Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

• San Antonio City Council in Texas has unanimously voted to label terms including "Chinese virus" and "kung-fu virus" as hate speech.
• It was responding to a growth in racist and antisemitic incidents in the city, triggered by the coronavirus crisis.
• "Unfortunately, during times of crises, we do see the best of humanity and sometimes we also see the worst," said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. 
• Senator Ted Cruz called the decision "nuts," saying that the city council was "behaving like a lefty college faculty lounge." 
• It comes after Trump faced criticism for his use of the term "Chinese virus" at a White House Coronavirus Task Force press briefing.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The city of San Antonio in Texas has unanimously passed a resolution condemning the use of terms such as "Chinese virus" and "kung-fu virus" as hate speech.

It also encouraged residents to report "any such antisemitic, discriminatory or racist incidents" to the relevant authorities following several incidents in the city since the pandemic began, reports San Antonio's WOAI-TV.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Inside London during COVID-19 lockdown

See Also:

• Shanghai Disneyland cast members told to wear face masks and avoid guest contact ahead of next week's reopening as China emerges from pandemic
• Half of all Brooklynites are white, but 97.5% of the borough's social distancing arrests were of people of color
• Russia is fast becoming a coronavirus epicenter, with health workers still reporting PPE shortages. Putin is already thinking about reopening.

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

• The federal government on Saturday announced initial plans for distributing a promising coronavirus drug, remdesivir.
• The drug, manufactured by Gilead Sciences, was authorized for emergency use last week, but doctors and hospitals weren't sure how they were going to get it.
• The Department of Health and Human Services now say the drug is first being distributed to health departments in some hard-hit states, and the departments can distribute it to hospitals as they see fit. 
• Eventually, HHS expects the drug to be delivered to all 50 states, terrorities, the Veterans Health Administration and the Indian Health Service. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The federal government released its initial distribution plans today for the promising coronavirus drug, remdesivir, which was approved for emergency use last week. 

The drug, donated by manufacturer Gilead Sciences, "will be used to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients in areas of the country hardest hit by the pandemic," the US Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) said in a press release.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: How the Navy's largest hospital ship can help with the coronavirus

See Also:

• The coronavirus drug remdesivir was OK'd for emergency use a week ago. The plan to get it to patients is still mired in confusion.
• Dispensed: Hospitals are stuck waiting for a promising coronavirus treatment
• 'It's hard to pay off your medical school loans in this kind of a job': Doctors who can protect the world against pandemics are in short supply

Digital transformation has just begun.

Not a single industry is safe from the unstoppable wave of digitization that is sweeping through finance, retail, healthcare, and more.

In 2020, we expect to see even more transformative developments that will change our businesses, careers, and lives.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• GoBear has acquired AsiaKredit to drive growth through digital consumer lending
• US personal savings rate increases due to lowered spending amid social distancing
• RBS is shuttering its standalone digital bank Bó due to coronavirus fallout

Reuters

• House lawmakers on Friday demanded five large, publicly traded companies return the $10 million loans they received that were meant for small businesses. 
• Only one company, MiMedx, said it would return the $10 million Paycheck Protection Program loans.
• Just 48 public companies of the 387 that received PPP loans have returned the money. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

US representatives blasted five publicly traded companies for taking Paycheck Protection Program loans means for small businesses, leading at least one to return the money.

The House subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis sent letters] to MiMedx, Quantum, EVO Transportation & Energy Services, Gulf Island Fabrication, Universal Stainless, and Alloy Products on Friday demanding they return loans received from the treasury. MiMedx said late Friday it was repaying its $10 million loan.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Inside London during COVID-19 lockdown

See Also:

• 37 of the best graduation gifts you can give to upcoming high school or college grads
• The best Showtime TV shows of the last decade — and the worst
• Online learning is growing faster than ever — we compared 4 of the top platforms leading the way

Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images

• New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Saturday said at least three children have died in New York from a rare condition that's being linked to the coronavirus.
• The illness, called "pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome" has symptoms similar to the Kawasaki disease and toxic-shock syndrome, including fever, rash, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.
• Children in at least six European countries have also come down with similar symptoms recently.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Three children who had COVID-19 in New York are dead, after they developed rare heart issues that may be linked to the novel coronavirus. 

