On Thursday evening, July 29, at AFI Silver Theatre, at the 2021 Awards & Installation Event, GSSCC will honor the newest inductees into its “Circle of Stars,” a select group of for-profit businesses that continue to make Silver Spring a better place to live, work, and run a business.

These members have demonstrated remarkable resilience, sustainability, and/or transformation during the past year. The Circle of Stars also recognizes those companies that continue to do well through doing good, be it through service to the community, stewardship of local and global resources, and/or support of non-profit community organizations or causes.

Individual tickers are $75 per person until COB on Friday, July 16.

Businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans last year need to apply for forgiveness soon, to avoid having to start making payment, plus interest, on the loans. Businesses must apply for forgiveness with 10 months after the last day of the covered period that they spent the money, or the loan will be automatically converted to a standard loan at 1% interest.

For businesses that received loans when the program launched in April 2020, there was an eight-week covered period, which puts the 10-month deadline in the middle of July this year. Most loans operated under a 24-week covered period, putting the deadline to apply for forgiveness sometime this September.

Details on applying for forgiveness can be found here.

Enhanced unemployment payments will continue in Maryland, for now. Yesterday, Maryland’s highest court denied Governor Larry Hogan’s request to block a lower court’s weekend order that temporarily prevents the state from cutting off enhanced federal unemployment benefits for workers who lost jobs during the pandemic. Hogan has said the additional federal benefits are hurting the state’s economic recovery, especially as coronavirus vaccine has become widely available and jobs go unfilled. The restraining order lasts for 10 days. During that time, the judge said he will schedule a full hearing on the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction against Hogan’s order. Labor Secretary Tiffany P. Robinson said the state now intends to end participation in the unemployment programs on July 14, the day after the Circuit Court’s current order expires. (Compiled from various news reports.)

GSSCC small business members may be interested in some of the webinars offered this month by the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs office. Registration links are provided for each topic.

07/07/2021 - Getting a Business Loan

07/09/2021 - Setting up a New Business Entity

07/13/2021 - Franchising: An Option for Your Business Venture

07/22/2021 - Financial Basics for New Small Businesses

07/27/2021 - Digital Marketing

07/27/2021 - Prime Contracting in the Small Business Reserve (SBR) Program

The Maryland Comptroller has extended the filing deadline for 2020 income tax returns from Pass-Through Entities (PTEs) to September 15, 2021, due to new laws requiring extensive changes to PTE tax forms. These forms are available on the Comptroller’s website.

Following the Montgomery County Council redistricting news? Wondering what that means for Silver Spring and your business?

Join the Chamber as Sam Statland, Statland & Katz, longtime GSSCC member, and Commission on Redistricting member, provides an overview of the Commission's efforts, explains the Federal laws under which the Commission must work, and provides a status report on its progress thus far.

Redistricting in any community is a complex, often controversial and political, exercise that raises many questions. Get answers to yours by registering today.

9 a.m. via Zoom

Take a cozy outdoor venue, add young professionals, mix in relaxed vibes and information about the YPN, and you have the recipe for the perfect Happy Hour!

Join the GSSCC Young Professionals Network for a casual Happy Hour event at Denizens Brewing Co.’s beer garden at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 22.

New and returning members welcomed. Full drink and food menu available for purchase.

Golfer and sponsorship opportunities available soon! Email Julie Pawlikowski with questions.

GSSCC welcomes this organization that became a Chamber member during June. Check out the company's services.

Thanks to these organizations for continuing to support the Chamber by renewing their membership during the past month. We're pleased to link readers to these businesses and the products and services they provide.

* Earlier this year, Apex Home Loans began its “Apex in Action” initiative, Mortgage for Meals, in partnership with Manna Food Center. This initiative was set up to provide a donation that fed five local families for each loan Apex closed in Montgomery County. Over the past six months, Mortgage for Meals has fed over 1,700 families. Congratulations! Read the news release here for more details.

* Congratulations to the following chamber member companies who were recently named to the Washington Post Top Workplaces 2021 list: Adventist HealthCare, Apex Home Loans, Sandy Spring Bank, and United Therapeutics Corp. Read here for the complete list of Montgomery County winners.

* Silver Spring Library, along with the rest of the county’s public library system, has begun offering services from Brainfuse, a company offering online tutoring and other support services to particular target groups. Read the Source of the Spring article here for more information.

* KID Museum has a new home at 3 Bethesda Metro Center, fulfilling a long-term goal. The museum resumes in-person STEM programming for elementary and middle school-aged children this month, and will be able to expand those programs once the new 28,000-square foot space opens next year.

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See your company's news here! Send us your news releases and news items by noon on Friday for publication in the following Monday's edition. Click here for guidelines on submitting Member News.

* Non-Profit Team Virtual Meeting - 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 13.

* Membership Development Committee Virtual Meeting - 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 27.

* Economic Development Committee Virtual Meeting - 9 a.m. on Wednesday, July 28.

* Small Business Owners Network Virtual Meeting - 12 noon on Thursday, August 5. Topic: Rebalancing your business development, your client services, and your personal life during periods of change. (Advance registration required here).

Corporate Partners - Downtown Silver Spring; Lee Development Group; Montgomery College; Joseph W. McCartin Insurance;

 Business Partners - Andalman & Flynn, AFI Silver Theatre; Apex Home 

 Partners - Bell Flowers; EBA Ernest Bland Associates; Image360; Peak Performance Digital; Scott Team International.