{"id":2455989,"date":"2020-03-18T23:12:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T05:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/"},"modified":"2020-03-19T08:55:41","modified_gmt":"2020-03-19T14:55:41","slug":"blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/","title":{"rendered":"Blind-sided Aspen area businesses seek answers through haze of COVID-19 responses"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.5921521997622\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-322942-260\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Karen Hawkes, center, sanitizes donated nonperishable items outside of Aspen Middle School during a food drive put on through Aspen Family Connections on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Boxes will be ready for pickup on Saturday. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.96969696969697\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12.606060606061\">\n<p><strong>Karen Hawkes, center, sanitizes donated nonperishable items outside of Aspen Middle School during a food drive put on through Aspen Family Connections on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Boxes will be ready for pickup on Saturday. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/aspentimes.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+AspenTimes.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/&amp;image=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-1024x682.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1.jpg\"><i class=\"fas fa-shopping-cart\"><\/i> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Karen Hawkes, center, sanitizes donated nonperishable items outside of Aspen Middle School during a food drive put on through Aspen Family Connections on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Boxes will be ready for pickup on Saturday. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Elizabeth Slossberg, left, and Lisa DiMento unload boxes of donated food from Bonnie\u2019s at the Aspen Middle School food drop-off on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.96120689655172\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12.495689655172\">\n<p><strong>Elizabeth Slossberg, left, and Lisa DiMento unload boxes of donated food from Bonnie\u2019s at the Aspen Middle School food drop-off on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/aspentimes.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+AspenTimes.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/&amp;image=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-1-1024x682.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-1.jpg\"><i class=\"fas fa-shopping-cart\"><\/i> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-1-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Elizabeth Slossberg, left, and Lisa DiMento unload boxes of donated food from Bonnie\u2019s at the Aspen Middle School food drop-off on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-2-1024x722.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Donated non-perishables are sorted inside of Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.47305389221557\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9.4610778443114\">\n<p><strong>Donated non-perishables are sorted inside of Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/aspentimes.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+AspenTimes.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/&amp;image=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-2-1024x722.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-2.jpg\"><i class=\"fas fa-shopping-cart\"><\/i> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-2-1024x722.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Donated non-perishables are sorted inside of Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-3-1024x778.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Lisa McGuire, left, and Mack Bailey sort donated nonperishable food items inside Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.95566502463054\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12.423645320197\">\n<p><strong>Lisa McGuire, left, and Mack Bailey sort donated nonperishable food items inside Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/aspentimes.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+AspenTimes.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/&amp;image=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-3-1024x778.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-3.jpg\"><i class=\"fas fa-shopping-cart\"><\/i> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-3-1024x778.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Lisa McGuire, left, and Mack Bailey sort donated nonperishable food items inside Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-4-1024x694.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Bundles of dog food were donated through Aspen Family Connections at the middle school on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.47619047619048\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9.5238095238095\">\n<p><strong>Bundles of dog food were donated through Aspen Family Connections at the middle school on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/aspentimes.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+AspenTimes.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/&amp;image=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-4-1024x694.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-4.jpg\"><i class=\"fas fa-shopping-cart\"><\/i> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-4-1024x694.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Bundles of dog food were donated through Aspen Family Connections at the middle school on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-5-1024x698.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Cars line up at the food drop-off table outside of Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.47398843930636\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9.4797687861272\">\n<p><strong>Cars line up at the food drop-off table outside of Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/aspentimes.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+AspenTimes.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/&amp;image=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-5-1024x698.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-5.jpg\"><i class=\"fas fa-shopping-cart\"><\/i> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-5-1024x698.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Cars line up at the food drop-off table outside of Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-6-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-6-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Prepared food packages are organized after being sanitized in Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.47554347826087\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9.5108695652174\">\n<p><strong>Prepared food packages are organized after being sanitized in Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/aspentimes.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+AspenTimes.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/&amp;image=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-6-1024x682.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-6.jpg\"><i class=\"fas fa-shopping-cart\"><\/i> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-6-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Prepared food packages are organized after being sanitized in Aspen Middle School on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-7-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-7-1024x732.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Mack Bailey walks into the middle school cafeteria during the Aspen Family Connection\u2019s food drive on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10.512315270936\">\n<p><strong>Mack Bailey walks into the middle school cafeteria during the Aspen Family Connection\u2019s food drive on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<br \/><a class=\"buy-link\" href=\"http:\/\/aspentimes.mycapture.com\/mycapture\/remoteimage.asp?backtext=Return+to+AspenTimes.com&amp;backurl=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/&amp;image=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-7-1024x732.jpg&amp;notes=https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-7.jpg\"><i class=\"fas fa-shopping-cart\"><\/i> Buy Photo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/coronabizpay-atd-031920-1-7-1024x732.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Mack Bailey walks into the middle school cafeteria during the Aspen Family Connection\u2019s food drive on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">As Aspen businesses blindsided by the coronavirus continued Wednesday to assess the damage that\u2019s been done so far by the economic impacts of coronavirus, they also are tasked with a future holding more questions than answers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cEverybody needs to help out,\u201d Rob Mobilian, who founded the upscale Pi\u00f1on\u2019s restaurant in 1988, said Wednesday. \u201cThe insurance companies, the landlords, everybody\u2019s gotta do their part and figure out something.