The number of COVID positive cases and virus-related deaths of Newtown residents escalated over the weekend, according to Heath District Director Donna Culbert.

Newtown has now registered ten coronavirus deaths and 121 positive cases, Culbert told The Newtown Bee Monday, May 4.

As of Sunday, May 3, the state had registered 2,495 COVID-related deaths — 886 of them in Fairfield County — and saw the number of virus-related hospitalizations continue to decline by another 63 off its high mark over a week ago. On Saturday the state had registered 29,287 COVID-19 cases from the 102,493 tests performed.

Around the same time of the health director’s call on local stats, State Rep Mitch Bolinsky notified The Newtown Bee he has released a survey to gather input about prospects of reopening businesses. The survey could not be more timely as it coincides with Small Business Week across the nation.

“As we move to restart the economy over the coming weeks and months, I would like to make sure the ideas of Newtown residents and business owners are given priority consideration in that process,” Rep Bolinsky said in his correspondence. “As you have heard, reopening will be a gradual process, staged in terms of business priority versus potential risk. Those determinations will be made by folks that don’t know you or your business. I expect there will be a lot of second-guessing and disagreement about who opens and when.”

For residents, Rep Bolinsky has created a survey to collect input. Access it by visiting surveymonkey.com/r/RepBolinskyReopenCT.

“For businesses, I know your opening can’t possibly happen fast enough,” the local lawmaker said. “Working with a couple of local businesses last week, it was obvious that the things that differentiate them from cookie-cutter, ‘big-box’ competitors also deserve consideration. I welcome your ideas and will go to bat for your business with the governor’s office, DECD, and/or the Reopen CT Advisory Group.”

When taking comments and concerns, Rep Bolinsky said he will ask for plans detailing how respondents will ensure a safe and sustainable business model that includes social distancing, traffic flow to avoid clustering, capacity changes, disinfecting needs/plans, personal hygiene and more, as it would apply to their business.

“No promises — except that you will be presented and heard,” Rep Bolinsky said.

During Small Business Week 2020, celebrated May 3-9, Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut is urging consumers to shop small to make a big impact.

Paulette Scarpetti, president & CEO, BBB Serving Connecticut, said it is "imperative" that as time passes and more small businesses are able to open their doors, "we support them or they may not survive.

“ Connecticut is built on small business and if we want local businesses to stay in our communities we have to do our part,” she added.

Residents can help their local small businesses by:

Purchasing gift cards: For businesses who are unable to be open, purchasing a gift card can be a great way to help them out during this difficult time. If the business has a website or social media page, see if they are offering gift cards for when they reopen.

Considering new items: Some small businesses have been forced to completely rethink their business model or even the products they manufacture. Consider purchasing new items from a small business that used to sell something different. For example, some business are now selling hand sewn face masks or homemade hand sanitizer.

Ordering takeout: Many restaurants that are not able to have patrons inside may still be offering takeout or pickup. Visit a favorite locally-owned restaurant or coffee shop’s website to see if they are now delivering or accepting pick up orders instead of dine-in.

Shopping online: Some small businesses may not have offered online shopping but now do. Check the social media pages or website of favorite small business and see if they are now letting customers shop and order online for safe pick-up or delivery.

Thinking outdoors: Consider hiring a local business to get your home ready for summer such as gutter cleaners, landscapers, lawn care specialists, or contractors. This will help these businesses stay afloat while still being able to work safely and at a distance.

Visit the BBB Business Spotlight page at bbb.org/connecticut/bbb-business-spotlight/ to learn about what new and innovative things small businesses in Connecticut are doing during the COVID-19 emergency. Business owners can visit BBB.org/SmallBusiness for additional tips and resources relating to COVID-19 operations.

Buying Consortium & New Executive Order

On Saturday, May 2, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont joined New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, and Delaware Governor John Carney to announce a joint multi-state agreement to develop a regional supply chain for personal protective equipment (PPE), other medical equipment, and testing.

While the states will continue to partner with the federal government during this global and national public health crisis, they will also work together to identify the entire region’s needs for these products, aggregate demand among the states, reduce costs, and stabilize the supply chain. The states will also coordinate policies regarding the inventory of PPE each state’s health care infrastructure should have to be prepared for a possible second wave of COVID-19.

The states will also coordinate policies on what supplies local governments should have on hand for their first responders, and whether any requirements are needed regarding PPE for the nonprofit and private sector.

The states will then seek to identify suppliers within the country, region, or state who can scale to meet the demand of the entire region over the next three months. The goal of this approach is to decrease the potential for disruptions in the supply chain for PPE and medical equipment, including sanitizer and ventilators, and testing, and promote regional economic development.

