Here is the latest edition of LI Main Street News for Day 117 of the Coronavirus shutdown. This issue covers the economic report that shows up to 375,000 jobs lost on LI, the debate over the legacy of Robert Moses, a new Town Square in downtown Riverhead along with new resources and guidance documents. Check it out…..
presented by Vision Long Island and the Long Island Main Street Alliance July 10th, 2020
|
|||||
Quotes of Day
|
|||||
Helping Main Street through the
|
|||||
|
|||||
Riverhead Receives Grant for Town SquareDowntown Riverhead got some good news this last week as $800,000 in grant funding from New York State Empire Development (NYSED) will allow the town to sign a letter of intent to purchase two properties that will go towards creating a Town Square that connects Main Street to their riverfront. The plan for the property includes demolition of one of the buildings while the others will remain. The NYSED grant will go towards offsetting the demolition costs. In order to offset the costs of purchasing the buildings themselves, the Town will sell some of its owned land on East Main Street. A public hearing on the plan will be held at Riverhead Town Hall on July 21 at 2:05 p.m. “The entire Town Board is unified in its commitment to promote the continued revitalization and economic development of downtown Riverhead,” Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said at a press conference. “We are confident that once the Riverhead town square comes to fruition, that downtown Riverhead will once again reclaim its position as a regional destination for Long Island residents and visitors.” The Town of Riverhead has gone through a decade plus revitalization which includes theatres, hotels, an aquarium, farmers markets, arts events, new downtown housing, office space a community garden and upgrades to roads and wastewater infrastructure investments. This grant and purchase will allow continued expansion of amenities to the downtown area. Check out the story in the Riverhead News Review. |
|||||
Long Island Facing Severe Job Losses due to COVID-19 CrisisA new report paints a grim picture for Long Island’s economic future as an estimated 375,000 could be lost along with a $61 billion decrease in local economic activity. However, the pain stemming from the economic shutdown that came as a result of coronavirus epidemic is very real in the more immediate sense. Currently the net job loss for the region is at 220,000, with the hospitality industry hit the hardest. That section of Long Island has lost 82,000 jobs since the beginning of the pandemic. “This is the equivalent of if we got struck by a category 5 Hurricane here,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone at a recent press conference about the report. “Except, in this case, the hurricane stayed for months instead of passing in 24 hours.” “[The report] also reveals a disproportionate share of those jobs lost across Long Island include Hispanic and Latino workers, low-paying jobs, and workers with low level in education,” noted Nassau County Executive Laura Curran at the same press conference. Long Island has been losing jobs at a much higher clip than New York City and the nation as a whole. This report highlights the need for parts of the economy to safely reopen before even more damage is done. Still, recovery will not be easy for our region. “[How am I doing] financially?” asked Regina Hunt of Shirley, who lost her job as a customer service representative in March. “Horrible, horrible. No Money. Just living day by day. Took forever to get unemployment.” Both County Executives called for federal disaster aid for the region in order to rebound from the devastating losses. They called the current economic crisis as the worst since the Great Depression while talking about how recovery will take longer without some sort of help. Sadly, Vision has had numerous conversations with folks who are very cavalier or dismissive about the economic pain of others throughout this pandemic. Some people don’t believe anecdotes, stories, informal surveys, or they may not travel into or have any relationship with neighborhoods on Long Island that have more unemployed, more vacancies, and longer food lines at the local pantries. We hope that this report will have an impact on those same people. You can read more at the Suffolk Times, Long Island Business News and Newsday. You can also read the full report online here. Outdoor Dining Returns to Long Island During Phase 4Outdoor dining is one of the simple pleasures that comes along with the warm weather that rolls into Long Island during summertime. As New York struggles to recover from months of quarantine and closures due to COVID 19, restaurants have enthusiastically welcomed back patrons with Al Fresco dining. As New York State began its phased reopening, local restaurants were finally able to start serving customers through outdoor dining. Immediately, counties, towns and villages unveiled initiatives to streamline measures to create additional outdoor dining spaces to assist