A painting crew has been busy adding a fresh coat of paint and a new look Thursday and Friday to the long-standing Beach Street Cafe on West Beach Street.
Help is on the way for small businesses hit by sweeping closures, layoffs, and downsizing because of COVID-19. Money from the $2 trillion rescue package enacted by Congress and signed by the president last week is said to loosen soon. Efforts are now being made to filter around $350 billion as a lifeline to small businesses to help them keep paying employees and float the payroll. Officials are saying the small businesses that are being impacted by COVID-19 should apply right away. Thus far businesses with fewer than 500 employees, independent contractors, mom and pop stores and some recognizable brand names are possibly eligible.
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Efforts are being implemented by area farmers to protect agricultural workers to keep them and the harvest safe. New seating arrangements aboard buses for safe social distancing, crews keeping a row between each other while harvesting and the wearing of gloves and masks are part of the changes.
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Meals on Wheels, the folks that help provide door-to-door meals to seniors, will no longer go into client’s homes. The door drop-offs are now involving delivery people making contact with family members to help in smooth distribution transactions.
Health officials are also looking into senior isolation during the stay at home order, as many seniors don’t have much exposure to other folks on a routine basis at their homes.
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I saw on TV news that five people have recovered from COVID-19 in Monterey County, 11 in San Benito County, and none have recovered in Santa Cruz County thus far.
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I saw Watsonville Certified Farmer’s Market was up and running at its usual time, but with a huge reduction of shoppers.
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I’m guessing that the work crew from Don Chapin Co. has wrapped up underground utility work in front of the new Laundromat, Laundry Day at the corner of Brennan Street at East Lake Ave. The on-again-off-again project has led to street closures at times over the past year. It looked like it was all smoothed over with fresh asphalt this morning and traffic was back to normal. Laundry Day is fully open now and they have an attendant on hand to help you get started. Ample parking, wifi, app-run machines, and other conveniences are part of their offerings.
