Flying Apps Email Header.png
Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As you know, we are less than one month away from the 2020 General Election! Voting this year is ever more complicated with the Pandemic occurring, especially with a recent rise in Covid-19 cases. We encourage you to make sure that you are registered to vote and to have a voting plan to ensure your vote is counted, and that you are safe while participating in your civic duty. Click here for information about voting in Wisconsin.

Please contact my office with any questions or concerns about voting- we are here to help!

 
COVID-19 Update

Click here for the most up-to-date-information on COVID-19 From DHS. Click here for the most up-to-date-information from Forward Dane & Madison County's COVID-19 Dashboard.


10.8 DHS Update.png

Wisconsin Sees a Rapid Rise in Covid-19 Cases

 On Wednesday, October 7, the number of daily cases for the state was 2,319, with a 7-day average of new cases at 2,346. The seven-day positivity rate is currently at 16.9%, compared to 10.8% one month ago, and 5.9% two months ago. Wisconsin currently has less than 1,850 hospital beds available, with statewide hospital capacity at 84%. Data is from DHS, source linked above.

 

Gov. Evers Activates a Field Hospital at State Fairgrounds

 On October 7th, 2020 and in response to the state’s recent reduced hospital capacity, Gov. Evers has ordered a field hospital to open. The field hospital is located in West Alias and was originally constructed in April as an initial response to the Covid-19 outbreak but has never been activated until now. This will not serve as a traditional hospital; it is only for Covid-19 patients. They will start accepting patients on October 14, 2020. Learn more here.

 

Gov. Evers Orders a New Statewide Mask Mandate and Declares a New Public Health Emergency

 On September 22, 2020, Governor Evers Declared a new public health emergency for the state of Wisconsin in response to the rapid rise of cases on and around college campuses. In addition, he issued an emergency order declaring a statewide mask mandate that will expire on Nov. 21st. This order extended the previous mask mandate that expired on September 28th.

Click here to read Executive Order #90- Declaration of Public Health Emergency

 Click here to read Emergency Order #1- Requiring Face Masks

Gov. Evers and WI State Health Department Issue New Order Limiting Indoor Gatherings to 25% Capacity

Governor Evers’ office in conjunction with the State Health Department issued an executive order on October 6, 2020 limiting gatherings to 25% capacity for indoor spaces. This comes in response to the state’s rising Covid-19 numbers. The order is set to expire on Nov. 8, 2020.

Notable exceptions to this executive order include child/daycare centers, polling places, 4k-12 schools, higher education institutions, places of worship, and human services providers.

Read Emergency Order #3 here

These new orders mean that Wisconsin residents should continue to wear a mask anytime that they are in a public space that is indoors, or out outdoors if social distancing is not possible. Businesses should also continue to enforce this mask mandate to ensure their employees and patrons are protected. Wisconsinites should also expect that stores and restaurants will be back to counting heads more carefully to ensure 25% capacity, so be prepared to be patient. While frustrating for business owners and consumers, Wisconsin’s recent numbers indicate that the state needs stricter enforcement to stop the spread of Covid-19.

 

Gov. Evers’ Announces an Investment of $100 Million for Small Businesses in Wisconsin

In response to small businesses that are hurting due to Covid-19 related issues, Gov. Evers announced on October 6, 2020 that he would be investing $100 million for small businesses in WI, including $50 million for “We’re All In” grants. These grants were created this year by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and provided grants to over 26,000 small businesses in Wisconsin. With cases surging and business slowing, Gov. Evers felt this was a necessary step to support small businesses and ensure these businesses make it through the Pandemic. The other money allotted will go to support lodging, music venues, private movie theaters, and non-profit cultural venues that are struggling.

Read the full press release here

Community Resources

W.R.A.P Rental Assistance Program

WRAP.png

If you need help paying your rent due to COVID-19, please contact Community Action for South Central Wisconsin, Inc. at (608) 237-1255! You can find more information about how to apply by clicking hereYou can find out more information on this infographic as well.

