ANNOUNCEMENTS THANK YOU FROM JIM PAVLEK March 31, 2020 NEWS - COUNTYWIDE, SECTION 1 PHILLIPS / PARK FALLS: FORWARD BANK OFFERS $5,000 OPPORTUNITY ON TUESDAY NIGHT January 6, 2020 PHILLIPS / BUTTERNUT: BURGLARIES REPORTED January 14, 2020 POLICE REPORTS: JANUARY 2020 February 6, 2020 POLICE REPORTS: FEBRUARY 2020 March 14, 2020 INFORMATION ON COVID-19, THE CORONAVIRUS March 13, 2020 NEWS - COUNTYWIDE, SECTION 2 GET YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR THE APRIL 7TH ELECTION March 18, 2020 COUNTY OFFICES HAVE LIMITED ACCESS & MORE WISCONSIN BUSINESSES ORDERED TO CLOSE March 20, 2020 PRICE COUNTY CROSSWORD PUZZLE AND ANSWER KEY March 21, 2020 SEWING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO MAKE HOSPITAL MASKS March 23, 2020 GOVERNOR EVERS ISSUES A SAFER AT HOME ORDER March 23, 2020 PRICE COUNTY BLOOD DRIVE INFORMATION March 24, 2020 NEWS - COUNTYWIDE, SECTION 3 NON-RESIDENTS ASKED TO REMAIN SAFER AT HOME OR SELF-QUARANTINE AT THEIR CABINS March 26, 2020 HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR COVID-19 STIMULUS PAYMENT March 30, 2020 POLICE REPORTS: MARCH 2020 April 3, 2020 WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT RULES EVERS CANNOT POSTPONE ELECTION April 3, 2020 FIRST CASE OF COVID-19 CONFIRMED IN PRICE COUNTY April 10, 2020 NEWS - COUNTYWIDE, SECTION 4 SPRING 2020 UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS April 13, 2020 GOVERNOR EVERS EXTENDS WISCONSIN'S SAFER AT HOME ORDER UNTIL MAY 26, 2020 April 16, 2020 FREE COVID-19 TESTING IN PRICE COUNTY ON SUNDAY, MAY 17 May 8, 2020 POLICE REPORTS: APRIL 2020 May 11, 2020 NEWS - COUNTYWIDE, SECTION 5 EVERS' SAFER AT HOME EXTENSION BLOCKED BY WI SUPREME COURT - UPDATED WITH PRICE COUNTY'S RESPONSE May 13, 2020 FLAMBEAU RAMA, CZECH-SLOVAK FESTIVAL, AND FLOAT-IN FLY-IN CANCELLED FOR 2020 May 19, 2020 SECOND CASE OF COVID-19 IN PRICE COUNTY LIKELY VIA COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION May 20, 2020 MARK FUHR STEPS DOWN AS PRICE COUNTY'S DISTRICT ATTORNEY; TAKES NEW POSITION May 22, 2020 FORWARD BANK GIVES $10,000 EACH TO TWO LOCAL NON-PROFITS May 23, 2020 POLICE REPORTS: MAY 2020 June 9, 2020 NEWS - COUNTYWIDE, SECTION 6 COVID-19 STATE OF EMERGENCY AND PROPOSED ORDINANCE EXPLAINED June 10, 2020 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS AND PRICE COUNTY FAIR WILL BE HELD June 11, 2020 WHITE DEER IN SOUTHERN PRICE COUNTY June 15, 2020 2020 PRICE COUNTY FAIR CANCELED; RODEO & MARKET ANIMAL SALE STILL BEING HELD July 2, 2020 GOVERNOR TONY EVERS ISSUES STATEWIDE MASK REQUIREMENT July 30, 2020 LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS GIVE THEIR RESPONSES TO THE GOVERNOR'S MASK ORDER July 31, 2020 POLICE REPORTS: JUNE AND JULY 2020 August 13, 2020

NEWS - COUNTYWIDE, SECTION 7 POLICE RESPOND TO PRICE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH'S STATEMENT ON WEARING MASKS August 14, 2020 26-YEAR OLD LOCAL, TRAVIS NEZ, SELECTED AS DELEGATE FOR THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION August 22, 2020 GOVERNOR EVERS EXTENDS FACE COVERING MANDATE FOR 60 DAYS September 22, 2020 PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 October 1, 2020 GOVERNOR EVERS' ADMINISTRATION LIMITS INDOOR PUBLIC GATHERINGS October 6, 2020 POLICE REPORTS: AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2020 October 15, 2020 NEWS - COUNTYWIDE, SECTION 8 FIRST COVID-19 DEATH IN PRICE COUNTY October 16, 2020 TRICK OR TREATING WILL TAKE PLACE THIS HALLOWEEN October 17, 2020 THIRD COVID-19 DEATH October 28, 2020 POLICE REPORTS: OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2020 December 16, 2020 SPIRIT 2 RESTRUCTURED HELICOPTER SERVICES IN NORTHWOODS December 19, 2020 NEWS - PHILLIPS, KENNAN, CATAWBA SECTION 1 HIGHWAY PAVEMENT REPLACEMENT PROJECT SLATED FOR 2022 January 9, 2020 COUNTY ROAD W PARTIAL CLOSURE February 25, 2020 LOCAL MAN FALLS THROUGH ICE; SAVED FROM DROWNING March 29, 2020 SURVIVOR'S ACCOUNT OF LOCAL MAN WHO FELL THROUGH THE ICE March 30, 2020 PHILLIPS VOTERS APPROVE SCHOOL REFERENDUM April 15, 2020 NEWS - PHILLIPS, KENNAN, CATAWBA SECTION 2 HEINDL FUNERAL HOME PURCHASED; FORMER CATHOLIC SCHOOL BEING DEMOLISHED May 8, 2020 BANK CLOCK UPDATE June 7, 2020 FOUR JUVENILES QUESTIONED REGARDING FIRE IN BLEACHERS August 24, 2020 PHILLIPS FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 CONCERNS September 8, 2020 PHILLIPS FALL FEST PLANNED FOR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 September 15, 2020 OLD STREET SIGNS MARK "ROADS" IN LAKESIDE CEMETERIES December 3, 2020 MIKE ONCHUCK & FAMILY’S RUDOLPH HAY DESIGN December 18, 2020 NEWS - PARK FALLS AND FIFIELD SEARCH WARRANT ISSUED FOR MAN IN SUSPECTED SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENT January 4, 2020 WIS 182 LANE CLOSURE SCHEDULED January 29, 2020 HOUSE FIRE CLAIMS TWO LIVES February 14, 2020 BUTTERNUT WOMAN AND MAN IN SEVERE / FATAL ACCIDENT March 16, 2020 MOTORCYCLE / DEER ACCIDENT - ONE INJURY, ONE FATALITY June 13, 2020 PARK FALLS PAPER MILL HAS RE-OPENED September 17, 2020 NEWS - PRENTICE AND OGEMA OPINIONS - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR PRICE COUNTY CARES - DONATIONS NEEDED YOUR CBD STORE PHILLIPS ACCEPTING DONATIONS FOR MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT VICTIM May 20, 2020 SPOTLIGHT - PEOPLE OF PRICE COUNTY SPOTLIGHT ON PHILLIPS RESIDENT, EMILY NERISON, VIRTUAL HALF MARATHON RUNNER April 19, 2020

ANNOUNCEMENTS THANK YOU FROM JIM PAVLEK March 31, 2020 On Monday, March 30, 2020, Jim Pavlek shared his account of being rescued from the icy, cold waters of Long Lake.

The two articles, regarding the rescue, can be viewed in the Phillips News Section. The day after Jim Pavlek's account was published, he called us wanting to make sure he fully expressed his gratitude in his original interview. He wanted to make sure that he thanked the ambulance driver, medics, women in the ambulance, Dick Heitkemper, all the people who took care of him in the emergency room, his doctor, the nurses, the police, Jim & Karen Murphy, and all the people on land and on the ice that were involved at the scene. He said, "I don't know the names of most of them. I only saw the faces, but to everyone involved, I appreciate it. Thank you very much for the help, what you did for me, and for saving my life!"

POLICE REPORTS: FEBRUARY 2020 March 14, 2020 The following are some of the summarized reports received by the three police departments in Price County for the month of February. PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE Catawba: On 2/3/2020, a man called to report that his children saw a drone flying about 20 to 30 feet over his residence in Catawba. His children did not see which direction the drone went but it had red and white lights. The man did not have any suspects in mind. Prentice: On 2/4/2020, it was reported that money had been taken from a locker room at the school. Phillips: On 2/4/2020, a woman called to report she had received a scam call stating she would get $8,100 back from a timeshare she used to won if she paid $383 to the caller. Park Falls: On 2/4/2020, a man called stating he received a scam call from someone claiming to be his grandson and requesting he send gift cards to him in jail so he could post bond. Butternut: On 2/5/2020, a barn fire was reported on Kaley Road. No person was in the barn, and the property owner was at the residence. Phillips: On 2/5/2020, a woman reported a man with a foreign accent called three times stating she had won a large amount of money but she needed to go to Walmart to buy a $500 gift card to get the money. Later that day, another Phillips woman called with a similar scam call. On 2/6/2020, a man also reported a similar call. Phillips: On 2/6/2020, a man called to report that his neighbor was driving his snowmobile in his field. The caller said he has done it in the past and been warned, and the neighbor would like this to stop. Another report was made on 2/7/2020. Catawba: On 2/8/2020, a man reported a drone about 200-300 feet over his property. He felt it was trespassing and an invasion of privacy. Park Falls: On 2/8/2020, a possible party attended by juveniles was reported. Catawba: On 2/9/2020, a man called to report that his wife was intoxicated and slamming her head into a wall. The man requested assistance. Prentice: On 2/13/2020, the School District of Prentice called stating there was a student in the office who expressed he had a hit list. The caller reported there was no threat to anyone at that time as the student was in the office and would not be released until a deputy spoke with the student. The juvenile was evaluated by a crisis worker and returned to his mother with a safety plan. Ogema: On 2/14/2020, a propane delivery person reported a female came from the neighbor's house stating there were two deceased people in the home. The female was lying on the ground, crying, and unable to speak. Deputies, the sheriff, Park Falls Ambulance Service, Fifield First Responders and Fifield Fire Department responded. The coroner and a funeral home also responded. Phillips: On 2/15/2020, a woman reported an injured bear was attempting to get into her house. The bear appeared to have difficulty walking. Fifield: On 2/23/2020, a woman reported a vehicle was turning in circles at the intersection of State Highway 13 and State Highway 70. Two deputies responded. From approximately 6:57 a.m. until 7:11 a.m. the vehicle was followed with the vehicle finally stopping and the subject in custody shortly thereafter. Phillips: On 2/25/2020, a woman called asking what the investigation was about. When asked for more information, the woman stated her address was being investigated and she could hear the investigation over the speakers at the grocery store and clinic and she was getting sick of it. Her speech was slurred and she did not seem completely coherent. A deputy responded with a welfare check. Ogema: On 2/26/2020, a woman received a scam phone call from someone claiming to be Publisher's Clearing House stating she had won a Mercedes Benz and 2.5 million dollars. She said she had some memory issues and did not remember signing up for the sweepstakes but may have. She sounded skeptical that it was a scam. Kennan: On 2/28/2020, Price County Health & Human Services reported a possible elder abuse incident at a dining site in Kennan on February 27th. A male called Health & Human Services to report he was smothered with a plastic bag at a dining site. Contact was made with individuals at the site and it was stated that nothing happened. They felt the man may have other health concerns, such as a UTI, dementia, or something else, that would make him believe this happened. PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT On 2/13/2020, the Phillips Police Department School Resource Officer assisted a local school with a report of a student threatening another student. One student was referred to Price County Human Services. On 2/14/2020, officers were dispatched to a family dispute. While en route, officers located a male subject who was involved in the incident. Officers spoke with the male subject and discovered illicit drugs on the person. The male subject was arrested and held at the Price County Jail for possession with intent to sell an illicit substance. On 2/17/2020, while on foot patrol, the Phillips Police Department noticed property damage at the city pavilion in Elk Lake Park. An investigation is ongoing. On 2/25/2020, the Phillips Police Department School Resource Officer assisted a local school with the report of computer sex crimes. An investigation is ongoing. On 2/29/2020, a report was received regarding damage done to an apartment door. An officer arrived and made contact with the resident of the apartment. The officer cleared the apartment, documented the damage to the door, and conducted a neighborhood canvas. INFORMATION ON COVID-19, THE CORONAVIRUS March 13, 2020 TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020 UPDATE EVERS AND TRUMP ADMINISTRATIONS TAKE STEPS TO HELP WITH COVID-19 PANDEMIC; WISCONSIN BARS AND RESTAURANTS CLOSE EXCEPT FOR TAKE-OUT ORDERS AND DELIVERIES Today, March 17, 2020, Governor Evers directed Department of Health Services, DHS, to issue an order prohibiting mass gathering of 10 people or more to slow the spread of COVID-19, which was also a suggestion from the Trump administration. The order makes exceptions for transportation, educational institutions, child care, hotels, military, law enforcement, food pantries, hospitals, long-term care facilities, grocery stores, convenience stores, utility facilities, job centers, and courts. Restaurants and bars will be closed except for the ability to offer take-out or delivery. Local police will be available to assist with the situation and answer questions. Schools are to be closed from this point forward until the of the public health emergency. “Our top priority at this time is to keep Wisconsinites safe and healthy by reducing the spread of COVID-19, especially for those who are considered high-risk. With limited tests available nationwide and continued community spread, we have to take every precaution to protect ourselves, our families, and our neighbors,” said Governor Evers. “I know what this means for our small business owners and the struggles they and their workers will face in the coming weeks, but we are committed to working with our federal partners, state officials, and stakeholders to ensure we are doing everything we can to assist during these uncertain times.” There is community spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin. This means that there are people who have tested positive who had no exposure to a known case nor did they travel to a location where there is known community spread. There are cases in Milwaukee, Dane, and Kenosha counties indicating that there is community spread happening in Wisconsin. Social distancing will help keep you, your family, and our communities from increased risk of exposure. The governor recommends people follow simple steps to prevent illness and avoid exposure to this virus including avoiding social gatherings with people of all ages (including play dates and sleepovers, parties, large family dinners, visitors in your home, and non- essential workers in your house); frequently and thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water; covering coughs and sneezes; avoiding touching your face; and staying home when sick. "I'm proud and not surprised by the efforts of the people of Wisconsin to rise to the challenge," Evers said in a conference call Monday with reporters. "Folks, it's on all of us to practice social distancing." Furthermore, at the direction of Governor Evers, the Department of Transportation, has ordered the Wisconsin State Patrol to assist with the growing need to deliver COVID-19 test kits and samples to designated labs. Through coordination with the State Emergency Operations Center, SEOC, State Patrol on March 14th transported a patient sample from a nursing home facility to the Hygiene Lab in Madison. “State Patrol officers across the state stand ready to assist in any way necessary with the evolving public health emergency,” WisDOT Secretary-designee Craig Thompson said. “In addition to their daily tasks of ensuring safety on Wisconsin’s highways, our troopers facilitate the transport of COVID-19 samples and test kits when requested by the SEOC.” Courier services associated with hospitals and the State Hygiene Lab are the first point of contact to transport test kits and sample to their destinations. However, the State Patrol is preparing for the possibility that these “first tier” couriers could become overwhelmed. If a testing facility cannot transport a kit or sample, the request is forwarded to the State Patrol representative at the SEOC. “As always, our top priority is public safety and that includes assisting federal, state, and local partners whenever we’re called upon,” WisDOT State Patrol Colonel Tim Carnahan said. On a national level, the treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, said on Tuesday that taxpayers can delay paying their income taxes on as much as $1 million in taxes owed for up to 90 days. Corporate filers will get the same length of time to pay amounts due on up to $10 million in taxes owed. This extends the payment deadline, but individuals should still file their returns by April 15, 2020. According to a Phillips CPA, Davette Lynne Hrabak, the postponement of payments applies to federal returns. If someone is getting a refund, the IRS is still processing returns as quickly as possible. MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020 UPDATE The Phillips School District will begin virtual learning from home on Wednesday, March 18th. Students who need paper learning materials can phone in and receive them as needed. Those materials can be delivered daily along with the breakfasts and lunches that the bus drivers will deliver to each child's home. The Chequamegon School District will begin on-line school on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2020 -- 5 P.M. UPDATE Governor Tony Evers has directed the Department of Health Services, DHS, to issue a mandate for the closure of all K-12 schools, public and private, across the State of Wisconsin. This mandate is in order to minimize and stop the spread of COVID-19. Schools must close on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 or earlier if they so choose. Depending on the situation at the time, schools are tentatively slated to reopen on April 6, 2020. “Closing our schools is not a decision I made lightly, but keeping our kids, our educators, our families, and our communities safe is a top priority as we continue our work to respond to and prevent further spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin,” said Governor Evers. The Prentice School District will close its doors to students on Wednesday, March 18 at 5 p.m. Students will have classes on Monday, March 16; Tuesday, March 17; and Wednesday, March 18. A statement from the school is as follows: "All students will take their textbooks and anything else home they will need to do e-learning during this time. We will provide more information to parents and students on Monday." We are awaiting responses from Phillips and Chequamegon. In related news, President Trump declared a national emergency today, Friday, March 13, 2020, to help with the COVID-19 pandemic. FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2020 -- 5 A.M. ORIGINAL ARTICLE GOVERNOR EVERS' RESPONSE Governor Tony Evers declared a public health emergency on Thursday, March 12, 2020, in order to allow the Department of Health Services, DHS, the ability to use all necessary resources to respond to the pandemic. “We have been working aggressively to slow the spread of COVID-19, and this declaration allows us to get the resources we need to continue to be proactive when it comes to protecting Wisconsinites,” said Governor Evers. “It is the latest step in the work our state agencies have been doing around the clock with our healthcare partners to prepare for the possibility of COVID-19 becoming a global pandemic.” On Wednesday, March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization, WHO, announced COVID-19 is a pandemic. WIAA RESPONSE On Thursday evening, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, WIAA, canceled all remaining games of the girls' basketball state tournament and the boys' basketball sectional finals and state tournament. Tickets for the WIAA state basketball tournaments will be refunded in full. Dave Anderson, WIAA Executive Director, stated, “I want the student-athletes and their coaches to know that your school leaders, the WIAA executive staff, all our committees, and the Board of Control have done everything imaginable to try to provide and preserve these opportunities for you. However, we want and need to be responsible in helping the global and state efforts to stem the tide and spread of this virus.” Many professional, collegiate, and high school associations have postponed or canceled scheduled events due to the pandemic. Many colleges are also taking steps to delay in-person classes for a period of time. WISCONSIN'S LATEST INFORMATION Wisconsin's first confirmed case came from Dane County in early February 2020. The person was exposed to known cases while in China, quarantined at home, and is now doing well. The latest Wisconsin cases are in Pierce, Dane, Fond du Lac, and Waukesha counties. Wisconsin had seven known cases of COVID-19 as on 2 p.m. on March 12th. Thirty-seven residents will also be returning to Wisconsin who were on board the Princess cruise ship that had infected individuals on board. Those individuals may have been exposed to the virus and need to be in a monitored, self- quarantine for fourteen days. According to the governor, if COVID-19 begins to spread in Wisconsin communities, state and local public health officials will consider community interventions. Those interventions may include social distancing; replacing in-person meetings with telework when possible; reviewing workplace sick leave policies; modifying, postponing, or canceling mass gatherings; implementing restrictions on visitors to residential treatment and living facilities; and closures of schools and childcare settings. California, New York, and Washington are three states the the CDC currently deems to have "sustained community transmission." Many businesses are recommending their employees cease all personal and business travel. STEPS TO AVOID GETTING SICK While coronaviruses are found in common colds, this is a new, unique strain, which is why steps need to be taken to stop the transmission, especially to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Governor Evers suggested ways to avoid getting sick, including: -Frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and water -Covering coughs and sneezes with your arm or a tissue -Avoiding touching your face -Staying home when sick Governor Evers said, “We cannot do this alone. We need all hands on deck to protect the public from COVID-19.” MORE INFORMATION For more information, visit the following two websites and view the chart comparing the symptoms of COVID- 19, the flu, the common cold, and allergies. Wisconsin Department of Health Services: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/disease/covid-19.htm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- nCoV/index.html

