TOWN TOPICS
DOWNTOWNER Penske Dash car-sharing will leave the area on April 11.
Gliches in Payroll Loan Rollout BY PEGGY SA NDS The application process for the $349-billion federal relief program of forgivable loans for small businesses, mainly to cover employee payroll, opened on April 3. By the following Tuesday, it was variously described as “a free-for-all,” “a bureaucratic morass,” “total confusion” and “beset by a technically buggy rollout.” There were also signs that the funds, to be distributed through local banks, could be fully committed within days. Bank of America, alone, reported on Monday that it had received 178,000 applications seeking $32.9 billion, according to the Washington Post. As of April 7, the nation’s biggest banks had already committed 10 percent of the total. The Payroll Protection Program is part of the $2.2-trillion relief bill that Congress passed and the president signed into law in March. The payroll funds are being “shoveled” (as the Wall Street Journal put it) through the Small Business Administration, which normally grants about $30 billion in loans to some 60,000 businesses annually. The disaster relief program, 10 times bigger, is supposed to be distributed in a few weeks
through member banks. Initial glitches and difficulties can be expected in such a large and urgent nationwide program. The PPP paperwork has changed more than once, according to news reports. Many lenders have had problems signing up for new user accounts on the SBA’s platform, while banks with existing accounts have had issues unlocking them or resetting passwords. “It is imperative for small businesses in Georgetown to work with their banks and make the applications, which require a number of tax documents and other payroll validations, as soon as possible this week,” Joe Sternlieb, executive director of the Georgetown Business Improvement District, told The Georgetowner. “Best is that small businesses work through their own banks,” he said, adding that application forms can also be obtained at sba.gov by companies with fewer than 500 workers that were operation on or before Feb. 15. Sternlieb indicated that the BID might be able to offer technical help with grant applications later this week.
NEWS BYTES BY KAT E OCZ Y P OK
7-MONTH SENTENCE FOR GU PARENT
A California woman who paid nearly half a million dollars to get one of her daughters into Georgetown University was sentenced to seven months in prison. Elizabeth Henriquez, 57, tried to get her daughter admitted as a fake tennis recruit. Henriquez is the 16th parent to be sentenced in the “Varsity Blues” scandal, which also involved “Full House” star Lori Loughlin, her husband Mossimo Giannulli and their YouTube-famous daughters.
JAILED GEORGETOWN RABBI FREED EARLY
The Georgetown rabbi who secretly recorded dozens of women in a ritual bath was released from the D.C. jail last week. Prosecutors initially wanted 17 years for former Kesher Israel Rabbi Barry Freundel, who was given a six-and-a-half-year sentence and fined. However, due to the current public health emergency, and with time off for good behavior, Freundel ended up serving just short of five years.
THE HISTORIC GEORGETOWN
BY KATE OC ZYPOK
STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS IN EFFECT
The new stay-at-home orders in D.C., Maryland and Virginia give police more ability to enforce social-distancing rules. Disobeying these rules could result in fines or jail time. Businesses deemed “essential” — grocery stores, liquor stores, auto repair shops, etc. — will remain open. School districts are continuing to teach students through distance learning.
BETTING APP READY, BUT NO SPORTS
D.C. Lottery’s sports betting app, GambetDC, is ready after months of challenges. Unfortunately, due to coronavirus concerns, there are currently no professional sports taking place. The new platform was supposed to be available for the Nationals’ season opener on April 2. In the absence of sports, the launch of GambetDC will be postponed, as first reported by Washington City Paper.
2ND D.C. EMPLOYEE DIES FROM COVID-19
A man employed by the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation passed away last week due to COVID-19. Kenneth Moore, 52, was the second District employee to die from the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. He worked for the city for over 10 years, most recently assisting at-risk youth at the H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse on Indiana Avenue NW.
BUSINESS GUIDE
PENSKE DASH LEAVING D.C. AREA
Chances are, it was here so briefly that you may not have even heard the name. The short-lived Penske Dash, a car-share service featuring Volkswagen Jettas, will leave the area on April 11. The D.C. market first welcomed Penske Dash in October of 2019. It seems the company fell victim to the coronavirus-related financial woes affecting millions of Americans.
METRO SERVICE SCALED BACK
Metro has scaled back bus and rail service due to coronavirus-related restrictions. Multiple rail stations have been closed, including — to limit cherry blossom viewing — Smithsonian and Arlington Cemetery. Trains are running every 15 to 20 minutes (with greater frequency at stations served by more than one line). With the exception of disabled persons, bus riders are to board and exit at the rear of the bus. For details, visit wmata.com.
RESTAURANTS, ARTS VENUES ADAPT
For those who miss dining out, many D.C. restaurants are offering takeout or delivery options to stay afloat — and to help those stuck at home stay sane. Also, in the wake of coronavirus closures, performing arts venues are going virtual. For example, Folger Theatre’s 2008 production of “Macbeth,” set in the early 20th century and directed by Aaron Posner and Teller (of Penn & Teller), is now available on YouTube.
SUPPORT LOCAL FOR COVID-19
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APRIL 8, 2020
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