Flu cases surge in Wisconsin after holidays | FOX6 News Milwaukee

Wisconsin flu activity surges over holidays, following national trend

From JSOnline:

Madeline Heim

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Flu activity spiked across Wisconsin over the holidays, with nearly 1 in 10 people visiting an emergency room the week of Dec. 21-27 having an influenza diagnosis, almost double the week prior.

New respiratory illness data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services show flu activity in the state was classified as "very high" that week, up from "moderate" the week before.

Such an increase is typical as people travel and gather together for the holidays. But it's a warning sign of what could be a tough flu season ahead, driven largely by a new variant of the influenza A virus known as H3N2 subclade K.

Over 620 people were hospitalized across Wisconsin with the flu the week ending Dec. 27, data show, more than a two-fold increase from the week prior. The majority were residents ages 65 and older.

Wisconsin is not alone. Flu cases are surging around the U.S., with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths from the flu so far this season as of Dec. 20. The number of illnesses recorded grew 63% from the week prior.

The 2025-2026 U.S. flu season's severity level is still classified as low, according to the CDC, and health experts caution that it's too early to tell the impact of the new variant. The CDC does predict that influenza activity will continue for several weeks.

In the Milwaukee area, sharply rising levels of influenza A in wastewater – one way health officials measure the spread of respiratory disease – indicate sustained activity.

Last year's flu season was particularly intense in Wisconsin, peaking later in the season with more than 860 people hospitalized with the flu the week of Feb. 8, 2025.

State health officials say the best way to avoid the flu is to wash your hands, stay home if you are sick and get the flu vaccine, available to anyone 6 months and older.

To get vaccinated, residents can check with their doctor, health department, pharmacy or other community clinic. People who do not have health insurance can use programs such as the Vaccines for Children program and Vaccines for Adults program.

More: What to know about influenza A in Wisconsin this flu season

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2026/01/02/wisconsin-flu-activity-surges-over-holidays-following-national-trend/87997906007/

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Racine residents express frustration to alders about snow removal efforts

From The Journal Times.com:

Holly Gilvary

RACINE — Following nearly a foot snowfall last weekend in Racine, some residents say they feel the city did not act fast enough to plow residential roads.

Alice Erven, who lives on Chatham Street, said at Tuesday's Common Council meeting that snow removal occurred after the wet snow "had frozen into ice boulders at the apron of everyone's driveways and (was) turning streets to ice."

"While I appreciate the hard-working snowplow drivers for their tireless work during a holiday weekend, I have no patience for the departmental leadership's handling of what did and did not count as a priority," Erven said.

Karen Briwicic said she and her neighbors were left "stranded" on their street from the snowfall and that she called her alder, Grace Allen, for assistance.

"I literally never have, in all my years, had to call my alderman, and thankfully, Grace came through and actually assisted us," Briwicic said. "I want you all to think of the citizens. We don't all live on main streets; the majority of residents of this city live on a side street. So how are we all going to come together and make sure that we can have these streets plowed in a proper manner?"

Alder Henry Perez said he received several calls and texts from constituents about snow removal and the issue "created some difficult situations for our constituents," but "as a member of the Public Works Committee for the last 10 years, I assure you that this comes up almost every year."

"We reexamine the plan, we look at it again, we have advice. We changed and tweaked some things — but it's really difficult to handle a one-foot snowfall," he said. "Were there shortcomings? Absolutely … some people were hurt, but overall, people were thankful. The calls I got were all thanking me for having Public Works do such a good job as they did."

Perez added that Racine Public Works employees covered more than 300 miles in plowing within 48 hours.

Alder Nathan Pabon concurred that while Public Works employees' work "wasn't perfect … they were out there doing their job, working hard."

"When the time does come to reevaluate and discuss this, I hope that constituents and alders alike will show up to those meetings and express their concerns and work really collaboratively to put a better plan in place for that," he said.

Amended 2026 meeting dates

Also on Tuesday, the Common Council voted to approve its 2026 meeting dates, along with an amendment from Pabon to add Jan. 6 and July 7 to the schedule to make up for reduced meetings during election months.