restaurants and food establishments in opening safely and expeditiously. These changes include allowing restaurants to apply for outdoor dining permits for free and offering approvals within days. In June, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran announced the Open Streets Pilot Program which allows municipalities to close down county roads to make it easier for businesses to use street space to increase outdoor restaurant seating capacity, while adhering to social distancing mandates. During the same time, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone assured local restaurants that permits for expanded outdoor dining areas will be automatically approved. The Town of Huntington launched a Business Reopening Resources page to assist and simplify the process for businesses across the township, including instructions, forms and the waiving of fees. In the Town of Hempstead, during a one-month time frame, 198 restaurants applied for and 182 quickly received permits through the town’s outdoor dining initiative, which was established in early May. The Village of Great Neck Plaza created a no fee temporary outdoor dining permit for businesses that is good for a period of up to six months. In Greenport, through the efforts of many, including the Greenport Business Improvement District, innovative sidewalk expansion plans have been created. Some Towns & Villages, such as Valley Stream, Oyster Bay, Great Neck Plaza, Riverhead, Lindenhurst, Amityville, Patchogue, Port Jefferson, Greenport and Farmingdale, created plans to close select streets to provide restaurants adequate space for socially distant outdoor dining. And the initiatives have been hugely successful, with many Long Island restaurants creating innovative and welcoming areas to greet their guests. NYS guidelines to promote patron and restaurant employee safety require tables to be spaced six feet apart, staff must wear face coverings, and customers must wear them when not seated. Vision Board and staff and members of the LI Main Street Alliance have been planning, promoting and frequenting outdoor dining throughout Long Island a selection of downtowns that have these options include but are not limited to: Nassau County: Suffolk County: We are assembling a list of outdoor dining restaurants and locations so please forward us pictures as you frequent local eateries this summer! Some Babylon & NYC Residents seek to relocate Robert Moses StatueAs protests sweep across our nation, calls to remove statutes and monuments honoring Confederate and historic figures with histories of racism and prejudice are increasing. Robert Moses has not been immune to this recent movement. Robert Moses, the master planner of New York State’s parks and parkways, was a controversial figure during his lifetime, and the discord over his legacy has not faded since his death in 1981. Recent national turmoil has again brought this friction to the forefront and some local Babylon and Long Island residents are advocating for the removal of the Moses 1,500-pound, seven-foot bronze statute by Jose I. Fernandez showing Moses with brow furrowed and dressed in suit and tie. The statue was erected in 2003 in front of Babylon Village Hall. Overseen by the Babylon Village Public Arts Commission, it was made possible by a $190,000 appropriation from Suffolk County. On Saturday, June 20th, approximately 100 people marched and protested at Babylon Village Hall demanding the removal of the statue, holding signs reading “Robert Moses Was a Racist” and chanting “Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Robert Moses has to go.” Lindenhurst resident Vanessa Cardino started a petition asking the Babylon Village Public Arts Commission and the Village of Babylon to remove the bronze figure. The message, “Robert Moses has left behind a long legacy of prejudice and gentrification, specifically targeting the Black and Jewish communities. Through his role in building infrastructure throughout Long Island, he supported tactics leading to housing segregation so Long Island neighborhoods were predominantly inhabited by White Christian folks.” Tactics include construction of low bridges built on Southern State and Northern State Parkways to prevent buses carrying African-Americans and Latinos from New York City to get to Jones Beach. Today, the petition has close to 15,500 signatures. This message continues to spread. On July 9th, a zoom meeting, hosted by Jim Hill, a Babylon resident, offered a presentation by NYC resident Jason Haber titled “Progress. People & Power: Understanding the Racism of Robert Moses and Why It Matters.” Haber, a former professor at John Jay College and lecturer on Robert Moses, concluded those who abused their power to promote segregation should no longer be celebrated in New York. There are voices who oppose the removal of the Moses bronze, including Babylon Village resident Diane Mahoney, who started a petition calling for the statue to be saved because Moses was “one of the greatest builders/engineers” in state history. David Bishop, a