I am glad to hear that Senator Marklein has finally come to the realization that COVID-19 is a significant issue in Wisconsin. In early October, Marklein told constituents in an electronic newsletter that hospitals were not overrun and there was no correlation between a rising number of infections and hospitalizations or deaths; even as the fall surge was, in fact, filling our hospitals to capacity and positive cases soared.
This year has been different. That’s an understatement, isn’t it? For me, it started at a party in Milwaukee. Not to be dramatic, or premonitive, but after the ball dropped and the clock struck midnight, it seemed as though everything that could’ve gone wrong, did go wrong. This trend, of course, has continued throughout the year.
Later this week Valley Sentinel will be sending out short questionnaires to the villages and their elected officials in the River Valley area. These questions will seek to inspire forward-thinking actions that can be taken to help our area not only thrive, but survive. We would encourage the surrounding municipalities, townships and even residents to engage as well.
It can sometimes be easy to feel a certain line of division between citizens and the public officials that serve them, as it seems there is a strong separation between a person who decides policy and budgets, and a person who doesn’t.
Last week I wrote about finding new or different ways to celebrate thanksgiving this year, because most of us probably aren’t celebrating in ways that we’re not used to. This week, I want to chat about digging deeper to find what we’re thankful and grateful for, because if you’re feeling anything like me, those things are somewhat hard to come up with right now.
Two weeks ago, we asked you to ask your elected officials and your own selves to put aside political differences and work together on a shared set of values. Last week, we asked you to think of ways to get involved and work together to keep the feedback loop of ideas and initiatives that serve to build community going. This week, we ask that you do your part to keep and boost the cycle of our local economy going by shopping local.
We’re about a week away from Thanksgiving, which officially kicks off the most wonderful time of year, and I just found out that my family has decided to forgo our usual large gathering that brings together our huge extended family and friends due to COVID-19.
As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, embroiling the area in critically high rates of infection, necessitating going back to phase one in areas as they race to contain the spread with the holidays looming, we face dark days ahead and need to begin actively thinking about how we can work together to overcome this obstacle, this marathon, and come out on the other side not just surviving, but thriving as a community.
I am humbled by the love and support of the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of donors who powered our big, joyful, and tenacious campaign for the 51st Assembly. I am grateful for those who gave me 48% of the vote. We didn’t win, but we most certainly succeeded in many ways.
The medical staff at Sauk Prairie Healthcare and Prairie Clinic recently asked their federal, state and local elected officials as well as school boards to publicly support the COVID19 prevention strategies of face coverings, physical distancing, frequent hand-washing, and avoiding large gatherings to stem the rising numbers of infections.