For more than a decade, I’ve fought to make the case that “early learning” and childcare are at the very center of our state’s conversation around workforce – that is, the workforce of tomorrow. It’s during those early learning years when children develop, not only cognitively, but socially and emotionally – beginning to foster the “soft skills” of decision-making and behavior control that will no doubt be critical when one day entering the workforce... Read More

In early 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone into home confinement and home schooling, Chris and Geraldine Blakely decided to take action by helping first responders, friends and neighbors. They quickly involved their three children (12, nine and seven-years-old) and began the production of freshly home cooked meals leading to the creation of Blakely Backyard... Read More

Since being established as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act in March 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been the subject of additional stimulus bills, legal guidance and interim final rules. In the latest development, Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, which is a bill that provides borrowers with greater flexibility in spending PPP funds without compromising forgiveness eligibility. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on Friday, June 5, 2020... Read More