"The illness has taken the lives of three young New Yorkers," Governor Cuomo said at a news conference on Saturday. All three kids were under 10 years old. 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• The US military is barring anyone who was hospitalized due to COVID-19 from enlisting
• Almost 12,000 meatpacking and food plant workers have reportedly contracted COVID-19. At least 48 have died.
• New York's coronavirus outbreak was a 'primary gateway' for the disease's spread around the US, a researcher says

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued interim enforcement guidance to help combat supply shortages of disposable N95 facepiece respirators (N95 FFRs). This is the latest step to ensure availability of respirators. More information at the USDOL website.

This Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG) is intended to help small businesses comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Respiratory Protection standard (63 FR 1152; January 8, 1998). OSHA’s goal for this document is to provide small entities with a comprehensive step-by-step guide complete with checklists and commonly asked questions that will aid both employees and employers in small businesses with a better understanding of OSHA’s respiratory protection standard.

NECA is pleased to report that the U.S. Treasury Department released new guidance on April 7, 2020, clarifying that companies with under 500 employees do qualify for loans under the new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This change comes after association staff raised concerns with Congressional leaders and officials at the Small Business Administration and the Department of Treasury.

Meeting planning in the face of COVID-19 can be very stressful. None of us are in control and no one can predict what is going to happen moving forward. The most important thing is to be patient. Do not make rash decisions, weigh all of your options and contact NECA National Staff if you need absolutely anything. If you can, try and look at meetings 30 days at a time because the news is changing daily and this can make a difference with your contract clauses.

With many construction sites remaining operational during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is extremely important to maintain compliance with all social distancing guidelines and requirements. NECA developed recommendations that are specific to construction projects that continue to be operational. While these are fairly comprehensive, they are not all-inclusive. The needs of each site can vary. State or other local requirements can be more restrictive and would take precedent.

NECA is excited to announce the launch of the NECA Educational Advancement Resource Network (EARN), an initiative designed to facilitate relationships and learning between individuals in electrical construction firms and institutions of higher education.

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Electrical Contractors Association, David Long, issued a statement on being named to the Great American Economic Revival Industry Group for Construction/Labor/Workforce.

The recipients of the 2020 Recognition of Achievement in Safety Excellence and Recognition of Achievement in Zero Injury programs will be posted on the NECA Recognition of Safety Achievement Program website in the near future. There were 159 Recognition of Achievement in Safety Excellence and 90 Recognition of Achievement in Zero Injury winners for 2020. These recipients will each receive plaques commemorating their accomplishment and be recognized during a session at the 10th Annual NSPC in Chicago, IL later this year. Thank you to all the companies that submitted their applications and continue to strive for Safety Excellence and Zero Injuries in the Electrical Industry.

Now October 5-7, 2020 in Chicago, IL

NECA has made the difficult decision based on the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic to postpone the 10th Annual NECA Safety Professionals Conference (NSPC), originally scheduled to take place in May in Scottsdale, AZ. Instead, the conference will run concurrent with the NECA Convention and Trade Show in Chicago, IL, on October 5-7, 2020. Much of the original lineup and all the general sessions remains on the agenda. Please make plans to attend this 10th Annual Celebration of the NSPC. Visit https://www.necasafetyconference.com/ for up to date information. 

In light of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, OSHA understands that some employers may face difficulties complying with OSHA standards due to the ongoing health emergency. Business closures and other restrictions and limitations may also preclude employee participation in training even when trainers are available. In other situations, access to medical testing facilities may be limited or suspended.

