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Today is Earth Day.  It’s the anniversary of the birth of the environmental movement.  Earth Day looks to inspire new ideas and bring people to action despite the pandemic.  The theme for this year’s holiday is Restore Our Earth.  Organizers say they want to focus on communities that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and climate change.  Events around the world are meant to educate the public with new ways to live sustainably  —  for instance, recycling, reducing household

It will be life in prison for the man who police say opened fire in a crowded Kenosha County tavern on Sunday, if he is convicted. The D.A. in Kenosha filed formal first degree homicide charges yesterday against 24-year-old Rakayo Vinson. Sheriff’s deputies say Vinson shot and killed three people after a fight at the Somers House tavern in Somers. He’s accused of wounding three others. Investigators say the whole thing started when someone bumped into Vinson.

Wisconsin’s governor is ordering police departments under his control to review their use of force policies. The governor issued an emergency order yesterday that requires the Wisconsin State Patrol, the Wisconsin State Capitol Police, and the DNR’s Division of Public Safety to update their policies. The governor says the review is part of his demand for ‘systematic change.’ The order only applies to those three agencies. Local police departments across the state are not included.

 Southeast Wisconsin’s late-April snow is being blamed for a series of wrecks yesterday. Washington County deputies say nearly 50 cars and trucks were involved in crashes along I-41 yesterday. The wrecks closed the interstate for hours. Six people were taken to the hospital for treatment. Investigators say the interstate was slick, and heavy snow caused near whiteout conditions at some points.

Dunn County is the latest to go on the record as being against hate crimes against Asian-Americans. The county board unanimously approved a resolution last night condemning violence against Asian Americans. The over-arching message from supervisors being that because he doesn’t see hate, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

The specifics of Eau Claire Schools’ coronavirus testing program have yet to be worked out, but the district hopes to get more people tested for the virus. Governor Evers this week earmarked 175 million-dollars for schools to continue to test for the virus. Much of that testing will happen next fall. Eau Claire Schools’ Kaying Xiong says the hope is to reach families who have not been tested before. Xiong says the tests for Eau Claire students will be voluntary.

There is a new push to confront racism through art. The Interfaith Action for Racial Justice group is asking families, churches, and schools across the Chippewa Valley to draw or paint a question about race on a postcard. The group’s Ruth Peterson says she hopes to start a conversation about race in the community. The plan is to post the finished postcards in business windows in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls later this summer.

The latest look into Wisconsin’s economic development arm shows improvement. But state auditors say there continue to be problems at the WEDC. A new report yesterday dinged the WEDC for sloppy and incomplete recording keeping, lax oversight, and for not spending all available dollars to help businesses in the state. Lawmakers at the Capitol say the report shows progress, but also shows there are some concerns that need to be addressed.

In recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin today held a virtual roundtable discussion focused on educating Wisconsinites about their rights under the new crime victims’ constitutional amendment enacted one year ago. Participants in today’s event included victim advocates and legal system stakeholders, who addressed some of the ways the new crime victims’ constitutional amendment has empowered crime victims in Wisconsin’s criminal justice process. The discussion was moderated by Assistant Attorney General Miriam Falk. CLICK

  Wisconsin health officials are confirming 626 new COVID-19 cases today.  Those cases boost the total number of cases in the state to over 592-thousand.  There were three additional deaths reported today, raising the death toll to more than six-thousand-700. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM WI DHS.