June 12, 2020
Dear Friends ,
Welcome to today’s edition of our special COVID-19 newsletter. As our state’s key public health indicators continue to trend favorably, Cape Ann’s retail, lodging and restaurant sectors are resuming or expanding business operations for Phase II of Reopening Massachusetts. Today’s issue includes the latest, sector-specific information from the state’s Reopening Massachusetts webpage , as well as local news and updates from Cape Ann communities and businesses.

Yesterday’s weekly Business Check-In and Information Sharing session was once again a valuable opportunity for dozens of Cape Ann business owners and managers to stay connected with one another, share business news and get the latest reopening information from local officials. To view the recording of this week’s Zoom meeting please click here .  

The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and our entire Cape Ann community are delighted to see more and more Cape Ann businesses reopening this week and in the days and weeks ahead. We wish all a beautiful June weekend and a happy, healthy and prosperous summer on Cape Ann. 
Sincerely,

Your Chamber Team
Please remember, we are here to support our community with information about reopening Massachusetts and Cape Ann, and business and community resources. Please call (978) 283-1601 or email us as follows:

        

News & Business Resources:

  • Reopening Massachusetts, Phase II. We have posted links to the latest General Business and Sector-Specific Guidance from the state on our special COVID-19 webpages. Please click here for detailed information including mandatory workplace safety standards.
  • Dashboard for June 11: The most recent Dashboard of Public Health Indicators continues to trend favorable and is available here. Another key indicator – the Commonwealth’s testing capacity – has progressed from yellow (in progress) to green (positive trend). The positive test rate has remained at or below 5% since June 2, and the total number of hospitalized patients fallen steadily to 1,260 (as of June 11).
Chamber Updates & Resources:
New Listings:


  • Reopening Cape Ann. With the coming of Phase II, most Cape Ann retailers and galleries are now open or reopening soon for in-store/ in-gallery service in accordance with state and local guidelines. We encourage members to update their business information with their online account so that our online Business Directory has your most current information. For more information or assistance logging into you member account, please contact Olivia Perez-O’Dess ([email protected]).
  • Job Postings Welcome. We encourage Chamber members to use us as a resource to post job openings as Gorton's has done recently. All CACC members have an online account where they can post a job listing. View current job listings here. For assistance in posting job openings for your business, please contact Olivia Perez-O’Dess at [email protected].
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  • Say Happy Fathers’ Day with the Gift of Cape Ann. Cape Ann Gift Certificates are a great way to show your love and appreciation for the Dads in your life while supporting over 200 local businesses. To learn more please visit here. To purchase Cape Ann Gift Certificates, please email Karen Carone at [email protected].
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Member & Community Updates:

New Listings:

  • Cape Ann Communities Working to Enable Increased Outdoor Dining Opportunities. With the beginning of Phase II many local restaurants are now offering outdoor dining on their premises. All four Cape Ann communities are taking steps to enable more restaurants to serve their patrons outdoors. Plans are being developed in each community and are expected to be in place in the coming days and weeks. Please check with individual restaurants to learn more about their outdoor seating availability.  

  • Town of Rockport Opens Beaches and Parks. Rockport’s Boards of Selectmen and Health voted on Tuesday to open beaches and parks for general use, while maintaining their prohibition on the use of playground equipment. They also stressed the need for beach-goers and park users to maintain social distancing. The Selectmen also voted to allow non-resident parking to resume on the south side of T-Wharf.

  • Rockport’s Pay For Parking Season, With New Pay-By-Plate Kiosks, To Begin Monday, June 15. For detailed instructions on the use of the new kiosks, please click here.

Ongoing: For member and community updates please click here

Education & Training Resources:

New Listings / Upcoming Events:

  • Internship Webinar: “Developing an Internship Remotely & in Person.” We invite you to hear from a panel of speakers from Endicott College, Montserrat College of Art, North Shore Community College and Salem State University on Monday, June 15 from noon - 1pm. For more information please click here. To join the webinar please click here.

  • Save the Date: Special HR Webinar - “Human Resources & Employee Management in the Covid-19 Re-opening of Cape Ann.” The City of Gloucester, the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and Discover Gloucester invite all to participate in this Q&A webinar on next Tuesday, June 16, at 7:30am. Reopening and understanding the State/Federal regulations can be overwhelming while running a business. We are collaborating to come back strong and this webinar is designed to provide information on employee management through the reopening and forward. This special webinar presented by Integrated HR will cover:

  • Documenting the process for bringing employees back (or not);

  • Public health considerations now and going forward;

  • Unemployment, compensation, and benefits considerations;

  • The employee’s perspective on returning;

  • Employee illness or exposure protocols;

  •  Federal funding program’s intersection with payroll and unemployment;

  • Employer resources for employees.

  • Watch your email for the link to this webinar; to view the recent HR presentation by Laurie Labrie of Integrated HR click here.

Ongoing: For listings of education and training resources please click here

Community Services & Resources:

Ongoing: For listings of community services and resources please click here
Members Helping Members & the Community:

New Listings:

  • Second Glance to Reopen June 24. They’ve worked hard to clean, organize and reorient the space for your safety. Lots of new things including a NEW Donation Center by APPOINTMENT ONLY! Schedule your time now at FOODPANTRY.org. Shopping hours will be Wednesday – Saturday, from 9am to 5pm.

  • “All On The Line” is Moving to Prime Time! Here is a shout-out to Captain Johnny Johnson’s new show on Discovery Channel – “All On The Line”– moving to Tuesday evenings primetime, right after Deadliest Catch, starting this Tuesday June 16, with a double episode.

  • Tobin Scientific was at Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute on Tuesday, June 9th delivering freezers full of biological samples for new tenant LifeMine Therapeutics, relocating to Gloucester from Cambridge. Tobin Scientific is delighted to do ongoing work for the two great companies investing in an expanded biotech presence in the Gloucester community! Keep up with their exciting work by following them on Facebook and LinkedIn or their website

  • Defiance Sail Charters Will resume full operations on June 20. Check their website or call (978) 948 5434 to book.

  • Wellspring House job search coaching; Be ready when the job market reopens!!  Group and individual coaching for adults and youth with resumes, cover letters, and interview prep. Please Click Here for more information and to sign up. Coaching meetings and work groups are being held virtually to ensure proper social distancing.   
Ongoing: For additional listings of members helping members and the community please click here .

As we learn of more creative ways that our members and our communities are adapting and responding, we will share them through all our Chamber communications channels.
Informational Resources:

For the most current information about the federal, state and local response to COVID-19 – including information of particular relevance to employers and employees – we recommend visiting the following websites: 

  • Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM). For AIM’s June 5 COVID-19 blog about Phase II reopening Massachusetts, please click here.

  • COVID-19 Command Center Update: Read MEMA’s June 11 Command Center report here.


  • Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For the latest COVID-19 news and information for Massachusetts, including public health advisories, business resources and government services, please visit here.

  • Department of Public Health: Stay at Home Advisory. For details click here.







For information and updates specific to one’s local community, we recommend visiting the following city and town websites for Cape Ann:





Our goal as always is to serve as a trusted resource in providing our business community and residents with helpful information and guidance during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The members of your team here at the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce are here for you, as we all pull together to meet and overcome the challenges of COVID-19.
We at the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce would like to extend a big thank you to our supporting sponsors.

If you are interested in promoting with the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and sponsoring this newsletter, please contact Vince Mainetti at [email protected]