BURNETT COUNTY
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2020 VOL. 58 NO. 32 www.burnettcountysentinel.com $1.00
FOURTH OF JULY: Siren planning Independence Day festivities P16
Confirmed cases at tournament
Watercross postponed until 2021
JONATHAN RICHIE SENTINEL EDITOR
JONATHAN RICHIE EDITOR@BURNETTCOUNTYSENTINEL.COM
Burnett County Public Health announced that a softball tournament in Siren had three attendees that tested positive for COVID-19. “The Burnett County COVID-19 Response Team is aware of three attendees of this event who have tested positive for COVID-19,” a press release stated. The response team was in contact with event organizers. Organizers were asked to alert and notify all attendees of the weekend tournament. Part of that has been sharing the message on social media. “We appreciate the quick response and cooperation we have received from the event hosts,” the COVID-19 response team statement said. Burnett County still has one confirmed case of COVID-19 among residents. These three individuals were spectators of the tournament and they are not Burnett County residents. Public Health later clarified that officials learned about the positive cases through contact tracing.
JONATHAN RICHIE | SENTINEL
13 stripes and 50 stars The colors of the American flag have symbolism; red stands for hardiness and valor, white symbolizes purity and innocence and blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice. More photos on page 16.
On Monday night the Grantsburg village board unanimously voted to postpone one of the largest events held annually in Burnett County. A Watercross organizer asked the village board for a vote, saying the event needs the village's support. Rick Quimby, Grantsburg Watercross Executive Director, spent the last month talking to anyone he could about Watercross. He noticed that similar large venue events are being canceled, citing Minnesota and Wisconsin State Fairs along with Pine and Polk County fairs and the Spooner Rodeo. Quimby continued that there are two sides to this – one side is worried about the health risks and the other side has told Quimby they “gotta have it” this year. He added these are longtime attendees that told him “we need to get out and do things, take the risk.”
SENTINEL PHOTO
Watercross brings a very large crowd into Grantsburg every year.
Village President Mike Longhenry said several people have discussed it with him about the concerns they have abut large events being canceled. “At the grocery store, people come up to me and say, 'we do this, everybody and their brother is coming to Grantsburg,'” Longhenry said. Trustee Diane Barton said the SEE WATERCROSS, PAGE 2
Food distribution ‘very important to community’ JONATHAN RICHIE SENTINEL EDITOR
There will be a special food distribution event at Caring Hearts Thrift Shop in Webster on June 18 for households in need of assistance during these difficult times. The food is free and each household will receive one box of produce, one box of mixed dairy and one box of meat (chicken and pork.) The event, sponsored by Second Harvest
will be a drive-thru event beginning at 9 a.m. This extra food has been given by Second Harvest as part of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, or CFAP, provides vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline or who had losses due to market supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19
JONATHAN RICHIE | SENTINEL
Volunteers put food together for people in need every Wednesday. You cannot tell with the masks on but these ladies have a good time doing this work.
and face additional significant market costs. Caring Hearts at 26356 S. Lakeland Ave. in Webster, formerly Connections, hold regular food distributions on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Josie Penberthy is the executive director at Caring Hearts and told the Sentinel that the food distribution on the first Thursday of the month is held SEE FOOD, PAGE 2
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