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Vol. 39 • No. 18 • Thurs., April 30, 2020 - Wed., May 06, 2020 • An NCON Publication Serving The Milwaukee Area • 75¢
Gov. Evers announces expanded opportunities for certain nonessential businesses Gov. Tony Evers announced on Monday, April 27, 2020, that another turn of the dial in expanding allowed operations for nonessential businesses, providing even more opportunities for businesses to get back to work in a safe and responsible way. The Emergency Order, signed Monday, April 27, 2020, by Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm, allows nonessential businesses to do curbside drop-off of goods and animals. This will allow businesses like dog groomers, small engine repair shops, upholstery businesses, and others to safely open. Monday's order also allows outdoor recreational rentals, such as boats, golf carts, kayaks, ATVs, and other similar recreational vehicles. Additionally, automatic or self-service car washes would be able to operate. All of these businesses must operate free of contact with customers by providing payment options online or over the phone, enact proper disinfecting practices, and
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operations must be able to be performed by one staff member. “No one wants to reopen our economy as much as I do, and we're working to do everything we can to make sure we can do so as soon as we safely and responsibly can. That's why today we announced a new order that, coupled with our Safer at Home order that went into effect last week, turns the dial a notch by allowing non-essential businesses to do more than they were able to do before,” said Gov. Evers. “This order means that every business across our state can do things like deliveries, mailings, curbside pick-up and drop-off, and it's
construction work so long as it is performed by a single person; • Public libraries can provide curbside pick-up of books and other library materials; • Arts and crafts stores can offer expanded curbside pick-up of materials necessary to make face masks; and • Landscaping businesses can do aesthetic or optional lawn care so long as it is done an important step in mak- by a single employee. ing sure that while folks are Emergency Order #34 staying safer at home, they went into effect at 8 a.m. can also continue to support Wednesday, April 29, 2020. small businesses across our state.” In addition to the requireThe April 27th order builds ments outlined previously, upon the last turn of the dial. all essential and nonessential When the Safer at Home or- businesses must continue to der was extended last week, follow social distancing and a number of additional op- safety practices required untions were made available for der the Safer at Home order. businesses to safely serve the A document summarizing public, including: these safe business practices • Golf courses were by the Wisconsin Economic opened this past weekend; Development Corporation • All businesses are allowed (WEDC) is available . Busito offer curbside pick-up, nesses can visit WEDC.org allowing customers to pur- for additional resources on chase goods online or over taking the necessary steps the phone from a local store; to keep workers, businesses, • Construction businesses and customers safe. can do aesthetic or optional
Black Arts Fest MKE announces cancellation amid COVID-19 pandemic In a statement released on Thursday, April 23, 2020, Black Arts Fest MKE (BAFMKE) announced the cancellation of its August 1, 2020 festival at the Henry Maier Festival Grounds. Final decision to cancel comes after careful consideration of the mounting health concerns and community hardships arising from the COVID-19 pandemic: "We recognize that the Safer at Home mandates may be removed by August but in the end, it is impossible to predict future mandates for large social gatherings in this time of health crisis and uncertainty.
part of Milwaukee’s summertime ethnic festivals. Celebrating our heritage, culture, and unity is a must. The board of Black Arts Fest MKE looks forward to returning to Henry "Although our community enjoys Maier Festival Park in August 2021. attending the festival, given the disproportionate rate that COVID-19 "ABOUT BLACK ARTS FEST has affected African Americans, the MKE This annual festival celeboard has made the difficult but re- brates African heritage and African sponsible decision to cancel the fes- American culture, exposing attendtival for this year. 'We appreciate the ees to our deep roots and creative value of our annual gathering but arts. Black Arts Fest MKE creates a prioritize our community’s health positive atmosphere that unifies all and safety above all else,' said Der- ages to inspire and strengthen pride ek Tyus, chairman of BAFMKE’s in our ancestry. We hope all leave board of directors. the festival with a greater understanding of our history. Visit black"Black Arts Fest MKE is an an- artsfestmke.com to learn more." chor in our community and a vital An NCON Communications Publication
IN THIS ISSUE:
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AWARDS $7.7 MIL. IN GRANTS TO HBCU - PAGE 2
COMMON VACCINES AND WHO SHOULD NOT GET VACCINATED (FULL LIST) - PAGE 9
CORONAVIRUS AND THE NEW AMERICAN ECONOMY - PAGE 10
Wisconsin needs 600 contact tracers
State making progress on hiring and training, but still short of 1,000-person goal. Expanding contact tracing is one of six key criteria identified in Governor Tony Evers' Badger Bounce Back plan. The process, intended to contain the spread of a disease, is used to identify past contacts and alert people that they should be tested. “Contact tracing is nothing new to public health people, we have been doing this for centuries,” said state Department of Health Services (DHS) Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk during a media briefing on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. The process begins with a case investigation and then transitions to contacting those that may have had contact with the individual. But the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging local public health departments and the state is moving to help them. Evers’ plan calls for 1,000 contact
COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days (left), heat map over life of outbreak (right). Images as of April 25th from Milwaukee County COVID-19 Dashboard. tracers to ultimately be working on the outbreak. The bounce-back plan benchmark calls for anyone that tests positive to be interviewed within 24 hours and their contacts to be interviewed within 48 hours. “It’s about isolating and boxing in the people with the virus rather than isolating and boxing in all of the people,” said Willems Van Dijk.
“Testing alone is not enough to contain the virus.” She said the department now has 259 contact tracers. “We are onboarding 78 more plus 50 who will start training this week,” said Willems Van Dijk. But if things stop there that would leave the state with 387 contact tracers, more than 600 short of the goal. (Continued on pg. 8)
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