The statewide COVID-19 website is a one stop shop that consolidates information from state agencies, and provides up-to-date information and guidance regarding COVID-19. DHS has also offered information on their website on How and Where to Get Tested.
If you're not busy, please make a call, send a card, or write a letter to someone you know who lives alone or may need assistance.
Bless each of you during this difficult time of uncertainty and suffering. Take good care!
Coming Soon: Summer Surveycheck your inbox Tuesday, August 25th for a link to my Summer Survey. Please consider taking a moment to share your thoughts. During this time when our state and country are facing so many challenges, it is more important than ever for me to hear from you. Thank you!
Photo credit: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images
Next week Monday, August 24th, the US Postmaster General will appear before the House Oversight Committee to answer questions about the ongoing overhaul of the USPS.
Concerns have been raised about the effects of cost-cutting measures on the postal service's ability to deliver medications, business correspondence, regular mail, and absentee ballots in a timely fashion--a critical component of voting by mail.
Postal Delays Cause Growing Concerns, Postmaster Backs Down on Changes until after the Election
Recently I have heard from neighbors and constituents who are worried about the effects that changes in the postal system are having on their personal lives.
Business people have explained that postal delays in shipping, billing and payment can affect their reputations as business people, especially at this time when so many goods are being ordered online rather than sought in-store. Others have raised concerns about the handling of their medications which can have critical handling instructions such as temperature requirements. Many others have told me that they are worried about the effect that any delays would have on their ability to safely cast an absentee ballot in the November Election.
Today, the Postmaster General announced that he would pause the operational changes until after the November Election, after pressure from bipartisan lawmakers in Washington DC and the threat of lawsuits from at least 20 Attorney's General from states across the country, including Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul. DeJoy stated that, "to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded." Read more
Recent delays have caused experts to highlight the discrepancy between Wisconsin's laws outlining the deadline to request an absentee ballot, and the post office's recommendations for delivery: you can request your absentee ballot up to the Thursday before the election (for November 3rd, that would be October 29th). However, the post office has always recommended that you give at least a week for your ballot to be delivered to you, and then another week for your ballot to be delivered back to your municipal clerk. This means that in order to comply with the post office's recommendations, requests should be filed by October 20th. If you are planning on voting by mail in November, it is best to file your request as soon as possible through myvote.wi.gov, to ensure that you do not run in to any complications. Read more
Wisconsin has Seen over 1,000 Deaths from COVID-19
On August 11th, Wisconsin reported that it had surpassed 1,000 total deaths attributed to COVID-19. Since July 21st, Wisconsin has also seen its total new confirmed cases by date rise over 1,000 seven times.
The state's 7-day average for new cases hit a high mark on July 26th, at 930. The 7-day average has trended downward since then. Read more
The Milwaukee Health Department Announced Criteria for Reopening K-12 Schools
Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Milwaukee Health Department has laid out a plan for schools to follow when switching from virtual to in-person learning.
The K-12 reopening guidance requires schools to prepare plans for 3 different phases: vitual; in person; and hybrid; and also stipulates that schools with two or more positive cases among students or staff could be forced to accept restrictions.
The guidance applies to public, private, and public charter schools.
Federal Aid Requested after Spike in Cases at Wisconsin Veterans Home
Currently 20 residents at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove in Racine County have tested positive. 22 staff at the facility have also tested positive.
This cause the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs to reach out for help from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and nurses from the federal VA have now been brought in to help assist staff at Union Grove.
25 cases have also been identified at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King in Waupaca County, but the size and layout of that facility gives the WVA more options for containment and they do not anticipate a need to request federal help there.
100 Years Ago Today, the 19th Amendment Was Ratified
Wisconsin was the first state to ratify the 19th Amendment on June 10, 1919, six days after its passage in congress. The 19th Amendment didn't become fully ratified until August 18, 1920, when Tennessee's legislature approved ratification.
On that day, members of the Tennessee legislature wore roses on their lapels to signify which way they intended on voting: yellow for those in favor; red for those against. The Tennessee Senate had already approved ratification, and the state House had an even number of red and yellow roses, signifying a likely tie which would have meant defeat.
Harry T. Burn the youngest member of Tennessee's legislature at 24, came to session wearing a red rose that day. He had voted twice to table the amendment, but both times the vote ended in a tie. This meant that the House had no choice but to vote on ratification.
When it came time to vote on the Amendment itself, Burn removed the red rose from his lapel, and voted "aye."
It was learned later that Burn had also come to session with a note from his mother, Febb Burn, a college-educated widow who had spoken with her son about her feelings on suffrage before he left for Nashville to attend session.
On the day after he had cast the decisive vote, Burn issued a statement explaining, "I believe in full suffrage as a right. I believe we had a legal and moral right to ratify; I know that a mother's advice is always safest for her boy to follow, and my mother wanted me to vote for ratification." Read more
It is important to note, that although a great victory was won that day in Tennessee, full voting rights were not granted to many Americans until passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Before then, states passed all manner of restrictions from poll taxes, literacy tests, and even restrictions based on marriage to disenfranchise voters. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1940s-1960s fulfilled the hard work of the suffragist movement in guaranteeing universal suffrage to all Americans.
Milwaukee Shopping-Malls are Adjusting to COVID-19
Business owners are being forced to think outside the box as a result of changes to shopping habits during the pandemic. Malls have seen a steep decline in foot traffic, and some businesses have not been able to make ends meet as a result.
Some research suggests that up to half of the malls across the country could close in the next three to five years. That would have downstream effects on the thousands of Milwaukee are employees who work in shopping centers, and the tax revenues for local governments.
To keep up with shoppers' needs during this period, retailers have adopted all manner of new services and strategies.
