Thank you for highlighting the challenges facing so many of our local businesses. Please know that the Chamber is maintaining a list of essential business that are open - including restaurants, pharmacies, hardware stores and many others - on our website at chambermv.org. Please let us know if there are others that should be added.

[Post removed due to being in all-caps]

I had no idea Clarke's had closed. Anyone know if they owned the building? Is there a backstory here? Is the property being redeveloped or is it truly because of COVID19? Web Link

The article reports that the Hotel Strata, for example, went from packed to empty and dumped employees (for now). Online, I see that the hotel charged $265 for a night (in one room) - and has 58 rooms. The business loan or gift program established by the city, you report, has a $10,000 limit. Hotel Strata made that much each night. The owner(s) must be rolling in dough. It is the "furloughed" employees that may need help. And by the way, hotels may yet make money from the government during the pandemic - to quarantine victims. In a few months, some victims will have died - but not this highly profitable hotel. Donations for Hotel Strata's owner(s)? Really?

Gary,

I know we have had disagreements, but your statement here I cannot argue with.

There is a lot of truth there.

Clark's Burgers was a single restaurant that could seat no mere than 50 people at a time indoors.

I would think they actually owned the building and land given the length of time they existed, unless predatory lenders took advantage of it.

This City needs a major reality check, the current situation is not going to improve for a long time. Imagine that as much as 2 million new people lost their jobs in this state in just 1 week?

This is insane? We are donating money to people who charge me for goods and services? And Hotel Strata is an example? Do they sponsor Pony League or Little League or YMCA basketball? Do they sponsor Thursday Night Live or schools? Maybe I'm wrong but if you aren't giving back when times are good then don't come around when you times are lean.

Has Hotel Strata considered cutting a deal with El Camino Hospital to provide closer housing for healthcare workers who live far away and also need to isolate from their families? Other area hotels seem to be working on agreements like with El Camino. That would be a way to do some good, put the staff back to work, and get paid to some extent (depending on what the negotiated price is).