CARES ACT

A 34-year-old man was charged with one count of wire fraud after being accused of filing a fraudulent loan application in 2020.

A bipartisan bill to raise asset limits for SSI beneficiaries could be the first step in updating the outdated federal benefits program, Sen. Sherrod Brown said.

Senior Trump officials, "potentially including the president," helped get the loan approved, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis said.

Some Covid tax relief has expired for the 2021 income tax filing season, but not all, and Main Street has been spared Build Back Better tax proposals.

Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) questions Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Federal Reserve Chairman Powell during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on the CARES Act, at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC, September 28, 2021. Sen. Sherrod Brown, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, said Tuesday afternoon that the committee will delay its votes on five of President Joe Biden's nominees to the Federal Reserve. This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

The U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance Monday to reduce the number of households asked to repay pandemic-era jobless benefits paid in error.

The central bank's two-day meeting ends Wednesday, where it is expected to give more clues as to when it will hike rates and begin shrinking the balance sheet.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina woman has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for fraud relating to $1.2 million in coronavirus relief funds. “The Defendant in this case not only stole from the federal government and engaged in tax fraud, but she prevented funds from reaching the hands of those who needed it the most." She will also have to pay more than $1 million in restitution for her CARES Act-related fraud and $13,865 in restitution to the IRS due to her tax fraud, the television station reported. More coronavirus pandemic coverage:>> Coronavirus: How long between exposure to the virus and the start of symptoms? This tool will tell you>> How to not let coronavirus pandemic fatigue set in, battle back if it does©2022 Cox Media Group

The nation’s top financial regulators told Congress Friday, Dec. 17, that threats to financial stability remain elevated even though the country has recovered from the worst economic shocks stemming from the COVID pandemic. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool via AP, File) (Kevin Dietsch)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The nation's top financial regulators told Congress Friday that threats to U.S. financial stability remain elevated even though the country has recovered from what appears to be the worst economic shocks from the pandemic. The council was created by Congress in 2010 to address gaps in coordination among financial regulators that were exposed by the 2008 financial crisis. While there have been improvements, Yellen said the council still found risks to financial stability were elevated compared with the period before the pandemic. As part of the response to climate change, on Friday the council approved the creation of an inter-agency working group to monitor climate change risks.

The nation’s top financial regulators told Congress Friday that threats to financial stability remain elevated even though the country has recovered from the worst economic shocks stemming from the COVID pandemic.

One survey found that 89% of student loan borrowers who work full time say they are not ready for federal student loan payments to resume.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell return to Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell believes that the omicron variant of Covid-19 and a recent rise in coronavirus cases pose a threat to the U.S. economy.

Dear Fed Chair Jerome Powell,While I understand that inflation is currently running well above the Fed's most lofty expectations, please don't listen to those who are comparing this "inflation" to price increases of prior economic cycles. At a cycle's peak, it's not unusual for both goods and service producers to operate at 100% of available capacity. In the case of paper, liner-board and container companies, along with chemical firms, they run in excess of 100% capacity and still can't keep pace with rising demand. Auto sales are running at about a 13.4 million unit annual rate, well below the 17 million units sold in peak times. Further, the undersupply of housing units, both single and multi-family, is pushing prices to record levels just as the millennial generation in entering the family formation years.

President Joe Biden didn't say if he planned to renominate current chair, Jerome Powell.

The Federal Reserve is likely to step away from a historic level of economic support and into a new regime.

Powell is defending the ultra-low interest rate policies he has pursued since the pandemic decimated the economy more than 18 months ago. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool via AP) (Kevin Dietsch)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Federal Reserve officials agreed at their last meeting that if the economy continued to improve, they could start reducing their monthly bond purchases as soon as next month and bring them to an end by the middle of 2022. Fed officials also said that the taper itself could begin in the middle of November or December. The bond purchases are intended to spur more borrowing and spending by keeping longer-term interest rates low. The ongoing price gains have raised pressure on the Fed to dial-back its low-interest rate policies.

Federal Reserve officials agreed at their last meeting that if the economy continued to improve, they could start reducing their monthly bond purchases as soon as next month and bring them to an end by the middle of 2022.

Yellow Corporation, previously known as YRC Worldwide, received a $700 million loan from a Treasury Department program meant for businesses crucial to national security. Members of a congressional oversight committee are skeptical.

Congress faces an Oct. 18 deadline to extend the debt ceiling. Here's what that could mean for Social Security checks if that does not happen.

