Collection: On-and-off debate about face masks in Lake Geneva region
- Dennis Hines , Scott Williams
- Updated
As the Lake Geneva City Council prepares to discuss again whether to mandate face masks locally, here is how the debate has played out in businesses, schools, and elsewhere since the coronavirus pandemic hit.
- Connor Carynski
WILLIAMS BAY — With personal protection equipment in short supply for coronavirus first responders, Lakeland Community Church is helping to gather 2,000 homemade face masks.
Kate DeCiccio, a director at the church, N3181 State Highway 67, said Lakeland offered to assist Walworth County during the public health emergency.
- Dennis Hines
Roll call at the Lake Geneva Police Department is a thing of the past during the era of coronavirus.
In an effort to avoid spreading the contagious virus among one another, Lake Geneva police officers no longer gather as a group for the traditional briefing at the start of each work shift.
- Connor Carynski
DARIEN — Through collaboration and adaptability, two companies have switched production models to manufacture personal protective equipment to keep employees working and to help meet national demand for the equipment.
Protect-All Inc., which typically manufactures packaging films, lamination and thermal films, has altered production to create plastic face masks.
- Dennis Hines
Businesses in Lake Geneva’s downtown tourism and shopping district are wasting no time in reopening for customers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Clothing stores, souvenir shops, taverns and more are welcoming customers back, now that the Wisconsin Supreme Court has overturned the state’s “Safer At Home” public health safeguards.
- Dennis Hines
Businesses and workers in the Lake Geneva region have new protective face masks, thanks to a church group working to control spread of the coronavirus.
Members of the St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church’s Parish Altar Society have made about 2,000 protective masks for Brunk Industries, Open Arms Free Clinic, Geneva Manor nursing home, and others.
- Connor Carynski
WALWORTH – Using 3-D printing, Walworth Elementary School is creating plastic bands designed to prevent aching ears from wearing protective face masks for prolonged periods.
“Comfort bands” are thin strips of plastic with hooks that hold elastic face mask bands behind the head instead of around the ears.
- Dennis Hines
Visitors to downtown Lake Geneva will not be required to wear protective face masks or maintain social distancing to combat the coronavirus pandemic as the summer tourist season brings large crowds into the community.
The Lake Geneva City Council voted May 28 to reject a proposal that would have required tourists and others in the city to wear face masks whenever congestion prevented them from following six-foot social distancing guidelines.
- Scott Williams
ELKHORN — Confronted by a raucous crowd of opponents fearing government intrusion, Walworth County Board members have backed away from a measure outlining public safeguards against the coronavirus.
County officials said the proposal would have reinforced state law granting county government the authority to quarantine people afflicted with communicable diseases.
- Dennis Hines
In the age of the coronavirus pandemic, some Lake Geneva businesses are requiring customers to wear face masks — and are paying a price as a result.
Customers who feel infringed upon by the public health safeguard are sometimes taken aback by being told to wear a face mask. And some take their business elsewhere.
- Dennis Hines
School administrators in the Lake Geneva region are asking parents whether they want to return to normal classroom instruction with the start of the new school year.
Badger High School, Big Foot High School and Williams Bay High School all are conducting surveys of parents to help decide how to approach the new school year during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Dennis Hines
Several restaurants closed temporarily because of the coronavirus have reopened or are making plans to reopen soon.
At least a half-dozen dining establishments in the Lake Geneva region announced temporary closures in the past three weeks, because employees or others had contracted the virus.
- Dennis Hines
Faced with a petition signed by 1,400 people demanding a face mask requirement in Lake Geneva, the city's elected leaders are taking steps to reconsider such a mandate to control the spread of coronavirus.
A petition launched at the change.org website calls on city officials to require face masks in businesses and in public spaces, citing Lake Geneva's "extreme levels of tourism" during the coronavirus pandemic.
MADISON — The coronavirus pandemic is heading in a dangerous direction.
Cases are up in Wisconsin and across most of the nation, as young people — many without symptoms — spread and contract the potentially deadly disease in greater numbers. The risk of transmission is highest indoors, where the virus can float longer in stagnant air.
- Dennis Hines
Faced with a petition signed by 1,700 people demanding a face mask requirement in Lake Geneva, the city’s elected leaders are taking steps to reconsider such a mandate to control the spread of coronavirus.
A petition launched at the change.org website calls on city officials to require face masks in businesses and in public spaces, citing Lake Geneva’s “extreme levels of tourism” during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Dennis Hines
The question of whether to require Lake Geneva visitors to wear face masks to combat the spread of coronavirus is headed back to the Lake Geneva City Council.
A council committee Tuesday heard strong opinions on both sides, but the committee opted to forward the matter to the full city council without any recommendation.
- Dennis Hines
Badger High School board members are offering students this fall a choice of in-class or at-home instruction, with one condition: Students must wear face masks if they show up at school.
The school board voted July 20 to draft a plan for reopening school that will allow students to choose whether to return to campus or to continue remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Dennis Hines
For the second time, Lake Geneva aldermen today voted against requiring face masks in the community to control the spread of the coronavirus.