 

Dane County & The Tenant Resource Center

Beginning June 15th, Tenant Resource Center will be accepting online applications. Please call 608-257-0006 or visit their website for more information: 

https://www.tenantresourcecenter.org/.

Dane County is partnering with the Tenant Resource Center to administer a $10 million eviction-prevention fund using money from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to meet the needs of the newly unemployed or underemployed.

The effort also delivers $500,000 in new eviction-prevention funding to neighborhood-based Joining Forces for Families offices, and spends $390,000 on limited-term housing assistance staff and rental aid by expanding an existing program provided by Catholic Charities of Madison.

If you are facing eviction and need legal assistance, please contact Legal Action of Wisconsin. If you receive a notice of termination or eviction court papers, please call Legal Action’s intake line 1-855-947-2529 or email hmw@legalaction.org for eviction support.

 

Speakers Taskforce on Racial Disparities 

As many of you know, I was appointed to Co-Chair the Speakers Taskforce on Racial Disparities alongside my colleague Representative Steineke. This taskforce will be comprised of community leaders, leaders in the faith community, leaders who understand law enforcement, and leaders in the non-profit sector to help create and propose legislation to introduce in January.

Racism is a public health crisis, plain and simple. The four year graduation rate for Black high school students is 25% lower than white students. 30.4% of Wisconsin’s Black children live in poverty. And our criminal justice system continues to over incarcerate our Black residents. With the shooting of Jacob Blake making headlines across the country, all eyes are on Wisconsin to create real change here and now.

For years we have seen partisanship take the place of progress. The people of Wisconsin deserve better, and I am here to change what has long been overlooked. When I was elected to represent you in the State Assembly, I was elected as a change maker and a reformer. After this session I have learned that Democrats cannot singlehandedly work to end racial disparities. If we want to end the systemic racism that plagues our state, we need to work with our Republican colleagues.

As your legislator, I will continue to pursue any and every opportunity to end systemic racism. We have remained complicit with the status quo for too long. I will work tirelessly to ensure this taskforce is successful, and becomes and avenue of real change in our community.


TASKFORCE.jpg

State Agencies

Department of Health and Human Services

DHS Launches New COVID-19 Data and Mitigation Strategies to Aid Local Communities

On September 30th, DHS created a new way to show the data of how the COVID-19 Crisis is impacting our communities. In addition to this effort, DHS has released new mitigation strategies for local municipalities to effectively combat COVID-19. For more information about how this data is set up, and to view the information directly, click here

 

Wisconsin Awarded $16.7 Million Federal Grant to Counter Addictions to Opioids and Stimulants

On September 18th, Wisconsin was awarded a Federal Grant of over $16 million to help reduce drug related deaths, and combat addiction. These funds will be used to fund individual treatment costs, and also expand prevention programs, and overdose response efforts. This funding is available to September 2021. It is expected that these funds will be awarded again next year. For more information, click here for the full statement by DHS

 

New Call Center Expands Support for People in Emotional Distress

On September 16th, DHS announced that a new call center for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline will be opened in Wisconsin, funded by a grant provided by DHS. The “Wisconsin Lifeline” is managed by the Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin. It will accept calls 24 hours a day, and will accept calls from areas of Wisconsin that are not covered by other call centers. Anyone wishing to connect with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline can call 800-273-TALK (8255). The call is free and confidential. For more information, click here

Department of Workforce Development

 

DWD Transition Director Pechacek Releases Statement in Response to Legislative Audit Bureau Report


In response to the Legislative Audit Bureau’s report on the Unemployment Insurance Call Centers, Transition Director Amy Pechacek said the following:

“DWD continues to work to overcome the unique challenges presented throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and is committed to continuous improvement to better serve Wisconsin residents. We appreciate the Legislative Audit Bureau's review and recommendations provided through this audit, which will improve the transparency and oversight of UI operations both during and after this public health emergency.”

