Home

Just about 10 percent of people tested for the coronavirus are testing positive, even as more people are being tested. The state’s Department of Health Services yesterday said six-thousand-854 people have tested positive for the virus, while another 69 thousand have tested negative. That means the state’s positive-test-rate is holding at about 10 percent. The positive-test-rate has around 10 percent for weeks.

 The number of people who’ve lost their job in Wisconsin during the coronavirus outbreak is closing-in on 500-thousand. The state’s Department of Workforce Development released its latest numbers yesterday. Last week alone, the state says 55-thousand people filed a jobless claim. So far, the state says it’s paid-out more than 290-million-dollars in unemployment benefits to over 480-thousand people.

Prosecutors in Milwaukee are asking for a life sentence for the man accused of killing five family members at his home earlier this week. The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office yesterday filed formal, first degree homicide charges against 43-year-old Christopher Stokes. Police say Stokes admitted that he ‘massacred’ his family on Monday. Four of the five people he is accused of killing were teenagers. Milwaukee Police are not guessing at a motive for the crime.

They say there is no use crying over split milk, but what about spilled Spotted Cow? Add wasted beer to the list of annoyances from the coronavirus. Breweries across the country, and here in Wisconsin, say they are dumping kegs of beer because the coronavirus has closed the bars. The folks who make Spotted Cow are replacing half-empty kegs in bars, and using the extra beer for fertilizer. The New Glarus Brewery figures it will dump between five-thousand and 10-thousand half-empty

In a move designed to help renters with the financial burden brought on by the COVID-19 crisis,  Wisconsin landlords are temporarily barred from charging late fees and penalties.  The Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection approved an emergency bill this week to put that policy in place.  It prevents those charges from being applied during this public health emergency and for three months afterwards.  A public hearing on the emergency rule will be held later next month.

Hundreds of Wisconsin National Guardsmen are helping communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Over 300 soldiers and airmen are assigned to mobile testing sites around the state including at the Kenosha County Detention Center and Dane County Jail.  The Wisconsin Department of Health says the state has the capacity to complete eleven-thousand tests a day with 50 labs statewide producing results.

An investigation continues into a series of suspected animal poisonings.  The Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a one-thousand-dollar reward for information leading to those responsible for killing two dogs in Forest County over the weekend.  The Wisconsin DNR says two other dogs died earlier this month in Florence County after eating something placed along a road.  Poisonings have been detected in Marinette, Florence and Forest counties.

Wisconsinites receiving unemployment benefits amid the COVID-19 pandemic are getting an extra 600-dollars. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development yesterday began paying an additional 600-dollar unemployment benefit to people out of work. The department says this is a temporary benefit ending the last payable week in Wisconsin, July 25th. 

Low flying planes will start flying over Western Wisconsin this May. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture is spraying for gypsy moths. The department announced Monday spraying will happen in 18-counties including Chippewa, Dunn, and Trempealeau. The department says spraying is dependent on weather conditions and when caterpillars hatch. Officials said the spray is not toxic to people, bees, pets, or other animals.

The Chippewa County Public Health Director says there aren’t enough supplies to provide COVID-19 tests to all community members any more. Director Angela Weideman yesterday at the county’s weekly COVID-19 meeting said the department is aware of people who are symptomatic and haven’t been able to get a test, and those people are being asked to just stay home. Weideman said there’s a need for increased testing despite a decrease of positive cases in recent weeks.