[caption id="attachment_326536" align="alignleft" width="150"]
COURTESY HOWLEY BREAD GROUP LTD.[/caption]
1. R.I. executive of Panera Bread franchisee laid off as coronavirus measures take toll on restaurants POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 18.
Bahjat Shariff, operating partner and senior vice president of operations at the Howley Bread Group Ltd., a franchisee operating 28 Panera Bread locations in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, was laid off as revenue declines steeply during the coronavirus pandemic. https://pbn.com/r-i-executive-of-panera-bread-franchisee-laid-off-as-coronavirus-measures-take-toll-on-restaurants
[caption id="attachment_326537" align="alignleft" width="150"]
PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO[/caption]
2. Hundreds more nonessential R.I. businesses ordered closed beginning March 30 POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 28.
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s order on March 28 called for closure of all noncritical retail establishments in the state effective March 30. The closures were done to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. https://pbn.com/hundreds-more-nonessential-r-i-businesses-ordered-closed-beginning-march-30
[caption id="attachment_326651" align="alignleft" width="150"]
PBN FILE PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM[/caption]
3. R.I. public schools closing; positive coronavirus cases rise POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 13.
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo on March 13 ordered all public schools closed for a week and said Rhode Island’s positive cases of the coronavirus have increased by nine, to a total of 14. The move was intended to allow the state to devise a better system for remote learning. https://pbn.com/r-i-public-schools-closing-confirmed-coronavirus-cases-up-to-14
[caption id="attachment_326539" align="alignleft" width="150"]
COURTESY BRYANT UNIVERSITY[/caption]
4. Local colleges addressing coronavirus threat POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 2.
As concerns over the coronavirus grow, several local colleges took steps to address the outbreak, including canceling or altering programming and limiting international travel during spring break. https://pbn.com/area-colleges-universities-addressing-coronavirus-situation
[caption id="attachment_326540" align="alignleft" width="150"]
COURTESY
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES ROCKY MOUNTAIN LABORATORIES VIA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS[/caption]
5. Closures continue around R.I. amid COVID-19 spread POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 16.
Closings due to the spread of the coronavirus and efforts to contain it continued through the second week of March, causing Gov. Gina M. Raimondo to announce that dine-in restaurant operations in the state would cease, effective March 17. https://pbn.com/closures-continue-around-r-i-amid-covid-19-spread
6. R.I. has 54 cases of COVID-19; Raimondo activates full National Guard POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 20.
https://pbn.com/r-i-has-54-cases-of-covid-19-raimondo-activates-full-national-guard
7. 2 new COVID-19 cases identified; R.I. businesses to receive assistance POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 17.
https://pbn.com/2-new-covid-19-cases-identified-r-i-businesses-to-receive-assistance
8. Block Island residents face stay-at-home order POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 26.
https://pbn.com/new-shoreham-declares-state-of-emergency-discourages-visitors-due-to-coronavirus
9. State to open coronavirus testing sites, working with CDC POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 5.
https://pbn.com/state-to-open-coronavirus-testing-sites-working-with-cdc
10. Lifespan announces layoffs, early retirements POSTED ONLINE: MARCH 12.
https://pbn.com/lifespan-announces-layoffs-early-retirements
