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Cases are increasing but new therapeutics can save lives of COVID patients

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COVID-19 infections are again on the rise in Wisconsin, but new treatments can keep people alive. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ryan Westergaard notes that new therapeutics are available. His message to those 50 or older, or with underlying risk factors

“Know how to get Paxlovid or one of the other therapeutics because it can save lives,” Westergaard said during a Monday media conference call. “People are still at risk. But I think it’s important for people to embrace the what the new reality is, or the current phase of the pandemic, as one where we can save lives in ways that we never could before.”

The rate of COVID hospitalizations is not rising as rapidly as it did earlier this year. “But, it’s going up. So that’s why we want people to pay attention and take some action so it doesn’t get back into a danger zone,” Westergaard said.

It remains important for people to stay up to date on vaccinations, test if they show symptoms and stay home if they become ill.

Republicans critical as Regents pick Mnookin as next UW Chancellor

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The University of Wisconsin in Madison has its next chancellor. Jennifer Mnookin is the unanimous choice of the UW System Board of Regents.

Mnookin is Dean of the UCLA law school in Los Angeles. Mnookin has a long history has an educator. She’s been a professor at UCLA since 2005, and before that, taught law at the University of Virginia, and was a visiting professor at Harvard Law School.

Mnookin becomes UW Madison’s 30th chancellor, after Rebecca Blank’s departure to Northwestern. Blank’s last day is on May 31. Provost John Karl Scholz will serve as interim chancellor until Mnookin starts in August.

Mnookin will have to win over Republican legislators. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on Monday called the Regents’ unanimous pick of the UCLA Law School Dean a “blatant partisan selection.” Vos said Mnookin is a supporter critical race theory and campus  vaccine mandates.

State Senator Steve Nass, Vice Chair of the Senate Universities and Technical Colleges Committee, calls Mnookin a “West Coast liberal.” Both lawmakers also pointed out that Mnookin met with Hunter Biden in 2019 and supported having him join the UCLA faculty to teach drug policy.

In a statement to WisPolitics, Mnookin said she hasn’t had an opportunity to meet Vos yet but look forward to doing so, and that she plans to work with all legislators regardless of party to move the university and Wisconsin forward.

Evers asks Parole Commission to rescind release of convicted killer Douglas Balsewicz

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Governor Tony Evers is stepping in, to halt the release of a convicted killer. In a Friday letter to Wisconsin Parole Commission Chair John Tate, Evers asks for immediate reconsideration of next week’s scheduled release of Douglas Balsewicz.

The letter follows a meeting Evers had with the family of Johanna Balsewicz. Douglas Balsewicz was convicted in 1997 of stabbing his wife to death in front of their two young children.

“I had the opportunity to speak directly with them and heard firsthand about the weight of the grief, trauma, and anxiety they carry every day,” Evers wrote. “I also heard about their concerns throughout this recent parole process, including a lack of transparency, accountability, and notification, causing more trauma and pain for Johanna’s family.”

Douglas Balsewicz was sentenced to 80 years in prison, and the presiding judge told the parole commission at the time that the case was not appropriate for early release. Johanna’s family has been outraged by the decision to release Balsewicz after only 25 years.

 

Nurses group critical of Evers’ veto

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The organization representing Wisconsin nurses is not happy about a veto from Governor Tony Evers. The bill created a separate license for nurse practitioners and other nurses with advanced training. Several physicians groups were opposed.

“I guess what it says is, organized medicine does not want us here in Wisconsin. They do not want us to be able to practice, and take care of patients independently. And I think that’s a very sad state of affairs,” Wisconsin Nurses Association CEO Gina Dennik-Champion said during a Thursday press conference at the Capitol.

Rebecca Gilbertson is a family nurse practitioner and operates a family care clinic in Medford. “I am very disappointed with the governor’s veto, as this does perpetuate physicians groups maintaining power and control over my nursing practice,” Gilbertson said.

Nurses were joined at the Capitol by the legislation’s Senate author, Senator Pat Testin (R-Stevens Point).

“This bill is not going away.” Testin said. “It will come back next session in some form or fashion. And I am hopeful that there will be an administration that will sign this bill into law.”

About 8,000 Wisconsin nurses have advanced degrees.

Three elderly Marathon County residents scammed by crooks pretending to be grandchildren

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Marathon County deputies say a group of scammers stole over 80 thousand dollars from three elderly residents over the last few weeks.

Public information officer Sarah Severson says the scammers pretended to be distressed grandchildren. “That grandchild was being held in jail and needed bond money and these individuals called asking for that money and then later showed up at the victim’s home in person to collect the cash.”

Severson says it’s a reminder to stay in touch with elderly family members and to set up code words in case of real trouble. “So if you do receive a phone call that someone that you don’t know is asking you for money it’s really important that you verify the facts.”

If you have any information or received one of these calls, you’re asked to reach out to the Sheriff’s office as well.