The issue was decided by a razor-thin margin of 5-4, with Mayor Charlene Klein casting the deciding vote to block a face mask mandate for visitors and others in the summer resort town.
- Connor Carynski
WILLIAMS BAY — School administrators are considering a plan to require Williams Bay high school and middle school students to wear face masks on campus this fall.
The school district administration’s back-to-school does not require elementary-aged student to wear masks, but encourages it during reading time or other close interactions in the elementary school.
- MITCHELL SCHMIDT Wisconsin State Journal
MADISON — In an abrupt about-face, Gov. Tony Evers issued a statewide order July 30 requiring the majority of Wisconsinites to wear face masks when inside most buildings.
The public health emergency order, which went into effect on Aug. 1, follows weeks of public statements by Evers that such a mandate was unlikely in Wisconsin. It also sets up another likely legal battle between the Democratic governor and state GOP leaders, who successfully sued to strike down Evers’ “safer-at-home” order in May. Republican leaders already have signaled opposition to the notion of a statewide mask order.
- Connor Carynski
WILLIAMS BAY – Parents are voicing support for the Williams Bay School District’s back-to-school plan during the coronavirus pandemic, including a face mask mandate for students.
Family members gathered in the elementary school gymnasium July 29 to ask questions about the plan and to offer suggestions before school board members take action on the plan.
- Scott Williams
GENOA CITY — Haley Peters is going into her eighth year as a school teacher.
This will be her first experience teaching during a public health crisis.
- Dennis Hines
Business owners and tourism leaders in the Lake Geneva region are voicing mixed feelings on whether Wisconsin’s new coronavirus face mask mandate will drive tourists away.
Gov. Tony Evers declared a statewide public health emergency in ordering that, effective Aug. 1, anyone over age 5 must wear a face mask indoors or in congested outdoor public spaces, including restaurant patios.
- Scott Williams
Three weeks after Wisconsin’s face mask law took effect, police in the Lake Geneva region are getting complaints about violators failing to wear masks in public.
But the police have not yet written any citations.
- Dennis Hines
Lake Geneva aldermen are getting another chance to consider implementing a local face mask requirement to help control the spread of coronavirus in the community.
Noting that a statewide mandate to wear face masks is scheduled to expire Sept. 28, a city council committee has recommended reconsidering whether Lake Geneva should set its own rule.
- Dennis Hines
Before and after casting the decisive vote against requiring people to wear face masks in Lake Geneva during the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Charles Klein saw her email "in" basket filled up on the controversial subject.
Dozens of people reached out to the mayor via email on the subject, with most of them urging Klein to support a city face mask mandate aimed at combatting the spread of coronavirus.
More like this...
- Connor Carynski
WILLIAMS BAY — With personal protection equipment in short supply for coronavirus first responders, Lakeland Community Church is helping to gather 2,000 homemade face masks.
Kate DeCiccio, a director at the church, N3181 State Highway 67, said Lakeland offered to assist Walworth County during the public health emergency.
- Dennis Hines
Roll call at the Lake Geneva Police Department is a thing of the past during the era of coronavirus.
In an effort to avoid spreading the contagious virus among one another, Lake Geneva police officers no longer gather as a group for the traditional briefing at the start of each work shift.
- Connor Carynski
DARIEN — Through collaboration and adaptability, two companies have switched production models to manufacture personal protective equipment to keep employees working and to help meet national demand for the equipment.
Protect-All Inc., which typically manufactures packaging films, lamination and thermal films, has altered production to create plastic face masks.
- Dennis Hines
Businesses in Lake Geneva’s downtown tourism and shopping district are wasting no time in reopening for customers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Clothing stores, souvenir shops, taverns and more are welcoming customers back, now that the Wisconsin Supreme Court has overturned the state’s “Safer At Home” public health safeguards.
- Dennis Hines
Businesses and workers in the Lake Geneva region have new protective face masks, thanks to a church group working to control spread of the coronavirus.
Members of the St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church’s Parish Altar Society have made about 2,000 protective masks for Brunk Industries, Open Arms Free Clinic, Geneva Manor nursing home, and others.
- Connor Carynski
WALWORTH – Using 3-D printing, Walworth Elementary School is creating plastic bands designed to prevent aching ears from wearing protective face masks for prolonged periods.
“Comfort bands” are thin strips of plastic with hooks that hold elastic face mask bands behind the head instead of around the ears.
- Dennis Hines
Visitors to downtown Lake Geneva will not be required to wear protective face masks or maintain social distancing to combat the coronavirus pandemic as the summer tourist season brings large crowds into the community.
The Lake Geneva City Council voted May 28 to reject a proposal that would have required tourists and others in the city to wear face masks whenever congestion prevented them from following six-foot social distancing guidelines.
- Scott Williams
ELKHORN — Confronted by a raucous crowd of opponents fearing government intrusion, Walworth County Board members have backed away from a measure outlining public safeguards against the coronavirus.
County officials said the proposal would have reinforced state law granting county government the authority to quarantine people afflicted with communicable diseases.