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">On Tuesday morning, servers in Aspen\u2019s service industry woke up with at least one fewer job.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Gov. Jared Polis on Monday <a id=\"N0x1fc4680N0x2020f70:N0x1fc4680N0x1f2f5d8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/restaurants-bars-movie-theaters-in-aspen-and-statewide-closed-for-business\/\">ordered restaurants and bars to cease in-dining operations<\/a>, leaving them to only provide takeout and delivery service. The shutdown is in effect for 30 days.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">A number of restaurants up and down the Roaring Fork Valley are trying to grind it out with limited service, but the profit margins are much tighter on food than alcohol, which restaurants can\u2019t serve now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Other eatery owners, such as Wendy Harris, were closing shop indefinitely.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe\u2019re shutting down everything, we\u2019re powering down everything,\u201d said Harris, who owns New Belgium Ranger Station in the Snowmass Village Mall. \u201cI know we\u2019re supposed to stay put, and there may be people out there who need food or resources, but we\u2019re just going to shut down a month early\u201d before offseason takes hold in mid-April.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Harris said she told her employees to \u201cbe responsible, go home, go sit out your couch, go skiing, just shut it down and take advantage of this time to be creative. Everything is changing daily and it\u2019s so hard to chase the ball. I\u2019m not different than the government \u2014 everybody is trying to think through it and just stop and process it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">With the cash spigot turned off for service workers who depend on tips to pay their bills, they have been left scrambling for help and answers to get through the standstill.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMost restaurant employees live paycheck to paycheck, and they can go upside down in a hurry,\u201d said Debbie Braun, executive director of the Aspen Chamber Resort Association. \u201cAnd most restaurants are paycheck to paycheck. They are a tough business to work in and their margins are slim, especially in the various seasons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">ACRA has set up a coronavirus resource page for businesses and employees at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspenchamber.org\/COVID-19\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.aspenchamber.org\/COVID-19<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Included is a questionnaire asking employers how much revenue they expect to lose, what resources local chambers could provide them, and whether they plan to close, among other questions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe have agreed that we are all in this together,\u201d Braun said of the local business community, noting she understands landlords could be considering rent abatement of deferring lease payments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Then there are the workers without any work.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Jimmy\u2019s restaurant, which is doing take-out and delivery during the evening hours, is also offering 25% discounts on all meals, and \u201cfor anyone who doesn\u2019t need this discount, we will take the 25% and put it into a pool to support our employees through this disaster. We have committed to financially supporting the 10 families on our kitchen staff as best we can, and we are hoping for community support to accomplish this,\u201d said Jessica Lischka, general manager and partner of the Hopkins Avenue restaurant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The state labor department said 10,000 people filed for unemployment benefits Wednesday, after the system had to be taken down for maintenance after a rash of applications Monday and Tuesday, <a id=\"N0x1fc4680N0x2021090:N0x1fc4680N0x1f2fd28\" href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2020\/03\/17\/colorado-unemployment-filings-skyrocket-as-coronavirus-takes-its-toll-on-businesses\/\">The Denver Post reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI know that the unemployment insurance system is experiencing a high load of claims,\u201d Polis said in a media briefing Wednesday morning. \u201cThat website has been intermediate. People have gotten through; they have registered, but if you\u2019re experiencing trouble, I would encourage you to try it early in the morning or late at night when the load is lower.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">To file a claim, go to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.gov\/pacific\/cdle\/file-claim\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.colorado.gov\/pacific\/cdle\/file-claim<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Restaurant operators also have noticed that the fine print in their insurance policies doesn\u2019t bode well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Companies with commercial property insurance plans can see their business-interruption policies triggered so that \u201cit should cover lost profits and the company\u2019s expenses incurred during the slowdown (extra expense),\u201d noted attorney Arthur S. Garrett III in a piece The National Law Review <a id=\"N0x1fc4680N0x20210f0:N0x1fc4680N0x1f2fff8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.natlawreview.com\/article\/insurance-coverage-coronavirus-covid-19\">published online Wednesday.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Garrett, however, cautioned the policy can only be triggered \u201cif there is actual damage to the company\u2019s covered property (so-called \u2018direct physical loss\u2019). A person infected by COVID-19 inside of the company\u2019s property could be enough to trigger the policy. Many exclusions exist on the property policy and one to look out for is the mold\/bacteria\/virus exclusion, for obvious reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">It\u2019s that exclusion that has upset Mobilian and other restaurant owners such as Steve Humble of Free Range Kitchen and Wine Bar in Basalt.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">In their policies, they noted the exclusion applies to \u201cmold, fungus, bacteria, virus\u201d that \u201chas a function in, or is used by you in your business, operations, premises, site or location.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThey\u2019re denying us on a technicality,\u201d Humble said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Mobilian said his insurance company notified him last week the virus clause in his policy means his company is ineligible to collect lost earnings from the shutdown.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Humble\u2019s restaurant is open for takeout, but \u201cthe bottom line is we don\u2019t know if there is enough demand for that or if that is going to be sustainable. Are people going to tighten their belt?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Humble said he expects they will, but his insurance policy is useless in this instance, he said, noting he laid off most of his staff of 30 employees, with just limited kitchen staff on the payroll for the time being.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">On Tuesday, Polis requested low-interest emergency loans of up to $2 million from the U.S. Small Business Administration for 15 counties in Colorado. Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties were not among them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:rcarroll@aspentimes.com\">rcarroll@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/blind-sided-aspen-area-businesses-seek-answers-through-haze-of-covid-19-responses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Karen Hawkes, center, sanitizes donated nonperishable items outside of Aspen Middle School during a food drive put on through Aspen Family Connections on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Boxes will be ready for pickup on Saturday. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times Buy Photo Elizabeth Slossberg, left, and Lisa DiMento unload boxes of donated food [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2455989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-18 09:25:12","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2455989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2455989"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2455989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2456005,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2455989\/revisions\/2456005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2455989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2455989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2455989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}