The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued stronger worker safety guidance to help employers and workers implement a coronavirus protection program and better identify risks which could lead to exposure and contraction. Last week, President Biden directed OSHA to release clear guidance for employers to help … [More]

Valley Metro and the city of Phoenix have launched the Small Business Financial Assistance Program (SBFAP), a one-year pilot to provide direct financial assistance to locally-owned, small businesses immediately adjacent to construction along the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub and Northwest Extension Phase II light rail construction corridors. “I'm excited for all the … [More]

Arizonans receiving the COVID-19 vaccine can now schedule their second dose appointment on-site during their first dose appointment at Arizona’s state-run vaccine sites. This process improvement will further streamline the experience at the state’s 24/7 State Farm Stadium site ‒ and as of Feb. 1 at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. “After standing up this site in just a matter of … [More]

Governor Doug Ducey issued an advisory to accelerate the statewide distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and move doses of vaccine to where they can be rapidly administered to the Arizonans. “The COVID-19 vaccination is our best shot at returning to life as it should be. Over the last two weeks, the COVID-19 vaccination site at State Farm Stadium has become a national model … [More]

The U.S. Small Business Administration is taking steps to improve the First Draw Paycheck Protection Program loan review so that small businesses have as much time as possible to access much needed PPP funds. The Biden-Harris Administration is focused on ensuring small businesses receive the support they need to keep their doors open and continue to employ millions of Americans … [More]

Governor Doug Ducey announced an additional $1 million for a statewide program aimed at helping Arizona restaurants and other dining establishments expand outdoor seating and limit the spread of COVID-19. “Restaurants throughout the state have expanded outdoor dining to welcome more customers while limiting the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Ducey. “We want to make sure … [More]

Almost 320,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Arizona, reflecting strong momentum over the past week in getting more vaccine into the community. “Vaccine distribution is accelerating in Arizona, especially with the addition of the State Farm Stadium vaccination site. Late last week, we celebrated passing 200,000 doses administered and now we’ve surpassed … [More]

More than 5,200 Arizonans will receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine every day next month at State Farm Stadium and Phoenix Municipal Stadium. “The nearly 150,000 appointments available in February for first doses have been booked at the two state-run COVID-19 vaccination sites,” said Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). … [More]

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced that it has approved approximately 60,000 PPP loan applications submitted by nearly 3,000 lenders, for over $5 billion, between the program’s re-opening on Monday, Jan. 11, at 9 a.m. ET through to Sunday, Jan. 17.   Last week, the PPP provided dedicated access to community financial institutions that specialize in serving … [More]

The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, has re-opened the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan portal to PPP-eligible lenders with $1 billion or less in assets for First and Second Draw applications. The portal is fully opened to all participating PPP lenders to submit First and Second Draw loan applications to SBA. Last … [More]

The number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Arizona has passed 200,000 as the state and counties collaborate to get more and more vaccine into the arms of prioritized individuals. “This is an exciting milestone for Arizona,” said Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). “Any dose that remains in storage remains a challenge to be … [More]

In the week ending January 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 965,000, an increase of 181,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 3,000 from 787,000 to 784,000. The 4-week moving average was 834,250, an increase of 18,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was … [More]

Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) today announced the launch of a second state vaccination site following the success of Arizona’s first 24/7 state vaccination site in Glendale. “Arizona’s vaccine site at State Farm Stadium has been a game changer,” said Governor Ducey. “This week has demonstrated Arizonans are ready for the COVID-19 … [More]

The U.S. Small Business Administration has already forgiven more than 1.1 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for over $100 billion, providing an extraordinary amount of critical relief to America’s small businesses just 3 months since the earliest PPP borrowers’ covered periods ended. “Today’s news is a key indicator that the PPP is working for all small … [More]

In a joint statement Monday, several influential business leadership organizations came together to urge our state legislators to act in the best interest of Arizonans and focus on recovery - not partisan politics - as we open the 55th Legislative session. In a statement released Monday, the leadership organizations made it clear that they support a strong effort to recover … [More]