NEWS - COUNTYWIDE SECTION 1 PHILLIPS / PARK FALLS: FORWARD BANK OFFERS $5,000 OPPORTUNITY ON TUESDAY NIGHT January 6, 2020 UPDATED 1/10/2020: On Tuesday, January 7, 2020, Kye Tingo was selected to receive two chances to make a half court shot at the Loggers' basketball game, sponsored by Forward Bank. What an exciting moment as Kye's second shot almost made it, hitting the rim but bouncing off. Forward Bank http://www.forward.bank will hold a $5,000 half-court shot opportunity at Phillips High School on the evening of Tuesday, January 7, 2020. Each person attending the PHS basketball game will be eligible to attempt the half court shot, and there is no cost to participate. One fan from the crowd will be selected at random and will be able to make two attempts to get the ball from half court into the basketball hoop. Should the person make one of the two shots, that person will receive $2,500, and the other $2,500 will be given to the school's athletic program, as part of Forward Bank's mission to give back to the community. If the person cannot make either of the two shots, a donation of $250 will be made to the school's athletic program. "Student athletes are adding to their educational experience and will bring many skills to their communities and future employees," commented Bill Sennholz, President and CEO of Forward Bank. "That's why it's so important that we invest in athletic programs in our communities so they can continue to have that opportunity." Attend the Phillips Loggers game on Tuesday, January 7th to support the Loggers and for your chance to take home $2,500 from Forward Bank. Get one more chance at the Chequamegon Screaming Eagles hockey game on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 where one lucky fan will get the chance to make two attempts from the center line at passing the puck through a 20" cut-out in a banner covering the goal. PHILLIPS / BUTTERNUT: BURGLARIES REPORTED January 14, 2020 UPDATED 1/19/2020: The Phillips Police Department and Price County Sheriff's Department are still actively investigating the burglaries. However, the Price County Sheriff's Department did arrest one male adult in connection to the recent burglaries in Price County. The Harbor View burglary is still being investigated with the police departments looking into several tips that were provided by citizens. --- There have been recent burglaries in Price County, especially surrounding the City of Phillips but also Butternut. The Phillips Police Department is looking for assistance with identifying the subject in the photo and information regarding other burglaries in the area. There was a burglary in the City of Phillips on Monday, January 13, 2020 at 3:55 a.m. at Harbor View Pub & Eatery. The suspect was wearing a face mask covering all but his eyes, a camouflage jacket, blue jeans, and rubber boots. He was scared off by a tenant in the lower apartment who confronted the man. The man had a crowbar and cell phone in his hands. Once confronted, the man apologized and ran toward a pick- up truck parked blocks away. The photo is from the security system at Harbor View. Another break-in occurred in Butternut at Schienebeck's Shanty that same morning. The counter at the business was ransacked and the cash drawer was removed. There have been other recent incidents in Phillips. Storage sheds have been burglarized on both the north and south ends of town. A detached garage next to a residence on Old Highway 13 was also broken into and tools and equipment were take from the garage. If you have any information on any of these incidents, please contact the Phillips Police Department at (715) 339-3847 or the Price County Sheriff's Office at (715) 339-3011. Anonymous tips can also be made at the NIXLE tip-line at 855-847-7247 or by texting TIP PRICE followed by your message to 888777 from your mobile device. POLICE REPORTS: JANUARY 2020 February 6, 2020 The following are some of the summarized reports received by the three police departments in Price County for the month of January. PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 1/1/2020: A storage unit tenant in Ogema reported the padlock on his storage unit and other units appeared to be missing. He did not think anything was missing in his storage unit. 1/1/2020: A female reported that someone called her stating he saw a dog in her yard, owned a restaurant, and was "always on the lookout for fresh meat." The woman gave the officer the originating phone number, and it was found to come from her sister and nephews' phone line, though she said she does not have a close relationship with her nephews. Dispatch tried to make contact at that phone number but the call was transferred to voicemail. 1/2/2020: A male requested traffic control assistance as a semi was tipped on its side in the ditch in Ogema. 1/4/2020: A man reported he and another man were driving home from a bar. The driver drove the vehicle into a ditch. Outside the vehicle, the two men engaged in a fist fight. 1/5/2020: A man reported he had property that was missing at his storage unit in Phillips. 1/5/2020: A Catawba man reported that another man was posting personal text messages between him and a mutual friend on Facebook. The man stated there were harassing comments and he was now receiving harassing messages from people he did not know. He was afraid these could turn into negative reviews and this could affect his business. 1/6/2020: A man reported a lock cut off a storage unit on the north side of Phillips. 1/6/2020: A Phillips man reported that another man was harassing him by posting personal information on Facebook. A deputy explained this information was freedom of speech and could be obtained through public record. 1/7/2020: A male reported receiving a phone call from a man claiming he was law enforcement. The caller said he had sent the man some mail and wondered why he did not respond to it. He also asked the man for a DNA sample. The man admitted he did have to submit DNA in the past as he was a sex offender. Dispatch contacted the Sex Offender Registry supervisor, and she informed dispatch that this type of scam was prevalent in southern Wisconsin and must be heading north. She stated a sex offender in Taylor County had received a similar call but that caller asked for gift cards rather than a DNA sample. Phillips and Park Falls police departments were notified of the scam. Later that day another man in Price County reported the same scam. 1/11/2020: A DNR warden requested the assistance of a deputy while he made contact with an individual in Prentice regarding an illegal deer harvest. 1/12/2020: A Catawba woman stopped at the Sheriff's Office and requested to speak with a deputy. She stated she was intoxicated and had driven to the Sheriff's Office. She was arrested for OWI 1st. 1/13/2020: A Phillips man reported an individual was inside his residence beneath a local business. The man confronted the intruder, and the intruder left on foot. 1/15/2020: A Prentice woman reported receiving a scam phone call from two subjects claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. They told the woman that her Social Security Number (SSN) was "red-flagged" because a vehicle rented under her SSN was located containing 22 pounds of cocaine, a large amount of cash, and a large amount of blood. The woman stated she knew it was a scam but wanted to put the information on file. 1/15/2020: A Fifield woman reported her mother received a scam phone call from a person stating they were from Dish Network. The caller requested $200 be sent to an address in New York. 1/23/2020: An Ogema man reported that his ex- girlfriend was harassing and blackmailing him. She threatened to call his employer and have him fired if he did not tell her the location of an animal. The man stated the woman did call his employer and told them the man had a medical condition that would affect his ability to do his job. 1/26/2020: A Phillips woman reported that her 60 pound, 1 year old pitbull had bitten her seven year old daughter. The bite did not break through the skin, but since the dog had recently injured a smaller child in the residence, she did not want to keep the dog. 1/27/2020: A Prentice store reported that a customer placed a $7 item in his pocket. When the store worker noticed this and asked the man, at checkout, if he still wanted the item that was in his pocket, the man took the item from his pocket, placed it back on the shelf, and acted like he had left it there earlier because he no longer needed the item. 1/28/2020: A Catawba man reported a man was sending him harassing text messages regarding a social media post made by a third party that the Catawba man had commented was funny. The other man stated he confronted the man about it instead of involving the police because he knows there is freedom of speech. 1/30/2020: A Catawba man reported he believed a fake account was made by someone from a business in Phillips and the fake account was leaving negative reviews about his business on Google. PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT 1/1/2020: At about 3:30 a.m., an officer was notified that an adult male was urinating on the downtown sidewalk. The man was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer. 1/13/2020: A business called to report a retail theft. The video surveillance allowed for identification of the suspect. The investigation is ongoing. 1/20/2020: An adult woman reported an adult man who she previously had a relationship with was harassing her and her current boyfriend. The investigation is ongoing. 1/22/2020: The Phillips School Liaison Officer received a complaint from a parent that a female adult was sending inappropriate pictures to her juvenile son. PARK FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT 1/12/2020: An officer was traveling westbound on 9th Street South when a vehicle following behind began flashing the headlights on and off, so the officer assumed the driver wanted him to pull over, which he did. The driver stated that two people illegally dumped items into dumpsters. The man was unable to identify the first person. However, the second incident just happened and the man followed the person to an address a short distance away and confronted him. The officer said he could issue a city ordinance citation to the offender for illegal dumping, and the man stated he wanted that done. The officer went to the dumpster to photograph the bags. He then traveled to the suspected offender's address. The man left his house and said, "Yeah, he caught me red-handed." The man was cooperative and admitted to putting the two bags in the dumpster without permission. He was told a citation would be issued. 1/14/2020: On Monday, 1/13/2020, an officer was dispatched for a medical call for a person who was believed to be deceased. A Meals on Wheels worker found the woman unresponsive in her bathroom, and the officer determined the woman was deceased and cancelled the ambulance request. 1/18/2020: An officer was dispatched because damage had been done to a residence by a vehicle. The man operating the vehicle explained he was plowing and was finishing up. He backed the truck out of the driveway and attempted to brake, but the truck slid into the residence at an angle just clipping the corner.

GOVERNOR EVERS ISSUES A SAFER AT HOME ORDER March 23, 2020 GOVERNOR EVERS ISSUES A SAFER AT HOME ORDER Governor Tony Evers directed Department of Health Services, DHS, secretary-designee, Andrea Palm, to issue a Safer at Home order that prohibits all non- essential travel, with some exceptions as clarified and defined in the order. The full order is available here: http://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/WIGOV/2 020/03/24/file_attachments/1409408/Health%20Order %20%2312%20Safer%20At%20Home.pdf The order is effective as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 and will remain in effect until 8 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2020, or until a superseding order is issued. Governor Evers stated, “I know the COVID-19 outbreak has been difficult and has disrupted the lives of people across our state. Issuing a Safer at Home order isn’t something I thought we’d have to do, and it’s not something I take lightly, but here’s the bottom line: folks need to start taking this seriously. Each and every one of us has to do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 so we can flatten the curve to ensure our doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers have the opportunity to do their important work. Let’s all do our part and work together.” Individuals do not need special permission to leave their homes, but they must comply with this order as to when it is permissible to leave home. Similarly, if a business is an essential business or operation as defined in this order, it does not need documentation or certification to continue its work that is done in compliance with this order. Under this order, Wisconsin residents are able to: -Perform tasks essential to maintain health and safety, such as obtaining medicine or seeing a doctor -Get necessary services or supplies for themselves or their family or household members, such as getting food and supplies, pet food, and supplies necessary for staying at home -Care for a family member in another household -Care for older adults, minors, dependents, people with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons Businesses allowed to operate under the Safer at Home order include, but are not limited to: -Health care operations, including home health workers -Critical infrastructure -Businesses that provide food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise vulnerable individuals -Fresh and non-perishable food retailers, including convenience stores, grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and food banks -Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food and goods directly to residences -Pharmacies, health care supply stores, and health care facilities -Child care facilities, with some limitations -Gas stations and auto repair facilities -Banks -Laundry businesses, dry cleaners, and services necessary for maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of a residence, including garbage collection -Hardware stores, plumbers, and electricians -Educational institutions, for the purposes of facilitating distance learning -Roles required for any business to maintain minimum basic operations, which includes security, and payroll -Law and safety and essential government functions will continue under the recommended action The order contains detailed information regarding the exemptions provided to certain businesses. If a business is unsure about whether or not they are exempted from this order, please contact the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The governor's office provided the following link: http://wedc.org/essentialbusiness/ The public should follow simple steps to prevent illness and avoid exposure to this virus including: -Avoid social gatherings with people of all ages (including play dates and sleepovers, parties, large family dinners, visitors in your home, non-essential workers in your house) -Frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and water -Covering coughs and sneezes -Avoiding touching your face -Staying home GOVERNOR EVERS WILL ISSUE A SAFER AT HOME ORDER ON 3/24/2020 (Published on 3/23/2020) Governor Evers will be issuing a Safer at Home order tomorrow. He will provide additional details about this order soon, and we will update this article. Below is his current statement as of 3/23/2020. "We have been working hard to ensure the health and safety of the people of our state as we have responded to COVID-19 in Wisconsin. We’ve taken some important steps, but folks, time is of the essence. So today I’m announcing we'll be issuing a Safer At Home order tomorrow. Here’s what this means for you: As we’ve worked to respond to and prevent the spread of COVID-19, we've have been careful to listen to public health experts and to be mindful of the effects our proactive steps could and will have on our frontline workers and the most vulnerable in our communities. Over the past few days, I’ve talked with public health experts and with business leaders and local elected officials around the state. Overwhelmingly the response I heard is that we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to stopping the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin. In fact, business leaders have suggested that it is imperative to slow the growth of the disease and that the state cease all non essential business statewide. And, folks, all hands on deck means you, too. I know this has been difficult and has disrupted the lives of people across our state. That’s why issuing a Safer At Home order isn’t something I thought we’d have to do, and it’s not something I take lightly. But here’s the bottom line: folks need to start taking this seriously. People across our state are still out and about unnecessarily that are putting our friends, our neighbors, and our communities at risk. Please stay home and help us save lives. We also need folks to limit their interactions to the same people, not different small groups. Shrinking your circle of interactions will help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately that means no sleepovers, no play dates, and no dinner parties with friends and neighbors. We’re all in this together, and each and every one of us has to do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 so we can Flatten The Curve to ensure our doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers have the opportunity to do their important work. You can still get out and walk the dogs, it’s good exercise and it’s good for everyone’s mental health, but please don’t take any other unnecessary trips, and limit your travel to essential needs like going to the doctor, grabbing groceries, or getting medication. Workers providing essential care or services in our communities will be allowed to continue to travel to and from work. That includes folks like healthcare professionals, grocers, family caregivers, among other people whose work is critical for folks across our state. If it’s essential for you to go outside, please stay 6 feet away from others and shared spaces such as park shelters and visitor centers. There will be additional details soon about what this order means for you, but I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to prepare and plan ahead so you can help do your part to keep our friends, neighbors, and communities safe. In the days, weeks, and months ahead we will continue listening to the public health experts, healthcare providers, first responders, and businesses and workers on the frontlines. And as I listen and learn I will continue to share updates with the people of Wisconsin. In the meantime, everyone is Safer At Home, Folks. Let’s all do our part and work together." PRICE COUNTY BLOOD DRIVE INFORMATION March 24, 2020 My Price County reached out to Dolores Gradinjan, an organizer of the blood drive in our area. She stated there will be a blood drive at the Phillips Municipal Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2020. Dolores has requested that you call her to make an appointment. She can be reached at 715-339-6177. Another blood drive will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Phillips Municipal Hall. The blood drive in Park Falls has been cancelled as the venue where it was scheduled is not able to provide an area for the blood drive during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Phillips blood drives, as stated, will take place. While there is no evidence that this Coronavirus or any respiratory illness can be transmitted through a blood transfusion, out of the abundance of caution, the American Red Cross is taking actions to help ensure the safety of donors, recipients, volunteers, staff, and the blood supply. You can read those actions in the image published with this article.

