The Quincy Sun Historic Quincy’s Hometown Weekly Newspaper Since 1968 VOL. 52 No. 29 Thursday, April 2, 2020 Online Edition Non-Essential Businesses Closed Until May 4 The Baker-Polito Ad- extended until May 4. Busi- • Adding health care pro- ministration Tuesday an- nesses and organizations viders like chiropractors and nounced several updates not on the list of essential optometrists related to the COVID-19 services are encouraged to • Expanding the types of outbreak including extend- continue operations through workers providing disinfec- ing the non-essential busi- remote means that do not tant and sanitation services ness emergency order and require workers, customers, Hotel/Motel Guidance: guidance for Executive or the public to enter or ap- As part of the updated es- Branch employees until pear at the brick-and-mortar sential business list, DPH May 4. premises closed by the or- issued new guidance today The Department of Pub- der. This order also prohib- around hotels, motels, inns, lic Health’s Stay-At-Home its gatherings of more than beds and breakfasts and Advisory remains in effect. 10 people until May 4th. other short-term residential The Administration also up- The Administration up- rentals. Based on this new dated the “COVID-19 Es- dated the “COVID-19 Es- guidance, hotels, motels, sential Services” categories sential Services” list Tues- and short-term rentals may for businesses and other day, which is based on only be used for efforts re- organizations that provide federal guidance that was lated to fighting COVID-19, essential services and work- updated earlier this week. like front line health workers forces related to COVID-19 The new list went into ef- or individuals, or for Massa- that are permitted to operate fect Wednesday (April 1), at chusetts residents who have brick and mortar facilities noon. While these business- been otherwise displaced during the emergency. es are designated as essen- from their residences. Essential Services Or- tial, they are urged to follow Stay at Home Advi- der: Governor Charlie social distancing protocols sory: Last week, Governor Baker’s emergency order for workers in accordance Charlie Baker directed DPH requiring that all businesses with guidance from the De- to issue a stay-at-home ad- and organizations that do partment of Public Health visory, and the Governor not provide “COVID-19 Es- (DPH). announced today that the sential Services” close their Some of the updates to advisory will remain in ef- physical workplaces and fa- the essential services list in- fect. Residents are advised PIPEFITTERS LOCAL 537 recently made donations of extra gloves, goggles, and face shields cilities to workers, custom- clude: to stay home and avoid un- to Manet Community Health Center for frontline workers fighting COVID-19. Here Local 537 Business Manager Tom Kerr drops off the donations. Photo Courtesy Joshua Wolfsun ers and the public will be • Clarity around the sup- necessary travel and other ply chain that supports other unnecessary person to per- essential services Cont’d On Page 4 7 Deaths, 105 Cases Here DA Morrissey Due Date For 4th Quarter Property Taxes Extended To June 1 By ROBERT BOSWORTH mark on Tuesday with 105 Statewide, there have Counties with the highest Responds To Seven residents have presumptive and confirmed. been 89 deaths attributed to number of reported coro- passed away from complica- The city also reported COVID-19 and 6,620 cases navirus cases are Suffolk tions due to the COVID-19 Tuesday that 28 residents as of Tuesday. The death toll which includes the City of COVID-19 Threat virus and the number of with symptoms of COV- from the virus increased by Boston with 1,373, Middle- Norfolk District Attorney issue or age-related risk fac- presumptive and confirmed ID-19 have recovered from 33 in one day according to sex (1,340) and Norfolk Michael W. Morrissey has tor. “We have been able to cases surpassed the 100 the virus. the state. (738). been actively working to de- agree to more than 70% of Cont’d On Page 8 crease the number of people the cases brought forward,” being taken into custody and Morrissey said. “We have releasing medically frag- seen stalking matters and ile defendants in response cases where there would be to the threat of COVID-19 an unacceptable threat to a transmission in penal insti- victim, and those we have tutions. asked the court to consider “The first thing I did was more closely.” reach out to my 27 police Morrissey said he has chiefs to ask that, wherever been disappointed in the possible, they avoid arrest- slow pace of cases being ing on new charges and in- brought forward. stead summons defendants “We have the judges and to court at a future date assistant district attorneys when the threat of transmis- in place in our courthouses sion has abated,” Morrissey to be handling at least two said. “The result has been a or three times as many pe- marked decrease in