Please visit our
COVID-19 Page
which includes links to area resources for both individuals and businesses as well as a listing of area businesses hours of operation.
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Message from the Chamber Director
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Like many of you I am working remotely in order to do my part of social distancing. I can be reached by phone (603-543-1296) or
email and will continue working to enhance, promote and support economic stability and growth in our community.
I invite you, individuals, businesses and organizations, to reach out to me with any questions, comments or concerns you might have. If I don't have the answers I will do my absolute best to find them for you.
In addition to standard phone service the Chamber also has Zoom video conferencing available if you'd like to connect face to face while maintaining social distancing.
While we all navigate these uncertain times lets all remember to be kind.
Elyse Crossman, Executive Director
Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce
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U.S. Department of Labor - Wage & Labor Division Notices
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As everyone works to implement the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), you may encounter unique questions that are not yet addressed in our
guidance
or in the temporary rule released yesterday, please consider submitting these questions to the
national online dialogue
.
The U.S. Department of Labor is hosting a national online dialogue, now
extended
until close of business on
April 10, 2020
, to provide employers and employees with an innovative opportunity to offer their perspective as the Department develops compliance assistance materials and outreach strategies related to the implementation of the FFCRA.
The ideas and comments gathered from this dialogue will inform compliance assistance guidance, resources, and tools, as well as outreach approaches, that assist employers and employees in understanding their responsibilities and rights under the FFCRA.
Starting April 1, USDOL will launch a campaign to solicit feedback on the FFCRA compliance assistance tools as part of the national online dialogue. USDOL has questions and answers, posters, and fact sheets available to help employers understand their obligations and employees understand their rights under the FFCRA. What about these tools is working? What isn’t working? How can we improve them to ensure they are understandable and accessible?
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Clark-Mortenson/Hilb Group COVID-19 Webinars
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The Importance of Virtual Socialization
WHEN: Wednesday, April 08, 1:30pm - 2:30pm ET
Being in close proximity and being together in groups will increase the likelihood of spread. However, it is vital that your employees stay active, have a routine, and socialize in ways that don’t increase the threat of spreading coronavirus but also keep them feeling positive and productive. This webinar will address the new reality of social distancing and identify the new term “Virtual Socialization”.
• What is Social Distancing?
• What is Virtual Socialization
• People work for many reasons: an important one is for social interaction with others
• How to encourage social interaction in a distributed workforce
• Creating your corporate culture remotely
• How technology can help
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What We Know Today About COVID-19
WHEN: Thursday, April 09, 1:30pm - 2:30pm ET
The new coronavirus is causing rapidly growing fear and confusion around the world. With conflicting information available from different sources, how do you know what’s real and what’s not? How can employers make informed decisions to ensure they are remaining compliant with what seems like a constantly evolving set of rules placed upon them by local, state, and federal governments? In this webinar, we will use a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) format to address the questions we are being asked most by our clients.
• Discuss federal and state legislative efforts to provide relief to workers affected by COVID-19
• Review agency guidance on how COVID-19 affects existing workplace laws
• Present best practices in an FAQ format
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Information from Senator Shaheen's Office
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SBA Resources for Small Businesses and Nonprofits:
·
FAQ document
– this includes information that’s specific to small businesses and nonprofits.
·
Paycheck Protection Program in Spanish
. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program documents can also be downloaded in Spanish
here
, the SBA website can be viewed in Spanish
here
, and the SBA Disaster Loans page can be viewed in Spanish
here
.
· For organizations interested in applying for the
Paycheck Protection Program
(PPP), a list of SBA 7(a) lenders can be found
here
.
We recommend encouraging businesses in your community to work with their
local lender
to determine if they’re accepting PPP applications and when they will begin processing them.
Senator Shaheen’s Latest Advocacy Efforts:
· On Friday, Senator Shaheen and the rest of the NH Congressional Delegation sent a letter to the Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin urging their respective agencies to provide better guidance to lending institutions so that they can issue loans through the newly-enacted Paycheck Protection Program. More information can be found
here
and the letter can be read
here
.
· On Friday, Senator Shaheen wrote a bipartisan letter with Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Hoeven (R-ND) and their colleagues to Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, urging the Administration to ensure the continuity of our country’s food supply and to support rural areas during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by providing needed relief to farmers. Shaheen, Klobuchar and Hoeven were joined on the letter by 39 bipartisan colleagues. More information can be found
here
and the full letter can be read
here
.
HUD Updates:
Last week, HUD issued a
memorandum
providing regulatory waivers of certain Continuum of Care (CoC), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Housing for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA), and Consolidated Plan requirements. More information can be found
here
.
Governor Sununu’s Emergency Orders:
Governor Sununu issued
Emergency Order 27
which restricts all NH lodging providers to provide lodging for vulnerable populations and essential workers only. The Order defines vulnerable populations to include:
· Children in emergency placements
· Persons who are victims of or at risk of domestic violence
· Homeless individuals and families for whom hotels or other lodging accommodations and operations are being used as emergency shelters
· New Hampshire residents who are self-isolating or self-quarantining
· Individuals receiving long-term, specialized medical care from a physician or other medical provider located in New Hampshire and accompanying family members
· Individuals in need of housing, accommodation and shelter due to extenuating circumstances such as fire or casualty
· Individuals unable to return to their homes outside of New Hampshire due to flight cancellations, border closures, or other direct and material constraints on travel.