For more information on the Legislative Audit Bureau’s report, and DWD’s statement in response, click here

Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection

 

Burnett County Deer Farm Tests Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease

On October 5th, DATCP announced that Burnett County Deer Farm tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). CWD is a fatal, neurological disease of deer, elk and moose caused by an infectious protein called a prion that affects the animal's brain. Testing for CWD is typically only performed after the animal's death. For more information about CWD, Visit: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/ChronicWastingDisease.aspx and to view DATCP’s full press release, click here

 

Secretary-designee Romanski: As pandemic continues, so should our support for agriculture and food industries

On October 2nd, Secretary-designee of DATCP Randy Romanski issued a call to support our agriculture and food industries, stating:

 “All of these interconnected businesses and structures make it possible for Wisconsin to not only produce a variety of high-quality food, but to process and distribute it to consumers across the globe. During the initial onset of COVID-19 in Wisconsin, we saw just how critical that food supply chain is.

A full version of the Press Release can be found here

Department of Justice

UPDATE: Kenosha Officer-Involved Shooting

On September 21st Attorney General Josh Kaul released an update on the Kenosha Officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake. Here are the key takeaways

  • Former Madison Chief of Police Noble Ray has been hired by the Kenosha County District Attorney Michel Gravely as an outside investigator in this case.
  • His role will be to review the facts and details of the case, and provide the Kenosha County District Attorney’s office with console on what charges, if any, are appropriate.
  • The next step will be Chief Wray’s review of the case, and the facts

Full information on this update, along with previous information on the Jacob Blake shooting can be found here

Death Investigation in Madison WI

On September 18th, The Wisconsin Department of Justice began investigating a death that occurred that day. Below is a quote from the Department of Justice on the details of that case. The Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is conducting a full investigation at the request of the Monona Police Department. The investigation is ongoing. For the full press release sent by the Department of Justice, click here

 

Report Details How Regional Drug Prosecutors Support Local Fight Against Drug Epidemic

On October 5th Attorney General Kaul released a report that outlines the success of the Department of Justice in supporting local efforts to combat the drug epidemic in Wisconsin. 2017 Wisconsin Act 261 created two Assistant Attorney General Positions to help train and consult with local officials when handling drug crimes. The report details that in 2019, these Assistant Attorney Generals helped in a total of 68 cases. 21 First Degree Homicide’s, and 47 crimes of drug distribution, including Heroin, Fentanyl and Methamphetamine.  A full briefing on the report can be found here.

 

AG Kaul Joins 22-State Coalition Urging USDA to Remove Bureaucratic Barriers Threatening SNAP During Pandemic

On September 17th, Attorney General Josh Kaul joined 22 other states in requesting that the Trump Administration to waive some administrative burdens in order to expedite the distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The letter AG Kaul has signed on to can be found here

 

Wisconsin, FTC and Federal Law Enforcement Partners Announce Nationwide Crackdown on Phantom and Abusive Debt Collection

On September 29th, Attorney General Josh Kaul, alongside leaders in the Department of Financial Institutions, Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protections, and the Federal Trade Commission, announced their part in a nationwide effort yo protect consumer from abusive and threatening debt collection practices. For more information on this ongoing effort click here

Department of Military Affairs

Wisconsin National Guard Mobilized to Support Civil Authorities in Wauwatosa

Governor Evers authorized the Wisconsin National Guard to assist the local law enforcement in Wauwatosa after officials requested their presence to promote public safety. For operational security, exact number of troops has not been confirmed.

This is a preemptive measure, as a charging decision is expected to be announced in the death of Alvin Cole. Alvin Cole was fatally shot by a Wauwatosa Police Officer on February 2nd 2020. For more information from the Department of Military Affairs, their full press release can be found here  

Wisconsin National Guard “Badgers” provide wildfire support with California Guard

On October 1st, The Department of Military Affairs announced that two flight teams from the Wisconsin Army National Guard have been assisting the California Army Guard in combatting the forest fires that have impacted the entire west coast of the United States. For more information regarding this story, click here

Department of Corrections

DOC COVID Update.png

DOC COVID-19 Resources/Update

COVID-19 has posed a particularly difficult challenge to the Department of Corrections, and those in their care. In order to help curb the spread of COVID-19 among those in the care of DOC, as well as among their staff, several measures have been taken. Their office has worked closely with Governor Evers, and the Department of Health Services to monitor and handle this situation.

