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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

Survey: Most Small Businesses Have Used Up PPP Loan Funds

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Thursday, August 6, 2020   

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The coronavirus pandemic has placed unprecedented stress on the country's small businesses, and with no end in sight, almost half of small-business owners recently surveyed said they anticipate needing additional financial support over the next six months.

The Paycheck Protection Program deadline is now Sat., Aug. 8, after Congress extended the deadline to allow more small-business owners to participate.

Kevin Kuhlman, vice president for federal government relations with the National Federation of Independent Business, said four out of five small-business owners already have applied for relief, and almost all them were granted loans.

"But, seven in 10 small-business owners have already extended all of that funding," Kuhlman said. "So, many are in the process of applying for forgiveness. That timeline begins on August 10th, and about half are looking for additional financial assistance in the next 12 months."

The survey found 21% of small-business owners have or anticipate having to lay off employees due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Arkansas is home to more than 247,000 small businesses, employing nearly 480,000 people, according to data from the federal Small Business Administration.

Kuhlman added on the positive side, almost half of small-business owners said they are nearly back to where they were in sales, and some have even surpassed pre-COVID profits. But he pointed out the uncertain nature of the pandemic means companies' situations could change overnight.

"But, they still face challenges, whether it's shutdown orders or stay-at-home orders, or constraints on some of the financial assistance that has been provided," Kuhlman said.

He said small businesses are an economic powerhouse for many communities, and believes their resistance to COVID-19 is vital for long-term economic health.

"Small businesses, pre-pandemic, provided almost half of the jobs," Kuhlman said. "They created two-thirds of all new jobs, and they provide about half of the GDP to the economy."

The HEALS Act, a fourth-round relief package backed by Senate Republicans, would allow small businesses to apply for a second forgivable paycheck protection loan, but only if they can show their revenue has decreased by at least 50% during the pandemic.


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