Hometown Broadcasting News Monday 4/13/20
13 April 2020 News
Task Force Representation
During a recent meeting of the Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force several members expressed a desire to add city officials like the mayor and city administrator to the task force. They felt it was important to have someone from city government on the task force in case plans and responses need input from someone in an official capacity. One member said she had reached out to the mayor and city administrator, but had gotten no response. City Alderman Doug Iverson did participate in the video conference. His term is nearly complete as an alderperson, but he did run for mayor with those results still pending.
COVID 19 Restrictions Having An Impact
As uncomfortable as social distancing and isolation is for most people, Fond du Lac County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller feels the restrictions are helping to flatten the curve on the number of COVID-19 cases. She feels there has been progress over the past month. “If you would have asked me probably about three weeks ago where would be right now I would have guessed we would have had a lot more positive and a lot more hospitalizations so I feel pretty confident where we are right now, but you never know what that future looks like.” Meanwhile health care officials are planning for the worst and hoping for the best. She says that includes surge capacity or how many patients a hospital can handle and they are also planning for isolation centers if that should become a need.
Feyen Disappointed In WEC Decision
State Senator Dan Feyen of Fond du Lac says he’s incredibly disappointed and frustrated over the Wisconsin Election Commission’s refusal to take action over undelivered ballots discovered at a Milwaukee mail processing center. He says voters requested the absentee ballots two weeks prior to the deadline, but never received them after calling the Oshkosh City Clerk. He filed a complaint with the WEC, which has chosen not to act on the three tubs of undelivered absentee ballots found in Milwaukee. U.S. Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin are calling for an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service.
FoodShare Benefits Increased
Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services announced Friday that more than 215,000 FoodShare families in Wisconsin would be receiving additional benefits. The benefits will help the families stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm says the additional benefits will provide an important lifeline to those families during the public health emergency. The benefits were being made available yesterday and April 26th.
ADVOCAP Can Help With SBA Micro Loan Applications
ADVOCAP can help small businesses in Fond du Lac, Green Lake, and Winnebago counties apply for micro-loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration. Kathy Doyle is the Business Development Director for ADVOCAP. She says the micro-loans are for 6 years and the average loan across the country is about $14,000, but can go as high as $50,000. The interest rates are from 5 to 8 percent. But the loans can be used for working capital and equipment and they will provide technical assistance throughout the term of the loan. “We walk with them through all phases of the business whether it be start up or expansion and in these troubled times when sometimes it is just good to have somebody to bounce something off of.” She says due to the COVID-19 outbreak whether you already have an SBA loan or are applying for one, businesses are getting a 6 month deferral on the loans and that’s good through September 27th. More information is available at the ADVOCAP website under the business development area or you can give Doyle a call at (920) 922-7760.
Congressman Grothman On Impact Of Stimulus Bills On National Debt
Americans need financial assistance now with the pandemic and its effect on the economy and the government is providing that with stimulus monies, but that’s going to have an impact on the national debt and interest rates in the long run. Congressman Glenn Grothman says there won’t be an impact on interest rates right away, but they will be going up. “I think we are in such a down turn right now interest rates won’t go up immediately, but we all know that you cannot continue to print money like this and not have interest rates go up. Of course if interest rates go up the biggest debtor will be the Federal Government.” He says we do not want to wind up like Greece or some of the other countries in which you begin to have inflation given how far in debt the country already is it cannot afford higher interest rates.
Grants Dispersed
The Fond du Lac Area Foundation recently disbursed $57,350 in grants to eighteen Fond du Lac County non-profit organizations. Grants will fund a wide range of projects, including but not limited to youth, arts, outreach programming, health and family services, and education. The grants to non-profit organizations are dispersed twice a year. Among the eighteen organizations receiving the grants are Junior Achievement –Winnebago Area and the Rosendale-Brandon School District. The grants funded project needs up to $5,000.
Share |