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It’s not a walk across the stage or a toss of the hat, but the Class of 2020 at Eau Claire North did celebrate. The school hosted an online graduation last night. Students and parents watched the graduation ceremony from home. There will be another online graduation for Eau Claire Memorial tonight.

Some catholics in the Chippewa Valley will be back in church this Sunday. The Diocese of La Crosse this week told churches across western Wisconsin that they can reopen this weekend. No one is being forced to reopen. Congregations will be limited to 25 percent capacity and there will be no song books or prayer cards. There will be communion, but everyone is being asked to wear masks and gloves.

The list of cancellations because of the coronavirus is growing. SpringFest organizers yesterday became the latest to pull the plug. Managers say there was no way to hold SpringFest in Chippewa Falls and keep social distancing guidelines in place. The hope is to return next year.

The University of Wisconsin System is taking the biggest hit in the first round of state spending cuts. Governor Tony Evers yesterday said the UW System will see 40-million-dollars less this year. In all, Evers wants 70-million in budget cuts. While the 40-million is the largest cut in the state, it is a small part of the UW System’s six-point-three billion-dollar annual budget.

Health Department officials say there are over 500 new COVID-19 patients and eleven COVID deaths recorded over the last 24 hours.  The state has received over ten-thousand test results in each of the last two days.  The number of total coronavirus cases in the state is nearing 17-thousand, with a death toll of 550. Here in Eau Claire, there have been 5 cases added since yesterday, bringing the total to 109.

The 2020 Wisconsin State Fair is canceled.  Organizers announced today that concern about operating such a big event in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic prompted the decision.  It is the first time in 75 years that the fair has been cancelled.

Governor Tony Evers says he’s happy to see the Wisconsin Election Commission acting to protect the health and safety of voters.  The commission voted to send absentee ballot applications to around two-point-seven-million registered voters.  The motion was approved unanimously yesterday.  In-person voting in the state primary caused a rancorous debate about the safety of the polling places during a health crisis like COVID-19.

The Dunn County Solid Waste and Recycling Division is opening collection sites June 1st.  Sites in Connorsville, Downsville, Ridgeland, and Rock Creek are open seven days a week. The Clean Sweep event to collect hazardous waste was also cancelled because of project costs. Officials said hazardous waste can be disposed in Polk or St. Croix counties. 

There will be a fireworks show in Menomonie this year. The city chamber this week said they’ll be shooting off fireworks on the Fourth of July over Lake Menomin. If you happen to be paging through the newspaper, you may have seen that CEO Ashley DeMuth told Dunn County News despite not having traditional holiday events, families will be able to celebrate how they want to while minding county health orders and social distancing. 

Eau Claire County is adding two more weeks to its coronavirus emergency order. City-County Health Director Lieske Giese yesterday said the order will mostly stay the same, but noted some differences. For example, starting Friday, Eau Claire County residents can gather in groups of 20 outside. A new order from the county health department said people should still stay home and limit interaction with others, but planned outdoor events can include up to 20 people. The order says organizers must