Category: Business

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Business Coronavirus Government Health Opinion

Are all COVID-19 tests created equal?

Yesterday I shared my distaste for the once-in-a-while drive-thru COVID-19 testing events. With a little effort, and at the same cost, people can be tested everyday of the week in a manner more suited for a medical procedure like a doctor’s office or clinic and not through a car window.

People don’t ask enough questions about their health care and are willing to accept anything anyone brings them. I asked a few simple questions directly to the Black Doctors Covid Consortium who came to Chester in March to do a drive-thru testing in Chester and I didn’t get a straight answer. I guess they figured I had no right to ask who invited them and they had no responsibility to answer. I decided all my other questions would probably not be answered so I let it go. 

Today, I read an article in the Washington Post where the Maryland Health Department has ordered a Prince George’s labthat had been processing coronavirus specimens collected at pop-up clinics to cease operations, saying the facility does not have the proper certification. Obviously, someone asked a few questions in Maryland which led to the suspension of Advanced Pain Medicine Institute’s license to operate a medical lab and perform any lab testing.

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Business Coronavirus Opinion Technology

Would you like to be tracked by your Smartphone if you get COVID-19?

I took a little flack when I mentioned COVID-19 carriers should have to wear dayglow clothing so people could identify them. I’ve also written about countries tracking people using their Smartphone location data who should be in quarantine.

Since then, there’s been reports of issuing COVID-19 folks a card they’d keep in their wallet to identify them with the disease. Not sure how that helps anyone, but okay.

Since it’s unlikely any of those efforts will work, Google and Apple are teaming up to create an app that will perform ‘digital tracing’ of COVID-19 folks. I guess they figure if folks are too ashamed to identify themselves, they’ll let your phone identify you.

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Business Community News Coronavirus Family Health

Chester Water Authority is turning on water to delinquent customers during the coronavirus

How are you going to wash your hands if you have no water? Chester Water Authority recognizes the situation some customers are in and are showing compassion in their humanitarian gesture of getting water to every customer in their system.

Chester Water Authority suspended turn-offs as of March 13, 2020.  Since then they have contacted all the customers that they had listed in our system as turned-off.  All of those customers who responded had their water service restored.

CWA is still fully operational.  They continue to respond to request for new services, with same day service.  They also continue to respond to issues of leaks that are outside of the property, with same day service.  And of course any needed emergency repairs to their system are being handled promptly.
Customers should know that for any water emergencies please call 1-800-793-2323 #9.  For billing questions or any other non-emergency customer service inquiry please visit www.chesterwater.com and click on “Contact Us” at the top of the web page.

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Business Coronavirus Opinion

What is an Essential Employee now that coronavirus is shutting everything down?

A couple people I know are asking what is an essential employee and who makes that determination?


During this coronavirus period, we are hearing the term essential apply to employees, industries, and job functions. They all have their own definition and no matter how they’re defined, it’s as ambiguous as the people who come up with what’s essential or not when they’re left to make that decision.

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Business Coronavirus

Atlanta entrepreneur creates fashion masks for coronavirus

Due to shortages of masks, my daughter has stepped up to create homemade masks for health care workers and regular everyday people trying to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus.

She specializes in creating fashions for women and has done work for celebrities, gospel music divas, reality TV stars, and R&B songstresses. She’s the go-to gal for Carnival costumes and prom dresses. She’s also won the top award for costume creation for high school plays in the entire state of Georgia.

Yesterday, we were having a FaceTime moment and she was wearing one of her latest creations – The Mask.

Never to be outdone, she has a line up of men and women’s masks that are high fashion.

They are built real filter material, washable, and very fashionable.
She cobbled together other family members to help in the production and can knock out about 25 mask a day if they can all get along all day (inside joke).

There’s already a demand for these masks at $19.95. If you want one, get in line. They are still trying to catch up to fill pre-orders.
Don’t you just love creative people?

The link to learn more and make an order:
http://www.many-masks.myshopify.com

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Business Community News Coronavirus Politics

Laid off City workers applying for unemployment should be fully compensated

As the folks in Washington D.C. continue to squabble over the final details of the stimulus package, it appears they’re going to boost unemployment compensation to make everyone earning under $60,000 whole.
It goes something like this…

The deal also includes a massive expansion of unemployment insurance. Schumer called the agreement “unemployment compensation on steroids,” and said the maximum unemployment benefit will be increased by $600 per week to ensure “that laid-off workers, on average, will receive their full pay for four months.”

Expect to see a lot of people across all industries laid off real soon.
I imagine the unemployment office (PA CareerLink) is closed so all applications for unemployment will either have to be done by phone or online. If you’ve ever tried to reach them by phone during normal times, it’s a challenge. I hope the online experience is ready for a lot of traffic.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-2-trillion-stimulus-deal-for-businesses-080739448.html
 

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Business Coronavirus Opinion

Can Kimberly-Clark spare a few rolls of toilet paper to Chester folks?

There’s a big factory that makes toilet paper on the Chester riverfront. I’m not sure what they give to the Chester community besides some good jobs and a lot of polluted air from burning coal. How cool would it be if we could get some of that toilet paper?
It would be public relations gold for Kimberly-Clark across the country if they were seen offering every Chester household the opportunity to pick up a couple rolls of Scott-1000 toilet paper. My insiders there say they have a lot a cases of ‘recycled’ toilet paper, or rolls that don’t have the cardboard center, that employee take home.
I personally don’t understand the need to hoard toilet paper, but when there’s a factory right in your city making the product and shipping it across the land, don’t you think it would be a win-win if they could find a way to share a few rolls with at least the people in most need around the city of Chester?
Has anyone asked? Does anyone care?

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Business Coronavirus

Adam’s Ribs opens in Claymont

Tobin and Adrienne Adams celebrated the grand opening of Adam’s Ribs and Grille on Saturday, March 14 at their new Claymont, Delaware restaurant.
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They served a steady flow of customers all day along with call-in orders for pick up.
In previous years they operated out of a food truck where they built a following of folks who have come to love their ribs, brisket, chicken, fish and sides.
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Although less than a 15-minute drive from Chester down Philadelphia Pike, it can’t been seen from the street. But, turn in the Arby’s entrance and you’ll see Adams’ Ribs right behind Arby’s.
Due to the coronavirus and their commitment to the health and safety of their staff, customers, community, Adams’ Ribs and Grille have restricted access to their dining area but they are open for call-ahead curbside pick-up! Call 302.439.3836 to place order. 
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Business Coronavirus

Larimer Beer Company Brewery stays open in Chester

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In terms of a work week, Wednesday is my Friday, and like most people looking to unwind at the end of the week, I often head over to Larimer Brewery for a craft beer since it’s only a few blocks from the job.


With everything being shut down, I thought for sure my Wednesday routine would need a little adjustment, but no, Larimer still comes through.

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Business Community News Coronavirus Health & Fitness Opinion

Results of closing restaurants and bars is different in Black neighborhoods

How would you feel if you went to bed last night to get ready for your early morning shift working at the breakfast diner and wake up to learn you are out of work for 2-weeks?


Pennsylvania’s governor, under the guidance of the Department of Health (DOH), using his authority under the state’s COVID-19 disaster declaration order, ordered all restaurants and bars to close their dine-in facilities at 12:01 AM on Monday, March 16 in Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties for 14 days to help stop the spread of COVID-19.


Businesses that offer carry-out, delivery, and drive-through food and beverage service may continue to do so, but eating and drinking inside restaurants and bars is temporarily prohibited.
In a small city like Chester with so few sit down eateries and several bars, I gave a little thought to who the governor’s decision is going to affect.