Author: Correspondent

New entry protocols for Summerfest requires visitors to have proof of COVID vaccination or negative test

Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. (MWF) announced on August 10 that a COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test result will be required to attend Summerfest 2021, including the Wednesday Weekend Preview concerts held at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. The announcement was made with the support of the City of Milwaukee Health Department. The entrance protocol will also be in effect for the MWF-produced Little Big Town/BoDeans concert on August 13 at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. “We collaborated with national health experts and music industry executives and determined this was the best course of action for Summerfest.” said Don...

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Watchdog groups files campaign finance complaint in Wisconsin against ALEC’s voter software scheme

Wisconsin was among 15 states listed in a recent campaign finance complaint filed against the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and its legislative leaders, for illegally giving and receiving sophisticated voter management campaign software linked to the Republican National Committee (RNC) to help their campaigns. By making the partisan voter management and campaign software to its 2,000-plus members across the country, ALEC illegally provided in-kind campaign contributions worth more than $6 million in the 2020 election cycle, in violation of its 501(c)(3) charitable tax-status, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) charged in a separate submission to the IRS...

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Free Cream Puffs: Wisconsin State Fair collaborates with DHS to host on-site COVID-19 vaccine clinic

Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced a collaboration with the Wisconsin State Fair to hold an on-site COVID-19 vaccine clinic for the duration of the fair. The vaccine clinic will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from August 5 through August 15. Individuals vaccinated at the on-site clinic will receive a voucher for a free cream puff redeemable at the Cream Puff Pavilion. “For 52 years, Kathy and I haven’t missed a State Fair—except for last year, of course—and we’ve shared some of our favorite memories here, including eating our fair...

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Study finds that monitoring Milwaukee wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 virus can evaluate community health

Because SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be found in sewage, the concentration of the virus in wastewater gives public health officials the opportunity to monitor an entire community at once, independent of testing. But sewage surveillance during a pandemic is complex, requiring technical expertise and rapid interpretation of the sampling results so that public health officials can act on them. A new study looks at building the needed communication network and the investment of resources necessary to sustain wastewater surveillance systems during a public health emergency. The work was done by a team of academic researchers, public...

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Breakthrough Infection: Growing circulation of delta variant prompts Wisconsin to update health guidance

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s recommendations that were issued on July 27. The Delta variant of COVID-19 is highly infectious and is spreading more quickly than any other strain of the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. “Wisconsin’s 7-day average for new confirmed and probable cases has been trending upward,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk. “We are concerned with this trajectory along with the increasing proportion of sequenced SARS-CoV-2 specimens that are the Delta variant.” The best way for Wisconsin residents to protect...

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Hop Summer Nights: Special events usher in a return to regular streetcar service beginning August 1

The Hop, presented by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, announced on July 24 that service schedules and frequency would return to normal beginning Sunday, August 1. The positive change was a reflection of the increase in activity in greater Downtown Milwaukee and ridership continuing to trend back up. To celebrate, the streetcar is launching a new “Hop Summer Nights” promotion featuring great surprises to welcome riders back on board. “It’s been fantastic to see our great City coming back to life this summer, with more and more people both returning to work downtown and taking advantage of the many great...

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