(Wauwatosa) Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to reports of shots fired at Mayfair Mall yesterday afternoon. Calls to 911 came in at 2:50pm that a shooting incident had taken place near the northwest entrance to Macy’s. When authorities arrived the shooter had left the scene. Preliminary statements from witnesses indicate the shooter is a white male in his 20’s or 30’s. Seven injured adults and one teenager were transported to a local hospital, the extent of their injuries were not known at the time.
(Beaver Dam) State Representative Mark Born has confidence in the election process in Wisconsin and around the country.
Born told us yesterday (Friday) on WBEV’s Community Comment that it is certainly appropriate for politicians to exercise their right to use the legal process of seeking recounts.
Born says he understands the frustration of Trump supporters and saw the same thing four years ago with Clinton voters, which he says is concerning for our democracy. The Beaver Dam Republican says voter fraud is rare but as irregularities are encountered, it is up to state legislatures to find solutions to mitigate such problems.
President Trumps current strategy is reported to involve asking Republican-controlled legislatures in swing states like Wisconsin to appoint electors favorable to the current administration. Born says there is no chance of that being successful because there is no mechanism for such a scenario in Wisconsin, or any other state. He contends under Wisconsin law it is crystal clear that the winner of the election gets the state’s ten electoral votes and the elections board, under authority granted by state statute, certifies the winner. The role of the legislature, and the governor he says, are merely “ceremonial.”
(Wisconsin) The recount process is just starting in Dane and Milwaukee Counties and the Trump campaign is filing its first objections. The Trump campaign has objected to the manner in which the state allows absentee voting to take place. They’re calling for absentee ballots requested online, in person, or through the indefinitely confined process to be tossed for having a lack of paperwork or signatures. They also are objecting to allowing clerks to fill in the witness’s address on a ballot envelope if the witness can be reached before the cut-off date. The Elections Commission has stated that all of these processes are legal, and local elections staff have so far rejected the objections. – WRN
(Wisconsin) As its two county recount got underway Friday, the Trump campaign is asking Dane County to throw out absentee ballots that do not have written applications. Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell called that a “pretty astounding assertion.” The three member Dane County Board of Canvassers rejected the effort to disqualify the votes. But as McDonell alluded to, the matter is likely headed to court. Ballots are also being recounted in Milwaukee County. – WRN
(Wisconsin) Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meghan Wolfe addressed concerns over voting irregularities at a discussion of the recount on Thursday. Wolfe says there doesn’t need to be a signed paper application for every absentee ballot. She says a planned audit of voting equipment is also underway, and if there are any irregularities they’ll let people know. – WRN
(Wisconsin) As promised, Governor Tony Evers has declared a new public health emergency in response to Wisconsin’s coronavirus crisis. Evers notes “hospitals are operating at or very near full capacity and healthcare providers are struggling to keep up with the demand for care.” He’s also issued a new statewide mask order. Both are effective immediately and will expire after 60 days — well into the New Year. – WRN
(Madison) The meeting yesterday (Friday) morning between Republican legislators and Governor Tony Evers was said to be (quote) “productive.” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu discussed possible legislative actions with Evers Friday morning to address the pandemic. In a statement, Vos thanked the governor and said (quote) “as expected, there were issues we agreed on and some that we didn’t. Regardless [he sees] the conversation as a positive step forward to finding common ground in developing a more unified state response to the coronavirus pandemic.”
(Dodge County) Wisconsin health officials are reporting 6,473 positive coronavirus cases in Friday’s daily update. There are 75,649 active cases in the state, an increase of 69 from Thursday. Active cases make up 21.9-percent of the 344-thousand people who have tested positive to date. So far, there have been 266-thousand recoveries. State health officials recorded 78 deaths, bringing that total to 2,954. Deaths account for point-nine-percent of all cases in Wisconsin while 4.5-percent of those known to have contracted the virus needed to be hospitalized. Of the over one-million people who have died worldwide, the CDC says 251-thousand people were from the United States. Dodge County has 65 deaths on record and 7,448 cases, a one-day increase of 71. The county had 119 negative tests returned for a running total of 32,174. Public health officials in Dodge County are actively monitoring 1,076 people while 4,768 have recovered. Washington County has now reported a total of 64 deaths along with 7,657 cases; with 2,307 being active cases. Fond du Lac County tallied three deaths Friday and is now reporting 41 total deaths with 7,762 positive tests on record; 1,707 are active cases. Jefferson County has recorded 33 deaths and 4,721 cases to date; 1,348 cases were reported in the last two weeks. There have been 10 deaths in Columbia County where there have been 3,001 total cases; currently the county has 939 active cases. Green Lake County has logged five deaths and has 1,103 cases on record, with 227 cases reported in the last two weeks.
(Wisconsin) While thousands are still testing positive for COVID-19 each day, numbers in Wisconsin are trending downwards. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says there’s been a dip in positive tests in every age group since the first week of November. D-H-S reported 66-hundred new positives and 83 new deaths Thursday. There are about 21-hundred people in the hospital with COVID-19 in Wisconsin. 17 people are at the alternative care facility at the state fairgrounds in West Allis. – WRN
(Fox Lake) A North Dakota woman was charged yesterday (Monday) with mailing in an illegal substance into Fox Lake Correctional. Megan Olsen allegedly mailed in two envelopes that had Suboxone concealed under the stamps. When questioned, she reportedly admitted to her actions. If convicted, the 31-year-old faces no more than three-and-a-half years in prison. An initial appearance is scheduled for December 7th.
(Wisconsin) Today is getaway day for thousands of deer hunters in Wisconsin. Saturday is the opening day of Wisconsin’s nine-day gun deer hunting season. The Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters to be safe in their tree stands, their guns, and the coronavirus at deer camp. – WRN
