MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Gov. Tony Evers has issued recommendations aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, and he’s being challenged on his mask mandate.
Across the state border, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an emergency order over the weekend.
The order will close indoor dining at restaurants and bars, and shut down movie theaters and casinos for three weeks.
“I’m a big boy, I don’t need her telling me who I can have over at my house, who I can’t,” Lawrence Baxa of Menominee tells FOX 11.
“I think it’s invasive and it’s control, it’s manipulation and I’m not for it.”
In a statement, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says:
“There are thousands of cases a day and hundreds of deaths a week in Michigan, and the number is growing. If we don’t act now, thousands more will die, and our hospitals will continue to be overwhelmed.”
That mean sacrifices for business owners, even more so for those on the Michigan side of the border. On the Wisconsin side, restaurant owner John Wettstein tells FOX 11 he believes they’ll survive.
“Some will, some won’t, most of them will because you just have to cut back. It isn’t going to hurt as much now because we’re down to about 10 to 15% now anyways. It’s almost all carry out. So that really won’t hurt us.”
School districts, just miles apart, are headed in different directions too.
“80 to 85% of all the students are either in person or with a blended model,” Marinette School District Superintendent Corry Lambie said.
But in Menominee, Michigan, the high school went from five days a week in-person, to completely remote learning.
“It’s kind of crazy how imaginary lines based on states dictate what you guys have to do,” Blesch Intermediate School Principal Scott Martin said.
“But, you know our governor has made the decision that she made, and our job is to fully implement those decisions based on what her recommendations are.”
Back in Wisconsin, Lambie says Marinette is prepared to pivot if Governor Evers follows Governor Whitmer.
“Michigan has to make decisions for Michigan. Wisconsin for Wisconsin, so if it comes from the governor’s level it’s something that we must follow.”
The Menominee school principal said the district was already preparing to go to a virtual teaching model because of a spike in coronavirus cases.
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