Local-Regional News April 2

While the Governor's safer at home order is still in effect, people are encourage to be outdoors, but not every activity is encouraged. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says that part of the Governors order closed playgrounds across the state.  Stewart also said playing things like basketball, or soccer with other people is also on the list of prohibited activites. Stewart recommends activities like going for a walk, jogging, walking the dog or even biking as long as you are not with a group of people and you maintain social distancing.

Buffalo County has reported its 2^nd positive Covid-19 test. An 80yr old individual was confirmed to have Covid-19 on Wednesday. According to Buffalo County Health Officer April Loeffler the individual was exposed to a known Covid-19 case and is currently hospitalized. The department is actively identifying contacts that the individual may have had and will contact everyone who may have been exposed to provide appropriate guidance.

Congressman Ron Kind isn’t being specific, but he says people should start getting their stimulus checks soon.  The Wisconsin Democrat says he’s not sure exactly when the 12-hundred-dollar credits will appear in checking accounts – or when the checks will come in the mail.  Kind said Tuesday everyone with a Social Security number will qualify for the help.  The U-S Treasury Secretary has said checks could be sent out within three weeks.

Advent Health of Durand is gearing up to offer patients the ability to meet with their doctors through the internet with tele-mdeicine. Angela Jacobson, Directo of Nursing and Emergency Preparedness at Advent Health says the Hospital will be using the program zoom.  Patients that want to use the program need to call the hospital first and they will help you set up the program on your device and schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Some Wisconsin Dairy Farmers began dumping their milk as processing facilities are running out of room for fluid milk. The market has been upended due to the shutdown of schools and restaurants, while in the grocery store there are empty shelves in the dairy case. Darrin Von Ruden, President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union says that some processing plants are not able to switch from making milk in 8oz cartons to gallon jugs.  Other factors that could be affecting the processors is lack of workers plus dairy farmers can't just “turn the cows off” to lower supply. Here in Western Wisconsin, AMPI and Eau Galle Cheese Factory were reporting they were NOT having their members dump milk.

A federal judge says holding Wisconsin’s spring election next week is “a really bad public policy idea and they should stop it.”  Judge William Conley says he doesn’t have the legal authority to postpone the vote.  Conley was referring to Democratic Governor Tony Evers and Republican legislative leaders who he thinks have abdicated their responsibilities and refused to “step up” during a crisis.  Voters will cast ballots on the presidential primary, a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and hundreds of local elected offices.  Judge Conley says if anyone gets COVID-19 while voting, the governor and lawmakers will be to blame.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission reports the number of requests for absentee ballots for next Tuesday’s spring election has topped one million.  A press release from the commission indicates many requests have come through the MyVote Wisconsin website.  Chief elections official Meagan Wolfe says the commission wants everyone eligible and who wants to vote to be able to do so safely.  The deadline for a registered voter to request an absentee ballot be mailed to them is today (Thursday) by 5:00 p-m.

The new Marquette Law School poll shows strong support for Wisconsin's stay-at-home order and government action to control the spread of COVID-19.  Eighty-six percent say it was appropriate to close schools and businesses and restrict public gatherings while ten percent say it was an overreaction.  Seventy-six percent approve of Governor Evers' handling of the pandemic and 17 percent disapprove.  Fifty-one percent strongly approve of providing direct cash payments to adults, 28 percent somewhat approve, nine percent somewhat disapprove and six percent strongly disapprove.  Fifty-one percent approve of President Trump's response to the crisis while 46 percent disapprove.  And, 51 percent think the April 7th primary election should be postponed while 44 percent say it should be held next Tuesday.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is expecting even more school districts to ask to have their missed school days erased.  About 45 districts have already filed for a waiver to allow them to not make up the days missed due to the coronavirus pandemic.  That’s about 10 percent of Wisconsin school districts.  Governor Evers’ emergency order opened the door for them to make the request.  The schools have already been closed for about two weeks and it isn’t clear if students will return to class at all this spring.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has released information indicating more than 100 municipalities in the state don’t have enough poll workers for next week’s election  Local clerks were surveyed as they get ready to run the state’s spring election Tuesday while everyone is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.  The survey found 111 municipalities are short more than 670 poll workers – meaning they are too short-handed to offer in-person voting.  Another 126 municipalities say won’t be able to staff all of their polling sites because they are missing more than 27 hundred poll workers.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz acknowledges it could be some time before Minnesotans are again allowed to visit their loved ones in nursing homes and other long- term care facilities.  The COVID-19 pandemic has hit particularly hard in those places.  Walz said, "I think people are now -- and the president included -- have realized it's going to be longer rather than shorter. I think there is a school of thought... that it will be many months."  The governor says they're trying to figure out the best way to make that sustainable.  Families have been talking to their loved ones via telephone and "virtual visits" on the Internet.

  Absentee voters in next week’s election will still have to prove their identity.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that clerks in Milwaukee and Dane counties can’t tell voters to claim they are "indefinitely confined" as a way to get around voter I-D laws.  The state’s high court issued a restraining order against Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell Tuesday.  McDonell has posted information on his Facebook page saying Governor Evers’ Safer at Home order qualified as keeping people "indefinitely confined," meaning they didn’t have to include their picture I-D with their absentee vote.

 FedEx says it is hiring 400 package handlers in St. Paul to meet a critical demand for its services.  Applications by people over 18 years old can be filed on the company website.  FedEx says it is offering competitive wages starting at 16 dollars-an-hour.  Benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage, paid time off, holiday pay and tuition reimbursement.  Employees get discounts on cell phone service, groceries, car buying and more.  FedEx says both day and night shifts are available.

Governor Tim Walz will give his State of the State address Sunday night via YouTube from the Governor's Residence in St. Paul.  He was scheduled to address a joint session of the legislature March 23rd in the Minnesota House before the coronavirus pandemic.  Walz is under a 14-day self-quarantine.   He says hasn't decided yet whether to extend the stay-at-home order beyond April 10th.  Walz says he anticipates making a determination next week based on the data.