Local-Regional News May 29

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the pool at Tarrant Park will not open this year. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says along with the health concerns there were a number of other factors that led to the decision.   Along with the pool being closed, the playground equipment at Tarrant Park and Memorial Park is also closed.

The Old Courthouse Museum and Jail in Durand is re-open for the summer. Terry Mesch from the Pepin County Historical Society says because of the covid-19 pandemic, guests will be asked to wear masks and guided tours will be limited to very small groups.  The museum will be open from 11-4 Thursday through Sundays now through Labor Day Weekend.

The Mondovi City Hall will remain closed for now. The City Council agreed to keep City Hall closed to walk in traffic until later this summer due to the covid-19 pandemic. While City Hall is closed, services for Mondovi residents will continue . If a resident needs to talk face to face with a city employee they are to call ahead to make an appointment.

The Dunn County Solid Waste & Recycling Division will re-open the closed collection sites (Connorsville, Ridgeland, Rock Creek, and Downsville) effective June 1, 2020. On that day, the Dunn County Transfer Station & Recycling Center will return to its pre-COVID-19 business hours. All of the Area Collection Stations will be open every Saturday from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Business hours for commercial haulers at the Dunn County Transfer Station will remain unchanged. We continue to ask that residents practice social distancing at all of the collection sites. Wearing a cloth face covering when in public is highly recommended. Meanwhile The 2020 Dunn County Clean Sweep Hazardous Waste Event has been cancelled due to projected costs. Dunn County Residents are encouraged to attend the Polk or St. Croix County Clean Sweep events in August or September.

The day after the statewide moratorium on evictions and foreclosures ended, landlords filed 144 cases Thursday.  Thirty-three eviction filings in Milwaukee County have local officials worried many of those people could be homeless soon.  The state is planning to make 25 million dollars available in rent relief and the city of Milwaukee has more than four million.  The problem is that money won’t be available for another few weeks.  Alderman Khalif Rainey of Milwaukee’s 7th District sent a letter to Governor Evers requesting a “modest extension” of the moratorium, but that's not possible now.

Protesters in Minneapolis have set fire to a police station.  The precinct is where the four officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd had worked.  Floyd died after one of the officers knelt on his neck for several minutes during Monday’s arrest.  Demonstrators surrounded the 3rd District precinct station at about 10:00 p-m Thursday and lit the front of the building on fire.  Police decided to evacuate the building for safety and the protesters went inside, setting several more fires.  Thousands of marchers filled the city streets.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called in the Minnesota National Guard, in the wake of violence, looting and arson fires in Minneapolis sparked by the death of George Floyd.  The governor said in a statement, “George Floyd’s death should lead to justice and systemic change, not more death and destruction.” Walz says he will always defend the right to protest and that’s why he is “answering our local leaders’ request for Minnesota National Guard assistance to protect peaceful demonstrators, neighbors, and small businesses in Minnesota. The governor says about 200 State Patrol troopers will assist in public safety efforts for the next several days.

B-R-P Marine Group has announced it will lay-off 363 workers at its manufacturing plant in Sturtevant.  The Canadian-based company notified the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development by letter this week.  B-R-P makes recreation vehicles and parts.  It says it is re-evaluating its outboard engine manufacturing during the coronavirus pandemic.  The workers affected were making Evinrude outboard engines.  About half of the layoffs are permanent and the rest of the workers will be idled between now and January.

Officials in Eau Claire County say the suspect in a weekend shooting had been released early due to the coronavirus outbreak.  Kyle Baker should have still been in jail.  Records show he skipped a May 5th sentencing date for breaking probation that would have returned him to the Rusk County Jail.  Eau Claire police say Baker shot a man during a Saturday argument.  Those charges haven’t been filed yet.

The Wisconsin State Fair has been officially called off due to COVID-19. This is the first time in 75 years that the fair will not be running. The decision was made on Thursday by Fair Board chairman John Yingling. In a statement, Yingling says the decision was not made lightly, and that he's got everyone's safety in mind. The Fair attracts over a million visitors every year and organizers said it would be impossible to enforce social distancing on the grounds. The other issue would be putting on the fair only for no one to show up due to fears over COVID-19. Tourism officials say this will be another 200 million dollar loss to Milwaukee and the suburbs, but that they're hoping more summer events will be happening to help ease the financial impact.

Republican lawmakers are blaming the Evers administration for the slow processing of unemployment claims.  Some applicants have waited weeks for their benefits.  A Wednesday hearing at the Capitol became heated as Republicans accused Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman of not being prepared for the surge of applications – then not reacting when it happened.  Business shutdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic have resulted in Wisconsin’s worst jobless crisis since the Great Depression.

Wisconsin is one of several states suing to stop the Trump Administration from relaxing vehicle emissions standards. Attorney General Josh Kaul joined A-G’s from several other blue states in a lawsuit challeging the president’s order to move away from the California emissions that were adopted under President Obama. Kaul says the president is stopping states from deciding for themselves about clean air rules. Trump says he doesn’t want to end the California standards, but simply to relax them for automakers.

Attorney General Keith Ellison has a message for those causing destruction in south Minneapolis last night -- and to those who are considering more of the same today.  Ellison says you cannot decry violence against George Floyd and then go do the violence yourself against somebody who did nothing to you for no justifications.  He added, "I'd say stop it and prioritize the noble cause of justice for Mr. Floyd and systemic change to make sure that everybody can be treated with equal justice."  The A-G says steps are being taken to try and prevent the violence, looting and fires from happening again today.  The Minneapolis Fire Department says it respond to 30 fire events and at least 16 structure fires.  Multiple fire vehicles and equipment suffered damage from rocks and other projectiles.

 The University of Minnesota has announced it will no longer use Minneapolis police for security at its large events.  U-of-M President Joan Gabel sent a letter to students and staff Wednesday saying the university is distancing itself from Minneapolis police after the death of George Floyd Tuesday.  M-P-D also won’t be used for specialized services like explosive detection units at events.  Gabel says the collaboration with M--D will be limited to joint patrols and investigations which directly improve campus security.

Local-Regional News May 28

The next step in Kwik Trip coming to Durand is complete. The Durand City Council approved changing the zoning of the property surrounding the highway shop from I-1 industrial to B-2 General business. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city will now begin the process of vacating the current Hardy Street and getting a developers agreement with Kwik Trip.  Kwik Trip hopes to begin construction of the store in 2022

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Another rite of summer will not be happening this year due to covid-19. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the YMCA Camp in Pepin will not be opening for regular business this year.  The CDC is working on new guidance for businesses to safely reopen this summer.

