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Life in the Time of the Coronavirus: Voices from Silver Spring—Lene Tsegaye
Editor’s note: This guest post and photo is from Jonna Huseman, who began the Voices project to document the lives of friends and neighbors in Silver Spring and Takoma Park and how they may have changed since the shelter in place order. It originally appeared on her blog, The Sligo Creek Photographer.
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County Launches Family Violence Prevention Campaign During COVID-19 Emergency
The county has launched a new Family Violence Awareness and Prevention Campaign to focus on the available help for victims of such actions during the COVID-19 emergency. “Our community is weathering an unprecedented pandemic. With that may come added stress and anxiety,” said Police Chief Marcus Jones. “This in turn is contributing to the potential…
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Council Votes to Limit Residential Rent Increases During COVID-19 Emergency
The County Council voted to limit residential rent increases during the COVID-19 health emergency and for 180 days after the emergency’s expiration. Expedited Bill 18-20, the COVID-19 Renter Relief Act, prohibits landlords from increasing rents on lease renewals more than the county’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ rent guidelines of 2.6 percent.
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County to Stop Accepting COVID-19 Grant Applications
The county will stop accepting applications to a program created to provide funding assistance to business during the COVID-19 emergency. Applications to the Public Health Emergency Grant program will no longer be taken after 5 p.m. Saturday, April 25.
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Council Approves Another $5 Million in COVID-19 Funding for Local Restaurants, Retailers
The County Council unanimously approved another $5 million in funding for the Public Health Emergency Grant program to assist local restaurants and small retail shops during the COVID-19 emergency. The special appropriation is in addition to the $5 million reserved for those businesses as part of the original $20 million appropriation that created the program.
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State Modifies Senior Call Program for COVID-19 Emergency
The state’s Department of Aging has modified its Senior Call Check program to include call-ins to provide updates of pertinent information during the COVID-19 emergency. Seniors can call 1.866.502.0560 from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday-Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. to be connected to updates and available resources.
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Face Coverings Now Required for Certain Employees, Customers During COVID-19 Emergency
Employees and customers of certain retail outlets in the county are now required to wear face coverings during the COVID-19 emergency, according to a health order issued by Travis Gayles, M.D., the county’s health officer. The order, effective today (April 13), covers grocery stores, pharmacies and large chain retailers (“big-box” stores), as well as farmers…
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Council Seeks Comment on Plan to Require Face Coverings During COVID-19 Emergency
The County Council is looking for public comments on a plan to require employees and customers of essential businesses to wear face coverings during any interactions under the COVID-19 emergency. The council yesterday announced its intention to introduce the measure as an emergency Board of Health regulation during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 14.
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Council Approves $36.5 Million in COVID-19 Emergency Aid
The County Council yesterday approved a package of measures to provide $36.5 million in financial assistance to businesses and other organizations affected by the COVID-19 emergency. The largest amount, $20 million, will fund a Public Health Emergency Grant Program that would allow the county executive to provide grants of up to $75,000 to county businesses…