Wed, Jun 24th 2020 11:55 am
A new survey conducted by Morning Consult commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) found that, while Americans remain hesitant about traveling, they overwhelmingly support efforts by Congress to help the travel industry recover - including helping hotels keep their doors open and bring back employees, as well as incentivizing Americans to travel again.
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Fri, Jun 19th 2020 01:55 pm
ASPA Buffalo Niagara Chapter - the local chapter for the American Society for Public Administration - announced recipients of a first-ever annual awards program, and 2020-21 officers and board members during its recent 2020 annual meeting.
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Thu, Jun 18th 2020 11:30 am
The New York Power Authority has partnered with Signify, a world leader in lighting, to support "Smart Street Lighting NY," a statewide program that calls for at least 500,000 streetlights throughout the state to be replaced with energy-efficient LED technology by 2025.
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Wed, Jun 17th 2020 04:45 pm
On Wednesday, the U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, posted a revised, user-friendly Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness application implementing the PPP Flexibility Act of 2020. In addition to revising the full forgiveness application, the SBA also published a new "EZ" version of the forgiveness application applying to borrowers who:
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Wed, Jun 17th 2020 12:50 pm
AAA Western and Central New York is celebrating an anniversary this month. In fact, 120 years ago, in the year 1900, Automobile Clubs of Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse were founded by motoring enthusiasts. There were more horses than cars on the roads, yet anxious motorists began organizing automobile clubs excited about the new mode of transportation.
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Tue, Jun 16th 2020 02:35 pm
Congressman Brian Higgins joined a bipartisan group of more than 60 members calling to temporarily waive local fund matching requirements for all national heritage areas. This waiver would come at no cost to taxpayers and would enable national heritage areas to access already appropriated federal funds in order to better support their communities working to weather the COVID-19 crisis.
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Tue, Jun 16th 2020 09:25 am
To further meet the needs of U.S. small businesses and nonprofits, the U.S. Small Business Administration reopened the economic injury disaster loan (EIDL) and EIDL advance program portal to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19.
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Mon, Jun 15th 2020 12:25 pm
NYSEG and RG&E, subsidiaries of AVANGRID Inc., announced they will begin a phased approach to resuming customer-facing work that was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first phase will begin in the coming weeks and will include work that will directly support customer safety and service reliability, such as indoor gas line safety inspections, which state regulations require the companies to complete.
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Mon, Jun 15th 2020 10:25 am
Learn from a panel of top executives in the automotive and real estate industries, as well as business consultants, about ways to help guide a business and employees into the future as society continues to navigate the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This last in a four-part virtual series exploring "How Western New York Businesses Are Dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic" will be held from 3-4 p.m. Thursday, June 18, via Zoom.
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Fri, Jun 12th 2020 03:40 pm
As Niagara County prepares for phase three of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "New York Forward" reopening process, answers, dates and procedures have been given for a number of items. The reemergence of one significant sector, however, is still unknown: Tourism.
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Fri, Jun 12th 2020 09:40 am
Time to kiss that quarantine haircut goodbye. On June 5, Gov. Andrew Cuomo named Western New York as one of the five regions in the state to allow barbershops and salons to reopen, albeit with some noteworthy restrictions.
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Thu, Jun 11th 2020 11:25 am
Earlier this week, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced it's launching its first online Veteran Entrepreneurial Training and Resource Network (VETRN) Streetwise MBA program to New York veteran small business owners and their immediate families beginning in August. Applications may also come from eligible applicants in New Jersey and Connecticut.
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Tue, Jun 9th 2020 01:05 pm
Niagara County Legislator Rich Andres on Tuesday announced the Niagara County Department of Emergency Services has goggles available for hair salons and barbershops to help them meet the state reopening guidelines. Andres said the guidelines initially required face shields, but now have been amended by New York state to include goggles.
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Tue, Jun 9th 2020 12:10 pm
Tops Friendly Markets recently presented Auburn resident Paul K. and David D. of Niagara Falls with a $20,000 shopping spree and $5,000 in groceries for a year prizes, respectively, as part of the Monopoly "Rip It and Win It" contest.
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Mon, Jun 8th 2020 01:45 pm
The recently enacted Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act provides additional clarity and flexibility for small business owners to meet the requirements of the PPP loan program created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. When the president signed the bipartisan legislation into law, it gave more time and discretion for when and how the loans can be spent to keep employees on payroll and keep up with accounts payable to further assist the nation's economy in its recovery from COVID-19 closures.
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Mon, Jun 8th 2020 12:30 pm
The Niagara County Community College Workforce Development department will offer online training targeting businesses involved in the reopening of the hospitality sector. This awareness-level training is geared for employees who will be returning to the workplace and may be responsible for the cleaning and disinfection of their work space.
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Mon, Jun 8th 2020 10:50 am
Join a panel of supply chain professionals on Thursday, June 11, from 3-4 p.m. as they discuss the challenges that many organizations are facing all along the supply channels, including why there are shortages and how these supply disruptions are impacting businesses that are currently operating, as well as those that are beginning to reopen.
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Mon, Jun 8th 2020 10:40 am
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Saturday signed legislation (S.8189/A.10270) banning price gouging of personal protective equipment. His office said, "During the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been countless instances of egregious price gouging, particularly of critical medical supplies - such as masks and hand sanitizer - that are desperately needed by our hospitals and other health care facilities. This legislation will help ensure access to these critical supplies for health care workers and the general public."
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Fri, Jun 5th 2020 07:00 pm
With the announcement earlier this week that all elective surgeries may resume in Western New York, ECMC has ramped up its surgical procedure protocols to accommodate the many elective surgeries that had been on hold since March 19, when New York state suspended elective surgeries due to the pandemic. Previously, ECMC had been approved on May 17 to resume outpatient elective surgeries.
