The
City of Durand Planning commission is meeting tonight. Durand Mayor
Patrick Milliren says the commission will be talking about the Kwik
Trip Project at the old county highway shop location.
The
Commission will then forward its recommendation on to the full city
council for the May 27th
meeting. Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm.
Frustration
is starting to grow among health officials as counties and
communities attempt to develop guidance to protect citizens and
businesses during the covid-19 pandemic. Pepin County Health Officer
Heidi Stewart says the the counties and communities should be working
together. Some
counties that developed guidelines last week decided to remove them
due to possible legal issues.
One
person is dead after a one vehicle accident in Ellsworth Township on
Saturday. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 36yr
old Joe Hayes of Ellsworth was traveling southbound on Hwy C when he
crossed the center-line and entered the east ditch. The vehicle
struck and then vaulted over a driveway, causing it to go airborne and
roll over. Hayes was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced
dead at the scene by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.
That crash remains under investigation.
One
person was injured in a two vehicle accident in Ellsworth Township on
Saturday. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 18yr
old Cody Schwalbe of Ellsworth was traveling southbound on Hwy C when
he began to slow down to attempt a U-Turn when his vehicle was struck
by another southbound vehicle drive by 34yr old Christopher Bystrom
of Ellsworth. Bystrom was transported to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing
with undetermined injuries.
One
person was injured in a single motorcycle crash in Lincoln Township
on Friday. According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department,
51yr old Thanh Vinh Truong of St. Paul was traveling on Hwy 88 when
he missed a curve in the road, and went onto the shoulder, down an
embankment and crashed. Truong was med flighted to an Eau Claire
Hospital with head injuries.
UW-River
Falls Chancellor Dean Van Galen has been selected the next president
of Missouri Southern State University. In a letter to the UWRF
community, Van Galen announced his selection and that he would begin
his new duties effective July 1st.
“It
has truly been an honor and privilege to serve as Chancellor of
UW-River Falls over the past 11 years,” wrote Van Galen in his
communication to UW-River Falls employees.
A
fund is now available for small businesses feeling the impact of the
COVID-19 crisis. Governor Tony Evers announced 75-million dollars is
available to help small businesses cover the cost of the interruption
of business. It can also be used for health and safety improvements,
rent, salaries and other expenses. Businesses can begin applying for
the grants early next month.
What
if you held a Democratic National Convention – and nobody showed
up? Less than three months before the huge event is scheduled
to start many delegates say they’re not coming. The New York
Times interviewed 59 delegates and just nine said they plan to
attend. Only two said they believe it will be safe to do that.
Governor Tony Evers has said it is important to make sure the
convention doesn’t add stress to the health care system in
southeastern Wisconsin. Original estimates had more than 50
thousand people visiting Milwaukee this summer.
Wisconsin
state health officials report the percentage of COVID-19 tests that
have come back positive has dropped to two-point-nine percent.
Monday’s result is three points lower than Sunday’s.
Wisconsin is testing more people and fewer are testing positive.
The Department of Health Services reports six people died since
Sunday, running the state’s total to 459. State officials
say 54-percent of all diagnosed COVID-19 patients have fully
recovered.
Not
dismayed by a 14-point loss in last week’s special election,
Democrat Tricia Zunker says she’s going to run against Tom Tiffany
again in November. Tiffany claimed the seat vacated by fellow
Republican Sean Duffy in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional
District. Zunker says the special election was held under what
she calls “unprecedented circumstances” and she feels the
situation will be very different in the general election. The
Wausau school board president expects a larger turnout due to the
presidential race and less confusion about absentee ballots and
polling locations.
Some
major resort attractions in Wisconsin Dells are gearing up to reopen
for the summer. Destinations like Tommy Bartlett's, Kalahari and Mt.
Olympus are opening up before the end of May, signalling their
desires to be up and running for the summer tourism season. Visitors
already packed into resort towns over the weekend, after the Safer at
Home orders were struck down by the Supreme Court. Owners for both Mt
Olympus and Tommy Bartletts say they'll be running at reduced
capacity with safety measures in place.
The
Wisconsin Department of Health Services has two primary goals in its
coronavirus battle plan. The state agency filed paperwork with
the Legislature Friday to create rules for a new emergency order.
The D-H-S says it will try to “box in” the virus and re-open the
Wisconsin economy “without undue risk.” The Legislature
would have to approve the new rules before the order could be issued
– and it’s not likely that will happen. Several Republicans
say they don’t like the scope of the order.
No
more long lines at the D-M-V when you go to renew your driver’s
license. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says people
can now do that online. The state agency is making the change
as it works to clear a backlog of nearly 80 thousand drivers whose
licenses expired during the coronavirus pandemic. D-M-V
Administrator Kristina Boardman says anyone between 18-and-64 who
hasn’t had a change in their driver’s status can complete the
task online. The renewal fee is still 34 dollars.
U-S
Senator Ron Johnson says it is concerning to see people failing to
social distance in the days after the governor’s Safer at Home
order was struck down by the state Supreme Court. The Wisconsin
Republican says from what he has seen his constituents are being very
responsible, wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, taking
COVID-19 seriously. During a Sunday morning appearance on
C-N-N’s State of the Union, Johnson said he supports keeping as
much of the economy open as possible – as long as it is done safely
and responsibly.
Republicans
in the Minnesota House are questioning the state’s attorney general
over reports his office has threatened business owners with fines if
they re-open before June 1st. Lawmakers say a number of
businesses in rural areas have told them they can’t wait for the
governor to allow them to return to work. They say they have
decided to re-open with safety precautions in effect.
Republicans say that’s a case of the governor picking winners and
losers, forcing many business owners into bankruptcy.
A
group of disabled Wisconsinites is filing a lawsuit against the state
elections commission over its handling of the Spring Elections. The
lawsuit is being filed by a group of immunocompromised voters who
were either forced to go to the polls in person on April 7th or had
issues casting their absentee ballots. The federal lawsuit, filed
with the help of the group Protect Democracy, seeks to have absentee
ballots sent to all voters in the presidential election in November,
to ensure that the elections commission is ready to get poll workers
to everywhere in the state, and to increase in person absentee voting
opportunities.
Oneida
Nation casinos will reopen with some restrictions next week. It will
be just slots, and face masks will be required, when three Oneida
casino locations reopen next week. Casino managers last week said
they will reopen on May 26th, with limited games and other
coronavirus safety precautions. About half of the casino's workers
will be coming back to work next week. They will all be screened
before hitting the floor with guests.
Fishing
is one of the few simple pleasures people can enjoy during the
coronavirus outbreak. And it looks like a lot of people in Wisconsin
are doing it. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says it’s
seen about 100-thousand more people fishing this spring than last.
The D-N-R says that likely has much to do with limited entertainment
options under "Safer at Home" restrictions.
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