NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL AND AROUND WISCONSIN |
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GOV. EVERS, DHS ANNOUNCE WISCONSIN TO OFFER AT-HOME COVID-19 TESTING OPTION |
Governor Tony Evers last week, along with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, announced a new contract with Vault Medical Services that will allow for at-home COVID-19 saliva collection kits. Those kits will be available to everyone who lives in Wisconsin, with or without symptoms, at no cost.
"We believe that anyone in Wisconsin who needs to be tested for COVID-19 should have access to a test, and I'm proud of our statewide testing efforts throughout this pandemic," Evers said.
Wisconsinites can order a kit online and have it shipped to their home. The kit will include instructions on how to collect the saliva, which includes a video call with a testing supervisor through Vault Medical Services, and ship it back via UPS dropbox to the lap for processing.
You may request your at-home collection kit here. |
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GOV. EVERS ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF PHARMACY DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM FOR LONG-TERM CARE |
Gov. Evers announced today the start of on-site vaccinations at skilled nursing facilities as part of the Pharmacy Partnership Program for Long-Term Care.
This private-public partnership pairs eligible long-term care facilities with Walgreens or CVS to provide free, on-site COVID-19 vaccinations for residents and staff. The pharmacies will provide complete vaccine management for the facilities including storage and handling, scheduling, administration, and meeting reporting requirements, according to a statement from Evers' office.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) chose to use the Moderna vaccine for this program and has allocated 56,800 doses to the federal pharmacy partners to initiate vaccinating long-term care residents and staff in phase 1a.
DHS expects the program to last about two months.
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DHS: COVID-19 CONTACT TRACING APP LAUNCHES IN WISCONSIN |
The Wisconsin Exposure Notification app is now live in Wisconsin. The app is used to assist in notifying contacts of people who've tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Department of Health Services.
"The voluntary app complements the state's and partner agencies' efforts in contact tracing by letting Wisconsinites know faster if they've been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, allowing them to take steps to keep themselves and those around them safe."
iPhone and Android users will receive notifications on their phones in the coming days providing instructions for downloading or enabling the app. According to DHS, WI Exposure Notification does not use, collect, or store any GPS data or personal details.
"Instead, it uses Bluetooth technology to anonymously share Bluetooth signals with other smartphones using the app nearby."
Wisconsinites who use the app will receive a text message if they test positive for COVID-19 asking if they want to notify other people who were in their close proximity for at least 15 minutes (as tracked by their phone) that they have been exposed to COVID-19. By following the instructions from the text message, the person who tested positive anonymously notifies others of possible exposure. For the app to work properly, Bluetooth must be enabled on the device, and the WI Exposure Notification app must be downloaded and/or enabled before you receive a positive test result.
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WISCONSIN ENDS YEAR WITH POSITIVE BALANCE IN GENERAL FUND |
According to Governor Evers' administration, Wisconsin ended the most recent fiscal year with a positive balance. Evers' office said that this is the first time the state has not run a deficit since the state began publishing its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) in the 1990s under the Thompson Administration.
For the second consecutive year, Wisconsin also deposited additional funding into the Budget Stabilization Fund, often referred to as the rainy day fund. With the $105.8 million recently deposited, the fund grew to $761.8 million -- the largest balance in state history.
According to the CAFR, Wisconsin's general fund ended the fiscal year on June 30 with a $1.5 million balance. That's up from a nearly $800 million deficit in the year prior.
The Legislature's CPA Caucus, consisting of Republican Senators Marklein, Kooyenga, and Kapenga, sent out a joint press release to celebrate the good news that Wisconsin's GAAP deficit is finally eliminated.
"The GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) deficit peaked in recent years at nearly $3 billion in 2010-11, but has gradually decreased over the past decade as a result of fiscally responsible spending decisions and pro-growth policies that have put more money in Wisconsinites' pockets," their statement said.
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NOVEMBER LOCAL EMPLOYMENT DATA RELEASED |
The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) last week released the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates of unemployment and employment statistics for Wisconsin's metro areas, major cities, and counties for November of this year.
In brief, the non-seasonally adjusted data for Wisconsin shows:
- Metro areas: Unemployment rates declined in all of Wisconsin's 12 metro areas over the month. The largest decline occurred in the Racine and Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis metro areas.
- Municipalities: Unemployment rates declined in all of Wisconsin's 34 largest cities over the month. The largest decreased occurred in Racine and Milwaukee.
- Counties: Unemployment rates declined or stayed the same in 65 of Wisconsin's 72 counties over the month. The largest decrease occurred in Menominee County.
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AUDIT SHOWS UW SYSTEM PAID OUT MILLIONS IN REFUNDS |
According to an audit released last week by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau, the University of Wisconsin System paid out $68.5 million in COVID-19 refunds to students in 2020.