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Wed, Jun 3rd 2020 03:10 pm
The department of dentistry, oral oncology and maxillofacial prosthetics at the Erie County Medical Center, and the Buffalo General location at High Street, have remained open for emergencies throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's updated executive order now allows for dental practices - including ECMC's dental services - to reopen for nonurgent procedures, as well.
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Fri, May 29th 2020 02:35 pm
With the CARES Act providing assistance to small businesses through Paycheck Protection Program and the funding of $349 billion and another $310 billion on April 24, the U.S. Small Business Administration is expanding its lender pool and increasing access to capital for small businesses across Western New York.
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Fri, May 29th 2020 02:25 pm
The Western New York COVID-19 Community Response Fund, announced it has awarded nearly $1 million to an additional 47 nonprofit organizations, bringing the total grant amount from the fund to $6.6 million, supporting a total of 156 nonprofit organizations. This collaborative philanthropic effort was created in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 health crisis and has been coordinated by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, The John R. Oishei Foundation and the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County.
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Fri, May 29th 2020 02:20 pm
The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, announced it is setting aside $10 billion of round two funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to be lent exclusively by Community Development Financial Institutions. CDFIs work to expand economic opportunity in low-income communities by providing access to financial products and services for local residents and businesses.
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Thu, May 28th 2020 09:45 pm
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday issued an executive order authorizing businesses to deny entry to individuals who do not wear masks or face-coverings. The mandate builds on the state's ongoing efforts to protect New Yorkers and slow the spread.
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Tue, May 26th 2020 10:55 am
As states across the country navigate reopening and hotels begin to safely welcome back guests, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) recently announced hospitality leaders across North America have endorsed "Safe Stay," AHLA's enhanced industrywide cleaning guidelines.
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Tue, May 26th 2020 10:50 am
Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York announced Comfort Windows & Doors as the winner of the 2020 Torch Award for Ethics in the large business category.
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Wed, May 20th 2020 02:15 pm
With new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showing staggering job loss to the hospitality and leisure industry, the American Hotel & Lodging Association today released a "Roadmap to Recovery," calling on Congress to prioritize relief for hotel workers and small businesses in the next stimulus package. The April Jobs Report showed the hospitality and leisure industry was the hardest hit, losing 7.7 million jobs - nearly as many jobs as the next four sectors combined.
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Tue, May 19th 2020 04:00 pm
The New York Power Authority board of trustees on Tuesday approved low-cost hydropower allocations to Rosina Food Products in Erie County and Petri Baking Products in Chautauqua County to create 125 jobs and nearly $71 million in capital investments.
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Tue, May 19th 2020 12:15 pm
Seneca Gaming Corp. on Tuesday announced the appointment of Chief Financial Officer David Sheridan as interim president and CEO. Former CEO Holly Gagnon's contract expires May 31.
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Mon, May 18th 2020 05:10 pm
The Niagara County Community College Workforce Development Department, in conjunction with the NCCC Small Business Development Center, will offer virtual training classes for businesses throughout Western New York to prepare for reopening.
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Mon, May 18th 2020 05:10 pm
The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, released the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application and detailed instructions for the application.
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Mon, May 18th 2020 03:20 pm
The Niagara County Community College Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in conjunction with NCCC Workforce Development will hold a free online training workshop for Western New York businesses to help them prepare for reopening. It will be held from 9-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 27. The presentation will be repeated later the same day from 1-3:30 p.m.
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Fri, May 15th 2020 11:45 am
Congressman Brian Higgins, D-NY-26, is advocating for the U.S. Transportation Department to fund applications submitted by the City of Buffalo and New York State Parks for federal grants under the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program.
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Wed, May 13th 2020 12:35 pm
The state's enacted budget financial plan anticipates a dire fiscal outlook in state fiscal year (SFY) 2020-21 and projects sweeping budget cuts that could affect essential services provided by the state, schools and local governments, according to an analysis released by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
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Tue, May 12th 2020 04:05 pm
FeedMore WNY recently received a donation of more than 70 communication devices from AT&T in order to increase the efficiencies of the hunger-relief organization's operations and support pandemic relief efforts.
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Tue, May 12th 2020 03:05 pm
Local sales tax collections dropped 24.4% in April compared to April 2019, leaving many of New York's local governments grappling with shortfalls, according to state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Sales tax collections totaled $1.02 billion in April.
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Sat, May 9th 2020 11:20 am
Earlier this week, New York Attorney General Letitia James and a coalition of 23 additional attorneys general called for key changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to ensure that funds are distributed fairly and equitably to the small businesses that were the originally intended recipients of the loans.
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Sat, May 9th 2020 11:20 am
The New York State Association of Counties announced that, this week, counties received their first installment of sales tax directly related to the first month where the statewide lock down on economic activity was in effect. In aggregate, the county sales tax collections compared to the same period last year were down about 26%. This ranges from about 16% to nearly 37% by county (not including tax rate changes).
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Fri, May 8th 2020 12:25 pm
Billions of dollars in potentially forgivable Payroll Protection Program (PPP) capital remains available to small businesses and nonprofits to help provide eight weeks of payroll and certain overhead to keep workers employed. PPP, created out by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, is responsible for infusing billions of dollars of capital into small businesses nationwide and saving jobs.
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Wed, May 6th 2020 05:50 pm
Earlier this week, U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza announced agricultural businesses are now eligible for SBA's economic injury disaster loan (EIDL) and EIDL advance programs. SBA's EIDL portal reopened as a result of funding authorized by Congress through the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act. The legislation, signed into law by the president a week ago, provided additional funding for farmers and ranchers and certain other agricultural businesses affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
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