For many progressives and immigration advocates, one of the top goals of the $3.5 trillion bill has been to include a chance for permanent residence, and potentially citizenship, for millions of immigrants. Because of that blockade, Democrats have tried including their immigration provisions in the $3.5 trillion measure because it has special protections that prevent Republicans from using filibusters to kill it. Menendez and others said they would submit fresh immigration alternatives to MacDonough. Menendez said if Congress can’t help immigrants remain in the U.S., he will oppose future immigration changes that help businesses. Asked if other senators shared that view, Menendez said, “In a 50-50 Senate, that’s the only opinion that matters.”Democrats’ most recent rejected plan involved changing the 1929 Registry Act.

The Senate parliamentarian has told Democrats that their newest proposal for helping millions of immigrants stay in the U.S. permanently could not be included in their $3.5 trillion social and environment bill.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is defending the ultra-low interest rate policies he has pursued since the pandemic decimated the economy more than 18 months ago.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell still expects inflation to ease eventually, but said he sees the current pressures running into 2022.

Senate CARES Act Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen appears before a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on the CARES Act on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021 in Washington. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post via AP, Pool) (Matt McClain)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says that President Joe Biden's spending proposals will address long-overdue U.S. infrastructure needs and prepare the country to meet future challenges. She also urged support for a $1 trillion bipartisan bill to address more traditional infrastructure, such as roads and bridges . “The investments in the president's agenda would be a sweeping overhaul of our national infrastructure," Yellen said. “Over the course of American history, we have seen inflection points where policymakers had the courage to think big and act big to address longstanding flaws in the prevailing economic landscape,” Yellen said.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says that President Joe Biden’s spending proposals represent will address long-overdue U.S. infrastructure needs and prepare the country to meet future challenges.

In the course of the scheme, Marnell obtained seven PPP loans totaling just under $9 million from financial institutions for corporations he controlled. To obtain the loans, Marnell submitted fraudulent loan applications that made numerous false and misleading statements about the companies’ business operations and payroll expenses. Once the loans were funded, Marnell transferred millions of dollars from the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds to his brokerage accounts to make risky stock market bets. Marnell also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulently obtained loan proceeds at various gambling establishments. The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Office of Inspector General, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General investigated this case.

"I understand the system, but it's not fair to our families to have this pending over their heads," one inmate said.

The charitable tax deduction for 2021 may be less generous than the 2020 write-off for some filers, according to tax experts. Here's what donors need to know.

The CARES Act prohibited the Education Dept. from withholding wages for federal student loan borrowers who couldn't pay during the pandemic.

Three jobless aid programs created in the March 2020 CARES Act are set to expire on September 6.

Unemployment-benefit filings are still double prepandemic levels. The RAND economist Kathryn Anne Edwards said it all changed after Trump's stimulus.

In the applications, Benlevi allegedly sought a total of $27 million in forgivable PPP loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The indictment alleges that based on Benlevi’s fraudulent loan applications, three of Benlevi’s companies — 1Stellar Health LLC, Bestways2 Health LLC, and Joyous-Health4U LLC — obtained $3 million in PPP funds. The Fraud Section leads the department’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. In the months since the PPP began, Fraud Section attorneys have prosecuted more than 100 defendants in more than 70 criminal cases. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities.

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — In Seminole County, 6,500 residents received assistance between the Cares Act and Emergency Rental Assistance. Seminole County said residents are eligible to receive up to $1.6 million in federal funds. Margo Stuckey Crenan from Lake Mary is one of the 45,00 residents in Seminole County who may qualify for government assistance. With $1.6 million available for mortgage assistance and $4 million still remaining in rental assistance for low-income households, Seminole County opened the mortgage and rental assistance office in Lake Mary to help residents in need. “We have staff here who will help every person upload and scan their documents,” said Director of Seminole County Community Services Allison Thall.

Price said she got about $5,800 in rental assistance but that may not prevent her from losing her home. Bartley, of Durham, North Carolina, turned to the state's rental assistance program and was relieved in January to be awarded $8,100. There were too many people who needed rental assistance,” said Pamela Atwood, director of housing policy at the North Carolina Housing Coalition. New York ended up spending only $47.5 million of the $100 million promised for rental assistance. Price received rental assistance from the Ark, a nonprofit administering funds from the CARES Act on behalf of the city of Athens, but the assistance ended earlier this year.

A rental crisis spurred by the pandemic prompted many states to make bold promises to help renters, but most failed to deliver on them after Congress passed the sweeping CARES Act in March 2020.