- Dennis Hines
In the age of the coronavirus pandemic, some Lake Geneva businesses are requiring customers to wear face masks — and are paying a price as a result.
Customers who feel infringed upon by the public health safeguard are sometimes taken aback by being told to wear a face mask. And some take their business elsewhere.
- Dennis Hines
School administrators in the Lake Geneva region are asking parents whether they want to return to normal classroom instruction with the start of the new school year.
Badger High School, Big Foot High School and Williams Bay High School all are conducting surveys of parents to help decide how to approach the new school year during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Dennis Hines
Several restaurants closed temporarily because of the coronavirus have reopened or are making plans to reopen soon.
At least a half-dozen dining establishments in the Lake Geneva region announced temporary closures in the past three weeks, because employees or others had contracted the virus.
- Dennis Hines
Faced with a petition signed by 1,400 people demanding a face mask requirement in Lake Geneva, the city's elected leaders are taking steps to reconsider such a mandate to control the spread of coronavirus.
A petition launched at the change.org website calls on city officials to require face masks in businesses and in public spaces, citing Lake Geneva's "extreme levels of tourism" during the coronavirus pandemic.
MADISON — The coronavirus pandemic is heading in a dangerous direction.
Cases are up in Wisconsin and across most of the nation, as young people — many without symptoms — spread and contract the potentially deadly disease in greater numbers. The risk of transmission is highest indoors, where the virus can float longer in stagnant air.
- Dennis Hines
Faced with a petition signed by 1,700 people demanding a face mask requirement in Lake Geneva, the city’s elected leaders are taking steps to reconsider such a mandate to control the spread of coronavirus.
A petition launched at the change.org website calls on city officials to require face masks in businesses and in public spaces, citing Lake Geneva’s “extreme levels of tourism” during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Dennis Hines
The question of whether to require Lake Geneva visitors to wear face masks to combat the spread of coronavirus is headed back to the Lake Geneva City Council.
A council committee Tuesday heard strong opinions on both sides, but the committee opted to forward the matter to the full city council without any recommendation.
- Dennis Hines
Badger High School board members are offering students this fall a choice of in-class or at-home instruction, with one condition: Students must wear face masks if they show up at school.
The school board voted July 20 to draft a plan for reopening school that will allow students to choose whether to return to campus or to continue remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Dennis Hines
For the second time, Lake Geneva aldermen today voted against requiring face masks in the community to control the spread of the coronavirus.
The issue was decided by a razor-thin margin of 5-4, with Mayor Charlene Klein casting the deciding vote to block a face mask mandate for visitors and others in the summer resort town.
- Connor Carynski
WILLIAMS BAY — School administrators are considering a plan to require Williams Bay high school and middle school students to wear face masks on campus this fall.
The school district administration’s back-to-school does not require elementary-aged student to wear masks, but encourages it during reading time or other close interactions in the elementary school.
- MITCHELL SCHMIDT Wisconsin State Journal
MADISON — In an abrupt about-face, Gov. Tony Evers issued a statewide order July 30 requiring the majority of Wisconsinites to wear face masks when inside most buildings.
The public health emergency order, which went into effect on Aug. 1, follows weeks of public statements by Evers that such a mandate was unlikely in Wisconsin. It also sets up another likely legal battle between the Democratic governor and state GOP leaders, who successfully sued to strike down Evers’ “safer-at-home” order in May. Republican leaders already have signaled opposition to the notion of a statewide mask order.
- Connor Carynski
WILLIAMS BAY – Parents are voicing support for the Williams Bay School District’s back-to-school plan during the coronavirus pandemic, including a face mask mandate for students.
Family members gathered in the elementary school gymnasium July 29 to ask questions about the plan and to offer suggestions before school board members take action on the plan.
- Scott Williams
GENOA CITY — Haley Peters is going into her eighth year as a school teacher.
This will be her first experience teaching during a public health crisis.
- Dennis Hines
Business owners and tourism leaders in the Lake Geneva region are voicing mixed feelings on whether Wisconsin’s new coronavirus face mask mandate will drive tourists away.
Gov. Tony Evers declared a statewide public health emergency in ordering that, effective Aug. 1, anyone over age 5 must wear a face mask indoors or in congested outdoor public spaces, including restaurant patios.
- Scott Williams
Three weeks after Wisconsin’s face mask law took effect, police in the Lake Geneva region are getting complaints about violators failing to wear masks in public.
But the police have not yet written any citations.
- Dennis Hines
Lake Geneva aldermen are getting another chance to consider implementing a local face mask requirement to help control the spread of coronavirus in the community.
Noting that a statewide mandate to wear face masks is scheduled to expire Sept. 28, a city council committee has recommended reconsidering whether Lake Geneva should set its own rule.
- Dennis Hines
Before and after casting the decisive vote against requiring people to wear face masks in Lake Geneva during the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Charles Klein saw her email "in" basket filled up on the controversial subject.
Dozens of people reached out to the mayor via email on the subject, with most of them urging Klein to support a city face mask mandate aimed at combatting the spread of coronavirus.
More like this...
Dennis Hines
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