Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday 3/26/20
26 March 2020 News
Green Lake County Following Safer At Home Restrictions
With the advent of Governor Tony Ever’s Safer at Home order officials in Green Lake County are taking extra precautions to protect their employees and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. All county government offices are closed to the public. The Circuit Court will be open when required to be in session. Documents for filing including payments for the Clerk of Courts Office can be placed in the drop box located in the lobby of the Government Center. For those who have urgent business with the County Clerk, Register of Deeds, and Treasurer’s Office you should call ahead to that office and a staff member will greet you at the door of the Government Center and escort you in. For time-sensitive, critical, and emergency services with Health and Human Services call and make an appointment.
Determining COVID Origins
One of the Fond du Lac County’s cases for COVID-19 will be taken off the board. County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller says the state has their count at 18, but one of the cases credited to the county involves a Fond du Lac County resident living in Florida who became infected while living there. She says so far none of their cases have involved community spread although a numbers of tests are pending. Mueller says the media has pressed her for information about where the people who tested positive live in the county, but her department’s role is to determine where that person was when they became infected. “It matters more so where they were when they potentially were infected. For example if you have somebody who is isolating at home they are safe at home they know what they are dealing with at home they know they can’t leave.”
Callers Frustrated Over Governor’s Order
Fond du Lac County Communications and Emergency Management Director Bobbi Hicken is asking residents to have patience with their dispatchers and get their questions about the Governor’s Safer at Home order answered elsewhere. Hicken says the County’s Communications Center has been getting calls from people with questions about the order and some aren’t too nice about it. She says they understand people’s frustration, but their dispatchers are there to take calls for emergency services and law enforcement. “A dispatcher on any day needs to put up with a lot, and they get yelled at. You know people have high stress and a lot of emotion and we completely understand that and especially when they need help that we can provide.” The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation website has links to the order and essential business information.
Equipment Donations Needed In Green Lake County
Green Lake County law enforcement and first responders have put out an appeal for protective equipment to keep them safe during the global pandemic. Law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency management, and emergency room staff are gearing up for what could be an extended health emergency. Many agencies have tried to acquire the needed supplies, but the supply chain has dried up. Items needed include; N95 masks or surgical masks, hand-sanitizer, anti-bacterial wipes, and non-latex gloves. If you have items you can donate contact your local police department or the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Department.
COVID 19 Price Gouging
The state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says it has taken dozen of price gouging complaints through checking prices at over a hundred stores in Wisconsin during this time of economic turmoil. Sixteen companies were issued Cease and Desist letters. One such company is N95sales.com, which engaged in suspected price gouging on N95 masks, a critical item for front line health care workers that is in short supply in the state. Complaint forms can be downloaded at the DATCP website and submitted via email to DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov.
Ripon Common Council Considers Funding Possibilities For New Senior Center
A lot of pieces have to fall into place, but the Ripon Common Council this week heard about possible financing for a Senior Center and trail head facility at Murray Park. Dave Anderson of MSA talked about combining funds from the Mitchell Estate gift, money in the form of a Community Development Block Grant from the City’s old revolving loan fund, a Stewardship Fund Grant from the DNR, and money from a tax increment finance district. Together those funds would add up to about $2 million. Rasmussen told the Council the Stewardship Grant might be tough to get. He also talked about a combination of funding sources to get the Vermont/Parkway street improvement project done. The Council unanimously approved moving forward on both projects.
Write In Candidate Registers For Ripon School Board Race
There will be two write-in candidates for the Ripon School Board for voters to consider for the April 7th election. The latest to register is Mellisa Wipijewski who is a funeral director for the Butzin-Marchant Funeral Home. The other write-in candidate is David Scott. Incumbents Josh Rieder and Tom Stellmacher are also candidates for the three seats available on the board. Incumbent Amy Pollesch had previously filed non-candidacy papers.
Food Pantries Need Help
The director for the Food and Nutrition program for ADVOCAP says food pantries need volunteers during the COVID-19 outbreak. Lori Fernandez says many of the people who volunteer at pantries are senior citizens who are at higher risk if they become infected. She says with the pandemic pantries are adopting no contact and no face-to-face contact policies in line with social distancing. “We’re still getting the food in and we will box it up or bag it up and again you can come through and we don’t have contact. You will show your ID through the window and you keep the window up on your car and then we will just put it in your trunk.” Fernandez works with the pantries in Winnebago County, but she says pantries everywhere probably need the help and donations to purchase food. She says the Oshkosh Area United Way and Fox Cities United Way donate to the effort.
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