Be sure to check out the Four Corners Coronavirus Facebook Group I set up to help deal with all the issues caused by the virus and the government shutdown.
I have launched SW Art Exchange to help mitigate the issue of artists having no place to sell on consignment, due to all the closures. It’s going to be very basic and very cookie-cutter. There will be no escrow or built in payment processing. Artists who want to participate will be given their own WordPress login credentials, in order to post their pieces for sale. There will be no vetting of buyers, all due-dilligence will be up to the artists, as well as the purchasers. This is simply a way to gain exposure during this epidemic. If anyone would be interested in taking over this project at any time, I’ve got no problem handing the domain over. It could have potential to provide both value and revenue, even after the epidemic has ended.
John Wells Claims Covid-19 Won’t Impact Real Estate Market
John Wells, owner of Wells Group doesn’t think Covid-19 will impact the local real estate markets. He thinks it might actually give a boost as people purchase here in order to be able to stay here during the summer, despite any potential lockdowns. This statement was made during the annual Wells Group Forecast that was held up at FLC.
Construction costs, natural gas industry, uptick in land sales, Millennial buyers, ageing homes and renovations, low interest rates, investment property, and affordable housing issues were other things that were brought up.
MakersLab (Durango) Looking For Covid-19 Volunteers
MakerLab @ the Powerhouse has been working with a national team this last week to put together a task force to supply and support our local medical professionals in this time of need. Exact details are being ironed out, but there may be opportunities to include a few paid positions in the effort.
City of Durango Addresses Covid-19 Outbreak
The Durango City Manager, ED of San Juan Basin Health, Mayor, City Manager and A La Plata County Commissioner jumped on a group video conference to discuss the state of the Covid-19 Outbreak. It was all pretty basic: Support local business, work from home if you can, practice social distancing, don’t break our small rural healthcare system and so on. The one new piece of info was that the City is going to start hosting meetings using the same webinar / conference software they used for the joint video chat, and the public will be able to provide their thoughts and comments.
Colorado Hospitals Restricting Visitations
Hospitals across Colorado have placed major restrictions on who can visit patients inside.
Most hospitals with restrictions are making exceptions in a handful of situations: Pediatric patients, NICU babies, laboring mothers and new moms, patients with disabilities warranting assistance, and patients in surgery.
State of Colorado Updates Social Distancing Guidelines
The State of Colorado has updated their social distancing guidelines:
The public health order limits gatherings to 10 or fewer people.
The order applies to all public and private gatherings except for those specifically exempted by the order:
- The Colorado General Assembly, legislative bodies of municipal governments, and Colorado state and municipal courts.
- Airports, bus, and train stations, health care facilities, and grocery or retail stores, pharmacies, or other spaces where 10 or more people may be moving around to get essential goods and services.
- Delivery and take-out food services in accordance with Public Health Order 20-22.
- Offices and state, county, and municipal government buildings where essential government services are offered.
- Factories, where more than 10 people are present but social distancing measures of maintaining at least 6 feet between individuals is standard.
- Newspaper, television, radio, and other media services.
- Child care facilities, except for public preschools operated on public school campuses, which are addressed in Executive Order D 2020 007.
- Homeless shelters.
- Any emergency facility needed to respond to COVID-19 in Colorado.
King Soopers Adds Paid Sick Leave and Bonus
The Kroger Family of Companies announced the bonus will be given to employees hired before Mar. 1. Full-time employees will receive $300 and part-time employees will receive $150.
On Saturday, the company also expanded its COVID-19 emergency leave guidelines to include paid time off for self-isolation and symptoms as verified by an accredited health care professional.
This expands the new guidelines, announced on March 14, which allows paid time off for associates diagnosed with or placed under quarantine due to COVID-19.
Farmington Reports 1st Coronavirus Case
Farmington, New Mexico has reported their first Covid-19 case. Keep in mind that testing has just started, therefore if there was existing cases prior, they would have gone unreported.
San Miguel Lockdown and Testing
San Miguel (Telluride) is currently enforcing a Shelter-In-Place as UnitedBiomedical and their subsidiary C19 (convenient name) conducts testing. The testing will most likely last 14 days and there will be two tests. According to a commenter in the Facebook Group, they’re testing for antibodies and trying to determine who is immune and who is at risk.
San Juan County Colorado Closed To Visitors
San Juan County has closed it’s doors to all non-residents. This means nobody is allowed across the county line, regardless if they are just passing through to Ouray or not.
Is Shelter-In-Place Coming To Denver Metro or Entire State?
Both the gov and the Mayor of Denver have made statements that hints that a shelter in place might be coming to either the Denver area or the entire State of Colorado.