The audit showed that most of the refunds paid out were for food and housing costs after campuses were shuttered in March by Governor Evers and DHS Secretary-designee Palm's "Safer at Home" order. According to one news report, the state's auditor did not respond when asked how much the University system might have saved by closing down all of the dormitories and food services on each campus. The UW System did receive nearly $100 million in federal funds.
The audit also shed light on student fee reductions. UW-Milwaukee students, for example, saved $187 per student, due to the lack of athletics on campus.
UW System President Tommy Thompson also issued a statement last week saying the UW System has faced economic hardships, and offering his gratitude to Congress for passing another relief bill.
"The UW System has faced extraordinary financial challenges during this pandemic while successfully providing students an on-campus experience, including increased costs, significant state budget reductions and employee furloughs. We are appreciative of these federal funds to help make up for the net $257 million loss so far in this year alone."
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EVERS, WHEDA ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $1 MILLION FOR 'EMERGENCY AND EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME HOUSING' |
Governor Tony Evers along with the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) announced that 41 organizations will share around $1 million in grants from the WHEDA Foundation to provide emergency shelter, transitional residences, and extremely low-income housing.
The winning 2020 grant proposals include the purchase of a new building to serve as a new shelter in Beaver Dam, a new security system at a shelter in Merrill, a new roof at a multifamily housing property in Chilton, rehabbing vacant manufactured homes to provide housing for low-income families in Janesville and upgrading five shelter bathrooms to meet American with Disabilities Act standards in La Crosse.
Providers in Ashland, Brown, Burnett, Calumet, Dane, Dodge, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, La Crosse, Lincoln, Marinette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Outagamie, Polk, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Waukesha, Winnebago and Wood counties received awards ranging from $2,142 to $40,000.
WHEDA received 65 applications through the housing grant competition this year totaling $2,013,456 in funding requests. Evers' administration said that was an indication of the high demand and need in Wisconsin.
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WEEKLY INITIAL UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS: WEEK 52 |
Initial Applications Filed for the UI Week 52 Beginning 12/20/2020:
Sunday, 3,334 (2020) vs. 1,681 (2019)
Monday, 7,227 (2020) vs. 2,898 (2019)
Tuesday 4,276 (2020) vs. 872 (2019)
Wednesday 3,125 (2020) vs.356 (2019)
Thursday 1,428 (2020) vs. 1,936 (2019)
Friday 693 (2020) vs. 2,020 (2019)
Saturday 1,004 (2020) vs. 640 (2019)
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By clicking the link, you acknowledge that it is the policy of WPT to publish all comments that are submitted by members each week, which often include broad differences of opinion. WPT does not take responsibility for the individual views and opinions expressed herein. It is the right of WPT to remove responses that that the organization deems inappropriate. |
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What did you think of Senate President-elect Kapenga's article? |
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Open all things up. There's plenty of safe guards in place to go forward
Its a shame the politicians try to make everything political! Educating our kids shouldn't be
Kids need the interaction. A lot of special needs children are having a very difficult time. Kapenga's article hits the nail on the head.
No reason to keep the kids out of school for a scamdemic. The stupid teachers unions are just throwing a fit.
kids need to be in school
I think that Sen. Pres. Elect Kapenga's article is very lopsided, one sided, and is ignoring other facts about the matter. Home schooling is a very viable option, those kids learn a lot, they are sharp, they have a lot going for them. Just because we don't have children in the social club known as "school" doesn't mean that they are being damaged - it means that they are *learning* and they are *learning how to flex with adversity* as are the parents. I think that this article is.... Concerning. Hey, what about the election fraud issues? That's more important right now, in my opinion.
kids need to get back to in-person learning
our school system has been a joke for a long time because Department of Public Instruction politics under Evers because Walker a Republican was Governor was first education second
I think the parents should have some say in schooling for their children.
Tired of political whining. Whether you like Evers or not he has not shutdown schools or encouraged districts to do so, so most of his ramblings are politically motivated. The decision should be left up to the people in the districts and that is what is happening. Maybe virtual learning has exposed one of our biggest underlying issues with educations, lack of parental involvement.
The kids need to be in school. This is ridiculous. They can’t learn virtually
Common sense should grab the steering wheel and drive this thing forward.
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Any thoughts on the new $900 billion stimulus package? |
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Open up the economy, like schools, there are plenty of safe guards in place. Most things will come around.
Over 5000 pages?! $600 to some... How much foreign aid and other pork? We should demand better
GET RID OF THE PORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get used to this, with a democrats feeling they have been given free reign on their agenda, watch out, I hope all those who voted for Biden like what they are going to get, glad he's their President and not mine!