Another local summer event is canceled. The board of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Days announced this week that the festivities scheduled for September 12th-13^th have been canceled due to the health concerns related to the covid-19 pandemic. The board decided to error on the side of caution in canceling the event. Laura Ingalls Wilder Day will be held September 11th-12^th of 2021. Meanwhile, the Winona County Fair also announced the cancellation of the fair for this summer.

The Buffalo County Board of Supervisors is seeking one community member to serve on the County Board of Supervisors District 5 (Ward 2 City of Mondovi).  Residency in the City of Mondovi is required to be considered for this vacancy. The appointed individual will serve on the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors and various Committees for the remainder of the term which ends April 2022.  Members play a critical role in shaping the direction of programs and services for county citizens.  Members will be appointed by the Chairperson of the Buffalo County Board of Supervisors and confirmed by the full County Board of Supervisors. For more information and/or to request a copy of the application materials, please call Roxann Halverson, Buffalo County Clerk, at 608-685-6209

The Village of Pepin has received a $1.4 million dollar loand and a $118,000 grand from USDA's water and environmental program. This Rural Development investment will be used to upgrade the Village of Pepin's water distribution system. The project will provide 6-inch water mains to replace the undersized mains and loops to address deficiencies at dead end pipes. The improvements will provide better water flow and improve fire safety in the village.

Two people were injured in an ATV accident on Saturday in Diamond Bluff Township. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, a 13yr old Hager City boy was operating an ATV eastbound on 290^th Avenue when he stopped at a stop sign. A second 13yr old from Prescott also driving an ATV on 290^th Avenue did not see the driver in front of him stopped and rear ended the first ATV causing it to overturn. Both drivers were taken to Red Wing Hospital with undetermined injuries.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is having two events for the senior class. Tonight the scholarship awards ceremony will be broadcast on channel 99 and through the WRDN Station Facebook page starting at 7pm and then tomorrow night at 7pm will be the graduation ceremony also to be broadcast on channel 99 and the WRDN Facebook page.

An amendment signed by Rochester Mayor Kim Norton will allow bars and restaurants to use areas like sidewalks and parking spaces to expand outdoor seating.  Restaurants in Rochester are struggling by not offering dine-in services.  Mayor Norton says she's encouraging establishments to be creative and innovative how they served food and alcohol.  The Rochester City Council still needs to approve the mayor's amendment.  Governor Walz's Stay Safe order will allow bars and restaurants to offer outdoor dining June 1st at 50-percent capacity.

With many Minnesota businesses closed until June 1st, residents of that state have been crossing the border for haircuts, an adult beverage, or other necessities.  Barber Michael Rude told a television reporter he has cut the hair for people from La Crescent, Winona, Rochester and St. Olaf – all in Minnesota.  Rude says there was a line at his door Tuesday.  Even though demand was high, observers say everyone seemed to be practicing safe distancing and many establishments had capacity guidelines posted at the door.

Three meat packing plant employees in north central Wisconsin have tested positive for coronavirus. The Marathon and Clark County Health Departments are working together to trace and contain the virus after employees at Abbyland Foods tested positive this week. Abbyland’s Safety Director Todd Jelinski said in a statement they had already implemented CDC recommended prevention guidelines including masks, reconfigured workspaces, social distancing, and increased sanitation in high traffic areas. He made no indication of any plant slowdowns or closures in the statement. Abbyland Foods employs nearly one-thousand people in both counties near Abbotsford.

The second day of protests against the Minneapolis police custody death of George Floyd turned ugly Wednesday night. Some demonstrators threw bottles and rocks at law enforcement and officers fired back with rubber bullets, flash bombs and tear gas. A small group was seen on video breaking out windows and looting a Target store, nearby Cub Foods and a Dollar Tree.  Barricades have been set up around the Minneapolis Police Department's Third Precinct.  Chief Medaria Arradondo says the vast majority are protesting peacefully.  He says he would hate to see the actions of a few hijack the demonstration in honor of the memory of George Floyd.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has voted unanimously to send absentee ballots to most voters for the fall elections.  Under the current plan, the state would actually send the forms used to request a ballot.  The voters would fill out the forms, provide a copy of their photo I-D, then the absentee ballot would be mailed to them for the November 3rd presidential election.  The plan could still fall apart if Democratic and Republican commission members fail to agree on the wording of the documents being mailed.  About two-point-seven million people will get the ballot applications.

Governor Tony Evers is launching a 200-million-dollar effort aimed at helping local governments with COVID-19 recovery needs. The 'Routes to Recovery: Local Government Aid Grants' program will be allocated to every Wisconsin city, county, village, town and tribe. The funding comes from the federal CARES Act. Evers says ten-million dollars will go to Wisconsin's tribal nations. The governor says the grants will provide financial flexibility to communities "because they know what they need and how to best address the unique recovery needs of their friends, families and neighbors." The list might include emergency operations, public health services, purchases of personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, temporary isolation for infected people, testing and tracing costs, and paid sick leave for COVID patients.

A decision on whether or not to cancel the 2020 Wisconsin State Fair due to the COVID-19 pandemic is a difficult one. That from Governor Tony Evers, who says he's attended for the past 51 years. The State Fair Board of Directors voted Tuesday to give board Chairman John Yingling authority to cancel, after the Minnesota State Fair cancelled last week.

Milwaukee’s tourism chief says she wants to have as much of an in-person Democratic National Convention as she can get.  Peggy Williams-Smith is C-E-O of Visit Milwaukee.  She says Wisconsin’s largest city needs the business now and an even smaller D-N-C would still provide a jump-start for downtown bars, restaurants and hotels.  Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has said he expects at least a partial in-person convention in the city in mid-August.

Federal unemployment enhancement is costing nearly double what the state of Wisconsin is paying-out in jobless claims. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development says it’s paid-out nearly 482-million dollars in unemployment benefits since the coronavirus started shutting down the economy. The agency also says it’s paid-out almost 870-million in federal enhancements over the same period. The enhancement adds an extra 600 dollars a week for the unemployed. Some business owners complain that extra money is making it tough for them to get employees to come back to work.

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is being represented by prominent Minnesota defense attorney Tom Kelly.  Chauvin is the officer seen on a viral video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd before he died.  Kelly was the lawyer for St. Anthony Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez, who was acquitted in the shooting death of Philando Castile in St. Paul in 2017.  A small group of protesters showed up at Chauvin's home in Oakdale Tuesday and a YouTube video appears to show them preventing a food delivery.  Police claim that Floyd died at Hennepin County Medical Center, but witnesses say he died after Chauvin stopped his breathing.  Floyd's family hired nationally known attorney Ben Crump.  He was the lawyer in the alleged murders of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown.

