Teachers
and students in school districts continue to distance learn due to
the covid-19 pandemic. Durand-Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg
Doverspike says the teachers and students are handling the distance
learning well but they are looking forward to getting back into the
school building. This
is the final week of school for most locations in Western Wisconsin.
The
City of Durand did not get awarded two possible grants to help with
the 3rd
ave East reconstruction project. The city had applied for a 90-10
and 50-50 grant from the state but were not approved for either
grant. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city will apply again
for both grants next year if they are offered. The
City has applied for the CDBG grant that has been used in the past
for road and infrastructure projects in the city.
A
firefighter in western Wisconsin is accused of setting a series of
grass fires. The Barron County Sheriff's Office says Barron
volunteer fireman Justin Cloud was arrested on suspicion of arson and
reckless endangering safety. Deputies say Cloud responded to
one of the grass fires that he reportedly started. He's been
suspended by the Barron Fire Department and remains jailed pending
charges.
The
Wabasha County Board is meeting tomorrow. Items on the agenda
include setting public hearings on the County Road 77/Hwy 61
Intersection replacement project and the Hwy 26 project, acceptance
of bid for the reconstruction of County Hwy 4 and 27 near Plainview,
and authorize construction of a 55 foot communication tower extension
on the new Lake City Tower. Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am at the
Wabasha County Government Center.
The
Eau Claire School Board will select a new member next week. The
district has received 13 applications from candidates wanting to
replace board member Laurie Klinkhammer. The applications are
being reviewed and a replacement will be chosen Monday. When
that is done, the school board will begin the process of replacing
outgoing board member Eric Torres.
A
24-year-old La Crosse shooting suspect has been charged with
first-degree attempted homicide. Ellis Wilson appeared in La
Crosse County Circuit Court Thursday. Police were called to a
residence May 7th and found a person on the ground who was
bleeding. The victim has been hospitalized for treatment of a
gunshot wound at Gundersen Health System. His name hasn’t
been released, but he has identified Wilson as the man who shot him.
Wilson has a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 22nd.
Congressman
Ron Kind is applauding passage of a three-trillion-dollar COVID-19
package in the Democratic-controlled U-S House. The HEROES Act
provides funding for local governments to respond to the coronavirus,
expands the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses, and
help for farmers, essential workers and families. The Wisconsin
Democrat said, "while this legislation is far from perfect, we
can’t afford to wait." Republican Congressman Mike
Gallagher called the package a "partisan wishlist that not only
highlights the breakdown of our modern Congress, but further delays
our ability to get assistance to Americans when we have no time to
waste." He claims the bill was written without any hint of
bipartisan discussion.
A
federal grand jury indictment charges a Rochester doctor with
attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist
organization. The U-S Attorney's Office alleges 28-year-old
Muhammad Masood pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State and
wanted to travel to Syria to fight for I-S-I-S between January and
March. Masood is also accused of expressing a desire to conduct
"lone wolf" terrorist attacks in the U-S. The native
of Pakistan was a research coordinator at a medical clinic in
Rochester under an H-1-B Visa. Masood was arrested by the F-B-I
at M-S-P Airport in March.
Minnesota's
Republican party had to postpone its virtual state convention this
weekend because of technical issues. Party Chair Jennifer Carnahan
indicated to viewers that a rash of technical glitches as the event
got underway may have been orchestrated by a hacker. The party is
investigating the interruption. A rescheduled convention date has not
been announced.
The
owner of a Shawano County campground says people wearing masks will
be viewed as robbery suspects “and will be handled that way.”
A Facebook posting on the page for Annie’s Campground near Gresham
says “Masks are NOT allowed in the buildings for safety sake.”
Owner Ann Retzlaff says there is an allowance for people who wear
protective masks if they have a “delicate health situation.”
The Facebook posting went up shortly after the Wisconsin Supreme
Court ended Governor Evers’ Safer at Home order last Wednesday.
The
Republican leadership of the Wisconsin Legislature doesn’t want to
come up with its own version of Safer at Home. Party leaders
say they don’t see the need for a set of statewide rules that tell
local businesses how to reopen. State Representative Joan
Ballweg is among lawmakers who are leaning toward letting local
communities set their own rules. Governor Evers says that will
lead to a patchwork of rules and regulations which will create more
confusion.
Citing
legal concerns, local leaders in many Wisconsin cities and counties
have dialed back stay-at-home orders. In the wake of last week's
state Supreme Court ruling against the Evers' administration's Safer
at Home order, at least 17 communities as of Friday morning had
issued new orders aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus.
Just hours later, many had dropped them, with public health officials
asking people take observe social distancing precautions and
reminding them that coronavirus has not stopped spreading.
Governor
Tony Evers says Wisconsin received around 210-thousand masks from the
Taiwanese government and international businesses for the state's
supply of personal protective equipment. All of the donated
masks will be distributed to health care workers and public safety
personnel. Governor Evers said, "competition for P-P-E is
intense and global. That is why we have built partnerships with
businesses and governments, both here and abroad, to help grow our
state supply." He says the state will continue to pursue
every available avenue to equip COVID-19 frontline responders so they
can help keep Wisconsin communities safe and healthy.
The
University of Wisconsin System plans to resume in-person classes this
fall and make it as safe as possible. President Ray Cross said,
"we fully expect to remain open in the fall. How we deliver
education for students depends on a number of factors."
U-W formed a Plan Ahead Team to review best practices and identify
criteria for a return to in-person instruction for fall 2020.
Officials have begun planning on a broad range of services the
universities provide like academics, sports and dormitories.
The U-W System also plans to test all students, and faculty for
COVID-19.
Wisconsin
unemployment payments are approaching a billion-dollars. The
Department of Workforce Development says that as of last week, the
state has paid 941-million dollars in unemployment benefits. That
includes the extra 600-dollars a-week enhancer from the federal
government. More than a half-million people in Wisconsin have applied
for unemployment benefits since the coronavirus outbreak began in
March.
Friday
was the last day in office for former Wisconsin Senate Minority
Leader Jennifer Shilling. The Democrat from La Crosse submitted
her resignation to Senate President Roger Roth Friday. Shilling
says state law requires lawmakers to resign their seat early if a
potential employment opportunity could present a conflict of interest
with state government activities. She said, "while I wish
I could finish out my term and continue representing the residents
and communities in the communities in the 32nd Senate District...the
law requires me to vacate my position in the state Senate earlier
than anticipated." Shilling announced last month she
would not seek re-election. Senator Janet Bewley replaced her
as minority leader.
The
COVID-19 pandemic has nearly eliminated passenger traffic at
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Officials say air
travel is down 92 percent from last year at this time.
Metropolitan Airports Commission C-E-O Brian Ryks (ricks) says this
is worse than after 9/11. He says the aviation industry to
trying to make people feel comfortable about flying again.
Travel this week was up about three to four percent from its lowest
point of the shutdown. M-S-P and T-S-A employees are required
to wear masks and some of the airlines are asking customers to wear
face coverings.
Pest
control officials in Minnesota are monitoring a high number of
reports about aggressive biting gnats. Alex Carlson with the
Metropolitan Mosquito Control District says they are investigating to
see if this is due to a new type of gnat, or traditional black flies
we always see this time of year. Carlson says most of these
black flies only last about two to three weeks. He said, "for
people who are getting bit really bad, even if we're not able to get
to them this year ,they're not going to last all summer long."
Carlson says these types of gnats do not spread disease and the best
prevention is traditional bug sprays, wearing light clothing,
protecting your neck area and avoid overly fragrant shampoo or
lotions.
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