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Small Business Saturday Edition
From the Council Office of Steve Rao
November 28, 2020
Important Small Business Facts:
According to the Small Business Administration, small companies create 1.5 million jobs annually and account for 64% of new jobs created in the United States.
  
There are now over 890,000 small businesses in NC. These firms employ roughly 1.6 million people and account for approximately 60% of the private sector workforce and just over 45% of the Gross State Product.

Crowd Funding could be a strategy to raise capital for our small businesses and I am working on a strategy with Wake County to come up with a program, using Cares Act Money to match Crowd Funding raises.  More to come on this initiative in my next newsletter.  
  
Please visit www.crowdfundnc.com for more information on how Crowd Funding works in NC. 
Nov 28th is SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY!
Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and communities across the country. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  

Since it started in 2010, consumers have reported spending an estimated $120 billion across all 10 Small Business Saturdays combined*.

Please get out today and support your Small Businesses in Morrisville, the Triangle, and across the State of North Carolina!   

Now more than ever, our small business community needs our support.  
To learn more about how to get involved with Small Business Saturday and to support our local business community, please visit https://www.morrisvillechamber.org/small-business-saturday/.  

As we celebrate Living Well and Connected in Morrisville, let us be grateful for our connection to our thriving Small Business Community!  

If you are a Small Business, looking for resources and assistance, please visit https://www.sba.gov/.
NC Vet Biz
North Carolina Veteran's Business Association (NC VetBiz) was formed to assist veterans, veteran professionals, and veteran business owners. As a member–operated association of veteran professionals and business owners, our intent is to develop and strengthen a veterans’ business network in North Carolina and to support Veteran Owned businesses.
SMALL BUSINESS ADVICE IN A COVID ECONOMY
This year, we were able to get some solid advice from Business Leaders.  We will be hosting another Small Business Town Hall during my State of Morrisville event during the second week of December, stay tuned for more details.
John Chambers Fireside Chat:
Crowd Funding Panel: 
Advice from David Gardner: 
Important News Updates
Covid-19 Testing
Wake County working to make Covid Testing Easier.  Visit covid19.wakegov.com to see where you can get tested.
Election News
Trump says he will leave White House in January after Electoral Votes are certified but refuses to concede,

Trump refers to Biden administration for the first time.
NC Courts Election News
Chief Justice Beasley and Newby Recount extended another week, as Forsyth, Mecklenburg and Guilford Counties need to complete Vote Counts. 
US Senate News
News
GOVERNOR COOPER MASK MANDATE 
The new guidance says masks should be worn at all times when indoors in public places. Those exercising in gyms will now have to wear masks while working out. In restaurants, masks should be worn at all times except when eating or drinking. Previously, masks only had to be worn if keeping a six-foot distance from other people was not possible.
TOWN OF MORRISVILLE MASK ENFORCEMENT
In line with the Governors’ Executive Order, the Town of Morrisville is updating our face covering requirement as follows:

  • All Town staff will wear a face covering anytime they are inside any Town facility unless working alone in their specific assigned work space. Face coverings must be worn to get to and from and at any time you leave your assigned work space.
  • All Town staff will wear a face covering for any in-person meeting regardless of social distancing.
  • All Town staff will wear a face covering anytime they are inside a Town vehicle with another person.
  • Elected and appointed officials and visitors to Town facilities are asked to follow these same requirements.

These requirements go into effect at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, November 24.
Morrisville Fitness and Aquatics Center Mask Mandate 
Our facility plans to reopen Friday, November 27, following the Thanksgiving holiday, and it is expected that all members abide by these new policies beginning that day.

The new rules are as follows:
  • A face covering will now be required in all indoor settings, regardless of social distancing.
  • Face coverings will be REQUIRED during exercise, meaning that they must remain on when participating in an indoor fitness class and/or when using the cardio deck, the weight room and the racquetball courts.
  • Face coverings may ONLY be removed when swimming or showering, but must be worn immediately before and after.
  • Any refusal by an individual to comply with the above policies will result in removal from the facility.
  • Outdoor activities will not require a face covering, unless social distancing is not possible.
Wake County Schools Spring Return To School Plan
Wake County Schools will be meeting today to discuss the Spring Back To School Program.  

All Wake County public school students will be back in the classroom starting spring semester.

The Wake County Board of Education approved the following plan this week: 
  • Pre-kindergarten to fifth grade will remain in full-time in-person instruction
  • Middle schools will stay in three-week rotations with one week in the classroom and two weeks in remote learning
  • High schools will move from remote learning to three-week rotations
  • The school district will continue to have its online-only Virtual Academy for spring semester, which will help keep schools from being at full capacity.

For guidelines on Social Distancing and Covid 19 Safety measures, please visit https://www.wcpss.net/.
Radio / TV
Radio Mirchi
Join me at 4 pm on Radio Mirchi for a Fireside Chat Interview with Clarence Anthony, CEO, National League of Cities.   99.9 FM, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM!  

