Wednesday live coronavirus updates: St. Clair County offering small business loans
St. Clair County offering small business loans
The St. Clair County Intergovernmental Grants Department is offering loans to small businesses that have been negatively impacted by orders to close or limit operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release from the Metro East Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Businesses must have 25 full-time equivalent or fewer employees to qualify.
The county program can provide zero-interest, forgivable loans of up to $15,000, depending on number of employees, to help businesses deal with significant, temporary losses of revenue and assist them in retaining and paying employees.
Applications may be requested from Christina Anderson at Christina.Anderson@co.st-clair.il.us or 618-825-3218 or Lisa Ludwig at Lisa.Ludwig@co.st-clair.il.us or 618-825-3211, or downloaded at http://www.co.st-clair.il.us/departments/grants/development/Pages/default.aspx.
The deadline for applications is 4:30 p.m. June 19 with funds expected to be available in late June or July. If there is high demand, a lottery drawing may be held on June 22.
Testing sites reopen after closing due to protests
Community coronavirus testing sites operated by the state of Illinois in East St. Louis and other cities were set to reopen Wednesday after being closed Monday and Tuesday due to concerns about violent protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minnesota.
The East St. Louis testing site opened last month at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, off 25th Street.
People with COVID-19 symptoms are encouraged to get free tests. Those symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.
A doctor’s referral isn’t required for testing.
Former Belleville bishop criticizes Trump’s shrine visit
Archbishop Wilton Gregory, who heads the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., made national news Tuesday by sharply criticizing President Donald Trump, calling his visit to St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington “reprehensible.”
Gregory formerly served as bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Belleville from 1993 to 2004.
On Monday, Trump visited the shrine after posing for photos in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington holding up a Bible. The photo opportunity resulted in widespread criticism because police violently cleared the area of peaceful protesters to make way for the president.
A fire had been extinguished in one room of the historic church Sunday after violent protests over the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a black man, under the knee of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is white.
“I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree,” Gregory stated.
Gregory is the highest-ranking black Catholic bishop in the United States.
Catholic churches to reopen in Southern Illinois
Most Catholic churches in Southern Illinois are expected to reopen for Mass this weekend after being closed for more than two months due to the coronavirus shutdown.
Bishop Edward K. Braxton of the Catholic Diocese of Belleville sent a letter to priests, deacons and members of parish reopening teams on Wednesday, giving his blessing to those who want to hold services and feel they are adequately prepared.
The bishop directed churches to follow guidelines in the state’s Restore Illinois plan for restarting the economy.
“Governor Pritzker suggests limiting attendance to 25% of building capacity, or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower,” he wrote. “The 6-foot social distancing rule still applies as does frequent hand sanitization. Masks will be required in the church before, during and after the celebration of the Eucharist.”
Braxton acknowledged that some parishes aren’t ready to reopen and asked church leaders to “act out of an abundance of caution” because of the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CARES act grant to support Metro Transit services
Bi-State Development will use a $142.4 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to support the safe operation of MetroBus, MetroLink light rail and Metro Call-A-Ride paratransit in Missouri and Illinois during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release.
The grant is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in late March.
“We would like to thank the Federal Transit Administration for recognizing the critical importance of public transit to the St. Louis region during this time,” stated Taulby Roach, president and CEO of Bi-State Development. “Now more than ever, our region needs public transportation options to connect with work, medical care, groceries and other essential destinations.
“This funding will help support Metro Transit operations, and will also ensure we can continue to provide our transit operators and front-line staff with the tools and resources they need to keep themselves and our riders safe. Our operators are our heroes, out there on the front line every day, 21 hours a day, keeping the region moving.”
Beyond operational costs, Metro Transit will use the money to continue enhanced cleaning protocols, obtain cleaning supplies, masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment; and take other steps to support the health and safety of riders and employees, according to the release.
Metro Transit reports that ridership is down by more than 50 percent, and local sales tax revenues that support public transit are anticipated to be 20 percent lower in the next fiscal year.
SAT delays plans for home exam amid access concerns
The company that administers the SAT college entrance exam is pausing plans to provide a home version this year, saying it can’t guarantee all students would have access to needed technology, according to a report by the Associated Press.
The College Board made the announcement Tuesday, noting it still hopes students can take the test at home in the future.
Officials in April revealed they were working to create a home version of the SAT in case schools remained closed into the fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead of taking the test on paper under a proctor’s supervision, students would have been subject to “remote proctoring” via cameras and microphones on computers.
Taking the SAT at home would have required three hours of uninterrupted internet access, according to the company.
The College Board is now working to expand SAT availability at in-person exam centers this fall, and it’s asking colleges to be more flexible with testing requirements.
Garage sale permits being issued again in Belleville
If you missed going to garage sales during Illinois’ stay-at-home order, which took effect March 21 to prevent the spread of coronavirus, you can start to look for them again.
