City Council, Gov. Baker have the power to force universities—Harvard, MIT, and Lesley—and hotels to provide better alternatives
Archives for April 2020
FORGIVE ME: HOW TO BORROW CARES ACT MONEY AND LEGALLY NOT PAY IT BACK
At reported application rates, the $349 billion will be gone within a few weeks, and even if an additional $251 billion is approved by Congress, it is unlikely that will last past the first week of May. Once lenders have completed issuing these loans, expect them to turn their attention to the forgiveness with a fine-tooth comb.
NEW SITE LISTS SUPPLIES HOSPITALS NEED ACROSS MASS, SHOWS HOW TO HELP
"Many hospitals are running their own donation programs—we view ourselves as a single place to provide all information on these programs in Massachusetts."
GROCERY STORE WORKERS FACE FEARS, CORONAVIRUS, AND UNION BUSTING
“I’m constantly having the recommended six feet violated. All of my coworkers and I, we are absolutely drained by the end of the day, because we are constantly trying to protect ourselves and reinforce that space.”
GUARD YOUR GRILL: MAIL-ORDER MASK MAKERS HAVE MASS COVERED DURING COVID CRISIS
Your friend who was talking a little too fast or that jogger panting "excuse me" on the bike path might be the asymptomatic carrier you've been trying to avoid. Unfortunately, it's next to impossible for Boston area residents to buy proper surgical masks locally. And businesses where you would expect to be able to find cloth masks either aren't selling them to the general public—or aren't making them at all.
PHYSICIAN-LED COALITION URGES BAKER TO ENACT MORE SAFETY MEASURES
"If even one person is infected in a single social gathering of 10 people, dozens of lives are at risk. Please save as many lives as possible by immediately prohibiting gatherings of any size."
NEW STUDY: 1-IN-3 WHO THINK THEY KNOW ABOUT COVID-19 DON’T KNOW SHIT
“This study shows that there remains a lot of misinformation about COVID-19 circulating online. The research also shows clearly that social media is playing a role, promoting a lot of COVID-19 myths as well as a lackadaisical attitude toward the pandemic in general."
NOTES FROM THE PANDEMIC: 4.8.20 DIGBOSTON UPDATE
Mass voting rights group presses for easier absentee ballot process
MASS DANCERS STREAM CLASSES ONLINE, OFFER MUCH MORE THAN JUST EXERCISE
While the Afro Flow crew usually attracts around 40-50 attendees at a regular class, after just one week of streaming, they have more than 7,000 views on Facebook alone. Salmon Jones says she's had attendees from as close by as Northeastern, to folks tuning in from Barbados.
MASS VOTING RIGHTS GROUP PRESSES FOR EASIER ABSENTEE BALLOT PROCESS
"The legislature passed the legislation pretty swiftly a couple weeks ago, but we have a lot more work that needs to be done."
ANOTHER STACKED WEEK OF EXCITING LIVE LOCAL ONLINE PERFORMANCES
“Listen to some music, hang with each other, and take part in whatever antics are unfolding in our little shared world.”
THE BIG CARES ACT DOUBLE DIP: A PPP LOAN PROGRAM RECAP AND UPDATE
This is a sequel to the popular articles: “COVID-19 Crash Course for Small Biz Payroll Protection Plan Applicants,” “A Quick, Easy Update on the CARES Act,” and “CARES Act Potholes”
AUDIO: DRASTIC RISE IN UNEMPLOYMENT INCREASES DEMAND FOR FOOD AID
Mass layoffs cause hunger as charities face declining volunteer numbers due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Listen for the current state of food insecurity in Boston.
MEET THE CREW TURNING DORMS INTO SHELTERS DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS
For days, he and his crew had been converting dorm rooms into shelters for those experiencing homelessness while the predicted peak of coronavirus pandemic looms. “I felt like I needed to do my part to help, and this was my chance.”
CARES ACT POTHOLES—COVID-19 PROGRAM BORROWERS BEWARE
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the CARES Act could be a crucial lifeline for many Massachusetts small businesses including retailers, bars, sandwich shops, and restaurants. Unfortunately, these businesses may face an unintended conundrum.
LET’S TALK ABOUT DEATH: DESTIGMATIZING MORTALITY AS CORONAVIRUS LOOMS
There is a lot of advice circulating about how to try to stay physically well, but little talk about psychological angst that the threat of an extremely contagious, potentially fatal disease creates.
THIS CREW IS RESCUING CRITICAL FOOD DURING THE CRISIS. YOU CAN HELP.
“Our volunteers are heroes. They have been incredibly responsive during this crisis. They’ve also been patient, kind, and working as a team with (at-first) perfect strangers, who all share the same goal: to do good.”
INDEPENDENT BREWERIES PUSH CANS, NEW DISTRO MODELS DURING OUTBREAK
Tap rooms have been shut down, while businesses have had to adapt to a lack of foot traffic and extended stays. Many have embraced curbside pick-up and delivery, but that’s only produced a fraction of what many local operations need to continue.
NOTES FROM THE PANDEMIC: 4.5.20 DIGBOSTON UPDATE
Cover Your Faces, Massholes!
SOMERVILLE: THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS… AND NEW FRIENDS
Plague Journal 1: It is at once a detailed narration of human dynamics within a quarantined and imperiled population, and a metaphor for the moral choices presented by human existence. For Camus, the plague is the human condition in which random death can be visited on any of us at any time, without reason, and regardless of our virtues.
LETTER: ARLINGTON DENTS DEMOCRACY BY DELAYING ELECTION WITHOUT PLAN
Arlington Select Board meeting made a mockery of what it means to have an open, transparent and democratic Town government
EDITORIAL: COVER YOUR FACES, MASSHOLES!
For a smart state, too many Mass residents are stupid when it comes to public health
A QUICK, EASY UPDATE ON THE CARES ACT & PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM
This article is a sequel to our extremely popular COVID-19 Crash Course for Small Biz Payroll Protection Plan Applicants
WHAT’S FOR BREAKFAST? HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS
MASS CONTINUES DRUG-TESTING PROBATIONERS DURING CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
According to one probationer who I spoke with for this column, that routine—which they had to go through twice last week—involves waiting in a lobby close to other people, riding in an elevator with an Averhealth employee, pulling their pants down and shirt up, peeing in a cup, and handing over the goods.
MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS STRUGGLE TO AFFORD CARE WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST
“Even folks who hadn’t experienced anxiety will likely be experiencing it, and folks who have it, it’s likely to get compounded considerably.”
IS IT SAFE TO MAIL MY DIRTY UNDERWEAR DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS?
The virus can live for up to 24 hours on cardboard, VAG, which mean it’s the package, not the panties, that are potentially a danger here.
HOW SCREWED ARE RESTAURANTS IN GREATER BOSTON DUE TO COVID-19?
The scores of temporary closings are likely hiding an ugly truth—that many of the places that are shuttered aren’t just closed for the time being.
NOTES FROM THE PANDEMIC: 4.3.20 DIGBOSTON UPDATE
Mass Musicians Stream Concerts, Fundraisers During COVID-19 Crisis
MASSACHUSETTS WAS NOT READY FOR THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
But we can be ready for the next one