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 Eau Claire’s city manager says any discussion about race in the city must go beyond just the police department. City Manager Dale Peters yesterday said he is dedicated to making Eau Claire a welcoming place. Police Chief Matt Rokus says his office has implemented changes in recent weeks, including a focus on de-escalation. Eau Claire’s city council called for yesterday’s discussion on race after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis over the Memorial Day weekend.

Pretty much everyone in Madison and Dane County will soon need to wear a face mask, almost all the time. Public health managers in Madison yesterday announced a mask-mandate that takes effect Monday. Everyone over five must wear a mask while out in public, at work, on the bus, and even in other people’s homes. The mask requirement comes with a threat of a 376 dollar fine. There is, however, nothing in the new mask order that mentions protesters or

Schools across Wisconsin are in-line to get millions of face masks and thousands of thermometers ahead of the new school year. Governor Tony Evers yesterday announced that the state’s emergency management agency is sending two million masks to the state’s public schools. Those same schools are also getting over four thousand forehead thermometers. The schools should get the new PPE in the next couple of weeks.

Wisconsin’s attorney general is joining a lawsuit to make sure that private schools in the state don’t get any coronavirus stimulus money. A-G Josh Kaul yesterday said Wisconsin’s share of the 13 billion-dollars in CARES money is at risk. The U.S. Department of Education is asking local schools to set aside some of the money for private schools in an effort to be fair to all students. Kaul says spending government money on private schools only hurts Wisconsin’s public schools.

The algae bloom at Lake Eau Claire Beach is not good for people, but could be deadly for dogs. The City- County Health Department yesterday put-out a warning about the algae bloom. Algae like the kind at the beach can be harmful to children, and is deadly for pets. The health department says do not swim, touch, or especially swallow any of the algae.

There will soon be no Sunday morning paper in Eau Claire. Publishers of the Eau Claire Leader Telegram yesterday said they are dropping weekend editions of the paper. There will be a paper Monday through Friday. Publisher Randy Rickman says the coronavirus shutdown hurt the paper’s bottom line, and is forcing the move.

None of Wisconsin’s state fairs are happening this year. Organizers of the Central Wisconsin State Fair in Marshfield yesterday pulled the plug on this year’s event. Fair manager Dale Christiansen said he is heartbroken to have to cancel. He says small businesses, family farmers, and the community count on the fair each year. Christiansen said the coronavirus is making it impossible to host the fair safely this summer. The State Fair in West Allis and the Northern Wisconsin State Fair in Chippewa Falls have also

Dane County is the first in Wisconsin to require the wearing of masks or face coverings.  Public Health Madison and Dane County announced the order today which will go into effect at 8 a.m. on Monday, July 13th.  The order applies to everyone over the age of five.  Masks must be worn covering the nose and mouth in public settings like healthcare offices, while waiting on line, on public transportation and in businesses. The Wisconsin Health Department is reporting the first COVID-19 deaths in

Police in Baraboo are confirming the body recovered earlier today is that of a missing Baraboo girl.  An AMBER Alert was sent out last night for ten-year-old Kodie Dutcher.  She was reported missing yesterday afternoon.  Police believed the young girl was in danger and may have ingested some medications.  Her body was found around 11:00 this morning not far from her home.  An official cause of death has not been released.

Attorney General Josh Kaul today announced that another individual has been charged with sexual assault after a victim’s sexual assault kit was tested as part of the Wisconsin Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. 36 year old Hank W. Elmore of La Crosse, was charged June 19, 2020 with an alleged sexual assault by use of force that occurred in 2010. Elmore’s initial appearance was July 6, 2020. The complaint alleges the defendant had sexual intercourse with another person without their consent