Covid-19 Journal SHAWANO LEADER WWW.NEWMEDIA-WI.COM Friday, May 15, 2020 Volume 139, Issue 33 $1 County bars are open, despite state closure Several Shawano County bars opened up last weekend without fear of local enforcement of Safer at Home rules. PAGE 2 Tan sturgeon sighted at dam in Shawano A light-colored sturgeon made it to Shawano, capturing the attention on online sturgeon-watchers. PAGE 19 Girls basketball regions change The Witt-Birn girls basketball program has moved to Division 4 — where it belongs, coach says. PAGE 25 AWESOME TASK Liz Benecke, a town of Wescott nurse, holds a face mask in one of her favorite patterns. Benecke coordinates the donations of thousands of medical-grade masks from a location in Green Bay. The sign behind her, which came from the previous occupant of the workspace, reads: “I’m not here to be average. I’m here to be awesome.” FOR THE FULL STORY, SEE PAGE 20. CAROL RYCZEK | NEW MEDIA PAGE 2t/&8.&%*"twww.newmedia-wi.comtFRIDAY, MAY 15, 2020 SHAWANO LEADER (USPS 492-120) Published Wednesdays and Saturdays Some taverns reportedly by NEW Media Inc d/b/a The Shawano Leader Periodicals postage paid at Shawano, Wisconsin 54166 violating stay-at-home order POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Shawano Leader, 1464 E. Green Bay St., Shawano WI 54166 Sheriff’s department Office mum on enforcement 1464 E. Green Bay St., Shawano, WI 54166 By NEW MEDIA STAFF Telephone 715-526-2121 SHAWANO — A number of Sha- FAX: 715-524-3941 wano County bars and taverns were reportedly open for business over Publisher the last several days, in spite of the Greg Mellis [email protected] statewide Safer at Home order aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 Editor-In-Chief coronavirus. Carol Ryczek [email protected] While some were open only for City Editor food take-out, in compliance with the Lee Pulaski [email protected] order, others reportedly had patrons Sports Editor inside eating and drinking, according Morgan Rode [email protected] to complaints received by the Shawa- no County Sherif’s Department. Obituaries Sherif Adam Bieber posted an [email protected] open letter to Gov. Tony Evers on his Classifieds/legal notices Facebook page last month implying he [email protected] would not enforce the order. Rachel Rasmussen, owner of Rachel’s Roadside Bar & Grill in Wittenberg, keeps revenue coming in with Retail advertising Bieber urged Evers to lighten the pickup food service. During the initial shutdown, she expanded her kitchen and is now working on a new addition for restaurant seating. .*3*"./&-40/]/&8.&%*" [email protected] restrictions and wrote that he “will not enforce rules or laws that infringe [email protected] on the Constitutional rights of our Raddant was not at liberty to test,” she said. “I am proud to be stand- Calendar items (free) Citizens.” discuss the department’s stance on ing up and fghting for our rights.” [email protected] Bieber has not responded to re- enforcing the governor’s order. The Shawano-Menominee Coun- Subscriptions peated calls or emails from the Leader “The sherif says he is the only one ties Health Department continues to that wants to respond to that,” Rad- encourage people to follow social dis- Subscription, delivery or payment question? seeking to clarify his Facebook post. dant said. tancing rules and state guidelines for Call 715-526-2121 According to Linda Van Gheem, president of the Shawano County Tav- Additional calls were put in to stemming the spread of the pandemic. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday ern League and owner of Da Swamp Bieber’s ofce and cell phone numbers “As Wisconsin plans ahead for re- [email protected] tavern in Seymour, Bieber has made it for a a comment. He did not respond. turning business to normal, we know clear that taverns don’t need to worry The governor’s ofce also failed to that we will be living in a ‘new’ nor- RATES about any enforcement from the sher- respond to several calls. mal,” health ofcer Vicki Dantoin said County Board Chairman Tom in a press release Friday. “We cannot Print if’s department. Kautza said there was no discussion forget that the risk for COVID-19 will Print single issue: $1 Wednesdays, $2 Saturdays “He said he wouldn’t enforce any- thing,” Van Gheem said. about the governor’s order or enforce- continue and we will need to keep Prepaid nonrefundable 12 months: Bieber on Wednesday attended a ment at a public safety committee our social responsibilities and follow $119 Carrier; $127 Motor; $151 Mail - WI meeting of the tavern league hosted at meeting Wednesday morning. quarantine and