Belleville City Clerk Jenny Gain Meyer said the state is allowing garage sales to resume, and her office has received calls from residents who want to get a $5 permit.
Illinois guidelines call for people to wear face coverings and groups to be limited to 10 people or less.
Here are more garage sale tips from the Ohio Department of Health:
Display posters to remind customers about social distancing.
Position tables and chairs at least 6 feet apart.
Use tape to direct visitors through the sale.
Disinfect merchandise before putting it out for display.
Clean tables and chairs throughout the day.
Chicago to loosen coronavirus rules for businesses
Chicago restaurants, hotels and other businesses restricted by stay-at-home orders since March will be able to offer more services Wednesday, despite the looting that has occurred in the city.
“I want to tell the city now after a lot of consultation and, yes, a lot of prayer, we will reopen tomorrow and take this important next step as planned,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Wednesday as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
Chicago restaurants can offer outdoor dining or serve customers who are close to large doors or windows, the newspaper reported.
Other parts of the state had looser COVID-19 restrictions go into effect on Friday.
Looting has occurred in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. Floyd, a black man, said “I can’t breathe” while he was handcuffed and face down on the street as a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, placed his left knee on Floyd’s neck before Floyd died.
The arrest was captured on video and Chauvin has since been fired and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Southwest Illinois coronavirus cases
Local health departments reported Tuesday that the number of coronavirus cases in southwestern Illinois has reached 2,598, and the number of deaths has increased to 199.
St. Clair County announced the deaths of two women. One was in her 80s and the other in her 90s. Both had underlying health conditions.
Here are the latest available statistics for southwestern Illinois counties as of Tuesday afternoon:
- St. Clair: 1,299 positives, 99 deaths, 7,769 tests administered, 809 recoveries, 12 test results pending, 58 hospitalizations
- Madison: 600 positives, 62 deaths, 6,466 tests administered, 103 hospitalizations, 389 recoveries
- Clinton: 187 positives, 17 deaths, 1,059 tests administered, one hospitalization, 105 recoveries
- Monroe: 97 positives, 12 deaths, eight hospitalizations, 51 recoveries
- Washington: 18 positives, 15 recoveries
- Randolph: 272 positives, four deaths, 1,692 tests administered, one hospitalization, 259 recoveries
- Bond: 12 positives, one death, one hospitalization, 214 tests administered, six recoveries, one test pending
- Jersey: 24 positives, one death, 18 recoveries
- Macoupin: 46 positives, three deaths, 2,724 tests administered, 36 recoveries, two hospitalizations, two tests pending
- Perry: 42 positives, 39 recoveries
- Calhoun: One positive, one recovery
Want to help? Here are some ideas
The BND has compiled a list of ways you can help during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Go to BND. com to learn about the opportunities to volunteer your time or donate to help communities in the metro-east without putting yourself or others at risk.
You can sew face masks, read stories for people with vision loss and deliver meals to seniors.
If you know of a recognized charitable organization looking for help that isn’t listed, please tell us about it. Send an email to newsroom@bnd.com or fill out the BND’s Southwest Illinois Coronavirus Service and Assistance Guide online at BND.com.
Get the latest news on coronavirus
BND.com will keep you updated throughout the day with information about the spread of the coronavirus in southwestern Illinois.
You can also find the most complete and up-to-date information from government sites including:
- State of Illinois’ COVID-19 page: coronavirus.illinois.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html
- Federal government’s coronavirus page: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Who to call about mental health
Here are some resources from mental health professionals for anyone struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Touchette Regional Hospital’s Mental Health Support and Resource Line: Call 618-482-7158 to talk to trained therapy staff.
- Illinois Human Services Mental Health Division’s Call4Calm: Text the word “talk” to 552020 to text with a mental health care professional for free.
- Centerstone of Illinois, Inc.: Call 618-462-2331 for virtual mental health services.
- Chestnut Health Systems: Call 618-877-4420 for virtual mental health services.
- Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous: Call 618-398-9409 or email metroeastnapr@gmail.com to learn about virtual meetings.
- Regional Disaster Mental Health Volunteer Response Team: Call a support line for health care professionals at 618-381-5173.
Contact BND with tips, concerns, suggestions
If you have suggestions about something for the BND to cover regarding the COVID-19 pandemic or if you see a report that sounds suspicious on social media or anywhere else, please drop us a note at newsroom@bnd.com and include a link. We’ll check it out.
We’d like to hear from health-care workers
The BND would like to speak with nurses, doctors and other health care professionals who are on the front lines caring for patients in doctor’s offices, clinics and hospitals during this difficult time. We’re interested in hearing about your challenges and rewards, frustrations and accomplishments. How is this affecting you? Send us an email at newsroom@bnd.com.
Willing to share your COVID-19 story?
Have you recovered from coronavirus or are you in the process of recovering from COVID-19? We would like to hear from you on how you dealt with the respiratory disease. Send us an email at newsroom@bnd.com.
This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Wednesday live coronavirus updates: St. Clair County offering small business loans."
