AUSTIN, TEXAS — Walgreens will introduce rapid testing services for COVID-19 across select parts of the state, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. The move comes as part of a larger effort to increase the number of people tested, and to do so with less aid and supervision from the federal government. Walgreens will also roll out this effort in six other states: Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana and Tennessee. Local ABC affiliate KVUE reports that test results will take about 15 minutes to process, and that each site may be able to test up to 3,000 people per day. Time frames for the rollout of these services and locations of testing sites were not specified. As of Thursday, April 9, the Texas Department of Health and Human Services had identified 9,353 cases of COVID-19 across the state with 177 fatalities.
HOUSTON — Camden Property Trust, a Houston-based multifamily developer and operator, has established a $5 million resident relief fund for renters experiencing financial hardships as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The fund is intended to help affected residents by providing financial assistance for living expenses such as food, utilities, medical expenses, insurance, childcare and/or transportation. Grants would be offered to Camden residents in good standing and not currently on notice to vacate. Financial assistance would be capped at $2,000 per apartment home.
NASHVILLE, TENN. — TC Restaurant Group has filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development to notify the agency of 411 employee layoffs stemming from closures due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Ohio-based company operates five honky-tonks in downtown Nashville, including Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar, Luke’s 32Bridge Food + Drink, Luigi’s City Pizza, Tequila Cowboy and FGL House. TC Restaurant Group says the employees were laid off in mid-March, when the company temporarily closed the doors to those establishments due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As of this writing, there have been 888 confirmed cases and nine deaths due to COVID-19 in Davidson County, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
DALLAS — Locally based developer Centurion American has provided rooms at The Statler Hotel in downtown Dallas for healthcare workers who are battling the COVID-19 pandemic. According to NBCDFW, Centurion American has designated two floors of the hotel for use by medical professionals from nearby hospitals, including Baylor Medical Center, Teas Health Presbyterian Hospital and Parkland Memorial Hospital. Centurion American is perhaps best known as the developer behind the repositioning of Collin Creek Mall in Plano.
DEERFIELD, ILL. — To provide greater access to COVID-19 testing and community resources, Deerfield-based Walgreens is working to expand drive-thru testing to 15 new sites in seven states. The locations include Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas. The testing sites will utilize Abbott’s new test, which delivers positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results within 13 minutes. The 15 locations are being finalized in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and are planned for select hot spot markets with escalating rates of COVID-19 cases. Walgreens plans to be able to test up to 3,000 people per day across these additional sites, which are expected to be activated beginning later this week. Testing will be at no cost to eligible individuals who meet criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SMYRNA, TENN. AND CANTON, MISS. — Nissan Group of North America will furlough 10,000, hourly manufacturing employees in its Tennessee and Mississippi plants. The decision comes on the heels of the Japanese automaker closing its manufacturing plants in Smyrna and Canton until at least the end of April due to the coronavirus pandemic. The plant in Smyrna is located 27 miles southeast of downtown Nashville. The plant produces 640,000 vehicles annually and employs 7,250 workers. The plant in Canton is located 22 miles north of Jackson. The plant produces 450,000 vehicles annually and employs 5,250 workers.
ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has extended temporary business closures due to COVID-19 through April 29. The governor’s order to temporarily close nonessential businesses and schools to limit the spread of the virus began on March 22. Essential businesses, including grocery stores and pharmacies, have remained open, though many operate with limited hours and other restrictions. Some construction will also continue, including projects for housing, medical facilities and homeless shelters. Essential infrastructure and manufacturing businesses including public utilities, transportation and agriculture, will also remain operational. As of April 5, the New York Department of Health had reported 130,689 confirmed cases of the virus in the state.
CINCINNATI — Kroger will limit the number of customers to 50 percent of the international building code’s calculated capacity to allow for proper social distancing in every store. The standard building capacity for a grocery store is one person per 60 square feet. Under Kroger’s new reduced capacity limits that begin today, April 7, the number will be one person per 120 square feet. Cincinnati-based Kroger will monitor the number of customers by using QueVision technology, which already provides a count of the customers entering and exiting stores. Kroger’s new customer capacity limits joins other measures the retailer has established over the last few weeks to promote social distancing, including the addition of plexiglass partitions and floor decals. Kroger is also encouraging associates to wear protective masks and gloves. All locations are expected to have these supplies by the end of the week.
DETROIT — The conversion of TCF Center in Detroit into a 1,000-bed field hospital is ahead of schedule and slated for completion by Wednesday April 8, according to the Detroit Free Press. Members of the Michigan National Guard assisted the Federal Emergency Management Agency with logistics support and inventory of equipment and supplies. The transformation of the convention center into a federal medical station is in effort to treat COVID-19 cases during a period of surge demand. On April 1, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order formally declaring a state of disaster. As of Monday, April 6, there were 17,221 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Michigan and 727 deaths.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Washington Prime Group, in partnership with the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship and members of the University of Chicago faculty, has launched the Open for Small Business initiative to address the unprecedented business closures resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. In order to address the issues small businesses face concerning near-term cash flow, Open for Small Business has provided a lease modification as well as other relevant templates that enable the deferral of payments until these local entrepreneurs get back on their feet. Open for Small Business is also hosting educational webinars about how to access U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed loans as well as public and nonprofit agency programs. Columbus-based retail REIT Washington Prime Group hosted its first webinar this past week and more than 300 small business owners participated. The IJ Clinic on Entrepreneurship provides free legal assistance, support and advocacy for low-income entrepreneurs in Chicago.