Morning Update

Preparing for another Covid-19 school year

Morning update: Tuesday, Aug. 30

In this newsletter

Happy Tuesday, Y'all.

A bit of national news to kick off the morning: The government is ending its free at-home Covid-19 test program this week.

Why? No more money.

A banner on the test website reads "Ordering through this program will be suspended on Friday, September 2 because Congress hasn’t provided additional funding to replenish the nation’s stockpile of tests."

You can still order tests and they'll take a few weeks to ship. If you need a Covid-19 test now, you can find local options here.

Get free Covid-19 tests

— Hayley

😷 Going back to school in the time of Covid-19.

If you're worried about the children in your life headed back to school as we enter the third pandemic fall, Public Health Madison and Dane County has some tips.
Stay up to date on vaccinations. Vaccination is one of the best defenses against Covid-19.
Keep kids home if they're sick. If your child has fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, keep them home. If it's a sore throat or cough, check out PHMDC's health screening checklist to determine what the best move is.
Keep tests on hand. Having a few rapid tests on hand is a good way to be prepared. Don't forget to order your free tests from the federal government before this Friday.
Have high-quality masks on hand. It's always better to have them and not need them than the other way around! MMSD is not requiring masks at the start of the school year, but this could change.

⛵️ PSA: The Tenney Locks are closed.

The largest of three boat locks on the Yahara River is closed until further notice. A lightning strike at the locks caused an equipment failure, forcing the closure.

🎣 Why cleaning up Madison's PFAS is taking so long.

Some context: Starkweather Creek on Madison's east side is highly contaminated with two common types of PFAS, which don’t break down in the environment or body and can cause a number of health problems. The spread of PFAS across Madison’s east side through the creek led the city to shut down one of its wells in 2019. Wisconsin Examiner reports an investigation by the Wisconsin DNR identified Dane County, the City of Madison, and the Wisconsin Air National Guard as the parties responsible for the PFAS contamination in the creek.
Attempts to clean: The Air National Guard is in the process of investigating the extent of the PFAS problem at Truax and from there will work to find a solution, but this could take decades. Meanwhile, the county has tried an experimental mitigation approach to the matter, but to no avail.
Lawsuit time: In July, the county filed a lawsuit against dozens of companies that manufacture firefighting foam in an attempt to cover the costs of cleanup. The lawsuit has since been merged into a federal class action suit and alleges the companies knew their products were harmful. Some residents contend this is the wrong approach to the problem and would rather see the county pour its resources into the cleanup itself rather than lawsuits.

🐶 Happy Take Me Home Tuesday! Meet Harley.

From Dane County Humane Society: Harley is a 9-year-old Beagle/terrier mix who starts out shy, but when comfortable, is very sweet. Harley has lived with cats and dogs in her previous home.

She's looking for a home with humans who are teenaged and older. She's hoping to find a family who will help her build her confidence while working with her on positive reinforcement training.
Think Harley would make a great addition to your family? Learn more about this sweetie here.

👨‍🍳 Be nice or leave.

That's the sentiment by which Chef Tory Miller wants guests at his restaurants to abide. Miller, executive chef and co-owner of L'Etoile and Graze on Capitol Square, says since re-opening his downtown restaurants after Covid-19-induced closures, he's seen an increase in bad behavior and belligerence from customers.
What's the deal? The State Journal reports that since restaurants have been able to operate at full capacity following Covid-19 restrictions, the demand for service is much higher than what many establishments are prepared for. Understaffing has been a key contributor to the problem.

"Like how hard is it to be nice? The entire world is still short staffed, and you yelling about your table not being ready the moment you arrive is not making that any different." — Chef Tory Miller

😎 Your lunchtime read: Meet the real John Wick of Mazomanie, Wisconsin.

Via Wisconsin Life: "I’m sitting in a roadside diner in Arena, Wisconsin, when John Wick walks through the door. The John Wick.

The John Wick you may be better acquainted with is an assassin in a black suit with matching hair and beard. Over the course of three movies, he has killed somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 bad guys. Played by an earnest Keanu Reeves, he uses a pencil and a dusty book of Russian fairy tales, among other things, as lethal weapons. The films earned nearly universal praise from movie critics and thrill-seeking audiences alike.

Back at Grandma Mary’s Café, the man next to me is 96 years old, deaf, and uses a walker to get around. He eats here six days a week, and shortly after he arrives a tall glass of cold milk and a bowl brimming with fruit are placed on the table in front of him."