Priority Consideration Given to Restaurants/Bars Facing COVID-19 Mitigations
The heightened mitigations that take effect Friday in DuPage, Kane, Kankakee and Will Counties will present a significant hardship for many small business owners. These businesses will receive priority consideration for the latest round of Business Interruption Grants (BIG). Restaurants, bars, and other businesses that rely on large groups of patrons can now apply for $220 million in BIG funds. These are grants, not loans, so this money does not have to be paid back.
The grants are awarded through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and are part of a total package of $540 million in grants for small businesses, $270 million of which has been earmarked for childcare providers and is funded by the Federal CARES Act.
Businesses eligible for the program must have experienced extreme hardship, demonstrated by experiencing eligible costs or losses in excess of the grant amount since March. With this week’s announcement that restaurants and bars in DuPage, Kane, Kankakee and Will Counties will be closed for indoor seating, and public gatherings (including weddings, funerals, group celebrations, etc.) will be limited to 25% capacity or 25 people (whichever is lower), these grants are a critical lifeline for struggling businesses. I would encourage all businesses that will experience decreased business due to these new mitigations to apply for a grant as soon as possible. For more information or to apply for a BIG grant, visit: https://dceocovid19resources.com/for-businesses/aid-to-small-businesses/.
Expanded Early Voting Now Underway in Illinois
For the last 3 ½ weeks, early voting has been limited to county clerks’ offices, but this week additional early voting locations are opening throughout each county. For those living in the 42nd House District, there are several locations offering early voting between now and November 2. Times differ between locations, so please check dates and times for the location that is most convenient for you. Of course, you are always welcome to vote in person on Election Day, vote absentee, or vote using a vote by mail ballot. For DuPage County, click here to be directed to the county clerk’s voter information page, and click here to see a list of early voting locations in the county.