Effective today the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will re-open 34 of the state parks and trails that were previously closed to the public. A few special conditions will be put in place to promote a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Here’s what you need to know:
Admission passes will be required and must be purchased in advance (annual stickers are available for purchase with credit card by phone 8am-3pm seven days a week by calling 1-888-305-0398)
State parks and forests will be open from 6am-7pm, and properties will close weekly on Wednesdays for maintenance and upkeep
Properties may enforce capacity limitations to prevent overcrowding
Social distancing guidelines continue to be encouraged
Facilities, including restrooms, will remain closed
Click here for more details about which parks are open and what special conditions you should be aware of.
Informational Hearing on WMC’s “Back to Business” Plan
Yesterday the Assembly Committee on State Affairs held an informational hearing regarding the “Back to Business” plan introduced late last week by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC). The informational hearing included testimony from several industry experts, including Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary-designee Missy Hughes and representatives from many sectors of the business community.
WMC worked with business and healthcare interests to design this plan, which proposes using DHS data, census information, hospital capacity and business classifications to provide a risk review to each company. These data points would be used to assign a risk factor to companies, and their assessment would determine what precautions they would need to put in place to re-open.
The informational hearing allowed for a productive discussion, which you can replay on WisconsinEye if you are interested.
Watch Out for COVID-19 Insurance Scams
I wanted to pass along some quick tips from the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) to help protect yourself from scammers attempting to take advantage of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
If you are ever unsure about whether or not an insurance company or agent is legitimate and licensed in the state of Wisconsin, you can visit the following website from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners: https://sbs.naic.org/solar-external-lookup/.
To report suspected scams, fraud, false marketing claims or other consumer complaints related to COVID-19, you can contact the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Consumer Protection Hotline at DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov or (800) 422-7128, or file an online complaint.
Useful Links
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) FAQs
Rep. Rodriguez State Capitol, Room 204 N PO Box 8953 Madison, WI 53708 Toll-Free (888) 534-0021 or (608) 266-0610 Rep.Rodriguez@legis.wi.gov | Read Online |