TODAY's DOSE

Thursday August 5, 2021

33 Counties in NYS where CDC Recommends Mask Wearing

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 33 counties, which is more than half of them in New York, should recommend mask wearing indoors for all people, including those vaccinated, as governments look to slow the spread of the virus' delta variant.

The updated list of counties with "substantial" or "high" spread is up from 23 on Sunday and includes more through the Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley and Albany area, the federal data showed.

Those counties included neighboring Dutchess and Ulster counties along with ones in the Rochester area, such as Ontario and Wayne counties.

The CDC is recommending indoor mask-wearing in public in counties with substantial or high COVID transmission or test positivity rates —places with at least 50 new cases per 100,000 population over the past seven days or a COVID test positivity rate of 8% and above.

SBA Opens Paycheck Protection Program Direct Forgiveness Portal - August 4th

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is launching a streamlined application portal to allow borrowers with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans $150,000 or less through participating lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA.

This new change will help rush relief to over 6.5 million smallest of small businesses which has been the Administrator’s priority since day one. The new forgiveness platform will begin accepting applications from borrowers on August 4th, 2021. Lenders are required to opt-in to this program through https://directforgiveness.sba.gov. In addition to the technology platform, the SBA is standing up a PPP customer service team to answer questions and directly assist borrowers with their forgiveness applications. Borrowers that need assistance or have questions should call (877) 552-2692, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. EST.

FURTHER DETAILS

Taste of the North Country is BACK! - Sponsorship Opportunities Available.

We're back with the 23rd Annual Taste of the North Country - Reimagined!

This event combines our incredible auction with a food & beverage tasting event that you won't want to miss.

We need your help! we are in search of events sponsors to help bring this, entertaining and important, evening to light.

This event is one of our most popular ones with over 400 attendees, it offers great exposure and a fun atmosphere.

The event is heavily publicized through the Chamber with announcements, press releases and advertising from September through November.

These are a first come, first served opportunities - we can't wait to bring this event back to the North Country.

Date: November 3rd
Time: 5pm - 7:30pm
Location: West Side Ballroom

NEW in 2021 is a change of venue, updated auction capabilities - and more!

Are you in? Contact Adriana, below for more information .

EMAIL ADRIANA

SPONSORSHIP FORM

Can Basic Workforce Readiness Training Improve Retention for Entry-Level Workers?

Employers across the North Country, and indeed across the whole U.S., are reporting difficulty finding entry-level employees with adequate workforce readiness. A basic understanding of general workplace expectations is missing.

CITEC has received funding from the Arconic Foundation to help determine if training on very basic workforce readiness skills can improve retention and performance of entry-level workers. This basic eight-hour training will be delivered either in person or virtually on a flexible schedule depending on the needs of the individuals, companies, or organizations involved. The program is being developed with the needs of manufacturing employers in mind, but will be suitable for any kind of company or organization.

CITEC is currently seeking partners to recruit participants including companies, workforce development boards and staffing agencies in New York's North Country region, and especially in St. Lawrence, Jefferson, and Lewis Counties. The program will be delivered at no cost, but participation will require a reporting commitment both from the partner and the individual participants at 90 and 180 days after the training, so we can track employee /job retention and performance.

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MLF BASS PRO TOUR STARTS TODAY

Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour is set to visit the City of Plattsburgh and Adirondack Coast for the Bass Pro Tour Stage Six Presented by Googan Baits on Lake Champlain, starting today through August 10th!

This six-day event will feature 80 professional anglers from across the globe, including bass-fisherman like Kevin VanDam, Edwin Evers, Jordan Lee and Jacob Wheeler. All anglers will compete for a prize over $805,000, including a payout of $100,000 and points to help qualify for REDCREST 2022.

This tournament follows the catch, weigh, immediate-release format, but you can still catch the excitement LIVE at majorleaguefishing.com!