THE LATEST NEWS:
  • Ross County COVID-19 cases surge to 19. Community spread is now confirmed here, but contact tracing guidelines are still being followed by the Ross County Health District. The current tally, as of 10 a.m. this morning, 188 county residents tested, 19 positive, 142 negative, and 27 waiting on test results. Of the 19 positive cases, 12 are males and seven are females.
  • Forbes has a great breakdown on Bill Gates' reddit AMA, in which among other things he called for a national tracking system for COVID-19 cases. It's a good read.
  • There at 40,000 jobs from more than 600 employers on the state's job bank, according to Lt. Gov. Jon Husted.
What will become of the Ross County Fair, the Chillicothe Paints, the farmers market?
As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded in Ross County in the past month, it's clear the Chamber's role has evolved in several regards. For example, we've been thrust into a community driven role, in addition to our traditional business resource role.

To that end, we've found ourselves inundated with emails that ask us to sift through rumors or how to sift through the variety of resources out there.

Disclaimer: This is just my excuse for giving you a hodgepodge of stuff with seemingly no connection to each other. :-)

So here we go:

  • The Ross County Fair intends to still go on Aug. 8-15 at the fairgrounds. However, that's the intention, but none of us really knows what the immediate future holds. The planning is moving forward, but they are at the mercy of the pandemic and the stay-at-home orders. There are a variety of factors that will need to go into that final decision, but just as much of life right now, it's a "wait-and-see" situation. The same thing goes for the Chillicothe Paints season, high school graduations and proms, and several others. We already know that events related to The Scioto Society for the spring & summer are canceled.
  • As far as the Chillicothe Farmers Market goes, a model for this traditional favorite is being explored including drive-through, pick-up, or others. Public opinion varies on what is safe and that complicates the decision, but the market has an existing relationship with the local health district, Ohio Department of Health, and others and will work with them to determine next steps.
  • If you're feeling overwhelmed by all of it - yes, all of the COVID-19 discussion, the business and family pressures, etc. - there's an article that I need you to read. It's nearly a month old, but the message is critically important for now because we're really in the middle of this order. Give it a read, please.
  • Along those lines, the governor announced "Strive for Five" this morning, an effort to get Ohioans to connect to five people each day through a phone call, email, or social media to check in and make sure people are doing OK during the period we are practicing social distancing.
  • Many people are asking about the $600 CARES Act unemployment payment. Local officials tell me that the framework is still being developed and it's logical to say that May 1 should be the target date to see those into bank accounts. The state said they will start to get those processed by the end of next week.
  • The Ross County Health District told me today they are working on a way to give a statistic on how many people have recovered from COVID-19 in the county. No timetable, but they are working on that measurable.

Finally, if you have a question, shoot me an email to get it asked. We'll do our best to find out the answer.
Click below to register for our FREE EVENT!
*NEW* Information for small business owners
FREE WEBINARS :

  • Tuesday, April 14 - How to save your small business. (Cultivate Eventbrite site)
  • Tuesday, April 14 at 1 p.m. - Grow with Google: Keeping The Lights On (webinar link)
  • *NEW* Thursday, April 16 - Paid Leave Programs under the Families First Act (webinar link)
  • Wednesday, May 6 at 9 a.m. or noon - Grow with Google session: Manage Your Business Remotely in Times of Uncertainty (webinar link)

*NEW* RESOURCES
  • Our restaurant industry is one of the hardest areas of the local economy, but beermaker Samuel Adams and The Greg Hill Foundation have teamed to offer $1,000 grants to workers in that field. Click here to get more information.
  • Please fill out the Ohio Chamber of Commerce's Prosperity Pulse survey to let them know how this pandemic has impacted your business.
Miss one of these updates? Click here to catch up!
Coronavirus numbers, facts and figures
Links to information:

  • Looking for a job? The state has a job page on its Coronavirus page that helps connect those out of work with jobs.

  • The Ohio Channel YouTube page, where the Governor, Lt. Gov. and director of the Ohio Department of Health give regular updates at 2 p.m. on most days.

  • Governor's Stay at Home Order (Link)

  • The Chillicothe Ross Community Foundation's Coronavirus Fund needs donations, and can potentially help non-profits with some of the costs of helping the community cope with the impact of COVID-19 in the area.

  • The United Way of Ross County is awarding micro-grants to non-profits working to address community needs due to COVID-19's impact.
Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce | Email Mike Throne | chillicotheohio.com