the mat- titions as we are seeing per ters being brought in for day,” Morrissey said. “To arraignment, and I am very that end, we have estab- thankful to the chiefs for lished a hotline number and their cooperation.” email address and sent it Morrissey has also been out to all of the relevant bar asking defense attorneys associations asking them with clients who are being to bring these matters for- held on bail for non-violent ward.” crimes to bring those cases The high degree of com- forward for review – par- municability of COVID-19’ ticularly if the defendant plus the necessarily close has an underlying medical Cont’d On Page 3 Page 2 The Quincy Sun Thursday, April 2, 2020 State Treasury Agencies Continue To Serve The Public The Massachusetts State Treasurer’s Office consists of lived in Massachusetts before entering the military and The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust (CWT): several agencies and departments that serve people across served during wartime. The CWT is continuing to fund water infrastructure proj- the Commonwealth every day. With the uncertainty of CO- For more information please visit: https://www.mass. ects for municipalities and other eligible entities. VID-19 and the need for social distancing, Treasurer Debo- gov/forms/veterans-bonus-inquiry. As future projects go out to bid, the Trust is working with rah Goldberg and her nearly 750 Treasury employees are To apply online, please visit: www.vetsbonusma.com communities to navigate any uncertainty on a case by case working hard to provide critical services remotely, without For questions, please email: [email protected]. basis. The Trust is fully operational and is available to assist compromising the important work of the office. ma.us communities as issues arise. “The Treasury has taken action to reduce the risk of The Massachusetts State Retirement Board (MSRB): To reach the CWT, please call 617-367-9333 ext 508 COVID-19 to our employees and the public,” said State The State Retirement Board staff continues to ensure that Massachusetts Debt & Cash Management: Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, “The steps and procedures all pension benefits are paid in a timely manner and are all Massachusetts Debt and Cash Management are fully op- that have been put into place have allowed our employees to set to pay out the March pension payments on 3/31. erational. work remotely while still being able to assist the public with The MSRB posted an alert on their website with infor- Cash management is ensuring payments are being made any Treasury needs they may have.” mation for members. You can view it here: https://www. to vendors, employees, and retirees in addition to assisting For information on specific departments, please refer- mass.gov/alerts/msrb-special-announcement-update- with expediting payments for much needed supplies. ence the department updates and contact information listed 3202020#undefined. Office of Economic Empowerment (OEE): below. For any general Treasury related matters, please visit To reach the MSRB Main (Call center team), please OEE continues to support, advocate, and facilitate poli- mass.gov/treasury or call 617-367-9333 ext. 243. email: [email protected] cies that support and empower all Massachusetts residents. Alcohol Beverage Control Commission (ABCC): To reach Communications, please email: MSRBCom- Available Digital Tools: The ABCC is working to assist alcoholic beverage li- [email protected] OEE has created a resource page for families who might censees across the state with a variety of needs they are fac- To reach Survivor Benefits, please visit: survivorben- be experiencing lifestyle and income changes amid the ing at this time. The ABCC has temporarily postponed all [email protected] COVID-19 outbreak. https://www.mass.gov/ma-financial- public meetings. To reach Buyback (Service Purchases): Buyback@tre. resources-for-covid-19. As a result of challenges posed by COVID-19, the ABCC state.ma.us They are working on fast-tracking digital expansion ef- has issued an order granting hardship relief for all sec. 12 Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA): forts originally planned for early summer 2020, including a licensees on invoices issued on or after January 18, 2020, The MSBA continues to serve communities, school dis- partnership with Everfi digital financial education. https:// extending the delinquency reporting period from (30) days tricts, and constituents throughout the state. masstreasury.everfi-next.net/welcome/myfinanciallife to a total of ninety (90) days. The MSBA has recently moved the deadline for the Core Workshops: For more information on COVID-19 ABCC Advisory Statement of Interest applications to May 6, 2020. OEE is hosting senior scam and fraud prevention work- Information, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/service- Public meetings going forward will be held remotely.