The Treasury Department issued additional guidance (#43 on FAQ) on the Paycheck Protection Program. The Treasury department postponed the Safe Harbor repayment deadline to May 14, 2020, as requested by NECA.

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) has given its full endorsement to the 2020 edition of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America’s (MCAA) publication Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime—A Primer for the Construction Industry.

Coming off the All-Star break, the second half of the hockey season is in full swing and fans are anxiously wondering if their team will make it to the playoffs. At this point in the season, the playoffs are still… Read More

The post Managing a Professional Sports Team Like a Business appeared first on Anders CPAs.

The new Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction is an area of tax reform that may affect how some business owners structure their entities. This new deduction puts flow-through businesses on a level playing field with C Corporations. In its simplest… Read More

The post Tax Reform for Businesses: Qualified Business Income Deduction appeared first on Anders CPAs.

There has been a lot of buzz about tax reform changes and how they will affect companies in the coming tax years. Some of these changes include the reduction of the corporate and individual tax rates, the repeal of the… Read More

The post Tax Reform for Businesses: Tax Rates and AMT for C-Corporations appeared first on Anders CPAs.

To fill a void of relevant benchmarking data, Anders and our accounting association, the Leading Edge Alliance (LEA), have launched the third annual National Manufacturing Outlook Survey, and we are requesting participation. Created specifically for privately-held manufacturers, this is the… Read More

The post Anders and LEA Launch National Benchmarking Survey for Manufacturers appeared first on Anders CPAs.

More manufacturers may be exempt from the Uniform Capitalization (UNICAP) rules following tax reform. The UNICAP rules from Code Section 263A generally require that certain direct and indirect costs associated with real or tangible personal property manufactured by a business… Read More

The post Tax Reform for Manufacturers: UNICAP Exemption Changes appeared first on Anders CPAs.

The new revenue recognition standard includes important provisions that manufacturers need to be aware of. Effective 1/1/2019 for private companies with calendar year ends, the new standards will change the way manufacturing companies recognize revenue.
Variable Consideration
Manufacturing companies will… Read More

The post How the New Revenue Recognition Standard Will Impact Manufacturers appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Anders has teamed up with the Leading Edge Alliance (LEA) to jointly release the results from the 2019 LEA National Manufacturing Outlook Survey.
For the third year, more than 350 manufacturing executives participated in the survey from a variety of… Read More

The post National Manufacturing Outlook Survey Offers Look Ahead into 2019 appeared first on Anders CPAs.

EA credits its live game portfolio for an overall strong year, with COO and CFO Blake Jorgensen saying this latest report "[proves] the value of the live services path we†™ve been on." ...

Activision Blizzard had a solid Q1, so much so that the company has raised its forecasts for the full year as a result. ...

Working within a tight budget can cause some not-for-profit organizations to neglect their financial reporting. Office managers may be assigned to do the bookkeeping, but don’t have the time or expertise to do the technical accounting. Having accounting and financial… Read More

The post How Not-for-Profits Can Focus on the Mission, Not the Financials appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Mobile marketing platform AppLovin has made a undisclosed strategic investment in San Diego mobile studio Redemption Games.  ...

Finnish mobile studio Dazzle Rocks has secured $6.8 million in Series A funding to boost development on its unnamed social sandbox MMO. ...

Vivian Le is on a mission that requires equal parts science, philosophy, and daring, in search of something that’s been hotly contested for decades: the world's largest ball of twine.

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Twine

To help celebrate its 60th anniversary, the Guggenheim Museum teamed up with 99% Invisible to offer visitors a guided audio experience of the museum. Even if you've never been to the Guggenheim Museum, you probably recognize it. From the outside, the building is a light gray spiral, and from the inside, the art is displayed on one long ramp that curves up towards a glass skylight in the ceiling. We’re going to take the greatness of this building as a given. What we’re going to focus on are the oddities, the accretions, the interventions that reveal a different kind of genius. Not just the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright, and his bold, original vision, but the genius of all the people that made this building function, adapt, and grow over the decades.