200-thousand people in Wisconsin were able to vote in April without showing a photo I-D. The Wisconsin Elections Commission says those voters declared themselves "indefinitely confined" because of the coronavirus outbreak. The Elections Commission says about 70-thousand confined voters cast ballots in a typical year. Local officials in Milwaukee and Madison encouraged people to declare themselves confined because of the coronavirus, but were later told to stop by the State Supreme Court. There are questions going forward. State law allows for confined voters to vote absentee again in both the August primary and November general election.

Wisconsin National Guard Adjutant General Paul Knapp said guard members are being redeployed to assist with COVID-19 testing around the state.  Knapp said Tuesday that guard personnel will be available as long as a need exists.

Authorities say the Memorial Day holiday weekend was the deadliest in ten years on Minnesota roads.   State Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson says there were at least eight fatalities.  Hanson says while overall crash numbers are down, the severity rate is up, and what's driving that severity rate up is speed.   Hanson says reduced traffic due to COVID-19 is one possible reason motorists are making a dangerous decision to drive faster.   D-W-I arrests over the Memorial Day weekend were 26 percent less than last year --  probably because bars and restaurants remain closed until June 1st.

Local-Regional News May 27

The Mondovi City Council approved to have July 4^th celebrations. A kiddie parade will be held at 12:30 then a grand parade will be at 1 with a fireworks display starting at dusk. Those attending will be encouraged to practice social distancing measures. Also at last nights meeting, it was announced that Mirror Lake is now back to capacity and that the fish stocking was also done by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

No one was injured in a one vehicle accident and fire in the town of Stockholm yesterday. According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, 20yr old Hope Schwen of Lake City was traveling westbound on Hwy J when she went onto the gravel shoulder then over corrected and lost control of her vehicle. She ended up in the south ditch and the vehicle overturned. Schwen was able to get out of the vehicle and a short time later the vehicle started on fire. Upon arrival by the Lund Fire Department the car was fully engulfed in flames and is believed to be a total loss.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include a public hearing on the rezoning request from Kwik Trip for the land where the Pepin County Highway Shop is currently located, discussion and possible action on not opening the Tarrant Park Pool this year due to the covid-19 pandemic and the council will go into closed session to discuss the ambulance service director position. Tonights meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.

One person was injured in a one vehicle roll over accident in Hartland Township on Saturday. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 19yr old Inez Perez of Dorchester, WI failed to negotiate a curve and entered the south ditch of Hwy 10. The vehicle vaulted over 510^th Street and came to rest in the ditch on 510^th street. Perez was transported to River Falls Area Hospital with undetermined injuries.

University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross has named Connie Foster as the interim chancellor of UW-River Falls. Foster is a higher education and leadership consultant who spent 23 years as a faculty member, administrator, and interim chancellor at UW-River Falls. She was interim chancellor at UW-River Falls from August 2008 to July 2009 and prior to that was interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. She has been the university’s Dean for the College of Education and Professional Studies; Athletic Director; Chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance; Professor of Health and Human Performance; Women’s Athletic Director; and Gymnastics Coach. Foster will replace Dean Van Galen effective July 1. Van Galen is stepping down to become president of Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo.

 A Cadott woman is going to prison for three-and-a-half years for selling the drugs that caused another woman to die.  Carissa Kasmeirski died of an overdose in March of last year.  Her boyfriend told investigators the drugs she used were bought from Breana Heuer.  The initial charge was reckless homicide, but she entered a no-contest plea to endangering safety and selling meth as part of a plea deal.  She was sentenced in Chippewa County Circuit Court Friday.

The libraries in Elk Mound and Menomonie will be reopening on June 1^st. The library board approved the reopening with limitations. The Menomonie library will be open Monday-through-Friday from 10am-6pm while Elk Mound Library will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-6pm. No in person programming will be provided and public meeting rooms will also be closed and the use of masks by customers is strongly encouraged and all visitors are expected to practice safe social distancing while in the building. Menomonie will be limited to 20 individuals inside at a time while Elk Mound will be limited to 5.

Members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission will discuss how a 500-thousand-dollar federal grant should be used when they meet by teleconference this afternoon.  Money from the CARES Act has been approved for the purchase of sanitation supplies and personal protective equipment for use at the state’s polling locations during the fall election cycle.  Commission members have said they want more information before they give approval to grants to local governments and an absentee voting educational mailing program

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is allowing the state’s circuit courts to resume in-person hearings and jury trials.  Those courts will have to create a plan protecting participants and observers from coronavirus.  The state Supreme Court suspended those activities in March, telling the circuit courts to move them to a date after May 22nd.  The ban won’t be extended if the local courts prepare a plan to clean frequently-touched surfaces and requiring everyone in the courtroom to wear a mask.

Despite COVID-19 concerns, the Oneida County Public Safety Committee voted 4-1 Tuesday, to approve a permit for July's Hodag Country Festival. Organizers pledged to limit weekend wristbands to 16,000. County board supervisor Mitch Ives compared that to typical traffic at the areas big retailers.  Billy Fried  was the only supervisor to vote against the permit.   County Health Department guidelines currently call for gatherings to be limited to 50 people, and the next step only relaxes the guidance to 250 people. The festival opens July 9. About two-thirds of emails received prior to the meeting favored cancelling, and no members of the public who participated spoke in favor of issuing the permit.

The coronavirus pandemic has cost Wisconsin tourism almost two billion dollars.  Tourism Secretary Sara Meaney predicts the losses will continue through the summer.  Meaney was interviewed on W-I-S-N television’s “UPFRONT” show.  She says Wisconsin isn’t advertising for visitors to come to the state this summer.  The losses total one-point-seven billion dollars so far.  She hopes things will start to rebound by fall and winter.

In many Wisconsin locations it looked just like a normal Memorial Day weekend.  People filled golf courses, parks, beaches and beer gardens while the weather was nice outside.  The city of Milwaukee is still under a Safer at Home order and some Wisconsin businesses still haven’t reopened, but that didn't do much to hold the numbers down.  Many of the people said it’s good to get outside and great to get back to the things they did before the coronavirus outbreak.  Some health officials warn of a resulting spike in COVID-19 cases on the way.

