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While the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Titus County is low compared to other regions, they ARE increasing.  To slow the spread, Titus County Judge Brian Lee will amend the current Local State of Disaster Declaration for the county on Monday, April 20, 2020. The declaration covers all cities in Titus County.

The declaration includes additional measures, including new masking requirements. The goal is to achieve a decline in cases, which is required to get Titus County open and back to work.

The declaration takes effect at 11:59 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2020. It will be in effect until at least April 30 but may be extended.

Masking requirements:
RETAIL & RESTAURANTS

1.  All retail stores and all restaurants providing curbside or delivery services must require all employees to wear masks at all times while working.
2. All retail stores and all restaurants providing curbside or delivery services must require customers to wear masks before entering the store and while shopping in the store.
3. All retail stores must require all customers to sanitize their hands with alcohol-based sanitizer before entering the store.
4. Retail stores include: grocery stores, supermarkets, warehouse stores, bodegas, liquor stores, convenience stores.

Source: City of Mount Pleasant, http://www.mpcity.net/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=117

The Mount Pleasant/Titus County Chamber of Commerce has committed $25,000 to support small businesses in Mount Pleasant and Titus County to help pay their utilities during this uncertain time. Please click below to learn more about how your business may be able to receive funds to pay some utility bills.

Posted by Mount Pleasant Texas Chamber of Commerce on Monday, April 13, 2020

Click here to learn more

❗️Warning for our community & as a reminder to stay within the COVID-19 trusted resource centers found at the city’s website to avoid fake news, scams, malware, and other counterproductive events.

Please be aware of this joint CISA and UK National Cyber Security Centre alert posted on cisa.gov and at https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/aa20-099a.

A few key points from the alert:
❗️ A growing number of cybercriminals and other malicious groups online are exploiting the COVID-19 outbreak for their own personal gain, security officials in the UK and USA have revealed.
❗️ The joint advisory shows that cybercriminals and advanced persistent threat (APT) groups are targeting individuals and organizations with a range of ransomware and malware.
❗️ As well as alerting you to the threat, the advisory directs you to the support available to counter it. This includes the NCSC’s guidance on dealing with suspicious emails and on working from home securely.
❗️ As the risk advisor for the USA, CISA is helping organizations take a comprehensive approach to maintain a heightened level of security. This includes CISA Insights on risk management for Novel Coronavirus, as well as guidance for individuals and businesses on defending against COVID-19 scams and securing enterprise Virtual Private Networks.

To read the full alert, visit: https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/aa20-099a

Our Main Street Merchants have adopted #TogetherWeStand as a hashtag to get us through what we ALL are experiencing.

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Our local chocolate factory is not only making chocolates but also turning its plastic box coverings into face shields.

This is an example of the extraordinary measures being taken by ordinary Texans and business owners to get personal protective equipment, known as PPE, into the hands of those who need it before supplies run out for those on the front lines of the outbreak.

Sweet Shop is answering the national call of duty & our community couldn’t be prouder. Sweet Shop is the largest handmade chocolate factory in the USA & converted the plastics typically seen over specialty cardboard boxes (think “truffles & chocolates see-though covers”) & pivoted into PPE, creating 50 new jobs in the past few weeks. By Monday, they will have shipped 250,000 faceshields as far as New York & as close as our own Titus Regional Medical Center. Sweet Shop has orders for 500,000 more shields & expects an additional order of 1 million, potentially creating 100 new jobs in a matter of months.

A special thank you to an unnamed company with whom we are working & Texas Governor’s Office of Economic Development & Adriana Cruz & her team for working with MPEDC & Sweet Shop to quickly (1 day!!!) source multiple Texas-based plastics suppliers once traditional sources dried up. Teamwork makes the dream work.

Existing industry know MP has a very strong expansion program. In March 2020, MPEDC granted $50,000 to Sweet Shop for creating new jobs w/ a fudge company M&A whose operations were transferred to MP.
#I30 #NewMarketTaxCredit #OZ #BizParks #econdev #Texas #micropolitan
#thewaymaker #contributing #mountpleasant #staypositive

Click below to read more about how this idea got started:

https://www.news-journal.com/news/coronavirus/mount-pleasant-chocolate-factory-transforms-into-medical-face-shield-assembly-line/article_b8657342-74fd-11ea-a857-f724be9f76ad.html

Thank you Sweet Shop USA for stepping up to contribute to this cause!

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Loan Information

Starting today, as part of the CARES Act, small businesses and sole proprietorships can apply for the Paycheck Protection Program. This loan is designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll and cover other critical expenses.

The loan will be fully forgiven if the funds are used for payroll costs (at least 75%), interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. Loans are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2020.

Who can Apply

This program is for any small business with less than 500 employees (including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and self-employed persons), private non-profit organization or 501(c)(19) veterans organizations affected by coronavirus/COVID-19.

Businesses in certain industries may have more than 500 employees if they meet the SBA’s size standards for those industries.

Small businesses in the hospitality and food industry with more than one location could also be eligible if their individual locations employ less than 500 workers.

Click below for eligibility requirements and details about the program.