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U.S. NEWS Friday 17 april 2020
Small business lending program on hold after reaching limit

Continued from Front process to focus our efforts that has passed under con- stacles. The number of ap- The loans, based on a
on funding the first wave of ditions requiring such una- proved loans is more than company’s payroll costs,
He last heard from his bank SBA-approved applicati- nimous consent — a wholly 30 times what the SBA pro- offer owners forgiveness if
on Saturday. Corey, owner ons.” unprecedented situation cesses in a year. The crush they retain workers or re-
of Porchlight, an Atlanta- The fight in Congress over that has scrambled the po- of applications caused hire those who have been
based advertising and the extension is along party wer dynamics inside the technological problems laid off. While they wait,
marketing firm, has been lines. Republicans are am- Capitol. at the SBA and a backlog owners who are shut down
cutting expenses and work ping up the political pres- Democrats like House at banks. However, many or who’ve lost revenue are
for freelancers so he can sure in hopes of getting a Speaker Nancy Pelosi of owners also faced bank re- uneasy about the impact
keep paying his staff of 10. relatively narrowly-drawn California are also seeking quirements that excluded the virus outbreak will have
Meanwhile, thousands of infusion of $250 billion in to add provisions that even long-time customers on their companies.
other businesses are still ap- funding into the program, among other things would and many of those who “Without knowing how long
plying, hoping to get loans but top Democrats are help minority businesses. could apply received little this downturn will last, the
when the program is exten- seeking to add funding for With the stalemate, the or no information about the loan would have helped
ded. hospitals and state and lo- business payroll subsidy status of their applications. us ease the burden for the
While they wait, some cal governments. program likely won’t get “I am annoyed at how long term,” said Jordan
banks continue to accept Action on Capitol Hill is funding until next week at poorly executed this pro- Gurrieri, co-founder of Blue
and process applications complicated by the shut- the earliest. cess has been,” said Ashley Label Labs, an app deve-
that will be forwarded to tering of the Capitol other Although the halt to the Hunter, managing director loper based in New York.
the SBA. Others were put- than for pro forma sessions program is expected to of HM Risk Group, an insu- His company applied to a
ting their application pro- that require unanimous be temporary, it is another rance underwriter based in large bank on April 6; he
cesses on hold. Truist Bank’s agreement in order for any frustration for owners who- Austin, Texas. She said her plans to apply to a smal-
website told visitors, ‘’we’re legislation to advance. The se loan money has been bank has not contacted ler one when the program
suspending the application sums are unlike anything delayed by a series of ob- her about her application. reopens. q

Backup of bodies overwhelms nursing home amid outbreak

By DAVID PORTER time," he said. "That's what
Associated Press I've been hearing from
An extraordinary number families. That's outrageous,
of coronavirus-related it's completely unaccept-
deaths appears to have able that they have to call
overwhelmed a nursing me for updates."
home in northern New Jer- Gov. Phil Murphy said at
sey where police found 18 a news briefing Thursday
bodies in what the gov- that "several individuals"
ernor called a "makeshift had died at the Andover
morgue" on two consecu- nursing home and that he
tive days earlier this week. has asked the state attor-
Police got an anonymous ney general to look into
tip Monday that a body what happened there, as
was being stored outside well as at any other nurs-
the home, Andover Town- ing homes that have had
ship Police Chief Eric Dan- many deaths.
ielson said Thursday. The Democratic governor
When police arrived, he said he was "outraged
said, the body wasn't that bodies of the dead
where the tipster had said were allowed to pile up in
it was — but they found 13 a makeshift morgue at the
bodies inside. They were Andover Township Police Department Chief Eric Danielson briefs the media at Andover Subacute facility.
removed Monday night and Rehabilitation Center in Andover Township, N.J., on Thursday April 16, 2020. New Jerseyans living in our
and taken to a hospital in Associated Press. long-term care facilities
a refrigerated truck. ficial. At least 26 of those deceased than normal in and staff members have deserve to be cared for
The New Jersey Herald first deaths were confirmed the facility holding room," tested positive for the with respect, compassion
reported the finding of the by laboratory tests to be nursing home co-owner coronavirus that causes and dignity."
bodies, which followed related to COVID-19, the Chaim Scheinbaum wrote. COVID-19, the Times re- The coronavirus has
the discovery of five bod- newspaper said. The area used to house ported. spread quickly through
ies at the home Sunday Staffing was adequate, deceased residents until U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, nursing homes around the
after complaints from staff but an extraordinary they can be picked up by a Democrat whose district country, leading to pres-
and family members to number of deaths over a funeral home has a nor- covers Andover Township, sure on federal health of-
law enforcement. the weekend had over- mal capacity of four, "with said he was notified over ficials to publicly track
The remains found at whelmed the facility's re- a maximum of 12," Schein- the weekend that the fa- COVID-19 infections and
the facility are among sources, a co-owner of baum wrote. cility was "desperate for deaths. In New Jersey,
68 deaths linked to the the home said in an email Police released a photo of body bags." He said he 471 residents of long-term
home, including residents Thursday. a box truck parked outside had received calls and care facilities had died
and two nurses, The New "The back up and after the home that was being emails from concerned through Wednesday, and
York Times reported, cit- hours holiday weekend is- used to store the bodies relatives. 358 of the state's 375 facili-
ing Danielson, other offi- sues, plus more than aver- after a hazmat team re- "One of my concerns is ties have reported positive
cials and county records age deaths, contributed moved them. that these facilities are cases, according to state
shared with a federal of- to the presence of more More than 100 residents not communicating in real health officials. q