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The Daily Edition for Thursday, May 28, 2020

To view this Daily Impact online, click here.

 

 

Welcome to your Daily Impact newsletter!

As a valued member of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, we plan to stay in touch with you every afternoon, through emails like this one and on Facebook and Twitter, until the pandemic passes. We intend to provide you with the latest state and federal information, as well as highlighting the creativity and innovation that is occuring here in Maine during this unpredictable and rapidly changing time. To assist you in navigating the uncertainties ahead, we have created a diverse and comprehensive collection of web-based resources to help you take care of yourself and your family, your employees, your business, and your community.

Do you have a question? ASK THE EXPERTS.

We are here to help in any way we can!

 

 

In Midst of COVID-19 Economic Crisis, Moody's and S&P Affirm Maine's Stable Bond Rating

Late yesterday afternoon, Governor Janet Mills and State Treasurer Henry Beck announced that Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poors Global Ratings (S&P), providers of global credit benchmarks, have affirmed their credit ratings and outlooks on the State of Maine's general obligation debt. Moody's affirmed both their AA2 rating and stable outlook on Maine's debt. S&P affirmed their AA rating and stable outlook. The affirmation of Maine's ratings comes as S&P and Moody's downgrade other states' ratings as a result of the economic turmoil precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Collins, King Announce $1.5 Million for Maine Department of Labor Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Funding will help address the workforce-related impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Labor has been awarded $1.5 million to help address the workforce-related impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding, allocated through the U.S. Department of Labor's Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) program, was awarded through the CARES Act.

 

"This important funding will help to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Maine's workforce, ensuring that our state's hardworking men and women have access to the resources they need to get through this difficult time," said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.

 

To reserve your banner ad in the Daily Impact, please contact Melody Rousseau
by emailing
melodyr@mainechamber.org, or by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 102.

 

Today's Bottom Line Podcast With Special Guests, Laurie Lachance and Josh Broder

Laurie Lachance, president of Thomas College, and Josh Broder, CEO of Tilson Tech, were this week's special guests on The Bottom Line podcast. The co-chairs of the Governor's Economic Recovery Committee joined The Bottom Line co-hosts Dana Connors of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and John Williams of Williams Broadcasting to discuss the committee's tasks in the months ahead. The committee is charged with engaging economic experts and industry representatives from across Maine to develop specific policy recommendations to stabilize the state's economy and building a bridge to future prosperity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

To learn more, listen to the full episode in the archived shows section of the Maine State Chamber's website.

 

Maine Bankers Chief Says Current Crisis Is "Very Different" From 2008

Chris Pinkham, president of the Maine Bankers Association, has a fairly upbeat outlook for Maine's banking sector, saying that lenders are well-positioned to weather this unexpected pandemic storm. Mainebiz caught up with him for his take on the current situation and beyond. Read more in his recent Mainebiz interview.

 

264 Maine Workers Earn COVID Readiness Badges in First Week

Mainebiz reported today that since last week's launch of a free COVID-19 safety training course, 264 hospitality workers in Maine have earned a "micro-credential" from Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) in Bangor. EMCC partnered with industry association HospitalityMaine to provide a COVID Readiness Badge to restaurants and food service professionals throughout Maine. The HospitalityMaine COVID-19 Readiness Badge is a collaborative effort among HospitalityMaine, the Maine Community College System and Eastern Maine Community College.

 

The course is designed to help restaurant owners and their employees master a four-page checklist of new guidelines and mandatory practices, issued by the state Department of Economic and Community Development in order for eateries to reopen. A similar free course will soon be available for hotels and inns. The checklist details many aspects of reopening such as foundational hygiene, new physical layout and workflow, and handling and documenting difficult situations.

 

JOIN US NEXT WEEK
FOR A VERY SPECIAL WEBINAR!

 

How to Support The New
Work From Home Model

 

Thursday, June 4 | 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

How will employers support the new work from home model while maintaining business continuity with a work-from-home workforce? How will employers use this new paradigm to Maine's advantage in the future? What happens when most or all of the workforce starts working from home? How can we use this as a positive spin in the future for employees and future employees?

 

Our panel of presenters includes:

* Laurie Mitchell, Assitant Vice President of Global Wellbeing and Health Management at Unum;

* Matt McGrath, President and CEO of Systems Engineering;

* Nate Wildes, Executive Director of Live and Work in Maine; and,

* Katie Shorey, Director of Engagement for Live and Work in Maine.

Register today and plan to join us Thursday, June 4 at 10:00 a.m. for this important webinar presentation.

 

MEMA, Maine CDC Announce State's Shift to Virtual Emergency Operations Center After Seven Employees at Augusta Facility Exhibit COVID-19 Symptoms

The Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) announced today that the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), located at MEMA in Augusta, has temporarily moved to fully virtual operations today after seven employees (three from MEMA, two from Maine CDC, and two National Guard members) who worked at the site exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 overnight. MEMA and Maine CDC operations have not been disrupted. MEMA and Maine CDC have exercised continuity of operations plans for situations of this nature. The shift to a virtual operations center ensured no disruption in Maine's ongoing COVID-19 response.