NEWS - COUNTYWIDE SECTION 2 GET YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR THE APRIL 7TH ELECTION March 18, 2020 In Wisconsin, you can request an absentee ballot for any reason, including if you want to stay home during the Coronavirus pandemic. The Wisconsin Election Commission is avidly promoting absentee voting for the upcoming elections on April 7th and May 12th. Your application to request an absentee ballot must be received by your town clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the election in order for an absentee ballot to be SENT to you. Therefore, Thursday, April 2, 2020 is the absolute deadline. You can make this request by e-mail, mail, or on-line. We have published a list of town clerks in Price County along with their phone numbers if you need to contact your clerk. To request your absentee ballot on-line, go to http://www.myvote.wi.gov Click "Vote Absentee." Search for yourself by entering your first and last names and date of birth. Once the system finds your name, if you are registered to vote, click "Request Absentee Ballot." Validate your address. Choose the elections for which you are requesting a ballot. Once you read the last paragraph and agree to it, put a tickmark in the box. Click "Request Ballot." If you do not have a photo ID on file, you will need to add the file. Once you have attached the file, submit your request. If you have successfully completed this process, you will receive a screen that states, "Thank you for using MyVote to request an absentee ballot." COUNTY OFFICES HAVE LIMITED ACCESS & MORE WISCONSIN BUSINESSES ORDERED TO CLOSE March 20, 2020 Governor Tony Evers directed the Department of Health Services, DHS, to order a statewide moratorium on mass gatherings of ten or more people to slow the spread of COVID-19. Due to this moratorium, Nicholas Trimner, County Administrator, stated that the Price County Departments will be limiting access to county buildings for the health and well-being of employees and the community. Effective Friday, March 20, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. until further notice: County Annex / Normal Building: Limited access of public except for appointments Courthouse: Limited access of public except for appointments. The court system will remain open. Access can be made using the north entrance. If you need an elevator, you will need to call the court system in advance to make arrangements. Sheriff's Office: The lobby is currently open to the public. Highway Department: Limited access of public except for appointments Currently, our intention is to maintain all essential services within the county. Employees will continue to work as able to maintain regular office hours for daily work, phone calls and monitoring e-mails. If you have business to conduct with the county, only the person conducting said business with the county may attend appointments. The public is encouraged to call or e-mail first to see if their question or service can be provided remotely. On a state level, Governor Tony Ever's office has stated that on March 20, 2020 starting at 5 p.m., all hair and nail salons, barber shops, day spas, tattoo parlors, body art establishments, and tanning facilities must close and remain closed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nationally, the government has pushed back the federal deadline for filing 2019 taxes until July 15, 2020 and is waiving interest on federal student loans. All borrowers with federal student loans will automatically have their interest rates set to 0% for a period of at least 60 days. PRICE COUNTY CROSSWORD PUZZLE AND ANSWER KEY March 21, 2020 SEWING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO MAKE HOSPITAL MASKS March 23, 2020 On Saturday, March 21, 2020, My Price County noticed some hospitals across the country were requesting that sewing volunteers make face masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We immediately contacted the Flambeau Hospital in Park Falls to see if they had a need and if our community members could help by making face masks at home. Annie Knudson of Flambeau Hospital responded to our request today stating, "Flambeau Hospital is collecting donations of sewn face masks to alleviate the national shortage during the COVID-19 outbreak. If you or someone you know is able, please consider sewing masks for patients at Flambeau Hospital. Sewn masks will help alleviate the shortage and will be distributed to patients to help provide a protective barrier so that medical-grade N95 masks may be conserved for our healthcare providers." Instructions to sew masks can be found in the two photos included with this article. These do not need to be "pretty" but function is of importance. Do not worry about non-matching fabrics. However, a well-sewn mask with no frayed edges, missed seams, or "holes" is important. Use clean fabric only. If you cannot get elastic, Flambeau Hospital will accept masks with ties. Masks can be delivered to Flambeau Hospital at the back loading dock from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday through Friday. Please push the doorbell upon arrival and someone will come out to collect them. If you have questions, you may contact Annie Knudson, Community Relations, at 715-762-7575. If you do not live in Price County but would still like to sew masks, Annie suggested, "the best thing to do is support your local hospital. The need is nationwide." However, if you would like to send them to the Flambeau Hospital because you are unable to drive or you are trying to actively social distance yourself by staying home, you can send the masks to Flambeau Hospital, 98 Sherry Avenue, P.O. Box 310, Park Falls, WI 54552. You may want to label the outside of the box with "Mask Donation." You may also want to include a short note that these are the mask donations requested by Annie Knudson via My Price County so that they get to the appropriate person.

WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT RULES EVERS CANNOT POSTPONE ELECTION April 3, 2020 The Wisconsin Supreme has ruled that Governor Tony Evers cannot postpone Tuesday's spring primary election. Evers issued Executive Order #74 early on Monday. However, Republicans filed a motion asking the court to grant an emergency restraining order prohibiting Evers' order from being carried out. The motion stated, "The governor does not have constitutional or statutory authority to modify, suspend, or otherwise alter the statutes. Nor does he governor have the constitutional or statutory authority to set the time, place, and manner of elections." The Wisconsin Supreme Court granted the motion. Therefore, election day has been reinstated for Tuesday, April 7, 2020. All absentee ballots already cast will be counted. Polling places will be open on Tuesday for in-person voting. --- 4/6/2020 at 1 p.m. - GOVERNOR EVERS MOVES SPRING ELECTION TO JUNE 9, 2020 Governor Tony Evers signed Executive Order #74 on Monday, April 6, 2020, one day before the spring election in Wisconsin. He suspended in-person voting for April 7th and is moving in-person voting to June 9, 2020. The order also directs the Legislature to meet in special session on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 to address the election date. If the legislature does not enact legislation to change the new election date, in-person voting will occur on June 9, 2020. Governor Evers said of his decision, “Today, I signed an executive order suspending in-person voting for tomorrow’s election. Frankly, there’s no good answer to this problem; I wish it were easy. I have been asking everyone to do their part to help keep our families, our neighbors, and our communities safe, and I had hoped that the legislature would do its part, just as the rest of us are, to help keep people healthy and safe, but as municipalities are consolidating polling locations, and absent legislative or court action, I cannot in good conscience stand by and do nothing. The bottom line is that I have an obligation to keep people safe, and that’s why I signed this executive order today.” All ballots already cast in the 2020 spring election will remain valid and will be tallied in conjunction with the new in-person voting date. --- APRIL 4, 2020 - THUS FAR, WISCONSIN'S SPRING PRIMARY WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 7, 2020 The Wisconsin legislature entered a special session on Saturday, April 4, 2020, called by Governor Evers. However, the legislature halted his request to delay Tuesday's primary election. That request by Evers came after officials in his party expressed frustration that the governor had not exercised his powers to postpone the election due to the Coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, the governor suggested, "If they take no action, we'll be looking at whatever action we can take. We will continue to find ways to make sure Wisconsinites are safe, and that's the bottom line." Many municipalities across Wisconsin are reporting shortages of poll workers. However, some legislature leaders formed a joint statement, which reads, "Hundreds of thousands of workers are going to their jobs every day, serving in essential roles in our society. There's no question that an election is just as important as getting take-out food. Our Republic must continue to function, and the many local government positions on the ballot must be filled so that municipalities can swiftly respond to the crisis at hand. We continue to support what Governor Evers has supported for weeks: the election should continue as planned on Tuesday." APRIL 3, 2020 - GOVERNOR EVERS CALLS FOR SPECIAL SESSION ON FATE OF SPRING ELECTION The fate of the April 7, 2020 election will be decided on Saturday, April 4, 2020. While there will be a spring election, it will be delayed and will be an all mail election if Tony Evers gets what he is requesting of the legislature. Today, Governor Evers signed Executive Order #73. It calls the legislature to meet in special session at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2020 with the hope of making changes to the upcoming spring election. Governor Evers is urging the legislature to make legislation that will create an all mail election. Every registered voter would be sent a ballot by May 19, 2020 unless the voter already asked to receive one and did receive one. He is also asking that the time be extended so all ballots would need to be received by May 26, 2020, delaying election results by seven weeks. Governor Evers explained he would like this change in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. FIRST CASE OF COVID-19 CONFIRMED IN PRICE COUNTY April 10, 2020 4/13/2020: UPDATE: FIRST CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASE IN PRICE COUNTY HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM ISOLATION The Price County Public Health Department has announced that the one "confirmed case" that was reported on Friday, April 10th has been released from isolation. The health department stated, "The case is no longer considered infectious. We know that COVID-19 can be spread to others from two days before symptoms start to a few days after you recover; this is known as the 'infectious period.' Because of this, you should remain in isolation for at least three days (72 hours) after your symptoms improve and seven days from the date you first had symptoms." There are currently 45 negative tests, 1 test pending, and 1 positive case that has recovered in Price County. There are not any current hospitalizations or deaths in the county from COVID-19. --- 4/10/2020: FIRST CASE OF COVID-19 CONFIRMED IN PRICE COUNTY The Price County Public Health Department reported that there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Price County. The individual has a history of domestic travel and has been self-isolating since returning home from recent travels and will continue to do so based on guidelines from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. "We are in contact with this individual to monitor their symptoms and ensure they are receiving support to be able to isolate at home, Health Officer Michelle Edwards, RN, BSN, stated. The county's health department is working with the individual to identify any people that were in close contact with this person during the infectious period. Public health staff will then follow up with each one of those close contacts to provide appropriate guidance. "There is no need for the public to panic," says Michelle. "We have been preparing for a case of COVID-19 in Price County and are taking steps to limit further spread." No further information has been released about the individual infected with COVID-19 to protect their privacy. "We will continue to work with Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the Centers for Disease Control, and our local partners to make sure our community remains safe and healthy," concludes Michelle. In order to help slow the spread of COVID-19, we need to all work together to follow the "Safer at Home" orders. Various guidelines have been put together to keep us safe, as follows. No one should be meeting or gathering with anyone other than the people who live in their home. This includes no play dates, sleepovers, parties, large family dinners, or individual visitors. Please stay home for Easter. Use on-line video services to see your family and friends. People should not be traveling except to go to the grocery store, the doctor, to pick up necessary items, or going to and from essential work. It is important to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze with a tissue or into your arm. If you cough or sneeze on your hands, immediately wash them. Avoid touching your face. Regularly clean high-touch surfaces, including door knobs, handles, faucets, cell phones, keys, and anything else you realize you touch regularly. If you feel ill and need medical attention, please call before going into the clinic or hospital.

NEWS - COUNTYWIDE SECTION 3 NON-RESIDENTS ASKED TO REMAIN SAFER AT HOME OR SELF-QUARANTINE AT THEIR CABINS March 26, 2020 Nicholas Trimner, Price County's county administrator, is asking non-resident property owners to stay at home or self-quarantine for 14 days before interacting with the public if they decide to disobey the governor's order and come to Price County. Nick stated, "Due to the current global pandemic, we see unprecedented actions taking place to protect the health and safety of the public. Price County has and will continue to follow all Centers for Disease Control, CDC, and WI Department of Health Services, DHS, recommendations as much as possible. Even so, the stress of the situation is being felt by all. Governor Tony Ever's Emergency Order #12 Safer at Home Order includes the provision that individuals should stay at home or place of residence and only leave their homes or residences for "essential travel." It is understandable that seasonal non-residents of Price County may decide to come to their cabins or second homes here to distance themselves from the more populated areas that have experienced positive COVID-19 tests. It is also understandable that local year-round residents may have concern that these individuals may be carriers and bring the virus with them to Price County. We all have loved ones who may be considered high- risk and we know that concern is something we are all experiencing. That is why understanding and compassion are so important, now more than ever. With that being said, we respectfully request that individuals considering travel to their seasonal residence in Price County proceed with caution and consider the repercussions of your actions. If you decide to deny the Governor's Emergency Order and come to Price County, please self-quarantine and monitor yourself for virus symptoms for 14 days after your arrival before interacting with the public. The precautions you take, could be lifesaving. If you still choose to travel to your second home or cabin, we ask that you bring supplies with you as we too are experiencing high demands on essential items. Our grocery stores are seeing an influx of purchases just like stores in your hometowns. Also be aware that our healthcare facilities are much smaller and will reach capacity just as quickly as they will in larger cities. Be kind to one another and take the time to see things from your neighbor's perspective; whether that neighbor is here year-round or seasonally. By staying informed with correct information, we will all be better equipped to make sound, rational decisions and treat everyone with dignity and respect. We appreciate our seasonal nonresidents and their contributions to Price County. We all enjoy what Price County has to offer including the friendly and welcoming atmosphere from our businesses and residents. We expect nothing less of Price County even in this time of uncertainty and fear. We all look forward to the time when these travel restrictions will be over, and we will all have the ability to enjoy the beauty, peace and tranquility of summer and fall in Northern Wisconsin. Stay safe!" HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR COVID-19 STIMULUS PAYMENT March 30, 2020 Many people will be receiving a "stimulus" payment due to COVID-19. According to Davette Lynne Hrabak, a CPA in Phillips, "Over the years there are times that taxpayers are not required to file tax returns. In the past, you may not have filed due to the fact that your income did not meet a filing threshold. Or you may have been required to file but did not yet file. Now would be a good time to look at your current and past situations and the effects it may have on the stimulus payment that you may be entitled to receive from the government." As of April 1, 2020, Davette said the Trump administration stated that people on Social Security will get their payment even if they did not file. This is updated due to the government modifying its procedures for getting payments to that group of individuals. Other people, as addressed above in this article, still need to file to get their payment. The stimulus package that was passed has many provisions in it, which are designed to help many taxpayers, both individuals and businesses. One of the provisions is for up to a $1,200 payment per eligible individual and up to a $2,400 payment per eligible married couple with additional amounts of $500 per eligible dependent when falling into the guidelines. Most Americans will meet the guidelines. However, if you have not recently filed you may have some issues in obtaining your stimulus money in a timely manner or perhaps not at all, depending on your particular situation. Per the IRS website, "The IRS encourages anyone with a tax filing obligation who hasn't filed a tax return for 2018 or a previous year to act now. Pending legislation includes certain potential credits and rebates for those who have filed a return for 2018 and/or 2019. Those without 2018 tax filings on record could potentially affect mailings of stimulus checks." You may call Davette at 715-339-6638 if you did not file but now feel you need to in order to get the stimulus check. She stated she is keeping office hours during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those hours may get modified slightly in the near future, but you can leave a message and she will return your call promptly. POLICE REPORTS: MARCH 2020 April 3, 2020 The following are some of the summarized police reports for the month of March. PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE Prentice: On 3/1/2020, a woman who called in February called again asking about an investigation into her family. She said that all of Price County could hear it. She did not just hear it in Prentice; she heard it in Park Falls, too. She said the news of the investigation could be heard through the phone lines, on the TV, the radio, and everywhere. She said the grocery store is not turning the radio up so they don't have to listen to it. She stated she wanted the investigation stopped so her family's name could stop being dragged through the mud. The woman was informed by dispatch that they were not aware of any investigation and that no one else called to complain about it. The woman said if you have sensitive hearing it can ruin your hearing and there will be a lawsuit. The woman stated she did not want to see a deputy as they had been there twice and did nothing. Fifield: A woman called to report they went into a ditch and hit a tree on Price Lakes Road approximately three or four miles south of State Hwy. 70. One person had a head injury and the caller had extreme pain in her shoulder. Deputies responded and emergency services were paged. The head wounds appeared superficial. Phillips: A 911 call was received. There was talking on the line and a young child was yelling. A female advised the call was accidental, but dispatch asked her to stay on the line. Dispatch could hear the female tell someone else that the baby dialed the phone, and a male subject in the background was heard laughing. Once the noise settled down, the woman advised everything was fine. There was no sign of any problems. Fifield: Multiple 911 calls reported a vehicle rollover east of Price Lakes Road on State Hwy. 70. Callers reported that two subject were injured, got out of their vehicles, and were waiting in vehicles parked at a nearby tavern. Two deputies responded and emergency services were paged. Phillips: A woman called to report the she and her mother had an argument while they resided together which resulted in a physical altercation. The mother dropped the woman and her belongings off at a local motel and told the woman she could no longer reside with her. The daughter told police she did not have money to stay at the motel but she also could not leave the motel because she could not carry all her belongings with her. Dispatch spoke with an officer about the possibility of a voucher but the woman's mother decided to pay for one night's lodging. However, according to the daughter, the mother said the daughter will not receive any of her mail until the is paid back for the motel room. Prentice: A woman called 911 to report a male subject was in the roadway, and he stated he was struck by a vehicle. He was not speaking very well, and he stated his neck hurt. A deputy responded and paged emergency services. Phillips: A man reported his girlfriend was beating him with a set of keys but he took them away. This occurred while they were in the car together with their child and had an argument. The woman was upset they broke up but accused him of cheating and other things. The man stated he did not need an ambulance. Police responded. Park Falls: The Park Falls Police Department is investigating a fraudulent animal sale case and requested a deputy to assist with animal control. The deputy responded. Park Falls: A woman called to report a man was beaten by his family members. He had a bloody nose and other possible injuries. Police responded and paged emergency services. Embrace was also contacted. Phillips: A man called requesting an officer at a tavern north of Phillips because hie wife tried to beat him. The caller said his name was not relevant and hung up when dispatch requested the wife's name. Dispatch searched for the number and found who it belonged to. Deputies responded. Ogema: A woman reported a vehicle had slid off the road and into the ditch. It was lying on its side with one occupant in the vehicle. Emergency services and a deputy responded. Phillips: A woman reported that an incident occurred at a March 17, 2020 meeting in the Township of Worcester. She stated a man became very upset and left the meeting. She feared for her safety and others as she was afraid he would come back with a gun and shoot people. Another caller reported this man made threats against his dog at the meeting. Prentice: A man called to request an ambulance for a woman who was unconscious and had a black and blue abdomen. The woman had previous internal issues. Emergency services responded and determined the woman was deceased. Park Falls: A woman called to report an individual stole her vehicle from her driveway. A deputy responded. The woman later reported the vehicle had been taken as a joke by someone she knew. Park Falls: It was reported that someone at the intersection of Division Street and Tower Road hit a tree. One individual appeared hurt and both were possibly intoxicated. Police and emergency services responded. Fifield: A man called to report that at least five websites have disparaging, false information about him. The man was contacted about the websites. The websites have identical text stating something negative about his character. The man stated the creator of the information wants $3,000 to take the information off the Internet. Prentice: On March 26, 2020, a woman called to report she may have been a victim of a scam. She was corresponding about a house in Park Falls that was listed on Craigslist and sent $650 through Western Union and $650 through Money Gram to a person named as the actual property owner. The woman signed intent paperwork for the property. The man told her he would be at the property to meet her, but he was not there. He also told the woman he would send her the keys, but she did not receive any keys. On one of the last e-mails, she noticed the e-mail address name was different than the actual property owner's name. The woman later found out the actual property owner is not trying to sell his property. Phillips: A 911 call was received that a male subject had went through the ice and the person was struggling. Another person called to report a male subject was in the water in front of her residence and noted there was another person present. Police and emergency services responded. Catawba: A man reported another man grabbed him by his upper left bicep and shoved him while he was leaving a local business, and the man then tried to goad him into fighting with him. Park Falls: A man reported he saw a male beating a dalmation puppy. The man had a young male with him and both people left the location with the puppy. Fifield: A man called 911 to request an ambulance, because his one month old daughter was not responding and not breathing while drinking some formula. The mother was screaming in the background. Dispatch gave instructions for CPR and Heimlich. The child was found to be breathing slightly and had a pulse. Deputies and emergency services responded. PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT 3/2/2020: According to another law enforcement agency, it was reported that an adult male was harassing his ex-girlfriend who works in the City of Phillips. Background information was given in case an incident would occur at the adult female's place of employment. 3/2/2020: A complaint was received from a local business that a male was dumping three bags of garbage into their dumpster. The complainant obtained a license plate number and wanted the suspect to retrieve the garbage and be given a verbal warning for illegal dumping. 3/10/2020: A man reported a package had been delivered to his old residence, but when he asked the female who now resides at the residence if she received the package, she stated there was no delivery. An officer met with the adult female who provided the officer with the package. The officer returned the package to the reporting party. 3/11/2020: A domestic violence incident occurred with officers arriving on the scene and interviewing the parties involved. An adult female was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct and domestic battery. 3/22/2020: A woman reported that two juvenile females came to her door and asked for money to buy their mother a present. 3/25/2020: A city resident found a cell phone along Hwy. 13. An officer obtained the cell phone and an investigation is ongoing to find the owner. 3/25/2020: An adult male took a lemur into a local grocery store. An investigation is ongoing for the lemur's registration, vaccinations, and licensing. 3/26/2020: The Price County Sheriff's dispatch notified all emergency units in the county that an adult male had fallen through the ice on Long Lake and was possibly drowning. Officers from the City of Phillips Police Department and Price County Sheriff's Office, along with the Central Price County Ambulance and Phillips Fire Department, responded to the scene. The adult male was rescued from the water and transported to the Flambeau Hospital. 3/26/2020: A welfare check was requested on a juvenile who resides with his mother. It was requested the mother be advised not to travel into areas infected with the Coronavirus. Officers were unable to get in contact with the child's mother and left a message to call back.

