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Non-essential businesses now have a little wiggle room during the COVID-19 crisis, BUT what exactly does that mean? A lot of people are scratching their heads trying to make sense of WHAT changes we can expect tomorrow morning as we inch toward reopening while staying safe in our state. Governor Tony Evers is allowing expanded operations for non-essential businesses like dog groomers and small auto repair shops.  The new order allows businesses to do curbside drop-off of goods and animals. 

The happy homecomings for western Wisconsin’s citizen soldiers were a bit smaller this time around. The Wisconsin National Guard says 150 troops with the 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry returned home yesterday. Because of coronavirus restrictions, the troops’ families were not allowed to meet them at the airfield. The soldiers from Eau Claire, Abbotsford, Menomonie, New Richmond, Rice Lake, Arcadia, Onalaska, and River Falls all deployed to Afghanistan last July.

Almost all of the people in Eau Claire County who caught the coronavirus are cleared to go back to work. City-county health director Lieske Giese yesterday said 20 of the 25 people who caught the virus are completely recovered. She said they all stayed at home for two weeks and have been cleared. Giese didn’t say anything about the other five people who are infected.

A Cadott man is looking at a 15-year sentence for stabbing a Chippewa County deputy back in 2018. A judge sentenced Travis Abbiehl to 15-years in a state mental hospital for stabbing Sergeant Andrew Clark back in August of 2018. Clark was looking for Abbiehl’s brother at the time. Abbiehl was found not guilty by reason of insanity last December.  

The coronavirus could cost Eau Claire County a million-dollars in lost taxes. County Finance Director Norbert Kirk yesterday said people are spending less money, and that will have an impact. He said the losses could be as high as a million-and-a-half dollars by the time it’s all said and done. Kirk says it will take a few months to see just how bad the virus has hurt the county’s finances.

Non-essential businesses now have a little wiggle room during the COVID-19 crisis.  Governor Tony Evers is allowing expanded operations for non-essential businesses like dog groomers and small auto repair shops.  The new order allows businesses to do curbside drop-off of goods and animals.  The governor says allowing deliveries and drop-offs is an important step to make sure that while people are staying home they can also support small businesses across the state.

The shooting deaths of five people are under investigation in Milwaukee.  Authorities say the victims were found in a house in North Milwaukee following a shooting around 11:00 this morning.  The Journal Sentinel says the victims were between the ages of 14 and 41.  Milwaukee Chief Alfonso Morales said the person who called police was taken into custody.

The coronavirus pandemic is canceling another popular event in Wisconsin.  Organizers with the Great Taste of the Midwest Beer Festival cancelled this year’s event scheduled for August in Madison.  Officials anticipated crowds of up to ten-thousand people and said it was difficult to envision a safe gathering with that many people considering the current health crisis.  The event has already been rescheduled for August 14th of 2021.  

A feed mill collapsed after a fire in the Village of Boyd early this morning. Police say firefighters were called to Boyd Feed and Supply Feed Mill on Adams Street around 4:30 a.m. Firefighters said the building was fully-engulfed in flames when they arrived and neighbors had to be evacuated. Officials say much of the structure collapsed. 

The Wisconsin unemployment office is experiencing a backlog of claims as jobless numbers rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A state Program and Policy Analyst says since March 1st, around 400-thousand people filed for unemployment benefits. The department says all claims have been processed, but until the office can hire more staff to continue processing, they’ll be playing catch up. The department says they’ve already taken over 100-staff members from other departments, and they’re now in the process of reviewing applications to