In addition, the states are discussing how to collectively explore emerging technologies on an ongoing basis to take advantage of the potential associated with alternative methods of production for existing products and innovation that would lead to more effective and/or less expensive alternatives. For example, 3D printers may represent an attractive alternative to manufacturing certain personal protective equipment and medical products.

Lamont said, “With global supply chains continuing to experience a major disruption due to the pandemic, combining the efforts of our states into a regional purchasing initiative will help our states obtain needed PPE and other medical equipment without competing against each other. I’ve long been advocating for the federal government to get involved because pitting all 50 states against each other to compete for these supplies has never made any sense. Partnering with our neighbors helps make our purchasing power stronger and more dependable.”

On Friday, May 1, Lamont signed another executive order — the 35th since he enacted the emergency declarations — that builds upon his efforts to encourage mitigation strategies that slow down transmission of the virus. Executive Order No. 7HH enacts the following provisions:

*Mandatory suspension of annual town meeting or referendum to adopt budget: This clarifies that going forward, the relevant elected body or bodies in each municipality must adopt a budget for 2020-21 without an in-person vote by residents. It also validates any budget referendum or annual town meeting that has already been conducted. This order clarifies Executive Order No. 7I, Section 13, to provide uniformity and consistency, and prioritize safety while the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in large gatherings remains high.

*Authorization for common-interest communities to hold meetings remotely: This allows common interest communities, such as condominium associations and homeowners associations, to conduct business remotely and hold votes entirely by ballot if their bylaws or governing documents do not already permit it.

IRS, SNAP & Job Training

Lamont is reminding non-filers who have dependents that they must register with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by noon on May 5 in order to have $500 per child added to their $1,200 coronavirus stimulus payment. This includes residents who receive either Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and did not file a tax return in 2018 or 2019.

US citizens, permanent residents, and qualifying resident aliens who have a valid Social Security number, could not be claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer, and had an adjusted gross income under certain limits are eligible for the Economic Impact Payments. While most eligible US taxpayers are receiving their Economic Impact payments automatically, non-filers who have dependents need to provide information to the IRS to receive the additional funding.

For more information on the steps non-filers should take, visit irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here.

The Department of Social Services will be providing $15.4 million in Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits to nearly half of Connecticut’s SNAP participants on Friday, May 8 — adding to the $32.7 million in emergency benefits disbursed in April.

Authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, the extra food benefits are going to nearly 100,000 households not currently receiving the maximum benefits allowed for their household size. This means that all households enrolled in SNAP will receive the maximum food benefit allowable for their household size, even if they are not usually eligible for the maximum benefit.

On Monday, Lamont announced the statewide expansion of a program that will make free online learning licenses available to recipients of unemployment insurance, including those who have been impacted by the economic fallout of the COVID-19 public health crisis. The SkillUp CT program will significantly expand access to comprehensive online course work from a leading global provider for thousands of Connecticut residents.

Originally launched in eastern Connecticut, a sustained rollout of the program across the state over the coming weeks will enable recently laid-off workers to upgrade their skills and earn industry-recognized certifications even while the doors to most brick-and mortar education and training providers remain closed.

Eligible Connecticut residents will receive e-mail instructions on obtaining a Metrix Learning license that provides them access to about 5,000 online Skillsoft courses in areas such as information technology, business analysis, customer service, project management, and digital literacy, among others. Anyone with an internet connection and a computer can access courses.

SkillUp CT also offers training tracks leading to over 100 industry certifications and will provide career coaching through the workforce boards.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created an incredibly difficult situation for so many people, and this innovative and responsive initiative gives hard-working Connecticut residents a beneficial training opportunity that they can utilize from their own homes,” Lamont said.

The program will be funded by the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority CHEFA) under an existing grant to the state’s five regional workforce boards.

To enroll in SkillUp CT, unemployment insurance claimants in Connecticut should visit ct.metrixlearning.com/landing.cfm.

Anyone in crisis or facing issues making ends meet or experiencing stress or anxiety can also call the 211 infoline or consult its companion website 211ct.org.

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ, other guidance and resources, and a way to ask questions, Newtown residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

The Newtown Bee is continuing to provide and mirror information and messages coming from local and state agencies on a daily and sometimes hourly basis. Newtown residents can get more details by visiting Newtown’s own COVID-19 web page, here.

Residents can also review all prior COVID-19 updates and follow the newspaper’s Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages for breaking local and state reports.

Please check in regularly, share, and follow the newspaper’s hyperlocal coverage at newtownbee.com through the remainder of this public health emergency.