SANFORD, Fla. — A Central Florida man is accused of stealing nearly $1 million in CARES Act money meant to help struggling businesses during the pandemic. READ: Frustrations continue with Florida’s unemployment websiteDevron Brown, 50, formed his business, Just Us Construction, Inc., in Philadelphia more than a decade ago. He filed for money through the Paycheck Protection Program, part of the CARES Act to help those in need during the pandemic. READ: Tropical Storm Danny forms off South Carolina coastFederal investigators said Brown made false claims that he had 25 employees and received nearly $1 million in PPP money. READ: Challenge coins being collected for Daytona Beach police officer shot in the head on duty©2021 Cox Media Group

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that hundreds of millions of dollars in coronavirus relief money tied up in court should benefit Alaska Natives rather than be spread more broadly among Native American tribes around the U.S. The justices ruled 6-3 in the case, which involved the massive pandemic relief package passed last year and signed into law by then-President Donald Trump.

First-time applicants and those reaching underserved communities are encouraged to apply.

Respondents forecast the first major change be to reduce its $120 billion in monthly asset purchases in January 2022.

The Labor Department determined it doesn't have the legal authority to stop states from ending unemployment benefits through federal programs, an official said.

The Boston Herald cited IRS records showing 1.2 million people either refused to accept, paid back, or didn't cash the initial $1,200 stimulus check.

Texas lawmakers have passed a bill that would allow residents to carry handguns without a licence, background check, or training – sending the legislation to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk to sign. This measure has been long sought out by conservative gun owners, despite previous objections from law enforcement and gun control groups about the risk this new legislation could pose to the public. Mr Abbott has already indicated that he would sign the bill once it reached his desk.

An official told CBS News the federal government paying the benefits to some unemployed Americans directly is "pretty much off the table."

Former Trump administration officials feel shocked and betrayed after discovering they owe the federal government thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes.

The Navajo Nation has by far the largest land mass of any Native American tribe in the country. The figure surpasses the Cherokee Nation's enrollment of 392,000. The Oklahoma tribe has been receiving about 200 more applications per month from potential enrollees, leaving Navajo's position at the top unstable.

Early-learning centers facing shortage of qualified workers While Cares Act funds provided critical help, the allotment barely covered one month of staffing expenses. (WFTV)ORNAGE COUNTY, Fla. — During the pandemic, many child care centers were cleared to stay open. Many workers were deemed “essential” and thus remained on the job. Now, as vaccines become more widespread, those same centers are seeing an unprecedented shortage of workers. The coalition is now working on the state level to craft a campaign to attract people interested in filling those roles.

A Georgia man was accused Tuesday in a federal indictment of filing fraudulent coronavirus-related unemployment claims from his former home in south suburban Homewood.

Around a dozen Republican-led states are exiting federal unemployment programs a few months early. There may be a workaround for some recipients.

Eligible businesses could see a significant tax break for 2020 and 2021 by claiming the employee retention credit. Here's what to know.

Nearly 5,000 inmates may be sent back to prison. After rebuilding their lives, and being contributing members of society, how is being returned justice?

A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today for his role in fraudulently obtaining over $600,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to court documents, Stephen Smith, 42, of Milwaukee, admitted that he fraudulently sought, on behalf of three different companies, over $600,000 in PPP loans through applications to an insured financial institution. Trial Attorneys Laura Connelly and Leslie S. Garthwaite of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Ingraham of the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Justice Department's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act. In the months since the CARES Act was passed, Fraud Section attorneys have prosecuted more than 100 defendants in more than 70 criminal cases.

If you withdrew money from your 401(k) or IRA for reasons related to Covid, you're required to include at least a portion of taxes due on your 2020 return.

This tax season you can claim a recovery rebate credit for missing stimulus check funds. Here's how the IRS will sign off on how much you may receive.

Drew Angerer | AFP | Getty ImagesTreasury yields flared on Thursday as bond market players grappled with the Federal Reserve's willingness to allow inflation to heat up. The 10-year Treasury yield shot up from 1.64% late Wednesday to 1.75% Thursday, a 14-month high. The bond market barely moved Wednesday afternoon, after the Fed issued its 2 p.m. "We're coming to understand it means higher growth and higher inflation in the longer run, which means higher interest rates." Choppiness in the stock market as yields riseSo far, the stock market has reacted to the rate rise with choppy moves up and down.

Grigoryan, Hayrapetyan, and Paronyan were each also charged with 11 counts of wire fraud and eight counts of bank fraud. Vahe Dadyan was charged with six counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and one count of money laundering. Richard Ayvazyan is charged with five counts of money laundering, and Tamara Dadyan is charged with one count of attempted bank fraud. EIDL proceeds can be used to cover a wide array of working capital and normal operating expenses, such as continuation of health care benefits, rent, utilities, and fixed-debt payments. The Fraud Section leads the Department of Justice’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the CARES Act.

When asked about how the county would spend the money, Preckwinkle said there will be a similar flurry of assistance programs for small businesses, affordable housing and other COVID-19 recovery initiatives as seen last year from CARES Act funding. Cook County Health, which runs two safety-net hospitals in Chicago as well as CountyCare, the county’s Medicaid expansion program, also stands to benefit. Finally, cities, townships and villages with under 50,000 residents also will get some of that $998 million, as the act only provides direct support to larger municipalities.