They unemployment stipend is fair, however some families need more help. The increase in the SNAP program is necessary and the $600 per person will help slightly. It's a step in the right direction. I feel a lot of the politicians do not realize it all has to be paid back-that's the only hesitation I have. How long and who will end up paying this astronomical amount back?
another unneeded handout
QUIT SPENDING OUR MONEY!!!!
we really mostly need to get back to normal, forget about the fear of covid. get all businesses open for business and quit piling debt on the next generations
As long as there are time limits on extra unemployment, it's a good deal.
Too much Corporate Welfare $Billions forairlines? MORE Trickle down failures
Wonder how many other things it contains, that we don't need.
It was held partisan hostage by the Democrats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8rvXdGVHTk 'nuff said.
pork pork pork
I like the clarification on the expenses for the PPP for tax purposes.
Expanded PPP funding good, extended eviction prevention not good.
Open up our businesses. We need to get back to normal
Just get this nation back to work... open it up and we don’t need this spending
I think more of the money should go directly to the people.
Democrats will explode this and run it their way in january 2021.
Too much money for what is going to do. The only thing I did was the taxation change on PPP forgiven loans!
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Of the people you know who lost their jobs during the "safer at home" order, are most employed again? |
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There are jobs here, if one wants to work one can.
I does seem like jobs are out there now
Do not know anyone who lost their job, I do not live in a liberal county. Some work from home, but they are still being productive. There is plenty of jobs in our area, but only conservatives need apply, others please stay in the cities.
Too many people sitting on their a***s! collecting unemployment and should be working!!!!! Tired of paying for lazy people, we {small businesses} cannot afford to keep paying for them!!!!! This is ridiculous! This liberal/socialist crap has to stop!
There are numerous job openings in my community, for people who want to work. The problem is a lot simply do not want to work
There are jobs to had everywhere!! quit trying to sell the scamdemic!!
I don't know anyone who has lost their job because of Covid
Every place you go, businesses have help wanted signs up.
I have only met people who have CHOSEN to not go back to work. I don't actually know anyone who has lost their job from COVID, and I have regular contact with folks in major cities all over the nation, in Canada, etc. So far the only "lost job" time I'm hearing about is when folks are locked down at home and considered non-essential.
trade jobs are open - use this opportunity to get the training needed. trades are great, reliable, well-paying jobs
The ones who wanted a Job have gotten one
I ran an ad in the Wisconsin Job Center for 2months, didn't receive 1 application for a job paying 40,000 per year.
Yes lots of job openings where I live
Want to stop this stupid mandate by Evers of reducing capacity in restaurants/bars etc. then let’s cut ALL government employees including Evers, all lawmakers , teachers, and all people getting a check from their local or state or Federal government and cut their wages by 75% but make them work their 40 hours and after they see their first paycheck reduce by 75% there will be more crying and bellyaching and this virus will go away
Tough choices are being made with too little redemption.
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Do you think Gov. Evers commission on rural prosperity's "ten overarching recommendations" will help rural Wisconsin with its challenges? |
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Most of his recommendations are not solutions, just busy body work for bureaucratics.
It mostly sounds like political babel but if implemented yes it would likely help
Evers couldn't find rural Wisconsin if it bite him in the A#$
This was a waste of money, it didn't say anything nor address the problems rural Wisconsin is dealing with. This commission is out of touch and should be disbanned.
His intentions may be good-but actions are what count. So far, personally I am not a fan of our governor.
All our governor wants to do is throw money at everything and everyone
They also recommended raising levy limits to help fund innovative programs. More taxes will restrain rural prosperity.
Gov. Ever's commission on rural prosperity is the most useless thing yet. He isn't taking care of rural WI, he's focusing on areas in the southern 1/6th of the state, not the majority area NORTH of Madison. He is way off base, as is most of Madison, on the needs for Rural areas.
too pie in the sky - think the politicians will screw this up
less talk more action
This had a lot of BS and fluff but seems to be targeting the native americans and more spending on the UW system. They have enough money!
Most sections don't make much sense.
Does anyone understand what they just read? What a bunch of gobbly goop.
No we need a business person in charge in this State. Someone that has lived off the government teat all his life has no clue
The list makes no sense??????
Evers is in dreamland and your pocket simultaniosly.
Another "feel good" committee, just stop wasting money on Milwaukee and surrounding area
remove regulation paperwork, and needless rules that take peoples productive time.
They spend almost year coming up with some goals?! What a joke! This study was a waste of tax payers money!!
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Is there a special gift that you are anxious to give this Christmas? |
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Giving to organizations that care for kids health and wellness
Giving is better than receiving. Remember the reason for the season
The best part of Christmas day is spending it with those I love. Merry Christmas!
It is pretty much our usual Christmas. Merry Christmas to all and may 2021 be a much better year for all!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
SPOUSE
Checks for family menbers
Merry Christmas
Hep our kids out financially
It is for my brother
A positive attitude hoping that others pick up on it and pass it on.
Just booked flights to Phoenix to visit friends. Been laying low but time to start getting out and about.
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