IBM TV
Join me Monday at 10 am on International Broadcast Media TV for a global for World Edition, an update on global politics.    

Upcoming Events
Nov 28th Nepali Association Blood Drive
Nov 28th Non-Resident Nepali Association Blood Drive

Nov 28th 9 am to Noon
December 1st Town of Morrisville Work Session

Submit public comment for a Town Council Meeting by email to publiccomment@townofmorrisville.org. In Person Comments can be made one person at a time in Council Chambers.
Dec 1st 8:30 am Morrisville Chamber State of Morrisville Event 
Dec 2 Noon - New American Economy Immigration Fireside Chat with Jeremy Robbins
Morrisville Town Council Member Steve Rao hosts a Fireside Chat with Jeremy Robbins, CEO of New American Economy and other elected leaders to discuss immigration policy in a Biden Administration and our plans for the future.

During this Fireside chat, we will be looking at the economic impact of immigrants in NC, their contributions during a pandemic, and what specific actions we can take to ensure that we have an immigration system, which continues to lure the best and brightest to our nation, creates jobs, and strengthens our economy.

The Fireside Chat will be Streamed on Radio Mirchi on 99.9 FMHD4, 101.9 FM and 1490 AM and https://www.facebook.com/steve.s.rao.

The Fireside Chat starts at Noon EST on Wednesday, December 2, 2020.

Dec. 3 | 3 p.m. - Partnering for Growth: A Webinar from North Carolina Municipal Services
North Carolina Municipal Services, a Bernhard Capital Partners company, is partnering with municipalities across the state by investing in their local infrastructure, supporting important environmental and social initiatives, and developing innovative solutions in the face of pressing budgetary challenges and needs.

Attend their webinar Dec. 3 to learn about the innovative funding solutions they provide for infrastructure through Public Private Partnerships with cities and towns.

Register at: 
Morrisville News - Please Participate
TOWN OF MORRISVILLE NAMED FINALIST IN THE GLOBAL SMART CITY CHALLENGE
It is my pleasure to announce that Morrisville has been selected as a finalist for the 2020 Global Smart Cities Readiness Challenge. Morrisville was named as 1 of 10 finalists and will potentially have the opportunity to lead a Readiness Cohort in 2021. We are working with the Communications Department to get this information out to the community so that they can vote for our submission. You can find more information at the link below. 

To vote on our submission, you can click on the ‘begin rating process’ button and use the stars under our video on the following page (BIG thanks to Communications for helping put together our finalist video). The rating will submit once you exit the page. Voting is allowed once per day and closes on January 5. Please let me know if you have any questions.

  • For latest Covid 19 information, please dial 2-1-1 or 888- 892-1162.  
  • Get Updates by texting COVIDNC at 898211.    
  • For unemployment insurance, please visit NC Dept of Employment Security at https://des.nc.gov/.    
  • Apply for Wake Forward program at https://covid19.wakegov.com/wakeforward/
The latest Centers for Disease Control report predicts somewhere between 294,000 to 321,000 COVID-19 related deaths are possible by Dec. 19.  

For the first time in two days, North Carolina Health and Human Services released new COVID-19 metrics--the state did not release new numbers on Thanksgiving.

The new metrics show 5,210 people have died from the virus in North Carolina. That's an increase of 72.

The state is also reporting 354,514 cases, an increase of 8,008. Those death and case increases are high, but since they encompass more than the normal 24-hour time span they are not considered record increases.

The state's daily percent positive for cases remained at 7.3%.

CASES:
3,834 New Cases

+ N.C. = 354, 514 Cases (Deaths = 5,219)
+ 7.3 % Positive Rate
+ Wake County = 27,964 Cases (Deaths = 289)
+ US = 13 million Cases/264K deaths 
+ Worldwide = 61.4 million/1.44 million deaths
+ Completed Tests:  5, 172,498
+ 1,780 Hospitalizations.
Town of Morrisville Enforces Tighter Mask Restrictions
In line with the Governor’s Executive Order 180, the Town of Morrisville is updating our face covering requirement as follows:

  • All Town staff will wear a face covering anytime they are inside any Town facility unless working alone in their specific assigned work space. Face coverings must be worn to get to and from and at any time you leave your assigned work space.
  • All Town staff will wear a face covering for any in-person meeting regardless of social distancing.
  • All Town staff will wear a face covering anytime they are inside a Town vehicle with another person.
  • Elected and appointed officials and visitors to Town facilities are asked to follow these same requirements. 

Office Hours
Council Member Rao holds office hours on Friday from 12:00-1:00 PM by appointment only at 100 Town Hall Drive in Morrisville. 

For more information or to schedule a time to speak with Council Member Rao, please email SRao@TownofMorrisville.org and copy Town Clerk Eric Smith, esmith@townofmorrisville.org, 463-6150.
Council Member Steve Rao
Town of Morrisville
Dedicated to transforming Morrisville into an ideal place to work and raise a family!
Learn more at: SteveRao.com