Leaders of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa say they hope their donation of more than a ton of fish will help tribal members and Madeline Island communities during the coronavirus pandemic.  The donation was made over the Memorial Day holiday weekend as part of the tribe’s “Community Fish Project.”  The Band has been buying two-thousand-180 pounds of fish from fishing boats over the last three weeks.  More than 300 pounds of whitefish were donated to the Bayfield Food Shelf and the Madeline Island Food Shelf

Officials with the Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles are estimating almost 250 thousand drivers in the state could renew their licenses online this year.  The D-M-V started a program earlier this month to cut back on the number of in-person visits to state offices during the coronavirus pandemic.  To renew online, drivers must have a regular Class-D license with no medical restrictions or further deterioration of their vision.  The D-M-V has also extended the expiration date for about 80 thousand drivers who haven’t been able to renew their licenses while the governor’s Safer at Home order was in effect.

The Board of Directors of Wisconsin Rural Partners has made the difficult, but necessary decision, to not hold this year’s Rural Summit on June 17-18 at Hotel Marshfield. Due to a combination of the COVID-19 issues and the timing of the event with starting the early stages of re-opening the State, the group didn't want to conflict with the time people need to concentrate on getting their livelihoods, personally & professionally, on track again. The event will be moved to April 21-22, 2021 at the same location. It will be structured the same and sessions will be created to address the rural area's current & future concerns and needs.

Glazer-scented candles will soon go on sale at a chain of convenience stores in Wisconsin.  Kwik Trip is working with a company in Eau Claire to offer the candles.  They will smell like fresh donuts while burning.  Smith and Company Candles owner Kenna Smith-Hoff says she worked at Kwik Trip for three years and she grew up eating Glazer donuts.  The candles are said to be in pre-sales right now.

Local-Regional News May 26

What will the 2020-2021 high school sports schedule look like due to the covid-19 pandemic. Durand-Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says districts are facing the uncertainty of what the school year will look like. With no firm orders from the State of Wisconsin, Doverspike believes the decisions will end up being made on a local level.  Dopverspike says another issue could be the concern of counties having outside residents coming into their areas to attend a high school sports event and bringing possible covid-19 with them.

While the Pepin County Health Department has been dealing with the covid-19 pandemic, the department is looking at re-starting other programs the department runs. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says one of those programs is for young children needing vaccinations.  While the Pepin County Government Center remains closed, departments are still providing services to residents and if you need to meet with a department face to face, just give them a call to set up an appointment.

The Buffalo County Board has approved spending $100,000 from un-used capx 2020 funds to help with broadband expansion in the county. At last weeks board meeting the board approved a resolution that would use the unspent money from 2019 to be used to improve the quality and availability of broadband communication sin under-served and un-served areas of Buffalo County. Any projects would be subject to approval by the Public Service Commission.

Four Eau Claire teenagers are charged with assault after a video of an attack was posted on Instagram.  Ruby Jimenez-Nevarez and Alexis Strenke, plus a juvenile, faces charges of battery, drug possession and other offenses.  Eighteen-year-old Chase Passon was the one seen online punching what police call a “defenseless male.”  The victim is recovering at an Eau Claire hospital.  If convicted, Passon could be sentenced to more than 14 years in prison.

An Eau Claire man who led police on a chase, then threatened to kill an officer, is scheduled to return to court next month.  David Marin is charged with recklessly endangering safety, attempting to flee, threatening an officer and several other offenses.  The incident last week started when Marin refused to pay his bill at a restaurant and threatened to kill the manager.  Officers say Marin drove into oncoming traffic while going 70-to-95 miles-an-hour.  When he was finally stopped, he started punching the arresting officer in the head and had to be tased so he could be brought under control.

 Authorities in western Wisconsin say the body of a man reported missing three months ago has been recovered from the Mississippi River.  A 9-1-1 caller reported the body in the water Sunday morning.  Sixty-two-year-old James Zaragoza had been missing since February 22nd and some of his personal items were found at Houska Park.  At the time, investigators said it looked like he had walked out on the ice.  An autopsy will be conducted to determine the official cause of his death.

 Out-of-state crowds filled Lake Geneva elbow-to-elbow during the Memorial Day weekend – most of them getting away from the Illinois restrictions and ignoring social distancing.  Public health orders were relaxed in Wisconsin last week.  Tourists from Illinois say they are frustrated with coronavirus restrictions at home.  They say the guidelines in all states should be similar or else it sets up the weekend’s mass migration to the southeastern Wisconsin vacation spot.  Through Sunday Illinois had 110 thousand cases of COVID-19, while Wisconsin had just over 15 thousand.

 A new study by the University of Minnesota finds hog farming has a big impact on the state's economy.  U of M Extension educator Megan Roberts says the average hog farm generates more than one-point-five-million dollars in economic activity.  Roberts says that doesn't mean it is coming back as profit on their farms and, " when you add in the impact of  COVID-19 the break-even is greatly impacted."    The study suggested a 15-percent drop in pork production could lead to an estimated loss of 21-hundred jobs.   Hog farms also have an impact on veterinarians, hardware stores, feed mills and other businesses.   Roberts says the study made it clear that not all farms are going to survive the COVID-19 crisis.

Landlords could begin evicted tenants who haven’t paid their rent starting Tuesday.  A state order halting evictions expires then.  The state of Wisconsin is getting ready to distribute 25 million dollars through a rent assistance program, but the federal money just arrived last week and officials are still working on how to share it.  Renters will be able to apply through local housing assistance organizations and they could qualify for up to three thousand dollars.

The U-S Census Bureau reports three Midwestern states are responding quickly to the population count.  The bureau says 69-point-nine percent of Minnesotans have answered the questionnaire – more than any other state.  Wisconsin’s response rate is second-highest at 67-point-three percent and Iowa is third with a 66-point-eight percent response rate.  The data gathered by the census every 10 years is used to allocate federal dollars in hundreds of programs.  It also is the determining factor in how many seats each state gets in Congress.  To this point, about 60 percent of the U-S has responded.

The full U-S Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a 2019 decision, finding Polk County was responsible for the repeated sexual assault of two female inmates. A three-judge panel ruled against the women last year. The reversal means the county in northwestern Wisconsin is on the hook for the four-million-dollar judgment. The court found the county chose to “stand by idly” while guard Darryl Christensen sexually assaulted them. He is serving a 30-year prison term for the assaults.

The Department of Workforce Development says they're working to untangle the backlog of unemployment claims. Chief economist Dennis Winters says the state's unemployment system was never built to handle as many claims as have come in.  Nearly 440-thousand Wisconsinites lost their jobs in April, and the department is hiring more people and buying new tech to handle the massive influx of claims.