Audio Guide to the Imperfections of a Perfect Masterpiece

A little-known bit of world history about a rag tag group of sailors stranded for years in the Suez Canal at the center of a war.

Great Bitter Lake Association

Galileo tried to teach us that adding more and more layers to a system intended to avert disaster often makes catastrophe all the more likely. His basic lesson has been ignored in nuclear power plants, financial markets and at the Oscars... all resulting in chaos. At the 2017 Academy Awards, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway famously handed the Best Picture Oscar to the wrong movie. In this episode of Cautionary Tales, Tim Harford takes us through all of the poor design choices leading into the infamous La La Land/Moonlight debacle, and how it could have been prevented.

Cautionary Tales

Subscribe to Cautionary Tales on Apple Podcasts

Tracking expenses is an important part of maximizing PPP loan forgiveness. Once you identify which expenses are eligible for PPP forgiveness, it’s time to start keeping track of these expenses and calculate your potential forgiveness amount. The Anders CARES Act Research and Response Team put together tracking tools you can use to make it easier...

The post Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Calculators appeared first on Anders CPA.

The St. Louis County Small Business Relief Program, (SBR), slated to award $17.5 million to small businesses, was recently announced by County Executive Sam Page. The grants make up about 10% of the $173.5 million in federal relief funds the county received from the CARES Act. The program will provide financial relief to small businesses...

The post $17.5 Million in Grants Available for St. Louis County Small Businesses appeared first on Anders CPA.

The Anders CARES Act Team, made up of Anders advisors across different departments of the firm, has teamed up with KSDK 5 on Your Side to answer questions from viewers about CARES Act benefits. From stimulus check updates to SBA loan eligibility, Anders will be answering questions individuals and businesses need to know. To submit...

The post Anders CARES Act Team Answers Viewer Questions on KSDK appeared first on Anders CPA.

What does returning to business look like in a post COVID-19 world? Join us on Thursday, May 14 at 10:00am CDT for a webinar discussing the state of the world after we reach the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ll learn about: Economic impact from COVID-19 Best practices for moving your business forward How to...

The post WEBINAR – The Great Viral Recession: Light at the End of the Tunnel? appeared first on Anders CPA.

NECA Legislative Update for the week of November 22, 2019

NECA's top three legislative items for the week of January 6, 2020.

NECA's legislative top three for the week of January 17, 2020

NECA Government Affairs top three for the week of February 7, 2020.

1. Hearing on Expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act

On Tuesday, February 11, 2020, the Workforce Protections Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss the issue of paid family leave. This hearing examined the different ways that the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) could be updated to best benefit employees, employers, and the American economy. Among suggested updates are expanding eligibilty under the FMLA, reducing exclusions, promoting tax cuts to businesses that provide paid leave, and increasing employee access to additional paid leave options.

NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA will continue to monitor this issue as different solutions to paid family and medical leave are presented, working with legislators to reduce the impact on the electrical construction industry. 

2. President Trump Releases Budget Proposal to Congress 

On March 11, 2019, President Donald Trump released his budget proposal to Congress, “A Budget for America’s Future”. The budget and detailed summaries are found here. 

NECA’s Look Ahead: The President’s budget in its current form will not be passed by Congress to become law. The budget is largely seen as a political document. Regarding government funding, the House is expected to introduce the twelve appropriations bills in Subcommittee by the end of April, with the full committee hearings expected in May. The goal is to pass the twelve bills through the House by July. The Senate is expected to pass their version in June.

3. Your Vote Counts!

The 2020 state primary elections are coming up, so be sure to make your vote count! NECA contractors are uniquely positioned to play an important part in our nation's electoral process. NECA is a diverse organization comprised of many voices and election day is your opportunity to make your voice heard.  

NECA’s Look Ahead: Be sure you are registered to vote in your state before election day and research the candidates on your ballot to see where they stand on issues important to you.