Thursday January 14, 2021
SBA Re-Opening Paycheck Protection Program to Small Lenders on Friday, January 15 and All Lenders on Tuesday, January 19
Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, announced that they will re-open the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan portal to PPP-eligible lenders with $1 billion or less in assets for First and Second Draw applications on Friday, January 15, 2021 at 9 a.m. EST. 

The portal will fully open on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 to all participating PPP lenders to submit First and Second Draw loan applications to SBA. 

Updated PPP Lender forms, guidance, and resources are available at www.sba.gov/ppp and www.treasury.gov/cares.   

In case you missed it, the North Country Chamber of Commerce recently partnered with the SBA for an informational webinar on changes to the PPP and EIDL programs. View the recording below.
Governor Cuomo Updates NYers on State’s COVID-19 Progress 
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Three additional cases of the UK variant have been identified in Warren County, bringing the total number of cases in New York to 15. Specifically, four cases in Saratoga County and two cases in Warren County have been identified as part of the cluster connected to a jewelry store in Saratoga Springs. Three additional cases in Warren County are under investigation for their link to this cluster, but have yet to be confirmed. A second cluster has also been identified and includes two cases in Suffolk County, two cases from Nassau County and one from Queens. The final case was identified in Manhattan and is not connected to either cluster.
 
Yesterday's data is summarized briefly below:
 
  • Test Results Reported - 196,868
  • Total Positive - 14,577
  • Percent Positive - 7.40%
  • Patient Hospitalization - 8,929 (+3)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 1,116
  • Hospital Counties - 56
  • Number ICU - 1,501 (+9)
  • Number ICU with Intubation - 924 (+15)
  • Total Discharges - 112,023 (+882)
  • Deaths - 165
  • Total Deaths - 32,175
Governor Cuomo Announces State Vaccination Sites to Begin Opening
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced five state-run vaccination sites have begun accepting appointments and are scheduled to open this week. The sites - the Jacob K. Javits Center, Westchester County Center and New York State Fair Expo Center - opened yesterdat (January 13th) at 8 a.m. Sites at Jones Beach and SUNY Albany will also open today (January 14) and 15, respectively, with more vaccination sites to be announced in the coming days.
 
Since federal supply severely limits the ability to distribute vaccine, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment. New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals far exceed the vaccine supply coming from the federal government, which is arriving at a rate of approximately 300,000 doses per week. As such, eligible New Yorkers should be prepared to receive an appointment date as far as 14 weeks or further in the future.
'A Bit Mind-Boggling': Montreal Streets Empty During First Quebec-Wide Curfew
Before the 8 p.m. curfew deadline hit and an eerie stillness descended over Canada’s second-largest city Saturday night, life was about as normal as it gets during a pandemic.
At the Provigo on Sherbrooke St. W., a handful of people lined up to pay for their groceries. Overall the store wasn’t much busier than usual, supervisor Alyssa Maximov said. Nor had there been a run on dry beans. Or toilet paper.

“COVID is old news for everyone, now,” she said. But closing at 7:30 every night for instead of 11 will be hard on some, she predicted.
“There are some people who don’t exist during the day,” she said. “I’ve never seen them in the store before 9 p.m.”
Beartown Ski Area Sees Busy Start to Season
Beartown Ski Area, located at 285 Beartown Rd. in West Chazy, offers outdoor winter family fun at an affordable price -- and is making some modernizations for the 2021 season.

The non-profit is run by a volunteer board, allowing the skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, tubing, and hiking location to charge some of the most discounted prices in the North Country for season passes with family passes coming in at less than $500.

The location is open Friday, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for skiing and snowboarding.
Kinneys in North Country will Have Moderna Vaccine for Seniors Starting Jan. 14
This week, all Kinney pharmacies will receive initial doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to administer to those ages 75 and up only. Appointments will be available at all NY Kinney pharmacies for those age 75 and up beginning Thursday, Jan. 14.
Kinney’s operates drug stores throughout St. Lawrence County and the North Country.

By New York State mandate, Kinney Pharmacists will be able to vaccinate by appointment only. In addition, eligible people must complete New York state’s mandated vaccination forms and schedule their vaccination appointments online.
Clarkson COVID Community Study
To help the North Country remain open safely and to help area businesses understand the latest information for the State and Federal Government surrounding the continuing COVID-19 Pandemic The North Country Chamber of Commerce continues to maintain a comprehensive list of resources to navigate these requirements. Check out the home page for details.
Thank You to Our Today's Dose Sponsors:
QUICK LINKS:
  • Forward NY: Official State Website for opening procedures and guidelines.
  • NYS Travel Advisory: Stay up to date on the latest NYS Travel Advisory Updates.
  • Looking for Supplies: If your business is looking for hard to find protective products, we have created a list of businesses offering hand sanitizer, gloves, wipes, masks and other items.
  • SCORE: Small business owners are resilient and can power through this challenging time, with SCORE by their side.
Have Questions? We're here to help!

North Country Chamber of Commerce
518.563.1000