Ebony Chaney, 34, of Lake Wales - Charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, obtaining property by fraud, grand theft and cheating/gross fraud. Phyllis Tirado, 49, of Lake Wales - Charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, obtaining property by fraud and cheating/gross fraud. Takila McBurrows, 36, of Lake Wales - Charged with obtaining property by fraud, grand theft and criminal use of personal ID. AdTashai Newman, 43, of Winter Haven - Charged with obtaining property by fraud, grand theft and criminal use of personal ID. Derrick Dawsey, 50, of Lake Wales - Charged with obtaining property by fraud, grand theft and criminal use of personal ID.

ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 has told countless stories of workers who were either furloughed or laid off due to the coronavirus pandemic and are now trying to make ends meet. Now, some of those workers are getting ready to get back into the workforce thanks to the CARES Act Blueprint 2.0 job training program started by the city of Orlando in partnership with Orange County. More than 50 students are graduating from the program Wednesday and all of them were adversely affected by COVID-19. “I never [experienced] anything like that before, and it was to the point where in my mind I didn’t know what to do,” said Clint Cuyler, a graduate of the job training program. The students gained specialized training and even got a stipend over the weekslong program.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County officials are preparing to start administering doses of coronavirus vaccines. “Our vaccination is going to take place at the Orange Convention Center,” Dr. Pino said. County officials said the Department of Health has trained and certified nearly 50 paramedics across the county in preparation for the vaccine. As the logistical dance of details takes shape Dr. Pino said the county can expect to receive a shipment next week. Dr. Pino said the next priority group will be emergency workers, law enforcement, and health department workers.

ORLANDO, Fla. – The cold air is moving into Central Florida Thursday night. By 10 a.m. Friday the temps will be warming with full sunshine on the way. But the high will only make it back to about 61 degrees in Orlando. Saturday will turn much warmer, we will almost be back to normal with a high of 71 degrees. Sunday we will hit a high 74 degrees with a slight chance of a coastal shower.

Now, Republicans are motivated chiefly to extend business subsidies and some jobless benefits, and provide money for schools and vaccines. The urgency was underscored Thursday by the weekly unemployment numbers, which revealed that 885,000 people applied for jobless benefits last week, the highest weekly total since September. Some Democrats also mourned the exclusion of a $500 million aid package to help states run their elections. The emerging package would combine the $900 billion in COVID-19 relief with a $1.4 trillion government-wide funding bill. That measure, combined with an assortment of other health policy provisions, generates savings for federal funding for community health centers.

WASHINGTON – Congressional negotiators closed in Wednesday on a $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package that would deliver additional help to businesses, $300 per week jobless checks, and $600 stimulus payments to most Americans. But lawmakers briefed on the outlines of the aid bill freely shared them. President-elect Joe Biden is eager for an aid package to prop up the economy and deliver direct aid to the jobless and hungry, even though the package falls short of what Democrats want. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, favored aid to states and localities instead of another round of stimulus payments. With Congress otherwise getting ready to close up shop, lawmakers are eager to use the relief package to carry other unfinished business.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County is reopening its portal for families and individuals to apply for federal CARES Act funds this week for what will likely be the last time, according to Mayor Jerry Demings. That means your opportunity to apply for our Orange CARES Individual and Family Assistance Program is coming to an end,” Demings said. County officials said they will allocate approximately $2 million in remaining funding to approved applications in the order they are received. The county received $243.2 million in CARES Act, or coronavirus relief, funding this spring and set aside $60 million to help families and $72.9 million to help businesses through grants. Application deadline: Wednesday, Dec. 16. pic.twitter.com/lHkLaIsuLC — Orange County FL (@OrangeCoFL) December 11, 2020To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6′s coronavirus newsletter and go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County’s portal for families and individuals to apply for federal CARES Act funds reopened Tuesday morning for what could be the last time, according to Mayor Jerry Demings. Perhaps, this may be the final time the portal will open,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said at a Friday news conference. The amount of CARES Act money the county has left and how many applications are processed and approved will determine whether the portal can be reopened. 🍊Orange County's CARES Act for Individual & Families is still open. Direct link: https://t.co/OpSJjGWZMZ — Orange County FL (@OrangeCoFL) December 8, 2020The county has until Dec. 30, a deadline set by the federal government, to expend any remaining CARES Act money.