FREE COVID-19 TESTING IN PRICE COUNTY ON SUNDAY, MAY 17 May 8, 2020 Price County Public Health, along with Price County Emergency Management, have requested assistance from the Wisconsin National Guard to scale up COVID- 19 testing in Price County. The National Guard has approved the request and will be providing drive- through style COVID-19 nasal swab testing at the Prentice DNR Ranger Station, located at W5327 Granberg Road in Prentice, on Sunday, May 17, 2020 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The two goals of this event include providing the communities with mass testing and allowing local healthcare providers more time to increase their testing capacity and giving Price County Public Health better insight into how widespread COVID-19 is in our communities. Following this event, the health department will continue to work closely with local healthcare providers to continue building the capacity to meet patient demand. This event is only available to Wisconsin residents who are five years of age and older with at least one of the following symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath, body or muscle aches, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of smell, loss of taste, headache or fatigue. Due to the unknown amount of interest, there may be a wait time. Those wanting to be tested will be instructed to form a line and remain in, or on, their mode of transportation during the entire event. If testing kits run out prior to the end of the event, some people may be turned away. The National Guard will be collecting the nasal swab during this event. They will be in uniform and in full personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gowns, masks, gloves, and respirators. Following testing, people should return straight home and follow the full instructions that will be given at the testing event. Test results will be provided via phone by the National Guard or Price County Public Health in a timely manner. If there are questions about the event, call Price County Public Health at 715-339-3054, 211, or 877- 947-2211 for non-Wisconsin area codes. POLICE REPORTS: APRIL 2020 May 11, 2020 The following are some of the summarized police reports for the month of April. PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT 4/6/2020 - A caller reported illegal dumping stating someone was dumping construction materials in a dumpster behind a Phillips business. 4/7/2020 - An adult male reported that he bought a vehicle from a friend but the friend's ex-girlfriend had the vehicle at her place of work in Phillips. The man stated he wanted to make law enforcement aware of the situation. An officer met with the adult female and she stated she had filed a report that her ex-boyfriend was stealing from her residence in February and that she never signed over the title. She stated she had the title of the vehicle at her house. She was advised to retrieve the title and call the Price County Sheriff's Office. 4/11/2020 - A group of people were utilizing the playground equipment at Elk Lake Park. An officer arrived on the scene and explained the park was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The people understood and dispersed. 4/14/2020 - A caller, parents of a ten year old female, reported that a 29 year old male was sending explicit nude photographs to their child. An officer conducted interviews. 4/19/2020 - A suspicious vehicle was observed parked in an odd location with the passenger's side door left open. It was discovered that the driver and her children had parked near an assisted living center to visit the children's grandmother by holding signs up to the window for the grandma to see (due to COVID-19). The vehicle had been exited quickly and the door didn't get closed by mistake. 4/22/2020 - An officer observed a vacant building with its windows out on all sides of the building. Some windows were ground level, causing a potential hazard. An officer contacted the building owner who stated the building was going to be demolished. An officer advised the owner a fence would need to be placed around the building to prevent someone from getting near the building. The owner advised he would contact the contractor to get a fence in place. 4/25/2020 - An officer observed two juveniles operating a miniature dirt bike on a city street. The officer stopped the juveniles and had them walk the bike back to their residence. The officer met with the parent of the juveniles who ensured that the bike would no longer be an issue. The officer warned that if there is another occurrence, a citation will be issued. 4/25/2020 - An officer was dispatched to a residence for a domestic disturbance. Officers arrived on scene and determined nothing physical had occurred but a loud verbal argument did happen. One adult male was cited for municipal disorderly conduct. 4/25/2020 - A 911 call was received stating a domestic violence incident was in progress. Officers from the Phillips Police Department and Price County Sheriff's Office arrived on scene and separated both parties. Officers determined nothing physical had occurred and the parties were for separated for the night. PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 4/12/2020, Phillips - A man called to request an ambulance for another man who was naked in the bathroom with dark red blood all over his nose. The man was breathing and conscious but did not respond verbally or physically when being spoken to. The caller stated the man is an alcoholic and was very sweaty the prior night so he may be withdrawing from alcohol. He stated they have not been outside of the county and have not experienced a fever, cough, wheezing, chills, or difficulty breathing. Police responded; emergency services were paged. 4/16/2020, Phillips - A 911 call was received. Dispatch could hear muffled yelling from a female and male subject. Dispatch left the line open while trying to contact the cell provider. A second 911 call was received from the same caller stating her husband beat her up and was possibly going to kill himself. The caller was scared her husband would do something else if he saw her on the phone. Police responded; emergency services were paged. 4/17/2020 - A complaint was received regarding a violation of COVID-19 restrictions. 4/18/2020, Prentice - A caller reported a female was at the door of her mother's house. The female stated she was walking for awhile and the caller wondered if the female had been in an accident. The female held her hand over her mouth while talking. She then walked away. Deputies responded and found foot tracks. A woman matching the description ran into a local business, went into the bathroom, and then ran out to a vehicle in the parking lot. 4/18/2020 - An anonymous caller reported being concerned the governor's order for social distancing was being violated. 4/20/2020, Park Falls - A caller reported the neighbor's goats were out of control and off their property. 4/22/2020, Ogema - A caller reported she received an e-mail from someone claiming they had her e-mail password and embarrassing videos of her. The e-mail stated the woman needed to send money or the videos would be released to her contact list. Dispatch advised the woman that this scam has been seen multiple times and she should delete the e-mail and change her passwords for any accounts that use that password. 4/24/2020, Phillips - The Price County Sheriff's Office conducted traffic control for a protest of Governor Evers' Safer at Home Order. 4/24/2020, Catawba - A man called to report his 17 year old son had taken his truck without his permission to see his friend in Phillips. Deputies responded. 4/24/2020, Butternut - A man called to report he drove past a bar and saw the light on with people sitting at the bar. The caller said he knows they serve food there but thought the establishment might be violating Governor Evers' Emergency Order #12. A deputy spoke with the bar owner who said they were only doing take-out orders and some delivery drivers were there earlier. 4/24/2020, Phillips - A man called to report a male and female subject in their front yard verbally arguing with each other four houses down from his house. The man spoke to the individuals and asked them to stop arguing. The man stated the male was confrontational at first and stated the woman stole his car. He felt both individuals were intoxicated, and the argument did stop. He did not believe the man gave him his correct name when he asked for it. 4/26/2020, Park Falls - A caller reported a man had driven his ATV into his driveway, tore it up, and then left. The man confronted the man on the ATV by the driveway and he said the driver became confrontational and made threats about beating up the man, among other things. A deputy responded. 4/28/2020, Ogema - A caller reported a man running around her residence flashing a green light into her bedroom. She believed she knew who the man was and would like a deputy to check around her house. A deputy responded. 4/29/2020, Phillips - A man reported finding two green- colored bottles with unknown substances and tinfoil inside them. One bottle was located on Baran Road a few hundred yards past E. Baran Lane on the west side of the road. The other bottle was located on the north side of Evergreen Drive about ten yards west of Spruce Road. Deputies responded. 4/30/2020, Park Falls - A woman called the Park Falls Police Department requesting a welfare check on a couple who had taken in a male subject they picked up while he was hitchhiking. The caller believed the hitchhiker gave an alias to the couple, and the caller was concerned for the couple's safety. The Park Falls Police Department called the Price County Sheriff's Department with the information, and police responded. TOM TIFFANY, REPUBLICAN, WINS WISCONSIN'S 7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT May 12, 2020 The 7th congressional district includes all or part of 26 counties in northern and northwest Wisconsin. Representative Sean Duffy vacated the seat in 2019. Therefore, a special election was held today, Tuesday, May 12, 2020, to fill that vacancy. The race was called around 9 p.m., an hour after polls closed. Results showed that Republican Tom Tiffany had 58% of the vote and Democrat Tricia Zunker had 42%. Following the results, Tricia Zunker released a statement, "Thank you to everyone who supported this campaign. This wasn't the result we hoped for, but I'm proud of the campaign we ran. I ran on affordable health care, help for our small businesses and family farmers, and protecting our environment, and that message resonated with people throughout Northern Wisconsin. Despite a global pandemic and the lack of universal mail-in voting, we showed what can be done, and we laid the groundwork for this seat to turn blue in November." In a short speech presented on video due to social distancing with COVID-19, Tom Tiffany accepted his new position. He stated he is "so grateful to be here tonight after the completion of the 7th congressional race. And I am very appreciative of the decisive victory we had tonight. And I just want to say 'thank you' to all the voters of the 7th congressional district whether you voted for me or not." He commended his opponent for running a good race; introduced his family and thanked them for their support; and recognized his predecessor, Sean Duffy. Tom ended his speech by saying, "It is a great privilege to be able to represent the 7th congressional district....I have one goal as I go out to Washington, D.C. and that is to get America back up on her feet again. This is a real blow that we've taken over the last couple months. We had our country, it was just humming. When I talked to people throughout the 7th congressional district all the way through February, they were going to have their best year ever in 2020. Obviously, that has come to a stop, but we're Americans. We've been through difficult times. We know how to go out and turn things around and we will do that again, and I will dedicate myself to get America back up on her feet again." Tom Tiffany will serve the remainder of Sean Duffy's term and will have to run for re-election in November 2020 to capture a full two year term.