 A poll of 800 Minnesota voters found Joe Biden with a 49 percent to 44 percent overall lead over President Trump with the general election less than six months away. Biden's support in the Star Tribune, MPR News, KARE 11 poll was heavily weighted in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. In Southern Minnesota the poll found Trump out-pacing Biden 57 percent to 39 percent. In Northern Minnesota the numbers were nearly identical with the President holding a 56 percent to 38 percent advantage. Trump also was the leading choice for voters over 50 and held a small lead among voters identifying as Independent.

Some faith groups in Minnesota remain wary of reopening their doors, despite state guidance that would allow them to as soon as Wednesday. The Minnesota Rabbinical Association says they will not gather or open their facilities to regular activity. The same goes for the Muslim American Society of Minnesota. With support from city government, many churches in Minneapolis and St. Paul say they will remain closed. Groups planning to resume in-person services have stressed there is no obligation for congregants to return even if their local church reopens.

 This is the traditional, unofficial opening sign of summer in the Badger State – the Wisconsin Dells opened for business over the weekend. Not everything is open. Some business owners say they are cleaning and preparing for customers to return. It isn’t clear when the crowds will show up. Visitors fuel the one-billion-dollar tourism industry in the Dells.

Local-Regional News May 25

One person was injured in an ATV accident last Tuesday in Pepin County. According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department 74yr old Jackie Patraw of rural Pepin was traveling on Hwy N and crossed the highway going from the northbound ditch to the southbound ditch just north of Jahnke Lane. Patraw starting going up an embankment when the ATV rolled and landed on him. He was flown to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester with undetermined injuries. That accident remains under investigation.

No one was injured in a car fire on Frday in the Town of Pepin. According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, firefighters responded to a car on fire at Hwy CC and Lost Creek Road. When authorities arrived on scene, the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames and the driver, 79yr old Robert Ramseth of Stockholm was safely out of the vehicle. Lund and Pepin Fire Fighters put out the blaze.

A Dunn County man is pleading not guilty by mental disease or defect in the January murder of his father.  Fifty-one-year-old Gary Styer of Colfax is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the murder of 78-year-old Edward Styer.  He told investigators he killed his dad because of years of physical and emotional abuse he suffered as a child.  The complaint says Styer killed him with a two-by-four piece of wood while he was sleeping.  Styer's next court hearing is July 24th.

One of two men charged with child sex trafficking in Eau Claire County Circuit Court has been handed a 10-year prison sentence.  Richard Bye and William Hargrove were both accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.  A judge handed down the sentence for Hargrove Thursday.  Both men denied having sex with the underage girl, but D-N-A evidence tied them to the crime.

A 50-year-old man accused of killing an elderly victim in a parking lot altercation has been freed on bond in La Crosse County.  Matthew Kinstler entered a plea of not guilty to reckless homicide charges.  Kinstler and 79-year-old Russell W. Paulson got into an argument outside a Menard’s store May 1st when Kinstler thought the older man had parked too close to his vehicle.  Paulson was injured and died later.  Kinstler had been in jail for more than two weeks when he bonded out Thursday.

One man is in custody after a killing in Sawyer County over the weekend. According to the Sawyer County Sheriffs Department, deputies, and other local law enforcement responded to a domestic incident in the Town of Hayward on Saturday and found an older man dead from an apparent stab would and an older woman still alive but with severe lacerations and injuries to her face. Authorities arrested 34yr old Peter D. Farnsworth of Rocky Ford, Colorado on charges of first degree intentional homicide, attempted first degree intentional homicide and substantial battery. That incident is still under investigation.

SFB, Security Financial Bank has announced that lobbies at all SFB Branches will re-open to the public staring on June 1^st. Only one entrance at each location will be open, and customers will notice Plexiglas guards installed at all teller windows, and customers will be allowed to wear masks, but you may be asked to temporarily remove it to identify yourself.

Organizers with the Wisconsin State Fair are waiting until the end of May to make a decision on whether move forward with the 2020 fair in August.  Officials said in an email, "as the State Fair Park Board of Directors continue to work with staff and government officials on the safety of mass gatherings related to COVID-19, we have decided to put a hold on sending agreements until a decision has been made regarding the 2020 Wisconsin State Fair."  Board member John Yingling of said earlier this month that the sticking point is crowd size.  The fair can draw 140-thousand people on a good weekend, which would make social distancing impossible.  The Minnesota State Fair cancelled its event Friday which draws more than two-million visitors.

Only South Dakota has fewer coronavirus restrictions in effect than Wisconsin.  The personal finance website WalletHub released the results this week, analyzing 11 key metrics to determine the rankings.  Researchers found the Badger State had the loosest restrictions on requiring people to wear a mask in public and reopening child care programs.  It had the second-fewest restrictions on large gatherings and letting restaurants and bars resume serving customers.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett expects many Democrats will decide about coming to their national convention at the last minute. Tom Barrett says a number of delegates will wait until August to decide if they want to attend the Democratic National Convention at Fiserv Forum in-person. Presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden told Channel 12 this week that he may not not attend in-person. He say it depends on the advice that his doctors give him.

Wisconsin state parks have returned to regular operating hours. That is, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, and parks will no longer be closed Wednesdays. The sole exception, Rock Island State Park will remain closed until July. A limited number of day-use area restrooms will reopen for public use beginning Wednesday, June 3, according to the Wisconsin DNR. Park visitors are advised to bring hand sanitizer. All group, family and indoor group campsites will remain closed, and all events and shelter reservations will be canceled, through June 7. The status of events, reservations and camping after June 7 is under review.

It’s back to work at Harley-Davidson. The company says 125 workers are already back at the motorcycle factory in Menomonee Falls. The plan is to bring everyone else back after Memorial Day. Almost a-thousand people work at the plant. Harley-Davidson has been shut down since mid-March because of the coronavirus.

Two Minnesota students are being recognized in the 56th class of U-S Presidential Scholars.  Aunika Zheng of Mounds View High School and Benjamin Bin Yan from Century High School in Rochester are among this year's 161 recipients. The program honors high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts and career, and technical education fields.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, scholars will not be able to travel to Washington, D-C  for the national recognition program this summer. Plans are underway for an online ceremony.