The duo were the architects of the $1.8 trillion CARES Act, the landmark relief bill passed in March. Here are the top issues for the end-stage COVID-19 relief talks. ___JOBLESS BENEFITSThe CARES Act created a $600 per-week bonus COVID-19 unemployment benefit that sustained household incomes and consumer demand during the springtime shutdowns. House Democrats support the idea, but it is unpopular with many Senate Republicans and was left out of a scaled-back Senate GOP plan. ___LIABILITY SHIELDBusinesses reopening during the pandemic have for months been seeking a shield against lawsuits claiming negligence for COVID-19 outbreaks.

The duo were the architects of the $1.8 trillion CARES Act, the landmark relief bill passed in March. Here are the top issues for the end-stage COVID-19 relief talks. ___JOBLESS BENEFITSThe CARES Act created a $600 per-week bonus COVID-19 unemployment benefit that sustained household incomes and consumer demand during the springtime shutdowns. House Democrats support the idea, but it is unpopular with many Senate Republicans and was left out of a scaled-back Senate GOP plan. ___LIABILITY SHIELDBusinesses reopening during the pandemic have for months been seeking a shield against lawsuits claiming negligence for COVID-19 outbreaks.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County has the third-highest unemployment rate in Florida behind Osceola and Miami-Dade, according to CareerSource of Central Florida. In Orange County, the unemployment rate was at 8% in October, according to an Orlando Economic Partnership study. To qualify you must be an Orange County resident over 18 years old with proof you lost your job or hours due to the pandemic. Meaning those free resources available right now to help land you a job are only available for three more weeks. At the Orange County Convention Center 88 students were enrolled so far in programs like Commercial Truck Driving, IT Networking and Clinical Medical Assisting.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool)WASHINGTON – Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is defending his decision to close down a number of emergency Federal Reserve loan programs at a time when coronavirus cases are surging. Mnuchin argued that the programs he decided not to extend into next year were being lightly utilized. He said the $455 billion allocated for those Fed loan programs could be better used elsewhere if Congress moved the funds into relief programs for small businesses and unemployed workers. “You appear to be trying to sabotage our economy on the way out the door,” Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, told Mnuchin. The Treasury and the Fed announced on Monday that four other lending programs the Fed has been using would be extended through March.

ORLANDO, Fla. – The city of Orlando is opening the application process again to help hundreds more families make rent amid the ongoing financial hardships of the coronavirus. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in a news release the city has reopened its rental assistance program in partnership with Heart of Florida United Way. Under the program, Orlando residents who have been impacted by COVID-19 since March 1 can apply to receive up to $10,000 to make rent payments. To qualify, renters must live within city limits, have experienced a pandemic-related hardship and have paid February rent. United Way will email instructions and a link to complete the application to eligible residents following the pre-screening process.

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s been eight months since Congress passed the CARES Act but finding common ground for the next COVID relief package remains to be seen. While there’s broad support among members from both parties, they sharply disagree on the size and scope of it. U.S. Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.) joined News 6 anchor Justin Warmoth on “The Weekly on ClickOrlando.com” to discuss the timeline for another relief package and the promising news when it comes to a vaccine. On election day, Puerto Ricans voted “yes” on statehood, but the vote was non-binding -- meaning it would need Congressional approval before it can move forward. “Puerto Rico needs to become a state,” Soto said.

Faulting inaction in Washington, governors and state lawmakers are racing to get needed pandemic relief to small businesses, the unemployed, renters and others affected by the widening coronavirus outbreak. Funded through the CARES Act, it offered grants to small businesses, bars and restaurants, low-income renters, arts groups, and colleges and universities. “It’s shameful that they have not acted in Congress, especially (Senate Majority Leader Mitch) McConnell and the Republican Senate, to throw a lifeline to small businesses,” he said. Republicans have proposed a $300 million aid package to small businesses and nonprofits, but the legislation is stalled. “This isn’t like all the blue states are hurting and all the red states are humming along.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County’s portal for residents to apply for federal CARES Act money reopened Tuesday but reached its capacity within 40 minutes, according to officials. The portal reopened at 8 a.m. to families and individuals hoping to apply for financial assistance and closed at 8:40 a.m., per a tweet from Orange County. 🍊@OrangeCoFL's CARES Act for Individual & Families Program has reached its 15,000-user capacity, and is now closed for 11/24. — Orange County FL (@OrangeCoFL) November 24, 2020Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said at a Monday news conference that the portal would not be open for very long, based on recent history. Details on that financial assistance program can be found here.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County’s CARES Act portal for residents wishing to apply for financial assistance to help with rent and other bills reopened Monday with new expanded criteria. The portal opened at 8 a.m. and closed about 35 minutes later, Orange County officials said. 🍊@OrangeCoFL's CARES Act for Individual & Families Program has reached its 15,000-user capacity, and is now closed for 11/16. Residents who are still inside the portal will not be logged out, and will have adequate time to complete their application. — Orange County FL (@OrangeCoFL) November 16, 2020During the summer months when the portal was first made available, it would close within minutes due to overwhelming demand.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – More Daytona Beach households can now qualify for pandemic rental assistance after the city expanded its qualifications for the program to include middle-income households. The city announced Friday that beginning Monday an additional $500,000 in coronavirus relief funds will be available to help residents who are behind on their rent due to the coronavirus pandemic. The money is part of the federal Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act. The funds will include rental payments, with a three-month maximum per household and are capped at $1,500 per month and $4,500 total per household. Applicants must make appointments to submit completed applications by calling one of following three agencies:Central Florida Community Development Corporation 386-226-1216Housing Authority of the City of Daytona Beach 386-888-7684Mid-Florida Housing Partnership Corporation 386-274-4441, ext.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando city commissioners have approved $225,000 in federal CARES Act funds to help Orange County residents impacted by COVID-19 with career and workforce training. It’s a partnership with the Central Florida Urban League to connect Orange County residents to career and workforce training. She said she enrolled in the workforce program to learn vocational skills to try and bounce back. City Commissioner Regina Hill helped lead the effort and told News 6 the goal is to help impacted residents get the education they need to have long-term careers. We’re told residents in the workforce program also get a weekly stipend of $125.

