PROTEST ON MAIN STREET… A small but sincere group gathered in front of an empty City Hall in downtown Hartford last Thursday to protest what organizer Jane Danger stated on social media as a message to the Governor “All Workers are Essential – Small Businesses Matter.” This comes in reaction to the most recent extension of the Governor’s Stay at Home order, keeping closed non-essential small business such as Hartford’s five hairstylists, massage parlor and two bars until at least May 28. The group wants all business open. (TCR photo by Jon Bisnett)

Hartford City Council OKs 1st recreational marijuana businesses in Tri-Cities

By Jon Bisnett In a roll-call vote Monday, May 11 Hartford City Commissioners gave unanimous approval to a revised ordinance which paves the way for sought-after duality of marijuana provisioning centers, growers, labs, secure transports and processing facilities to be able to obtain licensing for both “medical” and “recreational” cannabis at one location. Med+Leaf has been operating in downtown Hartford as the Tri-Cities first medical marijuana provisioning center since last fall and will now be free to pursue the final process with the State of Michigan to begin Adult Use (21+) Recreational Marijuana sales. Med+Leaf owner Doug Van Koenig was pleased with the decision. His company first began the process with the city in 2017.

THIS KUTE KID IS… Emberly “Emby” Kannon Tarantino. This little princess is almost two years old! Her siblings are Riley, Madison, Annibelle and Caelyn Cole and Sophia Tarantino. Patrick and Wendy Tarantino of Coloma are Emby’s proud parents. Her loving grandparents are Jan Moore, Kurt Riemland and Jackie Armstrong.

HHS awards $14,422,926 to expand COVID-19 testing in Michigan

(Press Release) On Thursday, May 7, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded $14,422,926 to 39 health centers in Michigan, to expand COVID-19 testing. Across the nation, nearly $583 million was awarded to 1,385 HRSA-funded health centers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and eight U.S. territories to support their testing capacity. Nearly 88 percent of HRSA-funded health centers report testing patients, with more than 65 percent offering walk-up or drive-up testing. Health centers are currently providing more than 100,000 weekly COVID-19 tests in their local communities. This funding for health centers is part of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, signed into law by President Trump on April 24. The legislation provides funding for small businesses and individuals financially affected by COVID-19, additional funding for hospitals and healthcare providers, and increased testing capabilities to help track the spread and impact of the coronavirus. “This new funding secured by President Trump will expand the work health centers are doing to test Americans for COVID-19,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “Widespread testing is a critical step in reopening America, and health centers are vital to making testing easily accessible, especially for underserved and minority populations. Further, because health centers can help notify contacts of patients who test positive, they will continue playing an important role in cooperating with state and local public health departments.” HRSA-funded health centers will use this funding to expand the range of testing and testing-related activities to best address the needs of their local communities, including the purchase of personal protective equipment; training for staff, outreach, procurement and administration of tests; laboratory services; notifying identified contacts of infected health center patients of their exposure to COVID-19; and the expansion of walk-up or drive-up testing capabilities.

Honor Credit Union is proud to support group donating face masks

(Press Release) Honor Credit Union is proud to support a local group of volunteers who have come together virtually to sew masks for the community with the donation of a $500 gift card for supplies. Retired nurse Chris VanDenburgh leads a growing virtual group of mask makers through a Facebook group called Making Face Masks Volunteers to help provide masks for healthcare and other frontline workers in Michigan.

The efforts began when VanDenburgh received a message from a nurse who asked if masks could be made for the nurses at Lakeland Hospital in St. Joseph, MI. VanDenburgh jumped to the occasion and purchased several yards of material and began making the masks that afternoon. Some of the organizations impacted through the donation of the face masks are Spectrum Health, Area Agency on Aging, Bronson Methodist Hospital, United Way of Southwest Michigan, and the Berrien County Health Department. Together they have donated 3,500 masks so far. These efforts are funded entirely by the volunteers of the group or through any donations received. VanDenburgh said the response to the Facebook group was overwhelming. “My phone rang so many times I hardly had time to sew!” he stated. “I was delighted! Some offered to cut materials, others offered to cut and sew, and others offered to donate fabric or asked if they could donate financially.” Honor Credit Union Talent Development Specialist Sarah Hess is a member of the group and is proud to have the backing of her organization. “Although most of the volunteers have never met in person, we have been able to communicate and become acquainted with each other through this humble act,” Hess commented. “This has been such a rewarding experience for me. I’m so proud of the difference this group has made and to work for an organization that supports me and helps to keep the group growing.”

What can investors learn from cyclists? May is National Bike Month. Of course, millions of Americans enjoy biking, so there’s reason to celebrate. But even if you’re not much of a rider, you can apply some of the guidelines and lessons of bicycling to other areas of your life – such as investing. Consider taking some of these ideas for a spin: Tune up your portfolio. When bicyclists tune up their bikes, they adjust their brakes, clean and lubricate the chain, tighten nuts and bolts, and check the tire pressure, among other tasks. Such a tune-up keeps their bikes running smoothly and reduces the chances for breakdowns. And by “tuning up” your investment portfolio, you can help it stay in line with your goals and risk tolerance, while also preparing it for a “breakdown” in the financial markets, in the form of sharp downturns. To tune up your portfolio, look for ways to increase diversification, which can help reduce the effects of volatility, and watch for investments that may have chronically under-performed or are no longer suitable for your risk tolerance. You might be better off selling these and using the proceeds to invest in new opportunities. Know when to shift gears. Bicyclists move into higher or lower gears in response to changing road conditions and elevations. As an investor, you, too, may need to “shift gears” or adjust your investment strategy when your personal financial environment changes. So, for example, in the years immediately preceding your retirement, you may want to move some – but certainly not all – of your investment dollars from growth-oriented vehicles to income-producing ones. That way, you can lock in some of the gains you may have achieved while lowering your portfolio’s overall risk level. This is important, because once you reach retirement and you need to start withdrawing from your retirement accounts – which essentially mean liquidating some of your investments – you don’t want to worry too much about having to sell when prices are down. However, keep in mind that, even during retirement, you’ll need some growth potential in your holdings to help yourself stay ahead of inflation. Protect yourself. Smart bicyclists always wear their helmets – they know that an unexpected bump in the road could cause a dangerous spill. And on the journey toward financial security for yourself and your family, you can also expect that some hard knocks could come your way – which is why you need the proper protection. To safeguard your family in case anything should happen to you, you must have the appropriate amount of life insurance. And to help ensure your financial independence – and avoid becoming a potential burden to your grown children – you may want to consider some type of long-term care coverage, which can help cover many of the costs of a lengthy nursing home stay. You could choose a long-term care insurance policy or a “hybrid” policy, which combines long-term care protection with the death benefit of traditional life insurance. A financial advisor can recommend the option that’s most suitable for your needs. You may want to observe National Bike Month by taking a few rides yourself. But in any case, making these cycling-inspired moves can help you keep rolling along toward your financial goals.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC. Edward Jones is a licensed insurance producer in all states and Washington, D.C., through Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. and in California, New Mexico and Massachusetts through Edward Jones Insurance Agency of California, L.L.C.; Edward Jones Insurance Agency of New Mexico, L.L.C.; and Edward Jones Insurance Agency of Massachusetts, L.L.C.