Student Loans:
The CARES Act provides broad relief for federal student loan borrowers. Answers to frequently asked questions and an overview of the relief available to borrowers can be found on the U.S. Department of Education’s coronavirus resource page
here
.
Direct Cash Payments:
As you know, the
CARES Act
provides direct financial support to Americans to help them through the COVID-19 crisis. More information can be found on
here
.
Refundable Tax Credits – Paid Sick and Family Leave:
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service are offering small and mid-size employers more information on refundable tax credits that reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing their employees paid sick and family leave wages related to COVID-19. The
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
(FFCRA), signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020, gives businesses with fewer than 500 employees funds to provide employees with paid sick leave and family and medical leave related to COVID-19. Eligible employers can receive a credit in the full amount of the qualified sick leave and family leave wages paid for between April 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. Employers can be reimbursed immediately by reducing their federal employment tax deposits. If there are insufficient federal employment taxes to cover the amount of the credits, employers may request an accelerated payment from the IRS. Answers to frequently asked questions can be found on the IRS website
here
.
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LIVE WEBINAR
SBA Economic Injury Loan Program
Overview and Live Q&A
DAILY
9:00 a.m.
and
2:00 p.m.
The SBA office is holding daily webinars at 9 am and 2 pm via Skype to
give an overview of the program and to answer any questions.
Join by Phone
Toll number: +1 (202) 765-1264, 522409519# (Dial-in Number)
Conference ID: 522409519
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Effective March 24, 2020 the Valley Regional COVID Hotline phones,
603-542-7850, will be answered from 8a-12p. Any patient that meets the criteria for testing will be given a testing time slot between 12p-4p.
This will be 7 days per week.
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Attention COVID-19 Impacted Organisations
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Attention COVID-19 Impacted Organizations in the Greater Sullivan County NH Area:
At a special meeting of the Sullivan County Board of Commissioners (BOC), BOC members approved the receipt of a generous $30,000 grant award from Dartmouth-Hitchcock (Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital). Sullivan County will act as fiscal agent for these funds and is committed to an expedited release process to support community organizations struggling with new constraints due to pandemic response. These monies, under the oversight of the Greater Sullivan County COVID-19 Community Response Coalition, a newly formed multi-stakeholder group comprised of membership from numerous Sullivan county based community organizations, county and municipal governance administrators and others.
Initial available funds will be used to support organizations addressing 3 major areas of concern in the Greater Sullivan County service region due to COVID-19 response:
1. Access and Expansion of Technology/ Telecommuting Needs for Organizations and Schools
2. Medical Supplies for First Responders and Healthcare
3. Essential Worker
We are encouraging all community support organizations in need to complete a request and apply regardless if the needs requested fall outside of the major areas of concern noted above. The Community Response Coalition is working to determine the broader needs of the community to access additional funds.
DONATIONS & VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
! If you would like to make a financial donation or volunteer during this time, please contact me via email or phone info below, and let us know how you’d like to help. Thank you!
Sharon Callum | Administrative Assistant
County Manager & Board of Commissioners Offices
Sullivan County NH, 14 Main Street, Newport NH 03773
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New Community Disscussion List
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Vital Communities is launching a new Community Discussion List (CDL) or list-serv, to create a forum for businesses and those involved in the Upper Valley economy to share ideas, resources, challenges, successes, and other information during this economic emergency. This list is open to all businesses, organizations, community-builders, and economic development service providers who want to participate and work together for a vital Upper Valley economy.
As we all adapt to social isolation, CDLs (list-servs) can provide a central space to share resources, information, and support. We are stronger together and the hope is that this new CDL will make it easier to engage, connect, and share during this crisis in support of our Upper Valley businesses and economy.
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State Calls on Business Community to Help Address COVID-19 Crisis
CONCORD – New Hampshire companies and manufacturers with the capacity to meet the critical demand COVID19 is placing on the nation’s healthcare centers can now connect with the State of New Hampshire for coordination.
The State seeks companies that can donate or produce lab, testing or diagnostic supplies, personal protection equipment (PPE), or medical expertise.
“New Hampshire companies are nimble, innovative and ready to produce for critically needed supplies in the fight against COVID19,” said Gov. Chris Sununu. “This portal will help us assess the capabilities of companies and make sure their products reach the medical professionals who need them.”
Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) Commissioner Taylor Caswell said he wants to hear from companies that can immediately produce PPEs, including N95 and medical face masks; surgical gowns; face shields; ventilators; latex gloves, and swabs.
“I’ve already heard from dozens of companies who are ready to adapt and adjust their operations to provide the protection, equipment and knowledge base to stop the spread of COVID19,” he said. “I am confident our companies can make a significant contribution to this effort.”
On
www.nheconomy.com/covid19
, companies will find a link to a list of the needed products and links to the Center for Disease Control guidelines for their production. BEA will work with companies to coordinate and facilitate distribution.