The Fed announced no new actions after its latest policy meeting but left the door open to provide further assistance in the coming months. The Fed's policy statement, issued after a two-day meeting, made no mention of lawmakers' failure to act. The Fed’s latest policy meeting coincided with an anxiety-ridden election week and an escalation of the virus across the country. “All of us have a role to play, to keep appropriate social distance and to wear masks in public.”The central bank's policy statement Thursday was approved on a 10-0 vote. Another dissenter in September, Neel Kashkari, head of the Minneapolis Fed, was absent, with his alternate, Mary Daly of the San Francisco Fed, approving the statement.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County still has more money to allocate from the pandemic funds distributed to local governments from the federal CARES Act. The county received $243.2 million in CARES Act, or coronavirus relief, funding this spring and set aside $60 million to help families and $72.9 million to help businesses through grants. Since county workers began distributing $1,000 grants this summer, they have sent or are in the process of sending payments to 34,000 people or families, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said. Diane Arnold, a manager with Orange County government, said the county has sent the Comptroller’s Office $35 million for 35,000 payments. We get a lot of applications, just to give you an example, that for the address doesn’t automatically verify in the system as an Orange County address, which means we have to then do a manual process since one of the requirements is to be an Orange County resident,” Arnold said.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Orange County government on Monday started accepting another round of application for CARES Act grants up to $10,000 for small businesses and up to $3,000 in micro-grants for home-based businesses. The application portal reopened at 9 a.m. Monday for small businesses and home-based businesses. Businesses that previously received a CARES Act grant from the county are not eligible. According to the county website, they have allocated about 30% of the $72.9 million in CARES Act funding set aside for Small Business Financial Assistance. The county was awarded $243.2 million from the federal CARES Act.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – UPDATE: The Orange County CARES Act portal reopened at 8 a.m. Monday and closed about 45 minutes later. PREVIOUS STORY: Orange County residents can apply for financial assistance on Monday as the county reopens its CARES Act portal for the sixth time. Orange County households are eligible for a one time payment of $1,000 to help cover expenses. The county launched the portal this summer and it got off to a rocky start, reaching capacity in minutes each time it opened. With two more chances for assistance, Demings wanted to be clear about who is eligible to apply.

(Drew Angerer/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Tuesday that a tentative recovery from the pandemic recession could falter unless the federal government supplies additional economic support. Yet hours after Powell's remarks, President Donald Trump announced that he was cutting off talks with Democrats over a new economic aid package until after the November elections. But the U.S. economy still faces threats, and without further aid, those downward trends could still derail the recovery, Powell said. In recent months, in speeches and in testimony to Congress, Powell has repeatedly urged lawmakers to enact an additional economic aid package. “Still, since it appears that many will undergo extended periods of unemployment, there is likely to be a need for further support,” Powell said.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County residents who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 will once again have the opportunity to apply for assistance when the county’s CARES Act portal reopens next week, according to Mayor Jerry Demings. The news comes after leaders closed the CARES Act portal after only 10 minutes of having it open for what leaders said would likely be the last time in July. I want to let you know that we intend to announce the reopening of our Orange Cares Individuals Family Assistance Program early next week,” Demings said. During the news conference last week, Demings said Orange County was initially given $243.2 million in CARES Act dollars. More information about Orange County’s Individual and Family Assistance program and details on how to apply can be found at ocfl.net/OrangeCARES.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange County residents who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic are urged to contact CareerSource Central Florida for help getting work placement, job training or a paid internship. CareerSource was awarded $7 million in federal CARES Act money to help struggling Central Floridians get back on their feet. Pam Nabors, the president and CEO of CareerSource Central Florida, said the local unemployment rate remains at 16% even as many businesses have reopened. And so it’s very important that Orange County knows that help is here through the Orange County CARES Act grant,” Nabors said. We just this past week put 21 individuals, out-of-work performers to work at Central Florida Community Arts doing stage production, doing tutoring, doing classroom assistance, educational assistance.

