How Mass. Companies Say They'll Start & Continue To Fight Racism

Also: Boston's Pine Street Inn secures hotel to control coronavirus spread; thousands of mail-in ballots have been rejected for tardiness ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Donate [WBUR]]( [View in Browser](  [WBUR]( July 13, 2020 Good Morning Boston, 🌩️ Warm and humid with [scattered showers and storms]( mainly this afternoon. Highs in the 80s. We know the coronavirus disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including homeless people. In preparation for another potential surge of cases in the fall, local advocates and leaders for the homeless community are taking steps to better prepare and protect this group this time around. Here's what you need to know: - Pine Street Inn, the largest homeless shelter in Boston, will [lease a hotel]( at 891 Massachusetts Ave. (most recently, it's been a Best Western Plus), near Boston Medical Center. The move is part of a plan to avoid shelter overcrowding. - Why is this an important part of the containment strategy? In early April, 36% of Pine Street Inn guests tested positive. Since moving to a Suffolk University dorm where residents were able to spread out, 2% of guests at Pine Street Inn recently tested positive. - ICYMI: The Boston Housing Authority is [extending its moratorium]( on "nonessential evictions" through the end of the year. - Reminder: The [deadline to file income taxes]( is this Wednesday. Hopefully you started this weekend so you don't have a few long nights ahead of you. But if you were someone who waited to file, even with the three-month extension, don't worry. You're not the only procrastinator. The IRS expects more than 155 million individual income tax filings this year and, at last count, the agency was roughly 13 million short. - Florida reported 15,299 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, marking the [largest single-day increase of any state]( since the start of the pandemic. P.S.– NPR published a really interesting article last week on [how safe sex communication skills apply to COVID-19 "social bubbles,"]( and it's something I'm still thinking about. They interviewed Ina Park, a doctor who treats people with sexually transmitted infections and is the author of a book about STIs, "Strange Bedfellows." She said that she's used to explaining to people that when you have sex with someone, you're essentially having sex with whoever else they're having sex with. These days, it's whoever you're breathing next to. I think the lessons learned and comparisons are not only super interesting, but also really useful for navigating tricky conversations with your friends and family about how their social decisions affect you. IMO, the piece is definitely worth a read. — Meagan McGinnes [@meaganmcginnes]( newsletters@wbur.org The Rundown [1.](url)['Keep The Momentum': How Mass. Companies Say They'll Start — And Continue — To Fight Racism]( After recent protests against police brutality, some local businesses are trying to take on racism — even within their own organizations. Companies are examining their workplaces, and how they can support Black communities and employees. [Read more.](   #%23%23[Twitter](  #%23%23[Facebook](    2. [Boston's Pine Street Inn Secures Hotel Building In Effort To Control Coronavirus]( One-hundred-eighty shelter guests currently staying in a Suffolk University dorm will move there. The men and women were transferred to the dorm starting in March as part of an effort to de-densify the shelter, which was overcrowded. [Read more.]( 3. [CDC Employees Call Out Agency's 'Toxic Culture Of Racial Aggression']( "We are hurt. We are angry. We are exhausted. And ultimately, we fear that, despite the global protests, little will be done to address the systemic racism we face each and every day." [Read more.]( 4. [Police: 2 Killed In Roxbury, Mattapan Shootings]( Boston police are investigating two shootings that occurred early Sunday morning in Roxbury and Mattapan, five miles apart. [Read more.]( 5. [Signed, Sealed, Undelivered: Thousands Of Mail-In Ballots Rejected For Tardiness]( An NPR analysis has found that in the primary elections held so far this year, at least 65,000 absentee or mail-in ballots have been rejected because they arrived past the deadline, often through no fault of the voter. [Read more.]( Support the news Anything Else? - As beach towns across the state reopen, some stores and restaurants are having a hard time keeping up with the rush of crowds. It's largely because these businesses are[short foreign workers.]( - Review: The documentary theater piece ["The Line"]( is a collection of seven stories gleaned from interviews with New York city health-care workers – and it's a gripping reminder of what first responders are going through. - I will never be the one with a bullhorn, leading the rally, writes Huma Farid [in this commentary](. That doesn’t mean that the only other alternative is silence that will uphold the status quo. [WBUR] Your Daily Must Listen [Radio Open Source | A Roadmap For Reparations]( [Listen]( REOPENING GUIDES & INFO [Massachusetts Art Museums Are Reopening. Here's What You Can Expect]( My Gym Is Reopening. Is It Safe To Work Out There? [Read more.]( Know Your Rights: What Your Employer Must Do To Keep You Safe As You Return To Work. [Read more.]( Go In Or Call In? Here's Some Basic Guidance For Routine Health Care During COVID-19. [Read more.]( 📫 Want reopening news from a source you trust, sent right to your inbox? [Sign up for our twice-a-week coronavirus newsletter.]( What We're Reading - We’ve Been Left To Fend For Ourselves ([The Cut]( - Say ‘Yes’ To The Dress Without Leaving Your House ([New York Times]( Tell Me Something Good [Man Treks 1,000 Miles From Alabama To Minnesota For 'Change, Justice And Equality']( More than one month after embarking on what he calls a march for "change, justice and equality," Terry Willis completed a 1,000-mile walk from his hometown of Huntsville, Ala., to the site of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis on Sunday. Before you go: Chris Evans [gets it.]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. 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