Local-Regional News May 22

The Dunn County Fair will be a virtual fair this year. The Dunn County Board passed a resolution ordering the fair to consist only of 4-H and other youth-group related activities that can be conducted remotely and that all other elements of the fair shall be cancelled. Fair organizers said in a statement that the safety of the guests and participants are their highest priority. It will be the first time in 134 years that the fair will not be held. Information on the alternative plans for the fair will be posted on the Dunn County Fair website. The Fair is expected to return in July of 2021.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved a video graduation ceremony. Durand Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says while the district could have held a ceremony, it would have been under social distancing and limited public access requirements.  All seniors will be receiving a copy of the ceremony on DVD.

The Plum City School District will be holding graduation ceremonies tonight. The District will be airing a graduation video tonight starting at 7pm on the districts Facebook Page. Meanwhile the Mondovi School District is still planing on having a graduation ceremony July 11 at 2pm at the football field. The District will also be holding a graduation parade through Mondovi on May 29^th starting at 4pm.

The Pepin county Board has approved an interim Highway Commissioner. The board appointed Brent Bauer to be the interim commissioner to replace Kris Quandt who has resigned as commissioner effective June 4^th. The County Board will now work on finding a new highway commissioner.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden told Wisconsin participants in a virtual roundtable discussion what can be done to help rural communities during the coronavirus pandemic.  Biden, Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind and others discussed strategies Wednesday.  The group talked about providing aid for community health care centers, bringing adequate testing to less-populated areas, and coming up with an economic relief plan to boost farmers and small businesses as they try to recover financially.

 A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday names 21 state and local Wisconsin officials, alleging that local stay-at-home orders are unconstitutional.  Governor Tony Evers is among the officials named.  The plaintiffs are 17 Wisconsin residents who are taking aim at the local orders that went into effect after the state Supreme Court blocked the statewide Safer at Home order.  Dane County Executive Joe Parisi responded in a Thursday statement saying officials will vigorously defend common sense provisions based on public health guidance to protect people from COVID-19.

The Minnesota State Fair board of managers will meet today to discuss the status of the 2020 fair.  Fair officials have not said yet whether the 2020 Great Minnesota Get-Together will be canceled as a result of COVID-19.  General Manager Jerry Hammer said in April that the health and safety of fairgoers and vendors is always a top priority.  Since 1859, the Minnesota State Fair has only been canceled due to the Civil War, World War 2 and the 1946 Polio epidemic.  The 2019 State Fair drew a record crowd of more than two-point-one million visitors.

 Minnesota's unemployment rate jumped to eight-point-one percent in April and the state shed 360-thousand payroll jobs due to COVID-19.  Oriane Casale (OR'-ee-ahn kuh-SAL') with the Department of Employment and Economic Development indicates that number is probably too low because of the fast economic drop and other factors.  Casale won't hazard a prediction on what May's unemployment number might be "but what I will say is that we would anticipate our unemployment rate to be more in line with what we're seeing nationally."  The U-S jobless rate rose to 14-point-seven percent last month.

As the state's farmers continue to reel after the closures of Wisconsin's largest meat packing companies, efforts are being made to keep their livestock in the food supply. UW-Extension Meat Specialist Jeffrey Sindelar says groups are looking for buyers for all of those animals that would have gone to the major meat packing companies.  He says that the UW is even stepping up at its own processing facilities to try and handle the surplus.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development reports 140 thousand applications for unemployment benefits are on hold right now. The state agency says it has just opened a new call center to speed up the investigation of those claims. Secretary Caleb Frostman blames the situation on an unprecedented number of claims and staff levels which were inadequate to handle the volume of cases. Frostman says about 125 adjudicators are dealing with the situation now, 100 are about to be brought onboard, and an external vendor will add 200 more to help deal with the backlog

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has delayed a decision on mailing absentee ballot applications to voters who haven’t asked for one.  The commission is expected to bring the matter up again when it meets next week.  Mailing a ballot to every registered voter in the state would cost more than two million dollars.  Democrats and Republicans on the commission disagree on how many people should get the applications.  President Trump has threatened to pull federal funding from states which took the same approach.

 For the first time in 20 years, Triple-A will not issue a Memorial Day Weekend travel forecast.  Triple-A Minnesota spokeswoman Meredith Terpstra says they usually use economic data to create that forecast and it's been undermined with the COVID-19 shutdowns.  She says they expect to make travel projections for the late summer and fall, assuming states ease travel restrictions and businesses re-open.  She expects many people to travel locally or in a neighboring state this Memorial Day weekend.

The Walz administration says it will implement new state employee contracts with a July 1st raise because the Republican-controlled state Senate could not legally strip out negotiated raises by passing a bill in the closing days of the legislative session.  House Deputy Republican Leader Anne Neu calls it “irresponsible” to give raises to those employees when the state has its largest unemployment since the Great Depression and a massive budget deficit.  The head of the Teamsters Local 320 says the union will never re-negotiate a tentative agreement under political threat.

The University of Wisconsin says Dane County’s reopening plan does not take Badger football off the table for the fall. Scott Manley with Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce tweets that Dane County’s slow-rolling, phased-in plan to reopen the city bans sporting events larger than 250 people until there is a coronavirus vaccine. A U-W spokesman says that doesn’t apply to the Badgers. Manley says Dane County’s plan is a massive overreach. UW Athletics officials say they're waiting for guidance from the NCAA before deciding what to do about fall sports.

The Lake Geneva City Council is doing what it can to make this holiday weekend as normal as possible during the coronavirus pandemic.  By a narrow four-to-three vote, the council decided to re-open the beach.  There are strong emotions on both sides of the question.  City officials in Lake Geneva say two beach employees have quit their jobs rather than run the risk of getting sick while dealing with the crowds.

Local-Regional News May 21

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is having to prepare for a possible drop in the budget. During last nights board meeting, Superintendent Greg Doverspike told the members there are three possible scenarios.   If the $50 per pupil decrease happens, the budget would have a $300,000 deficit. Another complicating factor according to Doverspike is any state budget repair bill that affects school budgets may not be passed until after the November election, which would be in the middle of the school year.

The Pepin County Health Department has issued a health alert due to the covid 19 pandemic. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart said the department wanted to put something in writing so the public had some guidance.  The health alert gives residents suggestions on how to protect themselves from the covid 19 and also gives businesses suggestions on ways to keep customers and employees safe. The suggestions are voluntary.

The Pepin County Government Center will remain closed due to the covid 19 pandemic. During last nights Pepin County Board meeting, members approved a plan that would keep the center closed to the public, until at least July 1^st, when it would be re-evaluated. While the building is closed, county services will continue and if a resident does need to have a face to face meeting with a department, they can call that department to make an appointment.