former Suffolk County legislator (1992-2005), also supports keeping the statute, saying “Robert Moses deserves his statue in Babylon because he made our New York… When historical figures leave positive legacies, as Moses did, they should be celebrated and their faults contextualized. This way, we can use the past to inspire us to a better future. Moses’ statue in Babylon remind us that we can think big and build the New York we want.” Robert Moses legacy is one that has not been kind to local downtowns or the Smart Growth movement in general. That movement is better represented by author, civic leader and activist Jane Jacobs who fought Robert Moses on the Lower Manhattan Expressway and other plans that would have destroyed the neighborhoods of Greenwich Village, SoHo, and Little Italy. Her work is more in line philosophically with the community based initiatives downtown planners, community and small business leaders and local government officials on Long Island have advanced over the last two decades. Top down planning, which Moses exemplified, has not at all been responsible for the renaissance of dozens of local downtowns in recent years. The question regarding Moses’ legacy is at issue, a visionary city planner and master builder who reshaped New York’s highways, bridges and parks to make such places more accessible to a wide swath of New Yorkers, or a power broker who destroyed the natural shoreline while segregating communities, along with leveling Black and Hispanic neighborhoods. The answer -as it should be -is now in the hands of local residents and the Village of Babylon. |
|||||
NYMTC Seeking Input on Next Regional Transportation PlanOur region is facing tough challenges. Despite that, considering the future is as important as ever for the region’s vitality. The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) is working on the next Regional Transportation Plan for the diverse region of New York City, Lower Hudson Valley, and Long Island. Let’s work together to explore and plan for the future of transportation in the region. There are many opportunities to participate. Please join in to help keep our region Moving Forward. Join a Virtual Workshop – Your Opinion Counts! We will host an identical afternoon and evening session for each of NYMTC’s regions. The region wide and Long Island specific workships will be:
Each workshop will have a presentation and interactive question sessions. It is suggested that participants join by desktop or laptop computer. Meeting materials will be available upon request for those without computer access; please phone 212-383-7203 for assistance. Ways to Get Involved:
|
|||||
‘Zoom’ to New Heights with Project IndependenceSince the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the Project Independence and You radio show wanted to continue to provide timely and important information to the senior residents of North Hempstead, caretakers and service professionals. Previous guests and topics included Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Congressman Tom Suozzi, Latest Tips on Frauds & Scams, Financial Concerns surrounding COVID-19 Pandemic, NY State Attorney General Scam Awareness and From Crisis to Calm Coping in an Ever Changing Normal. After listening to an informative guest, be sure to listen to the Talk of the Town to find out about updates, programs and what’s going on around Town! The radio show uses the Zoom platform to organize and coordinate the shows, which is then broadcasted during the normally scheduled time. Project Independence and You airs on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tune in on WCWP 88.1 FM or wcwp.org or download the app! Past episodes are available at northhempsteadny.gov/pi-home. Upcoming Schedule: •July 17 – Kathleen Otte (Bi-Regional Administrator, Administration for Community Living (ACL) to discuss Aging in Place Issues during these Challenging Times Don’t forget to listen to Talk of the Town where they discuss everything that is happening in the Town and in the World. Learn about new programs, events and exciting initiatives. Click here to learn more. 2021 Long Island Arts Grant Workshop Schedule ReleasedThe New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Decentralization Grants help to support: · Individual artists in the creation of new work Attendance to one of the following workshops is mandatory in order to apply for a 2021 NYSCA Decentralization grant. The dates, locations and times for the workshops are listed below. Virtual workshops will be presented through ZOOM. Additional information and the login link will be provided after you register for a specific day and time. The dates, locations* and times for the workshops are listed below: You can register for these workshops here. AARP Hosts Disrupt DisparitiesAARP is hosting a series of digital roundtables to discuss how the COVID-19 crisis has affected New York’s 50+ and aging populations, with special attention paid to the racial and ethnic disparities apparent in the impact of the virus. These roundtables are