News – March 6, 2021

(Wisconsin) Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson says he used a stalling tactic to delay debate of the COVID-19 stimulus plan in order to give Republicans more time to counteract it. Johnson says Democrats are including too much spending for too many items that aren’t related to fighting the coronavirus. The nearly 2 trillion dollar bill is expected to pass through the Senate on a tie vote, with Vice President Harris casting the tie breaker. – WRN

(Wisconsin) The number cases of the coronavirus U-K variant has more than tripled in in Wisconsin in the last week. There were six confirmed cases on February 25th; on Thursday, that number reached 19. Deputy State Health Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk says the U-K variant can spread more rapidly than the regular strain of coronavirus. Willems Van Dijk says everyone in Wisconsin will be eligible to get vaccinated by the end of May. – WRN

(Wisconsin) The list of people who are eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in Wisconsin is about to grow again. State health officials plan to announce the next eligible group next week. For now, people 65 and older — and a raft of ‘essential’ workers — are eligible for the shot. It’s expected the health services department will add people with pre-existing health conditions. Being eligible does not guarantee a coronavirus shot right away. Vaccine doses are limited. – WRN

(Juneau) Dodge County health officials say the weekly rate of positive tests between February 22nd and the 28th was 11.4-percent, three-percent lower than it was a week ago. The county moved to phase two of its three phase Safe Restart Plan last week with improving coronavirus numbers throughout the region. Phase Two recommendations include limiting capacity in non-essential businesses, bars, restaurants and organizations to 50-percent, compared to 25-percent under Phase One. Testing, hospital space, personal protective equipment and contract tracing are all in the green while the number of cases remains in the yellow.

(Dodge County) Wisconsin health officials recorded seven COVID-19 deaths on Friday, bringing that total to 6,477. The state health department’s website sate Dodge County has experienced 156 deaths and 11,453 cases, one one-day increase of eight positive tests. Health officials Dodge County say they are actively monitoring 102 cases. Washington County has seen 135 deaths with 13,826 cases; 473 are active cases. Fond du Lac County has 97 deaths, one more than on Thursday, with 11,987 cases; 126 are active cases. In Jefferson County, the death toll is at 111 and 7,902 cases. Columbia County has seen 54 deaths with 5,061 cases; 55 are active cases. In Green Lake County, there have been 18 deaths and 1,521 cases. Statewide, there are 7,211 active cases; a one-day decrease of 83.

(Lomira) A Lomira man made his initial appearance in court yesterday (Friday) with possessing illegal content of children. Peter Braun is facing five felony counts of Child Pornography. A special agent with the Wisconsin Department of Justice was tasked to investigate several Cyber Tipline reports filed by Microsoft and Google. According to the criminal complaint, multiple images were uploaded that were illicit in nature and involved minors. The images were allegedly tied back to Braun. A search warrant was executed Thursday (March 4th) and authorities reportedly seized multiple video’s that depicted child porn. When questioned, Braun allegedly admitted to possessing child porn. If convicted, the 56-year-old faces 125-years in prison. A signature bond was set at $10,000 and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 8th.

(Juneau) Users of the Smart911 safety profile can now register to receive emergency alerts. Alerts can include drinking water contamination, missing persons, evacuation notices and routes, fires or floods and bomb threats. They can be sent via email, text or voice message to your cellphone. Smart911 is a free service provides first responders with more information in the event of an emergency. For more information and details about registering visit DailyDodge.com.

(Mount Pleasant) The top Democrat in the Wisconsin Assembly says Foxconn is playing state government. Representative Gordon Hintz says he doesn’t believe anything Foxconn says anymore – especially its recent announcement about making electric cars in Wisconsin. The Oshkosh Democrats tells WisPolitics that it’s important to manage expectations regarding Foxconn, and that’s he confident some use will eventually be made of the site. – WRN

(Beaver Dam) Beaver Dam Mayor Becky Glewen is applauding the efforts of the city’s Forestry Supervisor following a recent recognition by the state. The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council recognized John Neumann for his leadership in promoting and improving urban forestry. He was singled out for “Lifetime Achievement” at the 2021 Wisconsin Arborist Association and DNR Urban Forestry Conference. Glewen notes that for the past 27 years, Neumann has worked tirelessly to increase and diversify Beaver Dam’s tree canopy. The mayor says the city is planning a more formal recognition for Neumann once council meetings are held in-person again.