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The Daily Edition for Monday, June 1, 2020 |
To view this Daily Impact online, click here. |
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Welcome to your COVID-19 Impact newsletter! |
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As a valued member of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, we plan to stay in touch with you several times each week, 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. |
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Do you have a question? ASK THE EXPERTS. |
We are here to help in any way we can! |
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Maine Hotels And Inns Can Open Today, But Out-Of-Staters Still Have To Quarantine |
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Mainebiz reported this afternoon that while lodging businesses across the state can reopen today, out-of-staters who want to stay at them still have to quarantine in-state for 14 days at a private residence, a federal judge ruled. A ruling by Judge Lance Walker of U.S. District Court said the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the state failed to prove there are less burdensome measures that would also limit the spread of COVID-19 into the state. He denied an injunction that would lift the quarantine required in Gov. Janet Mills' executive order that mandates anyone traveling into the state must quarantine for 14 days, except to engage in essential services. |
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Drive-Thru Coronavirus Testing Site Opens in York |
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The Bangor Daily News and CBS 13 reported this morning that a drive-thru Coronavirus testing site opened at the York Hospital's York Walk-In Care location today. The testing site is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. |
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To reserve your banner ad in the Daily Impact, please contact Melody Rousseau |
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Providing Books to Maine Students |
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Maine educators were recently surveyed about critical needs of their students. Books were highlighted as a top priority for students of all ages. Supporting reading is essential for students to continue to thrive in schools. Making certain that our students, particularly our youngest readers, have easy access to books during the end of the school year and throughout the summer is crucial for preventing summer slide. Even with yeoman-like efforts by Maine teachers and a hands-on approach from the Maine Department of Education to ensure all Maine students have been able to continue learning remotely during the pandemic, we know that learning over these past few months has inevitably been disrupted. In addition to the school year disruption, student achievement often widens during the summer, an outcome referred to as summer slide. Summer slide accounts for as much as 85 percent of the reading achievement gap between lower income students and their middle- and upper-income peers. Providing students with appropriate books will help address this challenge. Not only does summer reading enable students to continue practicing foundational skills, but it opens the world to students through stories and knowledge building around topics of interest. We need your help to ensure students across our 16 counties have access to books, an essential commodity. Here are a few ways you can support Maine students: 2020 Maine Books Challenge: Educate Maine is leading this initiative to provide students with books while supporting local bookstores. You can purchase an online or physical gift card at one of Maine's independent bookstores. Every $10 donation provides a book for a Maine student. Every donation will be matched by the Law Offices of Joe Bornstein up to $5,000. Teachers across Maine will help coordinate book distribution to students. If interested in supporting this effort, please email Katherine at [email protected]. Scholastic Books: This company has offered significant discounts to help get books to Maine students. For example, a $1000 donation can support 300 books for 100 students. A $5000 donation can support 1500 books for 500 students. If interested in supporting this effort, please email Megan Diver at [email protected]. Community Book Donations: Gently used books are also needed across Maine. We are seeking community drop off spots at local employers throughout the 16 counties. If your business is interested in becoming a location for books to be collected, please email Megan Diver at [email protected]. Books will be distributed to students directly through their schools and at local meal sites throughout the summer. Additional information about summer literacy initiatives can be found here. Thank you for supporting Maine students. |
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Maine Custom Meat Processors Are Easing Bottleneck |
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Mainebiz reported this afternoon that the state has eased authorizations for three custom meat-processing plants in response to a pandemic-related bottleneck in the food supply chain. The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has authorized 90-day grants of inspection to Hatch's Custom Meat Cutting in Crystal, Watson's Custom Butcher Shop in Etna, and Blake's Slaughtering and Custom Cut Meats in Alexander. Hatch's and Blake's will be the first inspected livestock slaughterhouses in Aroostook and Washington counties, respectively. |
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All Seven Employees at MEMA Facility Who Exhibited Symptoms of COVID-19 Test Negative |
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Last Friday, the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) announced that all seven individuals who reported symptoms associated with COVID-19 have tested negative for the virus that causes the disease. Samples from the seven employees who worked out of MEMA's State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Augusta - three from MEMA, two from Maine CDC, and two Maine National Guard members - all tested negative at Maine CDC's Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL). Maine CDC medical epidemiologists continue to investigate what caused the symptoms. Many of the seven individuals reported feeling better on Friday. |