utilized to brainstorm policy solutions that can be supported by community influencers and elected officials, and help implemented. We will be discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the aging population, and cover a range of issues, such as senior meal deliveries, senior centers, and social isolation, while also thinking through policy solutions that would begin to resolve these issues. We would like for all attendees to perhaps bring with them ideas and insights into policy solutions for this conversation. July 14th 11 am – 12 noon for Suffolk & July 22nd 11 am – 12 noon for Nassau. For more information, contact Bernard Macias. FMC Hosts ‘Fast Chat’ Series Starting July 21stFair Media Council introduces Fast Chat, a series of live Zoom conversations with notables in news, media & business. This series begins on Tuesday, July 21 at 2 p.m. with our first guest: One of the most influential business thought leaders in business today, Jeffrey Hayzlett, discussing the future of business amid COVID19 and, in particular, how to attract new customers, clients and advertisers during a time when we can’t network, shake hands or break bread. With Fast Chat, expect engaging conversations that get right to the point, providing you with expert insight and advice to help you improve your life, business and community. The format: 20 minutes chat, then 10 minutes audience Q & A. In 30 minutes, you’re in the know. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Jeffrey Hayzlett is the primetime television host of C-Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett and Executive Perspectives LIVE on C-Suite TV and is the host of the award-winning All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett on C-Suite Radio. Hayzlett is a global business celebrity, Hall of Fame speaker, Chairman and CEO of C-Suite Network, home of the world’s most trusted network of C-Suite leaders and best-selling author. His most recent book is The Hero Factor: How Great Leaders Transform Organizations and Create Winning Cultures. About Reserving Your Virtual Seat: Tickets for Fast Chat are free for FMC members and news media, but advance registration is required. Not a member? Either join now to get access to the series of Fast Chats, along with other perks of membership, or make a donation of $25 or more to enjoy this Fast Chat. Both options are tax deductible. For more information, visit LIBN. To register, click here. Calendar Briefs and WebinarsThe following is a list of upcoming and ongoing calendar events. Check back on each publication for updates: • Virtual Walks: The Health Education Council will be holding Virtual Walks every Monday at 12:30 pm EST and Wednesday at 3 pm EST, with a Spanish language virtual walk each Friday at 3 pm EST. If you’re interested in taking a walk with friends while still practicing social distancing you can head to the the website here to sign up for a virtual walk. A Spanish speaking version is available here. You will then receive a zoom link and all you’ll need is a smart phone and a good pair of shoes and you’ll be in business! • Please join US Representative Kathleen Rice for an Informational Conference Call with the Small Business Administration on Tuesday, July 14th from 12 noon to 1:00 pm. The conference call number will be 929-205-6099 and the meeting id will be 849-0661-3837. The call will feature a conversation with a representative from the Small Business Administration and 3 Certified Public Accountants from the American Institution of Certified Public Accountants will join to answer questions about the SBA Loan Programs and to provide guidance on loan forgiveness. If you have any questions please contact Representative Rice’s Garden City office at NY04.SmallBusiness@mail.house.gov or 516-739-3008. • In these times of uncertainty, cancer patients and their families need our help. Critical research has been put on hold, treatment plans have been disrupted, and surprise medical billing has financially crippled families who have loved ones fighting for their lives. All of this creates serious risk to the current and future state of cancer cures. Survivorship is one curve I don’t want to see flatten. It needs to continue to increase. LLS stands out to me because it is an unapologetically patients first organization and one example of this is the LLS COVID-19 Patient Financial Aid Program. This program delivers financial relief to blood cancer patients who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of their disease and circumstances related to the pandemic. As of June 10, 2020 LLS has given $4,526,000 to over 18,104 patients since April 1, 2020. And long before COVID19 – for over 70 years – LLS works each day to create a world free of blood cancers through research, advocacy and ongoing patient support. So the reason as to why I chose to support this cause despite it being even more difficult because of the state of the world is simple…cancer hasn’t stopped because of the pandemic so we need to ensure cures don’t either. You can help by being MY GUEST @ LLS’s Light The Night Virtual Business Community Kickoff on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 8am-9am Eastern via the Zoom Platform. At this event, you’ll get to experience an hour of hope and inspiration, which I know we all can use right now. You can register for this event here. |
