New lockdowns in Europe, a tenuous situation on Main Street and in the overall U.S. economy, a call for higher taxes on Connecticut’s wealthy, and the death of a Norwich economic development official are among the news items this morning.
Global
With COVID-19 cases on the rise in Europe, some leaders have been announcing new lockdowns with business restrictions as severe as those imposed at the start of the pandemic. In the United Kingdom, the BBC reports that a stay-at-home order is now in effect through mid-February. The Associated Press reports that Germany is extending a hard lockdown initially set to expire on Jan. 10.
National
The New York Times reports that the incoming Biden Administration faces economic challenges similar to those Biden encountered as Vice President in 2009, although there are many ways where the challenges are more daunting and where the economy is more stable.
In a feature article, the Wall Street Journal zeroes in on a 2.5-mile stretch of Main Street in Asheville, N.C., to highlight how the COVID-19 pandemic has been affecting small businesses.
Local
A coalition of labor leaders, progressive legislators, and activists is calling for higher taxes on Connecticut residents earning more than $1 million a year and corporations with a gross income above $100 million a year, saying it will create a more equitable tax structure in the state. The Hartford Business Journal reports on the effort.
A body matching the description of Jason Vincent, president of the Norwich Community Development Corporation, has been recovered from a West Virginia river, according to The Day. Vincent had been missing since Friday.