 

The Maine State Chamber's Regional Breakfast Series, A Virtual Update

 

This morning, the Maine State Chamber hosted our Presque Isle Area Regional Breakfast, the fourth in our virtual update series. The Chamber's Advocacy team reviewed the work of the legislative session prior to its abrupt adjournment in mid-March, and made a few predictions about a possible special session, the coming election season, and even how the 2021 session might look given the pandemic.

 

THANK YOU TO OUR SERIES SPONSORS:

Casella Waste Systems, Inc.; Central Maine Power Company; Maine Department of Economic & Community Development; Northeast Delta Dental; Versant Power; VHB

 

In addition to our Series Sponsors, we are thankful for the following sponsors of this morning's Coffee Hour and their continued support and generosity: our Premier Sponsor, McCain Foods USA, Inc.; our Presenting Sponsor, Northeastland Hotel; and, our Official Sponsors, Aroostook Partnership, MMG Insurance, Northeast Packaging Company, Northern Maine Development Commission, and S.W. Collins Co., Inc.

 

JOIN US NEXT WEEK!

 

Augusta Area

Wednesday, June 3 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.

This session is a program of the
Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce

 

Register here

 

Coronavirus May Never Go Away, Even With A Vaccine

Experts in epidemiology, disaster planning and vaccine development say embracing that reality is crucial to the next phase of America's pandemic response.

The Washington Post reported yesterday that there's a good chance the coronavirus will never go away. Even after a vaccine is discovered and deployed, the coronavirus will likely remain for decades to come, circulating among the world's population. Experts call such diseases endemic - stubbornly resisting efforts to stamp them out. Think measles, HIV, chickenpox.

 

With so much else uncertain, the persistence of the novel virus is one of the few things we can count on about the future. That doesn't mean the situation will always be as dire. There are already four endemic coronaviruses that circulate continuously, causing the common cold. And many experts think this virus will become the fifth - its effects growing milder as immunity spreads and our bodies adapt to it over time.

 

For now, though, most people have not been infected and remain susceptible. And the highly transmissible disease has surged in recent weeks even in countries that initially succeeded in suppressing it. Left alone, experts say, it will simply keep burning through the world's population. Meanwhile, some states are rushing headlong into reopening their economies. Even those moving more cautiously haven't developed tools to measure what's working and what isn't - a crucial feature for any prolonged scientific experiment.

 

Rockland Will Use Taxpayer-Funded Loans to Bail Out Businesses Hurt by Coronavirus

The Bangor Daily News reported today that Rockland is creating a $200,000 loan program for small businesses using a combination of taxpayer dollars and funds from a downtown tax increment financing account. City councilors waffled on whether this was an appropriate use of taxpayer money, but ultimately decided to move forward with the loan program to help businesses that are struggling after months of closures and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

"It is their money, [businesses] have paid [taxes] let's give it back to them and keep their business going for another couple months so hopefully things can normalize," City Councilor and downtown business co-owner Ben Dorr said.   "Right now is the crisis moment, right now is the trauma moment, right now is the moment to give businesses $5,000."

 

 

To join these advertisers in the Daily Impact, please contact Melody Rousseau
by emailing
melodyr@mainechamber.org, or by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 102.

 

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Copyright Maine State Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.
 128 State Street | Suite 101 | Augusta, ME 04330-5630
 Phone: (207) 623-4568
For media inquiries, please contact Jen Webber, (207) 939-0213
For membership inquiries, please contact Mark Ellis. (207) 623-4568
  • About Us
    • Connect with Us
    • Affiliates & Partners
    • Our Board
    • Meet the Team
    • President's Message
    • External Social Media Policy
  • Membership
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Join the Chamber
    • Return on Investment
    • Member Search
  • Public Policy
    • Public Hearings of Interest
    • Legislation of Interest
    • Public Policy Committees
    • Grassroot Resources
    • Find Your Legislator >
      • Representatives
      • Senators
  • Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • 2022 Annual Meeting
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Business Day at the Statehouse
    • Board Meetings & Board Events
    • DC Fly-In
    • Legislative Social
    • Policy Issues Workshops
    • Regional Breakfasts
    • Scramble for Scholars
    • Webinars by The Maine State Chamber of Commerce
  • Initiatives
    • Campus Career Connect
    • Dream It. Do It.
    • Education Foundation
    • Keep Maine Competitive
    • Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI)
    • This is ME Counting on You
    • Senior Leaders of Tomorrow Development Program
  • Newsroom
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Impact Newsletter
    • MSCC Blog
    • The Bottom Line
    • The Maine Take
    • Making Maine Work
    • MERI Roll Call
    • OneVoice Maine Magazine
    • Policy Brief Series with Educate Maine
    • Press Kit
  • Member Login