Local-Regional News March 25

The City of Mondovi has declared a state of emergency. At last nights council meeting the council approved the declaration in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. As part of the declaration, the city administrator will act as the city's Emergency Management Director, all city buildings will be closed to the public. However city employees will still work and provides services to city residents via phone, email or in person with an approved appointment, and all city sponsored functions are cancelled.

Peirce County buildings will be closed beginning today. While the buildings are closed services will continue. Residents are encouraged to conduct services by phone and email, but the county will continue to provide in person services to those with appointments.

In the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak, residents of the City of Durand are coming together to help out Advent Health Hospital. Angela Jacobson, director of Nursing and Emergency Preparedness says the over the last few days the hospital has received donations of masks and food items.  Staff is using the hand made masks to cover and protect their N95 masks. Jacobson says the hospital has even received some hand made hat that can be worn over their surgical hats.

The Governors Safer at home order goes into effect today, but the meal delivery for students in the Durand -Arkansaw School District will Continue. Durand Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says that the district will be serving nearly 300 kids very soon.  The meals are free and those students that have a younger sibling not in school can also receive free meals. For more information on the program just call the district or visit the school district website.

The Pepin County Sheriffs Department continues to work during the covid-19 outbreak. Sheriff Joel Wener says its business as usual for the department.  Wener is reminding residents to not call the communications center for questions of the Governors Stay at Home order.

 Authorities in Eau Claire say an autopsy will be performed on the body of the woman found inside a car which was driven into the Chippewa River.  Police say 21-year-old Chloe Zielke of Eau Claire was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  Investigators say they aren’t searching for any suspects who might have been involved in the vehicle winding up in the river.  They think Zielke was the driver last Friday.

A man from northwest Wisconsin is dead after a logging accident Monday afternoon near Barron.  The Barron County Sheriff's Office says 56-year-old Nathan Hecker of Stone Lake was repairing equipment on a log skidding machine when he became pinned between the cab and engine compartment.  Hecker died of his injuries at the scene.

Republican leaders of the Wisconsin Legislature say their constituents need some more certainty.  Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos accused the governor of causing mass confusion with what they call his flip-flopping reaction to the coronavirus.  Fitzgerald and Vos say Governor Evers’ “Safer at Home” order doesn’t include details that would let people plan ahead.  They say the Democratic governor has increased the level of anxiety in the state during the pandemic.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says there is going to be an extension on school and restaurant closures in Minnesota.  Schools were scheduled to be closed through Friday.   Walz didn't indicate how long that extension might last.    He said, "can't be indefinite, but what I don't want to set things up for is that, I can't tell you that it's going to be open on that date."  The governor also told reporters, "there may a point where it just makes sense to say, our children aren't coming back this year and we're gonna finish the best we can." Most districts in the state are prepared for online instruction for the remainder of the spring semester.

Many Wisconsin health care groups say they support Governor Tony Evers’ order called Safer at Home.  The Wisconsin Hospital Association was one of several groups urging people to follow the suggestion and stay at home.  The groups say the order will mean doctors, nurses, home health care workers and people in long-term care facilities will be safer.  In order for the doctors and nurses to remain on the job, they say you need to stay at home.

Two Wisconsin companies are making barrier masks for medical personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Monterey Mills in Janesville is the largest textile mill of its kind in North America. It makes knitted pile fabric which is used in medical and air filtration products. Eder Flag of Oak Creek has converted part of its flag-sewing operations to help produce masks in partnership with Monterey Mills. The two companies already have 20 thousand of the masks pre-sold.

Several voting and civil rights groups are demanding that Governor Tony Evers should postpone the April 7th Spring Election.  Souls to the Polls President and Reverend Gregory Lewis says his community will be forced to decide between their right to vote and their safety.  The election includes Wisconsin’s presidential primary, a state Supreme Court race and hundreds of local contests.  Even though some states have postponed their presidential primaries due to the coronavirus pandemic, Evers has said democracy must go on and people should vote by mail-in absentee ballot.

 Small businesses ordered closed in Minnesota because of COVID-19 will soon be able to apply for emergency loans between 25-hundred and 35-thousand dollars.  Governor Tim Walz just set up the program with 30-million dollars in special funds.  Walz said, "I'm not sure any state has moved on this, but I can't wait for the S-B-A to do it. We're gonna make forgivable loans to those small businesses who have been asked to do a lot."  The loans will be no-interest and 50-percent forgivable.  State officials expect between 12-hundred and five-thousand businesses will receive assistance.  Businesses with questions about the emergency loan program should email ELP@state.mn.us.

A University of Minnesota extension program is providing meal kits through groups in Greater Minnesota to help serve vulnerable, isolated community members during the COVID-19 outbreak.  U of M Extension's Kathy Draeger says we have about 250 grocery stores that are located in communities that have a population of 25-hundred or less, "and it's important that we keep the flow of food, maintaining the flow of food into these communities."  She says the kits hold about 62 pounds of food, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack items.  She urges anyone interested in receiving the food to call their local food shelf and ask about a 14-day meal kit.

 There is still a possibility the Class of 2020 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will get their diplomas in their caps and gowns, but it’s not clear when.  The school postponed the spring graduation ceremony Monday.  Chancellor Rebecca Blank said pushing back commencement is the most heartbreaking of the many decisions she’s had to make due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Graduation was supposed to be held May 8th, but no new date has been set.

Hormel Foods is rewarding its employees for working around the clock to make sure food stays on the shelves.  Austin-based Hormel announced it is giving away more than four-million dollars in special cash bonuses to its plant production team members.  Each full-time workers will receive 300 dollars and part-time employees will get 150.  Hormel Foods President Jim Snee said, "our incredible team of more than 13-thousand plant professionals is the backbone of our company and this special bonus is one way we can continue to thank them for how they have risen to the challenge and continue to produce food with a sense of purpose and pride."