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Resources from the National Association of Manufacturers |
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) has released a new resource with tools and strategies to deploy ahead of office reopenings. It is intended to supplement the regularly updated CDC guidance for businesses and employers. For manufacturing settings, it is vital to continue following the CDC and OSHA's interim guidance for manufacturing workers and employers, and you can find information for cleaning and disinfecting workplaces, along with printable resources. You can also refer to the Manufacturing Leadership Council's "New Operational Practices to Consider in the Time of COVID-19" for ways manufacturers are meeting and exceeding CDC and OSHA guidelines. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) urges manufacturers to take all CDC-issued guidance seriously and to implement the strategies presented. These strategies represent the best science and thinking around protecting the workforce and the public from COVID-19. As the country reopens and high levels of cases in different parts of the country remain a challenge, maintaining social distancing of six feet, frequent hand-washing, avoiding large gatherings and wearing face coverings all remain important and proven public health strategies. It's important for the strength of the manufacturing sector, the renewal of the economy and the return to school for our future workforce that we all maintain workplace and community protective measures, even as some restrictions are lifted around the country. NAM Webinar with the EEOC | Wednesday, June 3 at 11:00 a.m. NAM will host a webinar on Wednesday, June 3, at 11:00 a.m. EDT with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to outline what manufacturers need to know about nondiscrimination laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. The presentation will cover what steps employers can take to prevent discrimination in the workplace while making necessary changes to protect the health and safety of workers. Manufacturers' Outlook Survey Results NAM has released the results of the Manufacturers' Outlook Survey for the second quarter of 2020, showing that despite a historic drop in optimism to nearly 34% and challenging business conditions, the vast majority of manufacturers (98.7%) have continued or only temporarily halted operations. Thanks to all Maine manufacturers who participated in this important survey. Additional information is available online. |
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Use The Maine State Chamber's Blog And Daily Impact To Tell Your Story! |
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Numerous Maine companies are stepping up or pivoting nimbly, as Maine people resourcefully address the challenges of this pandemic. Share your perspective and experience with us and with the rest of the business community. How are you facing and overcoming the challenges posed by this pandemic? What are you and your employees doing in this dramatically different economy? Tell us about the innovations your company or employees are making or ways you have adapted your company to meet your customers' needs. Each blog entry should be 300 to 500 words. Join us in creating a written history of the business community's resilience and innovation during this extraordinary time. Please submit your entries to [email protected]. For more information or questions, please contact Mark Ellis by emailing [email protected] or by calling (207) 623-4568, ext. 109. |
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JOIN US THIS WEEK How to Support The New Thursday, June 4 | 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. |
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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. |
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June 4 Webinar | The Paycheck Protection Program: How To Qualify For Loan Forgiveness |
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Mainebiz offers the next in its series of webinars helping businesses through the pandemic, this time focusing on PPP loan forgiveness. It will be Thursday, June 4, from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Panelists will be Amy Bassett, district director for the Small Business Administration; Kris Eimicke, a partner at Pierce Atwood; Tony McKim, president and CEO of First National Bank; and Seth Webber, principal at BerryDunn. The discussion will cover how your business can qualify for loan forgiveness, a review of the latest rules and case studies. The webinar will cover all businesses, including seasonal, sole proprietorship and those who have had to adjust their workforce employee numbers. |
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The Maine State Chamber's Regional Breakfast Series, A Virtual Update The Maine State Chamber of Commerce, together with local and regional chambers of commerce, invites you to our Regional Breakfast Meetings, held virtually on Zoom. As a local business leader, your valuable insight is instrumental to this open dialogue about issues that affect your business, your community and your state. We need your expertise and input to make recommendations and to identify opportunities for moving Maine's economic future in a positive direction. Normally, attending one of our annual statewide breakfast series meetings is an ideal way for you, the Maine business leader, to interact with business associates, new and prospective Maine State Chamber members, and state representatives in a relaxed setting. This year, due to the COVID-19 situation, we will be hosting this event online as a coffee, so fill your cup and join the conversation on Zoom. 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 |
Augusta Area Wednesday, June 3 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. This session is a program of the |
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To join these advertisers in the Daily Impact, please contact Melody Rousseau |
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