isolation guidelines if $164 Mail - outside WI the Shawano Lake Golf Course. Kautza was asked about Bieber’s necessary to help protect the public’s www.newmedia-wi.com On Thursday, the sherif’s depart- open letter to Evers, which was posted health.” April 17, and the county’s response to Van Gheem said she was not aware 1-day. $0.99 ment received a complaint that bars along Lake Drive were open. it. of what individual tavern league mem- 3-mo (90-day introductory offer) $12 No action appears to have been “I don’t have it in front of me and bers were doing in response to the Month-to-month $10 taken by the sherif’s department in I’d like to read it again before I make governor’s order. Prepaid 12 month, nonrefundable, $99 response. any comment on it,” Kautza said. “I’d However, she said, tavern league Print plus online nonrefundable package Sherif’s Capt. Ty Raddant said the like to read it and see exactly what he members are hurting. $137 Carrier; $145 Motor; $173 Mail - WI; complaint was “taken for information said.” “There’s a few that have the curb- $189 Mail - outside WI at this time.” Anne Retzlaf, owner of Annie’s side pickup that are really stressing On Friday, according to the daily Campground and the Irish Pub and out about it because it’s really hard incident report, the sherif’s depart- Grub west of Gresham, is adamant to accommodate everybody,” Van Member, Wisconsin Newspaper Assoiation ment received three more complaints about keeping her bar open. Gheem said. “They have to make sure about bars being open, including one She said she feels the governor’s they’re all scheduled right. Food has caller who reported that “all of the order to close violates her constitu- to go out at a certain time so you don’t bars in Cecil are open.” tional rights, and encourages other bar have too many people at your bar.” It was not clear from the incident owners to open their establishments to Van Gheem’s own bar is closed, she report what, if any, action was taken in the public. said, and she has been using that time response. “It is an active, peaceful way to pro- for renovation. FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2020 t/&8.&%*"tXXXOFXNFEJBXJDPNtPAGE 3 Anne Retzlaff serves a drink at the Irish Pub and Grub at Annie’s Campground near Gresham on May 9. Retzlaff sees the order to close the bar as an infringement on her rights. Public health officials have main- tained that bars and restaurants pose a threat of transmission of the COVID-19 virus. $"30-3:$;&,]/&8.&%*" “My bar is just a bar,” she said. “We “I don’t think they’re going to re- The village board recently voted state restrictions are excessive and don’t have food or anything. There are open if they’re afraid of getting their li- to waive licensing fees in light of the unfair to small businesses. no carry-outs or anything like that. It’s censes pulled from the state,” she said. closures to provide some fnancial However, she is complying with hard to serve anybody out of a bar like “Then they won’t open, and the ones assistance. them. mine.” that aren’t afraid to, I guess they’re go- “It’s tough out there,” he said. “I see the dangers they are trying to Van Gheem said she expects that ing to open. I don’t really know.” Jason Resch, owner of Resch Lanes, prevent,” she said. some taverns will be re-opening on Responses to the governor’s order 407 Howard St., Wittenberg, said the Rasmussen also said there has been Monday, May 11, even though the gov- and compliance with it has varied community has been very supportive. a lot of community support for the tav- ernor’s order was extended to May 26. around the county. But he expressed disappointment ern’s carry-out food service and, like “Evers doesn’t have the power to “We’re still following the state that so much of the government mon- some other establishments, has used do that,” she said. “He only has it up orders, until we’re told otherwise that ey intended to assist small businesses the down time to make improvements. until 60 days.” they’re either invalid or they change went to large companies. Hugh McAloon, owner of Tavern That is one of the arguments being them,” Shawano Police Chief Dan “It was all gone before we could be Front, 207 W. Vinal St., Wittenberg, made before the state supreme court Mauel said. “We encourage all of our considered,” he said. in a lawsuit brought by Republican businesses to adhere to that also.” Resch Lanes is closed for inside said his business will not reopen until lawmakers seeking to get the order Mauel said there was been “great seating and will stay that way until the there’s an ofcial OK.