"This proposed calendar takes into account that this coming year is a very heavy election year, and I understand the lighter schedule in those months, but I think because we are having a lighter schedule in February, April, August and November, that it is incumbent upon us to make sure that we are going through our legislative duty as thoroughly as possible," Pabon said.

With Pabon's amendments, the council will meet on the following dates: Jan. 6, Jan. 20, Feb. 3, March 3, March 17, April 20, April 21, May 5, May 19, June 6, June 20, July 7, July 21, Aug. 5, Sept. 8, Sept. 22, Oct. 6, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and Dec. 15.

The council also approved requests that the Public Works and Services Committee, Finance and Personnel Committee, and Public Safety and Licensing Committee maintain their current meeting dates and times for 2026.

Public Works and Services meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays the week prior to the scheduled Common Council meeting; Finance and Personnel meets at 5:30 p.m. Mondays the week prior to the scheduled Common Council meeting; and Public Safety and Licensing meets at 5 p.m. Wednesdays the week prior to the scheduled Common Council meeting.

In other business, the council:

• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the Mount Pleasant Police Department for the Racine Police Department's use of MPPD's shooting range at a cost of $12,000 annually from the RPD budget.

• Authorized a contract with Wil-Surge Electric and Code Red Security for a one-year contract, each with four additional one-year extensions, for surveillance camera and access point contracting services, with the 2025 cost of $50,000 and the 2026 cost of $380,000.

• Disallowed a claim for an unspecified amount from Jerry Price and Danielle Thomas for damages to their property on Fairview Terrace allegedly arising from a tree falling on their property in July. The tree did not belong to the city, nor was it the city's responsibility to maintain the tree.

• Approved the 2026-27 election officials.

• Granted permission to the city to award two contracts for ash tree removal, with one to Acer Tree Service and Landscape for $91,961 and one to Stefka Tree & Landscape for $22,115. The awards will be funded by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Inflation Reduction Act Urban Forestry grant.

• Authorized the public health department to continue the agreement with the Wisconsin Humane Society for stray and impound animal shelter services for $216,039.

• Authorized the public health department to enter into an agreement and accept funding of $198,314 from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for the Disease Intervention Specialist Supplemental Agreement to be used to support syphilis case management within Racine County. This will increase one current, part-time position to a full-time position.

• Authorized the public health department to enter into a new agreement and accept recurring funding of $51,317 from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for the Women's Health Block Grant-General and to establish and hire a part-time nurse practitioner position, partially funded through this grant.

• Authorized the public health department to enter into a new agreement and accept recurring funding of $64,753 from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for the Women's Health Block Grant — City-Based Clinics and to partially fund the part-time nurse practitioner position that correlates with the above agenda item.

• Authorized the public health department to enter into a new agreement and accept recurring funding of $7,888 from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for the Women's Health Block Grant — chlamydia outreach.

• Approved the 2026 storm emergency sewer repairs fixed prices.

• Approved the 2026 sanitary emergency sewer repairs fixed prices.

• Approved a change order to a contract for concrete reconstruction with LaLonde Contractors, reducing the contract amount by $4,242 for a total contract amount of $1,252,341.

• Authorized final payment for concrete reconstruction by LaLonde Contractors for $1,252,341.

• Authorized the city engineer to sign the renewal with Precise Underground Marketing Corporation to provide underground facility locating services for the city-owned fiber optics and electrical systems from Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2026. The estimated annual cost for these services is $100,000.

• Approved an easement request from WE Energies for Racine City Hall, 730 Washington Ave.

• Approved an amendment to city parking regulations to add the following: No Parking Any Time: Glen Street, east end cul-de-sac from curb return to curb return.

• Approved a change order to a contract for City Hall elevator upgrades with Express Elevator, increasing the contract amount by $46,742 for a total contract amount of $361,742.

• Authorized final payment for City Hall elevator upgrades to Express Elevator of $361,742.

From: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/government-politics/article_6e81a49e-b776-4df1-ab43-6ad032196163.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

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