Tiffany lone ‘nay’ from Wisconsin delegation as House approves more Ukraine aid

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All but one member of Wisconsin’s U.S. House delegation voted for an additional $40 billion in U.S. aid to Ukraine.

In a press release following Tuesday’s vote, Seventh District Republican Tom Tiffany said that while he has condemned Russia’s invasion, he couldn’t support the additional money “when working-class Americans are struggling to find baby formula at their local grocery store and their paychecks are being wiped out by record gas prices and the worst inflation in 40 years.”

Third District Democrat Ron Kind said the supplemental aid package will provide Ukraine the resources it needs to defend itself, as well as delivering humanitarian aid.

The House vote was 368-to-57 and the Senate is expected to approve the funding as well. Congress has already provided just over $13.5 billion in aid to Ukraine this year. The supplemental funding will push that total over $50 billion.

Baldwin: end the filibuster to protect abortion rights

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With the Supreme Court’s conservative majority set to overturn Roe versus Wade, the U.S. Senate will vote this week to protect abortion rights. Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin notes the vote is likely to fall short, and says Democrats should do more.

“I don’t know that we could get 60 votes, as would be required in the United States Senate, so we would to look at abolishing the filibuster,” she said, insisting that ending the filibuster is achievable .

“The Democrats, if all of us stick together, could do that. And it’s also possible that one or two Republicans might join us.”

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said that Wednesday’s vote to codify abortion rights is about putting Senators on the record. He’s given no indication there will be action on the filibuster.

The Women’s Health Protection Act on which Baldwin is a co-author passed the House of Representatives last September but has not yet passed the Senate.

Republicans in congress are focused on the leaked draft opinion that indicated the court’s conservative majority’s intent to overturn Roe.  “It’s really revealing to me that so many of my Republican colleagues in the Senate chose to criticize the leak, and didn’t really give any attention to the subject matter of the opinion,” Baldwin said.

If Roe is overturned, state legislatures would have control over regulating women’s reproductive choices. Wisconsin’s Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson said Friday that he’s comfortable with that, but told reporters he didn’t think Wisconsin’s 19th century abortion law ”will stand for long.”

The law, which prohibits abortion in nearly all cases, would be enforceable once Roe is overturned. Johnson said he thinks “the democratic process in Wisconsin will have something other than the 1849 law.” Republicans who control both chambers of the legislature have not given any indications on altering the law.

 

Arson attack on Madison pro-life group condemned by Evers

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Governor Tony Evers has a message regarding the weekend arson at to the Madison office of Wisconsin Family Action, apparently by someone angry about the Supreme Court moving to overturn Roe versus Wade

“They should be arrested and put in trial. This is unacceptable.”

Evers commented on Monday, at the same time local and federal law enforcement held a press conference. Madison police said two Molotov cocktails thrown into the office Sunday morning did not ignite, and a separate fire was started. There was also graffiti spray painted outside the building.

“If you’re thinking about doing something like that, I would recommend that you not, it doesn’t look good for your cause. It doesn’t look good for our community,” Chief of Police Shon Barnes said.

“The resolve around that is not violence, is not going to be solved by violence,” Evers said. “So the message is bad, bad mistake. You should be arrested and put in jail.”

Rebecca Kleefisch, one of the Republican candidates running to oppose Evers, also condemned the attack. “I condemn the disgusting and evil attack on Wisconsin Family Action, which is the good guy,” Kleefisch said on WSAU radio.

 

 

Madison police have no suspects in arson at Wisconsin Family Action, warn against future violence

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Madison Police chief Shon Barnes couldn’t share much information about the arson at Wisconsin Family Action over the weekend. 

“I have no indication that this was an inside job, the person who owns the building wasn’t there at the time. And so I don’t know, there’s always going to be conspiracy theories.”

Barnes did confirm that an incendiary device was used to start a fire Sunday morning.

Barnes says violence over free speech is not the answer, despite the increased tension over abortion rights. 

“I can tell you that there’s no there’s no place in Madison or anywhere else for this because it could have gone differently, I think if someone had been there. And if you’re thinking about doing something like that, I would recommend that you not, it doesn’t look good for your cause. It doesn’t look good for our community. And that’s not what we expect.”

There was some fire damage to the inside of one office and some graffiti on the outside of the building.

If you have a tip, call Madison PD Crimestoppers at 608-266-6014.

Be safe around Wisconsin’s dams

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Even small dams can be dangerous to boaters. That reminder from the DNR for Dam Safety Day.

Uriah Monday with the DNR says small spillways are some of the most dangerous places.

“Either people being unaware that, you know, water becomes more swift near them, or people daring themselves, maybe inappropriately, and taking a ride down them or, or playing near them.”

Monday reminds boaters and anglers to always keep their distance from dams and spillways, to always wear their life preservers, and to keep clear of roiling or churning water near dams. 

“Right at the foot of them after water comes over the spillway area and begins to slow down. There can be a backwater or rolling action, which can pull a small craft under.”

Find out more online at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Dams