For questions regarding COVID-19 and the Department of Corrections call their COVID-19 Response Hotline (608) 240-5700. This hotline is open from 7:45am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday. In addition, please view the DOC COVID-19 Testing Dashboard here

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation


Second round of We’re All In Grants will provide $50 million more for small businesses

On October 6th, Governor Evers announced that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) will be providing a second round of “We’re All In” Grants to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. These grants, totally $50 million will come from federal funds allocated by the CARES act, which was passed by Congress earlier this year. This is the second phase of the We’re All In grant program, the first phase allocated $65 million to over 26,000 small businesses statewide.

For more information, click here

Unemployment Updates

On October 5th, DWD released information regarding their progress on unemployment claims, and the processing rate. Here are the key takeaways:

  • 6% of the 7.1 million weekly Unemployment Insurance claims filed since March 15th 2020.
  • 527,897 claimants have been paid over $3.86 billion since March 15th 2020
  • 596,562 Weekly claims are still being processed, this includes claims awaiting wage verification and adjudication

It is heavily advised that if you are denied eligibility for regular UI benefits that you apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). PUA is a temporary program that provides up to 39 weeks of UI benefits that are not eligible for Regular UI. Those who wish to apply to PUA can find out how to do so here

If you are having trouble reaching out to DWD, or have other questions about your case, please call my office at 608-266-3784.

 

Education Updates

Madison, Edgewood, UW, MMSD.png

Madison Metropolitan School District

Click here to read MMSD’s Newsletter from October 7, 2020.

Click here to see MMSD’s list of support resources for families.

Virtual Learning Meal Plans

With their summer program ended, MMSD has announced a curbside pickup option for students and their families. Starting September 8th, families can go to a designated pickup sight and receive a meal box for students that has all the components for five balanced breakfast and lunch meals that meet National School Lunch & Breakfast Programs requirements. Families are encouraged to pre-order a box and review the pickup times and locations; click here for more information.

Virtual Learning Resources

Click here for virtual learning resources provided by MMSD. Click here for options how to obtain Wi-Fi and other technology needed for students.

School Referenda

MMSD School Board has approved two referenda to be on the ballot in November’s election. Both pertain to funding for MMSD. Click here for more information about these referenda.

 

Madison College (MATC)

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources and Updates

 

 

UW-Madison

COVID-19 Updates

 

Smart Restart: Information on Return to In-Person Classes

 

Badger Talks: Staying Safe from COVID while Indoors

 

Covid-19 Testing for Students and Employees

 

Chancellor’s Statement: Work on Racial Justice, Equity, and Inclusion on Campus

 

Latinx Heritage Month

Sept. 15- Oct. 15th

The theme of this year’s Latinx Heritage Month is “Connecting our Roots,” in honor of the Latinx community’s deep and rich history. While nearing the end, there are still plenty of events left to attend! Find the information here.

 

 

Chancellor Blank Honors Undergrads for Outstanding Research and Scholarship

October 7, 2020

 

The annual Chancellor’s Undergraduate Awards Ceremony was held virtually this September after being postponed due to Covid-19. Originally scheduled for April, the ceremony honored more than 150 students for their achievements in research and scholarship. Awards honored at the ceremony included the Hilldale Fellowship, Holstrom Environmental Research Fellowship, Sophomore Research Fellowships, and more. Click here to read more!

 

 

Edgewood College

COVID-19 Updates

 

Contacting My Office

I hope this e-newsletter is helpful and finds you well. Once again, thank you for your feedback on our e-newsletters! You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at my office or at rep.stubbs@legis.wisconsin.gov or call 608-266-3784. We will make every effort to address your questions and concerns as soon as possible.

 

Sincerely,

 

Shelia

Footer Gold .png