NEWS - COUNTYWIDE SECTION 4 SPRING 2020 UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS April 13, 2020 The referendum for the School District of Phillips passed. The referendum for the Town of Lake did not pass. Jill J. Karofsky won for the State Supreme Court. "Marsy's Law" passed. Results will be made official on Friday, April 17, 2020. DEMOCRAT PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE VOTE FOR PRICE COUNTY 1440 Joe Biden 565 Bernie Sanders 26 Michael R. Bloomberg 24 Elizabeth Warren 22 Amy Klobuchar 16 Pete Buttigieg 11 Tulsi Gabbard 10 Andrew Yang 10 Uninstructed Delegation 4 Tom Steyer 4 Deval Patrick 2 John Delaney 0 Michael Bennet REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE VOTE FOR PRICE COUNTY 2465 Donald J. Trump 26 Uninstructed Delegation 0 Adam Nicholas Paul STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE FOR WISCONSIN (WISCONSIN) 690,019 Jill J. Karofsky 605,636 Daniel Kelly STATE REFERENDUM (MARSY'S LAW), (WISCONSIN) x Yes COUNTY SUPERVISOR District 1 190 Larry Palecek District 2 166 Ginny Strobl 157 James Adolph District 3 175 Sheryl Slaby 43 Karen Kerner 12 John Slaby District 4 292 Jeff Hallstrand District 5 275 James Hintz District 6 349 Paula Houdek District 7 172 Dennis Wartgow District 8 246 Alan L. Barkstrom 222 Peter N. Dahlie District 9 377 Jordan Spacek District 10 227 Bob Kopisch District 11 8 Waldemar Madsen 5 John Vlach District 12 242 Bruce Jilka District 13 350 Bill Teeters MUNICIPAL ALDERPERSON, CITY OF PARK FALLS District 1 97 Dennis Wartgow 102 Daniel Greenwood District 2 98 James Corbett District 3 90 Tony Thier District 4 106 Dina Bukachek MAYOR, CITY OF PHILLIPS 332 Charles Peterson ALDERMAN AT LARGE, CITY OF PHILLIPS 266 John Klimowski 157 Jerry Clark 19 Marty Stephan 5 Waldemar Madsen TRUSTEE, VILLAGE OF CATAWBA 35 Gayle Burkaw TRUSTEE, VILLAGE OF KENNAN 14 Max Ericson 7 Jordyn Leake TRUSTEE, VILLAGE OF PRENTICE 116 Brad Swenson 98 Bob Orlandi 96 Doug Hagen REFERENDUM, TOWN OF LAKE 203 No 118 Yes AT LARGE, BUTTERNUT SCHOOL DISTRICT (PRICE COUNTY) 10 Katie J. Weinberger 6 Gary A. Mertig CHEQUAMEGON SCHOOL DISTRICT Seat 1 927 Gregory E. Wirsing Seat 2 886 Roger I. Strand Seat 3 723 Dayna C. Lemmer PHILLIPS SCHOOL DISTRICT Seat 1 1678 Joe Fox Seat 2 1098 Anne M. Baxter 940 Marty Krog Seat 3 1711 Kevin Rose REFERENDUM, PHILLIPS SCHOOL DISTRICT 1424 Yes 966 No PRENTICE SCHOOL DISTRICT Seat 1 604Randy R. Erickson Seat 2 582 Helen Palmquist Seat 3 563 Darrell E. Pierson RIB LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT (PRICE COUNTY) Seat 1 71 Jason Dananay Seat 2 91 Nicole S. Scheller GOVERNOR EVERS EXTENDS WISCONSIN'S SAFER AT HOME ORDER UNTIL MAY 26, 2020 April 16, 2020 Governor Evers directed the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, (DHS), Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to extend the Safer at Home order from April 24, 2020 until Tuesday, May 26, 2020 or until a superseding order is issued. The order implements some new measures to ensure safety and support the progress Wisconsin has made in containing COVID-19, but also allows certain activities to start up again. “A few weeks ago, we had a pretty grim outlook for what COVID-19 could mean for our state, but because of the efforts of all of you, Safer at Home is working. That said, we aren't out of the woods just yet,” said Governor Evers. “As I've said all along, we are going to rely on the science and public health experts to guide us through this challenge. So, as we extend Safer at Home, I need all of you to continue doing the good work you've been doing so we can keep our families, our neighbors, and our communities safe, and get through this storm together.” “Before we lift Safer at Home, the steps of testing and more robust public health measures must be in place,” explained Secretary-designee Palm. “These steps will help us reduce the risk of a second wave of the virus. If we open up too soon, we risk overwhelming our hospitals and requiring more drastic physical distancing measures again.” The extension of the Safer at Home order includes a few changes. Some changes allow more businesses and activities to open back up, while other changes help make businesses safer for employees and customers. The changes in this order include: Businesses and activities ramping up service and operations: Public libraries: Public libraries may now provide curb- side pick-up of books and other library materials. Golf Courses: Golf courses may open again, with restrictions including scheduling and paying for tee times online or by phone only. Clubhouses and pro shops must remain closed. Non-essential Businesses: Non-essential businesses will now be able to do more things as minimum basic operations, including deliveries, mailings, and curb- side pick-up. Non-essential businesses must notify workers of whether they are necessary for the minimum basic operations. Arts and Crafts Stores: Arts and craft stores may offer expanded curb-side pick-up of materials necessary to make face masks or other personal protective equipment (PPE). Aesthetic or Optional Exterior Work: Aesthetic or optional exterior law care or construction is now allowed under the extended order, so long as it can be done by one person. Safe Business Practices: Safe Business Practices for Essential Businesses and Operations: Essential businesses and operations must increase cleaning and disinfection practices, ensure that only necessary workers are present, and adopt policies to prevent workers exposed to COVID-19 or symptomatic workers from coming to work. Safe Business Practices for Retailers that Essential Businesses and Operations: Retail stores that remain open to the public as essential businesses and operations must limit the number of people in the store at one time, must provide proper spacing for people waiting to enter, and large stores must offer at least two hours per week of dedicated shopping time for vulnerable populations. Supply Chain: Essential businesses and operations that are essential because they supply, manufacture, or distribute goods and services to other essential businesses and operations can only continue operations that are necessary to those businesses they supply. All other operations must continue as minimum basic operations. Other changes include: Schools: Public and private K-12 schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Local parks and open space: Local health officials may close public parks and open spaces if it becomes too difficult to ensure social distancing or the areas are being mistreated. Travel: People are strongly encourage to stay close to home, not travel to second homes or cabins, and not to travel out-of-state if it is not necessary. Tribal Nations: Tribal Nations are sovereign over their territory and can impose their own restrictions. Non- tribal members should be respectful of and avoid non- essential travel to Tribal territory. Local government must coordinate, collaborate, and share information with Tribal Nations. Duration: The changes in this order go into effect on April 24, 2020. The order will remain in effect until 8 a.m. on May 26, 2020. In related news, according to the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Association, more than fifty other business associations, local chambers of commerce, and nearly 2,000 citizens and businesses signed a letter asking Governor Evers to allow businesses to re-open on Friday, April 24. Organizers are planning an event at the state capitol next week, stating "we will be practicing our constitutional right to assemble and occupy the State Capitol Grounds." As of April 15th, there were 182 deaths and more than 3,700 confirmed cases of COVID-19, although health officials feel there are many more people who are infected. Governor Evers, along with the Governors of Michigan of Pennsylvania, signed a letter sent to President Trump. Evers explained that Wisconsin faces more than $2 billion in revenue losses due to skyrocketing unemployment and other hits to the economy caused by COVID-19. The three Democrat governors asked President Trump to work with Congress to send $500 billion to states and local governments facing budget shortfalls. Governor Evers stated that the state's unemployment rate is at about 15%, and Wisconsin is expected to lose more than $2 billion in tax collections over the year.

POLICE REPORTS: MAY 2020 June 9, 2020 The following are some of the summarized police reports for May 2020. PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 5/1/2020, Fifield - A man called to report that he met his daughter and her mother to take his daughter for court-ordered visitation. The daughter told her father she did not want to go with him because he had been working out of state and she did not want the possibility of contracting COVID-19 and passing it on to her grandparents. The father felt the mother manipulated the child into feeling this way. The caller wanted to inform a deputy of the situation and get information regarding next steps. 5/2/2020, Prentice - Several 911 calls were received regarding a vehicle on fire on State Highway 13 near Whitby Road. 5/2/2020, Phillips - A male caller reported a container of yellow liquid on the north shoulder of County Road D. The caller was concerned as he had heard of explosive bottles being found in the area. 5/3/2020, Phillips - A man called to report he woke up to his dogs barking and a woman in his kitchen. She told him she had driven her car into a ditch to the north of his home and asked him to call the police for her. She left immediately after telling him this, and he told police he would likely get in his truck to check on the situation. A woman then called 911 to report the female's vehicle was on fire. Central Price County Ambulance and Phillips Fire Department were paged. A deputy requested a second ambulance. After the Phillips Fire Department returned to the station, the deputy requested to have them return as another small fire started. Phillips Fire Department was paged but the deputy stated the fire was out and there was no need to respond so the fire call was cancelled. 5/4/2020, Phillips - A man called to report a possible bottle bomb near his residence. Police responded and determined the bottle was not dangerous. 5/5/2020, Ogema - A woman called to report that she is selling property in Ogema. She had her property surveyed and had markers put up to show the property line. She stated the survey showed a portion of what was believed to be her neighbor's property is actually part of her land. The neighbor was not pleased with this information, and the owner believes he may have removed a post marking the correct property line. She noted there were fresh ATV tracks nearby. 5/5/2020, Phillips - A man called to report that, while driving in his field, he found a bag with drug paraphernalia and some marijuana inside. There was also a love note enclosed. 5/7/2020, Phillips - A man came to the jail's lobby and stated he was there to turn himself in for a probation or parole violation. 5/11/2020, Ogema - An ambulance was requested for a man who had a tree fall on him on Pennington Road. The man was conscious but bleeding from his head. He was able to stand up on his own. 5/12/2020, Ogema - A man called 911 to report a woman was hanging on his neck while yelling and screaming at him. He said the woman was intoxicated and had been so for three days. While on the phone with 911, the man took the woman's drink and the woman came after the man. He then threw the drink in her face and they ended up on the ground. 5/12/2020, Phillips - A man called reporting he found a fawn in his back yard. The man was informed that does may leave their fawns for up to ten hours. The man was told to stay away from the area but contact the DNR in the morning if the fawn was still there. 5/13/2020, Phillips - Numerous people called 911 reporting a Price County Highway Department vehicle running cars off the road on Hwy. 111 heading toward Hwy. 13. The highway department then called 911 to report one of their workers was having a diabetic reaction at the intersection of Hwy. 111 and Hwy. 13. 5/14/2020, Prentice - A man who was doing some construction work at an apartment complex in Prentice stated his cell phone was taken out of a room while he was working in another room. When he called his number, a man answered, sounding like he was trying to disguise his voice, stating, "Come to house in Catawba and will give you phone" and "Come get it." However, the person would not say who they were or where they were located. The man said the complex has 14 apartment units and 3 male tenants. 5/19/2020, Ogema - A woman called to report that her son had sent a pornographic video over Facebook Messenger to a person thought to be in India. The person then made a group chat with the boy and his two sisters. The mother was also added to the group chat. The mother then received a Facebook Messenger message asking for $1,000. The final offer was $200 not to post the video. The mother's Facebook account had an attempted failed log-in. 5/21/2020, Park Falls - A man reported his mailbox and post had been damaged during the night for the second time. 5/22/2020, Park Falls - A man reported his mailbox was vandalized during the night and he learned his neighbor's mailbox had also been vandalized three different times in the past couple weeks. 5/24/2020, Prentice - A woman reported that her husband came home and stated his drug dealer was going to kill him and his family. The man said they had been following and videotaping them. The man then left the home. The woman said the man may be coming down from meth and was unsure if the threats to the family were true. 5/24/2020, Prentice - A man called asking that someone remove his ex-wife from his home. The woman was heard saying, "I'm leaving. I don't know why you have to be so dramatic." The man started yelling and dispatch told the man to separate himself from his ex-wife so they could stop yelling. The man told dispatch, "You can **** off, too." Dispatch called back and the man told dispatch again to "**** off" and he hung up. 5/25/2020, Phillips - A woman called 911 stating her step-son had just killed himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. 5/26/2020, Fifield - A woman reported damage to her mailbox and her neighbors' mailboxes. 5/26/2020, Prentice - A woman reported her daughter was followed twice while running by a male subject on a bicycle. He followed her to the school and waited outside until she left. The male has been seen riding up and down the street for the past week. He is in his early 20s, white, and has short blonde / red hair. 5/27/2020, Ogema - A man called that he wanted to break up with his girlfriend but she grabbed a screwdriver and threatened she would stab and kill herself if he ever left her. The man did not know what to do as he did want to break up with the woman but he also did not want her to harm herself. He said she has many mental health issues. 5/27/2020, Park Falls - A woman called to report that a veterinary clinic was not allowing her to see her dog due to a bill dispute. The woman was very upset and she advised she felt the vet clinic almost killed her dog. 5/29/2020, Brantwood - A man reported a motorcycle accident on Hwy. 86 and Johnson Road. The male motorcyclist was conscious but dispatch could hear moaning in the background. There was a lot of blood and seemed to be head injuries. The man was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. 5/30/2020, Park Falls - A man reported a possible fight with half a dozen people present outside a bar. The people then re-entered the bar. PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT 5/3/2020 - A caller stated two juveniles were in a dumpster. The office patrolled the area and located two juveniles with a cart of housing materials. The officer had the juveniles return the material to the dumpster. The officer made contact with the home owner and advised the juveniles not to trespass on the property again. 5/4/2020 - A caller reported an elderly female was missing from an assisted living facility. Officers patrolled the immediate area and made contact with the staff at the facility to gather more information. A staff member advised officers that the missing person was found in another tenant's room taking a shower. 5/7/2020 - A complaint of a bear on the deck of a residence was received. Police responded but could not locate a bear. The resident was advised to call the DNR if the bear continues to come around so that the bear can be relocated. 5/8/2020 - An officer witnessed fireworks being ignited. The officer explained safety concerns and issued a warning for the violation of a city ordinance. 5/12/2020 - An elderly woman jumped out of a moving vehicle due to suffering from dementia and was experiencing an episode. The woman was transported to the hospital. 5/15/2020 - Police responded to a fire call on Airport Road at a factory. Officers made sure everyone was out of the building and directed traffic so firefighters could handle the fire. 5/15/2020 - A woman reported she walked by an abandoned business and noticed there was broken glass from the windows on the sidewalk. An officer took photographs of the damage and contacted the property owner. 5/20/2020 - A drug search warrant was conducted at a house and an adult male was arrested for possession of marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. A child was removed from the residence by Price County Human Services. 5/27/2020 - Many courtesy violation notices were issued for failure to cut grass according to city codes. 5/31/2020 - The department was asked to do random security checks at a local apartment complex due to possible drug activity. PARK FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT 5/21/2020 - A man called stating the mother of his child did not pick up their child for her scheduled time. The man was not able to get in touch with the woman but did get in touch with the woman's mother who stated the mother of the child needed some "me time" and would not be taking the child that day. 5/21/2020 - A caller reported that six to eight individuals were at an empty commercial building. Officers arrived at the scene and observed a green plant material on the railing near a soda bottle. The material smelled strongly of marijuana. A partially rolled marijuana joint was also found. The area was patrolled. 5/25/2020 - An officer was requested for county assistance at the hospital. A juvenile female had been at Solberg Lake Campground with some friends and felt pressured to ingest a substance, though she did not know how she ingested it but stated it was like she was drinking and breathing at the same time. The juvenile stated a Busch Light can was used to inhale the substance. A woman found the juvenile having a seizure at the park. The woman asked the other three juveniles what had happened and they left the scene. 5/28/2020 - A man stated that a group of juveniles were knocking over rocks and a log bench on the north end of his property. COVID-19 STATE OF EMERGENCY AND PROPOSED ORDINANCE EXPLAINED June 10, 2020 6/16/2020 UPDATE: There was a 7 to 6 decision to table the vote for six months. However, that decision can be reversed if it is brought up at the board meeting next month. --- 6/10/2020 ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Numerous Facebook posts are covering the newsfeeds of Price County residents regarding an upcoming county board meeting on June 16, 2020. At the meeting, there will be discussion and a decision regarding if the State of Emergency should be extended to August 23, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and an ordinance may be added. This information seems to have a number of area residents concerned that the county is going to "shut down" and that businesses will be forced to close their doors and residents will be forced to stay at home. According to Nick Trimner, Price County's administrator, these worries are unnecessary. According to Nick, extending the the State of Emergency would not change anything at present and would only help the county get funds from the state and federal government, if needed, should the COVID- 19 pandemic hit Price County and have a profound impact in the area making funding necessary. Nick stated that the State of Emergency extension "has nothing to do with a stay-at-home [order] or shutting business down. The State of Emergency allows me to say that Michelle Edwards is working on a plan for this pandemic for tracing or doing anything COVID related. We can get reimbursed from the state." Michelle Edwards is the current public health officer at the Price County Health and Human Services Department. Additionally, another topic for the June 16, 2020 meeting is a possible ordinance. This ordinance would put in place the rules in case the public health officer feels a need to shut something down. As it stands right now, the public health officer only needs to follow state statutes and could come into a business and shut them down or shut down all businesses for a health reason. If the ordinance is accepted on Tuesday, if the public health officer feels there is a health reason to shut down a business or all businesses or make any type of decision that would affect the public, she would need to take a report to the board with her concerns, and the board would step in and decide if her concerns and recommendations were valid or not. As further explained by Nick, "There is just statutory law in place right now. So the public health officer could come in your place of business right now and say, 'I'm shutting you down for TB, COVID, whatever reason there is.' Then all she has to do is give a report to the board saying I shut them down. The board has no say in it. With these new rules, if there is a State of Emergency, if [the public health officer] were to walk into a business or do a blanket order saying you will be shut down, the board would have to confirm that." After hearing the public health officer's report and recommendations, the county board could then decide, within seven days, that is not the best decision and not allow that to happen. Or, if they thought it was a good decision, they could allow her recommendations to be implemented. This ordinance would take the final decision away from just one person and give it to the board to decide. "This shouldn't be an issue," Nick added. "If I were a business owner I would have zero worries. I would actually be happy because now their putting something in place that says [the public health officer] can't walk into my business and shut it down." The meeting to discuss the State of Emergency extension and ordinance will take place on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at 9 a.m. in Room 101 of the Price County Courthouse.

