Free Republic

The spring shutdowns delivered a gut punch to owners of businesses from salons and daycare centers to tattoo parlors. At the onset of the pandemic 140,104 were marked temporarily closed on Yelp.com, but by August that had fallen to 65,769. That drop, however, is not entirely driven by businesses reopening; instead, many have simply gone under. More than 97,966 businesses have permanently shut down during the pandemic, according to Yelp.com's Local Economic Impact Report. And it may only get worse. While many parts of the economy have begun to hum again, many small businesses are still struggling and report needing...

Several Baraga County commissioners, plus the sheriff, prosecuting attorney, clerk, and treasurer of the Upper Peninsula county, have all signed a manifesto that places the state on notice that they will no longer enforce the state's COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. The declaration reads: “Since March 10, 2020, the People of the State of Michigan have endured restrictions on their freedom which have not been seen in North America since the days of King George III and the American Revolution. In the face of a worldwide pandemic our political leadership in Lansing has ignored the protections guaranteed to all America citizens...

"Small businesses are concerned about potential new economic policy in the new administration and the increased spread of COVID-19 that is causing renewed government-mandated business closures across the nation," Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist at NFIB, said in a statement. The backdrop for such businesses is set to improve in the near-term. Fiscal stimulus passed at the end of last month revives the Paycheck Protection Program, and direct payments included in the measure could lift spending at small businesses. Vaccine distribution and a more efficient reopening also serve to boost overall activity. Still, the Tuesday report's details "make for grim reading,"...

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio danced with his wife in Times Square before midnight on New Year’s Eve while keeping the rest of New York out of the famed plaza for the first time history as he enforced coronavirus restrictions.

Trump had refused to sign a Covid relief bill until Congress raised the amount of money paid to everyday Americans. President Trump on Sunday night signed a $2.3 trillion federal spending and COVID relief bill, averting a government shutdown and ensuring millions of Americans continue to get unemployment benefits. Despite his misgivings about wasteful spending and low stimulus payments in the bill, Trump said he signed the legislation because “I have an obligation to protect the people of our country“ from further economic devastation. He said, however, “more money is coming” as Congress votes this week on larger checks. The...

Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell now finds himself in the hot seat as Democrats begin rallying behind President Donald Trump's efforts to more than double the direct payment checks Congress secured in the just-passed coronavirus relief bill, leaving the fate of the aid package in limbo. During remarks Tuesday night, Trump signaled he would not sign the bill, which was passed with overwhelming support late Monday, unless Congress included $2,000 direct checks to Americans, a proposal that flies in the face of the demands made by many Senate Republicans, some of whom had a tough time swallowing the $600 checks...

WASHINGTON — Top Capitol Hill negotiators sealed a deal on a $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package, finally delivering long-overdue help to businesses and individuals and providing money to deliver vaccines to a nation eager for them. “More help is on the way,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in announcing the agreement for a relief bill that would total almost $900 billion. “Moments ago, in consultation with our committees, the four leaders of the Senate and House finalized an agreement for another major rescue package for the American people.”

California Appeals Court Blocks Judge’s Order Allowing San Diego Restaurants to Resume Indoor Dining – Keeps Newsom’s Lockdown in Full Effect By Cristina Laila Published December 18, 2020 at 8:48pm ------------------------------------------------------- The Hill Reports????? https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/531009-california-appeals-court-order-allowing-strip-clubs-to-remain-open California appeals court order allowing strip clubs to remain open during pandemic (And Restaurants NO LOCKDOWN) BY JORDAN WILLIAMS - 12/19/20 06:11 PM EST

The House and Senate on Friday night passed a two-day extension of government funding to keep federal agencies fully operational through Sunday night. President Trump signed the legislation to avert a shutdown.

@ChadPergram 1) Fox is told it’s possible the House will likely try to approve via unanimous consent (meaning no member objects) a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown later tonight. 2) If that’s not possible, the House will likely call a vote on the short-term spending measure. They’ll have to treat it as a “suspension” bill. That means they can get the measure to the floor quickly, but it requires a two-thirds vote to pass. 3) And then things are up to the Senate. That could take a while...if there is no deal to speed things up just...

