The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda included discussion of the ATV/UTV ordinance in the city, discussion and possible action on a donation to the Pepin County K-9 fund, and reports from the Mayor and City Department Heads. The council will also go into a closed session to discuss the possible sale of city property. Tonight's meeting starts at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and is open to the public. The meeting will also be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.
The Mondovi City Council has approved a $429 donation to the Buffalo County Human Association's cat fund. At last night's council meeting members of the association told the council that in 2020 269 cats were taken into the new shelter and of those 269 cats, 39 were from the city of Mondovi. The association based the donation amount on the number of cats taken in from the city at $11 per cat.
The Dunn County Health Department is announcing new updates to the COVID-19 gathering recommendations. The Health Department is recommending gatherings be limited to 50 individuals indoors and 100 individuals outdoors. Gatherings should still encourage social distancing and be prepared to notify all attendees of potential exposure if an attendee tests positive for COVID-19. As of May 11th, within Dunn County 14,061 residents have completed their vaccine series; this is 31% of the population. Another 16,087 residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine series; this is 35.5% of the population. To reach herd immunity, 75% to 85% of Dunn County residents must complete the vaccine series.
Byron Public Schools' patrons in southeastern Minnesota are voting today (Tuesday) on a 41-million-dollar school referendum. The first measure is 29-point-seven-million dollars for improvements to sports facilities, kitchens, and classroom additions. The second question asks for 11-million dollars to build a new auditorium at the high school. Superintendent Joey Page says they have worked with architects, a demographer, and a finance and facilities committee to look at long-term growth for the district.
A Wednesday vote could move Trempealeau County closer to being designated a Second Amendment sanctuary. The western Wisconsin county’s Law Enforcement-Emergency Management Committee will vote on a resolution Wednesday. Supporters say this is about people standing up to protect their rights from an overreaching government. Seventeen of Wisconsin’s 72 counties have received the designation. Opponents say the move undermines the rule of law and respect for government.
A man that was arrested after a stand-off in Bloomer in November is going to prison. On Tuesday, Chippewa County Judge Steven Gibbs sentenced Nevin Reit to three years in prison in connection with an incident where Reit was accused of putting the barrel of a gun down a woman's throat and then firing it next to her head. Police had taken him into custody but Riet then escaped, went to his home, and was taken back into custody after a 5hr standoff.
A Rochester teen is pleading not guilty to charges related to the shooting of his father in March. Eighteen-year-old Colby Cleveland entered not guilty pleas Tuesday to attempted murder and felony assault and asked for an Olmsted County jury trial. Police say Colby fired two shots from the parking lot of an apartment building and struck his father in the leg. His father told officers that Colby threatened to kill him before shots were fired. Another bullet hit a parked car. Cleveland's trial hasn't been scheduled.
Authorities in western Wisconsin are identifying the mother and son killed in a crash Monday morning on Highway 29. The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office says a vehicle driven by 38-year-old Camellia Kelch and passenger 13-year-old Isaiah Kelch of Cadott crossed the median and collided with a semi. Both occupants were ejected and died at the scene. Deputies say the semi-trailer flipped over, spilling a load of wheat across the eastbound lanes. The truck driver from Maiden Rock wasn't hurt.
The state of Wisconsin is getting 700-million dollars less than expected in coronavirus relief money from the federal government. The state was also told Monday it is going to get that money in two payments a year apart. Governor Tony Evers and U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin have asked U-S Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to reconsider splitting the payments and making Wisconsin wait a year. They call that problematic, saying it will hurt Wisconsin’s ability to quickly help those suffering most from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Congressional Research Office had estimated Wisconsin would get three-point-two-billion dollars, but Monday’s estimate is two-and-a-half billion.
Former Wisconsin Department of Health Service Secretary-designee Andrea Palm has been confirmed for a federal position. Palm will take the number-two position in the U-S Department of Health and Human Services after Tuesday’s Senate vote. She led the state’s health department through most of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wisconsin’s senators split on the confirmation, with Democrat Tammy Baldwin voting yes and Republican Ron Johnson voting no. Governor Tony Evers has described Palm’s work during the pandemic as “extraordinary.” She headed the Wisconsin D-H-S for about two years.
A number of Republican bills to limit how absentee ballots can be handled by clerks and others got approval at the state Senate on Tuesday. One of the bills would prevent clerks from collecting completed ballots from voters outside of early in-person voting. That would prevent events like Madison's ballot collection dives in city parks. Another bill would prevent local clerks from correcting ballot envelopes in the event of a typo or other error that could invalidate the vote on Election Day. That is the current policy among clerks and the state elections commission. It is unclear when these bills will come to the Assembly for a vote.
No one in Wisconsin will be forced to get the coronavirus vaccine. Governor Evers tells the Racine Journal Times that getting the shot will always be a choice. Evers says he doesn’t expect any state to require vaccinations. Wisconsin’s demand for the coronavirus vaccine has fallen sharply since its peak in early April. Public health officials aren’t sure Wisconsin will hit its goal of getting 70-percent of the population vaccinated. That’s the threshold for herd immunity.
A new report says Wisconsin never recovered from its poor start in handling a flood of unemployment claims. A University of Wisconsin report shows not only did the state fall behind when unemployment claims spiked last April, but the state spent the rest of the year waiting to pay people, over-paying people, and paying too much in fraudulent claims. Economist Noah Williams says Wisconsin was one of the worst-performing states during last year’s unemployment boom. Williams says Wisconsin did so poorly, it should consider outsourcing its unemployment operations.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of a Shawano transgender woman identified only as Ella. She has been prohibited from changing her name because she is listed as a male on the Wisconsin sex offender registry. She was placed there for a sexual assault committed when she was a teen. Ella argues requiring her to register as a sex offender violates her First Amendment rights and forces her to identify as a male anytime she has to give her legal name.
Forty-five attorneys general have signed a letter to Congress asking the federal government to fund antitrust enforcement efforts by the state. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is one of those signing Monday’s letter. It says market concentration harms consumers, farmers, entrepreneurs, and others, adding robust antitrust enforcement is “crucial to the working of a fair economy.” The forty-eight attorneys general filed a lawsuit against Facebook last year for creating an anti-competitive product.
Hopes are starting to fade for the Minnesota Legislature to finish the state budget by next Monday's adjournment deadline. That would mean a special session could be needed to avoid a state government shutdown on July 1st. Democrats propose additional police reforms while Republicans are reluctant. G-O-P lawmakers demand the governor to give up his COVID emergency powers. Walz wants to keep that authority but also plans to cancel all COVID restrictions by July 1st. The D-F-L is proposing tax increases on the wealthiest Minnesotans and most profitable corporations, but Republicans say no. House Tax Committee chair Paul Marquart of Dilworth says the governor and House and Senate leaders must resolve the tax issue before the budget can come together.
The 2021 Freeborn County Fair is back on after Governor Walz announced the lifting of most by COVID restrictions by July. The fair board in southern Minnesota had canceled the event last month due to the ongoing pandemic. Organizers put out a statement Monday saying, "we look forward to seeing you all IN PERSON at the 2021 Freeborn County Fair. " It is scheduled for August 3rd through 8th in Albert Lea.
No comments:
Post a Comment