Mnuchin agreed that business loans and enhanced unemployment support would be good priorities for Congress to back in any new package. Pressed to state what the top priorities should be, Powell cited providing more support through the popular Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses and boosting unemployment benefits. The original relief package provided a $600-a-week federal unemployment benefit, on top of whatever jobless aid a state provides. Powell repeated his view that providing more support was essential to keep the economy on a sustained upturn. Mnuchin was pressed by some senators to further simplify government forms that businesses need to provide to qualify for having their Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven.

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. Seminole County officials said due to a significant response for the CARES Act individual assistance program the application deadline has been set for 11:59 p.m. on Friday. Seminole County was awarded $82 million from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act fund to help address some of the economic fallout from the pandemic. The county has set aside $10 million for small businesses, $7 million for individuals, and $3 million for nonprofits. Individuals and families who qualify can receive up to $5,000 in CARES Act money to help cover housing, utility payments, food, and basic needs. Individuals can apply at www.seminolecountyfl.gov/cares when the application portal opens.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County residents facing eviction will get a chance to apply for some relief Tuesday morning through the county’s new eviction diversion program. The program is a partnership with the Orange County Bar Association, Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida and other local legal assistance nonprofit agencies. You are going to have to have proof of Covid impact, 2 bank statements,” said Roseann Harrington, with Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings’ office. County leaders when people apply online, they will first go through a pre-screening process to make sure they qualify. Then, Orange County will Pay up to $4,000 to landlords, who must agree not to evict the residents who are approved.

Donna Demarco is a widow and parent on a mission: Find out why her 25-year-old daughter was not included in the list of eligible dependents for a $500 credit under the CARES Act. But her mother did not receive a $500 check for her daughter so she contacted News 6 to help her get answers. Donna Demarco said the IRS website was difficult to navigate and offered a high-tech trail of hits and misses. It turns out under the CARES Act, Washington lawmakers did not provide a benefit for senior adults and special needs adults who are listed as dependents. HEALS Act: Similar to the CARES Act, the HEALS Act put forth by Republicans doesn't mention a cap on the amount a family may receive.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County closed the micro-grant application portal Thursday evening after receiving a large response from home-based small businesses, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said. The county began accepting applications on Monday for its micro-grant program for home-based businesses and four days later had received 1,200 applications. The grants ranged from $1,000 to $3,000 but the average grant so far has been $2,500, according to the county. Due to high demand, the application portal closed at 6 p.m. Thursday. The mayor said the county will reopen the portal after the current applications are processed.

As Americans continue to cope in a new normal, lawmakers on Capitol Hill continue to discuss what could be the next stimulus package to help families during the pandemic. According to Sen. Lindsey Graham, half of Republicans will vote “no” on the new stimulus package, Forbes reported. The new $1 trillion stimulus package dubbed the HEALS Act (Health, Economic Assistance Liability Protection & Schools Act) follows the CARES Act, the $2.2 trillion stimulus package Congress passed in March. Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, told Fox News that, “half of the Republicans are going to vote ‘no’ on any more aid. CNBC reported the Senate will be releasing the full details on the second stimulus bill this week.

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – With just a few days before the deadline to apply for the CARES funding program in Osceola County, a county spokesperson said they still have funds to distribute. The CARES Act is a federal coronavirus relief package in which Osceola county received $65.5 million from the state. Currently, the county is distributing $16.3 million of that total, where 70% will be for housing assistance, 20% for small businesses and 10% for food security like food banks. The grant provides emergency funding of up to $2,500 for home-based businesses, $5,000 for all businesses with 2-25 employees, and $10,000 for businesses with 26 or more employees. To receive funding through the cares act program, applicants must provide evidence of eligible expenses such as rent, mortgage payments, utilities, and payroll incurred during the period of Feb. 1 and May 31.

