This morning's sunrise in Rockport
June 19, 2020
Dear Friends ,
Welcome to this weekend edition of our special COVID-19 newsletter. Thankfully, the state’s key public health indicators continue to trend favorably. Cape Ann’s retailers, innkeepers and restaurateurs are ramping up and expanding business operations in accordance with state and local guidelines, and more outdoor dining options are coming online daily. 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.

The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and our entire Cape Ann community are delighted to see so many Cape Ann restaurants, retailers and lodgings back in business, and we look forward to more and more reopenings in the days and weeks ahead. At yesterday’s weekly Business Check-In and Information Sharing meeting we shared updates and learned from one another about the creative ways you are doing business while keeping employees and customers safe and at ease. To view the recording of this week’s Zoom meeting please click here .

Today, June 19 commemorates the formal end of slavery in the United States 155 years ago. Now, as Juneteenth , this day is recognized in many states and by many businesses as an official holiday that “commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement…  It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future.” [ Please visit here for more information.]

In the spirit of Juneteenth we wish all a time of healing and reconciliation, learning and reflection, with respect for and rejoicing in America’s diversity.
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:

        

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  • Fathers’ Day is This Sunday, June 21: 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. Help give a boost to all our local small businesses that are reopening in Phase II. To learn more please visit here. To purchase Cape Ann Gift Certificates, please email Karen Carone at [email protected].
News & Business Resources:

  • Breaking News: Indoor Dining Can Begin Monday at Massachusetts Restaurants. Governor Charlie Baker announced earlier this afternoon that because of continued progress with COVID-19, Massachusetts restaurants will be able to resume indoor seating, with restrictions, as soon as Monday, June 22. In his press conference the Governor also announced that close contact personal services, retail dressing room use by appointment and increased office capacity to 50% may also begin Monday. To read a fuller account please click here.

  • WASHINGTON, June 17 — SBA and Treasury Announce New EZ and Revised Full Forgiveness Applications for the Paycheck Protection Program. On Wednesday, the U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, posted a revised, borrower-friendly Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application implementing the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020. In addition to revising the full forgiveness application, SBA also published a new EZ version of the forgiveness application that applies to borrowers that:

  • Are self-employed and have no employees; OR

  • Did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25%, and did not reduce the number or hours of their employees; OR

  • Experienced reductions in business activity as a result of health directives related to COVID-19, and did not reduce the salaries or wages of their employees by more than 25%


  • Small Business Administration Reopens EIDL Portal for New Loan and Grant Applications. Using a newly streamlined application and loan closing process the SBA this week re-launched the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and EIDL Advance Program. EIDL is now available to all small businesses that did not apply by the previous April 15 cut-off date. In addition, small businesses and non-profits may request, as part of their loan application, an EIDL advance grant of up to $10,000. For more information and to apply, please click here.  

  • 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 18: The state’s most recent Dashboard of Public Health Indicators continues to trend favorably and is available here. The positive test rate continues its downward trend, with the 7-day weighted average dropping to 2.3% on June 17. The total number of patients currently hospitalized has also fallen significantly – down 72% since April 15 –  and standing at 968 yesterday.
Chamber Updates & Resources:
New Listings:

  • Reopening Cape Ann. As we progress through Phase II, more and more Cape Ann businesses have reopened in accordance with state and local guidelines. We encourage members to update your business information in your online account so that our online Business Directory has your most current information. To learn more or for assistance logging into your member account, please contact Olivia Perez-O’Dess ([email protected]).

  • Updated Restaurant Hours and Information. The Chamber’s list of Cape Ann eateries offering Take-Out/ Curbside Service, Delivery, and Outside Dining is currently being updated to reflect the reopening changes under Phase II. For the most accurate hours, protocols, and information, please contact the business directly. This list is a valuable resource for Cape Ann innkeepers, retailers, visitors and residents alike. Please help us keep this information fresh and current by sending the details of your hours and operations to [email protected].
  • Job Postings Welcome. We encourage Chamber members to use us as a resource to post job openings. 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].
Member & Community Updates:

New Listings:

  • Outdoor Dining Expanding Across Cape Ann. Scores of restaurants in Essex, Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Rockport are now serving patrons at outside tables, and Cape Ann’s al fresco dining opportunities are expanding daily. For an extensive and regularly updated list of Cape Ann eateries offering take-out, delivery and outside seating, please click here.

  • CATA Shuttle Service Update. CATA’s Stage Fort Park Trolley and the Rockport Trolley are still suspended at this time. The Ipswich/Essex Explorer has been cancelled for summer 2020. For the latest information on CATA services please visit www.canntran.com.

Ongoing: For member and community updates please click here

Education & Training Resources:

New Listings / Upcoming Events:

  • Special HR Webinar - “Human Resources & Employee Management in the Covid-19 Re-opening of Cape Ann.” At this week’s webinar hosted by the City of Gloucester and the Chamber, Laurie Labrie of Integrated HR shared valuable information about unemployment, the Department of Unemployment Assistance and the process of calling employees back to work. To view this and the entire program please 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:
  • Post and Share Your Events. Please use your online account to post your upcoming events, including virtual events, on our online community calendars. These are valuable resources for Cape Ann residents and visitors alike, and another way to promote your business and the reopening of Cape Ann. If you need assistance in logging in to your online account, please email [email protected].  
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: 

  • 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]