|||||
State Farm Neighborhood Assist Grants Return on July 15thState Farm Neighborhood Assist is back to help good neighbors across the U.S. take an active role in improving their communities. They will once again be awarding $25,000 grants in support of 40 causes. Now’s your chance to make a real difference in your neighborhood! Starting July 15, 2020, you can officially submit your cause at NeighborhoodAssist.com. AARP will accept the first 2,000 submissions before narrowing it down to 200 finalists. Then, a public vote will decide which 40 community causes win the $25,000 grants. You can read the full guide on how to apply and what sort of submissions will be acceptable here. Babylon IDA Offers Grants to Businesses & NonprofitsThe Town of Babylon Business Improvement District is offering grants and interest-free loans as part of a new initiative geared to help businesses affected by Covid-19. The “Babylon is Back” Emergency Assistance program offers grants up to $10,000 and inter loans up to $25,000. For more information, visit LIBN. New York State Accepting Applications for NY Forward Loan FundNew York State has opened pre-applications for the New York Forward Loan Fund. Loans from this fund are available to small businesses, nonprofits, and small landlords in New York State that did not receive a loan from either the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for COVID-19 in 2020. New York Forward loans must be fully repaid over a 5-year term with fixed annual interest rates of 3 percent for small businesses and landlords. Small businesses may apply for the lesser of $100,000 or up to 100% of the average monthly revenues in any 3-month period from 2019 or the first quarter of 2020. This loan can be paid back over five years with first year being interest only. However, if small businesses have received either a PPP loan or an EIDL loan from SBA, they would not be eligible to apply. NYS has set a goal of 18% of total funds under this Program for Long Island Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as industries and regions reopen however, priority for New York Forward Loans will be given to industries and regions that have been reopened. Resources are available to assist in preparing applications for small businesses, landlords and nonprofits in industries and regions that have not yet reopened. To view more details, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, click here: If you need technical assistance through this process, please contact an Entrepreneurial Assistance Center near you and inform the counselor that you need help for the NY Forward Loan application. You can find your closest contact center here. |
|||||
Seattle Road Engineers Test Difficulty of Crossing the Street in a WheelchairThrough a local ADA program, Seattle engineers recently participated in a voluntary exercise that allowed them to use a wheelchair to test out new curb ramps & sidewalks. While it’s understood that we can’t fully replicate the circumstances of those that rely on mobility devices to get around, there are many good lessons that can be learned using a manual wheelchair. The engineers that attempted using the wheelchair found quickly that it’s not easy. Even modest cross slopes and bumpy sidewalk or street surfaces can make getting around quite challenging. This firsthand experience helps them to think about the designs they work on daily, and hopefully will give them a better perspective when they’re at the drawing board contemplating projects. You can read more on this exercise here. |
|||||
Our Daily SponsorTrinity SolarTrinity began back in 1994 as Trinity Heating & Air. In 2004 their operations shifted to helping people tap into the greatest renewable resource — solar energy. Since then, they have developed their culture and business into what over 1,600 proud American workers can call home — Trinity Solar. Their core values of God, Family and Good Business Stewardship are the fuel that drive them to create a stronger America. Through cutting energy costs and leveraging government incentive programs, they strive to facilitate a thriving quality of life for as many American families and businesses as possible. Trinity Solar is a family owned operation located in Central New Jersey, where they coordinate and complete installations across multiple states – Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. |
|||||
Smart TalkContributors: We strive to provide continued quality publications like this every week. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration. If you are interested in becoming a newsletter or news blast sponsor, please call the office at 631-261-0242 for rates and opportunities. Vision Long Island Home | Contact Us | Donate | About Us |