NEWS - COUNTYWIDE SECTION 5 EVERS' SAFER AT HOME EXTENSION BLOCKED BY WI SUPREME COURT - UPDATED WITH PRICE COUNTY'S RESPONSE May 13, 2020 PRICE COUNTY OFFICIALS GIVE MORE INFORMATION REGARDING COVID-19 - UPDATED AT 4:20 AM ON 5/15/2020 Price County Public Health released the following statement on Thursday evening: With the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s May 13th ruling that overturned the Safer at Home Order, Wisconsin businesses may choose to be open. If a business chooses to be open, we strongly advise them to follow the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) guidelines while conducting business. These guidelines can be found on the WEDC website: http://wedc.org/reopen-guidelines/ We also encourage businesses to develop a COVID-19 plan that includes screening staff for Illness, disinfecting/cleaning protocol and proper physical distancing considerations for customers and employees. This Supreme Court ruling also provides individuals the ability to gather and to travel. The order is gone, the virus is not. The community is being asked to voluntarily take measures to prevent, suppress and control the spread of COVID-19. The County still asks every citizen for diligence to ensure their own personal safety and the safety of their families, friends and fellow citizens by continuing to practice the guidance that has been shared over the last eight weeks. Maintain physical distancing, avoid gathering in groups, practice good personal hygiene, handwashing, etc. Consider wearing a cloth face covering when out in public. Stay home if you are feeling ill. Do not go to work, the store or anywhere else if you are experiencing any Coronavirus symptoms. People who are vulnerable and at higher risk of severe complications of COVID-19 should stay home whenever possible. This includes, but is not limited to, people over the age of 65, people who live in nursing homes or long-term care facilities and individuals with underlying health conditions or have compromised immune systems. If you feel you have symptoms of COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider for testing options, or visit http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/testing for a list of community testing sites. Price County Public Health will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and has an obligation to address any outbreaks or spikes in cases that may occur. Should countywide infections, outbreaks or deaths due to the pandemic increase significantly, Price County and Price County Public Health will respond appropriately. Should this happen, orders may be issued accordingly. “It is our job to protect our community, provide services and take appropriate action as necessary,” said Michelle Edwards, Price County Health Officer. For the most up-to-date information regarding COVID- 19, please visit: Centers for Disease Control, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/ --- PRICE COUNTY OFFICIALS RESPOND TO THE WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT'S DECISION - UPDATED AT 1 AM ON 5/14/2020 In a press release from Price County Health and Human Services, it was stated that "Price County officials understand that residents are likely to have questions following the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision invalidating the Safer at Home Order. As we wait for additional guidance from the State of Wisconsin, Price County urges residents to continue to practice physical distancing and personal hygiene as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control." Such guidelines can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent- getting-sick/prevention.html Price County officials are also encouraging local businesses to protect customers and staff by adopting appropriate safety guidelines, and suggested guidelines from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), which can be found at http://wedc.org/reopen-guidelines/ The press release concluded by stating, "We will continue to keep the residents of Price County informed regarding updates as they occur and safety measures necessary to ensure the health and safety of our citizens." --- GOVERNOR EVERS' SAFER AT HOME EXTENSION BLOCKED BY WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT - ORIGINAL STORY FROM 6:30 PM ON 5/13/2020 On Wednesday, May 13, 2020, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled to block the extension of Governor Evers' Safer at Home Order, which extended through May 26. On April 21st, Republicans lawmakers brought the matter to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, asking the higher court to block the extension. In a 4-3 ruling on May 13th, the Wisconsin Supreme Court curbed Evers' extension. Chief Justice Patience Roggensack and Justices Rebecca Bradley, Daniel Kelly, and Annette Ziegler voted to strike down the order. The only other conservative justice, Brian Hagedorn, joined the court’s two liberal justices, Ann Walsh Bradley and Rebecca Dallet, in dissent. In the majority opinion, Chief Justice Roggesack determined the Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm, who executed the extension based on Evers' order, should have went through a process known as rule making, which gives lawmakers veto power over agency policies. Without legislative review, “an unelected official could create law applicable to all people during the course of COVID-19 and subject people to imprisonment when they disobeyed her order,” the majority explained in their decision. The Republicans said they challenged this in the higher court to be able to have a voice, alongside Evers and state health officials, to make decisions about how to respond to the outbreak. Republicans sought a temporary injunction to block the extension with a 6-day stay to give health officials time to go through the rule-making process, which would have put the order to May 20th. However, the injunction was not granted, and the extension has been lifted, effective immediately. However, local officials can put their own limits in place. For example, Milwaukee's mayor, Tom Barrett, declared that the city's stay-at-home order is still in place. Brown County and Dane County also issued stay-at-home orders. Many other local officials are doing the same across the state. Regardless of those changes, schools will remain closed. In response to the decision, Governor Tony Evers released the following statement, "Up until now, Wisconsin was in a pretty good place in our battle against COVID-19. We had reached almost all our gating criteria. We had opened up 14,000 small businesses across the state, putting 90,000 folks back to work, and that was because of the good work of Wisconsinites across our state who banded together, stayed home, and stayed safe. Despite that good work, Republican legislators have convinced 4 justices to throw our state into chaos." Governor Ever went on to ask everyone to do their part "to keep our families, our neighbors, and our communities safe by continuing to stay safer at home, practice social distancing, and limit travel." FLAMBEAU RAMA, CZECH-SLOVAK FESTIVAL, AND FLOAT-IN FLY-IN CANCELLED FOR 2020 May 19, 2020 Three prominent events in the area have announced cancellations. Many already know that on March 25, 2020, it was announced that the Czech-Slovak Festival, held annually in Phillips, will be postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme for 2021 will be "Family, Friends, and Neighbors," which would have been the theme for this year's event. Vernette Moravek, president of the event, stated, "It was a difficult but obvious decision considering the current situation in America combined with the fact that those who historically attend and support the festival are among the most vulnerable in our community." As of Monday, May 18, 2020, another area event has been cancelled and postponed until the following year. In a unanimous board decision it was decided that Flambeau Rama, held annually in Park Falls, will not entertain guests in 2020. According to the Park Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, "Each year the historical event attracts thousands of visitors and residents to the event grounds in Park Falls. Unfortunately, with the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 virus, the ability to provide adequate community safety, reduced resources, and timing, we feel the best decision is to postpone." To come to this decision, hours of research, communication with state and local health administrators, residents, businesses, suppliers, and the insurance provider for Flambeau Rama were considered. It was decided the event could not safely take place this year but plans are to bring Flambeau Rama back in 2021. While Harbor View Pub & Eatery - http://www.HarborViewOnline.com - is once again open for business after the "Safer at Home" order was stopped, the Float-in Fly-in that is held every year during 4th of July celebrations has been cancelled for this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. SECOND CASE OF COVID-19 IN PRICE COUNTY LIKELY VIA COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION May 20, 2020 Price County Public Health announced that Price County has received its second confirmed case of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. This case had no known exposures to other cases and is believed to be a result of community transmission. The individual is isolating at home based on guidelines from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. "We are in daily contact with this individual to monitor their symptoms and ensure they are receiving support to remain in isolation at home," said Michelle Edwards, RN, BSN, Health Officer. Price County Public Health is working with the individual to complete contact tracing, an interview process to identify close contacts of the individual who could have been exposed to COVID-19. Public Health staff will then follow-up with each one of those close contacts to provide appropriate quarantine and monitoring guidance. This confirmed case was not tested at the National Guard's community-based testing event on May 17th with the National Guard. Currently, results from the 51 tested at that event are still pending. No further information about the individual will be released in order to protect their privacy. To prevent contracting and spreading COVID-19, make sure you practice good personal health habits and avoid possible exposure to the virus. - Avoid close contact with others - Practice physical distancing - Practice good hand hygiene - Stay home if you are sick As we have for the past several months, we will continue to work with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the Centers for Disease Control and our local partners to make sure our community remains safe and healthy," concludes Health Officer Michelle Edwards. MARK FUHR STEPS DOWN AS PRICE COUNTY'S DISTRICT ATTORNEY; TAKES NEW POSITION May 22, 2020 Governor Evers announced that he is seeking applications for the appointment of Price County's district attorney position, which was recently vacated by Mark Fuhr, who held the position since 2002. "It has been my honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Price County for the past 17+ years," Fuhr said. The last state budget created a new position, a full- time assistant district attorney covering Price and Taylor Counties. However, the counties were struggling to fill the position until Fuhr decided to accept it. He stated it was in his family's best interest to accept the assistant district attorney position. Fuhr figures it will be easier for Price County to find a new district attorney, which is a position that pays more. The new appointee will serve the remainder of Mark Fuhr's term, which ends in January 2021. Fuhr will be serving full-time in Price County until his previous position has been filled. To apply for Price County's newly-vacated district attorney position, applicants can find an application form available on the Apply to Serve page of Governor Ever's website, http://www.evers.wi.gov FORWARD BANK GIVES $10,000 EACH TO TWO LOCAL NON-PROFITS May 23, 2020 Forward Bank - http://www.forward.bank - worked with the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) to help local charities through the Guide Our Giving Event. They did so by maximizing grant funds and using a loan program from FHLB to benefit non-profits in communities where Forward Bank has offices. Forward Bank asked the teams in their various banks to nominate non-profits in their communities that they felt needed additional support. Using Facebook, over 15,000 votes were cast which would end up granting $10,000 each to eleven Wisconsin charities. “Our team was committed to creatively using the opportunity created by the FHLB to give additional support for charities that need it during this unprecedented time,” stated Bill Sennholz, CEO of Forward Bank. "The recipients will have a wonderful opportunity to invest those funds in the projects that help them fulfill their missions.” Catkins Animal Rescue in Park Falls and The Red Apple Center in Phillips were the two recipients in Price County. Catkins expressed gratitude on their Facebook page, stating, "Thank you to all our wonderful supporters for voting for us in Forward Bank’s Guide Our Giving event! Thanks to you we were awarded a generous donation of $10,000! We would also like to thank Forward Bank for holding this event and supporting not only us but non-profits and charities in many of our surrounding communities! Without the support of our community we would not be able to do what we do helping hundreds of pets every year." The Red Apple Center also took to Facebook to share their appreciation, stating, "We would like to thank Forward Bank and our voters for choosing us in the Guide Our Giving Event. We are so grateful for the $10,000 donation and continue to be blown away by the community's support. Thank you!" Forward Bank has locations in Phillips and Park Falls. Visit their website at http://www.forward.bank

POLICE REPORTS: JUNE & JULY 2020 August 13, 2020 The following are some of the summarized police reports for June and July 2020. PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE June 1, Phillips: A man reported being hit by his wife. He and his child left the residence and were in a parking lot in town. June 2, Fifield: A caller reported about ten younger kids jumping off a bridge that she had to cross to get to her home, and they did not want to move out of her way. June 2, Phillips: The meal catering service backed into the sally port garage door. June 3: A deputy noticed a deceased horse in a field and another deputy was going to follow up. June 3: A deputy reported he hit a bear with his patrol vehicle. June 4, Prentice: A woman who was scared and crying reported someone in a vehicle ahead of her shined a spotlight in her window while she was driving. When she slowed down, the vehicle would slow down. When she turned around, it turned around and followed her. Dispatch ran the plate number and deputies tried to find the location where the woman was calling from but could not find any vehicles. June 4, Phillips: A man believed that the US Census Bureau had removed a "no trespassing" sign from his property, entered the property, and then put the signs back, and he felt this was not legal. June 9, Phillips: A man called to report an individual on the playground at Solberg Lake County Park who was being belligerent when he told her no one should be at the park because of COVID-19. June 11, Park Falls: A woman called to report a drone fly past her window at night. She said she saw a light about the size of a nickel outside her window and she feels the drone is taking pictures of her in bed. She said a neighbor experienced the same thing yesterday. July 6: A man reported verbal and mental abuse he is receiving from his wife. He said when he returned later in the day his truck was missing. His wife later called to state she was fine and she just needed a break from her husband so she was going to a casino where they have air conditioning. July 7: A woman called to say her neighbor's music was so loud and disruptive that the Shazam app could identify the music that was playing while she was on her porch. A deputy asked the owner of the property to turn down the music, which was believed to be coming from a boat in front of the neighboring property. July 10: A man called to report that someone came to a residence to test drive a car. The person damaged the car with his erratic driving and then refused to purchase the vehicle. July 11, Phillips: An officer received a phone call from a man stating he observed a male subject exit a vehicle and remove his clothing. He then walked toward a bar. July 12, Phillips: A man reported he had just purchased a resort and while cleaning up the property he discovered a bag that contained a purse with drug paraphernalia and other items. July 17, Park Falls: A man requested officers at the parking lot of a business where a man drove in and pulled a knife. July 17: A 15 year old male was stuck in the middle of the water by the rapids of Big Falls County Park. He was on a rock and could not get back to shore. July 27, Fifield: Two kayaks were reportedly stuck in trees south of Movrich Park. July 27, Phillips: A man reported a strong odor of marijuana coming from a home as he could smell it from the sidewalk as he walked by. He believed the people were selling drugs. July 28, Prentice: A woman reported that a man was drinking, smoking pot, and peeking in windows. She also believed he was buying drugs from people who lived in an apartment complex. July 31, Phillips: A woman called to report that her juvenile son hit her with a baseball bat and smashed a window and other things with the bat. She stated she did not need an ambulance. July 31, Phillips: A woman, who was carrying a baby, was met at her apartment door by the dog of a neighbor. The woman said the dog was barking and growling as she tried to get in the door, and the dog charged at the door causing the woman to cut her thumb open. She would like the owner warned about having her dogs at large. July 31, Phillips: A man reported his son was kayaking on Solberg Lake when an elderly man saw him and shot a shotgun in the air in a manner so that the BBs from the gun fell down on his son. PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT June 1: Police assisted a citizen with locating a squirrel in her residence. Officers searched the residence but were unable to locate the animal. Officers advised the citizen of ways to catch the animal. June 1: Police received a report from a doctor at the hospital stating an elderly patient said she was pushed by caregivers at a care facility in Phillips. Officers investigated the matter and found there was no fowl play. June 4: Police received a report of an exotic pet that was running at large inside a local store the day prior. The store manager requested the police speak with the owner of the animal and advise the person not to return to the store with the animal. June 8: Police received a complaint from the Department of Public Works regarding someone digging three holes into the side of North Minnow Lake Road. An officer spoke to the man who said he had taken the gravel from the side of the road to fill a couple of holes in his yard. The man was told not to remove gravel from the edge of a roadway, and he told the officer he would fill the holes immediately. June 12: Police were notified by a business owner that a customer called and threatened to show up at the business to start a fight. An officer arrived at the business to protect staff, but the customer did not show up. The officer cleared without incident. June 15: Police were notified that a dock in the City of Phillips was starting to separate from the rest of the docking system. An officer notified Department of Public Works and put a police line tape around the dock entrance. June 17: Police received two calls regarding thefts of bicycles. June 20: Police responded to a gargage fire on Argyle Avenue, assisting the Phillips Fire Department with traffic control. No one was injured in the fire. June 21: Police were notified that an adult male walked into the sheriff's office lobby holding a knife to his throat. The situation was calmed down and the adult male was taken into protective custody. The male was transported to the hospital and then placed into a mental health institution. June 22: Police made a community contact with a vehicle and its occupants after an officer observed an open intoxicant container on the passenger's side of the vehicle. A male subject claimed the bottle but gave officers a false name and false information. Officers told the man he would be taken into custody and identified. The male subject attempted to flee officers on foot, but he was taken to the ground and handcuffed as he continued to actively resist officers. The man had a felony warrant from Adams County and was booked into the Price County Jail for two counts of obstructing, one count of resisting, one count of misdemeanor bail jumping, and one count of felony bail jumping. June 23: Police received a report of a toddler roaming the city. Officers made contact with the parents who were looking for their child. The family was interviewed and information was forwarded to Price County Human Services. June 23: Police were dispatched to a city residence for an assault in progress. Officers arrived on scene, investigated the incident, and determined a confrontation had occurred between neighbors. All parties agreed to avoid each other and wanted no enforcement action taken. June 24: Police were notified of a vehicle that crashed into the ditch in the industrial park. An officer arrived on scene and spoke with the driver of the vehicle. The driver declined to participate in a standardized field sobriety test but admitted to driving while intoxicated and requested that he be arrested for it. The man was arrested for first offense OWI. June 27: Police were dispatched to a grass fire along County Road H. An officer arrived on the scene and began extinguishing the fire with dirt from the shoulder of the roadway. The Phillips Fire Department arrived on the scene and continued to extinguish the fire. June 27: Police responded to a boating accident on Long Lake. A man had injured his head and was air- lifted to the hospital. July 10: Police received a report that other individuals had requested that person buy drugs for them. Interviews occurred with all parties and it was determined that the items in question were not drugs but would be illegal for minors to possess. July 14: Police observed a dog running loose run into a yard and attack the homeowner's dog that was on a chain. The dogs were able to get separated, and neither dog appeared injured. A child came to get his dog and said the dog ran out of the residence. An officer spoke to the mother of the child and let her know what occurred and gave a warning for dogs at large. July 15: An adult male who was recently arrested for computer sex crimes arrived at the police department to speak with an officer regarding court proceedings. During the conversation, the man admitted to speaking with another juvenile female, which would be a violation of his bond conditions. Officers are investigating the matter. July 17: Police conducted a search warrant and recovered multiple stolen bicycles from a residence. July 17: Police conducted a search warrant on a residence resulting in the arrest of a 36-year old man for possession of methamphetamine, manufacture of methamphetamine, possessing materials for manufacturing methamphetamine, keeping and maintaining a drug house, and possession of methamphetamine drug paraphernalia. The man was held in the Price County Jail. July 19: Police received a phone call from an adult female reporting her neighbor discarded fish guts on her property. The officer spoke to the neighbor who said he thought he was discarding the fish guts on his property and agreed to clean them up. July 21: An officer was inside a local business. Upon exiting, he discovered a "thank you" letter attached to his squad car. PARK FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT June 3: A juvenile male called 911 to state his grandpa was mowing lawn and his grandma was in the house, and then the caller hung up. Police responded and found the boy had fled to another residence. He was very upset that he accidentally called 911 as he did not realize the phone line was active. He stated there was not an emergency. The officer explained that even if a phone is not connected or activated, it can still dial 911. The boy and the family apologized for the accidental call. June 3: A welfare check was made on a man who was on probation with a monitoring device. The program believed he cut the device off and that it was at his residence. Officers responded and found the man asleep in his residence with the device cut from his leg as the man said it had been causing his leg to bleed. He also admitted to drinking alcohol. The man was placed under arrest and taken to the jail without incident. June 7: Police were contacted by parents stating their child ran away from a friend's residence and was heading northward. The father knew this from a tracking app. A police officer spoke with the child and explained that if she did not return home he would complete missing person's paperwork. The daughter then agreed to return home. June 11: A juvenile female reported that a male would not leave her alone in regard to social media and following her around town. Officers spoke to the male and told him not to have contact with the female. June 17: A man contacted the police stating his ex- girlfriend, who he has a child with, was trespassing on his property and the man does not want her in his buildings on the property. The woman told police that he still has much of her property as he did not give her enough time to get her belongings when they broke up. The police stated they could keep the peace in the future while she collected a list of her belongings. June 18: A woman reported that her elderly father was scammed. He had received a phone call from someone stating he was his grandson and in jail and need $5,000 in bond. The elderly man stated he only had $4,000 and agreed to send that to an address in New York. Police were able to talk to the business where the package with money was shipped and get the package stopped and returned to the man. June 23: A juvenile and two adult men were reported to be in the community pool that is currently closed due to COVID-19. A police officer talked with the subjects and explained the pool is closed. They said they knew this but were hot after playing tennis and wanted to cool off. They each received a warning and assured the officer they would not trespass again. The father of the juvenile was also notified, and he stated his son will not do anything like that again. June 26: A woman found a wallet on a roadway and turned it into the police department. Police were able to locate the owner who realized he had put his food and wallet on top of the vehicle at a gas station. He remembered to grab the food but forgot to remove the wallet from the top of his vehicle before driving away. The owner collected his belongings. June 27: Officers responded to a motel where a person staying there was reported to be keeping pets in a neglectful way. Officers determined the two cats and two dogs had insufficient living conditions and seized the animals. The owner of the animals was emotional throughout the situation. June 30: An officer responded to a man who stated a woman asked him why he flies the confederate flag, "the slave flag," "a flag of hate." The man said the woman threatened to burn his flag, and he said he told the woman he would defend his property and family against any force and pointed to his gun which was in its holster. An officer talked with both parties. July 10: A woman notified the police that she and her son had tested positive for COVID-19 and she would not be handing her son over for his custody time with his son. The father then called and stated that he wanted to know if the mother could keep the son from him. After further investigation, the police found there was no law stating that the custody exchange could not take place but the district attorney stated he would not prosecute if the mother had proof of the child testing positive for COVID-19, which she did later produce proof to the police. July 12: A store employee called stating a door was cracked open when she arrived at work that morning, and she wanted the police to check the door. When the officer arrived, the door was fully closed, so the officer asked the woman about this. She explained that she saw the door was cracked open like someone was trying to get in but the door remained latched. She went inside to set her things down, use the restroom, and then decided she should call the police about the alarm going off and the door being "cracked open." The officer questioned how a person could have gotten into the store if the lock was still engaged but did check the store and found no one inside and nothing looked disturbed. July 15: A man stated he was receiving messages that originate from New York stating he needed to pay $800 or an embarrassing video would be released of him. The person sent him screen shots of the video where he was supposedly in the bathroom at his place of work. The man sent $200 via an app that he was instructed to download by the person trying to scam him out of money. July 16: A gas station informed the police that an employee was caught taking money from the store by discounting cigarettes in the register but charging the customer the full amount and pocketing the difference. The employee was caught on camera and admitted she stole $200 to $300 over several months and was very sorry. The store wished to press charges on the employee. July 16: Two people who are involved with the haunted house in Park Falls contacted police to state one of the mannequin heads was removed and thrown on the floor in another room of the building. They were unsure who would have done this. An officer was going to investigate and was told to bring a flashlight as there are no lights in the building as it is "haunted." The officer found an unlocked door and entered. Numerous items were on the floor in the first room. A chandelier was plugged in, illuminating the room. The officer later unplugged it. Two mannequin heads were on the floor, and there was glass on the floor and in the closet. The building was secured and the officer noted not observing "any paranormal activity." The findings were relayed to one of the reporting parties. July 18: A woman reported that a man, who appeared to have been beaten up, enter a lodging facility wanting to book a room, but when she was checking him in, he ran out. She said his face was very swollen and he appeared to have teeth missing on the left side. He had a severe limp and his clothes looked baggy and dirty. Two other lodging facilities said the man also came in for a room but those places told the man there were no vacancies. July 19: A female customer at a store began yelling at an employee for not wearing a face mask. A heated discussion, filled with profanity by the customer, occurred according to the customer, others involved, and camera footage at the store. July 21: An officer became aware of graffiti at a store and at the STH 182 / Birch Street bridge. The bridge had a smiley face and disparaging words for the police. July 25: A man reported he accidentally went to the library on a day it was closed. He went through the unlocked door to return some books and use the restroom when he realized the lights were off. He called to let the police know he made a mistake with entering thinking the library was open, and he thought someone should lock the building. A faulty door was looked at by the maintenance man for the City of Park Falls. July 29: It was reported that two people in a home were experiencing a vapor that made it hard to breathe and made them cough. An officer arrived and recognized it as pepper spray. The woman stated she had pepper spray out earlier when she was meeting with someone regarding something she was selling. She had the pepper spray out as a precaution and wondered if their child later sprayed it. While talking with the child, the officer determined the child had sprayed the pepper spray, and the parents were advised to open windows to air out the house. July 30: Police assisted with a two vehicle accident on STH 182. It was determined that a vehicle was turning into a bar. The striking vehicle did not see their brake lights as they slowed to turn as the sun was in the driver's eyes. None of the parties wished to be taken to the hospital.

