Uncertainty has been the trademark of both the economic and public-health crises caused by the coronavirus. Occasionally that’s not a bad thing — like in the emerging consensus that the initial models for case fatality rates and ICU beds needed were too high. But over the last few days, several new reports on the nature … Read the rest
The Small-Business Loan Program Is Already Hitting 4 Big Snags
The small-business bailout — otherwise known as the “Paycheck Protection Program” (PPP) — was arguably the most ambitious provision of the $2 trillion stimulus bill that Congress passed last week.
Under the policy, any business (or nonprofit, veterans organization, or tribal concern) with 500 or fewer employees is eligible for a government-backed loan … Read the rest
How Facebook became “the most Chinese company In Silicon Valley”
At around the same time Facebook was working out its News Feed issues, an upstart messaging app called Snapchat — led by the brash Stanford graduate Evan Spiegel — built a feature called Stories, which let people share photos and videos with friends that disappeared in a day. Snapchat’s users loved how Stories gave them
HOW IS MARYLAND’S MEDICAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY FARING UNDER COVID-19?
While many Maryland businesses have been forced to close or cut back on staff due to restrictions implemented to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, some say the medical marijuana industry in the state is thriving. There are 774 confirmed cases of the virus in Maryland as of Friday morning, according to the governor’s office.… Read the rest
Delayed weed dispensary openings, curbside pot pickup: Coronavirus is forcing the state’s marijuana industry to adapt
As the new coronavirus pandemic spread and Illinoisans were ordered to stay home, dispensaries — which are deemed essential by the state and allowed to stay open — suddenly had to figure out how to enforce social distancing in their stores. Protecting medical marijuana patients, many of whom have compromised immune systems, became a pressing
Gov. Cuomo Slashes Medicaid as New York Struggles to Get Handle on COVID-19 Cases
New York remains the epicenter of the crisis in the U.S., representing nearly half of the country’s fatalities. Over the weekend, more than 1,200 New Yorkers died within a 48-hour window, bringing the state’s official death toll to over 4,000. There are over 123,000 confirmed cases. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the … Read the rest
Iowa Governor Rejects Fauci’s Stay-at-Home Advice
Donald Trump’s characteristic (and characteristically unreflective) 180-degree turn last weekend on the need for much more rigorous quarantining to stop the coronavirus pandemic stimulated a number of Republican governors to get off the dime and issue the statewide shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders that critics and many local government officials had been begging for. Almost immediately, … Read the rest
Florida Governor’s Social Distancing Order Exempts Religious Gatherings
In Florida, a statewide remain-at-home order went into effect early Friday, after Republican Governor Ron DeSantis ended his weeks-long opposition to strict social distancing measures. Houses of worship are exempted under the order as “essential businesses” — raising fears of community spread at churches, mosques and synagogues. At least 144 people have died of COVID… Read the rest
“Sheep Going to Slaughter”: NYC Medical Workers Protest Lack of Protective Equipment
At the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, doctors and nurses wearing surgical masks and scarves held a demonstration Thursday to protest a critical lack of PPE — personal protective equipment.
… Read the restMontefiore nurse: “We have a lot of angry nurses. Everybody is frustrated. Of course, people come off at the end of the shift,
If you’ve been financially impacted by the coronavirus, you may be able to pause payments on these 8 bills
Many employees are out of work or facing reduced hours as US businesses temporarily close to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Lenders are empathizing with people who are struggling to pay their bills during the pandemic.
If you reach out to companies, you may be able to pause any of these eight bills — … Read the rest









