DEWINE PRESS CONFERENCE RECAP

Earlier today, during the daily COVID-19 response press conference, Governor DeWine announced new changes to both improved accessibility for SNAP recipients and flexibility for renters and loan payments. The changes for SNAP recipients, which OGA detailed on Monday, will improve access for those customers by allowing them the ability to order and make purchases online and pick them up curbside on their grocery store.

The governor also announced he was signing an executive order to provide assistance for small businesses with mortgage and rent payments by pleading to lenders and landlords to suspend payments for the time being.

Lastly, based on comments made by the Governor today, we expect there to be a new order issued tomorrow that would address additional guidelines for essential and non-essential businesses. While we don’t know additional details at this time, it is likely these could impact grocery stores retail food establishments as well.
 
Additional highlights from today included:
 
  • A total of $40 million in unemployment benefits has been paid for 95,000 claims as of today.

  • Governor DeWine showed a new division of dividing hospital capacity in the state into eight regions and dividing them into three zones.

  • A new Ohio Manufacturing Alliance aimed at fighting COVID-19 by providing assistance in manufacturing materials needed to assist businesses and the state in fighting the virus.

  • An order requiring hospitals to send their tests to other hospitals to process instead of private labs due to the less than ideal turnaround time from private labs. 
Apr. 1, 2020
All the important updates you need to know as an Ohio Liquor partner.
Store Hours for Elderly & Vulnerable Populations

As outlined last week , one of the requirements issue d by the Ohio Department of Health for essential business was stores must designate separate operating hours for elderly and vulnerable populations.
 
To help Agencies accommodate this requirement, Ohio Liquor will allow Agencies to start before their contractually authorized start time of 9 a.m. if they choose, with proper notification to the Liquor Enterprise Service Center (LESC). Agencies may also keep their regular operating hours and designate the first hour to these populations.
 
Agencies are asked to limit the sale of highly allocated products to one per customer to ensure the product is available during regular operating hours as well.
 
If an Agency has questions about the requirement or how to identify vulnerable populations, please contact the local health department. A directory of health departments in Ohio may be found here .

Agencies may contact the LESC to report they will be operating prior to 9 a.m. at 877-812-0013 or [email protected] .
Ohio Grocers Association
1335 Dublin Road, Suite 207B
Columbus, OH 43215