NEWS - COUNTYWIDE SECTION 6 COVID-19 STATE OF EMERGENCY AND PROPOSED ORDINANCE EXPLAINED June 10, 2020 Numerous Facebook posts are covering the newsfeeds of Price County residents regarding an upcoming county board meeting on June 16, 2020. At the meeting, there will be discussion and a decision regarding if the State of Emergency should be extended to August 23, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and an ordinance may be added. This information seems to have a number of area residents concerned that the county is going to "shut down" and that businesses will be forced to close their doors and residents will be forced to stay at home. According to Nick Trimner, Price County's administrator, these worries are unnecessary. According to Nick, extending the the State of Emergency would not change anything at present and would only help the county get funds from the state and federal government, if needed, should the COVID- 19 pandemic hit Price County and have a profound impact in the area making funding necessary. Nick stated that the State of Emergency extension "has nothing to do with a stay-at-home [order] or shutting business down. The State of Emergency allows me to say that Michelle Edwards is working on a plan for this pandemic for tracing or doing anything COVID related. We can get reimbursed from the state." Michelle Edwards is the current public health officer at the Price County Health and Human Services Department. Additionally, another topic for the June 16, 2020 meeting is a possible ordinance. This ordinance would put in place the rules in case the public health officer feels a need to shut something down. As it stands right now, the public health officer only needs to follow state statutes and could come into a business and shut them down or shut down all businesses for a health reason. If the ordinance is accepted on Tuesday, if the public health officer feels there is a health reason to shut down a business or all businesses or make any type of decision that would affect the public, she would need to take a report to the board with her concerns, and the board would step in and decide if her concerns and recommendations were valid or not. As further explained by Nick, "There is just statutory law in place right now. So the public health officer could come in your place of business right now and say, 'I'm shutting you down for TB, COVID, whatever reason there is.' Then all she has to do is give a report to the board saying I shut them down. The board has no say in it. With these new rules, if there is a State of Emergency, if [the public health officer] were to walk into a business or do a blanket order saying you will be shut down, the board would have to confirm that." After hearing the public health officer's report and recommendations, the county board could then decide, within seven days, that is not the best decision and not allow that to happen. Or, if they thought it was a good decision, they could allow her recommendations to be implemented. This ordinance would take the final decision away from just one person and give it to the board to decide. "This shouldn't be an issue," Nick added. "If I were a business owner I would have zero worries. I would actually be happy because now their putting something in place that says [the public health officer] can't walk into my business and shut it down." The meeting to discuss the State of Emergency extension and ordinance will take place on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at 9 a.m. in Room 101 of the Price County Courthouse. 6/16/2020 UPDATE: There was a 7 to 6 decision to table the vote for six months. However, that decision can be reversed if it is brought up at the board meeting next month. 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS AND PRICE COUNTY FAIR WILL BE HELD June 11, 2020 JUNE 11, 2020: 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS AND PRICE COUNTY FAIR WILL BE HELD While many events have been canceled in the area due to COVID-19, including the Independence Day parades, a few events will be held. Fireworks will take place in both Phillips and Park Falls at dusk on the 4th of July. People are asked to practice social distancing in the best way they can. The Price County Fair will also be held from August 19th to August 23rd. The rodeo, back by popular demand, will also be held at the fair. According to Michelle Drobnik, vice chairman of the fair board, she will meet with Michelle Edwards, the health officer at the Price County Health and Human Services Department to determine the best practices for safety at the fair in light of COVID-19. While the fair will go on, unfortunately, the open class building that is pictured and the barn will be closed to the public due to safety concerns with the structures. This story will be updated when more is known about the procedures that will be implemented at the fair along with information on the events that will be scheduled. The fair's website can be viewed at http://www.PriceCountyFair.com UPDATE: The Price County Fair got canceled on July 2, 2020. WHITE DEER IN SOUTHERN PRICE COUNTY June 15, 2020 Derek Werner captured this white (possibly albino) deer on film on Sunday, June 14, 2020 in Southern Price County. 2020 PRICE COUNTY FAIR CANCELED; RODEO & MARKET ANIMAL SALE STILL BEING HELD July 2, 2020 Due to COVID-19, another Price County event has been canceled. While the board did vote in June in favor of holding the fair, a new decision was made on July 2, 2020 to cancel this year's Price County Fair. The fair board announced it was the hardest decision it ever had to make. The board had great concern for the safety and health of the community, exhibitors and their families, vendors, carnival workers, volunteers, employees, and the general public. "We know that this pandemic has impacted many of our social gatherings here in Price County and we were hopeful the Price County Fair would not be another one of its victims. However, the safety of all those involved had to be at the top of the list when making this decision. The challenge of social distancing with this many people is almost impossible. We also felt many of our sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, and community members are experiencing hardships during these unfamiliar times. With this in mind, we could not ask them to support or participate because of the current situation," the fair board stated. Aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Price County Fair was destined to face other challenges this year given the livestock barn and the open class building have structural issues that would not allow them to be used in 2020. With the center stage attached to the open class building, that also could not be used at this time. Combined with COVID-19, these factors created many hardships for the fair to overcome in 2020. The Price County Rodeo and 4-H Market Animal Sale are still being held. The fair will return in 2021. View the fair's website at http://www.PriceCountyFair.com TWO NEW POSITIVE COVID-19 TESTS IN PRICE COUNTY July 8, 2020 1,074 COVID-19 tests have been given to Price County residents. 1,068 of those were negative. Four were positive. Two of the four have recovered and two are new, active cases. Plus, Price County Health and Human Services states two other tests as "probable" for a total of 6 COVID-19 cases in Price County since the beginning of the pandemic. Neither of the two new cases had known exposure to COVID-19 and are believed to be a result of community transmission. Contact tracing has been completed on the new cases. Anyone who was known to have contact with these individuals has been notified and will have appropriate follow-up. The health department continues to recommend physical distancing, washing your hands frequently with soap and water, wearing a mask when appropriate, and covering your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze. Further, try to cover your cough and sneeze with your arm instead of your hands. If you use your hands, avoid touching surfaces and immediately wash your hands after you sneeze or cough. The tests are reported in the county where the person resides, so the two individuals who tested positive are Price County residents. However, no further information about the individuals will be released to the public in order to protect their privacy. GOVERNOR TONY EVERS ISSUES STATEWIDE MASK REQUIREMENT July 30, 2020 Governor Tony Evers issued an order on Thursday that will take effect on Saturday, August 1, 2020. The order will require all Wisconsin residents, age 5 or older, to wear face masks while indoors until September 28, 2020, which will include the first month of school if students report back to school. However, there are some exceptions. Members of the state legislature and state judiciary, people who are in the act of swimming, eating, or drinking, reporters delivering news reports, people speaking at religious services, people with breathing issues, and some other people under certain circumstances do not need to wear masks. While in your household, masks do not need to be worn. For those required to wear the masks, violating the order could cost the individual up to $200 in fines. Wisconsin is the 34th state to require face masks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Evers is the last Democrat governor to impose such an order as he felt he had a lack of authority to do so and worried that Republicans in government may take him to the Wisconsin Supreme Court again as they had done when he extended the Stay at Home Order in May 2020. But with pressure from former Governor Jim Doyle, along with Democrat lawmakers, and the fact that the Wisconsin Supreme Court's liberal minority will expand on the same day as the mask order takes place, Governor Evers decided to make the order. Although Conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn had sided with the liberal minority in May, stating the governor's Stay at Home Order should stay in place, the addition of Justice Jill Karofsky will give the court one more liberal voice and may allow the court to make rulings different from those made in the past. Governor Evers stated, "While our local health departments have been doing a heck of a job responding to this pandemic in our communities, the fact of the matter is, this virus doesn't care about any town, city, or county boundary, and we need a statewide approach to get Wisconsin back on track. We've said all along that we're going to let science and public health experts be our guide in responding to this pandemic, and we know that masks and face coverings will save lives. While I know emotions are high when it comes to wearing face coverings in public, my job as governor is to put people first and to do what's best for the people of our state, so that's what I am going to do." LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS GIVE THEIR RESPONSES TO THE GOVERNOR'S MASK ORDER July 31, 2020 The Phillips Police Department stated, "In regard to Governor Tony Evers' recent order requiring face coverings in certain situations, the City of Phillips Police Department will not investigate or enforce mandatory mask use." Chief Hauschild continued, "I ask residents to be courteous to one another and let people make their choice if they choose to wear a mask or not. There are a number of businesses in Phillips that require customers to wear masks and many are respecting the stores' policy. The Phillips Police Department is still waiting on the Attorney General's Office to release guidelines for law enforcement." The Park Falls Police Department stated, "The science behind wearing a mask is proven. Wearing a mask slows the spread of the virus. We ask our citizens to respect each other and not engage in arguments over this issue. The order itself gives multiple exemptions to the mask mandate. If you see someone not wearing a mask, please recognize that this person may fall under one of the many exemptions. It is NOT your place to confront them to determine whether or not they are exempt. We encourage everyone to follow CDC guidelines for social distancing, sanitizing, and face coverings. But, to be clear, our stance at this point is that the City of Park Falls will NOT enforce the mask order until or unless we receive definitive guidance from Attorney General Josh Kaul and / or the Wisconsin Supreme Court." We are still waiting to hear from the Price County Sheriff's Office. If they respond, we will add that information to this article.