Are you going to pay my rent ? says owner Anton Van Happen of 'Nick The Greek' to public health inspectors issuing him a citation for staying open after being issued a closure order.

Governor Andrew Cuomo told New Yorkers to brace for the possibility of an imminent shutdown, and Mayor Bill de Blasio urged city residents to work from home if possible, as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continued to climb across the state. On Monday afternoon, hours after a Queens health care worker received the first COVID-19 vaccine in the country, Cuomo offered his most dire warning in months about a virus that once again threatens to push hospitals to the brink. "The increase in hospitalizations could overwhelm some regions if nothing changes by January," he said. "If we do not change the...

Employees of closed businesses have "bills to pay, children to feed, presents to gift and they're going to lose their homes." More than 150 businesses plan to reopen this week in defiance of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s coronavirus shutdown. The businesses have organized as the Reopen Minnesota Coalition. This group has created a Facebook page and GoFundMe to raise awareness and money for business owners who will likely face legal consequences for their actions. Rural businesses involved in the effort plan to open Wednesday, Dec. 16, while metro businesses will open two days later on Friday. Walz’s current shutdown order...

Montgomery County, Maryland is a wealthy suburb of Washington, D.C. Like many such jurisdictions, Montgomery County remains tightly locked down. Its public schools are closed, and all students are required to participate in “distance learning.” The results have been disastrous –particularly for minority students. Since the advent of the great “War on Poverty” liberal educators in Montgomery County and elsewhere in the nation have trumpeted their efforts to close the “achievement gap” -the yawning chasm that exists between the performance of white students and minority, particularly black, students. Quite rightly educators have focused on the fact that in an increasingly...

Monday, Gov. Tim Walz is expected to announce whether he will extend current COVID-19 restrictions past Dec. 18. KSTP's Tom Hauser received confirmation from the governor's office that the announcement is set to take place Monday. Originally, officials said the announcement could happen Friday. Walz is expected to discuss whether restrictions for certain businesses, gatherings and youth sports will be extended.

Eight months into this pandemic, one thing is increasingly clear: Students learn best when they are in school. Their continued absence from the classroom has led to less learning, more mental health problems, and greater inequality as children from lower income households fall further behind.Poor Academic OutcomesThis past spring, teachers were able to get 2-3 months of face time with their students before everyone was sent home. We knew that was disruptive, so a lot of grace was extended from teachers and administrators towards students. But now that we’re wrapping up our first fully digital semester, the real data is...

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — Hermosa Beach resident and swimmer Ana Fradkin can often be found at an outdoor pool in El Segundo. Swimming gives her peace of mind, so-much-so she makes in into the pool before dawn about five times a week. “I’m a butterflier, and a freestyler. But now I’m a nothing, I’m a survivor who just swims", said Fradkin. Fradkin is doing everything she can to survive today, because in August, she lost her 14-year-old son Scotty to an accidental drug overdose. The tragedy has uprooted her world, along with her husband and younger daughter Juliet. Fradkin says...

The ignorance and the lies concerning the Wuhan virus can't continue much longer, because time is simply revealing the truth about it. December 5, 2020 (American Thinker) — The ignorance and the lies concerning the Wuhan virus can't continue much longer, because time is simply revealing the truth about it. As we continue to suffer under foolish Wuhan virus restrictions, and as many parts of the U.S. — especially those under the rule of Democrats — are again ramping up the shutdowns and the lockdowns, more and more Americans are beginning to see what many of us have long known:...

'The United States has reached a tipping point: The damage done to schoolchildren with scarce resources is likely to be irreparable.'As report cards begin to roll out for fall, public schools across the nation are reporting a massive increase in children failing classes, due to the majority going online and the chaos of rolling COVID closures. In Fairfax, Virginia, one of the nation’s largest districts, “the percentage of middle school and high school students earning F’s in at least two classes jumped by 83 percent: from 6 percent to 11 percent,” the Washington Post reported Tuesday. That’s nearly 10,000 children.Saint...

The shutdown begins.... Check out the video below. I have no idea where this is at? https://twitter.com/PamelaGeller/status/1333169765486112771