Convicted killer Colten Treu has been sentenced to another 110 days in jail on drug charges.  Treu is already serving 54 years in prison for being high when he caused a wreck that killed members of a Girl Scout group cleaning up the roadside.  That was in Chippewa County.  Treu was being prosecuted in Rusk County this time after he admitted he was smoking pot before wrecking a company truck.  Drugs were found in that truck.  He will serve the drug sentence concurrently with the much-longer sentence for four counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle.

Wisconsin farmers will be eligible for a direct payment program from the state, for coronavirus relief. Governor Tony Evers confirmed Wednesday afternoon he will take 50-million dollars from the 1.9 billion given to the state in the CARES Act to use for the direct payments, plus another 15 million dollars to assist food security efforts. Eligible farmers will be asked to apply for the aid through the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, which is working in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Farm support payments could begin arriving as early as June. The 50-million is exactly what eight Wisconsin farm organizations requested from Evers in an April 21st letter.

Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind and fellow Wisconsin Democrats Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore, want to allocate four million dollars to expand USDA's existing milk donation program. The USDA’s current Milk Donation program requires dairy farmers to seek out food banks and apply for reimbursements to cover expenses. The Farmer’s MILK Act would give USDA authority to pair up dairy producers that have excess supply with food banks in need.

An online economic tracker reports consumer spending is down 19-point-four percent in Wisconsin during the coronavirus pandemic.  Opportunity Insights finds major drops in grocery, entertainment, restaurants, apparel and health care.  The Badger State’s trend is very near the national average at 20 percent.  The researchers came up with the figures by comparing spending in January to April’s activity.

Wisconsin’s national cemeteries will be strangely quiet on Memorial Day – the day set aside to honor veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice.  The Department of Veterans Affairs isn’t allowing public gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic.  The department is prohibiting public events at national cemeteries.  It says each V-A cemetery will have a brief wreath-laying ceremony to honor veterans and service members only.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is allowing bars and restaurants, hair salons, tattoo parlors and campgrounds to re-open June 1st under some restrictions.  Outdoor dining will only be allowed at Minnesota bars and restaurants by appointment, with a six-foot social distance between tables and at a 50-percent capacity limit.  Restaurant workers must wear masks and customers are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings.  Barber shops, hair salons, and tattoo parlors can operate at 25-percent capacity and workers and patrons are required to wear masks.  Walz says the phased re-opening is based on science and designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Republican legislative leaders claim Minnesota Governor Walz's phased re-opening of some businesses June 1st discriminates against Minnesota churches.  House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt questioned why churches are limited to ten people outdoors while hundreds of people can gather in the aisles of big-box stores.  Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelks said, "I am growing more concerned there is a targeted effort to keep churches closed." Gazelka says he hopes the federal courts will intervene.  Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis Bernard Hebda wants to give Catholic parishes the option of re-opening May 26th under strict protocols for social distancing and at one-third of seating capacity.

 Meat shortages caused by the coronavirus pandemic could mean some families won’t have hot dogs this upcoming holiday weekend.  Usinger’s Famous Sausage in Milwaukee says it has run out of beef for the dogs.  The company says there aren’t enough processing plants operating at full capacity to meet demand.  Industry experts say production is probably at about 75 percent of capacity right now.  The national beef shortage has caused prices to reach record-high levels.

State health officials say most of the patients who have tested positive for coronavirus are now fee to return to their jobs.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reports the state’s recovery rate is almost 60 percent.  More than seven thousand people have been cleared after testing positive.  Another five thousand are still within the 30-day diagnosis window, meaning they haven’t officially recovered from the virus.  The D-H-S says 467 people have died from the coronavirus during the pandemic.

 The Door County Public Health Department has issued new guidelines people need to follow if they want to travel to the tourist spot for Memorial Day.  The county is re-opening, but with restrictions.  Local officials are asking visitors to maintain social distancing and wear face masks.  Door County is also seeking a limit on travel, but it’s not clear what that might mean for the local tourism industry.  It depends on visiting people from out of the northeastern Wisconsin area to survive.

The State of Wisconsin will use more than a billion dollars in federal money to pay for COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and emergency operations during the pandemic.  Governor Tony Evers says the effort will be funding by the CARES Act.  Tuesday, Evers said, “Wisconsin’s Safer at Home order may have ended, but our all-out war on the virus has not.”  State officials want to test increasing numbers of Wisconsin residents and expand a contact tracing program.  Fifty-two Wisconsin labs are said to be capable of analyzing 13 thousand COVID-19 tests-a-day.

 Thousands of Wisconsin residents can’t pay their bills and, in many cases, can’t even buy food as they wait for their first unemployment check.  Officials with the Department of Workforce Development confirm more than 675 thousand claims are still unpaid.  The Safer at Home order resulted in more than two million claims since mid-March.  The state agency has been overwhelmed.  The numbers don’t include people who haven’t been able to get through to make a claim.  D-W-D is still promising unemployment recipients will get their back pay, but it isn’t known how long that might take.

Target Corporation is reporting a big spike in sales in the first quarter - but also a large drop in profits.  The Minnesota-based retailer says sales grew ten-point-eight percent and total revenue rose more than 11 percent to 19-point-six-billion dollars.  Online sales during the COVID-19 pandemic were up 141 percent - and a whopping 282 percent in April.  Target says while sales were on the rise, profits fell more than 64 percent to 284-million dollars.  C-E-O Brian Cornell said that "Q1 was unlike anything we’ve seen in Target's long history."  Food and digital sales have lower profit margin than apparel and other items.  The company also gave employees a two dollar-an-hour pay increase for working during the outbreak.

The head of Wisconsin's insurance commission says that all COVID-19 testing must be covered under private insurance. That ruling was issued on Tuesday by Commissioner Mark Afable. He says that anyone who has been charged for those tests, either as part of separate testing or as a visit to a doctor's office, should contact their insurer and contest the charges. That includes trips to the emergency room or to an urgent care clinic. The ruling is part of the federal COVID-19 laws like the CARES Act.

The Wisconsin Department of Tourism is launching two new online games to entertain people staying home during the pandemic. The Ultimate Wisconsin Fishing Game lets players choose one of Wisconsin's lakes to fish in, and learn about the species. The other is a matching game. Match It! Wisconsin challenges players to beat the clock and flip over cards to find matching pairs. Both games can be found at travel-wisconsin-dot-com.