GOVERNOR EVERS' ADMINISTRATION LIMITS INDOOR PUBLIC GATHERINGS October 6, 2020 Governor Evers directed the Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to issue Emergency Order #3 limiting public gatherings to no more than 25 percent of a room or building’s total occupancy. This directive is effective at 8 a.m. on October 8, 2020 and will remain in effect until November 6, 2020, and applies to any gatherings at locations that are open to the public such as stores, restaurants, and other businesses that allow public entry, as well as spaces with ticketed events. “We’re in a crisis right now and need to immediately change our behavior to save lives,” said Governor Evers. “We are continuing to experience a surge in cases and many of our hospitals are overwhelmed, and I believe limiting indoor public gatherings will help slow the spread of this virus. Folks, we need your help and we need all Wisconsinites to work together during this difficult time. The sooner we get control of this virus, the sooner our economy, communities, and state can bounce back.” “The unfortunate reality is this: the disease activity level of COVID-19 in Wisconsin is so high that going to a gathering puts you at very high risk of exposure,” said DHS Secretary-designee Palm. “We know gatherings are a key way this virus spreads, so we must act to limit indoor gatherings to stop the spread, reduce illness, and save lives.” Today, DHS reported an increase of 2,020 confirmed cases of COVID-19; 18 new deaths, and the seven-day average of new daily COVID-19 cases is 2,346 up from 836 one month ago. According to DHS’ Disease Activity dashboard and as of Sept. 30, 2020, 45 of Wisconsin counties meet the threshold of a very high disease activity level, which means that there are more than 350 cases per 100,000 people in that county. All other counties reported high case activity levels. This means Wisconsinites should assume they will likely be exposed to the virus if they leave home and should practice all safety precautions. According to the governor's press release, Wisconsinites should take the following steps to stay safe and help stop the spread of COVID-19: -Stay home whenever possible -Wear a mask -Wash your hands frequently -If you have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19, get tested -Get the flu shot to help reduce the strain on healthcare systems responding to the COVID-19 pandemic -Challenge misinformation and talk to friends and families about the importance of these safety precautions POLICE REPORTS: AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2020 October 15, 2020 PRICE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 8-3-2020: Phillips - A man called to report he had an argument with his wife and she then disconnected his oxygen unit. 8-11-2020 & 8-13-2020: Prentice - A woman reported a man is stalking her on his bike, following her to multiple locations. 8-14-2020: Prentice - A male was walking in several yards and looking in windows of houses, according to a man who made the report. The man was wearing a Halloween mask backwards. 8-16-2020: Phillips - A woman stated she had been dropped off at a local bar by a man who she only knew by his "street name." He told her to exit his vehicle due to a disagreement and she did so and started walking. 8-16-2020: Phillips - A woman reported a water skiing accident at Solberg Lake resulting in a head injury. The patient was breathing but unconscious initially and then started coming to. 8-18-2020: Prentice - A woman called to report that her neighbors took shingles off her garage, placed rocks underneath her garage, and sprayed weed killer on her lawn. 8-22-2020: Phillips - A woman called to report an argument at the end of her driveway between a woman and a man. The woman was screaming for someone to call 911, and the man was pushing the woman. A white vehicle left the scene with both parties. The woman later called 911 and advised her husband was going to kill her and to hurry before the phone was disconnected. Dispatch talked with the man twice afterwards, and he said there were no problems and no weapons. The man refused to let dispatch speak to the woman. A deputy responded to the residence. 8-23-2020: Kennan - A caller reported a vehicle was driving slowly through the area and turned around six times in various places. The vehicle had cut off and pulled out in front of children, and the children were so scared that they ran through the woods to get home. The vehicle was described and law enforcement put a note on the vehicle. The owner of the vehicle called to say she was doing Census work at the location. 8-29-2020: Park Falls - A woman called to report two men and one woman were standing outside her apartment door and she believed they were using a cell phone camera to record through her door's peephole. 8-31-2020: Phillips - Two men came to the Sheriff's Office asking for assistance with fuel because they did not have their wallets with them and they had put "Phillips" into their GPS when they really needed to go to "Phelps." 9-2-2020: Phillips - A local store called stating they found burned items in the store six times over the last two weeks, including finding burned toilet paper on the floor of the restroom and a box of matches was found hidden near the restroom. 9-11-2020: Fifield - A caller reported seeing a truck near her property and having items moved around on her property. 9-12-2020: Park Falls - A man heard a gunshot at a nearby park and went to the parking lot to see what was going on. Two men had rifle-type guns and said they had the right to shoot their guns because it was public property. A duck had been shot, so dispatch contacted the DNR. 9-15-2020: Prentice - A woman reported a man and woman arguing at the end of her driveway but then they fled the scene with the man leaving first and the woman following him with a flashlight. 9-22-2020: Phillips - A man reported he was waterskiing and a boater yelled at him. The man yelled that the waterskiier person has no respect for fishermen and that he was going home to get his gun. The man also yelled, "You better not be here when I get back!" The waterskiier spoke with another boater who said the boater that yelled at him showed him a gun. 9-27-2020: Park Falls - A woman reported her son was screaming in his bedroom, and when the woman entered the room, she saw a hand exiting her son's window. The woman stated this was an ongoing issue and the Park Falls Police Department had recently removed a trail camera that was monitoring her home. 9-2020: Various reports of political signs, from both parties, were reported stolen. PHILLIPS POLICE DEPARTMENT 8-6-2020: Officers were dispatched to a local park where a group of juveniles were being disorderly and swearing at a group of people. 8-11-2020: An officer was dispatched to a local business to talk with a group of juveniles who had thrown a shoe into traffic on Hwy. 13. The juveniles received a stern warning. 8-12-2020: A female called to report juvenile girls had a lemonade stand and kept running into the roadway. An officer spoke with the girls regarding safety concerns. 8-22-2020: Police responded to a residence where a woman was being pushed into a vehicle by an unknown male while screaming for help. The parties were located at their shared residence. One adult male was arrested for domestic disorderly conduct and battery. The victim was put in contact with Embrace services. 8-23-2020: A fire was in progress in the bleachers at the athletic field. Emergency services responded and an investigation was conducted. 8-26-2020: Damage was reported at a local church. 8-27-2020: A two vehicle accident was reported at Victoria Street and Ash Street. There were no injuries or road blockage. 8-27-2020: Three vehicles received damage to their windshields when a city dump truck was losing gravel while traveling southbound on Hwy. 13. 9-1-2020: Police were notified of a recent domestic violence altercation where an adult male was stabbed with a knife. An officer interviewed the alleged victim but there were no injuries discovered to determine a stabbing had occurred. 9-1-2020: A complaint was received that a picnic table was placed in the water at Elk Lake Park. The table was removed from the water, and an investigation is pending. 9-4-2020: A man reported he heard a female neighbor screaming inside her house. Officers arrived and the woman said she was screaming because her back hurt and her cats were not cooperating. No one else was in the residence. 9-8-2020: The School Resource Officer responded to the Phillips Middle School due to a computer crime. The investigation is ongoing. 9-11-2020: Skunks were reported in the 400 block of Avon Avenue. 9-14-2020: A sexual assault complaint was received from an incident that occurred on 9-12-2020 in which one male was arrested for 2nd Degree Sexual Assault, strangulation/suffocation, and false imprisonment. 9-15-2020: A city resident reported having a voice message where someone swore. An officer talked with all parties and advised them not to contact each other. 9-16-2020: An employee of a local business reported that, when they got to their vehicle, someone had put shaving cream on it. The officer took photographs of the vehicle. 9-23-2020: An adult man was stopped while riding his lawn mower in the business district. An officer explained the hazards or riding in the lane of traffic and impeding traffic. The officer explained a safer, alternate route to travel. 9-25-2020: Police made a welfare check on an adult female due to a concerned family member. The female stated she was fine but a family member transported the woman to a detox facility. PARK FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT 8-8-2020: A woman reported that she had received seeds from China in a padded envelope when she did not order seeds. 8-8-2020: A light was on in the storage room at the high school baseball field. While checking the building, an officer found the door was heavily damaged. This same door had been damaged in April but was going to be repaired at that time. In comparing the photos, the officer noted this damage looked more excessive than the last damage. 8-8-2020: A fire in a basement, believed to be caused by a sump pump, caused the pets to be removed from the house and placed in a vehicle for safety and the fire department to be called to extinguish the fire. 8-9-2020: A man reported his father's box blind was stolen, the lock on the gate was cut, and a truck was stuck in their food plot. 8-11-2020: A generator blew up at a lift station. Smoke was coming from the machine. Some residents in Park Falls lost power for a short amount of time. 8-14-2020: A woman reported a dead bird on her deck and thought her neighbor had placed it there given he was up late the night prior in his garage. The officer explained he would not be speaking to the neighbor given the information she provided, but the officer did remove the bird for her. 8-22-2020: Police investigated a possible break-in at a bar as a window was open and a screen was lying on the ground. However, it did not appear any alcohol or money was stolen inside the bar. 9-2-2020: The fire department had apparently conducted training in several buildings that will be demolished soon. However, the reporting party stated fires should not be set in the buildings until certain requirements are met, such as asbestos being removed and lead abatement. Since fires were set, it was estimated this would now cost the City of Park Falls more money to have the buildings demolished. The DNR may levy fines against the city, as well. The fire chief stated he thought they could not burn down the buildings completely but did not realize they could not start small fires in the building for training purposes. It was stated that one of the little fires spread more rapidly than anticipated and the fire department had to put out an unplanned fire. It was also learned that the asbestos contractor had incorrectly filed the paperwork initially, which led to a DNR representative traveling to Park Falls and discovering the asbestos issues with the controlled burn training that should not have taken place. 9-6-2020: An ATV crash, with injuries to the female driver and passenger, was reported. 9-17-2020: Deputies responded to a possible barn fire with concerns of the smell of smoke near some hay bales. 9-26-2020: A man contacted the police stating he had just stopped a contractor from tearing down his garage as he had not asked for the garage to be torn down. The contractor, however, said that someone stating he was the property owner requested the garage be torn down.

NEWS - COUNTYWIDE SECTION 7 POLICE RESPOND TO PRICE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH'S STATEMENT ON WEARING MASKS August 14, 2020 On August 11, 2020 Price County Public Health issued a statement in further response to Governor Evers declaring a public health emergency with Executive Order #82 and creating a statewide use of masks indoors in most instances with Emergency Order #1. Price County Public Health stated that they "worked collaboratively with city and county law enforcement and the district attorney's office to develop a plan for receiving and following up on face covering complaints. It is noted that the violation of the governor's orders could incur a civil forfeiture of $200 along with court costs. Complaints are received by Public Health and then forwarded to the district attorney as needed. The intent is to encourage voluntary compliance through education, not enforcement. This is not meant to be punitive." Price County Public Health provided a link to report a concern at http://co.price.wi.us/FormCenter/Public- Health-13/Online-Complaint-Report-for-Violations-o-95 On August 13, 2020, Price County Sheriff Brian Schmidt and Phillips Police Chief Michael Hauschild released a joint statement regarding the information provided by Price County Public Health. The sheriff and police chief stated, "Both the Price County Sheriff's Office and Phillips Police Department will not be taking complaints or issuing citations on people not wearing masks. We believe in the rights of the people to make their own decision of whether or not to wear a mask. People may have personal and medical reasons for not wearing a mask. The new complaint form that was put out on the Price County Public Health Department website does not address the circumstances where people can't wear a mask. More investigation must be done by the health department instead of handing out warnings or citations when someone makes a complaint on a person not wearing a mask. This is not a law enforcement issue. The only time an officer or deputy will respond to a mask complaint is when a person is creating a disturbance inside or outside of a business and is refusing to leave. Our departments will investigate the disorderly conduct or trespass complaint but will not investigate why a person is not wearing a mask. We are leaving complaints of face coverings to the Price County Health Department." As of August 13, 2020, Price County has a total of 32 positive COVID-19 tests out of 2,007 tests. Only cases that have been confirmed by a COVID-19 test are currently being reported by Price County Public Health. According to Health Officer Michelle Edwards, "probables" are no longer being reported. She stated, "There was much confusion over probable cases and what that meant. A probable case is a case that was identified as a close contact to a positive case, developed symptoms while in quarantine but did not get tested. Because they did not get tested we cannot say they were positive, but we can't say they were negative. Most people go for testing so we can get confirmation but in a case where a person did not get tested that is how the case would be categorized. We decided to try to make the update less confusing and only report on test results, so confirmed negatives and positives. The latest updates do not have probables included." There are currently eight active cases in Price County. The other 24 have recovered. Two of the individuals who tested positive were hospitalized. Price County Public Health continues to urge people to take actions that can reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as social distancing, proper hand washing, use of hand sanitizers, and use of personal protective equipment (including use of masks). Price County Public Health commends the numerous businesses and employees who have implemented procedures to help keep the public safe. 26-YEAR OLD LOCAL, TRAVIS NEZ, SELECTED AS DELEGATE FOR THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION August 22, 2020 Travis Nez, Wisconsin delegate for the Republican National Convention Travis Nez's official nomination papers Months ago, Travis Nez looked to August 24, 2020 with great anticipation and excitement in his heart. He had hope, but also concern; would his experience of a lifetime come to fruition this summer? The countdown clock ticking down the minutes on his cell phone's app, in his mind, he was already on the plane to his destination. Travis wasn't heading to an exotic adventure overseas to celebrate his upcoming birthday, but the greatness of his destination was equivalent to that. He was headed to Jacksonville, Florida, set to be one of the youngest, if not the youngest, delegates to represent Wisconsin at the Republican National Convention. (Our research showed Kathryn Heitman, age 31 in 2016, being recorded as the youngest delegate from Wisconsin at the time.) The last delegate from Price County, representing the 7th Congressional District, was Mary Willett in 2004 for the nomination of George W. Bush. Travis started his interest in politics at a young age becoming involved with the Republican Party in 2008. He was involved with the local campaigns of Pam Galloway and Mary Williams. When he was 18 years old, he got elected to the Price County Board from 2012 to 2016. "I was the first person I ever voted for," Travis noted. Later, Travis served on the Republican Party of Wisconsin Rules and Platform Committee. He is currently a Young Professional Representative for the Republican Party of the 7th Congressional District and on its Executive Committee. Graduating from Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, Travis focused his studies on Tribal and Federal Indian Law. "Working with tribes is personal to me because I’m a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes in Parker, Arizona. I can personally relate to the specific Socialist policy failures under the federal government’s trust responsibility over Native Americans. The federal government’s trust responsibility failures are a perfect example of why Socialism will never work in America." Travis stated that over half of young Americans today support Socialism, and part of his mission is to show people across Wisconsin that Socialism will destroy our ability to have a free, safe, secure, and prosperous future. Travis knows one way to stop Socialism from ruling us it to re-elect President Trump. "Before President Trump’s historic Wisconsin victory in 2016, the last Republican president to win was Ronald Reagan in 1984. For the first time in over three decades, Northern Wisconsin is at the forefront of the Presidential Election. Any candidate vying for the ten Wisconsin electoral votes must win Northern Wisconsin to offset the votes from the southern part of the state." To support his goal of defeating Socialism and re- electing President Trump, Travis pursued becoming one of the 52 delegates representing the State of Wisconsin. The 7th Congressional District, of which Price County is part of, represents a total of 26 counties. That district chooses three national delegates. For a chance to become one of those delegates, Travis needed to prove his qualifications and have endorsements. His endorsements included Rebecca Kleefisch, 44th former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin; Leah Vukmir, former candidate for the United States Senate in 2018, former state senator, and former state representative; Tom Tiffany, current U.S. Representative for the 7th Congressional District of Wisconsin; and Kevin Hermening, former chairman of the Marathon County Republican Party and former candidate for the 7th Congressional District. "During our caucus, six people ran, and I won one of the three national delegate spots," Travis explained. He will be joining an impressive pool of delegates, including former governor, Tommy Thompson; former governor, Scott Walker; former representative, Sean Duffy; Rachel Duffy; and former lieutenant governor, Rebecca Kleefisch. "Especially with Wisconsin being at the forefront of the presidential election, I was thankful that the delegates chose me to represent North Central Wisconsin." Travis continued, "The primary purpose of this year's Republican National Convention is the formal nomination of President Trump and Vice President Michael Pence. There will be an estimated 2,551 delegates; 2,441 pledged delegates and 110 unpledged delegates. To win the Republican nomination, a candidate must receive the support of the majority of delegates which is an estimated 1,276 delegates. About two-thirds are pledged to vote for Donald Trump and Michael Pence on the first ballot based on each state’s primary or caucus results. I was really looking forward to representing Wisconsin and being part of a very historic process; specifically, casting my delegate vote on the convention floor. Instead, each state is sending one person, and we all proxied our votes to that one person. So, I technically already voted. Even though we can’t meet in person, it’s a very humbling experience to be part of an amazing process." Travis said all the Wisconsin delegates will get together for a watch party so they can listen to President Trump's speech together. While Travis did not get to see President Trump in person this time, he has seized upon other opportunities. In the spring of 2016 he met then candidate, Donald Trump, at a town hall rally in Rothschild and during a Sean Hannity Show filmed in Milwaukee. He saw him as president in October 2018 in Mosinee, as well. He was interviewed by Fox News, HBO Vice, and the Wall Street Journal. "I was one of two elected officials in the State of Wisconsin that endorsed President Trump early. My decision to support the President then and now has not changed. For example, many people support candidates who are a popular choice. I look at who understands the issues facing northern Wisconsin. For too long, major presidential campaigns flew over Northern Wisconsin and now President Trump speaks directly to the people of Northern Wisconsin." Travis said the next political event on the day the Republican National Convention will begin will be much more local. He will be attending the Meet & Greet of James Bolen who is running for the 74th Assembly District, which represents Price, Ashland, Iron, and Bayfield Counties. The Meet & Greet will also bring Congressman Tom Tiffany and State Representative Jimmy Boy Edming to Elk Lake Park in Phillips on Monday, August 24th from 4 to 7 p.m. Travis said he will also continue to volunteer for Congressman Tom Tiffany and James Bolen. Travis noted that President Trump won the 74th Assembly District in 2016 and local Republicans are working to flip the 74th Assembly District seat this November from a Democrat to a Republican by electing James Bolen. For more information on the Republican Party of Price County, visit their headquarters at 122 North Lake Avenue in Phillips. GOVERNOR EVERS EXTENDS FACE COVERING MANDATE FOR 60 DAYS September 22, 2020 Governor Tony Evers has declared a new public health emergency in Wisconsin due to recent surge in cases among young people and issued a new face coverings order effective immediately. Both orders are effective immediately and will expire after sixty days or with a subsequent superseding order. People in Wisconsin, age five and older, are required to wear a face covering when they are indoors or in an enclosed space with anyone outside their household or living unit. “We continue to learn more about this virus, but what we do know is that we are facing a new and dangerous phase of the COVID-19 pandemic here in Wisconsin,” said Governor Evers. “We are seeing an alarming increase in cases across our state, especially on campus. We need folks to start taking this seriously, and young people especially—please stay home as much as you are able, skip heading to the bars, and wear a mask whenever you go out. We need your help to stop the spread of this virus, and we all have to do this together.” Wisconsin is seeing a surge in cases, especially among young people. The 18 to 24 age group has seen a case rate five times higher than any other age group. This significant increase has only occurred within the past month and appears to be driven by in-person social gatherings. Last week, eight Wisconsin cities were listed among the top twenty cities in the United States where COVID-19 cases were rising fastest, and six of those eight cities have University of Wisconsin System campuses. “The current surge among young people is concerning, but it is important to remember that this increase in cases is not confined to college campuses,” said Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “Students come to these campuses from across the state, and we worry about the effect their return from an area with a high infection rate could have on their home communities. That is why it is imperative we take action to curb transmission now – to protect residents of Wisconsin in every corner of the state.” “We need to remember that most respiratory viruses see their peak activity in Wisconsin between late fall and early spring,” said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Wisconsin’s Chief Medical Officer and the State Epidemiologist for Communicable Diseases. “We need to do everything we can now to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prepare for the winter. That is why we need to continue wearing masks and practicing physical distancing. It is also why we encourage everyone to get a flu shot this year; the flu shot cannot protect you from COVID-19, but by helping protect you from the flu, it helps strengthen our COVID-10 response here in Wisconsin by preserving hospital and testing capacity.” PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 October 1, 2020 Hope Hicks, a top aide of the Trump Administration, tested positive for COVID-19. The president stated that Hicks frequently wears masks, and it has been reported she is adamant about doing so. However, since he had recently traveled with her on a few occasions, President Trump announced that he and his wife were in quarantine and awaiting test results. Shortly before midnight Central Time on Friday, Trump tweeted, "Tonight, FLOTUS [First Lady of the United States] and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!" The First Lady stated, "As too many Americans have done this year, POTUS [President of the United States] and I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good, and I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe, and we will all get through this together." There is no definite way to know where the President and First Lady contracted the virus. The president has not yet stated that he or his wife have any symptoms.