APOPKA, Fla. – The initial stages of Florida distributing $250 million in federal CARES Act money to go toward rent and mortgage assistance began Friday when counties started receiving checks. Orange County will receive $7.26 million -- one of the highest amounts of any county -- while Seminole County will get $1.1 million and Osceola County was allotted $2.5 million. Already, many counties across Central Florida have developed programs to provide rental and mortgage assistance to those struggling to pay their bills as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The Orange County rental assistance portal opened Monday for the fifth and what might have been the final time. Representatives in Orange, Seminole, Marion and Sumter counties said they did not yet have plans in place to distribute the money.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla – Orange County residents struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic may have had their last chance to apply for federal funds through Orange County’s CARES Act portal. Applications are closed for July 13, in order to process submitted applications. pic.twitter.com/tUXl07P6QX — Orange County FL (@OrangeCoFL) July 13, 2020Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said this may have been the last time residents could file for CARES Act assistance. Demings said the portal would accept 10,000 applications on Monday, the fifth time the county opened the portal to help individuals and families. So far more than $7.5 million has been paid out to Orange County residents and an additional $920,000 is being submitted for payment Monday.

Many officials said they are receiving money from the CARES Act grant to help offset additional costs incurred that were not originally budgeted. Seminole County:Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson said his office is receiving $531,000 in CARES Act funds. He said the money will help cover the additional expenses as more voters request a vote by mail ballot. Orange County:Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles said the county is getting $1.3 million in CARES funding. Marion County:Officials with the Marion County Supervisor of Elections office said they are eligible for up to $359,810.

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Commissioners in Osceola County have approved a plan for what to do with the funds from the CARES Act. Osceola officials said the county is waiting for the first distribution of funds. County officials said 25 percent or 16.3 million will go toward programs to help businesses and residents impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Commissioners said 70 percent of the $16.3 million will go toward rental and mortgage assistance, 20 percent will go toward small business assistance and 10 percent will go toward Food Insecurity Assistance. Human Services in the county will get $13 million and $3.2 million will go to Economic Development for Small Business Assistance, according to commissioners.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Central Florida counties are using money from the federal CARES Act to help residents and businesses who were financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Orange County received $243.2 million from the federal CARES Act. Volusia County is preparing to roll out two new assistance programs using its CARES Act funding. Osceola County Commission Chairwoman Viviana Janer announced on Friday it is also receiving money from the federal CARES act. County officials said that is 25% of the potential $65.5 million the county could use for housing and business assistance.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The State of Florida is expected to disburse up to $1.275 billion in CARES Act funds to what has been deemed smaller county governments. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday the federal funds will be distributed to counties that have a population below 500,000 people. Central Florida counties like Osceola and Sumter would fall under this next wave of disbursement. Central Florida counties that fell with the initial population requirement have already seen and utilized some CARES Act funding. Orange County, whose population exceeds 500,000, received a $243.1 million cut from federal CARES Act funds.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Minutes after Orange County opened its application process for federal CARES Act money to help individuals and families amid the coronavirus, the county was forced to close applications due to an overwhelming response. Beginning Monday at 8 a.m. Orange County residents and small business owners could apply for a slice of federal CARES Act funding through the county’s website OCFL.net/OrangeCares, however, less than 20 minutes later the county closed applications for families and individuals. “Due to an overwhelming response, the Individual and Family Assistance Program has already received more than 2,000 applications,” the tweet said. According to a timeline provided by the county, the application portal was made live at 7:48 a.m. “When we open the system up we should be able to adequately process applications,” Demings said.

About two months after federal pandemic aid under the CARES Act was signed into law, Florida is ready to administer aid to those who were unemployed prior to coronavirus-related layoffs. Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, or PEUC, is the federal program that provides up to 13 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who have exhausted regular unemployment benefits under state or federal law or have no rights to regular unemployment benefits under state or federal law. Ron DeSantis, to over see the state’s pandemic unemployment surge said on April 30 in a Q&A the Florida DEO was working on being able to administer those benefits. Before this week, people who have exhausted regular unemployment benefits and were told to apply for federal benefits couldn’t find the application on Floridajobs.org because the state wasn’t ready to process those benefits. Since March, more than 2 million unemployment claims have been filed in Florida, according to the DEO Dashboard.

Thus far, 88.1 million of the 150 million payments have been issued nationwide. [Click here to update your payment information with the IRS]Of those, 6,348,503 payments were in Florida totaling in at $11,067,476,416. “The IRS, Treasury and partner agencies are working non-stop to get these payments out in record time to Americans who need them,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said. “Tens of millions of people across the country are receiving these payments, and millions more are on the way. To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6′s coronavirus newsletter or go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.

UPDATE: In a reversal, the DEO now says some workers need to re-apply for federal benefits at FloridaJobs.org. “They will go through the same process as anyone would for the state unemployment process,” Satter said. New applicants applying for federal benefits will use the same Floridajobs.org and CONNECT websites to apply. Of those who applied weeks ago who qualify for state unemployment, many are still waiting to receive payments from Florida. As of Wednesday, about 17% of Florida unemployment claims have been paid out of more than 682,000 verified claims, according to the DEO dashboard.