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West Central Behavior Health
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What We’re Doing To Help
These are unsettling times for our clients, our staff, and all of us involved in healthcare service delivery. Given our focus on mental health, our present objectives are to protect the health and safety of our staff and our clients. This means our Senior Leadership Team is meeting regularly (via videoconferencing) to assess and respond to daily changes locally, state-wide, and at the national level. Our offices remain open at this time, but staffing is reduced due to our initiative to encourage people to work from home whenever possible. Clients, please consult with your clinician or team to talk about video conferencing or phone conferencing. We are here. Please call on us.
Our current agency goals in this time of COVID-19 include:
- Use of telehealth and telephone to deliver services to clients whenever possible and as soon as possible.
- Minimizing face-to-face contact between work colleagues and between staff and clients.
- Working from home whenever possible to eliminate the spread of the virus.
- Increased cleaning of our facilities.
- Encouraging social distancing and good hygiene habits like frequent hand washing.
- Postponing events or activities for larger group gatherings.
- Posting regular updates on our website and on our Facebook page: @WestCentralBehavioralHealth
- Proactively reaching out to clients who need our help and support now, more than ever.
In a time where nothing feels normal or routine, we are striving to ensure that we continue our services to clients and implement, no matter how temporary, a creative and effective means to do so. The only way for us to remain available to our clients is to ensure our own staff's physical and emotional safety. Technology and tools for telehealth are being disseminated to establish as many options as possible for remote work.
West Central staff are pulling together to maintain their steadfast commitment to our mission. It is not easy in times like these when the landscape changes daily. Yet we’re making continual adjustments to be nimble, and to react quickly as information and resources change. Above all, staying healthy while delivering essential services to our clients drives our efforts.
How to Cope During This Stressful Time
Remain calm and know that the entire health system is working to respond and keep all of us safe.
Coping with stress and anxiety during the outbreak may be difficult.
To learn about Coronavirus symptoms and how to protect yourself, visit the CDC website at:
https://www.cdc.gov
.
For continuously updated local information, visit the NH DHHS website at:
We are all doing our best during this unprecedented and stressful time. We remain dedicated to our clients and our mission to provide mental illness and substance use disorder treatment to individuals, families, and our communities while helping to reduce the stigma associated with these conditions.
Thank you. Stay healthy. Practice social distancing. Please wash your hands often.
Our Emergency Services crisis team is taking calls at:
1-800-564-2578
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Stevens High School Alumni Association News
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Notes from the SHS Alumni President
Hello to my fellow alumni,
I sincerely hope everyone is staying healthy and safe during this horrendous
Coronavirus Pandemic. We are in this for the long haul, and we will all pull
through this together and move on to better times.
While we wait, I thought I would update everyone that we are doing what we can to help during this crisis.
We are starting to get in 2nd, 3rd and 4th year applications for scholarship
awards. The deadline has been extended to the end of April so please if you
are going on to college and need help, get those applications to us. It may not
be as much this year but we will do the best we can to help as many students
as we can. The meeting may have to be done somehow remotely this year and more than likely if candidates receive an award, it will be thru the mail.
The monthly meeting April 15th is cancelled. At this time we don’t know
about the May meeting or if we will have a meeting in June.
The newsletter is at the printer and should be at Quality(our mailing service)
for labeling, sorting and mailing within the next three weeks. There is a form asking for suggestions for a theme for 2021. This is a special year for Stevens
Alumni, 150 years, so we should have a theme that will incorporate this span. Such as Stevens High School Alumni celebrates 150 years, Then and Now, just a thought. Any more ideas for themes?
The annual newsletter is now posted on the website so that those of you who
have computer access can read it sooner instead of waiting for “snail-mail”
This is the first year in the history of Stevens Alumni that we have cancelled all Alumni Weekend events. It is sad, but let’s not dwell on that and move on to working on the 150th celebration, June 12, 2021, and ways to make it bigger
and better than ever.
We are looking to help in any way we can during this epic time of need for so many. We have offered our help to schools if they are in need of supplies,
assistance, school needs to help with the remote learning program. We
have sent some small print jobs to Doolittle’s Print Service. We will probably want some 150th celebration banners. We can discuss what we want them to
look like and have them done during this slower period of time and eliminate a last minute rush for us. Another idea to think about is to have some tee
shirts done with a 150th logo on them. These could also be done early.
I will try to get another update out in a few weeks either thru the website,
Facebook or newspapers to keep everyone aware of alumni news. In the meantime, if you have thoughts or ideas to share, please let me know either by
phone 603-504-5702 or email
nhsno@comcast.net
.
If you have parade questions contact Parade Chairman,
Dick Girard at 603-543-6398 email
dick@goldencrossamb.com
Stay safe, stay well!!
Doug,
President, SHS Alumni
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If you'd like to have an item appear in the newsletter please
email it by noon on Monday to appear in that week's regular issue. If you've previously submitted an item you didn't see in this issue please resend it. With many cancellations we decided to not include any items that were not received in the last five days. We apologize for the inconvenience but hope you can understand that we only want to share current up to date information.
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Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce | 24 Opera House Sq. Claremont, NH 03743
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