Local-Regional News May 20

The City of Durand Planning Commission has approved the rezoning, site plan and certified survey map for the Kwik Trip Project at the highway shop location in Durand. The new Kwik Trip is expected to create 35-40 jobs and is expected to be built in 2022 after Pepin County moves into a new Highway Shop near Arkansaw. That approval now moves to the full city council for approval on May 27^th.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion on a Graduation Ceremony, the setting of breakfast and lunch prices, and the waving of athletic fees for the upcoming school year. The board will also go into closed session to talk about the Tarrant Park Softball Field Project. Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm at the board room at Durand High School.

The Pepin County Board is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion of Emergency Administrative Flexibility Actions, discussion of the Covid-19 pandemic and the next steps the county will be taking and the appointment of an interim Highway Commissioner. Tonight's meeting begins at 7pm at the board room at the Pepin County Government Center.

Office Buildings in Pierce County will remain closed to the public until further notice. Even though the safer at home orders are ended, the covid-19 pandemic is still a threat to public health and county authorities have decided to keep the office buildings closed. Pierce County residents are encouraged to receive services that they can by phone or online. For those that do need a face to face meeting, you are encouraged to contact the necessary department and schedule an appointment.

A 23-year-old passenger who was in the car when Colten Treu hit and fatally injured a group of Girl Scouts is scheduled to appear in court May 28th.  John Stender told investigators he grabbed the steering wheel during the incident in 2018.  A 10-thousand-dollar signature bond was set for him in Chippewa County Circuit Court.  Stender faces charges of harboring or aiding a felon by falsifying information and intentionally abusing a hazardous substance.  Treu and Stender allegedly were high from huffing chemicals when their vehicle hit the Scouts.

Eau Claire barbers and stylists can start cutting hair again, but there are significant restrictions.  The Eau Claire City-County Health Department says barbers and stylists can see no more than 10 clients-a-day – and they have to keep a log on everyone they see.  To continue working they must enforce a strict six-foot social distance policy.  There are also new cleaning and sanitizing rules, including the use of face masks.

 A 29-year-old Chippewa Falls woman led authorities on a chase through Chippewa, Barron and Washburn counties last week.  Authorities say Danielle Ford was driving a stolen vehicle from the West Bend area.  Ford is being held in the Barron County Jail.  The high-speed pursuit along Highway 53 lasted for 40 miles before deputies were finally able to use stop sticks to end it.

The Tuesday announcement that Republican State Senator David Craig is retiring means more than 20 percent of the members will be new for the next legislative session.  Seven Wisconsin senators say they’re not coming back.  Craig is the second Republican to announce his retirement – after Senator Luther Olsen.  Republican Tom Tiffany was sworn into Congress Tuesday after winning last week’s special election in the 7th Congressional District.  Four Democrats have already announced they aren’t running for reelection.  Former Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling resigned last week to take a job in the private sector.

 Concourses sit mostly empty at Mitchell International Airport as local officials report a 96 percent decrease in the number of passengers during April.  Last year, more than 585 thousand travelers passed through Milwaukee’s airport – this year that number was less than 24 thousand.  Airmail was also reported to be off by about 60 percent.  Airport officials say the numbers for the Milwaukee facility are roughly the same as the rest of the country.  Passengers who are flying are said to be taking steps for personal protection from the coronavirus.

The Department of Workforce Development says it's stopped a rash of identity theft and fraud cases connected to the surge of unemployment filings. The Department says it detected and stopped 342 cases of fraud since the pandemic response began in March. Most of the cases involved people using stolen Social Security Numbers to make phony unemployment claims. Secretary Caleb Frostman says that his workers are doing their best to make sure that only legitimate claims are being paid out.

Former Congressman Jason Lewis is suing to overturn Governor Tim Walz's executive orders that closed Minnesota businesses.  Lewis claims in his federal lawsuit that the governor's "stay-at-home" orders are unconstitutional.  He said in a statement that Governor Walz imposed a "never-ending one-size-fits-all economic lockdown while jobs and small businesses go belly up."  Lewis is running for the Republican nomination to face U-S Senator Tina Smith in the November election.

The U-S Army Corps of Engineers is opening things up so the public can view operations on the Mississippi River up-close again.  The facilities were shut down April 6th to help slow the spread of COVID-19.  Restrooms at the locks and dams will still be closed.  The area affected is between Lock and Dam 2 near Hastings and Lock and Dam 10 at Guttenberg, Iowa.  St. Paul District locks and dams chief Jim Rand is encouraging everyone to practice safe social distancing and do what they can to protect themselves during the pandemic.

A major summer event in northwest Wisconsin has been cancelled due to coronavirus concerns. The Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board Monday unanimously approved cancelling the 2020 Honor the Earth Homecoming Celebration and Powwow. This would have been the 47th Honor the Earth, held the weekend of July 17-19. The pow wow annually draws hundreds of dancers, drum groups and families to the tribe's reservation outside Hayward.

The Wisconsin Election Commission reports the April 7th presidential primary set records for absentee and mail-in voting, but there were only minimal problems.  The commission released its report Monday.  It shows that voters cast the most absentee ballots ever in a spring election in the state, but the percentage of rejected ballots was still below two percent.  That’s consistent with past elections.  Some voters complained that their mail-in ballots never arrived and others feared they would be rejected for being too late.

Governor Tony Evers says there’s no point in attempting to come up with a statewide rule to control COVID-19 when Republicans are clearly opposed to any restrictions.  The Democrat Evers says they won’t let anything take effect.  He says his administration had been working on new emergency rules since the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down his Safer at Home order last week.  That effort was given up after a key Republican on the rules committee accused the governor of trying to use that process to reinstate Safer at Home.

A Missouri judge has approved a settlement between the family of two murdered Shawano County brothers and the man accused of killing them.  The settlement of the wrongful death lawsuit filed last December is for four million dollars.  Garland Nelson is facing two counts of first-degree murder.  The burned remains of Nicholas and Justin Diemel were found at locations in Missouri and Nebraska.  Also a part of the lawsuit were Nelson’s mother, Tomme Fell, and the family’s cattle business, J-4-S Enterprises.

Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka is hinting a compromise bonding bill of around one-point-one to one-point-three billion dollars could be discussed during a June special session.  The Minnesota House was at two billion and the Senate was at 998 million when the two bills were defeated as the regular session was wrapping up.  Governor Tim Walz says the June 12th target date for a special session could charge due to many factors – including the way the pandemic is affecting Minnesota going forward.

 Minnesota-based Target is extending its two dollar-an-hour pay bump for employees through the Fourth of July.  C-E-O Brian Cornell told employees their pay increase would be extended for the second time during the coronavirus pandemic.  Other benefits brought on by the pandemic are also being extended through the end of June, including paid leave for high-risk workers.