years, be 100% guaranteed by the SBA, and the first payment will be deferred for 6 months. Small businesses with 500 or fewer employees—including nonprofits, veterans organizations, tribal concerns, self-employed individuals, sole proprietorships, and independent contractors— are eligible. Businesses with more than 500 employees are eligible in certain industries. Maximum loan amounts will be up to $10 million. People can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating. All loans will have the same terms regardless of lender or borrower. A list of participating lenders as well as additional information and full terms can be found at www.sba.gov. You can find more information on the loans here. You can read more at Long Island Business News. Small Businesses Urged to Apply for SBA LoansThere are still a lot of questions in regards to the impact of the Federal aid package on small businesses. Here is the latest fact sheets from US Congresswoman Kathleen Rice that outlines the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (here) and the SBA’s Paycheck Program Loan with the updated guidelines (here). Congressman Lee Zeldin recently had an SBA representative encourage folks to apply for loans no matter what. In the meantime, there has been an effort to encourage small businesses to work to apply for loans asap. The LI Main Street Alliance and the Nassau & Suffolk Chambers are working to get information out to the small business community to help as much as possible. Newsday and the LIA are both hosting, and will continue to host, video conferences on a range of business resources as well. This past Friday morning, the Queens Chamber of Commerce hosted a webinar for businesses to learn how to apply for SBA loans. Man-Li Lin, from the New York District office of the U.S. Small Business Administration presented information to explain how to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). This information is subject to change as the situation remains fluid. The local Small Business Development Centers at Farmingdale State College (here) and Stony Brook University (here) will have new information as updates occur. While SBA loans are typically only available for small businesses, during a declared national disaster, they are also available for private not for profit entities as well. Most small businesses and non-profits are eligible except for businesses relating to gambling, religious organizations, investment or lending companies, charitable organizations, speculative activities, or agricultural enterprises. Loans of up to $2 million are available with no payments for 12 months. They can be used to pay expenses such as fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, or other bills affected by the disaster. Interest rates are 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for private non-profits and long term repayments for COVID crisis will be 30 years. Loans cannot be used for lost revenue, just for expenses. Typically, businesses are not eligible if they are able to secure credit elsewhere. However, they are currently allowing applications without denial letters from other lenders. There is no cost to apply and no obligation to take the loan if it is offered. The amount of the loan application should reflect six months of operating expenses. Documentation of a typical months expenses is required. Businesses are eligible even if they already have a previous SBA loan, disaster loan or other types of SBA loans. Loans over $25000 require collateral, but won’t be denied simply for lack of collateral, they will require a pledge of what is available. Criteria for approval will include eligibility, credit history and the ability to repay. US Small Business Administration Processing and Disbursement Center You can also contact the SBA disaster customer service center at 1-800-659-2955, disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or TTY:1-800-877-8339. They recommend email as the best way to get in touch with someone. If applicants are receiving a 404 error, they recommend clearing your cache and trying again. While this process is still evolving, businesses are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and provide all required documentation. Representatives from the SBA will follow up with questions. Webinars will be held to help gide businesses through the application process, the times are as follows: |
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CDC Guidelines on Coronavirus PreventionAs 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. For more information see the CDC website or call the NY State Coronavirus hotline to speak with a representative 888-364-3065
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