• Comcast Twin Cities Region is committing $500K to help rebuild the Twin Cities. This is part of the company’s $100 million multi-year program to advance social justice and equality Follow this link to learn of the various relief and rebuilding efforts they are supporting in Minneapolis and St Paul, including our We ❤ St. Paul/Midway fund. We are grateful!

• MHealth Fairview is hosting 2 Community Forums on COVID testing: August 19 and 20. The main purpose of these forums will be to share up-to-date information about COVID-19 testing including types of tests being used, who should be tested, understanding a test result, how and where to get tested, etc. There will also be time for questions & answers. If you have any questions or would like the Zoom link, please reach out to Emily Schmitz, Community Partnerships Manager. 

• Your St. Paul Saints are currently on the road taking on the Sioux Falls Canaries and the Milwaukee Milkmen. They will return to CHS Field on August 18 for a 3-game series with the Chicago Dogs. Each game will start at 7:05 PM. See more information HERE about how they are keeping CHS Field a safe place for FUN!

• EO 20-83 issued Tuesday, August 12: extending the Peacetime Emergency through September 11, 2020
• The Governor announced on Tuesday that MMB Commissioner Myron Frans, a 10-year veteran in the job, is leaving for a SVP position at the UofM. He will be replaced by Jim Schowalter, who was MMB Commissioner under Governor Dayton for a period and has extensive knowledge of the state budget. Schowalter, currently a SVP at HealthPartners, will make the transition in September.

• Thursday, DEED Update
• Currently 49 of the 50 states in the U.S. are under emergency status due to COVID-19.
• Unemployment Insurance
• President issued a presidential memorandum, intended to increase benefits by $400/week. This is unique, we are working with US DOL on what this exactly means and the source of funding within FEMA.
• Estimates are that funding for such benefits should last for approximately 6 weeks.  
• Funding from the feds really would be $300, requiring states to provide a $100/week match.
• This funding is intended solely for UI due to COVID-19 related circumstances.
• No state is ruling this out yet, but waiting on additional guidance from US DOL.
• Small Business Relief Grants
• $ has been awarded, now in the process with CDFIs and the nonprofits to verify eligibility. 
• Working to get all $ distributed by end of month August.
• When all eligibility is confirmed, DEED will be providing a list of awarded companies.
• Disaster Declaration and assistance through SBA
• Approximately 1600 or so businesses are eligible for disaster assistance through the SBA.
• This declaration applies to both businesses and homes.
• SBA has received 41 applications so far.
• Must apply by October 2 for claims to physical property, and by May of 2021 for “economic injury.”

• Wednesday, August 13, Administrative Updates: Commissioner Malcolm
• Commissioner Malcolm reiterated that we remain in an “active pandemic.” 
• Currently, 49 of 50 states are under emergency status due to COVID-19.
• 7-day average case growth is up from our low in mid-June of 6 new cases per 100K residents. Now is at 12 cases per 100K people. 
• Median age remains at 36.0 yo. 
• 7-day average positivity rate is steady at 5%. This has remained steady since early July. Our lowest was 3% in mid-June, highest was over 15% in late April. 
• Growth rate in total testing volume is 9.5%, continues to outpace growth of new cases which is 8.7% week to week.
• As previously reported, school districts, teachers and parents are all busy determining how they will handle the school year and to what extent kids will be allowed to physically go to school. Sports fans in Minnesota and across the country are disappointed by the lack of fall sports that will take place, and schools are preparing to grapple with the financial hit of having their most profitable sports out of commission this fall. 

• Mask distribution: still need masks? Contact a chamber near you; most of us have a limited number still available. Coordination for on-site pick-up at SPACC is through staci@saintpaulchamber.com. 

• The Economics of Reopening From Bank of America Securities, August 12:  On the Mend, BUT: So far, the economic recovery continues to go sideways, with trends in small business reopening and hiring rates still stalled. Indeed, Homebase’s measure for small business reopening and employment has actually dropped slightly in the past week. Consumer spending appears to have slowed down in July, relative to June, and people’s mobility, tracked by the Dallas Federal Reserve, dropped to -45% in the week ending August 1 – its lowest reading since mid-June….

• US jobless claims fall below 1 million but remain high From the Pioneer Press, August 13: Washington (AP) – The number of laid-off workers applying for unemployment aid fell below 1 million last week for the firs time since the viral pandemic intensified five months ago, yet still remains at a high level. The pandemic keeps forcing layoffs just as the expiration of a $600-a-week federal jobless benefit has deepened the hardships for many.

• Civil unrest damage in St. Paul totals $82 million From the Star Tribune, August 12:  City officials say they don’t have enough money to help businesses recover from nearly $82 million in damage sustained during the civil unrest that followed George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. About 330 buildings across the city sustained some damage, with most of the destruction along University Avenue, according to a report the city's Planning and Economic Development (PED) department presented to City Council members Wednesday. The financial toll includes about $73 million in property damage, plus $8.8 million in loss of inventory and other business assets.

• ‘A Band-Aid on a gunshot wound:’ Small businesses desperately look to Congress for more relief From the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, August 11: Today, many small businesses around the country are facing real challenges as the ongoing spread of Covid-19 and the acute economic damage in its wake continue to slash revenue, force layoffs and send owners reeling. Millions received a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the Small Business Administration, but many spent that money by July 1 to fulfill loan terms at the time, essentially paying workers to stay home as customers kept shying away from indoor dining.

• COVID-19 Stimulus Executive Order and Memoranda Summarized From CLA, August 11:  On August 8, 2020, President Trump issued an executive order and three memoranda that provide or extend COVID-19 relief to individuals and organizations. At this time, it is uncertain whether the executive order and three memoranda will be legally challenged. Stay tuned for more information.

• Minnesota employers have more questions than answers on Trump's payroll tax deferral From the Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 11: Tax accountants and attorneys started getting phone calls first thing Monday morning, all with the same question: how President Donald Trump’s executive order allowing temporary deferment of employee payroll taxes would affect them.

• Anytime Fitness Parent Company Rolls Out Grant Program For Front-Line Workers From Twin Cities Business, August 10: Woodbury-based Self Esteem Brands—owner of Anytime Fitness, Basecamp Fitness, and other fitness brands—late last week announced that it’s offering one-time $500 grants to its front-line employees.

• How local governments are spending their share of Minnesota’s $841 million in federal COVID-19 aid From MINNPOST, August 10: Another popular choice for using the CARES Act money is to spend it on grants for businesses and nonprofits. Nearly all officials who talked to MinnPost said they are considering dedicating at least some money to them.

• Minnesota exports drop 17% because of the coronavirus From the Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 10: The COVID-19 pandemic has pummeled Minnesota exports, crushing big production sectors such as communications equipment and agricultural and construction machinery. Overall, government statistics show the state’s exports were down more than $339 million, or 17%, in June 2020 compared with June 2019.

• Special Session #3: Legislature convened for 1 day on Wednesday. We can anticipate this continuing through the rest of 2020, requiring that the Legislature be called back on a monthly basis until then. 
• Senate Republicans denied confirmation to DLI Commissioner Nancy Leppink on a party line vote of 32-34 (Sen Abeler, R, Anoka, did not vote. 
• No votes were taken on a bonding bill though it is possible the Legislature may take up a bonding and ta bill when they reconvene in September.

• See available SBA COVID-19 training here.
• For more on SBA programs for the coronavirus, please visit www.sba.gov/coronavirus.
• Minnesota Chamber’s COVID-19 Business Toolkit has a dedicated section for employment guidance that can help.